h&m
#TIFF21: HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2021 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
We don’t believe we made it through another TIFF! While this year’s Festival certainly was a bit more scaled-back we definitely were not short of things to do, equally putting in long days. So thankful to the Team for contributing their Reviews of the most key titles to surface at TIFF ’21 including Dave Baldwin, Amanda Gilmore and George Kozera. So thankful to be a Torontonian and be gifted every year with this amazing Festival. We’re so appreciative of the considerations for our safety and the fact that we were able to enjoy the Festival both in-person and at-home. We will never take for granted this flexibility.
Once again we must thank some of our official partners in our coverage of the Festival this year! We couldn’t have done it without their generosity and support and we’re always thrilled to get our Readers and Followers excited about their amazing products and services.
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The lucky winner of our TIFF ’21 Survival Pack Giveaway was Jessica (@SheBakesHere), who won an amazing haul of products from our official partners!
As the winner, Jessica received:
•1 $50 Starbucks Canada Gift Card
•1 $50 Chatime gift card + 1x T-shirt +1x Tumbler + 1x Stainless Steel Straw set
•1 $50 Gift Card at Lone Star Texas Grill
•1 $50 Gift Card at Frankie’s Nashville Hot Chicken
•1 Happy Gift Set including 1 Rose Quartz Roller + Gua Sha set, 1 Happy Face Mask, 1 bottle 250ml Happy Sanitizer and a Happy 3-Toothbrush set
•1 The Beauty of Eczema’s Bathing Oil and Bath Salts At-Home Spa Set
•1 Antipodes Manuka Honey Skin-Brightening Beehive Box
•1 boscia Skin Nutrition Body Collection
•1 bottle of Nature’s Sunshine new Hair, Skin & Nails capsules and BioGuard Hand and Body Cream
•1 H&M Canada VIP Card
•1 Official MR. WILL WONG Baseball Cap
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Team Mr. Will also share their favourites of the Festival and also their predictions which Film will win that coveted People’s Choice Award!
AMANDA GILMORE (Twitter: @GilmoreAmanda)
NOTE: FLEE would be included but I viewed outside of TIFF!
Belfast
Titane
The Worst Person in the World
Petite Maman
Spencer
Would Also Highly Recommend: The Eyes of Tammy Faye, The Power of the Dog, Dune & The Humans
People’s Choice Award Prediction: Belfast
DAVID BALDWIN (Twitter: @DaveMABaldwin)
Petite Maman
Dune
Sundown
Montana Story
People’s Choice Award Prediction: Belfast
TIFF’21 was a substantial upgrade from TIFF’20. Full Stop. The quality of films was substantially stronger, the in-person and digital offerings were better, and the all-around experience was so much closer to the TIFF we all know and love from those simpler, pre-pandemic times. There are some learnings the programming team will need to reflect on for next year’s festival, but I sincerely hope they continue with the hybrid experience despite some of the hiccups they encountered this year. It allows for an easier and more efficient means of discovery for everyone, and lets audiences still feel like they are part of the action even if they are watching from home. I had a blast watching so many movies this year, and am already looking forward to endlessly re-watching many of them. Yet I know in my bones that I would not have been able to see nearly as many had it only been an in-person festival. And while I am bummed to have missed out on Last Night in Soho and Spencer, I am overjoyed at everything I did get to see — including some of the more forgettable titles. Next year will no doubt look different again, but here’s hoping it will still feel like TIFF because where else can you go from watching a hit Broadway musical adaptation like Dear Evan Hansen to an Oscar-prestige play like The Power of the Dog to the absolute madness of the Palme d’Or winning Titane?
GEORGE KOZERA (Twitter: @PartyG)
Jockey
Mothering Sunday
The Wheel
The Worst Person in the World
People’s Choice Award Prediction: Belfast
JUSTIN WALDMAN (Twitter: @DubsReviews)
Titane
Belfast
Petite Maman
Encounter
Violet
People’s Choice Prediction: Belfast
MR. WILL (Twitter: @mrwillw)
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
Last Night in Soho
Belfast
Dear Evan Hansen
People’s Choice Award Prediction: Spencer
We’re still mesmerized by Kristen Stewart’s work in Spencer, which almost is side-by-side as our favourite with Jessica Chastain‘s mind-blowing portrayal of Tammy Faye Bakker in The Eyes of Tammy Faye! We still are obsessed with Last Night in Soho and can’t wait to see it again in October! We missed The Power of the Dog but are thankful it will be available soon on Netflix! So excited to see some of these titles propel into Awards Season success.
#TIFF21: Can we talk about #Spencer for a second? #KristenStewart pic.twitter.com/HnsQqLL4lS
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 10, 2021
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Last but not least, some of our favourite moments with the talent at the Festival:
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Until next TIFF!
We hope you had a blast following our adventures and Reviews. In case you missed them, you always can catch-up right here.
Do not forget to check-out the TIFF TRIBUTE GALA AWARDS, airing Saturday, September 18, 2021 at 7PM ET on CTV and the CTV App!
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#TIFF21: MR. WILL’S OFFICIAL BRAND PARTNERS OF THE 2021 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
We are thrilled to announce our brand partners for the 2021 Toronto International Film Festival! With TIFF ’21 returning a bit more to a semblance of what we remember this year, we are excited to deliver you some amazing content! Whether it be snaps of and with the stars, bringing you the buzz on the who’s in town, our Reviews and also what Films are getting that Awards Season word of mouth, MRWILLWONG.COM and its Social Media channels are your go-to this TIFF!
