Transcendence  piqued just about everyone’s curiosity when its first Trailer surfaced last year.  Another new Trailer for the Sci-Fi/Thriller starring Johnny Depp and Rebecca Hall just was released, premiering over at Apple Trailers.

Official Synopsis:

Dr. Will Caster (Johnny Depp) is the foremost Researcher in the field of Artificial Intelligence, working to create a sentient machine that combines the collective intelligence of everything ever known with the full range of human emotions. His highly controversial experiments have made him famous, but they have also made him the prime target of anti-technology extremists who will do whatever it takes to stop him.

However, in their attempt to destroy Will, they inadvertently become the catalyst for him to succeed—to be a participant in his own transcendence. For his Wife Evelyn (Rebecca Hall) and Best Friend Max Waters (Paul Bettany), both fellow Researchers, the question is not if they can… but if they should.

Their worst fears are realized as Will’s thirst for knowledge evolves into a seemingly omnipresent quest for power, to what end is unknown. The only thing that is becoming terrifyingly clear is there may be no way to stop him.

Watch Trailer #2 for TRANSCENDENCE in HD here.

Warner Bros. release TRANSCENDENCE on Thursday, April 17, 2014.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros.)

We’ve all been waiting for it!  After blowing our minds last year in teaming-up with Miguel  on #BEAUTIFUL, Megastar and multi-GRAMMY Winner Mariah Carey brings it with new Single You’re Mine (Eternal) right in-time for Valentine’s Day!  The Track freshens-up Mariah‘s sound and slowing things down with a moody bit of Electronica, reminiscent melodically of We Belong Together.

Does it pack that same emotional punch?  Not quite. Some of Mariah’s best Tracks have been tingle-inducing and something feels a bit detached here.  I do always find a way to love Mariah‘s Tracks regardless even though we’re not quite sure she’s going with this Track.  I’m sure this will be the same after you check-in with me in a day!  Carey premiered the Track live at BET Honors, to air Monday, February 24, 2014.

Carey on Monday also confirmed that her 14th Studio Disc, titled tentatively The Art of Letting Go, will hit stores on Tuesday, May 6, 2014 after multiple delays due to Carey‘s self-admission it wasn’t ready, to a shoulder/arm injury last Summer filming a Remix Video to #BEAUTIFUL.

Listen to the Track below:

Official Artwork:

(Photo credit: Universal Music)

I am absolutely unafraid to admit that HBO‘s LOOKING is my newest Guilty Pleasure. As its first Season reached a half-way point this weekend, I look forward with a bit of sadness that there are only a few more weeks till it concludes.  And then comes an excruciating wait for another Season. Hopefully.

The Premise is simple, but there are so many, many rich unafraid-to-go-there layers in this Series from Creator Michael Lannan. Set in San Francisco, we get an honest look at the lives of three Gay Men: Patrick (Jonathan Groff), Agustín (Frankie J. Alvarez) and Dom (Murray Bartlett). If this were Sex and the City, Patrick – a Video Game Developer looking for love – certainly would be our Carrie. Agustín – a coupled Artist amidst a bit of a creative Dry Spell – and Dom – a Waiter aspiring to embark once again as a Restauranteur after a big disappointment – don’t so clearly fit the archetypes of Samantha, Miranda nor Charlotte, but as the Series gets rolling, we get the feeling big changes are about to take place for both of them. We can’t wait to see what happens next and we have a feeling there might be a bit of trouble. The knowing glances we get from our three Leading Men capture so subtly that unique dynamic among Gay Men of perhaps once being potential Lovers before deciding ultimately to be Friends.

Fans of GLEE and FROZEN will feel a sense of familiarity with Groff who has starred in both, the latter still freezing its position near the top of the Box Office, and he is just really, really good here.  He owns it as a picky, fumbling Patrick, constantly reminding us the importance of using a filter when we speak, but we are with him every step of the way watching him redeem himself each time.

In one super-awkward moment in the Series’ third Episode he hits-on  Kevin (Russell Tovey), whom we later learn actually is his soon-to-be Boss. Raúl Castillo plays Richie, whom Patrick meets on the Subway and we become enamoured  at first glance.  Did I mention, the Cast is heartbreakingly-handsome?

If that weren’t enough, the amazing Scott Bakula also stars in the Series as a Floral Shop Owner, Lynn. We meet him in a towel only in a Steam Room with Dom. Yes, I just said Scott Bakula and Steam Room in one sentence.

LOOKING looks and feels like San Francisco, taking us away for 30 minutes to another place every time.  The eclectic Electronic-Pop selections also are just pitch-perfect.  While most eyes are on HBO‘s Runaway Hit TRUE DETECTIVE right now, this new Comedy Series certainly isn’t to be ignored.

