By Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

J Blakeson’s dark Thriller follows a legal Conservator with insidious intentions. Marla (Rosamund Pike), along with her life and work partner Fran (Eiza González), have created a despicable business of defrauding their elderly clients. Their newest target is the rich and unassuming  Jennifer (Dianne Wiest). After lying to a judge in an emergency hearing, claiming Jennifer has Dementia, Marla gains guardianship of her. However, Jennifer isn’t who she appears to be. Marla and Fran quickly realize they are messing with the wrong woman.

This could have been a Drama about seniors being taken advantage of by the state and appointed guardians. But thankfully, it’s a lot more than that. Blakeson adds a mafia storyline which turns this Drama into a Thriller.

At the forefront is Pike  who delivers her best work since Gone Girl.  She excels as the icy Marla. Being an Antagonist, she finds herself battling against an Antagonist of her own, that being Crime Lord (Peter Dinklage) who has close ties with Jennifer. Dinklage is outstanding as a Gangster who will stop at nothing to get his mother back and away from Marla‘s control. The Film’s shining moment is when Pike and Dinklage come face-to-face and we witness their shifts in power.

I Care A Lot is a cautionary tale about the corrupt web of elderly abuse. We don’t get to see these feminist characters as this in leading roles nearly enough, but we sure wish we did.

I Care A Lot screens at TIFF ’20 as follows:

Sat, Sep 12 9:30pm
RBC Lakeside Drive-In at Ontario Place

Sun, Sep 13 6:00pm
Online at Bell Digital Cinema

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

I Think We’re Alone Now takes place after the apocalypse and follows recluse Del (Peter Dinklage) who believes he was the only survivor, until fiery Grace (Elle Fanning) bursts into his hometown.

Director Reed Morano crafts a captivating and character driven atmospheric survival tale. Morano’s use of setting to introduce her characters personality adds gives a special touch to this beautiful story. Dinklage is great as the man whose happier to be alone but has a change of heart when Grace comes along. And Fanning is spellbinding as the mysterious Grace whonis full of life. When they come together their chemistry is magnetic. Top that off with a shocking twist and this is an exceptional end-of-the-world Film.

I Think We’re Alone Now screens at Sundance on Jan. 21 at 12:15PM at Eccles PC, Jan. 22 at 9:30PM at Redstone 1 PC, Jan. 23 at 9:30PM at Rose Wagner SLC, Jan. 24 at 9:30AM at The Ray PC, and Jan. 26 at 11:45AM at The MARC PC.

There is just a little bit of anger in this NSFW red-band Trailer for THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI! You won’t believe your ears!

Synopsis:
THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI is a darkly comic drama from Academy Award winner Martin McDonagh (IN BRUGES). After months have passed without a culprit in her daughter’s murder case, Mildred Hayes (Academy Award winner Frances McDormand) makes a bold move, painting three signs leading into her town with a controversial message directed at William Willoughby (Academy Award nominee Woody Harrelson), the town’s revered chief of police. When his second-in-command Officer Dixon (Sam Rockwell), an immature mother’s boy with a penchant for violence, gets involved, the battle between Mildred and Ebbing‘s law enforcement is only exacerbated.

See the Trailer:

We love PAC-MAN!  In celebration of our favourite Video Game icon’s 35th Birthday on May 22nd, major celebrations around the World will be held with free plays of the Video Game, Birthday Cake and Celebrity Guests!  In case you weren’t aware, he will also be appearing in eagerly-awaited Blockbuster PIXELS, which was filmed in our City last Summer!

Official Synopsis:

As kids in the 1980s, Sam Brenner (Adam Sandler), Will Cooper (Kevin James), Ludlow Lamonsoff (Josh Gad), and Eddie “The Fire Blaster” Plant (Peter Dinklage) saved the world thousands of times – at 25 cents a game in the video arcades.  Now, they’re going to have to do it for real.  In Pixels, when intergalactic aliens discover video feeds of classic arcade games and misinterpret them as a declaration of war, they attack the Earth, using the video games as the models for their assaults – and now-U.S. President Cooper must call on his old-school arcade friends to save the world from being destroyed by PAC-MAN, Donkey Kong, Galaga, Centipede, and Space Invaders.  Joining them is Lt. Col. Violet Van Patten (Michelle Monaghan), a specialist supplying the arcaders with unique weapons to fight the aliens.

