The 72nd qnnual GOLDEN GLOBE AWARDS took place tonight at the Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles and taking top honours on an evening where multiple Films shared the spotlight, was Boyhood.  The Richard Linklater Movie filmed over 12 years, won for Motion Picture Drama, Best Director and also Best Supporting Actress (Patricia Arquette).

The Grand Budapest Hotel was victorious  for Motion Picture Comedy/Musical and Director/Writer Wes Anderson for the former drew big laughs from the Audience individually thanking members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

After leading the way with seven nominations coming in, BIRDMAN also would perform strongly. Mexican Visionary Alejandro González Iñárritu would accept the Award for Best Screenplay, apologizing humbly repeatedly for his English.  Meanwhile, Michael Keaton would make one of the biggest Comebacks witnessed in Hollywood after a reaching great success in the early ’90s with the Batman Franchise, going-on to win Best Actor in a Comedy or Musical for his performance as troubled Actor Riggan Thomson.

Billy Bob Thorton who won for Best Actor in a TV Mini-Series or Movie for FARGO, and would go on to make the loudest statement tonight accepting this Golden Globe with a simply “Thank You!”, noting that he wanted to stay out of trouble after arriving on-stage stating he didn’t even get a chance to celebrate. Remember that time he opened his mouth here in Toronto and got in major trouble?  Let’s take a walk down Memory Lane here.

Kevin Spacey also was acting naughty, making reference to his Frank Underwood on Netflix‘s House of Cards’ initials during a pre-broadcast Red Carpet Special and while accepting his Golden Globe for Best Actor in a TV Series Drama, he once again dropped an “F Bomb” which fortunately was censored in-time.

Newcomer Gina Rodriguez certainly has stamped her place among Hollywood’s Elite winning Best Actress in a Comedy, TV Series for her work on adapted Telenovela, Jane the Virgin.  The Series airs on The CW in the U.S. and streams in Canada on Shomi.

Don Cheadle and Julianna Margulies were assigned the task of presenting the Cecil B. DeMille Award this year to recently-wed George Clooney. Show-stealing on the Red Carpet with his Wife Amal in Dior, he took a moment to thank his one true love on the Podium.  “I’ve had a pretty good year”, he reflects. “It’s a humbling thing when you find someone to love – even better if you’ve been waiting your whole life – when your life has been 53 years. Amal whatever alchemy it was that brought us together, I couldn’t be more proud to be your Husband.”.

Among tonight’s winning looks on the Red Carpet were an über-glam Jessica Chastain, who won high scores for her low-plunging, lamé Versace Dress – perhaps a taste of the looks to come as she portrays Marilyn Monroe in long-developing Biopic, Blonde.  Jennifer Lopez turned heads in a Zuhair Murad Dress Dress reminiscent of her famous Versace Grammy number with its low plunge also which drew an awkward moment as she was presenting with Jeremy Renner who pointed-out her “golden globes”.  Taylor Schilling, star of Netflix‘s Orange is the New Black also stunned in a red Ralph Lauren Dress – classic and understated.  Amy Adams also was a vision in purple, going-on eventually to win Best Actress in Comedy or Musical for Big Eyes. Julianne Moore despite getting some mixed reaction, wins big points from us for her sparkly Givenchy number, dazzling on-stage as she accepted Best Actress in a Drama for Still Alice.

Hosts Amy Poehler and Tina Fey –  reuniting for a third time and claiming this would be their last – once again were sophisticated and witty, their jokes ranging from side-by-side comparisons between Filmmakers and Actors they’d rather bed to Nominee Emma Stone being compared to a “creepy” Margaret Keane painting.  Even Meryl Streep sent her compliments as she presented the Award for Best Drama.

For a complete list of Winners click here.
To see more Photos from tonight’s Red Carpet, check-out ZIMBIO here.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

Let’s be honest now. The Films being made in Toronto of late haven’t been all that enticing, but when we hear of something with substance being made we’re the first to give credit where it’s due.  SPOTLIGHT from acclaimed Director and Actor Thomas McCarthy has been under production here in our City and although we’ve met most of the Cast already, we actually were rather excited about meeting the Man helming the Project.  Although he was in-town during TIFF promoting The Cobbler, which stars Adam Sandler, McCarthy himself has been a bit illusive to us!  SPOTLIGHT stars Rachel McAdams, Liev Schreiber, Mark Ruffalo, Brian d’Arcy James, John Slattery, Michael Keaton, Stanley Tucci and more.