Anyhow, I’ll let you Wongsters discover LOOKING on your own. It airs Sunday nights on HBO Canada at 10:30 PM EST.

Some of the more memorable moments thus far:

Patrick (Jonathan Groff) hitting-on eventual Boss Kevin (Russell Tovey)

Patrick (Jonathan Groff) meets Richie (Raúl Castillo)

Official Artwork:

(Photo credit: HBO)

The 86th annual Oscars Luncheon aka took place earlier today in Beverly Hills in advance of the Academy Awards next month. Can we agree the Class of 2014 is an elegant bunch?

Is that Bradley Cooper two over from Tom Hanks? Is that Meryl at the top of the class as expected? What is Julie Delpy staring at? Doesn’t Cate Blanchett look super-thrilled? Where’s Jennifer Lawrence? 🙁  I assure you Amy Adams definitely isn’t wearing Valentino!

The 86th annual Academy Awards take place Sunday, March 2, 2014 and air on ABC.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment and Mr. Will Wong are thrilled to give Readers a chance to win the one Documentary which had everyone whispering at TIFF ’13, The Armstrong Lie. If you think you know all about Lance Armstrong, think again.

Official Synopsis:

In 2009, Academy Award® winning Director Alex Gibney was hired to make a Film about Lance Armstrong‘s comeback to cycling.  The Project was shelved when the doping scandal erupted, and re-opened after Armstrong‘s confession. THE ARMSTRONG LIE picks up in 2013 after Armstrong was stripped of his 7 Tour de France Titles, and presents a riveting, insider’s view of the unraveling of the greatest deception in sports history.

The Film is produced by Alex Gibney, Academy Award® Nominee, Frank Marshall (The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, Seabiscuit, The Sixth Sense, The Color Purple, Raiders of the Lost Ark) and Matt Tolmach (The Amazing Spider-Man). Beth Howard and Brett Banks served as co-producers.

Watch the Trailer below:

Official Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook. You are encouraged to share this Post with Friends via Social Media. Additional entries to those who Re-Tweet the below:

http://mrwillwong.com/thearmstronglie @MRWILLW wants us to #win shocking #TheArmstrongLie on #DVD! In stores 2/11.

Good luck! Contest open to Canadian Readers.

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment  release THE ARMSTRONG LIE on DVD/Blu-ray on Tuesday, February 11, 2014.

Order THE ARMSTRONG LIE here. 

(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment)

Mr. Will Wong and Mongrel Media want you to win a Copy of  gripping Documentary THE SUMMIT!

Official Synopsis:
Recounting the tragic story of the deaths of 11 Climbers on Mount Godwin-Austen (also known as K2), the second-highest mountain on Earth after Everest, The Summit focuses on one Man in particular: Ger McDonnell.
McDonnell, faced with an impossible decision, makes a choice that would change his life and the lives of the other Climbers forever.

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook.  Re-Tweet the below to increase your chances:

http://mrwillwong.com/thesummit @MRWILLW wants us to #win Documentary #THESUMMIT on DVD. Out 2/11/14!

Good luck. Canadian Readers only, please.

Official Artwork:

Watch the Trailer below:

Mongrel Media release THE SUMMIT on Tuesday, February 11, 2014 on DVD, Blu-ray, Video-on-Demand and Digital Download.

Order THE SUMMIT on DVD here!

(Photo/video credit: Mongrel Media)

You’ve been mesmerized by her incredible beauty and seduced by her Culinary delights on the Food Network, but Giada De Laurentiis is actually in Toronto to draw focus to an important cause close to all of our hearts. The Italian-born American Goddess is here to host Chef’s Challenge: The Ultimate Battle for a Cure at the Toronto Congress Centre, the Event supporting a $4.5 million pledge to Mount Sinai Hospital with an emphasis on Women’s Health and Cancers research.

Although her Itinerary was filled to the brim, the Los Angeles Native was kind to take a few moments out of her day to chat.  I was guided into her Dressing Room, where she was relaxing on a white Barcelona Couch, inviting me to have a seat.  Exuding absolute confidence yet still managing to be extremely personable, it was evident within seconds why she is adored dearly by so many Men and Women alike.

