We are racing to the finish line of TIFF ’17 but still have some exciting stuff to show you! Premiering tonight at Roy Thomson Hall was THREE CHRISTS starring Richard Gere and Walton Goggins. While stars Peter Dinklage and Bradley Whitford too were confirmed to come originally, unfortunately they couldn’t make it to town – a common occurrence late in the Festival.
Gere was spotted with none other than his father Homer whom he helped out of their SUV upon arrival of their celebration at Weslodge.  While he wasn’t keen on photos with fans, Gere was giving with autographs. Goggins, whom you known from Quentin Tarantino‘s The Hateful Eight and Django Unchained, was a class act to fans.  We were surprised to see Jason Isaacs out celebrating with Gere. The star of upcoming Star Trek: Discovery is filming currently in Toronto.
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We have one more day of spotting tomorrow. Try not to miss this when we’re done! We look forward to a bit of rest!
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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)
TIFF ’17 very much continues to be alive and kicking at its halfway point. We admit it, we’re drained but we look forward to the pace calming down tomorrow.
The Birks Diamond Tribute honouring the accomplishments of Canadian Women in Film. Held on the scenic rooftop of the Spoke Club, the gathering brought to us by Maison Birks and Telefilm Canada was a who’s-who and who’s next in the industry. Diverse honourees this year include Ellen Wong, Amanda Brugel, Mina Shum, Shailyn Pierre-Dixon and Sherry White. Â We are so honoured to have been one of 27 selected jurors across Canada! Hover left and right to navigate the slideshow.
Annette Bening and Jamie Bell are getting praise for their performances in Professor Marston and the Wonder Women. We spotted the pair who play lovers in Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool. We spotted them out earlier doing the rounds and both were gracious to stop for fans! Huge fan of Bening!
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Luke Evans‘ star continues to rise especially with his fantastic work in Beauty and the Beast. He is at TIFF ’17 with Professor Marston and the Wonder Women tonight, a timely Film which comes off the recent Box Office record-setting success of the superhero on which it centers. Australian Actress Bella Heathcote also is here for the Film and looked lovely for her Premiere!
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Javier Bardem continues to be amazing TIFF ’17 with starring roles in mother! and Loving Pablo, plus an In-Conversation slated.
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Lean on Pete is the one Horse Racing Film of TIFF ’17. Buzz came out of Telluride Film Festival for its star Charlie Plummer who finds himself in a quarter horse. ChloĂ« Sevigny plays a jockey in the Drama. Both stars were kind to stop despite Sevigny joking that nobody knew who she was!
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THE ESCAPE stars a talented duo of Gemma Arterton and Dominic Cooper and premiered tonight TIFF ’17!
#TIFF17: #GemmaArterton at #TIFF2017 with #TheEscape. #TIFF #TorontoInternationalFilmFestival
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We love the international component of TIFF in that we get to see stars who normally aren’t based stateside here. Adele Exarchopoulos (Blue is the Warmest Colour) and Matthias Schoenaerts graced the Red Carpet at Ryerson Theatre tonight for Racer and the Jailbird and despite being late, they introduced their Film and came back out to greet fans one-by-one. Amaze!
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While they weren’t really ones for Selfies, Don Johnson and Vince Vaughn were at Ryerson Theatre tonight for BRAWL IN CELL BLOCK 99.
#TIFF17: #DonJohnson at #TIFF2017 with #BrawlinCellBlock99. #TIFF #TorontoInternationalFilmFestival
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Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
It has been well over 12 hours since I watched Darren Aronofsky’s mother!, and I am still processing everything that happens within its 115-minute running time. Aronofsky has never been one to make films with easy interpretations, but mother! is far and away his densest movie to date.
The less you know about mother!, the better. But the plot revolves around a woman (Jennifer Lawrence) who lives with a famous poet (Javier Bardem). His house was destroyed, and she is helping to remodel and put it back together. But when unexpected guests arrive, things begin to get strange.
mother! is wrapped in layers of subtext and varying ideologies. It is at times frustrating to watch because Aronofsky is throwing so much at the screen at once, creating a nightmarish fever dream of a movie that goes to some shocking and bizarre places. But what it lacks in coherency, it more than makes up in astounding visuals and exquisite sound design. And at the heart of all the chaos is Lawrence, putting in an incredible performance that needs to be seen to be believed.
Paramount Pictures Canada will screen mother! at TIFF ’17 at the following times:
Sunday, September 10 9:15 p.m. Princess of Wales
Monday, September 11 11:30 a.m. Elgin Theatre
Wednesday, September 13 9:30 a.m. Princess of Wales
Review by Siobhán Rich for Mr. Will Wong
Following in the tradition of other Oscar hopefuls, motion-capture pioneer Andy Serkis brings his directorial debut to TIFF. Written by Oscar-nominated Screenwriter William Nicholson, Breathe, tells the true story of a man stricken with Polio and a woman who refuses to lose hope.
While in Kenya, Robin Cavendish (Andrew Garfield) became paralyzed from the neck down after contracting Polio. When he and his pregnant wife Diana return to England they are faced with a lifetime spent in cold, restrictive hospitals. Unwilling to accept the doctors’ dire prognosis, Robin and Diana decide to move home so he can be with his family. With the help of his friend Teddy (Hugh Bonneville), Robin is able to escape the prison of his bed through a wheelchair with a built-in respirator.
Although Breathe is about Robin, the Movie truly belongs to the remarkable Claire Foy who portrays Diana as more than a naïve girl in love but rather a woman with strong beliefs who is not prepared to give-up. Strong performances overcome Nitin Sawhney’s dreadful Score are sure to help drive the Festival popularity of this by-the-numbers Biography.
