Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix is back in BEAU IS AFRAID, the latest from Ari Aster (Midsommar, Hereditary). See the brand-new Trailer.

Synopsis:

A paranoid man embarks on an epic odyssey to get home to his mother in this bold and ingeniously depraved new film from writer/director Ari Aster.

Written/Directed by: Ari Aster
Cast: Joaquin Phoenix Nathan Lane, Amy Ryan, Parker Posey and Patti LuPone
Distributed in Canada by: Sphere Films

Opening only in theatres April 21, 2023 via Sphere Films Canada.

(Photo/video credit: Sphere Films Canada)

Academy Award winner Joaquin Phoenix stars in C’MON C’MON. See the new Trailer!

Synopsis:

Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) and his young nephew (Woody Norman) forge a tenuous but transformational relationship when they are unexpectedly thrown together in this delicate and deeply moving story about the connections between adults and children, the past and the future, from writer-director Mike Mills.

VVS Films release C’MON C’MON in theatres November 2021.

(Photo/video credit: VVS Films)

Awards Season concludes with a huge bang! Bong Joon Ho‘s PARASITE becomes the first non-English Film ever to win Best Picture at the Oscars. Above this, it also becomes the first Korean Film ever to win Best International Feature Film, the inaugural edition of the Award which has been re-branded from Best Foreign Language Film with The Academy‘s focus on inclusion. Parasite also scored for Best Director and Best Original Screenplay, tallying-in at four wins. Bong joked with the audience “I’m ready to drink tonight till tomorrow morning”, also thanking his idol and fellow nominee Martin Scorsese, whose Films he studied.  

Parasite’s scores come as a mild surprise as 1917 which had gained a lot of momentum since its Holiday release, was seen as the favourite to win Best Picture.

Continuing with a pattern seen much of this Awards Season, the acting categories were taken by Joaquin Phoenix (Best Actor for Joker), Renée Zellweger (Best Actress for Judy), Brad Pitt (Best Supporting Actor for Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood) and Laura Dern (Best Supporting Actress for Marriage Story).

Phoenix drew much reaction with an impassioned speech touching upon concern for the environment and animal consumption, while stressing the importance of humanity and giving people “second chances”, just as he had been given after having made regrettable decisions in the past.

Fashion as always was front and center on the Red Carpet, with black and/or muted pink very commonly seen on stars like Gal Gadot, Margot Robbie, Penélope Cruz, Charlize Theron and Laura Dern. Natalie Portman made a statement wearing an outfit which listed the names of female Filmmakers who didn’t get recognized at the Oscars this year.

While there was no host for the Oscars this year, various Presenters took to the stage at points throughout the night including Janelle Monáe, Billy Porter, Kristen Wiig, Maya Rudolph, Brie Larson, Sigourney Weaver, Gal Gadot and more.

Complete list of winners here.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

The Golden Globe Awards took place tonight at the Beverly Hilton, honouring together the best in Television and Cinema in one star-studded affair. The Awards for the first-time ever, served guests an all-vegan menu with Climate Change being front and center in discussion. Funnyman Ricky Gervais hosted a fifth and final time and once again nobody was spared of his biting humour, whether it be Leonardo DiCaprio being teased for his young girlfriends, The Irishman being too long or everyone as a whole being sent-off for the evening to go enjoy their booze and drugs, which failed to be caught by NBC Censors.

ONCE UPON A TIME… IN HOLLYWOOD  took home three scores including Best Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, Best Motion Picture Screenplay (Quentin Tarantino) and Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture (Brad Pitt).

Sam Mendes’ 1917 would win Best Director in a Motion Picture and also Best Motion Picture – Drama. The Film gets a wide release next week.

JOKER would be awarded Best Original Score in a Motion Picture, in addition to heavy favourite Joaquin Phoenix winning for Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Drama. Renée Zellweger as predicted, would take Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Drama after a 17-year absence from the ceremony.

In a couple surprises, ROCKETMAN also took home two Golden Globes, for Best Song with (I’m Gonna) Love Me Again and Best Actor in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical (Taron Egerton). For Best Actress in a Motion Picture – Comedy or Musical, Awkwafina would pull-off the upset winning for her performance in universally-acclaimed The Farewell.

