If like me you LOVED Rachel Platten‘s inspiring and uplifting Fight Song, your minds will be blown by this stunning new track from her upcoming disc WILDFIRE titled Better Place.

Released right in time for the Holidays, there once again is something incredibly-heartwarming also about this Track which showcases her phenomenal ability as a Pop Writer.   Her clean vocals take us literally to a better place.

Please listen below:

We had the pleasure of meeting Platten in October here in Toronto and she was just the sweetest. Read more here.

Sony Music Canada release WILDFIRE on New Year’s Day.

Check out also these track-by-track previews from the Disc:

Not that there ever was any doubt about it, but STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS makes an astronomical debut this weekend with $238 million for Disney, from 4,134 theatres.  This not only sets a record for the largest domestic opening ever for a Film, but also critically fares well with an A CinemaScore from satisfied Audiences and a stellar 95% score from Critics on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer. Among other records, it became the first ever Film to cross $100 million in one day ane also it has the distinction of being the fastest Film the surpass both the $100 and $200 million-marks. By comparison, the first ever Film in the Franchise in 1977 opened in 43 theatres only with $1.5 million earned in its first weekend.

ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS: THE ROAD CHIP is the latest in the successful Franchise, debuting with $14.5 million for 20th Century Fox, good enough for distant second at 3,653 theatres. Despite an A- CinemaScore from Audiences, Critics gave it only 14% on the Tomatometer.

SISTERS starring famed duo Tina Fey and Amy Poehler opens in third with $14 million from 2,962 theatres for Universal Pictures. With a B CinemaScore from Audiences, it gets a passable 62% on the Tomatometer.

THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 2 is in fourth this weekend with $5.3 million now in its fifth week out.  It has made $254 million in its domestic run to date for Lionsgate Films/eOne Films.

CREED is in fifth this weekend with $4.8 million for Warner Bros. In four weeks it has made $87.6 million in North America.

SPECTRE in its seventh week out rounds-out the Top Ten with $1.3 million.  It now has grossed $193 million domestically for Sony Pictures.

Finally after a lot of talk, we see some action! Some new Character Posters (below) and a new still have been released (above) from upcoming 2016 release GHOSTBUSTERS! Check ’em out below!

Synopsis:
Thirty years after the original film took the world by storm, Ghostbusters is back and fully rebooted for a new generation. Director Paul Feig combines all the paranormal fighting elements that made the original franchise so beloved with a cast of new characters, played by the funniest actors working today. Get ready to watch them save the world this summer!

GHOSTBUSTERS stars Melissa McCarthy, Kristen Wiig, Kate McKinnon, Leslie Jones, Charles Dance, Michael Kenneth Williams and Chris Hemsworth.

See the new Character Posters:

Sony Pictures Canada release GHOSTBUSTERS on Friday, July 15, 2016.

(Photo credit: Sony Pictures Canada)

Margot Robbie. Martin Freeman. Tina Fey. Does a Cast get more eclectic and exciting than that? You need to see this hilarious Trailer for WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT!

The Film is based on the book The Taliban Shuffle: Strange Days In Afghanistan And Pakistan by Kim Barker.

See the Trailer:

Paramount Pictures Canada release WHISKEY TANGO FOXTROT March 4, 2016.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)

Just two more days till Fans allover the World will fall in-love with STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS!  Jimmy Fallon once again goes way above and beyond with the Cast of the Film and The Roots, performing an out-of-this-world A Capella version of the Star Wars theme. Seen here are Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Adam Driver, Gwendoline Christie, Lupita Nyong’o, Carrie Fisher and Harrison Ford. YOU. MUST. WATCH.

See it below:

Read our Review for STAR WARS: THE FORCE AWAKENS right here!

(Photo/video credit: NBC)

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada + Mr. Will want Readers to win a box set for eight-time Primetime Emmy-nominated JUSTIFIED: The Complete Series Limited Edition Box Set!

Synopsis:

Justified is an American television drama series based on Elmore Leonard‘s short story “Fire in the Hole“. Timothy Olyphant portrays Raylan Givens, a tough U.S. Marshal enforcing his own brand of justice in his hometown of Harlan, Kentucky.

Justified also stars Nick Searcy, Joelle Carter, Jacob Pitts, Erica Tazel, Natalie Zea, Walton Goggins and Jere Burns.