I’ll be honest with you – my schedule doesn’t allow for much TV Watching, hence I never found much of a need to add the Food Network to my Cable Package.  It was a few months ago that I was home watching Late Night with Jimmy Fallon – my usual comforting background noise – as I finished-up some Blogging before bedtime.  I couldn’t help but notice De Laurentiis – bubbly, effervescent and outright hilarious as she tried getting Fallon to drink a healthy Smoothie with Gin in it.  He tried it begrudgingly and even though he didn’t love it, I for one was won over.  I rummaged through YouTube for Clips of her Cooking, a search rendering a litany of Fan-uploaded Clips of her Recipes like Lemon & Lavender Cookies, Pork with Sweet Onion Marmellata,  Butternut Squash Tortellini made with Wonton Wrappers – all sumptuous, relatively easy to make and yummy.  “Jimmy is such a lovely  Human Being. He makes you feel so comfortable as if it’s just the two of you” she reveals to me, “I’ve done a lot of Talk Shows – trust me – it’s so intimidating.”.

De Laurentiis walks me through her experience of immigrating with her Family from Italy to America as an eight-year-old, a decision made after the Patriarch of her Family, her Grandfather, encountered lucrative opportunities stateside, taking them to New York for a couple years before relocating ultimately to California. On her first introduction to American Cuisine she says, “The first thing I remember was going to a Friend’s house and having a TV Dinner. I remember thinking to myself ‘Is this Dog Food? What is this exactly?'”.  Needless to say, her discerning Tastebuds were not impressed with the frozen and then reheated offering.  Her first pleasurable experience with American Food though came a bit  later when she encountered French Fries and Burgers.  To this day she remains a Fan of Regional Fast Food Chain, In-N-Out Burger.

I ask her for a bit of advice on where to dine in Los Angeles, since I’ll be visiting for the first time later this month.  The options are plentiful, I learned. “We truly have some of the best Mexican food, because we’re so close” she says, “Pettycash Taqueria is really, really, yummy and super, super casual.”.  She also gives Tex-Mex Hotspot Border Grill from fellow Chefs Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger a glowing review, but for Italian she names Capo (Italian for “Captain”) as her Favourite.  The City she tells me, is obsessed with Korean Food, a movement fronted by Korean-American Chef Roy Choi, which is seeing Locals warm-up in droves to Korean Barbeques and Tacos.  “It’s a huge culture in L.A. for us”.

I ask about when it was that she realized her Career would take a turn for the Culinary after majoring in Social Anthropology at U.C.L.A., which made her one of the first in her Family to partake in post-secondary studies.  “I realized at the beginning of College, but my Parents insisted I finish”, says the eventual Graduate of ultra-prestigious Le Cordon Bleu.   “I wanted to be a Pastry Chef, so what better place than Paris?”.

Finding work as a Pastry Chef wasn’t easy, especially returning home from France to one of the most health-conscious cities in the World.  She soon found herself working with Celebrity Chef Wolfgang Puck and his Pastry In-Charge, Sherry Yard.  From there she became THE Ron Howard‘s Personal Chef, flying back-and-forth from Los Angeles to Connecticut, before branching into Food Styling, catching the eye of Food & Wine Magazine during a trying post-9/11.  That golden opportunity for exposure  led her to sudden stardom when the Food Network took notice of her potential and she certainly hasn’t looked back since with a booming Catalogue of Books, Products and TV Series, the latter garnering her a Daytime Emmy.

Two defining flavours have become synonymous with De Laurentiis’ Cooking are sweet and citrus. Naturally she has a pronounced Sweet Tooth in being a self-admitted Chocoholic.  She touts highly one of her latest Creations, Bonbon-esque Chocolate Fig Bites,  found in her latest Book, Giada’s Feel Good Food.  “I get it – kids are sick, people don’t feel good and people need to be eating better”, she says about the inspiration behind the New Release.  “It’s been fun to change things up and try to find ways to make really great Treats to help make people feel better.”.

Being a Mother with a flourishing Career, she understands the need for Go-To Meals and short preparation times.  “I’ve always wanted to find ways to inspire people to get into the Kitchen to make Italian that looks and tastes fantastic”, states the petite Powerhouse. “There’s a time and place for making things like Bolognese and all of these things to take a bit longer – but there’s also a time and place to take 15 minutes out of your day to make yourself a Meal.”.   She swears by Oatmeal with Olive Oil, Salt & Pepper – her quickest and most often-consumed Breakfast, while her Chia Seed Pudding has proven itself to be a massive Hit, as are her Fennel, Lettuce & Pea Soup and Lemon Spaghetti (note: the proper pronunciation is “Spig-it-tee“) Recipes.

A side of De Laurentiis we often don’t get to see is the Fan side. Many would be surprised just how eclectic her Musical tastes are, in addition to her tastes for Food.  “Celebrities were never a big deal to me because I grew-up in L.A.” she admits, “I like out-of-the-box people and people who are real; they don’t always have to be big Movie Stars.”.  She does however, tell me her favourite Acts include the likes of Foo Fighters, Lady Gaga, MGMT, Lorde, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Billy Joel, Julio Iglesias, Gipsy Kings – although the latter two she probably never would’ve admitted to enjoying in her youth. “Now that I’m older, I kinda like it because it brings me back to those days!”.   Songs like Harlem (New Politics) and Who You Love (John Mayer ft. Katy Perry) currently are on high-rotation for her.

