After setting the world of cinema on fire with his all-in 2008 debut Hunger, Irish-German actor Michael Fassbender quickly has risen to the ranks among Hollywood’s top leading men. The striking star has challenged himself with great aptitude in roles so demanding, alas the Academy could not resist, garnering him a nomination for his portrayal of technology icon Steve Jobs earlier this year.

TIFF ’16, the Festival’s 41st edition, rolled out the Red Carpet for Fassbender at its TIFF Bell Lightbox Headquarters, him headlining its annual Soirée. The London-trained star spoke with TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey before an intimate audience which included notable names Shohreh Aghdashloo, Deepa Mehta, Kristian Bruun and several TIFF Rising Stars. He reflected on his most memorable roles and collaborations with Writer/Director Steve McQueen, both whom have paired together through three widely-acclaimed Films: Hunger, Shame and Best Picture-winning 12 Years a Slave. All three Films premiered at TIFF.

He is back this year with Trespass Against Us for Elevation Pictures, in which he stars alongside Brendan Gleeson. The Film examines the tensions between travelers versus settlers and a son’s attempt to escape the outlaw life of a criminal clan.

Does Fassbender like to watch his own Films?

He describes the process of seeing his own Films rather “horrifying” but admits, “I kinda get off on it.”. He doesn’t plan to sit through his performance in Trespass Against Us.

On his experience working with Director Andrea Arnold, he admits to being a bit of a slow learner as she would pass him his lines the night before. “She likes to create chaos and is brilliant at capturing it, whereas some Directors like to create chaos and can’t do the same.”. “Magic moments are ones that can’t be planned. It’s like the black lines between a photograph which get captured by a camera – they make us fall in love with a story.”.

How does Fassbender compare the experience of acting on stage versus camera?

He says, “It’s about finding the pace of the day when filming and pacing yourself accordingly. Filming is much like sprinting, whereas theatre is more like a marathon.”.

On filming big-budget Blockbusters like Prometheus and X-Men, he breaks down how much slower a process that is versus the smaller-budget Films he’s made in his repertoire.

“On a big budget shoot, we go through maybe two pages of dialogue a day. Everyone has to be in-sync as a machine – it’s quite impressive.”.  He adds, “It took 25 days on the other hand to make Shame and an unbelievable 35 days to make 12 Years a Slave.”.

Playing Erik Lehnsherr in the X-Men Franchise, he sheds some light on his own superpowers.

“I’m a great Powernapper. I mustn’t be without a superpower! I can just lie down on stage if it comes to that. When I’m tired I just have to sleep.”.

How exactly did the magical Steven McQueen-Michael Fassbender partnership begin?

Fassbender admits, “He actually hated me at first and thought I was arrogant”. The Casting Director of Hunger convinced him to let me read again for the much-talked-about 17-minute-long scene between his Bobby and the Priest. He was offered the role shortly after that.

He equates collaborating with McQueen and Team to making music, describing it “like riffing back and forth”.

Bailey asked Fassbender about the physicality he brings to his roles in how he fully transforms every time.

“Pub Theatre (performing the likes of Resevoir Dogs) and doing pantomimes is how I started where we used body as expression,” he recalls. During his time in London, which saw him dropping-out six months before graduation, he studied movement within space and ballet.

“Shoes and costumes give me that extra layer to get into character.  It all starts from feet up.”.

With already this much accomplished we wonder what’s left for Fassbender to conquer?

The Thespian would love to do Comedy. “I spoke to Seth Rogen (his Steve Jobs Co-Star) about it after throwing a blueberry at him over dinner!”.

Trespass Against Us premieres TIFF ’16 on Friday, September 9, 2016 at Princess of Wales Theatre at 10:00 PM.

