By Mr. Will Wong
We’re approaching the tail-end of TIFF ’18 and have loved finally getting a chance to see some Movies. We can say with confidence that A STAR IS BORN will be a huge force and will gain plenty of momentum out of the Festival as it embarks on Awards Season. We even conducted a poll on which Film our Readers think will win the coveted People’s Choice Award!
What will be your #TIFF18 People’s Choice winner?
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 13, 2018
Films like THE LIE, RED JOAN and THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER premiered around town tonight, plus the 25th anniversary celebration of THE JOY LUCK CLUB, hot on the success of Crazy Rich Asians!
See who we saw today!
THE LIE – Joey King, Peter Sarsgaard, Mireille Enos, Vena Sud and Alan Ruck
THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER – Parker Sevak
RED JOAN – Sophie Cookson
View this post on Instagram
The #Kingsmen star #SophieCookson at #TIFF18 for #RedJoan. #TIFF #torontointernationalfilmfestival
THE JOY LUCK CLUB 25th ANNIVERSARY – Tamlyn Tomita, Kieu Chinh
IN FABRIC – Gwendoline Christie x Marianne Jean-Baptiste
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
TIFF fever continues throughout Toronto on the Festival’s fourth day! Premieres took place tonight including Fashion icon Tom Ford‘s NOCTURNAL ANIMALS starring Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson and an in-absentia Jake Gyllenhaal. Also premiering tonight was Oscar bait DENIAL starring Rachel Weisz over at Princess of Wales Theatre. THE PROMISE starring Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale also premiered at Roy Thomson Hall tonight. An A-List Cast including Matthew McConaughey, Scarlett Johansson, Reese Witherspoon and Jennifer Hudson appeared at the midday Premiere for Animated Feature SING over at Princess of Wales Theatre. The Premiere was followed by performances from both Hudson and Popstar Tori Kelly even.
See some of the names we spotted around today!
Bill Nighy, THE LIMEHOUSE GOLEM
Olivia Cooke, KATIE SAYS GOODBYE
Chris Lowell, KATIE SAYS GOODBYE
Xavier Dolan, IT’S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD
Auteur #XavierDolan at #TIFF16 for #ItsOnlytheEndofWorld.
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Lea Seydoux, IT’S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD
Inseynity! #LeaSeydoux causing a commotion. She is at #TIFF16 for #ItsOnlytheEndofWorld.
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Gaspard Ulliel, IT’S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD
Mireille Enos, KATIE SAYS GOODBYE
Sigourney Weaver, A MONSTER CALLS
Lewis MacDougall, A MONSTER CALLS
#LewisMacDougall, star of #AMonsterCalls. #TIFF16
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Felicity Jones, A MONSTER CALLS
Things got v. aggressive. #FelicityJones at #TIFF16 for #AMonsterCalls. #RogueOne #StarWars
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Michael Shannon, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS
Aaron Taylor-Johnson, NOCTURNAL ANIMALS
Taraji P. Henson, HIDDEN FIGURES
Yes!!! Cookie Time!! #TarajiPHenson #TIFF16 #HiddenFigures #Empire
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Pharrell, HIDDEN FIGURES
Glen Powell, HIDDEN FIGURES
#ScreamQueens’ #GlenPowell at #TIFF16 with #HiddenFigures.
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Rachel Weisz, DENIAL
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Lucas Hedges, MANCHESTER BY THE SEA
Rami Malek, BUSTER’S MAL HEART
With #MrRobot star #RamiMalek at #TIFF16 with #BustersMalHeart
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
CTV as always brings out the starpower at their annual Upfront! The 2016 edition of the affair took place tonight at Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, with the Red Carpet rolled out as a litany of celebrity guests came out to unveil the network’s Fall 2016 lineup! A mixture of media, agencies and ad buyers were in attendance to peruse first the new slate from the media giant, which boasts the most Top 20 programs in Canada among its offerings. Fans cued early in the A.M. despite unusually chilly temperatures for a chance to meet their idols at the Red Carpet!
In town for the affair were the likes of Jamie Alexander (Blindspot), Milo Ventimiglia (This is Us), Sarah Drew (Grey’s Anatomy), Charlie Weber (How To Get Away With Murder), Liza Weil (How To Get Away With Murder), Justin Cornwell (Training Day), Shawn Ashmore (Conviction), Alison Sweeney (Murder She Baked), Kristian Bruun (Orphan Black), Ari Millen (Orphan Black), Erica Durance (Saving Hope), Michael Shanks (Saving Hope), Eddie Cahill (Conviction), Ben Hollingsworth (Code Black), Mireille Enos (The Catch), Kevin Zegers (Notorious), Jessica Lucas (Gotham), Melanie Chandra (Code Black), Harry Ford (Code Black), Clark Gregg (Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Giacomo Gianniotti (Grey’s Anatomy) and Dr. Oz.