We were so happy today that we saw him out and about heading off for a day of filming.  We recognized him right away Flags of our Fathers, The Wire, Law & Order, The Lovely Bones and Little Fockers. Surely at some point in your Television or Movie viewing, you’ve seen McCarthy!  Production wraps in Toronto shortly so we’re so happy we got a chance to meet him, although we had no luck spotting Tucci, who’s been busy in the U.S. promoting his Cookbook.

Official Synopsis for SPOTLIGHT – believe me, it’s highly intriguing:

In 2001, the Boston Globe began an investigation that would rock the city and shock the world. SPOTLIGHT tells the story of that investigation, the story of Marty Baron (Schreiber), Ben Bradlee Jr. (Slattery) and the four members of the Globe‘s investigative Spotlight team – Walter Robinson (Keaton), Mike Rezendes (Ruffalo), Sacha Pfeiffer (McAdams) and Matt Carroll (James) – who would sacrifice everything to expose the Boston Archdiocese‘s systemic cover up of sexual abuse of children by ordained priests. For years, whispers of scandal were ignored by society, the media, by police and by the legal system. Silenced by shame, victims of sexual abuse often became victims of suicide. For their commitment to truth, the Spotlight team received the Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.

SPOTLIGHT sheds new light on the investigation and the men and women who were integral to uncovering the story. It points to the necessity of good, local journalism, the type of journalism that has been decimated over the past fifteen years by the decline of the newspaper industry. Spotlight explores the larger themes of complicity and deference, attempting to grapple with the question of how an evil so widespread could go undetected for so long.

Our Snap:

eOne Films release SPOTLIGHT, release date to be determined.

(Photo credit: Fox Searchlight/Mr. Will Wong)

Critics already are calling BIRDMAN a triumph and this is your chance to see it first!  The amount of Awards buzz for this Alejandro González Iñárritu Film is alarming and we hope like us you are just as excited to see it!  Screenings will take place in Toronto and Vancouver on Wednesday, October 22, 2014 (Mr. Will‘s Birthday!), and the following week in Calgary!  We hope those of you in Toronto will be there to celebrate that special day with this remarkable Film!

Official Synopsis:
Washed-up actor Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton), who became famous for playing an iconic superhero in the movies, decides to stage a comeback in a Broadway play.

Pressures mount leading up to the play’s opening night as Riggan battles his ego and tries to win back his family, at the same time re-establishing his career and finding himself in the process.

BIRDMAN stars Michael Keaton, Zach Galifianakis, Edward Norton, Andrea Riseborough, Amy Ryan, Emma Stone and Naomi Watts.

Official Artwork:

See the Trailer:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook.  State your City in the comments section also.

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http://www.mwillwong.com/birdman @MRWILLW wants us to #win Passes to see #BIRDMANMOVIE. Out 10/24 in select cities.

Fox Searchlight release BIRDMAN in Toronto and Vancouver on Friday, October 24, 2014, with additional Cities to follow.

(Photo/video credit: Fox Searclight)

Finally! A Title we’re extremely excited about to film in our City this Fall. Acclaimed Writer/Actor/Director Thomas McCarthy and the Cast of Spotlight currently are in Boston beginning filming for the Drama based on a True Story. The Film centers on the Boston Globe‘s investigation, which began in 2001 uncovering an abuse scandal within the Boston Archdiocese involving several victims of sexual abuse at the hands of ordained Priests. Suicides resulted often among victims as a result of the shame they had experienced.

The Film stars Rachel McAdams (seen in above new Still), Stanley Tucci, Liev Schreiber, Mark Ruffalo, James Slattery, Billy Crudup, Brian d’Arcy James and Michael Keaton, the latter on the verge of a major career rebirth with all the acclaim BIRDMAN is receiving.

Filming takes place in Boston for the next week before heading to Toronto through early November. eOne Films will be handling distribution in Canada. We are terribly excited!

In other news, the Thriller Room starring Up-and-Comer Brie Larson is set to film in Toronto early October through mid-December. The Film its told from the perspective of a five-year-old Boy who is held captive in a room with is Mother, played by Larson.  Lenny Abrahamson directs the Project.

(Photo credit: eOne Films)

“Let’s go back one more time and show them what’ were made of.”.

In what is being touted as Michael Keaton‘s big Comeback, BIRDMAN‘s official Teaser Trailer was released earlier this week and it looks just absolutely phenomenal. We can only hope it gets a Premiere at TIFF ’14 en route to what looks like an Awards Season Campaign.

In several ways mirroring reality, the new Film by Alejandro González Iñárritu, has a former Action Star who looks to make a comeback on Broadway. As all of us know, Keaton reached the pinnacle of his success in the late ’80s portraying Batman, but things certainly have been a lot more quiet since.