We couldn’t do it without the support of our Brand Partners, returning and new!
Acura Canada (@AcuraCanada)
Mobility during the Film Festival is super-important and we’re thrilled our ride of choice for TIFF ’21 is the 2021 Acura TLX. Crafted for performance, we’ll let its sleek style and action speak for itself. One of the world’s best sport cars has an incredible legacy of over 30+ years!
Starbucks Canada (@StarbucksCanada)
It’s PSL Season once again and for us TIFF has always been synonymous with a warm Pumpkin Spice Latte, while watching a movie during the Festival early in the morning! You cannot miss out on their Fall menu options including the Pumpkin Scone, Pumpkin & Cream Cheese Muffin, and the phenomenal Apple Crumble Macchiato.
H&M Canada (@HMCanada)
H&M’s Fall 2021 Collection is all about comfort and style, with several officially licensed throwbacks. We’re thrilled to be wearing a few pieces from their Collection for the Festival again this year!
Chatime Canada (@ChatimeCanada)
Nobody does tea like Chatime Canada and that’s the truth. So thrilled to see their brand flourish across Canada and we have been hooked for many years! You absolutely must try some of their seasonal beverages like Mango Tango, Guava Lava, Grape Escape and their brand new Golden Aged Milk Tea, rich and complex! It’s Midautumn Festival soon and select locations are carrying Bake Code’s amazing and decadent Moon Cakes.
Be following us on all our Social Media channels. We’ve got plenty of Drink Vouchers to give away throughout the Festival!
Lone Star Texas Grill (@lonestartexasgrill) & Frankie’s Nashville Hot Chicken (@frankieshotchicken)
- We love our Tex-Mex and Lone Star Texas Grill and Frankie’s Nashville Hot Chicken are the gold standard! With locations around the GTA are the perfect way to fire-up your Festival!
The Beauty of Eczema (@thebeautyeczema.ca)
- Unwind after a long day of binge-watching with The Beauty of Eczema’s Bathing Oil and Bath Salts for an at-home spa experience!
Antipodes (@antipodesskincare)
- All the festival glam can dry out your skin—Antipodes’ Manuka Honey Skin-Brightening Beehive Box will keep your skin bright and hydrated!
boscia (@boscia)
- Nourish every last inch of your skin with boscia‘s new Skin Nutrition Body Collection, formulated with their good-for-you ingredients!
Nature’s Sunshine (@naturessunshinecanada)
- Keep your hair, skin and nails beautiful like the stars with Nature’s Sunshine new Hair, Skin & Nails capsules! And don’t forget to apply the ultimate protection and restoring benefits to your skin with their BioGuard Hand and Body Cream.
JetPeel (@JetPeelCanada)
The secret’s out! It’s no coincidence the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Courtney Cox Arquette keep their faces looking fresh and we’re thrilled to partner with JetPeel Canada to keep our glow nice and bright for TIFF ’21!
CP24 (@CP24)
We’re thrilled for an 11th year to be featured as a guest on CP24 during TIFF. Be sure to tune-in throughout the Festival. You never know when we’ll surface!
Happy Natural Products (@happy.naturalproducts)
We swear by Happy Natural Products‘ 80% Alcohol Sanitizer. It’s our favourite and we foresee we’ll be using it forever, even after we make it through the Pandemic! In addition to this, they make fantastic face masks of the highest grade and also Gua Sha, Facial Rollers, Toothbrushes and more. Their products can be found at the likes of Whole Foods, Well.ca and more.
We know you’ve been waiting for it. We’re thrilled to give one Reader in the Greater Toronto Area a chance to win our TIFF ’21 Survival Prize Pack, loaded with products we know you can’t do without this Festival!
Our Prize Pack, a value of over $600 CAN, includes:
1 $50 Starbucks Canada Gift Card1 $50 Chatime gift card + 1x T-shirt +1x Tumbler + 1x Stainless Steel Straw set
1 $50 Gift Card at Lone Star Texas Grill
1 $50 Gift Card at Frankie’s Nashville Hot Chicken
1 Happy Gift Set including 1 Rose Quartz Roller + Gua Sha set, 1 Happy Face Mask, 1 bottle 250ml Happy Sanitizer and a Happy 3-Toothbrush set
1 The Beauty of Eczema’s Bathing Oil and Bath Salts At-Home Spa Set
1 Antipodes Manuka Honey Skin-Brightening Beehive Box
1 boscia Skin Nutrition Body Collection
1 bottle of Nature’s Sunshine new Hair, Skin & Nails capsules and BioGuard Hand and Body Cream
1 H&M Canada VIP Card
1 Official MR. WILL WONG Baseball Cap
To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK, tag a friend, and tell us in the comments there, which Film you’re most excited about at TIFF ’21. Note: entrants should be from the Greater Toronto Area. We will deliver you the prize in-person. *hint: here’s some of our #TIFF21 coverage so far*.
You must be following.
You might want to bookmark this link as it will be updated often during the Festival!
Not on Facebook? All good, you can enter to win also on Instagram. Details below.
… and Twitter also, details below as well!
We proudly present our official #TIFF21 partners and your chance to #win our #TIFF Survival Pack!