Fassbender at the TIFF Soirée:

 Shohreh Aghdashloo + Alma Parvizian

TIFF Rising Star Somkele Iyamah-Idhalama + Cameron Bailey

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong + Team)

Review by Justin Waldman for Mr. Will Wong

Director Kim Nguyen brings to TIFF ’16 a Philosophical Drama, Two Lovers and a Bear, that questions how far one will go for a loved one and at what cost. When two lovers are living close to the North Pole and they both have their inner demons to face, the question gets raised as to what they will do for one another to allow them to achieve their dreams and try to escape the horrible pasts they have left behind.

The Movie focuses on Lucy (Canada’s Tatiana Maslany) and Roman (Dane DeHaan) who are madly in love with one another. They both live near the North Pole in a secluded community to try and escape their pasts but every now and then it manages to resurface and hurt them both. When Lucy receives word that she has been accepted to study biology, their relationship takes a turn for the worst and the movie starts to beg the question of how far will one go for their love?

Both Maslany and DeHaan give it their all, and their performance can turn even the most cynical of people into believers. The chemistry they share throughout the Film is truly magical and makes the audience believe what they are witnessing is genuine emotions. Two Lovers and a Bear is not to be missed at TIFF ’16.

Two Lovers and a Bear screens at TIFF on Tuesday, September 13, 2016 at 6:30 PM at the Visa Screening Room (Elgin Theatre) and Wednesday, September 14, 2016 at 3 PM at Ryerson Theatre.

It’s our favourite time of the year and the team at MR. WILL WONG are excited to share with you their insights as to what you should be seeing at TIFF ’16!  It’s impossible to believe we’re literally two days away from the world’s greatest Film Festival!

Mr. Will (@mrwillw)

La La Land
Elle
Personal Shopper
Loving
Denial

The electric buzz coming out of Venice for LA LA LAND is certainly warranted and we cannot wait for you to discover the genius that is Damien Chazelle‘s dazzling sophomore effort. We also were mesmerized by Isabelle Huppert‘s work in Paul Verhoeven‘s dark and twisty ELLE.  Kristen Stewart mesmerized us in PERSONAL SHOPPER in what is a career-best performance. We haven’t yet seen LOVING, but believe the buzz and can’t wait to be floored by Ruth Negga and Joel Edgerton‘s performances.  We also cannot deny we were moved by Rachel Weisz‘s phenomenal work in DENIAL and although people aren’t talking about it as much as some of the other marquee titles, do not let this one slip off your radar. Honourable mention also to UNA starring Ben Mendelsohn and Rooney Mara (we adore her!) which also is getting quite a bit of buzz and acclaim out of Telluride. We will let you know as soon as we see it!

Let’s see what the rest of the Team have to say…

Siobhán Rich (@Typo_Eh)

Abacus: Small Enough to Jail
La La Land
Nelly
Paterson
Toni Erdmann

If you’re only going to see five Movies at TIFF this year you should try and make them well rounded choices. Toni Erdmann is a brilliant Foreign Film that will leave you smiling long after you leave the theatre. Jim Jarmusch’s Paterson is a beautiful character study starring Adam Driver. No Film curation would be complete with a Documentary and you can’t go wrong with Director Steve James. Abacus: Small Enough to Jail is an interesting David & Goliath story centering around the 2008 financial crisis. Checking off both the Vanguard and all important Canadian boxes is Anne Émond’s Biopic Nelly, which explores the life a writer from Québec. Finally, for a fun pick that will leave all your friends envious: La La Land. This hugely buzzed-about Musical staring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone is an early favourite for People’s Choice winner. My bonus pick is Jeff Nichols’ Loving about a couple in Virginia who fought to overturn the State’s ban on interracial marriage.

Have a great TIFF ’16!

David Baldwin (@DaveMABaldwin)

La La Land
I absolutely adored and championed Damien Chazelle’s Oscar-winning Whiplash after seeing it during TIFF ’14. I was immediately on board for anything he had in store for his follow-up. I was excited after hearing it was a Musical, but became infinitely more excited when I found out it would team-up Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone again. No matter what happened, this was the only ticket I absolutely NEEDED at this year’s Festival.

