Starring Liam Hemsworth and Laura Dern, new Romance LONELY PLANET releases Globally on Netflix October 11, 2024.

Written and Directed By: Susannah Grant
Produced By: Liza Chasin, p.g.a., Susannah Grant, p.g.a., Sarah Timberman
Executive Producers: Brendan Ferguson, Corinne Weber, Margaret Chernin
Cast: Laura Dern, Liam Hemsworth, Diana Silvers, Younès Boucif, Adriano Giannini, Rachida Brakni

Logline: A reclusive novelist arrives at a prestigious writer’s retreat in Morocco, hoping the remote setting will unlock her writer’s block. While there, she meets a young man — what starts as an acquaintanceship evolves into an intoxicating, life-altering love affair

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win a Cineplex Run-of-Engagement Pass to see THE SON.

Synopsis:

While married to Kate (Laura Dern), Peter (Hugh Jackman) has an affair with Beth (Vanessa Kirby), and leaves Kate and their son Nicholas. Years later, now living with Beth and their infant, Peter is surprised when ex-wife Kate (Laura Dern) shows up with Nicholas (Zen McGrath), who is now a teenager.

Beth has trouble communicating with Nicholas, who has skipped school for months and is troubled, distant, and angry. Peter decides to step up and take care of Nicholas as he would have liked his own father to have taken care of him. However, as he tries to juggle work, Beth, their child, and the offer of a longtime dream position in Washington, Peter loses sight of how to best deal with Nicholas’ problems.

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Please indicate your City in the comments. Re-Tweet the below also for another chance!

Rules and regulations here.

Note: Winners will only be contact via a direct message from our official account. Do not respond to third-party comments or messages asking you for your personal information.

Elevation Pictures is releasing THE SON in select theatres across Canada on January 20, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

By David Baldwin

Peter (Hugh Jackman) has it all. He is a big shot attorney being courted by D.C. for a Senator’s election bid and his new wife Beth (Vanessa Kirby) has just given birth to a beautiful baby boy. Peter’s older son Nicholas (Zen McGrath) is not doing great though – he is not getting along with his Mom, Peter’s ex Kate (Laura Dern), is not going to school and is suffering from severe depression and anxiety. Hearing this, Peter agrees to let Nicholas live with him and his new family in the hopes that his mental health will improve. Except it does not, it just gets worse.

THE SON is easily the most divisive movie I have seen at TIFF ’22. The discourse, anger and debate this Movie has already sparked is not quite at the level of The Whale, but it is going to get so much more heated after its theatrical release this Fall. Your “enjoyment” (I used the term loosely because THE SON is not very fun to watch) will entirely hinge on your feelings around Mental Health, specifically when it involves a child. I do not want to spoil where the Film goes – the foreshadowing motifs sprinkled throughout are about as subtle as a fire alarm – rather, I want to note that it careens into bleak and unsettling territory.

What also works against the Film is the inevitable comparisons to The Father. That film, like THE SON, was adapted by Zeller and Christopher Hampton from Zeller’s play and both feature tremendously intricate Production Design and a tortured character at its centre. Whereas that film focused on Anthony Hopkins’ towering, extraordinary performance, this Film spends more time with Jackman than it does McGrath’s titular character. And when McGrath does show up, he is whiny, annoying, cold, distant, melodramatic and unrefined. Some have punched down and have suggested it as being laughably bad. While I myself did not think it is a great performance, I would caution before saying it was bad. McGrath plays Nicholas as a scared, anxious and confused teenager who does not understand the feelings he is experiencing nor the ability to process them, so it makes perfect sense why he is so melodramatic and all over the place.

Elsewhere, both Dern and Kirby are sidelined through far too much of the Film (though the latter still slays every time she appears) and an explosive two-scene cameo from Hopkins is so incendiary that the Film is never able to match its energy afterwards. Which is all to say, Jackman has a lot of heavy lifting to do. He is up to the task and delivers a very good, albeit aggravating performance. You will just want to reach out and shake him violently for his character’s arrogance and callousness towards his son’s precarious situation. Worse, his spectacular “Oscar” scene comes in the form of a 10-minute epilogue that does not really need to be there. Which is a hell of a shame.

THE SON screens as follows at TIFF ’22:

Mon, Sep 12 IN-PERSON Roy Thomson Hall 9:00pm

Tue, Sep 13 IN-PERSON TIFF Bell Lightbox 12:00pm

Universal Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Screening Passes to see JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION.

Advance screenings will be held Wednesday, June 8, 2022 in:

• Toronto: Scotiabank Theatre at 7 PM
• Montreal: Scotiabank Theatre at 7 pm
• Vancouver: Scotiabank Theatre at 7 pm

Synopsis:

From Jurassic World architect and director Colin Trevorrow, Dominion takes place four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed. Dinosaurs now live—and hunt—alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures. 

Jurassic World Dominion, from Universal Pictures and Amblin Entertainment, propels the more than $5 billion franchise into daring, uncharted territory, featuring never-seen dinosaurs, breakneck action and astonishing new visual effects. 