For those who don’t speak Italian, the name Giada means “Jade”, which decidedly is the name of her Daughter. On how De Laurentiis manages to balance her highly-successful Career with Family Life, she leaves us with one bit of advice. “I do it one day at a time. I have a great Husband (former Skier Todd Thompson) who helps me a lot, a great  Family and two great Ladies who’ve been with me since the very beginning”, she imparts.  “You have to be okay as a Woman to feel like you know when to ask for help and be okay with asking for help, realizing you can’t do everything.”.

Watch and listen to Mr. Will‘s Chat with Giada De Laurentiis below:

More Snaps below:

Although it quietly has been filming in the City, there have been few sightings of its Stars.  By chance today, I spotted The Divide Star Joe Anderson out and about and the British Actor actually was surprised to be noticed!  “You were looking at me like I was a criminal!”, he jokes with me, noticing me intently trying to piece together where I’ve seen him.

Those of you who saw 2007’s The Beatles-inspired Musical Across the Universe will remember him as Max Carrigan and those of you who saw acclaimed Control will recall that he played Peter Hook. Although he’s been quiet of late, Anderson was seen in The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn, Part 2 as Alistair and Box Office Hit, The Grey alongside Liam Neeson.  He next can be seen in Vancouver-filmed Horns, which premiered at TIFF ’13, starring Daniel Radcliffe.

Written by Richard LaGravanese (P.S. I Love You) and produced by Tony Goldwyn (Scandal), the Series centers around a District Attorney who uncovers new evidence, prompting a sensational Murder Case to be re-opened.

The Divide films up through early May 2014 and is slated to air on WE tv.

See our Snap:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/eOne Films)

Few can dispute that The Lego Movie was a deserving Winner at the Box Office this weekend, debuting with a record-setting (for an Animated Feature) $69 million from 3,775 theatres for Warner Bros. The 3-D Offering featuring an All-Star Cast of Will Ferrell, Will Arnett, Chris Pratt, Elizabeth Banks, Jonah Hill, Channing Tatum and Alison Brie, unseats the three-week reign of Ride Along. Critics gave it an outstanding 97% on the Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes, in addition to a coveted A CinemaScore.

Despite being panned by Critics, The Monuments Men from Sony Pictures had enough Starpower to drive Moviegoers to the theatres. The World War II-Dramedy starring George Clooney, John Goodman, Matt Damon and Jean Dujardin earned $22.7 million in its debut after multiple rescheduled release dates, landing it in second spot. Audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore, while it mustered 33% from Critics on Rotten Tomatoes.

Ride Along still continues to perform strong in third with $8.9 million in its fourth week for Universal Pictures, just surpassing the $100-million mark in North America. Disney‘s Frozen is right behind in fourth with $6 million in its twelfth week out amazingly.

That Awkward Moment finds itself in sixth spot in its second week of release for Focus Features/VVS Films, earning $6 million for a total of $16 million grossed thus far domestically.

Vampire Academy debuts in seventh spot for The Weinstein Co./eOne Films with $3.8 million. Critics gave it an 11% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and Audiences gave it a forgiving B- CinemaScore.

Labor Day rounds-out the Top Ten with $3 million for Paramount Pictures and likely will be a factor as one of the few Romantic options available for Moviegoers heading into Valentine’s Day.

eOne Films and Mr. Will Wong wants to give Toronto Readers a chance to see Action-Adventure POMPEII on Wednesday, February 19, 2014, starring hunky and beloved Kit Harington!  We were among the first to spot the Game of Thrones last Winter in the City, where the Movie had filmed!

Official Synopsis:
Set in 79 A.D., POMPEII tells the epic story of Milo (Kit Harrington), a slave turned invincible gladiator who finds himself in a race against time to save his true love Cassia (Emily Browning), the beautiful daughter of a wealthy merchant who has been unwillingly betrothed to a corrupt Roman Senator.

As Mount Vesuvius erupts in a torrent of blazing lava, Milo must fight his way out of the arena in order to save his beloved as the once magnificent Pompeii crumbles around him.

Watch the Trailer:

Enter to win by clicking “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook. Your are encouraged to share this Post with Friends via Social Media. Double your chances by Re-Tweeting the below:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/pompeii @MRWILLW wants us to #win Advance Screening Passes in #Toronto to see #POMPEII! Out 2/21!

Good luck.

eOne Films release POMPEII on Friday, February 21, 2014.