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 7, 2021
How: https://t.co/Pz32PcKHUF pic.twitter.com/NCG1gNnOin
Team Mr. Will are going to be out and about, and even at home enjoying #TIFF21 also. Don’t forget to follow them also:
Amanda Gilmore
George Kozera
Justin Waldman
Some of their top TIFF ’21 picks which you should have on your radar:
GEORGE KOZERA
THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD
MOTHERING SUNDAY
THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE
DIONNE WARWICK: DON’T MAKE ME OVER
DUNE
JUSTIN WALDMAN
DUNE
LAST NIGHT IN SOHO
SPENCER
POWER OF THE DOG
TITANE
DAVE BALDWIN
TITANE
LAST NIGHT IN SOHO
FLEE
THE POWER OF THE DOG
DUNE
AMANDA GILMORE
SPENCER
THE EYES OF TAMMY FAYE
THE POWER OF THE DOG
DRIVE MY CAR
TITANE
View this post on Instagram#TIFF20: ANNOUNCING OFFICIAL FESTIVAL PARTNERS FOR MR. WILL WONG
It’s that time of the year again! We admit TIFF ’20 couldn’t gave come any sooner as it is the highlight of our year every year. While our expectations have been managed of a reduced Festival in light of our current climate, we still plan to celebrate the best Film Festival in the world however we can. We understand the star power won’t be here in the City like previous years, but we are still excited to deliver you content just as you were there with us at the Festival! We’ve got our Films picked-out and look forward to bringing you highlights from some star-studded In-Conversations with the likes of Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Saoirse Ronan and more, plus daily reviews of the Festival’s most-buzzed titles! Team Mr. Will are thrilled to deliver you our best coverage just like we do every year, even if on a different scale!
We spoke to The Toronto Sun‘s Jane Stevenson about how this year’s set-up impacts our plans here.
First are foremost we’d like to thank our partners, returning and new this year.
H&M CANADA – H&M still remains our favourite fashion go-to year after year and while there are a limited number of physical events to attend this year, we’re still honoured to showcase pieces from their Fall/Winter 2020 Collection! With the seasons changing, H&M wants to help you build your best and coziest Fall wardrobe. With all H&M stores officially reopened across Canada, they have great, fashionable Fall items and amazing deals happening both online and in store. We’re thrilled to rock a couple new pieces from their Fall/Winter 2020 Collection at some TIFF ’20 in-person events.
CHATIME CANADA – We are obsessed with Chatime and are delighted again this year to give our Readers and Followers a chance to win some gift vouchers. Others try, but Chatime has proven time and again to be the best Bubble Tea available and we’re thrilled they’re branching-out to several new areas for you to see what the crazy is all about! We live a walk away from a location but often just Uber Eats it in as nothing’s better than bypassing the wait! My recommendations are their Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea, Wintermelon Iced Tea or Iced Grapefruit Black Tea! Be sure to try their brand-new Tea of the Month, the Brown Rice Green Tea with Fresh Milk and also their 1 litre Super Cups Also right in-time for Mid-Autumn Festival, you also can find limited edition Mooncakes in select stores by Bake Code!
NTD APPAREL INC. – We understand safety should always come at the expense of fun and style. NTD Apparel Inc.’s official licensed merchandise are available at several retailers like Winners, Walmart, Canadian Tire and more! We offered you a chance to win some JAWS and BACK TO THE FUTURE face coverings in July and those were a huge hit!
SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT – One of our favourite purveyor of cinematic hits has in recent months brought us our favourites on Home Entertainment including Bad Boys For Life, Little Women, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, Bloodshot and more!
ACURA CANADA – As TIFF this year while largely is digital, it will include a Drive-In component, more than ever do we need an amazing ride for the task. We’ll be arriving in style TIFF ’20 in the 2020 ACURA ILX TECH A-SPEC! We’ve already got a few Premieres on our schedule that we’ll enjoy in the ILX and we can’t wait to take you along with us for the ride!
NINJA KITCHEN CANADA – One of the joys of our pandemic has been sharpening our culinary skills and we were excited to launch a Cooking section on our website and the feedback has been amazing! Never did we realize before how much the Ninja Kitchen Air Fryer would elevate and simplify our cooking experience. We’ve made everything from Roast Chicken to Doughnuts to Steak and it is a joy to know we can have our favourite Sweet Potato Fries whenever we want now! Being home at TIFF this year more than ever for screenings, we appreciate the value of good food at home while we’re screening the Festival’s hottest titles.
STARBUCKS CANADA – Starbucks was a part of my daily life before the pandemic and it broke my heart that being home meant I couldn’t have my Starbucks every day. We’re so happy their stores are open again full-service and right in time for Pumpkin Spice Latte season – our favourite thing to have every TIFF, iced or hot! And don’t forget to try their brand-new Apple Oat Flat White. The ever-popular Oat Beverage is now available as a dairy alternative!
HAPPY HAND SANITIZER – More than ever before do we depend on staying safe with some sanitizer. Available at retailers like Well.ca and Whole Foods, Happy Hand Sanitizer sprays on easy, moisturizes, dries quick and is unscented. Best of all, it isn’t goopy like many others on the market. It also is safe for continued daily use at 80% alcohol and available in 2 and 8 oz. bottles. We don’t go anywhere without it! And best of all, it’s Canadian-made!
More excitingly, we’re thrilled to give our lucky Readers a chance to enjoy some of the products our partners offer! One lucky Readers will win our MR. WILL’S TIFF SURVIVAL PRIZE PACK which is an annual highlight. This year, the prize is more thrilling than ever!