HBO‘s SUCCESSION and Amazon‘s FLEABAG were both the big winners in the Television categories. The former took Best TV Series Drama and Best Performance by an Actor in a TV Series Drama (Brian Cox). The latter took Best TV Series – Musical or Comedy and Best Performance by an Actress in a TV Series – Musical or Comedy (Phoebe Waller-Bridge). In addition to starring in Flebag, Waller-Bridge also wrote the Series, based on her one-woman Play.

Saturday Night Live‘s Kate McKinnon presented Ellen DeGeneres the Carol Burnett Award and reflected on how DeGeneres paved the way for her as a gay woman in Entertainment. “She risked her entire life to tell the truth. If I hadn’t seen her, I wouldn’t be on TV.”. DeGeneres when accepting her Award told the audience, “The real power in Television is not that people watch my Show, but that people watch my show and are inspired to put some of that into their own lives.”.

Charlize Theron presented the Cecil B. DeMille Award to screen veteran Tom Hanks to a standing ovation, recounting how he gave her one of her first big breaks auditioning for 1996’s That Thing You Do and giving her a second chance with a five minute break after being what she called “a sweaty mess”. A tearful Hanks gave thanks to his wife Rita Wilson and five children, stating “They are a loving group of people who put-up me with me being away months and months at a time. I can’t tell you what your love means to me.”. He credits his peers, stating “You’re a dope if you don’t steal from the ones you work with – I’ve worked with many who are known by one name like Meryl, Denzel and Antonio“.  He shares a bit of advice based on his years of experience, saying “Showing-up on-time is one of the greatest liberating acts you can give others in a Movie, because when the time comes you have to hit all the marks and go there.”.

There were several winning looks on the Red Carpet including a glamorous red Vera Wang dress donned by Scarlett Johannson. Nicole Kidman also came in red, appearing every bit a Movie Star in Versace. Rising Star Ana de Armas sparkled like a sapphire in Ralph & Russo at her first-ever Globes appearance.  Jennifer Lopez drew a lot of divided opinions on Social Media with her gold bow dress by Valentino.

Complete list of winners here.

The Oscars air Sunday, February 9, 2020, 8 PM EST on ABC. Nominees will be announced Monday, January 13, 2020.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong

Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) makes his living as a party clown. He lives with his mother, has serious mental health issues and dreams of being a Comedian. But a set of circumstances will set him down a different path – one that involves becoming Gotham City’s greatest villain, The Joker.

With Joker, Co-Writer/Director Todd Phillips (of The Hangover and Old School) set-out to create a dark, gritty, intense and disturbing take on the legendary character. And for the most part, he succeeds. Phillips draws on Martin Scorsese classics like Taxi Driver and The King of Comedy to visualize Gotham City and its inhabitants, building an urban dystopia so vivid you can smell the grime and filth. And instead of making just another Comic Book movie, he turns the genre and formula on its head and gives us a passionate, unapologetic and viciously violent character study. He leans too hard into Batman lore and relies a bit too much on slow motion, but this is easily his most ambitious project to date.

And at the centre of it all is a blisteringly brilliant performance from Phoenix. His physical and mental transformation into The Joker is eye-opening, and the little nuances he brings to the character are simply terrific. He is featured in practically every scene, and the way he commands that camera is a masterclass all in its own. Some have already started calling this take sympathetic, but make no mistake: this Joker is just as much of a depraved, homicidal maniac as you remember and any sympathy you may gleam at the beginning will be completely gone by the end. He is still The Joker after all.

JOKER screens during TIFF at the following times:

Monday September 9, 9:00pm @ Roy Thomson Hall
Tuesday September 10, 2:30pm @ Princess of Wales
Friday September 13, 9:45pm @ Scotiabank Theatre

We’re at the halfway point almost of TIFF ’19 and we are looking forward to enjoying some films soon! Before all that though, there are plenty of stars to spot around the City and today was EPIC!

See our sightings below. Hover cursor right to navigate albums.

THE LAUNDROMAT – Premiere

GUNS AKIMBO – Press Stop

HONEY BOY – Press Stop

BAD EDUCATION – Press Stop

WASP NETWORK – Press Stop

UNCUT GEMS – Press Stop

JUDY – Press Stop

HUMAN CAPITAL – Press Stop

JOKER – Premiere

(Photo credit : Mr. Will Wong)

Joaquin Phoenix is riveting in this new Teaser Trailer for JOKER, available now!

