Paramount Pictures Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see 80 FOR BRADY!
Screenings take place as follows:
TORONTO
Date: Wednesday, February 1st
Time: 7:00PM start
Location: Cineplex Cinemas Varsity & VIP
VANCOUVER
Date: Wednesday, February 1st
Time: 7:00PM start
Location: Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas
MONTREAL – ENG
Date: Monday, January 30th
Time: 7:00PM start
Location: Cineplex Cinemas Forum
MONTREAL – FRENCH
Date: Monday, January 30th
Time: 7:00PM start
Location: Cineplex Odeon Quartier Latin
EDMONTON
Date: Wednesday, February 1st
Time: 7:00PM start
Location: Scotiabank Theatre Edmonton (WEM)
Synopsis:
80 FOR BRADY is inspired by the true story of four best friends living life to the fullest when they take a wild trip to the 2017 Super Bowl LI to see their hero Tom Brady play. Starring Academy Award® nominee Lily Tomlin, Academy Award® winner Jane Fonda, Academy Award® winner Rita Moreno and Academy Award® winner Sally Field, with 7-time Super Bowl Champion and producer Tom Brady, 80 FOR BRADY is in-theatres February 3, 2023.
To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Please indicate your City in the comments. Re-Tweet the below also for another chance!
#Giveaway: Enter for a chance to #win Advance Passes to see #80forBrady! 🏈
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) January 17, 2023
Legends only in this Cast! https://t.co/PvGfcL6csG pic.twitter.com/oYRjnatbfp
Rules and regulations here.
Paramount Pictures Canada release 80 FOR BRADY February 3, 2023.
(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)
Tom Brady is at the center of upcoming Comedy 80 FOR BRADY based on a true story starring an accomplished and celebrated Ensemble. Here is the official Trailer
SYNOPSIS:
80 FOR BRADY is inspired by the true story of four best friends living life to the fullest when they take a wild trip to the 2017 Super Bowl LI to see their hero Tom Brady play. Starring Academy Award® nominee Lily Tomlin, Academy Award® winner Jane Fonda, Academy Award® winner Rita Moreno and Academy Award® winner Sally Field, with 7-time Super Bowl Champion and producer Tom Brady, 80 FOR BRADY is in-theatres February 3, 2023.
Paramount Pictures Canada relese 80 FOR BRADY in theatres FEBRUARY 3, 2023.
(Photo credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)
By David Baldwin
It’s Mid-Term time and Ben Palmer (Connor Kalopsis) is desperate to get his grades. He needs to submit them to his choice colleges, and science teacher Mrs. Wheeler (Oscar-winner Rita Moreno) is holding him up. Seems like someone cheated in her class, and Wheeler is adamant to discover who – at the expense of giving every student an F as she waits. Freaking out, Ben confides in his slacker and coding genius friend Mei (Ramona Young from Never Have I Ever), but strongly discourages her from doing anything about it. Mei does not listen of course, and ends up constructing an elaborate online prank suggesting that Mrs. Wheeler is a serial killer. And it just went viral.
THE PRANK is an outrageously-silly film that would fit in well with the crop of ’90s Horror films that popped up in the wake of Scream. It does not take itself seriously, it dials-up the tension well past plausibility and it has a satirical edge that it consistently tries to inject into the proceedings. It has an amusing tongue-in-cheek style as it lampoons social media and those gullibly-pesky Boomers. If any of those words make no sense to you, than you are not well equipped for what THE PRANK is all too excited to throw at you. Or at least, what it is willing to throw at you during the first two acts. When the Third Act hits, it becomes genuinely chaotic, unruly, and completely unsure of itself. It comes to its logical conclusion, only to continue on a through line ripped from an entirely different movie that trades humour for becoming substantially more preposterous.
While the acting is hit and miss (minus a very campy Keith David, who seems to be acting on an entirely different plane of existence away from everyone else), what remains rock solid throughout is Moreno. From the very start, she is having an absolute blast diving into this mysterious, diabolical character. She chomps right through the scenery and feasts on anyone that gets in her way. She understands the assignment all too well, and relishes in playing such an awful individual. The sinister energy she brings to the picture is reason enough to watch THE PRANK. She just deserved a better outlet to showcase it in.
THE PRANK screens at SXSW ‘22 as follows:
In-Person:
Sunday, March 13 at 12:45PM EST – ZACH Theatre
Tuesday, March 15 at 9:30PM EST – Alamo Lamar B
Thursday, March 17 at 3:45PM EST – Alamo Lamar E
Online:
Monday, March 14 at 10:00AM EST – Available for 48 Hours
By Mr. Will Wong
The legacy of WEST SIDE STORY is undeniable. With six TONY Awards and an Academy Award win for Best Picture, following-up on its celebrated 1961 predecessor some 60 years later is a tall ask.
