The Movie which brought Ryan & Eva together. After premiering at TIFF last September to positive Reviews, finally The Place Beyond the Pines sees a release later this month. Reuniting Director/Writer Derek Cianfrance together with Ryan Gosling after their fantastic Collaboration, Blue Valentine, the Drama is about a Stunt Driver (Gosling) who provides for his unborn Child and Lover (Eva Mendes) by robbing banks. A Rookie Cop (Bradley Cooper) however is onto him, he himself dealing with internal issues in reporting to a corrupt Detective (Ray Liotta). Think Drive, but with a Motorbike, a Baby and Corruption!  LOL

Regardless, the Film looks amazing and despite it being early still, the Critics of Rotten Tomatoes have pegged it at 92% on their Tomatometer.

Watch the Trailer in full below:

Of course, I’ve met some of the amazing Cast of The Place Beyond the Pines over the years and it’s always seeing a Film blossom after it premieres at TIFF!

Rolling Stone Magazine got the exclusive Behind-the-Scenes with some amazing Photos during filming in Schenectady. Click here for more!

eOne Films releases The Place Beyond the Pines on April 12, 2013.

(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)

Comedic Great Michael Ian Black currently is in Toronto for the Toronto Sketch Comedy Festival and to spread the word, the Actor/Writer/Director was out at Global Television‘s The Morning Show (National Edition).  He also is scheduled later today for an appearing on CBC‘s George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight.

In addition to having written the Scripts for Run, Fat Boy, Run and having starred in Cult Hit Wet Hot American Summer, the Connecticut Native currently is keeping busy hosting on the hilarious E! Series Burning Love, which parodies the likes of Reality Series, The Bachelor.  Details here.

Black will be appearing at Randolph Theatre tonight at 8:00 PM and it’s still not too late to get tickets.

My Snap with the funny and kind Black below:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Running from May 15 through 26, 2013, the 66th annual Cannes Film Festival will roll out the Red Carpet to the Who’s Who of Cinema and just announced as the Opening Night Gala being that of long-awaited The Great Gatsby 3D.  The Baz Luhrmann-directed Adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald ‘s Novel stars Leonardo DiCaprio, Carey Mulligan, Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton, Isla Fisher and Elizabeth Debricki.  To draw the connection, Luhrmann released a Statement explaining that Fitzgerald actually wrote “some of the most poignant and beautiful passages” in France, not far from Cannes.

Warner Bros. releases The Great Gatsby 3D on May 10, 2013.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros.)

I LOVE SOFIA COPPOLA! It’s about time we get a new Film from one of my favourite Directors and The Bling Ring has that distinct neon-coloured West Coast Flare Coppola’s become synonymous with. Based on true events, the Dramedy centers around a ground of Teens who used the Internet to track the whereabouts of Celebrities via Twitter and Facebook, before robbing their homes between October 2008 through August 2009.  Over 50 homes were invaded including the likes of Lindsay Lohan, Paris Hilton, Rachel Bilson, Orlando Bloom/Miranda Kerr, Audrina Patridge and Brian Austin Green/Megan Fox.

Taissa Farmiga, Katie Chang, Leslie Mann, Gavin Rossdale and Emma Watson star. Hilton even makes a Cameo.

Watch the Teaser Trailer below:

Complex has some more Photos from The Bling Ring here.

eOne Films releases The Bling Ring this June.

(Photo/video credit: American Zoetrope/eOne Films)

One thing Canadian Television certainly is lacking is the presence of live Primetime programming – unlike our American Friends who have a litany of Talk Shows.  Entertainment Tonight Canada is changing it up with ET Canada Live and the Team behind the ever-popular Staple program have reached-out for a bit of help spreading the word about a super-exciting Opportunity!  ET Canada Live is giving one loyal Fan the chance to be a Special Guest Reporter alongside Cheryl Hickey, Rick Campanelli and Roz Weston on March 27, 2013!

Canadians can submit their 60-second Audition Videos right here, which will be reviewed by ET Canada‘s Producing Team. The top four submissions will be posted online and voting begins March 13, 2013 for the Winner! 

Good luck and hoping not-so-secretly the Winner is one of my own loyal Readers!