One major thing we’ve noticed with this upcoming line-up as a focus away from Superhero-centric programming, which was the big thing last year. We’re seeing more of a focus on Drama and Suspense front and center. Noticeable was a small proportion of Sitcoms in this unveiling. Toronto-filmed Conviction (starring Hayley Atwell) and Designated Survivor (starring Kiefer Sutherland) were among the big reveals at the presentation.
See our Snaps with the Stars of the 2016 CTV Upfront!
Shawn Ashmore:
Melanie Chandra + Harry Ford:
#MelanieChandra + #HarryFord at #CTVUpfront for #CodeBlack.
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on
Kevin Zegers:
Sarah Drew:
#SarahDrew at #CTVUpfront for #GreysAnatomy.
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on
Clark Gregg:
Alison Sweeney:
#AllisonSweeney at #CTVUpfront for #MurderSheBaked.
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on
Liza Weil:
Justin Cornwell:
#JustinCornwell at #CTVUpfront for #TrainingDay.
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on
Jessica Lucas:
Milo Ventimiglia:
#MiloVentimiglia at #CTVUpfront for #ThisisUs.
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on
Charlie Weber:
Dr. Oz:
Eddie Cahill:
Karine Vanasse:
#KarineVanasse at #CTVUpfront for #Cardinal.
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on
Mireille Enos:
Martin Henderson:
#MartinHenderson at #CTVUpfront for #GreysAnatomy.
A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on
A quick Video of the fun:
Complete Fall Lineup here.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
eOne Films and Mr. Will want to take Readers to the Red Carpet Premiere of THE CAPTIVEon Wednesday, August 27, 2014 at Scotiabank Theatre. Director Atom Egoyan will be in-attendance for a special Q&A!
Official Synopsis
Matthew (Ryan Reynolds) and Tina (Mireille Enos) live in Niagara Falls, Ontario with their nine-year-old daughter Cassandra. When Matthew goes to a store to pick up some food, he leaves Cassandra in the truck. She vanishes without a trace.
Some years later, police officers Nicole (Rosario Dawson) and Jeffrey (Scott Speedman) uncover a lead in the case. After hours spent scanning the internet for photos and video circulated by pedophiles, they come across images of Cassandra, alive in captivity.
See the Trailer:
Enter to win by simply clicking “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook. Share with your Friends on Facebook and increase your chances. Re-Tweet the below to increase your odds also:
http://www.mrwillwong.com/thecaptive @MRWILLW wants us to #win Passes to the Red Carpet Premiere of #THECAPTIVE with #AtomEgoyan in attendance!
eOne Films release THE CAPTIVE on Friday, September 5, 2014.
(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)
Chloë Grace Moretz certainly is no stranger to Toronto having filmed and promoted her on multiple occasions. More recently, she filmed back-to-back the Carrie Remake and Kick-Ass 2 here – the latter which had per reprising the role which won the hearts of Fanboys abound, Hit-Girl. The brilliant 17-year-old Actress in nine years has built-up an impressive Résumé working from just about everyone from Martin Scorcese to Denzel Washington. Moretz recently made a visit to the City in tandem with the 2014 MuchMusic Video Awards and we had the pleasure of chatting with the Star in Yorkville about her latest effort, If I Stay.
Based on Gayle Forman‘s popular Young Adult Novel, the Vancouver-made Film directed by R.J. Cutler (The September Issue, Nashville) certainly tugs at the heartstrings. Moretz plays a talented young Cellist named Mia whose world is torn apart after her and her Family are impacted by deep tragedy. She spends much of the Story in a Coma, caught between life and death and must ultimately decide her own future and fate. The Male Lead Adam is played by promising young Actor Jamie Blackley. Aspirations and devastation separate them, but is their bond strong enough to keep them together?
Moretz, giddy after meeting Hilary Clinton at an Autograph Signing earlier in the day, enters the room casual-chic. An Urban Outfitters Tee, J Brand Jeans and Kurt Geiger Shoes are appropriate for the low-key chat. “I tend to dress down in every day life. As I’m growing-up I’m trying to figure out what I like most and Fashion is an outlet.”. She reflects on her meeting Clinton beforehand, feeling incredibly validated, “She knew If I Stay, had seen it in a newspaper and was excited it was coming out.”. “So yeah, she knows me”, the Georgia-born Star jokes.
What is it exactly that makes Moretz stand-out from the remarkable pool of talent in Young Hollywood, we wonder. “I wanted to take on a Female Empowerment Character” she says, “Mia at the of the day knows her first love is the Cello which she found when she was five years old. And that’s how I am with acting. I want to portray that to young girls as someone to look up to.”. Despite being attracted to Mia‘s innocence, she reveals “I’m not one to be a Damsel – the Woman calling on a Man to save her.”.
The Actress admits that getting into Mia‘s psyche certainly was no breeze. “Every day was a tough acting day. It was worth it. Mia was worth going the emotion for” she recalls. “Music helps me a lot to stay in-character and shoot it out. We were shooting in an old Asylum, so the atmosphere was really heavy and that helped.”.
One of the things most remarkable about If I Stay is how completely believable Moretz is as a Cellist. An audition scene late in the Film is rather compelling and a mark of her true commitment to her craft. She describes the musical preparation for her role explaining, “I did five months of intensive training with a Cello Coach and she was amazing. We’d Skype three hours a day. It was difficult, but I did the most I could and did the best I could”. “At the end of the day though, you have amazing Doubles who make you look good.”. In her estimation she thinks that one would need at least 15 years of training to play at the level which her Character Mia performed.
I ask Moretz about her experiences filming in Canada, having seen the Country from two coasts. “In Canada, my favourite City is Toronto because the food is amazing first of all”. She names Little Italy‘s Vivoli and also Duff’s Wings among her favourite spots. Not to be outdone though she admits, “Vancouver was great with a really large Music scene. It’s very Seattle, very Portland. It’s very epic. I tend to enjoy the East Coast a bit more for the City vibe.”.
Make no mistake – despite her youthful effervescence, Moretz is a bit of an Old Soul. Dare I say she’s actually an Introvert? She answers each question with a wisdom beyond her years and in a nutshell understands exactly what she’s here to sell. She is asked what it is that draws people to “sappy” Movies. She explains, “I think that nowadays people really want to feel something when they go into Movies. I think it’s because we have less interaction because we’re all living our lives, so we’re not feeling as much.”. “Movies are becoming more and more sappy and tear-jerky.”. “Movies like this and The Fault in our Stars you walk-in and know you will get hit in the chest with a couple heavy-hitters”, says Moretz. “It’s worth it because they’re really good Movies.”.
Moretz gets candid with me when I ask her about her experience filming with some of her talented Co-Stars including the likes of Mireille Enos, Liana Liberato, Stacey Keach and of course her romantic interest in the Film, Blackley. She has the highest praise for the latter, stating “Jamie was such a great guy. It’s easy to fake a love relationship when you like someone was a Friend.”. Liberato plays Mia‘s Best Friend Kim and says, “Liana is a good friend of mine. We had sleepovers like every weekend!”. Enos, who has seen a significant boost in profile of late with Films like World War Z, we learn is a Nurturer. “She is like the ultimate Mother”, says Moretz. Jakob Davies plays her little Brother Teddy. ” He was like a little Munchkin you can’t help but fall in love with. He is his Character.”. “It wasn’t hard to get along with them. There wasn’t a person I didn’t like on this Movie which was weird… and great. I got lucky!”.
Our Snap:
Moretz even shared her prized Clinton Autograph with us:
Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release IF I STAY on Friday, August 22, 2014.
You’ve been warned to bring some a box of Tissue.
(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros./Mr. Will Wong)
This actually looks pretty awesome! If the Cast of Sabotage is any indication of how great it could be, then expect this Action Flick to be amazing! David Ayer (End of Watch) directs and co-writes.
Official Synopsis:
The head of an elite DEA Task Force (Arnold Schwarzenegger) leads his Agents in a drug bust that yields millions of dollars. But he then turns on his own Men when he suspects that one of them is behind a vicious string of murders haunting his Unit following the Cartel take-down.
Sabotage also stars Terrence Howard, Olivia Williams, Joe Manganiello, Mireille Enos, Harold Perrineau and Sam Worthington! Where in the World has Sam Worthington been of late? Welcome back!
Watch the Trailer:
VVS Films releases Sabotage on Friday, April 11, 2014.
(Photo/video credit: VVS Films)
Every Airplane Passenger’s worst nightmare. Check-out this high-octane Trailer for World War Z starring Brad Pitt. I cannot handle the intensity! Based on the Novel of the same name by Max Brooks, the Film centers around Gerry Lane (Pitt), a United Nations Worker circling the globe for clues that could end a Zombie Outbreak that is destroying nations around the World.
A just-in-Toronto-Mireille Enos, Bryan Cranston, David Morse, James Badge Dale and Matthew Fox also star. Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball, Finding Neverland) directs the $200 million Blockbuster.
Watch the brand new Trailer below:
Paramount Pictures releases World War Z on June 21, 2013.
(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures)
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