The Birth of a Nation
Nate Parker’s directorial debut about a slave uprising in the 1830s was the toast of this year’s Sundance Film Festival. It was destined for Oscar glory at that time, but now it is being talked about for a whole other despicable reason. It was on my radar from before, but the controversy that is plaguing its release is just making me more interested in watching it. TIFF promises extended talks after the Film for its first two screenings, but are they going to happen?

Headshot
I look back at some years going to TIFF and immediately regret missing out on some great Films. Skipping-out on The Raid back in 2011 was a terrible mistake, and one I made sure I did not repeat when I heard Indonesian action star Iko Uwais was returning to Midnight Madness with his new Film Headshot. I did not even stop to read what the Film was about and still have very little clue. I just know that watching it at Midnight is going to be a blast.

Nocturnal Animals
Jake Gyllenhaal and Amy Adams are two of the best actors working in Hollywood right now. Putting them together under the direction of Fashion Designer-turning-Filmmaker Tom Ford? Well that can only be a truly special kind of Film, and if the buzz out of Venice is to be believed, we are in for a sumptuous treat. And if it is anything like Ford’s A Single Man, it is destined for greatness.

Bleed for This
Miles Teller is one of the very few actors who I will watch anything in, no matter what. When I watched the trailer for Bleed for This during the summer, I knew this would be another great performance from the young actor. And seeing him paired with the likes of Aaron Eckhart, Katey Sagal and the great Ciarán Hinds makes for an unmissable event.

 
Justin Waldman (@DubsReviews)

Oh where to begin with the most wonderful time of the year? And no I am not talking about Christmas. Well I lied, I sort of am TIFFmas is here and there are plenty of highly-anticipated Films coming to the Festival this year and without further yammering, here are my top five in no particular order.

La La Land
Nocturnal Animals
Arrival
Free Fire
Paterson

All of these Films have elements to them that make me incredibly-excited for them. Whether that be Actors, Directors or general concept behind each one of these Movies, these have me anticipating TIFF ’16.

Jon Godfrey

American Honey
American Pastoral
A United Kingdom
The Handmaiden
The Red Turtle

What I love most about Film Festivals are the Movies. What I love most about TIFF is its international flavors. Like the city the Festival of Festivals is set in, TIFF Films are from multiple cultures and feature endless perspectives. Though two of my picks have “America” in their title, both are helmed by Directors from the United Kingdom. A United Kingdom is directed by an English woman of Ghanaian decent, and discusses interracial marriage. Then there’s The Handmaiden, set in Japan occupied Korea and dressed like Victoria’s England. Lastly, The Red Turtle, is a Dutch drawn Film co-produced by Japan’s Studio Ghibli… and it’s also my top pick 😉 All my picks look at this world with wonder, and come from around this wonderful world.

Amanda Gilmore (@GilmoreAmanda)

La La Land
Anything Damien Chazelle makes I will run to see! Plus it has the added bonus of Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. It’s a Musical! It is one of the most talked about Films of the year.

Manchester By The Sea
Casey Affleck is a marvel to watch in everything he does, that is reason alone to see this. But this year he is getting Oscar buzz for his performance! It’s a quiet Film with a lot of heart.

Loving
This is the most talked about film coming out of film festivals. It’s got Oscar written all over it! The story is one of the more powerful and important ones at the Festival.

Burn Your Maps
This is a small Film that many aren’t talking about. Jacob Tremblay (Room) stars as the lead which is enough reason to go. It’s the Film no one talks about before the Festival, but everyone will hear about it after.

Nocturnal Animals
I’m a sucker for Jake Gyllenhaal. I’m a sucker for Amy Adams. The plot is strange and dark. It’s directed by Tom Ford (A Single Man) and is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

George Kozera (@PartyG)

La La Land
Denial
It’s Only the End of the World
Arrival
American Pastoral

From a sun-drenched, most innovative Musical in decades (LA LA LAND) to the darkness of a soul who dismisses the reality of the Holocaust in a court room Drama (DENIAL); from offerings by two Canadian Auteurs who have yet to fail to impress (Xavier Dolan‘s IT’S ONLY THE END OF THE WORLD and Denis Villeneuve‘s ARRIVAL) to a heartbreaking Family Drama based on a Philip Roth Novel (AMERICAN PASTORAL), TIFF ’16 is poised to be the best Festival yet!

