hugh jackman
#TIFF19: “BAD EDUCATION”
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
The Roslyn School District in Long Island has become substantially more prestigious due to the tireless work of Superintendent Frank Tassone (Hugh Jackman) and his team. But everything starts falling apart when it is discovered that his Assistant Superintendent Pam Gluckin (Oscar-winner Allison Janney) has been embezzling money from the school. And as one student journalist begins digging deeper, it becomes clear that Frank may be involved as well.
Bad Education is equal parts Comedy and Tragedy, made all the more eye-opening by it being inspired by a true story. In only his second Feature, Director Cory Finley has proven himself a terrific young talent with a keen eye for detail and structure. While I would have preferred a less meticulous pace, it allows Finley the opportunity to really explore all of the nuances of Mike Makowsky’s spectacular Script. It is impeccably designed, brilliantly connected and easily one of the strongest at this year’s festival. The Script feels especially authentic given that Makowsky was a student at the school during the real-life timeline of the Film. While the performances are strong across the board, Jackman is the clear standout with his magnificently layered and weathered performance. We all love him as Wolverine, but this may just be his finest hour.
BAD EDUCATION screens during TIFF at the following times:
Sunday September 8, 6:15pm @ Princess of Wales [World Premiere]
Monday September 9, 3:00pm @ Princess of Wales
Thursday September 12, 9:00pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Friday September 13, 7:00pm @ Scotiabank Theatre
Saturday September 14, 1:00pm @ Winter Garden Theatre
#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “MISSING LINK”
A new Trailer has surfaced for MISSING LINK!
Synopsis:
Mr. Link (Zach Galifianakis) is 8 feet tall, weighs 630 pounds, and covered in fur. He can also talk and write letters, as he does to fearless explorer Sir Lionel Frost (Hugh Jackman) when he grows tired of living a solitary life in the Pacific Northwest.
Frost is astounded when he meets the creature, especially when he realizes how humanlike Mr. Link is. They go on a journey to find Link‘s longlost relatives in the fabled valley of Shangri-La. Along with adventurer Adelina Fortnight (Zoe Saldana), the explorers encounter more than their fair share of peril as they travel to the far reaches of the world.
See the Trailer:
Elevation Pictures release MISSING LINK Friday, April 12, 2019.
(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)
#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “MISSING LINK”
Featuring a star-studded Voice Cast, here’s a new Trailer for stop-motion animated feature MISSING LINK! Voices include: Hugh Jackman, Zoe Saldana, Zach Galifianakis, Stephen Fry, Emma Thompson and Timothy Olyphant.
Synopsis:
Missing Link follows myths and monsters investigator, Sir Lionel Frost, who sets off on an adventure to the Pacific Northwest to prove the existence of a legendary creature—Mr. Link. Frost, who’s also looking to gain acceptance by his small-minded explorer peers, is accompanied on his journey by Adelina Fortnight, a free-spirited, independent adventurer who just so happens to possess the only known map to their secret destination of trying to find Link.
See the Trailer:
Elevation Pictures release MISSING LINK April 12, 2019.
(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)
#TIFF18: ” THE FRONT RUNNER” PRESS CONFERENCE
Photo and Words by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Ahead of its Canadian Premiere, TIFF held the Press Conference for The Front Runner. In attendance were Producer Helen Estabrook, Writers/Executive Producers Matt Bai and Jay Carson, Writer/Producer/Director Jason Reitman and Star Hugh Jackman. The Film, based on a true story, chronicles the fallout from reporters discovering and detailing the private life of Democratic Party Leader front running candidate Gary Hart (Jackman).
The Film has been in development for many years now, with the recent American Presidential Election not having any effect on the Film. “We were drawn to the story before we [lived] in the world today. It made it more relevant to us,” Reitman says. And while the ripped from the headlines plot may seem incredibly timely, the Film’s goal aims a lot higher. “The Film is always asking what do we want to know, and what should we know,” Reitman said, echoing the opinions of Bai and Carson and reminding us that news outlets did not report on political candidates’ personal lives before these stories broke out about Hart. Jackman, having met Hart while preparing for the Film suggests that had he been elected, “It’d be a very different world today if it had happened.”