The Prize Pack includes:
1 Ninja Kitchen Air Fryer, 3.8L (value $189 CAN)
4 Chatime Canada Gift Drink Vouchers with official Chatime Reusable Straws (value $60 CAN)
$25 Starbucks Canada Gift Card (value $25 CAN)
1 H&M Canada VIP Discount Card, good for 25% off
1 Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada Blu-ray™ Set including: Bad Boys For Life, Little Women, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood and Bloodshot! (value $125)
NTD Apparel Inc. official licensed BACK TO THE FUTURE and JAWS Face Coverings (value $25)
2 2 oz. bottles of HAPPY Hand Sanitizer (value $15)A total value of at least $500 CAN! If the drawn winner is from the Great Toronto Area, I will hand-deliver the package to you during TIFF ’20.
To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. You can Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet from @mrwillw or tag two friends on this Post on our Instagram for an extra chance! You must be following and we will be verifying!
Even if you don’t win the Prize Pack, we’ve got some goodies to give away on our Social Media throughout the Fest!
Bookmark this link here and check back often for our rolling TIFF ’20 coverage.
#TIFF20 runs September 10-20, 2020.
Happy TIFF, everyone!
Team Mr. Will
#TIFF19: OUR HIGHLIGHTS OF THE 2019 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
TIFF ’19 was one for the books and we dare you to disagree! Meryl, Tom, Natalie, J-Lo, Constance, Renée, Joaquin. Toronto played host to an explosive mass of starpower at the Toronto International Film Festival and we were right there! We celebrated our tenth anniversary, which happened to coincide with TIFF ’19 and fittingly it was our biggest year yet! It was amazing seeing so many of your friendly faces and taking Selfies with many of you in our travels and adventures and we love that Mr. Will has made a difference in your day for the past decade. We have always been about sharing our excitement with you and it touches us you are experiencing this with us! A huge thanks to Dave Baldwin and Amanda Gilmore on our Team who delivered us all the hits with their reviews, keeping savvy Festival Goers informed!
See the stars we spotted. Our favourite moments:
1. Renée Zellweger
2. Meryl Streep
3. Tom Hanks
4. Jennifer Lopez
5. Kristen Stewart
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#TIFF19: #KristenStewart winning raves for her work in #Seberg. #TIFF #KStew #HuaweiP30Pro
6. Joaquin Phoenix
#TIFF19: #JoaquinPhoenix at the #TIFF Premiere of #Joker. pic.twitter.com/uha0WlQXbc
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 10, 2019
7. Eddie Murphy
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#TIFF19: Comedy legend #EddieMurphy at #TIFF with #DolemiteismyName! #HuaweiP30Pro
8. Bruce Springsteen
9. Taika Waititi
10. The Cast of Knives Out
Our Dave Baldwin had the honour of reviewing the official TIFF ’19 People’s Choice Award winner, JOJO RABBIT. Read his thoughts here.
Our Amanda Gilmore also reviewed People’s Choice runner-up MARRIAGE STORY, which she was a huge fan of. Her review here.
My favourite? Still HUSTLERS! My review here.
See all our sightings and reviews here.
A huge thank you goes out to our official partners whom we couldn’t do it without.
CP24 – we loved being paired with our new BFF, Kelly Linehan in our contributions to CP24 this TIFF! We know you tuned in because more than ever so many of you shouted at me, “You’re the guy on TV! Good job!”.
ACURA CANADA – We adored our 2019 Acura TLX Elite in Performance Red Pearl which had us travelling in luxury and style this TIFF. Acura also happens to be an official sponsor, with a set-up at Roy Thomson Hall. Drives were smooth and anyone who does the Festival like us will know the importance of mobility. We are in love with its gorgeous interior and spacious interior. Its superb audio system and array of charging options (including a wireless plate), plus the fact that it has a CD player says that this is a car after my heart! Seat heaters and warmers are perfect for unpredictable Toronto weather and let’s not forget its array of safety features like lane departure and a hyper-aware collision warning and parking assist (which was a mega-help in all those underground parking lots). We love the array of displays you can scroll through on its steering wheel, including also a tire pressure monitor which tells you to a T exactly what your tire pressure is at. For anyone who’s ever had a flat tire, you will appreciate the value in this. We drove assured and enlightened. It was like driving a race car with its fast acceleration, but also like a luxury Sedan in one.
Proud to call the gorgeous and flashy #AcuraTLX Elite my vehicle of choice for #TIFF19! pic.twitter.com/xQLNVOXJLJ
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 4, 2019
HUAWEI CANADA – The Huawei P30 Pro was our MVP this TIFF! 32MP photos, 256GB memory and an amazing Kirin 980 Octa-core Processor! Our snaps speak for themselves. And its efficiency enabled us to blog, edit content on-the-go and share our photos with viewers right away. This put several hours back into our day and we are grateful for the best phone in the market.
H&M CANADA – We got many compliments about our H&M Fall/Winter Collection 2019 looks. In Shia LaBeouf‘s own words when we took our Selfie, he proclaimed “Dude, you are style as f*ck!”.
WESLODGE SALOON – Celebs can’t get enough of this TIFF go-to’s classic and inspired Canadian fare and cocktails. Several names like Bruce Springsteen, Dev Patel and Hugh Laurie enjoyed the amazing grub and drink here TIFF ’19. We told you it was gonna be a hotspot, and it did not disappoint!
Bruce Springsteen spotted at Weslodge in advance of his Western Stars Premiere. Toldja it would be a hotspot #TIFF19! pic.twitter.com/adRFFJyH34
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 12, 2019
STARBUCKS CANADA – We need our Americanos TIFF badly and we may have had a few Pumpkin Spice Lattes as a treat. The beverage has become synonymous with the Festival and Fall for us. And we loved giving our Readers a chance to win $20 Starbucks Canada Gift Cards too!