TIFF ’16 takes place between Thursday, September 8, 2016 through Sunday, September 18, 2016.  Check back right here and bookmark for up-to-minute star sightings and Reviews of the most buzzed Films at the Festival!

Be sure to be following on Social Media also:

Twitter: @mrwillw

Instagram: @mrwillwong

Snapchat: mrwillwong

Facebook: @mrwillwongblog

By Siobhán Rich, Justin Waldman + Mr. Will Wong

Although the end of Summer often triggers a chorus of sighs, it also means that FAN EXPO CANADA‘s back in Toronto.  The annual convention now in its 22nd year, bringing together the greatest figures in Comics, Sci-Fi, Horror, Anime and Gaming with their Fans in a true celebration of “geeking-out”, takes place at Metro Toronto Convention Centre between Thursday, September 1 through Sunday, September 4, 2016.

127k Fans were expected to attend this year with star-power unparalleled. Appearing this year are the likes of Jack Gleeson, John Cusack, Joan Cusack, Frank Miller, Gillian Anderson, George Takei, William Shatner, Nichelle Nichols, Kevin Smith, Jason Mewes, Adam West, Burt Ward, Christopher Lloyd,  Anne Heche, Linda Blair, Hayley Atwell, Ben McKenzie, Morena Baccarin, Charlie Cox and the headliner, Mark Hamill. This also marks the final time that Marvel icon Stan Lee will be appearing in Canada.

Riding the high of international sensation POKÉMON GO, Fan Expo Canada introduced for the first time a Pokémon Go Lure Party giving attendees a chance to advance levels on the game and collect rare Pokémon.

Several series premiered episodes at Fan Expo Canada including the likes of Travelers, The Killjoys, Son of Zorn and YouTube series Carmilla.

Netflix Canada getting into the spirit also presented a retro 90s-theme Dance Party for attendees to mingle.  The Canadian League of Gamers eSports Tournament debuts at Fan Expo Canada also this year. More info on that here.

We had the chance to sit-on some panels and even chat with some of talent appearing this year.  Here are some highlights and memorable quotes:

JACK GLEESON, GAME OF THRONES

“People just love to hate me”, says Gleeson on his role as King Joffrey Baratheon on the record-breaking HBO series. The 24-year-old Irish actor adds “I just give ’em a hug and we are alright”, when people transfer their dislike of him on the show to him in real life.  On whom he’d like to see take the throne on Game of Thrones, he chooses Daenerys Targaryen (Emilia Clarke). “We need a woman to knock some sense into people.”.

JOE QUESADA, Chief Creative Officer, MARVEL ENTERTAINMENT

The Comic Book Writer, Artist and Editor from New York grew-up loving the likes of Black Panther, Daredevil, Punisher and The Inhumans.  When he was brought-on to Marvel in the late ’90s, he admits he wanted most to work on these books. He tells us, “They were paying artists $14 per hour back in 1990!”. After being appointed CCO in 2010, he has helped transform Marvel Entertainment into the powerhouse it has become once again. He admits, “I am the luckiest son of a bitch in Comics right now.”.

STAN LEE, FORMER PRESIDENT AND CHAIRMAN OF MARVEL COMICS

The Marvel legendary is making his final Canadian appearance at Fan Expo 2016 and was a great sport appearing from start to finish. He spoke at his hotly-buzzed panel, reflecting back on his career.  On the many iconic characters he has developed, he says “I really don’t have a favourite character. I love them all. I love Silver Surfer, I love Doctor Strange, I love Spiderman. I love them all. But every time I get asked the question I always say Spider-Man and the audience goes ‘yay’.”.