The film features new cast members DeWanda Wise (She’s Gotta Have It), Emmy nominee Mamoudou Athie (Archive 81), Dichen Lachman (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Scott Haze (Minari) and Campbell Scott (The Amazing Spider-Man 2). The film’s returning cast includes BD Wong as Dr. Henry Wu, Justice Smith as Franklin Webb, Daniella Pineda as Dr. Zia Rodriguez and Omar Sy as Barry Sembenè.  

Jurassic World Dominion is directed by Colin Trevorrow, who steered 2015’s Jurassic World to a record-shattering $1.7 billion global box office. The screenplay is by Emily Carmichael (Battle at Big Rock) & Colin Trevorrow from a story by Derek Connolly (Jurassic World) & Trevorrow, based on characters created by Michael Crichton. Jurassic World Dominion is produced by acclaimed franchise producers Frank Marshall p.g.a. and Patrick Crowley p.g.a. and is executive produced by legendary, Oscar®-winning franchise creator Steven Spielberg, Alexandra Derbyshire and Colin Trevorrow. 

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. In the comments there, please let us know your City. And you also can Re-Tweet the below for an extra chance as well!

Rules and regulations here.

Universal Pictures Canada release JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION June 10, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

It’s the end of an era. See the new Trailer for JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION.

Synopsis:

From Jurassic World architect and director Colin Trevorrow, Dominion takes place four years after Isla Nublar has been destroyed. Dinosaurs now live—and hunt—alongside humans all over the world. This fragile balance will reshape the future and determine, once and for all, whether human beings are to remain the apex predators on a planet they now share with history’s most fearsome creatures.

Universal Pictures Canada release JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION June 10, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

While we’re sad it isn’t announced for TIFF ’19, we are happy about getting to see its Trailer finally for Greta Gerwig’s reimagining of LITTLE WOMEN.

Synopsis:
Writer-Director Greta Gerwig (Lady Bird) has crafted a Little Women that draws on both the classic novel and the writings of Louisa May Alcott, and unfolds as the author’s alter ego, Jo March, reflects back and forth on her fictional life. In Gerwig’s take, the beloved story of the March sisters – four young women each determined to live life on her own terms — is both timeless and timely. Portraying Jo, Meg, Amy, and Beth March, the Film stars Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, with Timothée Chalamet as their neighbor Laurie, Laura Dern as Marmee, and Meryl Streep as Aunt March.

See the Trailer:

Sony Pictures Canada release LITTLE WOMEN this Christmas.

(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures Canada)

By Mr. Will Wong

And in a blink of an eye, another TIFF has passed and this one had us working right to the finish line! It’s only after the fact that we have a moment to take it all in how much we went through. We estimate double our average in Celebrity Snaps this year. That’s how star-studded TIFF ’18 was. It was that kind of a year!

We had the pleasure of previewing several of this year’s Awards Season contenders and we are waiting with baited breath to see A STAR IS BORN and GREEN BOOK, both outstanding, duke it out for Oscars glory in coming months. We loved both, are thrilled the latter was honoured with the People’s Choice Award at the Festival, but something about the former makes our heart sing. We cannot stop thinking about it or its Soundtrack. It takes a magical Film to do that.

Let’s relive some of my favourite star-studded moments of the Festival, as lensed through the Nikon D3400. We wouldn’t have been able to do it without this amazing camera which worked amazingly-well with our Blackberry Key 2 in terms of file transmission to ensure we were able to get our photos uploaded and edited within moments for you all to enjoy! The clarity of these snaps speak for themselves.

A STAR IS BORN Press Conference

We will never stop taking our signature Celebrity Selfies and TIFF ’18 was unforgettable even if we saw many returning faces. We wouldn’t have been camera-ready without the right gear and depending on each scenario, sometimes the Blackberry Key 2 worked best for those Selfies, sometimes the Nikon D3400 worked better. What matters is that more often than not, we got the snap! And many we did.

Here’s some of our faves!

Alexander Skarsgård

Amandla Stenberg

Amber Heard

Anthony Ramos

Boyd Holbrook

Cara Delevingne

Chris Pine

Claire Foy

Daniel Kaluuya

Elizabeth Debicki

Gwendoline Christie

Hari Nef

Jacob Tremblay

Jamie Dornan

Jamie Lee Curtis

John David Washington

Julianne Moore

Kelly Marie Tran

Lady Gaga

Maggie Gyllenhaal

Margaret Qualley

Olivia Munn

Parker Sevak

Peter Sarsgaard

Quincy Jones

Riz Ahmed

Ryan Gosling

Steve Carell

Steven Yeun

Timothée Chalamet

Trevante Rhodes

Troye Sivan

Zhang Yimou

In case you missed our Television appearances during TIFF ’18 this is our first year hitting-up the three big media giants: Global, CITY and CP24 (Bell Media). Thrilled! Our brand continues to thrive as a Festival go-to and we are so happy for the recognition.