DUFFLET PASTRIES – The Queen of Cake’s® Queen Street location is the perfect spot for a treat between movies during TIFF and yes, I stopped by more than once because cake is necessary always. We loved rewarding one of our Readers with a free cake as well!
Always got time for @duffletpastries. RT for a chance to #win a free cake! #TIFF19 pic.twitter.com/NXjpP0DGmt
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 10, 2019
MARY BROWN’S – Celebrating their 50th anniversary, with locations allover the GTA including Mississauga, Pickering, North York, Scarborough and more, Mary Brown’s is a legend. With all this craze about chicken sandwiches of late, let the Big Mary silence the competition!
CHATIME CANADA – The Bubble Tea giant’s Queen Street location is right in the heart of TIFF and we loved popping by for a refreshing midday treat and also giving our Readers a chance to win some free drinks as well!
Congrats to Mike who won our Tenth Anniversary Prize Pack, loaded with goodies from our partners and more!
TIFF19: We love you guys and appreciate all your support these past ten years so much!! Congrats to Mike, who won our #TIFF ’19 Survival Pack – Tenth Anniversary Edition! pic.twitter.com/bVYOB9r3Fn
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 10, 2019
We can’t wait for TIFF ’20 already!
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#TIFF19: OUR OFFICIAL TIFF SPONSORS AND PARTNERS | TENTH ANNIVERSARY PRIZE PACK
There’s no doubt about it, it’s our favourite time of the year! The 2019 Toronto International Film Festival runs from Thursday, September 5 through Sunday, September 14, 2019 and you’d better bet we’re stoked!
The Festival also marks our tenth anniversary as a Blogger. We remember not knowing which direction we’d go when we posted our first Blog Post and if anyone even cared what we thought! Looking back, it’s been an amazing journey – the experiences we’ve had and the people we’ve met along the way. We created the site originally as a platform to share all the awesome snaps we got during TIFF and to share our thoughts on what we saw since we loved the Festival so much. One thing led to another and who knew we’d be around kicking still today and that we’d be an accredited outlet? We don’t know how we’ve gotten here, but we’re touched deeply by your support all these years! We owe it all to you and the amazing contributors who have kept Mr. Will Wong afloat: Amanda Gilmore, Justin Waldman, Siobhán Rich, George Kozera, David Baldwin and Jon Godfrey! This ride has been magical.
See us talk about our tenth anniversary and our TIFF ’19 picks!
Recorded on the Huawei P30 Pro, audio recorded on the SHURE MV88+ TIFF ’19 we’re doing it bigger and better than ever. It’s our tenth anniversary and we want you to celebrate in all our joy. This is will be one of the best Festivals in recent memory with bigger names and the biggest Films set to premiere in our City. We want to thank you partners, new and returning for helping us celebrate the occasion!
A huge thank you goes out to:
CP24 – With over 3.1 million viewers a week, we are thrilled to partner again with the definitive choice in breaking news coverage, CP24 for a TENTH year! We’ll be teaming-up with Kelly Linehan to deliver you some celeb scoop and the Films getting all the buzz at the Fest!
HUAWEI CANADA – I’ve never gotten as many raves on my Social Media about my photographs as when I tested-out the Huawei P30 Pro. We are overjoyed that this will be our official new phone in gorgeous burnt orange (just released) beginning TIFF ’19! We can’t go wrong with its 32MP photos, 256GB memory and incredible Kirin 980 Octa-core Processor! We can’t wait to show you all our snaps and Selfies from the Festival from the phone, which will serve as our communication hub, keeping you all up-to-date on the excitement!
ACURA CANADA – we’ll be cruising in style TIFF ’19 in the 2019 ACURA TLX, And how super-fitting is it that Acura Canada is one of the official sponsors of the Festival? This car is gorgeous, sleek and luxurious, true to Acura form and we look forward to all these star-filled adventures the ride will take us on!
HUAWEI CANADA – I’ve never gotten as many raves on my Social Media about my photographs as when I tested-out the Huawei P30 Pro. We are overjoyed that this will be our official new phone in gorgeous burnt orange (just released) beginning TIFF ’19! We can’t go wrong with its 32MP photos, 256GB memory and incredible Kirin 980 Octa-core Processor! We can’t wait to show you all our snaps and Selfies from the Festival from the phone, which will serve as our communication hub, keeping you all up-to-date on the excitement!
H&M CANADA – H&M continue to keep us on-trend and we can’t wait to show you some of the pieces we’ll be wearing TIFF ’19. We always have fun with it and hope you enjoy the looks!
WESLODGE SALOON – Celebs can’t get enough of this TIFF go-to’s Canadian fare and cocktails and we love it! You must try their Southern Fried Chicken, Steaks and Fish & Chips. Also their Mac & Cheese is superb! Several stars like Isabelle Huppert, Richard Gere, Chelsea Handler, Chloë Moretz and more have been spotted here and we expect to see more this year.
STARBUCKS CANADA – TIFF means the Pumpkin Spice Latte is back and you know we love our PSLs! We look forward every fall to those early morning screenings, waiting in line in that cool, crisp air to get into our screenings and then getting a warm hug from the PSL inside the cool, dark theatre as we try to stay awake! The PSL is back in stores now only at Starbucks.