Of all the talented actors to bring his character to life on-screen, he reveals “My favourite actor is Robert Downey Jr.  I asked him if  anyone ever has called him Bob? He said sure you can call me Bob, Bobo. So now I call him Bobo.”.

ADAM WEST & BURT WARD, BATMAN

We all grew-up at some point watching the Batman live-action series of the ’60s. How amazing is it that Batman and Robin both were at Fan Expo Canada together this year in spirited fashion?

Ward, known best for his role as Robin gives his Co-Star West the highest praise.  “There were a lot of fine actors who played Batman, but there’s only one Batman and that’s Adam West!“.  West jokingly replied, “I deserve that!”. On some of the highly-physical work he did on the series, he kids “They took out a $3 million life-insurance policy on me and I’m convinced by the end of the show they were trying to claim it!”.

West, reflecting on Catwoman remembers, “She gave me a curious stirrings in my utility belt!”.

GILLIAN ANDERSON, THE X-FILES

Work has brought the The X-Files star back to the City to film, including upcoming series AMERICAN GODS. At her panel, she shed some light on her Agent Scully character saying, “She is quite square and I’m not, but I like her.”.

JOHN CUSACK, HIGH FIDELITY

The well-known Actor appeared in a package offer with his equally-brilliant sister Joan.  While he is quite political on Social Media, he made an interesting analogy at his panel, “I see Twitter as curation and graffiti.”.

JOHN BARROWMAN, DOCTOR WHO/ARROW

The spirited Scottish-American Actor appeared at a hot ticket panel to thunderous applause. He tells his Fans, “If you don’t follow me you’re missing out on my fabulous life!”.

On his theatrical pursuits, he does say that his dream role on-stage would be Mac in Mac and Mabel.

MARK HAMILL, STAR WARS

The iconic Star Wars Actor made a rare appearance at Fan Expo this year and offered a VIP Experience to Fans and spoke at multiple panels. He tells his Fans, “This isn’t a show it’s an intimate conversation between thousands of my new best friends and me”.

On the upcoming continuation of STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS, he says “Gareth Edwards said five words to me that’s the biggest spoiler.”.

CHARLIE COX + ELDEN HENSON, DAREDEVIL

The two stars originally were to be joined by Marvel‘s Daredevil Co-star Jon Bernthal, although he was unable to make Fan Expo 2016 in the end. The duo spoke at a panel today and when asked which Marvel character they’d like to appear as a cameo on their series, Cox chose Black Widow.  Henson however is a fan of Chris Pratt and would like to see his Star-Lord appear on the series.

A fun fact revealed is that the portrait on the wall at the 15th Precinct in the series is actual one of Stan Lee!

MAT FRASER + NAOMI GROSSMAN, AMERICAN HORROR STORY: FREAKSHOW

Speaking to our Justin Waldman and Siobhán Rich, the two stars of the popular FX Series reveal some personal details about their experience.

Fraser tells us about filming a bed scene with Jessica Lange,  “Of course, she’s hugely attractive but when you’re acting you’re acting. […] She pulled me in close. She made it really intimate. She nailed the scene: she nailed the intimacy between two actors to make the scene believable. Because she is a star in every sense of the word.”.

Grossman talks to the series’ shorter seasons, stating “As an actor it’s amazing. Because with the exception of me everyone’s gotten a chance to play another role. So I hope to have that opportunity.”.

CHARLES MARTINET, MARIO

We enjoyed most our chat with charismatic Charles Martinet, who voices Video Game icon Mario.

Listen below:

Some of the BEST cosplay I saw today at @FANEXPOCANADA #Hawkman #Hawkgirl #JLA pic.twitter.com/YxAJ3A1IqT

— Justin (@DubsReviews) September 3, 2016

.@FANEXPOCANADA is the place to find epic #cosplay today. #FanExpoCan pic.twitter.com/SB2AptkzA6

— MsTypo (@Typo_eh) September 2, 2016

.@FANEXPOCANADA is proof that Toronto loves #cosplay. pic.twitter.com/iRd7U7HQbU

— MsTypo (@Typo_eh) September 2, 2016

 

That amazing moment @JoeQuesada crashes @TheRealStanLee @FANEXPOCANADA panel. 😮😳 #FanExpoCan pic.twitter.com/4snbnvDLbK

— MsTypo (@Typo_eh) September 4, 2016

#JackGleeson of #GameofThrones, appearing at #FanExpoCanada today. He chooses #Daenerys to take the throne! “We need a woman to knock some sense into people”.

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 2, 2016 at 6:50pm PDT

Burt Ward + Adam West of #Batman series at #FanExpoCanada today. Ward still thinks West was the best Batman. West agrees. LOL (Photo credit: @dubsreviews)

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 2, 2016 at 6:55pm PDT

#GillianAnderson at #FanExpoCanada: “She’s quite square, but I like her!” on Scully. #XFiles #FanExpo (Photo credit: Catherine Dennis)

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 3, 2016 at 8:04pm PDT

#JohnBarrowman at #FanExpoCanada: “If you don’t follow me you’re missing out on my fabulous life!”. #FanExpo (Photo credit: @mstypo)

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 3, 2016 at 8:48pm PDT

Since signing on as #Marvel’s Chief Creative Officer in 2010, #JoeQuesada has helped transform it to the mega-empire it has become again after reaching bankruptcy. #FanExpoCanada #FanExpo (Photo credit: @mstypo)

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 3, 2016 at 6:31am PDT

#MarkHamill at #FanExpoCanada last night. “I would choose rainbow! How’s that for a dodge?”, on which light saber he would choose. #StarWars #LukeSkywalker #FanExpo (Photo credit: @dubsreviews)

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 3, 2016 at 6:26am PDT

#TheCusacks. #FanExpoCanada #FanExpo #JohnCusack #JoanCusack

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 3, 2016 at 4:17pm PDT

#MarkHamill, b*tches. #StarWars #LukeSkywalker #FanExpo #FanExpoCanada

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 3, 2016 at 4:16pm PDT

With #JackGleeson, of #GameofThrones. #KingJoffreyBaratheon #GoT #KingJoffrey #FanExpo #FanExpoCanada

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 3, 2016 at 11:27am PDT

#CharlieCox at #FanExpoCanada. #FanExpo #Daredevil

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 3, 2016 at 7:02pm PDT

#WilliamShatner at #FanExpoCanada. #FanExpo #StarTrek

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 3, 2016 at 11:13pm PDT

You know a bro’s got your back when they fix your hair for your Mark Hamill photo op. #FanExpoCanada #FanExpo

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 3, 2016 at 11:12pm PDT

#JurassicWorld Cosplay at #FanExpoCanada. #FanExpo

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 3, 2016 at 11:22pm PDT

#TheWalkingDead’s #ScottWilson at #FanExpoCanada. #FanExpo #TWD

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 3, 2016 at 11:24pm PDT

With #LindaBlair, star of #TheExorcist. #FanExpoCanada #FanExpo

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 4, 2016 at 4:41pm PDT

With star of #TheFlash, #DaniellePanabaker. #FanExpo #FanExpoCanada

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 4, 2016 at 4:41pm PDT

Meeting #Marvel icon, #StanLee, who made his final Canadian appearance at #FanExpoCanada 2016. #FanExpo

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Sep 4, 2016 at 4:41pm PDT

Missed out on FAN EXPO CANADA? Learn more here and plan for next year!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Justin Waldman/Siobhán Rich/Catherine Dennis)

For the second week in a row, Sony Pictures Horror DON’T BREATHE takes the top of the Box Office with $15.3 million from 3,051 theatres. It has made $52 million already.

SUICIDE SQUAD once again is in second with $9.9 million for Warner Bros., just surpassing $300 million in North America.

PETE’S DRAGON is in third with $6.6 million for Disney, now earning $66.8 million over four weeks.

HELL OR HIGH WATER expands to 1,303 theatres for VVS Films/Lionsgate Films in sixth with $4.8 million. It has earned $16.4 million in four weeks.

THE LIGHT BETWEEN OCEANS opens in eighth with $4.8 million for Disney from 1,500 theatres. It gets a B+ CinemaScore and a 61% on the Tomatometer.

JASON BOURNE rounds out the Top Ten with $4.2 million for Universal Pictures, earning $156 million in six weeks.

TIFFmas is about to arrive and before the insanity begins, we’re proud to announce our official Partners for TIFF ’16! We couldn’t do it without them and YOU! MRWILLWONG.COM has been a part of this City’s colourful wallpaper for seven years now, our unique take on the Festival balancing the celebrity spotlight with a strong focus on the Films which have the Festival abuzz. Contributing again this year on our Team on Reviews are George Kozera,  Siobhán Rich, David Baldwin and Justin Waldman!

We hope that once again you’ll be making MR. WILL WONG your go-to source for everything TIFF during the Festival!

CP24 will be featuring us and our TIFF content once again this year after many successful years together!  Be sure to tune-in for our sightings and thoughts on this year’s highly-buzzed Films of the Festival!

ACURA CANADA gives us the all-important mobility needed during TIFF ’16 and does it in style. The 2017 Acura ILX is style and sophistication personified.  Above this, it’s fuel-efficient! We’re thrilled to pilot this gorgeous ride this Festival!

NIKON CANADA returns as one of our official sponsors and in addition to relying heavily on our NIKON D3300 with 20-500 mm lens for those gorgeous close-ups of the stars in town, we need that wu-1a adapter to ensure you get to see these Snaps right away, enabling us to upload straight from camera to Smartphone for you all to see!

H&M CANADA has been our main go-to for our fun, versatile fashions for years and once again we will be sporting all H&M this year. TIFF ’16 is the time to be noticed and H&M does just that.

SUBWAY CANADA is the perfect go-to when we’re hungry and we need that Sandwish fulfilled fast! Check back soon as we’ll be launching another $100 SUBWAY®  Gift Card Giveaway in October!

HOTEL NOVOTEL TORONTO CENTRE has been our base for several years now. Once again TIFF ’16 we’ll be calling it home, benefiting from a quick commute to and from the star-filled action in Entertainment District. Above this, there are several amenities including in-and-out privilege parking, a gym, a pool, that amazing breakfast buffet at Café Nicole. Best of all, they’re pet-friendly (we’ve gotta have Billy with us!) and we love their cushy beds!

SAMSUNG CANADA makes TIFF ’16 and our year-round connectivity possible with the Samsung S7, which equipped with a spacious 32 gb of memory, phenomenal low-light camera, accessibility to every Social Media app under the moon and above that, being waterproof, is the only Smartphone for us!

STARBUCKS CANADA partners with us for the first-time ever this year and we are beyond thrilled about this!  Fall means one thing and one thing only, the arrival of the PUMPKIN SPICE LATTE! We dream year-round of the PSL with its warming comfort. Did you know that beginning Tuesday, September 6, 2016, Starbucks Canada will launch its Fall menu including a Chile Mocha Latte and the return of the Salted Caramel Latte? These will be our official beverages of TIFF ’16!

What’s that? You want to win a Starbucks Gift Card so you too can enjoy a PSL?  Canadian Readers simply can click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook to enter!

If you aren’t already, remember to follows us on Social Media:

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See you at TIFF!

Mr. Willxbilly

Now in its third year, the annual TIFF Soirée quickly has become one of the City’s marquee events. The Party, which this year kicks off the 41st edition of the world’s greatest Film Festival, TIFF, takes place once again at TIFF Bell Lightbox.  Academy Award nominee Michael Fassbender follows the footsteps of Al Pacino and Natalie Portman to take the stage before a select few journalists, VIPs glamorous Soirée guests Wednesday, September 7, 2016 to reflect on his meteoric rise to fame. A fabulous cocktail party under the stars is to follow.