Steven Spielberg takes the reins in the upcoming 2021 retelling of the Film, with a Script by Tony Kushner. This latest rendition takes us back to 1957 New York City as we are placed in the middle of a war between feuding teenage street gangs, and also a compelling story of young love.
Our Justin Waldman had the pleasure of sitting-in on the global press conference for WEST SIDE STORY. In attendance were:
Steven Spielberg – Director
Rita Moreno – “Valentina” and Producer
Tony Kushner – Screenwriter
Rachel Zegler – Maria
Ansel Elgort – Tony
Ariana DeBose – Anita
David Alvarez – Bernardo
Mike Faist – Riff
Brian d’Arcy James – Officer Krupke
Josh Andres Rivera – Chino
Corey Stoll – Lieutenant Schrank
Steven Spielberg talks about getting the legendary late Stephen Sondheim onboard after bumping into each other at the White House receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom. The iconic Composer/Lyricist had passed away late November.
Spielberg : “Steve (Sondheim) was very involved in commenting about Tony‘s Script. Tony had a very open dialogue with Steve on the Script going from one draft to the next. Where Steve got really involved, which was the best place for his involvement, was when we did the pre-records with all the Vocal Artists. Steve was there for three weeks, five days a week sitting right beside me in the recording studio. It was an honour.”.
Spielberg admits to having known all the lyrics as kid to West Side Story. He comments what it was like working on the Film from rehearsals to filming.
Spielberg: “You know something? I did jump out of my chair and did dance with the Cast, singing off-key and dancing like a I had three left feet, during rehearsal. We had four and a half months of intense rehearsals, both in the City and in Brooklyn at this place called Dumbo. And Rita (Moreno) was there too. Rita was dancing with the Cast. We were so compelled to get up on our feet because there was so much life in the air of song and dance and genius Choreography by Justin Peck. When I filmed the Movie, I would just tap my feet as I was too focused on what images we were capturing. This was the most delightful family affair I’ve had since E.T. In E.T., I felt like I was a dad to all those kids and I wasn’t a dad then. It made me want to be a dad and my first child was born three years after I directed E.T. This was the next time I had that kind of a feeling that I was a part of a very diverse family. I was not at the center of the family, but was a part of the family.”.
Rita Moreno who originated the on-screen role of Anita in the 1961 version of this Film for which she won an Academy Award, plays the newly-created role of Valentina, intended as a cameo. She talks about passing the torch, being a part of the new Film.
Moreno: “It wasn’t easy. I mean I’m not gonna say I wasn’t envious. That would be just a bloody lie. I wished I could be that young again and do it again. Then I got this beautifully-written card from this man, and you don’t say things that easily. I don’t care what they say, I love every scene I’m in. Therefore, I love what I’m doing. And it was difficult, it was absolutely creepy to do that one scene I did with Anita (Ariana DeBose) in the Film and it was strange for her and even more difficult for me. I kept looking at her and had the toughest time getting into the scene because what I was really doing was saving Anita‘s life, because these boys were about to possibly rape her. I had to put a stop to it. It was very strange.”.
Tony Kushner is asked whether or not he considered setting this Film in modern day.
Kushner: “We never discussed transposing it because there’s nothing dated about the Score. It’s lively and great and it feels of any moment and I’m convinced for all time. Whenever you hear that Music, you’re going to feel as though it’s happening just right now. There’s nothing quaint or old-fashioned about it. Sondheim who is one of the greatest Lyricists and Composers, is a master at a kind of specificity that is certainly timeless in the sense his insights into the way people think and feel are never gonna get dated.”.
Brian d’Arcy James and Corey Stoll playing the authority in West Side Story. Both comment on their characters, which still are a very much a part of the discussion today on race relations in America.
Stoll: “Tony Kushner‘s Script is such an incredible addition to telling this story. The understanding of race and of ethnicity and of language that he brings to it, it’s more about these systemic forces and how power instills itself on a community, as opposed to ‘That person is a racist! That’s the bad person and we’re good in relation to that.”. It’s about power and how those in power hold onto it. I represent the authority trying to hold that line, and taking away someone’s language is something you do when trying to instill that power. I had the fewest days on-set and some had been working months before I showed up. I am the closest thing to an audience coming in. I’ve never been on a set like this. Maybe it’s because I come from Downtown Theatre where everyone’s very sullen and I’ve never been in a Musical. Everyone was having so much fun and I’ve never seen this!”.