(Photo credit: Global Television)

Teen Hearthrobs New Kids on the Block are back with their first Disc since 2008’s The Block and they are ready to deliver their The Package Tour this Summer together with 98 Degrees and Boyz II Men.  It was just announced today that the 80-million-album-selling Quintet have inked an exclusive deal with Universal Music Canada and with their Fanbase still being quite rabid here north of the Border, the move comes as no surprise at all.

NKTOB‘s new Disc, 10 is due in stores on April 2, 2013 and its new Single Remix (I Like The) already is available digitally.

The Package Tour hits Toronto on July 27, 2013 at Air Canada Centre.

Check-out Remix (I Like The) below:

I had the pleasure of seeing NKOTB live back in the Summer 2011 and it was amazing! 

See them perform Step by Step below:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

There is nothing I enjoy more than a good meal and when I discover good food, I love to share it. After making a splash on the West Coast in 2006, Kingyo Izakaya recently debuted in Toronto and our City’s pickiest Foodies are impressed.  The thought of Japanese Cuisine often conjures images of raw Fish and Bento Boxes and understandably, not everyone is a Fan. Kingyo‘s Menu, helmed by Chef Koji Zenimaru, is so much, much more. And in addition to Toronto’s Ramen Rage, Izakayas are not to be relegated to Side Show status.

What is an Izakaya, you ask?  If you haven’t already braved the two-hour-long waits to get into Hotspot Guu Izakaya (one at Church x Gerrard, one in The Annex) already, then you probably haven’t yet experience these establishments’ super-friendly atmosphere where everyone who enters is met with cheers as you come and go. Think  – a Pub which is more Food and Snack-centric; the Food choices are rather exquisite and if you ask me, Kingyo really steps-it-up a notch in terms of fanciness to a level others haven’t quite gone locally.

Tucked away in Cabbagetown, the dimly-lit Spot offers much more moving room than say, Guu.  Overall is a more comfortable dining experience.  I could not keep my eyes off the Television Screen as it played odd Japanese Sci-Fi Series from another era and Staff were attentive and friendly even if they multiple times brought wrong orders to our table.  Just once we hoped we’d actually get to eat them before they realized their mistakes!

I was wowed by their delicate Hamachi Yellow Tail Sashimi,  delighted by their Ebi-Mayo (Deep-fried Shrimp drizzled in Chili-Mayo Sauce), mesmerized by rich-flavoured Miso Broth Stew and absolutely floored by the gooey Mr. Sada’s Sea Urchin Shooter ($8 a pop). Although I’m laying-off Meats these days, I picked-off the pieces in their Beef Tataki Salad with Ume (Sour Plum) Dressing and still enjoyed its immense flavour and my Friends savoured The Legendary Chicken Wings by “Kinchan”, complete with some fancy expand-before-your-eyes Wet-Naps.  Sushi Selections were okay, but I’d save the appetite for a proper Sushi Shop.

Admittedly I’m iffy on often-bland Asian Desserts, myself much preferring a traditional sugary and frosted chunk of Cake, but Kingyo‘s 2 Color Almond Tofu impressed me so and hours later, I find myself craving that delicious Amaretto and Blueberry-heavy confection already.

Kingyo, King of Izakayas in Toronto.  They are situated at 51B Winchester St.  Website here.

See some offerings from their Menu:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Without a doubt it was all about Oz The Great and Powerful this weekend at the Box Office, the Prequel to The Wizard of Oz casting a spell on Moviegoers with a phenomenal $80.3 million earned from 3,912 theatres.  Audiences responded well to the Film, earning a B+ CinemaScore rating, although Critics weren’t as in-love, giving it a 60% rating over at Rotten Tomatoes.  Made for $215 million, the Disney Blockbuster will is still expanding overseas and easily should earn back its costs in coming weeks and is already en route to a Sequel. Worldwide it earned a monstrous $150 million.

Slipping to second this weekend is Jack the Giant Slayer, which debuted on-top last weekend for Warner Bros.  The Family-oriented Fantasy earned $10 million this weekend, bringing it’s cumulative total to $43.80 million in its two-week run.