CP24 with George Lagogianes

Breakfast Television with Winston Sih

Until next year.  We’re already ready!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

By Mr. Will Wong

It’s hard to believe TIFF ’18 already has come to an end! Amidst the half-hour sleeps and hustling venue to venue we now can finally take a deep breath and appreciate what a wonderful Festival it was yet again! While this edition definitely was a bit of endurance test – we were working right to the end – it is one of those things you look back at and miss greatly. We already are strategizing for TIFF ’19 and believe us, we’ll be ready!

A warmhearted thank you to all our followers who keep us motivated on Social Media with all your encouragement and also our amazing partners: Nikon Canada, H&M Canada, Starbucks Canada, Blackberry Canada, Acura Canada, Britbox Canada, Dufflet Pastries, Chatime Canada, KANDL Artistique, INK Entertainment and CP24. We wouldn’t be doing what we do without YOU!

Also, a huge congrats to Leonardo who won our TIFF ’18 Survival Prize Pack! He was overjoyed and will be sure to spoil himself with all that swag!

This is the first year ever we’ve appeared in some form on Canada’s big three giants: Corus, Rogers and Bell Media with televised appearances on Global News, Breakfast Television and CP24 respectively. We also had to turn-down others unfortunately due to scheduling (every minute counts during TIFF), but there’s always hope we can take care of everyone next year!

I also must thank my amazing Team of Contributors who worked feverishly to get their Reviews in throughout the Festival to keep our Readers informed of what’s good. David Baldwin, Amanda Gilmore, Siobhan Rich, Justin Waldman and George Kozera, thank you for all the hard work you do!

While we simply were too exhausted to post last night, here are some Snaps from our final TIFF ’18 event, the Red Carpet of Closing Night Gala JEREMIAH TERMINATOR LeROY starring Kristen Stewart, Laura Dern and Jim Sturgess. We got to chat briefly with breakout stars James Jagger (son of Mick) and Kelvin Harrison Jr.

The Film is based on the Memoir Girl Boy Girl: How I Became JT Leroy by Savannah Knoop and is about a woman who spent six years masquerading as Writer Laura Albert‘s created teenage male literary persona JT LeRoy, directed and co-written by Justin Kelly. We ask stars Kevin Harrison Jr. and James Jagger about the importance of a story like this which examines gender confirmation and fluidity in the now.

Jagger: “I think it’s  interesting in this industry that it’s taken so long for it to get to a place where it is now, there have been a lot of false hopes. I think finally we are seeing some true development. I think certain exponents of this Film have been working towards that for a really long time. I think it’s an exciting time to be alive!”.

Harrison: “We all have our online personalities that we like to put out there and this Film is the OG (original) version of what that was and I find that interesting, but we continue to be progressing.”

We ask Jagger and Harrison what drew them most to the Film?

Jagger: “It was the opportunity to be in scene with Diane (Kruger) and that really was the thing that drew me most. Diane I’ve been a fan of for a really long time. It was a good day, it’s been an absolute pleasure.”.

Harrison: “I was drawn to the idea of playing this Basquiat-type guy who gets to fall in love with someone interesting – we’re both really queer in the Movie and we love each other. That was interesting to me.”.

A cheerful goodbye to TIFF ’18, with waves from Dern and Stewart! See you next year!

(Photo/video credit: Amanda Gilmore/Mr. Will Wong)

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy tells the true story of Laura (Laura Dern) who created a writing persona called Jeremiah ‘Terminator’ LeRoy. When questions arise about who this LeRoy guy is she gets her sister-in-law, Savannah (Kristen Stewart), to play him in public. This Film will be having its World Premiere as the Closing Night Gala.

This true story is brought to life beautifully and full of authentic humour by Writer-Director Justin Kelly. These complicated, intelligent, and funny real-life women are brought to the big screen perfectly by Dern and Stewart. Both have magnetic chemistry on-screen and grasp and visualize all the complexities that Savannah and Laura were experiencing.

Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy will screen at TIFF on Saturday, September 15 at 6:30 PM at Princess Of Wales, Saturday, September 15 at 8 PM at Roy Thompson Hall, and Sunday, September 16 at 2:30 PM at Ryerson Theatre.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

The Tale tells the true story of Jennifer Fox (Laura Dern) whose mother gives her a story she wrote as a child, which forces her to re-examine everything she thought about her first sexual experience.

Writer-Director Fox controls her own powerful story and never shies away from the cruelty she encountered. This is a beautiful and important Film that Fox shares bravely with the world. This is a timely Film about the lies we tell ourselves in order to move on and the harsh realities we face when coming to terms with the truth. Dern is at her best playing the self-investigating Fox. Jason Ritter is in a career changing-performance as the manipulative offender, Bill. Elizabeth Debicki is mysterious as the mistrusted Mrs. G. While the young and remarkably-talented Isabelle Nelisse commands the screen as the childhood Jenny.

The Tale screens at Sundance on Jan. 20 at 12:15PM at Eccles PC, Jan. 21 at 9:30PM at Redstone 1 PC, Jan. 25 at 6PM at SLC Library, Jan. 26 at 8:30PM at Prospector PC, and Jan. 27 at 9AM at PC Library.