Elevation Pictures will screen Breathe at TIFF ’17 at the following times:
Monday, September 11 6:00 p.m. Roy Thomson Hall
Tuesday, September 12 10:00 a.m. Winter Garden Theatre
eOne Films x Mr. Will want to take you to see TIFF ’17 selection STRONGER starring Jake Gyllenhaal + Tatiana Maslany! Screenings take place on Wednesday, September 20, 2017 in Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa and Victoria.
Synopsis:
STRONGER, a deeply personal account of the infamous 2013 Boston Marathon bombing and its aftermath film in which Jeff (Academy Award® nominee Jake Gyllenhaal) goes from being an ordinary working-class 27-year-old to a double amputee fighting for his life. In the months following the blast, Jeff tackles intensive physical and emotional rehabilitation with the unwavering support of Erin and his family. It is Jeff’s personal account of the heroic journey that tests a family’s bond, defines a community’s pride and inspires his inner courage to overcome devastating adversity.
See the Trailer:
Artwork:
To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City. Favourite this Tweet at @mrwillw for an extra chance!
eOne Films release STRONGER Friday, September 22, 2017.
(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
A Worthy Companion follows troubled 30-year-old Laura (Evan Rachel Wood) who starts an intimate and manipulative relationship with 16-year-old runaway Eva (Julia Sarah Stone).
The Film delivers great performances from Wood and Stone who work well together especially in scenes where Laura is emotionally abusing Eva. Both express a mix of betrayal, fear, and compassion all at once in these scenes. Yet, A Worthy Companion has a messy script that has a lot to say but doesn’t know how or what to focus on. Resulting in a Film that has no characters the audience roots for or a story they care about.
A Worthy Companion screens at TIFF on Sept. 10 at Scotiabank 2 at 7:30 PM and Sept. 12 at Scotiabank 3 at 3:30 PM.
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Submergence is the newest Film from Wim Wenders and follows two lovers (Alicia Vikander and James McAvoy) whose careers force them oceans apart.
The performances from Vikander and McAvoy anchor this Film both individually and together. Their magnetic chemistry is essential to believing these characters are willing to spend months apart just for a moment together again. The sets are stunning and Wenders shoots the ocean romantically finding beauty in the vast water. Unfortunately, Submergence in its script, fails to captivate beginning to end.
Submergence screens at TIFF on Sept. 10 at Elgin at 6:15 PM and Sept. 11 at TBLB1 at 3 PM.
TIFF ’17 will be remembered as one of the most electrifyingly star-studded Festivals in many years and today is exactly why!
Names don’t come any bigger than Angelina Jolie who walked her first of two Red Carpets this afternoon. She produces Animated Feature THE BREADWINNER and humbly came out to grace not only the Red Carpet but walk the line of Fans stopping for photos and autographs along Yonge Street in front of Winter Garden Theatre. We were among the lucky! What a thrill! Don’t miss her at her Premiere for well-reviewed Documentary FIRST THEY KILLED MY FATHER tomorrow!
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Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence also drew a large crowd at TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX for the Presser for Darren Aronofsky‘s well-reviewed mother! While there was no sign of Michelle Pfeiffer today, Javier Bardem and Ed Harris later would walk the Red Carpet after being absent at the Film’s Presser. We even got a photo with Lawrence although tragically, flashes going off would wash out the Photo! Devastation!
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THE SHAPE OF WATER continues to garner tons of Oscar buzz with Festival Creative Director Cameron Bailey touting it as his fave! We spotted its friendly cast today including two-time Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins, winner Octavia Spencer, nominee Richard Jenkins and Doug Jones. Hawkins is getting a lot of early buzz for her work.in this Toronto-made Fantasy by Guillermo del Toro. No signs of Michael Shannon however!
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We loved seeing Julianne Moore out earlier as she promoted George Clooney‘s SUBURBICON. We didn’t see Clooney though who was snuck-in, although we hear he has been really fantastic and giving to fans at TIFF ’17!
Sam Rockwell is back at it in the City, a place which work has brought him to many times, returning to TIFF with THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI.
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Dave Franco stars alongside brother James Franco in hilarious THE DISASTER ARTIST, based on THE ROOM star Greg Sestero‘s Memoir about working on that Cult Classic! He was in a bit of a rush today but we hope to see him around tomorrow as the Film premieres then at Midnight Madness.
James McAvoy consistently delivers and we were thrilled that he was able to make it in this year as we’ve wanted to meet him since we saw The Last King of Scotland, which also premiered here back in 2006. He’s here for SUBMERGENCE and was gracious sporting a bald look for his X-Men: Dark Phoenix role which he is shooting now in Montreal.
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(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Novitiate follows Cathleen (Margaret Qualley) who struggles with her faith and sexuality while training to become a nun during the Vatican II era.
The Film is an impressive first feature debut from Writer/Director Margaret Betts who assembles a powerhouse ensemble of female talent. Most notable is Qualley who delivers a breakout performance, Melissa Leo who is a terrifying Reverend Mother, and Julianne Nichols as a strong single mother who can’t understand her daughter’s need to become a nun. Betts’ skillful direction and writing give the Film a steady pace. It’s also one of the most original coming-of-age female stories seen on-screen.
Novitiate screens at TIFF on Sept. 10 at Scotiabank 1 at 5:45 PM and on Sept. 12 at Scotiabank 12 at 4 PM.
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