All 75 Dave & Buster locations across North America will be partaking in the fun in offering free plays on the oversized PAC-MAN BATTLE ROYALE to all guests who have a Power Card.  There also will be opportunities to win thousands of dollars all Summer long!

Celebrations will be held in Chicago, Tokyo, Paris, Spain and UK. For more details, visit here.

See the hot new Trailer for PIXELS:

See a brand-new Clip from PIXELS with Pac-Man!

Sony Pictures Canada release PIXELS on Friday,  July 24, 2015.

(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures)

ABSOLUTELY BRILLIANT! Filmed in Toronto last Summer, we’ve been waited with baited breath not knowing just what exactly Christopher Colombus‘ PIXELS would turn out like. This first glance is just magical! It’s funny, fresh and unlike anything we’ve ever seen!

Synopsis:

When aliens see video feeds of classic arcade games, they misinterpret them as a declaration of war. They attack, using the games as models for their various assaults.

President Will Cooper has to call on his best friend from childhood, video game champ Jules Brenner-turned-home theater installer, to lead a team of old-school arcade gamers on a mission to defeat the aliens and save the planet.

Adam Sandler, Michelle Monaghan, Josh Gad, Peter Dinklage, Jane Krakowski, Ashley Benson and more star.

See the Trailer:

Sony Pictures Canada release PIXELS on Friday, July 24, 2015.

(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures)

Although technically we saw him a couple months back here in Toronto, this counts as our first time meeting Peter Dinklage!  The brilliant Actor who has gained international popularity in recent years as Tyrion Lannister on HBO’s Game of Thrones and also X-Men: Days of Future Past as Dr. Bolivar Trask.  The Golden Globe and Primetime EMMY Winner  currently is in our City filming PIXELS alongside Adam Sandler, Kevin James and Josh Gad.

Sightings of Dinklage have been plentiful, but the often private Actor who has been seen most with his Wife Erica, has been to known to be private, often declining Photographs.  After a Dinner Date with his Wife at a Café Boulud tonight, the Star was spotted on the streets and after stopping to pet a dog, he made a quick moment for Fans, politely offering to take a few Snaps.

I am beyond thrilled.  Just look:

Recently presented at COMIC-CON, PIXELS continues to film in Toronto through early September.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/HBO)

If you’ve been in downtown Toronto this past week, chances are at some point you’ve noticed a massive overhaul of our Financial District, in what now eerily resembles New York City. Heads have turned and confusion was had as Broad Street signs and Wall Street Subway Entrances surfaced before the eyes of unsuspecting Torontonians bound for another day at work. The reason for all the commotion of course is Director Chris Columbus’ (Home Alone) latest endeavour, Pixels which sees Experts enlisted to help save New York City from an attack of  ’80s Video Game Characters!

The Action/Fantasy/Comedy stars an eclectic and talented Cast including Adam Sandler, who currently can be seen on-screen in Rom-Com, Blended. Game of Thrones’ Peter Dinklage also stars, sporting an awesome Mullet, as does Kevin James (The King of Queens) and Josh Gad (Frozen). Sandler, Dinklage and Gad were spotted filming a chaotic scene tonight involving several ambulances and police cars. Sandler was kind to take a moment to say “hi” to Fans at Starbucks, occasionally stopping to play with his adorable two Daughters Sadie and Sunny.

We spotted Sandler earlier after a quick game of Basketball with his Buddies, before heading out for a long night of shooting. We’ve met him once before and had a happy memory of that moment and are glad that things haven’t changed. Sandler truly is the Real Deal and the same lovable guy we see on-screen. During his stay so far, he’s been spotted bringing his Girls out to see the National Ballet of Canada’s Production of Cinderella and this weekend he was seen dining at Sassafraz. A source also reports a rare sight of Sandler and Dinklage goofing around outside of Whole Foods!

See our Snap with Sandler:

Pixels, which will see a release through Sony Pictures, films in Toronto till early September. The Movie tentatively is set for a May 2015 release.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)