To enter to win, JUSTIFIED: The Complete Series  Limited Edition Box Set, including a limited edition flask, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook. Canadian Readers only please.

Artwork:

Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada release JUSTIFIED: The Complete Series Box Set, in stores now.

G’luck.

(Photo credit: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada)

Paramount Pictures Canada + Mr. Will want to take Readers to see gripping war drama 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI first! Screenings take place Wednesday, January 13, 2016 in Toronto, Montreal and Ottawa.

Synopsis:
When everything went wrong, six men had the courage to do what was right.

Directed by Michael Bay, 13 Hours: The Secret Soldiers of Benghazi stars John Krasinski, David Giuntoli, Pablo Schreiber, Max Martini and James Badge Dale.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook and state your city. You may click “share” from there for an extra chance or Tweet the below:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/13hours @MRWILLW wants us to #win Advance Passes to see #13HoursMovie. Out 1/15!

Paramount Pictures Canada release 13 HOURS: THE SECRET SOLDIERS OF BENGHAZI in select Canadian cities Friday, January 15, 2016 and across Canada Friday, January 22, 2016.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)

After premiering at TIFF ’15 Animated Feature ANOMALISA quickly got picked-up for distribution as critics went wild for Charlie Kaufman‘s latest. Paramount Pictures Canada + Mr. Will want to take you to see it first. Screenings take place in Toronto (Wednesday, January 6, 2016), Montreal (Thursday, January 14, 2016) and Ottawa (Wednesday, January 20, 2016).

Synopsis:
Michael Stone, husband, father and respected author of “How May I Help You Help Them?” is a man crippled by the mundanity of his life. On a business trip to Cincinnati, where he’s scheduled to speak at a convention of customer service professionals, he checks into the Fregoli Hotel. There, he is amazed to discover a possible escape from his desperation in the form of an unassuming Akron baked goods sales rep, Lisa, who may or may not be the love of his life. A beautifully tender and absurdly humorous dreamscape, from the brilliant minds of Charlie Kaufman (SYNECDOCHE, NEW YORK) and Duke Johnson (“Community” episode, Abed’s Uncontrollable Christmas), this stop-motion animation wonder features the vocal cast of Jennifer Jason Leigh, Tom Noonan and David Thewlis and a stirring strings-based score by Carter Burwell. The darkly comedic and surreal stop-motion journey of a man’s long night of the soul, ANOMALISA confirms Charlie Kaufman‘s place amongst the most important of American filmmakers, and announces Duke Johnson as a major creative force.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook. You may click “share” from there for an extra chance or Tweet out the below:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/anomalisa @MRWILLW wants us to #win Advance Passes to see #ANOMALISA!

G’luck.

Paramount Pictures Canada release ANOMALISA in Toronto on Friday, January 8, 2016, Montreal on Friday, January 15, 2016 and Ottawa to be determined, with additional cities to follow.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)

There are several mysteries in life… like how they get the caramel into the Caramilk bar and also how that voice came out of JoJo, an unassuming pre-teen girl who stormed our airwaves with a multitude of hits beginning 2004. If you listened to Top 40 back when people listened to the radio, you’ll remember her smashes Leave (Get Out) and Too Little Too Late.  After a draining dispute with her former record label which kept JoJo out of the spotlight for most of the past decade, she’s back!

We were super-fond of her Tringle – three singles – released  simultaneously back in August and finally JoJo is back in Toronto today for a sold-out show at The Mod Club.

We caught-up with the brilliant Vocalist earlier today as she got ready to tape a string of interviews at the Bell Media building and she went beyond to stop for a Selfie.  She was so grateful for the support and lovely, not yet fully in the outfit she was about to be seen in, make-up all done.

While this current Tour is just a taste of what’s to come, we’re famished for new music from JoJo.  More details on her full-length debut from Warner Music Canada to come soon!

See our Snap:

With #Jojo! Have waited like 8 years for this! She plays Mod Club tonight! #Toronto #The6ix

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Dec 15, 2015 at 10:44am PST

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/Warner Music)

Master of wit. Member of the original Frat Pack.  Will Ferrell for many of us is a household name we’ve grown-up with, whether it be his phenomenal run on NBC staple Saturday Night Live, timeless classics like Elf or what’s to come next – that eagerly-awaited sequel to Zoolander which already has ‘broken the internet’ with a record-setting 52.5 million views in its first week.

