The tenth edition of JUST FOR LAUGHS TORONTO just wrapped, doing it bigger and better than ever before. I know we’ve often envied the Montreal leg of the Festival, but Toronto returning to an in-person format this year of the Festival, the excitement was stratospheric! Among the Comedy heavyweights in-town this weekend were Iliza Shlesinger, Marc Maron, Peter Billingsley, Vince Vaughn and Trevor Noah – hot off his announcement that he’ll be exiting The Daily Show after hosting for the past seven years.
Some amazing highlights of the closing-half of the Festival this year.
Toronto really got a treat as A Christmas Story star Peter Billingsley and adored Actor Vince Vaughn closed-out the Festival with the World Premiere of CHRISTMAS WITH THE CAMPBELLS, an upcoming Holiday Comedy which uses the classic Hallmark blueprint, without sparing the swearing! The duo produced the Film together, while Vaughn had a hand in writing the Scrript.
The Premiere, originally scheduled for last weekend, was slotted in for closing night of what already was a star-studded Festival. The Film stars Brittany Snow, Justin Long and Alex Moffatt, and will be in theatres later this year, while also streaming on AMC+ in the U.S.
So happy we got to chat with Billingsley and Vaughn about their new Film.
Could you describe CHRISTMAS WITH THE CAMPBELLS as a love letter to Hallmark movies? Could you say that?
Vaughn: Kinda. We had a woman, Barbara Kymlicka who writes some terrific Hallmark movies, write a real kind of story with emotion. We put a lot of Hard “R” Comedy in there so it’s kinda funny and kinda heart-felt.
How do you draw that fine balance between it being a parody and an actual love letter?
Vaughn: That was the interesting thing part. So we play it straight. We have a Hallmark Composer, Editor, Cinematographer, Set Designer. But the language and points of view of the characters are straight Comedy. It’s a really interesting blend and the Movie has tested really well. We’re just finally excited to have a World Premiere in Toronto.
Billingsley: We don’t betray the rules of a Hallmark movie, so there’s that. There’s a really good feeling in the end and you laugh a lot along the way.
I know you both have a real affinity for Toronto. What’s one thing that Toronto’s got that you can’t find anywhere else in the world?
Vaughn: You know what? I think Toronto’s a place where people are raising families and going to work. It’s a real city where people enjoy themselves. For me it’s special. My mom was born here, I used to come all the time to see family as a kid. I still see family here, it’s just a great city.
Billingsley: Toronto has a lot of film fans. The Toronto International Film Festival has a reputation of being the Fan’s Festival. It gets great crowds that love movies, so it’s always great to bring a film here.
This charismatic, all-around Entertainer delighted fans two nights at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre. If you haven’t checked-out his observational WTF with Marc Maron Podcast, you absolutely should. Also how cool was it that he was starstruck sitting behind Rush‘s Geddy Lee on his flight out of Toronto?
This Australian Treasure really wowed us with an incredible, tight set where we wouldn’t quit with the laughs. We love them from RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under, but this was a more accurate capture of his range, amazing comedic timing and writing. Floored. A star on the rise, with some hilarious anecdotes about growing-up non-binary in his native Newcastle.
It’s Jerrod Carmichael‘s world and we’re all living in it! Hot off his Emmy win for HBO Special ROTHANIEL, he delivered a low-key set at Bluma Appel Theatre, reflecting on life, love and his coming to terms with his sexuality. He has a unique vibe, moving at an unrushed pace, with pensive pauses, and at once has a grip on his audience. So amazing getting to see this burgeoning star, who has in the zone with his headphones on when we spotted him being ushered-in quickly.
Just for Laughs Toronto 2022 was one for the books! While we are a little Festivaled-out in what’s been a hectic September, we wouldn’t trade it in for anything! Cannot wait to see what next year’s Festival brings! More on Just for Laughs Toronto here.
Don’t forget to check-out our Recap of the Festival’s first-half here, which includes some of our favourites as well.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
*All captured on the Samsung S22*
By Mr. Will Wong
Director Michael Morris (Better Call Saul, 13 Reasons Why) is known primarily for his work in Television, but makes his feature debut at SXSW with TO LESLIE. The Texas-set Drama centers on Leslie (Andrea Riseborough), a single mother who has made some poor life choices and after winning the lottery some years ago, blowing it all away. She lost custody of her son and has bottomed-out, going from stranger to stranger, turning to alcohol as her sources of comfort. She’s burned bridges around town and they aren’t afraid to remind her.
She meets Sweeney (Marc Maron), who owns a local motel. He gives her a chance to start again, hiring her on as a cleaner. Leslie however struggles, returning to her old self-destructive ways. This seems to be her last chance at getting her life in order and a shot at redemption with her son, a cross she’s beared for many years.
While TO LESLIE takes some time to unfold, Morris gives scenes the space to breathe and his audience to ponder. And your patience is rewarded if you wait to the end. Riseborough‘s superb work cannot be denied. She delivers a performance that makes one feel the weight of the world she carries on her shoulders. She’s numb to her critics, including Nancy (Allison Janney) who once loved her but now loathes her, and is really just trying to get through the day and not get fired. While her relationship with Sweeney doesn’t erase her problems, it awakens that little bit of vigor she needs to move forward again and for things to fall into place. The Film possesses great heart and soul because of the care and compassion Riseborough puts into Leslie and the struggles she’s facing. Sidenote: she produces the Film alongside Maron.