The Front Runner‘s date was recently moved to Tuesday November 7, Election Day for public officials in the United States. Reitman was pretty empathic on his hope with the move: “First thing: vote. Second thing: see our Movie.”
The Front Runner screens Saturday, September 8 at 6:30 PM at Ryerson Theatre, Sunday, September 9 at 12:30 PM at Elgin Theatre, Friday, September 14 at 1:00PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox and Saturday, September 15 at 6:00 PM at Ryerson Theatre.
#TIFF18: DAY THREE – LADY GAGA, JAMIE LEE CURTIS, JULIANNE MOORE, VIOLA DAVIS, TIMOTHÉE CHALAMET, MATTHEW McCONAUGHEY, AMANDLA STENBERG + MORE
By Mr. Will Wong
We don’t recall a more explosive first Saturday at TIFF in recent memory! Several stars were out and about on Day Three of the Festival and your jaw will drop who we saw!
A STAR IS BORN – Lady Gaga
THE HUMMINGBIRD PROJECT – Alexander Skarsgård and Jesse Eisenberg
GLORIA BELL – John Turturro and Julianne Moore
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THE FRONT RUNNER – Hugh Jackman and Jason Reitman
HALLOWEEN – Jamie Lee Curtis
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🤞🖖#JamieLeeCurtis at #TIFF18 for #Halloween! #TIFF #torontointernationalfilmfestival
LIFE ITSELF – Annette Bening, Olivia Cooke and Mandy Patinkin
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK – Stephan James, Kiki Layne and Barry Jenkins
PAPI CHULO – Matt Bomer
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#MattBomer at #TIFF18 for #PapiChulo. #TIFF #torontointernationalfilmfestival
WILD ROSE – Jessie Buckley and Mary Steenburgen
THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER – Maggie Gyllenhaal
THE SISTERS BROTHERS – Riz Ahmed
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#RizAhmed at #TIFF18 for #TheSistersBrothers. #torontointernationalfilmfestival #TIFF
WIDOWS – Viola Davis and Daniel Kaluuya
INSTYLE MAGAZINE PARTY – traditionally the hottest party at the Festival!
THE HATE U GIVE – Amandla Stenberg
BEAUTIFUL BOY – Timothée Chalamet
SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS – Kelly Marie Tran
(Photo credit: David Baldwin/Mr. Will Wong)
#TIFF18: “THE FRONT RUNNER” REVIEW
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
After debuting at Teluride last week, Toronto favourite Jason Reitman has brought his second film of the year, The Front Runner, to TIFF for its Canadian premiere. The Film tells the story of US Senator Gary Hart (Hugh Jackman), a one-time presidential hopeful in the three weeks leading up to the Democratic National Convention. Hart is the front runner to be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States, but when the Miami Herald uncovers an extramarital affair, it will change the way the news reports on politics.
The Front Runner is downright fascinating in how it examines how news is reported, while asking deeper questions about morality and ethics. Reitman is at the height of his directorial powers here, shooting sweeping one-take shots with ease and focusing on an ever-growing ensemble of incredible talent — with Jackman in one of his most electric roles to date. The newsroom scenes are particularly terrific, but once the affair is uncovered, the film seems to get bogged down in mundane melodrama and begins to dramatically deflate. By the time the Film ends, it becomes completely devoid of energy and importance, and never seems to answer the question of why we should care about the moment when the news cycle was irrevocably changed forever. And if that was not disappointing enough, the Film criminally underutilizes Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons, which is quite simply unacceptable.
The Front Runner screens Saturday, September 8 at 6:30PM at Ryerson Theatre, Sunday, September 9 at 12:30PM at Elgin Theatre, Friday, September 14 at 1:00PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox and Saturday, September 15 at 6:00PM at Ryerson Theatre.