Although this wasn’t Ferrell‘s first visit to the City, with the Toronto International Film Festival, Semi-Pro and The Campaign bringing him to Toronto in recent years, Fans and Media equally were excited to see him again as the red carpet was rolled-out at Scotiabank Theatre for a special Advance Screening of DADDY’S HOME.

Despite being a bit behind schedule worsened by inclement weather, Ferrell was generous with his face time and after doing a round of interviews, he quickly went in-theatre to introduce his new Comedy, before picking-up where he left-off with Media. Believe me, we’ve been on the Red Carpet circuit for years now and we’re lucky sometimes even to get a question in.  Ferrell was a class act, giving thoughtful answers which go a level deeper than the Funnyman we think we know.

My Samsung S6 rang off the hook around 7:10 PM while Ferrell was on-stage before a packed theatre of Fans, many who hadn’t a clue he’d be coming.  Already a bit nervous, my jaws dropped in disbelief that he singled me out, asking “Where’s Will Wong?”.  Perhaps it’s because we share a name, perhaps our name had a fun ring to it, or maybe he googled us after learning that we’d be speaking on the Carpet?  Whatever it was, we didn’t want to wake-up from it.

Special thanks to @DaveMABalwdin for sending this in:

What is life again?

Daddy’s Home centers on a man named Brad (Ferrell), a smooth jazz radio executive whose world is turned upside-down after the birth father of his stepchildren, Dusty (Mark Wahlberg) re-enters the picture after a period of estrangement.  Dead-set on reclaiming back his wife Sarah (Linda Cardellini) and kids, Dusty pulls-out all the stops, awakening Brad‘s competitive spirit and deepest insecurities in a full-on Battle of the Dads.  Can there be only one Dad?

Decked-out in a perfectly-cut suit, the eloquent and gracious Ferrell made his way to us, the last outlet on the Carpet, still in great spirits. We expressed our gratitude for his shout-out earlier – an endorsement of the highest kind.

I point-out that often in Film, we see the stepparent not always in the most favourable light.  What is refreshing about Daddy’s Home is that it gives us a completely new perspective.  As Producer and Star of the Film, we ask about the importance of this story being told.

Ferrell says, “I think Daddy’s Home is more about the blended family, which is becoming more commonplace. It’s so unique. We don’t think we’ve seen this done before in a Family-Comedy.”.   He adds, “Original Writer Brian Burns gives us a  heightened version of his life and that’s how he pitched it to us. He’s a stepdad of two and he does everything by-the-book and is always there for them. Meanwhile the ‘real dad’ comes on weekends, takes them to Disneyland and buys them candy and Brian‘s left to pick-up the pieces on Monday and we kept laughing at this.”.  “It’s the steady force having to deal with the tornado and there’s  a lot of potential for comedy there.”.

The character Brad seems to know what he wants in life until Wahlberg‘s Dusty shows-up and from there his insecurities become amplified and it is his competitive spirit that drives the plot along.  We ask the well-spoken and confident Ferrell about his own insecurities and after pausing to think, his response in true Ferrell form is hysterical.

He jokes, “My greatest insecurity is that Mark Wahlberg will be jealous of my one ab and that he won’t talk to me anymore.”.

We ask Ferrell about his upcoming projects, more specifically hoping he’ll dish on Zoolander 2 and his sassy fashion maven, Mugatu.  And he does.

“I’ve got Zoolander 2 coming out and I had a great time reprising Mugatu.  I’m working on reuniting with Adam McKay (Anchorman, Step Brothers, The Other Guys) and John C. Reilly on a Film about two guys who go down to protect the (southern U.S.) border.”.

We wish it were the Canadian-border though…  He seemed to know enough about Canadian Politics, answering questions about our new Prime Minister Justin Trudeau with another outlet earlier.

See our Chat:

#TrueStory: #WillFerrell walks into the Canadian Premiere for #DaddysHome and asks, “Where’s Will Wong?!?”. And I faint. #Toronto #The6ix Photo by @alyssamhurst. A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Dec 14, 2015 at 4:51pm PST

Paramount Pictures Canada release DADDY’S HOME on Christmas Day.

Review coming soon.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Alyssa Hurst)