Watch the Trailer below:

Fox Searchlight release BIRDMAN on Friday, October 17, 2014.

(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)

After having filmed in Toronto in 2012, José Padilha‘s RoboCop Reboot soon hits theatres. The amazing thing about being in the City, is that we get to see some of our familiar faces on the Big Screen and such is the case with Child Actor John Paul Ruttan.

At just 12 years old, Toronto’s Ruttan has had Guest Spots on popular Canadian Television Series like The Murdoch Mysteries, Degrassi: The Next Generation and The Listener. He got his big break starring alongside Megastars Reese Witherspoon, Chris Pine and Tom Hardy in 2012 Action/Rom-Com This Means War.  His Star continues to rise with a starring role in RoboCop, playing David Murphy, the Son of RoboCop himself Alex (Joel Kinnaman) and Clara (Abbie Cornish).

Ruttan had Tweeted his excitement this morning  heading to Global Television‘s The Morning Show (National Edition), his first big Television Interview.  Murphy and his Mom were surprised to have Fans waiting in the snow for Autographs and Pictures outside the Studio.  Believe me, this is only just a sign of things to come, seeing him get a chance to practice his signature initials, “JP” on a RoboCop Still for a  Fan.

Although the dimunitive-sized Actor with big talent tells me he has yet to see the Film he’s currently promoting, he expressed his excitement about it and his Mother was kind enough to Snap of Photo of Ruttan, Billy and I on her iPhone.  “We’re still new to the Twitter thing”, she tells me.  We’re excited for what’s next for one of our City’s brightest young Stars!

Official RoboCop Synopsis:

It’s the year 2028 and OmniCorp is the Ruler of Robot Technology. Although their Drones have been used by the military overseas and have been keeping countries at peace, Americans don’t want robots ruling their Country. OmniCorp is adamant that America will benefit from these robots and found the perfect solution how to bring them to the country.

When Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman), a loving father, husband and Detroit Cop, becomes injured in the line of duty, OmniCorp steps in and builds a part-Man, part-Robot, which they call the RoboCop because he’s practically invincible. The company believes RoboCop can protect Citizens in every city but things go awry when they fail to remember that there is still a living Man inside the Machine.

Click here to watch the Official Trailer for RoboCop.

See some Snaps of Mr. Will and the Cast of RoboCop:

Sony Pictures Canada releases RoboCop on Wednesday, February 12, 2014.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/Sony Pictures)

“Why is America so Robophobic?”.

We admit it – we had our doubts when we first heard about a RoboCop Remake being made, considering how perfect the 1987 original was.  When we heard names like Abbie Cornish, Samuel L. Jackson, Jackie Earle Haley, Gary Oldman and Michael Keaton being attached, we knew they meant business.

Director José Padilha reboots the popular Franchise which centers around Alex Murphy (Joel Kinnaman), a badly-wounded Cop who is transformed into Cyborg form to fight crime in a futuristic Detroit.

A lot is on the line for Sony Pictures, which spent a pretty penny on the Toronto-filmed Action Flick which just completed Reshoots last week, especially after a lackluster performance at the Box Office with the expensive Total Recall Reboot last year.

Cornish was spotted in Yorkville last week with her newly-adopted French-born Puppy, shopping for Goodies at My Pet Boutique, while she was in-town for four days, leaving this past Monday morning along with her fellow Castmates.

A brand new Trailer for RoboCop has just surfaced and I was floored completely by its incredible slickness!

Watch below:

Sony Pictures Canada releases RoboCop on Wednesday, February 12, 2014.

(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures)

Most of us who grew-up in the ’80s and ’90s have fond memories of watching Michael Keaton on-screen, but having been quiet much of late, could it be that his Career is experiencing a rapid resurgence?  Known best for his work as Batman, Beetlejuice and Mr. Mom, Keaton currently is in Toronto working Sony Pictures’ RoboCop Reboot, which is slated for a February 2014 release via Sony Pictures.

Keaton, unlike his Co-Stars who travel is SUVs and Production Vans,  opts to travel in a super-sleek Lexus. I caught-up with him earlier today as he head-off for a long night ahead at-work.  Despite being in a rush, he was kind to stop for Autographs and although he didn’t think he had time for a Photo, I reminded him that it’s just as quick to say “no” as it is to snap a Photo and of course, putting it into perspective, he was nice enough to make an exception.

The Actor next can be seen in Ottawa-filmed Penthouse North, due for a release in 2013 and soon he will be completing Voice Work for Animated Blockbuster, Toy Story 4 in the role of Ken.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)