Synopsis:
Arthur is a troubled man. Despite his mother urging him to live his life with a happy face and laughter and bring joy to others, he is subject to constant harassment and beatings. However, as he sees the world around him growing crazier and crazier, he begins to descend into madness upon the realization that his life is not a tragedy, but instead a comedy – paving the way for his transformation into Gotham’s greatest criminal, The Joker.

See the Trailer:

Warner Bros. Canada release JOKER Friday, October 4, 2019.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros. Canada)

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

The Sisters Brothers is the film adaptation of Canadian author Patrick deWitt’s award-winning Western Novel about two vastly different brothers (Joaquin Phoenix and John C. Reilly) who are sent to kill a man (Riz Ahmed) who has been accused of stealing from a crime boss. Before making its North American Premiere at TIFF in the Special Presentation Programme it screened at the Venice Film Festival to rave reviews.

Writer-Director Jacques Audiard pays homage to the western genre while offering his own dark humour twist. Thanks to the powerhouse of talent that is Audiard’s cast, which consists of Joaquin Phoenix, John C. Reilly, Jake Gyllenhaal and Riz Ahmed, this gritty and violent Film is enriched with wit and humanity.

The Sisters Brothers screens at on Saturday, September 8 at 9:30 PM at Princess Of Wales Theatre and Sunday, September 9 at 10 AM at Winter Garden Theatre.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

You Were Never Really Here follows traumatized veteran Joe (Joaquin Phoenix) whose job of tracking down a missing girl goes bad and a conspiracy is uncovered.

Phoenix is a force of nature as the tormented and violent Joe. With minimal dialogue Phoenix is forced the used his expressions and body language to display what Joe is feeling. And the range he displays in this Film is a tremendous feat. From being a caring son taking care of his mother, to a broken man still traumatized from his childhood and war, and then the killing machine he becomes to save missing girls.

The character of Joe is written unapologetically by Writer-Director Lynne Ramsey who also directs the Film with fearlessness. What also makes You Were Never Really Here special is that Ramsey has crafted a Hitman Thriller that is a character study, rather than one solely about violence.

You Were Never Really Here screens at Sundance on Jan. 19 at 9:15PM at The Grand SLC, Jan. 21 at 8:30PM at The MARC PC, Jan. 23 at 11:45PM at The Egyptian PC, and Jan. 27 at 6PM at PC Library.

By Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

It’s day two here at Sundance Film Festival and the momentum is building quickly. Main Street in Park City is buzzing with parties day and night. One of the main hotspots was the Sundance TV Kickoff Party where we spotted the likes of Terry Crews and Dominic Cooper. Moments after, a much in-the-news Ashley Judd was seen in the vicinity stopping for a Selfie.

It isn’t only the parties that are warming-up a snowy Park City, it’s also the starpower. Several Red Carpets took place including American Animals, a Heist Thriller starring Evan Peters and Barry Keoghan; Don’t Worry He Wont Get Far On Foot directed by Gus Van Sant (Milk, Elephant) and starring Jonah Hill and Joaquin Phoenix about a disabled rights Activist John Callahan who turns to drawing after becoming paralyzed; Lizzie starring Producer Chloe Sevigny and Kristen Stewart which is said to be Beautiful Creatures-like and based on the Borden Family murders; and Mandy starring Nicolas Cage as a man hunting a religious sect which killed his wife, all premiered tonight in Park City.

See the Teaser for the new Van Sant Film below:

Wait until you get to know John Callahan.

Get your first look at Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot​, starring Joaquin Phoenix, @JonahHill​, Rooney Mara and Jack Black​. Directed by Gus Van Sant.

In select theaters May 11. #DWHWGFOF pic.twitter.com/Sigc28D7V4

— Don’t Worry, He Won’t Get Far On Foot (@dontworrymovie) January 16, 2018

Sevigny at Sundance with Lizzie:

Chloe Sevigny is premiering her flick #Lizzie at #Sundance! https://t.co/MHWQtk74ju

— JustJared.com (@JustJared) January 20, 2018

Salt Lake City also is booming with that Sundance spirit! It saw a Premiere for You Were Never Really Here which stars Sundance “It Boy” Phoenix. This is the Film for which he won Best Actor at Cannes last year, premiering at The Grand Theatre. Director Lynne Ramsay was in attendance.

 Stay tuned for more!

(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore)