This certainly looks like another classic in the making! We present the new Canadian Trailer for Apple TV+‘s SPIRITED!

Synopsis:

Each Christmas Eve, the Ghost of Christmas Present (Will Ferrell) selects one dark soul to be reformed by a visit from three spirits. But this season, he picked the wrong Scrooge. Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds) turns the tables on his ghostly host until Present finds himself reexamining his own past, present and future. For the first time, ‘A Christmas Carol’ is told from the perspective of the ghosts in this hilarious musical twist on the classic Dickens tale.

From director Sean Anders (“Daddy’s Home,” “Instant Family”), written by Sean Anders and John Morris, with original songs by Oscar winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land”) and production numbers choreographed by Chloe Arnold (“The Late Late Show with James Corden”), this modern retelling is a sweet and spicy holiday treat.

SPIRITED arrives November 18, 2022 on Apple TV+.

(Photo/video credit: Apple TV+)

Will Ferrell, Octavia Spencer and Ryan Reynolds star in the Holiday Comedy, SPIRITED, coming soon to Apple TV+!

Synopsis:

Each Christmas Eve, the Ghost of Christmas Present (Will Ferrell) selects one dark soul to be reformed by a visit from three spirits. But this season, he picked the wrong Scrooge. Clint Briggs (Ryan Reynolds) turns the tables on his ghostly host until Present finds himself reexamining his own past, present and future. For the first time, ‘A Christmas Carol’ is told from the perspective of the ghosts in this hilarious musical twist on the classic Dickens tale.

From director Sean Anders (“Daddy’s Home,” “Instant Family”), written by Sean Anders and John Morris, with original songs by Oscar winners Benj Pasek and Justin Paul (“La La Land”) and production numbers choreographed by Chloe Arnold (“The Late Late Show with James Corden”), this modern retelling is a sweet and spicy holiday treat.

Follow @AppleTVPlus to join the conversation on social and get updates on #Spirited.

Director: Sean Anders

Writers: Sean Anders and John Morris

Cast: Will Ferrell, Ryan Reynolds, Octavia Spencer, Sunita Mani, Patrick Page, Joe Tippett, Marlow Barkley and Jen Tullock

Producers: Sean Anders and John Morris through Two Grown Men,David Koplan, George Dewey through Maximum Effort Productions, Will Ferrell and Jessica Elbaum through Gloria Sanchez

SPIRITED arrives November 18, 2022 on Apple TV+.

(Photo/video credit: Apple TV+)

Review by David Baldwin

Decorated Marine Malik Khan (Riz Ahmed) has been living off the grid, studying a parasitic threat that could put all of humanity in danger. Fearing for their safety, Khan kidnaps his two children from the home of his ex-wife and takes them on a road trip to find the cure. With the authorities in hot pursuit and general skepticism abounding, Khan must stay a step ahead in order to save his children’s lives.

ENCOUNTER is emotionally resonant and poignant in its exploration of the lengths a parent will go to in order to keep their children safe while adding emphasis to the plight of veterans suffering from mental illness and PTSD from their time at war. The Film moves at a consistent clip, knowing just when to flip the switch between an intimate Character Drama and an anxiety-ridden Thriller. Sometimes it jumps between both styles in a matter of seconds. Though I never imagined Ahmed in a fatherly role before, he soars here and really builds on his previous work depicting the ticks and peculiarities of a man facing a crisis. His chemistry with both children, especially Lucian-River Chauhan, is rich and feels lived-in. He knows he is making up for lost time and really hones-in on that heroism that all young children believe their fathers imbue. Above all else, Ahmed’s work here is intensely captivating and suggests this past year’s Oscar nomination will not be his last.

Where ENCOUNTER falters for me is how Director Michael Pearce (last at TIFF with Beast in 2017) reveals his cards explaining what is going on. It comes far too early in the picture, and genuinely throws off the rhythm and enigmatic nature of everything that follows. What was initially riveting and mysterious becomes stale all too quickly. The power of the reveal would have landed substantially stronger had it been unveiled much later on. Spelling it all out so quickly does a disservice to Ahmed’s performance, as well as the supporting turns from the likes of Oscar winner Octavia Spencer and Rory Cochrane. While I would not call the Film disappointing by any stretch, I feel like ENCOUNTER might be a bit of a letdown for anyone expecting a very different kind of movie.

ENCOUNTER screens at TIFF ’21:

Fri, Sep 10 Princess of Wales 8:45 PM

Sat, Sep 11 digital TIFF Bell Lightbox 7:00 PM

Sat, Sep 11 West Island Open Air Cinema at Ontario Place 9:00 PM

Tue, Sep 14 digital TIFF Bell Lightbox 7:00 PM

Ben Falcone writes and directs THUNDER FORCE, starring Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer! We need a good laugh!

Synopsis:

In a world where supervillains are commonplace, two estranged childhood best friends reunite after one devises a treatment that gives them powers to protect their city.

See the Trailer:

THUNDER FORCE arrives Friday, April 9, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Robert Zemeckis (Forrest Gump) directs Roald Dahl’s WITCHES! See the new Trailer!

Synopsis:

Reimagining Roald Dahl’s beloved story for a modern audience, Robert Zemeckis’s visually innovative film tells the darkly humorous and heartwarming tale of a young orphaned boy (Jahzir Kadeem Bruno) who, in late 1967, goes to live with his loving Grandma (Octavia Spencer) in the rural Alabama town of Demopolis. As the boy and his grandmother encounter some deceptively glamorous but thoroughly diabolical witches, she wisely whisks our young hero away to an opulent seaside resort. Regrettably, they arrive at precisely the same time that the world’s Grand High Witch (Anne Hathaway) has gathered her fellow cronies from around the globe—undercover—to carry out her nefarious plans.

See the Trailer:

WITCHES arrives in theatres soon.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros.)

Tom Holland and Chris Pratt star in ONWARDS! See the new Trailer.

Synopsis:
In Disney and Pixar’s “Onward,” brothers Ian and Barley seek an ancient map from the Manticore—once a fearless warrior whose tavern served as a waystation for travelers embarking on epic quests. Part lion, part bat and part scorpion, the Manticore has adapted to changing times—but her adventurous spirt still lurks within. Featuring the voices of Tom Holland, Chris Pratt and Octavia Spencer as Ian, Barley and the Manticore, respectively,

See the Trailer:

ONWARDS opens in theatres on March 5, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Studios Canada)

Universal Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see MA!

Screening takes place Wednesday, May 29, 2019 in TORONTO.

SYNOPSIS:
Everybody’s welcome at Ma’s. But good luck getting home safe.

Oscar® winner Octavia Spencer stars as Sue Ann, a loner who keeps to herself in her quiet Ohio town. One day, she is asked by Maggie, a new teenager in town (Diana Silvers, Glass), to buy some booze for her and her friends, and Sue Ann sees the chance to make some unsuspecting, if younger, friends of her own.

She offers the kids the chance to avoid drinking and driving by hanging out in the basement of her home. But there are some house rules: One of the kids has to stay sober. Don’t curse. Never go upstairs. And call her “Ma.”

But as Ma’s hospitality starts to curdle into obsession, what began as a teenage dream turns into a terrorizing nightmare, and Ma’s place goes from the best place in town to the worst place on earth.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet this Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance!

MA is in theatres Friday, May 31, 2019.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

From the same people who brought us GET OUT and HAPPY DEATH DAY, comes MA starring  Octavia Spencer, reuniting her with The Help Director Tate Taylor.

Synopsis:
Oscar® winner Octavia Spencer stars as Sue Ann, a loner who keeps to herself in her quiet Ohio town. One day, she is asked by Maggie, a new teenager in town (Diana Silvers, Glass), to buy some booze for her and her friends, and Sue Ann sees the chance to make some unsuspecting, if younger, friends of her own.

She offers the kids the chance to avoid drinking and driving by hanging out in the basement of her home. But there are some house rules: One of the kids has to stay sober. Don’t curse. Never go upstairs. And call her “Ma.”

But as Ma’s hospitality starts to curdle into obsession, what began as a teenage dream turns into a terrorizing nightmare, and Ma’s place goes from the best place in town to the worst place on earth.

Ma also stars Juliette Lewis (August: Osage County) as Maggie’s mom, Luke Evans (Beauty and the Beast) as a local dad, Missi Pyle (Gone Girl) as his girlfriend, and McKaley Miller (TV’s Hart of Dixie), Corey Fogelmanis (TV’s Girl Meets World), Gianni Paolo (TV’s Power) and Dante Brown (Lethal Weapon TV series) as Maggie’s friends.

From Tate Taylor, the acclaimed director of The Help and Get On Up, and blockbuster producer Jason Blum (Get Out, Halloween, The Purge series) comes a thriller anchored by a daring and unexpected performance from Spencer, one of the most powerful actors of her generation.

See the Trailer:

Universal Pictures Canada release MA Friday, May 31, 2019.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures)

Fox Searchlight x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance first to see THE SHAPE OF WATER, hot off a rousing reception at TIFF ’17.

Screenings take place as follows:

THE SHAPE OF WATER – TORONTO
Wednesday, December 6 / 7:00PM / Cineplex Yonge and Dundas

THE SHAPE OF WATER – VANCOUVER
Wednesday, December 13 / 7:00PM / Cineplex International Village

THE SHAPE OF WATER – CALGARY
Wednesday, December 20 / 7:00PM / Scotiabank Chinook

Synopsis:
From master story teller, Guillermo del Toro, comes THE SHAPE OF WATER – an other-worldly fable, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment. Rounding out the cast are Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg and Doug Jones.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City. Re-Tweet this Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance.

Fox Searchlight release THE SHAPE OF WATER Friday, December 8, 2017 in Toronto, Friday, December 15, 2017 in Vancouver and wide Friday, December 22, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Fox Searclight)

After gaining tons of buzz at TIFF ’17 with raves abound, Guillermo del Toro‘s Toronto-filmed THE SHAPE OF WATER has a new Red-Band Trailer which just surfaced today.

Synopsis:
From master story teller, Guillermo del Toro, comes THE SHAPE OF WATER – an other-worldly fairy tale, set against the backdrop of Cold War era America circa 1962. In the hidden high-security government laboratory where she works, lonely Elisa (Sally Hawkins) is trapped in a life of isolation. Elisa’s life is changed forever when she and co-worker Zelda (Octavia Spencer) discover a secret classified experiment. Rounding out the cast are Michael Shannon, Richard Jenkins, Michael Stuhlbarg and Doug Jones.

See the new Red-Band Trailer:

Fox Searchlight release THE SHAPE OF WATER Friday, December 8, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)