DUFFLET PASTRIES – We love our treats and Dufflet has and always will be the Queen of Cake®! We always make time for a bit of relaxation towards the end of TIFF, and can’t wait to indulge in a slice of Black Forest or Raspberry Vanilla Charlotte! Their Queen Street location isn’t too far from all the Festival excitement.
MARY BROWN’S – We recently got reacquainted with Mary and it was all for the better! We have so many fond memories of Mary Brown’s famous Chicken and Taters as a child and they are better than ever, celebrating their 50th anniversary! With locations allover the GTA including Mississauga, Pickering, North York, Scarborough and more, Mary Brown’s is WORTH. THE. DRIVE. Get on this.
CHATIME CANADA – I confess my Bubble Tea addiction still rages on. With more and more locations popping-up throughout the Greater Toronto Area, we can’t wait for you to discover our favourite cold beverage. Try the Wintermelon Iced Tea or Grapefruit Iced Tea – my favourites!
We hate leaving you guys out, so in celebration of our tenth anniversary, we’re giving you guys a chance to win our TIFF ’19 Survival Pack – Tenth Anniversary Edition, which includes:
$100 Gift Card to WESLODGE SALOON or any INK Entertainment dining establishment in Toronto including TIFF hotspots Figo, Byblos, Estia, Kōst, Patria, Sofia, La Société, Mister C., Akira Back and more.
Ten select Blu-rays/DVDs including current blockbuster hits and past TIFF selections
$150 Chatime Prize Pack including T-Shirt
$30 Starbucks Canada Gift Card
$25 Mary Brown’s Gift Card
Two Martini Glasses
One cake at Dufflet Pastries
One pair of headphones
A value of $700 CAN!
*Winner must be able to pick-up the Survival Pack from me in the downtown core during the Festival.
To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK, MR. WILL ON INSTAGRAM or MR. WILL ON TWITTER. Tell us in the comments your favourite memory of being a Mr. Will Reader all these years! In the comment, tag two friends for an extra chance.
Even if you don’t win the Prize Pack be following us on our adventures as we’ll be doing giveaways on our Social Media through TIFF ’19!
Don’t forget to follow us here on our TIFF ’19 adventures:
Mr. Will [Instagram] | [Twitter] | [Facebook]
Amanda Gilmore [Twitter]
David Baldwin [Twitter]
George Kozera [Twitter]
Siobhan Rich [Twitter]
Justin Waldman [Twitter]
Jon Godfrey [Instagram]
A very special thank you to Jensen Lee who customized a special 10th anniversary logo just for us!
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#TIFF18: INTRODUCING OUR OFFICIAL 2018 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL PARTNERS
With TIFF ’18 being just a week away, we’re super-excited to present to you some of our official partners of the 2018 Toronto International Film Festival! We live for TIFF and are thrilled as a team to be accredited to the Festival and also bring you as always unparalleled intimate access to the stars and Films of the Festival!
We’re thrilled to give our Readers a chance to be just as stoked as us and we give you a chance to win our TIFF SURVIVAL PRIZE PACK, which is bigger and better than ever!
We’d like to thank the following parnters:
DUFFLET PASTRIES – Toronto’s reigning Queen of Cake® still is going strong with an uptown and down location. When there’s a celebration, it’s always been about Dufflet Pastries’ cakes and pastries for us. TIFF is no exception. There are two locations: 787 Queen Street West and 2638 Yonge Street. Did you know the Queen Street West location offers High Tea on Sundays? Learn more at http://dufflet.com.
ESTIA is just one of several TIFF hotspots owned by popular restauranteur, hotelier and night club owner Charles Khabouth. Known for its acclaimed Mediterranean cuisine, Estia situated at 90 Avenue Road, is a must-try this TIFF. More at http://estiatoronto.com.
WESLODGE owned also by Charles Khabouth, for years has been a hotspot for the stars during the Festival. Known for its classic cocktails and Canadian fare, this vintage tavern at 480 King Street West, has and will continue to host several stars TIFF ’18. We hear the Fried Chicken is superb! More at http://weslodge.com.
STARBUCKS CANADA – TIFF is about the coming of fall and nothing says autumn comfort like Starbucks‘ signature PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE, now back in stores! We have fond memories of warming-up in many a cold line-up at TIFF with this fan favourite and can’t wait to get reacquainted this TIFF! More at http://starbucks.ca.
BLACKBERRY CANADA – We can’t wait to show you all the celebrity selfies and up-close star sightings at TIFF ’18. This year our official smartphone will be the super-sleek and functional Blackberry Key2. Learn all about this reborn icon at https://blackberrymobile.com/ca/product/blackberry-key2.
BRITBOX CANADA – We can’t wait for a bit of downtime post-TIFF and what better way to relax than to catch-up with some of our favourite British programming from BBC and iTV? Britbox Canada is brought to us by BBC Worldwide, the commercial arm of the BBC, and ITV, bringing home iconic favorites, exclusive premieres, and current series and soaps. Learn more about their latest programming options: https://www.britbox.com/ca/collection/premieres.
ACURA CANADA – Mobility is so important for us during TIFF and once again we’ll be partnering with Acura Canada and driving the 2018 Acura ILX. Acura Canada will be front and center at TIFF this year as a major sponsor and we’re thrilled to experience some of that starpower! Sleek, compact and stylish, we’ll be travelling in style in this beauty! More here: https://www.acura.ca/ilx.
KANDLE ARTISTIQUE – Purveyor of luxurious candles, you now can make your own candles at their gorgeous Yorkville location at 88 Avenue Road in Toronto. More here.