Fassbender, a graduate of London’s prestigious Drama Centre, has riveted audiences with acclaimed work in Films like Hunger, Shame, 12 Years a Slave, the X-Men Franchise and of course his Oscar-nominated work in 2015’s Steve Jobs. He next can be seen in Alien: Covenant, Assassin’s Creed, The Snowman and this month in The Light Between Oceans.

With tickets starting at $300, you too can be a part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Hosting Packages also are available, but time is limited.  For more details on this year’s TIFF Soirée, click here.

Fassbender has long been on our radar as one to watch and we’ll never forget meeting him the first time!

If performance and luxury are your thing, the 2016 ACURA RDX precisely is your car. The spacious and elegant vehicle is pure performance with its 3.5-litre i-VTEC^®V6 engine and a remarkable 279 horsepower, putting you firmly in-charge of the road.  We’ve driven several vehicles, but driving 2016 RDX feels completely effortless.

In addition to its sleek style, the RDX is focused greatly on safety. Its super-aware Lane Departure and Lane Keeping systems ensure you are focused entirely on the road 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS), tire-pressure monitoring and front side airbags give us the piece of mind that this car truly has our back.  A rear-view camera with its precise guiding make reversing and parallel parking a real breeze.

The seats were a decadent leather and we love that our Driver’s Seat not only was adjustable eight different ways, but also had a heated/cooling option – v. handy in this grueling summer heat!  The car seats five very comfortably and those in the back also benefit from having their own vents.  The trunk is large and we love that it both opens and closes with the press off a button on the keyless remote.

It’s all about the details for us and we cannot deny that the glorious Acura 360-watt Premium Sound System with SiriusXM gave us sheer joy, but more so, connecting to Spotify on our smartphone was a breeze and when we wanted to listen to our own music, we had that flexibility here. There were charging ports of multiple varieties and this also is extremely important for us.

While the moonroof can be fickle with some manufacturers, Acura makes it a breeze with its one-touch operation.

If the vehicle could be marked against on one thing and one thing only, it would be fuel efficiency, quickly guzzling through a tank at the cost of its high efficiency.  Its fuel economy tallies in at 10.7 litres/100 km.

Driving the 2016 Acura RDX was more than an experience, it was enlightenment!

Learn more about the 2016 and 2017 ACURA RDX right here starting at $42,190 CAN.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada + Mr. Will are happy to give Readers a chance to see official TIFF ’16 selection, QUEEN OF KATWE starring Academy Award winner Lupita Nyong’o.

Screenings take place:

Thursday, September 15, 2016 in Scarborough and Mississauga

Thursday, September 22, 2016 in Laval and Vancouver

Wednesday, September 21, 2016 in Toronto

Wednesday, September 28, 2016 in Waterloo, Ottawa, Vancouver, Montreal (English only), Calgary, Winnipeg and Edmonton.

Synopsis:
QUEEN OF KATWE is the colorful true story of a young girl selling corn on the streets of rural Uganda whose world rapidly changes when she is introduced to the game of chess, and, as a result of the support she receives from her family and community, is instilled with the confidence and determination she needs to pursue her dream of becoming an international chess champion.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook. Please indicate also for us your City.

Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada release QUEEN OF KATWE in Toronto Friday, September 23 2016 and across Canada Friday, September 30, 2016.

(Photo/video credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada)

© 2016 Disney

If like us you love Baz Luhrmann‘s THE GET DOWN, here’s an amazing new Featurette to help us get to know some of its principal cast a bit better! If you haven’t started streaming it yet, here’s a chance to get your feet wet!

Synopsis:
The Get Down is a mythic saga of how New York at the brink of bankruptcy gave birth to a new art form. Set in New York in 1977, this music-driven drama series chronicles the rise of hip-hop and the last days of disco -– told through the lives, music, art and dance of the South Bronx kids who would change the world forever.

See the Featurette:

Netflix Canada streams THE GET DOWN, available now!

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)