TO LESLIE screens at SXSW ’22 as follows:
Mar 12, 20228:30pm—10:29pm
Mar 13, 9:00am CDT – Mar 15, 9:00am CDT9:00am—10:59am
Mar 15, 202212:45pm—2:44pm
Mar 18, 20229:45pm—11:44pm
A star-studded Cast including Sam Rockwell, Awkwafina, Marc Maron, Lilly Singh, Alex Borstein and more star in BAD GUYS. This is the new Trailer.
Synopsis:
Nobody has ever failed so hard at trying to be good as The Bad Guys.
In the new action comedy from DreamWorks Animation, based on the New York Times best-selling book series, a crackerjack criminal crew of animal outlaws are about to attempt their most challenging con yet—becoming model citizens.
Never have there been five friends as infamous as The Bad Guys—dashing pickpocket Mr. Wolf (Academy Award® winner Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri), seen-it-all safecracker Mr. Snake (Marc Maron, GLOW), chill master-of-disguise Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson, Hot Tub Time Machine franchise), short-fused “muscle” Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos, In the Heights) and sharp-tongued expert hacker Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina, Crazy Rich Asians), aka “Webs.”
But when, after years of countless heists and being the world’s most-wanted villains, the gang is finally caught, Mr. Wolf brokers a deal (that he has no intention of keeping) to save them all from prison: The Bad Guys will go good.
Under the tutelage of their mentor Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade, Paddington 2), an arrogant (but adorable!) guinea pig, The Bad Guys set out to fool the world that they’ve been transformed. Along the way, though, Mr. Wolf begins to suspect that doing good for real may give him what he’s always secretly longed for: acceptance. So when a new villain threatens the city, can Mr. Wolf persuade the rest of the gang to become … The Good Guys?
The film co-stars Zazie Beetz (Joker), Lilly Singh (Bad Moms) and Emmy winner Alex Borstein (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel).
Universal Pictures Canada release The Bad Guys in theaters April 22, 2022.
(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)
Jennifer Hudson stars as Aretha Franklin in Biopic RESPECT! See this brand new Teaser Trailer for this exciting Holiday release.
Synopsis:
Following the rise of Aretha Franklin’s career from a child singing in her father’s church’s choir to her international superstardom, RESPECT is the remarkable true story of the music icon’s journey to find her voice.
Cast: Jennifer Hudson, Forest Whitaker, Marlon Wayans, Audra McDonald, Marc Maron, Tituss Burgess, Saycon Sengbloh, Hailey Kilgore, Skye Dakota Turner, Tate Donovan and Mary J. Blige.
See the Trailer:
RESPECT is in theatres December 2020.
(Photo/video credit: MGM Studios)
Running September 19 through 29, 2019, the right annual JFL42 Festival presented by SiriusXM is about to come to Toronto to lift us from those post-TIFF blues! This year is better than ever with a roster of talent that’s fresh and now including the likes of John Mulaney and Pete Davidson, Jonathan Van Ness, Gabrial Iglesias, Nick Kroll, Marc Maron, Eric Andre, How Did This Get Made and icon Carol Burnett all making their way to the City. The latter, just received earlier this year the inaugural Carol Burnett Award for Achievement in Television at the Golden Globe Awards. Her special event will be known as CAROL BURNETT: AN EVENING OF LAUGHTER AND REFLECTION.
The Festival also will feature In Conversations with the likes of Nick Kroll, Michael Rapaport, Steve-O and Cristela Alonzo, as part of the the Festival’s ComedyCon.
Passes go on sale Friday, June 7, 2019 10 AM and single tickets go on sale June 14 at 10:00 AM at www.jfl42.com.
(Photo credit: JFL42)
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
When Cynthia (Jillian Bell) is left with a sword as her sole inheritance after her grandfather dies, she and her girlfriend Mary (Michaela Watkins) try to sell it for a lot of money by saying it’s proof of the South winning the Civil War.
Director Lynn Shelton has crafted a Film that studies how people will believe anything, no matter how absurd, if they want to. She uses the extremely far-right as her believers. They believe that this sword and the hilariously-random story Cynthia and Mary are spewing about it, is true, simply because it plays into their beliefs. It’s a highly-intelligent Film that boasts all around amazing performances from Bell, Watkins, Jon Bass and a knock-out performance from Marc Maron.
Sword of Trust screens at SXSW on March 8 at 9:15 PM at ZACH Theatre, March 11 at 9 PM at Atom Theatre, and March 13 at 2:30 PM at Alamo Lamar D.
We’ve missed these gorgeous ladies! Check-out this brand-new look at Season 2 of Netflix‘s GLOW!
Synopsis:
Season 2 follows the women of GLOW as they become local celebrities, confronting the good, the bad, and the ugly realities of their newfound fame. As Ruth and Debbie settle into the day-to-day of making a season of TV together, they confront lingering issues at the heart of their friendship. Sam is still Sam, but now he has a teenage daughter living with him and twenty episodes to churn out. The wrestling is harder, the stakes are higher, and the hair is even bigger.
See the Trailer:
Season 2 of GLOW streams on Netflix Canada Friday, June 29, 2018.
(Photo/video credit: Netflix)
Hands-down one of our favourite Series, Netflix’s GLOW is set to return for a second season on Friday, June 29, 2018.
Synopsis:
Season 2 follows the women of GLOW as they become local celebrities, confronting the good, the bad, and the ugly realities of their newfound fame. As Ruth (Alison Brie) and Debbie (Betty Gilpin) settle into the day-to-day of making a season of TV together, they confront lingering issues at the heart of their friendship. Sam (Marc Maron) is still Sam, but now he has a teenage daughter living with him and twenty episodes to churn out. The wrestling is harder, the stakes are higher, and the hair is even bigger.
See the announcement:
(Photo/video credit: Netflix)
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