The unstoppable Identity Thief in its fourth week still is going strong with $6.3 million in third spot, just ahead of a debuting Dead Man Down, starring Colin Farrell and Noomi Rapace, with $5.4 million from 2,188 theatres.  Even though reviews weren’t so strong earning 35% on the Tomatometer, Audiences didn’t dislike the Film giving it a B- CinemaScore.

Relativity Media/eOne Films’ 21 and Over, in its second week earns $5.1 million grossing $16.8 million total in sixth. Safe Haven still hangs onto the Top Ten in seventh spot in its fourth week also, with $3.8 million.  Escape from Planet Earth sits in ninth with $3.2 million, earning a total $47.8 million in three weeks.  Rounding it all out is The Last Exorcism 2 with $3.1 million.

So pretty much everyone on the Internet is raving about Justin Timberlake‘s fantastic fifth time hosting Saturday Night Live and despite the dependency on lewd humour, there never was a dull moment as he charmed his way through Pre-taped/Live  Sketches and Performances of his latest two Singles.

Timberlake started off tonight with a Cold Open, doing a parody of Elton John performing Candle in the Wind in memory of recently-deceased Venezuelan President, Hugo Chavez.  “Goodbye Hugo C…”, he sang.  The Actor/Singer/Songwriter/Entrepreneur was joined also by Saturday Night Live Veterans, who like him previously hosted five times including Alec Baldwin, Tom Hanks, Chevy Chase,  Martin Short, Candace Bergen, Steven Martin and Dan Aykroyd.   The latter two even came back to reprise their roles as the sleazy Festrunk Brothers in a Dating Game Sketch enticing Vanessa Bayer, while  Timberlake and Andy Samberg  too tried seducing her with some raunchy ’90s-inspired R&B.  Think Dick in a Box, but like a fivesome.

Also brought back  was his Liquorville Sketch, which prior saw him perform alongside Lady Gaga.  This time around he dressed-up as a giant piece of Tofu promoting Veganism, with his own takes of Chic‘s Le Freak, Rihanna‘s We Found Love, Vanilla Ice‘s Ice Ice Baby with Vegan-friendly Lyrics.He capped it all off with his own take on Internet Viral Sensation The Harlem Shake but instead, The Vegan Shake.  Amazing!

Watch it below:

With his third solo Disc The 20/20 Experience due later this month, Timberlake made us remember why it is we love him so with stunning renditions of Suit & Tie (joined on-stage by Jay-Z) and Mirrors, both drawing loud cheers, sounding impeccable backed by The Tennessee Kids Band.

Just when we thought the laughs weren’t big enough, a Video Sketch of a fictitious Series with Nasim Pedrad titled She’s Got a Dick, where Timberlake‘s Character has to come to terms with the Woman he loves having some “surprise” male anatomy.  Keenan Thompson also appears on the Sketch curiously questioning Timberlake about its size.

Full Videos will be up on Global Television‘s Website tomorrow for Canadian Viewers.

We’ve got an exciting Justin Timberlake Giveaway coming this week.  Stay tuned for more!

(Photo credit: NBC)

Hot on the heels of its announcement earlier this week of adding its Ultimate Sports Celebrity Experience, Fan Expo Canada has just announced some new additions to their annual Convention in Toronto this August including the likes of Lena Headey (Game of Thrones), Richard Dean Anderson (MacGyver), Norman Reedus (The Walking Dead) and also the legendary George Takei (Star Trek).

Fans who attended Fan Expo‘s Toronto Comicon this weekend were treated to the news first.  Timing will be perfect particularly for Headey who stars in one of this Summer’s most eagerly-awaited Blockbusters, The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones, which she filmed here last year.

In case you didn’t catching wind, it was announced that Sports Icons like Hulk Hogan, Ron Turcotte, Joe Montana and Bobby Orr also will be meeting Fans for a fee this August, with more names to come shortly.

Perhaps this will be the year True Blood‘s Sam Trammell doesn’t bail on us Toronto Fans?

For more information, visit Fan Expo Canada‘s website here.  Fan Expo Canada (Toronto) takes place between August 22-25, 2013 at Metro Convention Centre.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)