James: “I felt the same way literally on the outside standing and watching this incredible array of ability and talent and enthusiasm and joy and spirit. After every take, a throng of like 40 dancers would run over to the monitor and watch the scene and go ‘Hurray! That was great!’. To me, that is the lifeblood of this Film. The spirit of this Film is captured by the fact that everybody is so in love with the fact they got to do it.”.
Rachel Zegler makes her big screen debut as Maria and talks about New York being a character in the Film, plus also her preparation process for this role of a lifetime.
Zegler: “It’s a character. New York became a character. The morning after the balcony scene, it’s just shot after shot of New York in the morning. And even if you’re not familiar with 1957 New York, even if you’re just familiar with New York right now, it embraces that so well. And I think the Film became a love letter to New York, not only because of how stunning it is visually, but because of the context Tony Kushner gave it in the Script, understanding the political climate as well. It was really cool stepping onto Adam Stockhausen‘s 1957 set and feeling transported, and I think we were all really able to incorporate it into our performances as well because it’s so immersive”.
The Cast are asked about using the Film’s source material, and balancing staying true to it, with making it their own. DeBose who plays Anita, and is getting a lot of early Awards Season buzz, comments on this, as do Zegler, Elgort and Alvarez.
Zegler: “I made the choice not to. The comparisons are eminent so when I got the part, I was like whether they like it or not, they’re gonna compare, so I’m just gonna distance myself as much as I can.”.
“The Music you have to listen to, to study and understand, but it was retaught to us in a brand new way by Jeanine Tesori, conducted by David Newman of the New York Philharmonic, so I think we were all able to look at it with a fresh perspective inherently through our leadership. I don’t think it was necessarily encouraged to watch or not watch the Film, but Tony Kushner did recommend we look at Romeo & Juliet and its text.”.
Elgort: “No I haven’t seen the Movie since I was a kid but I used to love it, especially the Prologue. I’ve always been told as an Actor not to look at someone else’s performance because you’re supposed to pull it out. But I will say Steven Spielberg obviously loves the source material and it very much is based off of that source material and then reimagined the way that Art is supposed to be.”.
Ariana: “I am well-versed in the Movie, but I did not revisit it. I saw it when I was seven or eight and it was ingrained in my mind. I just let the knowledge of it live with me even though I did not seek it out.
Alvarez: “I definitely didn’t see it. I mean I saw it when I was young, but I didn’t want to see it because I didn’t want my idea of Bernardo to change because of the Movie. But I did look at Romeo & Juliet.”.
20th Century Studios Canada release WEST SIDE STORY December 10, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Studios Canada)
20th Century Studios Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see Steven Spielberg‘s WEST SIDE STORY. Screenings take place in Toronto, Winnipeg and Vancouver on December 8, 2021.
Synopsis:
Directed by Academy Award® winner Steven Spielberg, from a screenplay by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award® winner Tony Kushner, “West Side Story” tells the classic tale of fierce rivalries and young love in 1957 New York City. This reimagining of the beloved musical stars Ansel Elgort (Tony); Ariana DeBose (Anita); David Alvarez (Bernardo); Mike Faist (Riff); Brian d’Arcy James (Officer Krupke); Corey Stoll (Lieutenant Schrank); Josh Andrés Rivera (Chino); with Rita Moreno (as Valentina, who owns the corner store in which Tony works); and introducing Rachel Zegler (Maria). Moreno – one of only three artists to be honored with Academy®, Emmy®, GRAMMY®, Tony® and Peabody Awards – also serves as one of the film’s executive producers.
Bringing together the best of both Broadway and Hollywood, the film’s creative team includes Kushner, who also served as an executive producer; Tony Award® winner Justin Peck, who choreographed the musical numbers in the film; renowned Los Angeles Philharmonic conductor and GRAMMY Award® winner Gustavo Dudamel, who helmed the recording of the iconic score; Academy Award®-nominated composer and conductor David Newman (“Anastasia”), who arranged the score, Tony Award®-winning composer Jeanine Tesori (“Fun Home,” “Thoroughly Modern Millie”), who supervised the cast on vocals; and GRAMMY®-nominated music supervisor Matt Sullivan (“Beauty and the Beast,” “Chicago”), who serves as executive music producer for the film. The film is produced by Spielberg, p.g.a., Academy Award®-nominated producer Kristie Macosko Krieger, p.g.a. and Tony Award®-winning producer Kevin McCollum. “West Side Story” has been adapted for the screen from the original 1957 Broadway show. Original choreography by Jerome Robbins, based on the stage play, book by Arthur Laurents, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, play conceived, directed and choreographed by Jerome Robbins, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, music by Leonard Bernstein.
To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Indicate on the comments your City. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet for an extra chance.
Rules and regulations here.
20th Century Studios Canada release Steven Spielberg‘s WEST SIDE STORY December 10, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Studios Canada)
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