NIKON CANADA – We can’t wait to show you our photos, taken on none other than the state-of-the-art Nikon D850, shooting at 45.7 megapixels, with 4k and 8K video options! More here.
H&M CANADA – We love H&M and are thrilled to be donning H&M and H&M only at TIFF ’18. Can’t wait to show you some pieces from their Fall/Winter 2018 Collection. More at http://hm.com.
CHATIME CANADA – We’ll never get sick of Bubble Tea and to us there’s only Chatime! With various locations across Canada we can’t wait for too to discover the refreshment! Our fave midday beverage? Grapefruit Green Tea (half-sweet, less ice) is our perfect afternoon pick-me-up! Discover your new favourite. More here: http://chatime.com
CP24 – For the past 10 years, we’ve been a contributor at this popular news network and can’t wait to reunite this TIFF ’18 to deliver you the scoop and sightings, plus all the buzz on the hottest Films at TIFF! Don’t forget to tune in as we kick it all off tomorrow, Wednesday, September 5 in the 12 o’clock hour on Live at Noon with George Lagogianes!
Now for the fun stuff! We want to give Readers to win our TIFF ’18 Survival Pack which is bigger and more delicious than ever! Contents include:
One free six-month Britbox Canada membership
$25 Starbucks Canada Gift Card
A Dufflet Pastries Gift Card for one cake
A $200 Estia Gift Card
H&M Canada VIP Card
Two Chatime Canada Vouchers
One Kandle Artistique Candle
Stay tuned to our Social Media throughout TIFF ’18 as we give away
A $200 Weslodge Gift Card
Chatime Canada Drink Vouchers
Starbucks Canada Gift Cards
Britbox Canada Six-Month Memberships
To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook. Click “share” on this Post or Re-Tweet this Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance!
Don’t forget to join us on our TIFF ’18 adventures and be following on Social Media for real-time updates! You won’t regret it!
Twitter: @mrwillw
Instagram: @mrwillwong
Facebook: http://facebook.com/mrwillwongblog
Don’t forget to be following Team Mr. Will also:
Dave Baldwin: @davemabaldwin
Amanda Gilmore: @gilmoreamanda
George Kozera: @partyg
Siobhan Rich: @typo_eh
Justin Waldman: @dubsreviews
Jonathan Godfrey: @skot_somers
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#TIFF17: MR. WILL’S OFFICIAL PARTNERS OF THE 2017 TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL
We couldn’t do TIFF ’17 without the support of our amazing partners who make what otherwise is an eventful and hectic 11 days just that much more manageable! We’re lucky already to have an amazing Team (Jonathan Godfrey, Justin Waldman, Siobhán Rich, David Baldwin and Amanda Gilmore) who help bring us the coverage on the Films and talent making the biggest splash at the Festival, but we’re just as grateful to have the support of some amazing partners including:
CP24
Returning for a ninth consecutive year, we’ll be partnering again with Southern Ontario’s favourite news channel CP24 for TIFF ’17 delivering you all the scoop on the Festival’s hottest Films and stars! See our photos real-time as we upload them onto our Social media channels as we spot the stars and see the Films, and also on CP24! You’ll see a lot of us in-studio and live-to-air. Be watching!
Here’s a link to our TIFF ’17 Preview on Live at Noon:
STARBUCKS CANADA
Every TIFF we’re treated to amazing Films which we’re so lucky to see first before Awards Season and all those stars in town! But just as exciting is that the Pumpkin Spice Latte, known affectionately as the PSL, returns too right in time for the Festival! The PSL is our official beverage of choice during the Festival and the perfect treat at a time of ultimate indulgence! Learn all about Starbucks Canada‘s Fall Menu and stay connected on all their new delicious offerings here.
COME CLEAN 100% NATURAL BAMBOO CLEANING CLOTHS
Make-Up Artist-recommended, these bamboo cloths from Consonant Skin Care which come in packs of 10, not only cleanse but also brighten the skin with anti-aging botanicals! It’s so easy to not look your freshest after those long TIFF days, and these will ensure you look your freshest! More here.THE FASHION PIG
It is always best to get a second opinion on things. The Fashion Pig is a fashion consulting service for women and men tailored to your individual body type. We aren’t all the same and different things work on different people. They also offer de-cluttering consultation services also for your living space. Learn more here.
DUFFLET PASTRIES
There is only one Queen of Cake® and that is Dufflet Rosenberg. We are proud to partner again with Dufflet Pastries this TIFF to let you experience true decadence. Just minutes west of Entertainment District, you must check out their Queen St. West location for a sweet treat! More here.
SPUDNIKS
It’s so easy to forget about snacking smart during TIFF with movies and stars on your mind, but Toronto’s own SPUDNIKS Kettle Corn, Kettle Chips and Caramel Corn available in large and small sizes, are the perfect snack. Even more awesome, Canada 150 is fully in patriotic effect with their Maple Popcorn which is to die for, but if you’re into something simple and lighter, try their Skinny Pop Sea Salt and Sunflower Oil-seasoned Popcorn! They contain no MSG, are all natural, no additives nor Trans-Fats. Heart-healthy, almost all their products have no cholesterol. Did you know that SPUDNIKS is the official Caramel Corn of Toronto institutions like the CN Tower, Toronto Blue Jays and the Royal Ontario Museum? You can even get ’em at Pearson Airport! More here.SUBWAY® GRILLED WRAPS
During TIFF, every second counts and sometimes you just have to multi-task eating with searching something on your phone. These Subway® Grilled Wraps let you hold it all together with deliciousness you can enjoy with one hand and they come in B.L.T., Chicken Caesar and Chicken & Bacon Wrap.