#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN COPIES OF “THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK” + SIA’S “EVERYDAY IS CHRISTMAS”
You know we love Christmas! Mr. Will x Warner Music Canada want to give Readers to win copies of this Holiday’s hottest releases, SIA‘s EVERYDAY IS CHRISTMAS and THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, one of our favourite Movies of 2017!
To get you into the spirit, have a listen to these uplifting Holiday tunes!
SANTA’S COMING FOR US (starring Kristen Bell)
EVERYDAY IS CHRISTMAS
THE GREATEST SHOW – Hugh Jackman and Cast
NEVER ENOUGH – Loren Allred
The Cast of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN x Mr. Will
Sia x Mr. Will
We’ll never forget the day our dreams came true and Snapchat had a SIA Snapchat Lens!
To enter to win these amazing CDs, plus also a super-rare SIA Christmas wig, click “like” on this Post over at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK! Contest open to all Readers in Canada.
Warner Music Canada release SIA‘s EVERYDAY IS CHRISTMAS and THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK, both now in stores and available digitally.
#NEWMUSIC: “THE GREATEST SHOWMAN” ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK
We are hit or miss on Musicals but can we tell you how floored we are by the Spectacle that is THE GREATEST SHOWMAN? Hitting theatres this Christmas, its stellar Soundtrack now is in stores to get you ready for the experience on the Big Screen!
Brace yourself to be swept away to magical land of euphoria and dazzling dreams. We cannot stop listening to the Tracklist featuring phenomenal performances by Hugh Jackman, Zendaya, Zac Efron, Keala Settle and several more including a showstopping delivery by The Voice Finalist Loren Allred who voices Rebecca Ferguson’s Jenny Lind in the Movie. Her work on the perfect ballad Never Enough will affect you deeply.
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul oversee the original Music in this triple-Golden Globe-nominated Musical based on the rise of Entrepreneur and Showman P.T. Barnum.
While it was to be released a year ago, The Greatest Showman directed by Australian Michael Gracey with a Screeplay by Jenny Bicks (Sex and the City) and Bill Condon (The Twilight Saga, Dreamgirls), proves worth the long wait. The Choreography is precise and fantastic, the emotions are real. This is Me performed by Settle is just one of several fantastic numbers here and it gets the Globe nod when many others on the Album also could have made the short list. Jackman was born to play the titular role. The Film is unable to separate itself from Baz Luhrmann‘s genius influence but that is a good problem to have.
In addition to Allred’s vocal perfection on Never Enough, Jackman has never sounded better. We love the much-needed uplifting spirit on The Greatest Show and Come Alive, perfect for the Holidays. Efron and Zendaya shine bright on duet Rewrite the Stars. Production is slick and sonically the Soundtrack lifts us just like the Film does.
Enjoy a few selections from THE GREATEST SHOWMAN below:
THIS IS ME
COME ALIVE
NEVER ENOUGH
REWRITE THE STARS
THE GREATEST SHOW
Warner Music Canada release THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK, in stores now.
#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN ADVANCE PASSES TO SEE “THE GREATEST SHOWMAN”
Mr. Will x 20th Century Fox want to give Readers in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver a chance to attend an Advance Screening of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN!
The Screening takes place this Sunday, December 10, 2017 10:00 AM. Due to the fast turnaround on these we will be drawing winners right away, please enter only if you are sure you can attend.
Synopsis:
Inspired by the imagination of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business & tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
See the Trailer:
Artwork:
To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate for us your City. Re-Tweet this Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance.
20th Century Fox Canada release THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Friday, December 20, 2017.
Official Hashtag: #GreatestShowman
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Fox)
#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “THE GREATEST SHOWMAN”
We live our musicals and what better way to spend the holidays than with Hugh Jackman in one? Check out the new Trailer for THE GREATEST SHOWMAN!
SYNOPSIS
Inspired by the imagination of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business & tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
Cast includes Hugh Jackman; Zac Efron; Michelle Williams; Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya.
See the Trailer:
20th Century Fox Canada release THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Christmas Day.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Fox)
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