• The savoury Chicken Caesar Melt combines rotisserie-style chicken with shredded Monterey Cheddar cheese, a sprinkle of Parmesan, baby spinach, tomatoes and Caesar sauce, wrapped in a soft tortilla and grilled to perfection.
• Chicken & Bacon Ranch Melt features tender, rotisserie-style 100 per cent Canadian chicken free from artificial flavours, colours and preservatives, served on a fresh tortilla, with mouth-watering bacon, shredded Monterey Cheddar cheese, red onions, green peppers, tomatoes and a creamy ranch sauce.
• You can’t go wrong with a classic grilled B.L.T. wrap, featuring strips of bacon and topped with lettuce, tomatoes and a drizzle of mayo.
With a location right in the middle of the action at King x John, nourishment is never far away, letting you hold it all together! Learn more about Subway® Grilled Wraps here.
ROWENTA X-CEL STEAM BRUSH
Looking flawless during Toronto’s most star-studded season is a chore when you’re tight on time. The Rowenta X-Cel Steam Brush is compact, portable and keeps your clothes crease-less and it does it quick! We plan to keep one handy in our hotel room. Learn more about it here.
H&M CANADA
We love H&M all seasons of the year and TIFF ’17 is no exception. The perfect blend of affordability, innovation and comfort, there are reasons why we keep revisiting H&M‘s fashions. We can dress-up or dress-down with their great versatility. Visit here for their latest arrivals for Women and Men. Did you know they had Justin Bieber merch even in-store September 7, 2017?
2017 HONDA CIVIC 5D SPORT TOURING
Having a nimble, compact ride is a must during TIFF whether it be for navigating through the bustle of Entertainment District or fitting into those tight parking spots on-the-run. We are of the firm belief that less is more during TIFF and we can’t wait to navigate the Festival in our official ride of TIFF ’17, the super–sleek 2017 Honda Civic 5D Sport Touring! We love its leather interior, wireless phone charging and Honda Sensing™ Suite! The car is the perfect blend of versatility, class and value. Learn more about it here!
HOTEL NOVOTEL DOWNTOWN CENTRE
We’re blessed to call Hotel Novotel Downtown Centre our home once again TIFF ’17. In addition to having everything we need – size, the coziest bed, plenty of parking, pet-friendliness and incredible amenities like an awesome gym, reliable wi-fi and yes, that amazing breakfast buffet at Cafe Nicole. Above this, the staff are incredibly nice and accommodating. The Hotel is just minutes from all that TIFF action, but thankfully just away enough to escape the madness at the end of the night. We love it and always keep coming back! More here.
What good is talking about our amazing partners if we can’t share it all with you? One lucky Willionaire in Toronto will win an amazing TIFF ’17 Survival Kit including goodies from some of our partners including:
Starbucks Canada Gift Card (additional cards to be given away throughout Festival via our Social Media)
Subway® Canada Card (additional cards to be given away throughout Festival via our Social Media)
Dufflet Pastries Gift Card
H&M Canada VIP Card
Rowenta X-Cel Steam Brush
Selection of Spudniks Kettle Chips and Popcorns
Free Men/Women’s Fashion Consultation Voucher from The Fashion Pig
Come Clean 100% Natural Bamboo Cleaning Cloths
A visual of trusty sidekick Billy guarding the goods for us. Click left below for a cute TIFF surprise!
To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. For an extra chance, you may:
Re-Tweet this Tweet: @mrwillw
“Like” this Post on Instagram: @mrwillwong
Don’t forget to be following us on the above social channels also for all the latest TIFF ’17 buzz!
Happy TIFF ’17! We’ll be seeing you around town!
Mr. Willxbilly
#SPOTTED: ZARA LARSSON IN TORONTO AT THE PHOENIX AND FOR ALBUM “SO GOOD”
Already a huge star in her native Sweden, Singer/Songwriter Zara Larsson is ready to bring her talents stateside. She already has developed a sizable following with hits like with MNEK collaboration Never Forget You and I Would Like. Larsson is in Toronto right now in a supporting role for her friends Clean Bandit, whom she collaborates with on their new single, the infectious Symphony. They play The Phoenix Concert Hall tonight.
At the age of ten, Larsson already shot to fame on Talang, Sweden’s version of the Got Talent franchise. So Good is the title of her debut disc in these parts, from Epic (Sony Music) a mixture of new and recent material. The 19-year-old also recently collaborated with fashion giant H&M on a playful collection which will be available online and in-stores on Thursday, May 18, 2017.
We had the pleasure of meeting this rising star earlier and she is an absolute sweetheart! See our Snap:
Love that ring and slight edge in her voice! Don’t forget to check-out Symphony:
I Would Like:
Download So Good on iTunes here.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/H&M/Sony Music Entertainment/Warner Music) #FIRSTLOOK: H&M 2016 CHRISTMAS COLLECTION AND “COMING TOGETHER” DIRECTED BY WES ANDERSON
Right in time for the Holidays, comes this Wes Anderson-directed short film titled COME TOGETHER for H&M. We didn’t realize how much we needed this!
Starring in this 4-minute clip is Anderson muse Adrien Brody.See the Short Film:
Discover the H&M Christmas Collection here, including decorations too!
(Photo/video credit: H&M)
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