Happy Holidays!  2012 has been an incredibly hectic and star-filled year with tons of great Celebs, Music and Movies gracing out City.  Your support, readership and love has not gone unappreciated and I hope to keep raising the bar for you.

The Site is closed for the Holidays, but before you know it I’ll be back in the New Year.  Until then, surely there’s lots to catch-up on here and if you need some honest, Fan-friendly input on what to see at the Movies this Holiday, check-out some Reviews right here.

Wishing you and your loved ones a festive Holiday and an explosive 2013!

With love,

Mr. Will & billy

For a second week in-a-row, Warner Bros.’ The Hobbit maintains its dominance at the Box Office, bringing-in $36.7 million from 4,100 theatres. In its two week run so far domestically it has earned $145.2 million and despite a significant drop this weekend, it still is far and clear ahead of the competition.

Tom Cruise shows that he definitely still has what it takes to draw a crowd, with Paramount Pictures’ Novel Series Adaptation Jack Reacher earning a respectable $15.6 million in its debut from 3,352 theatres.  Critics had generally positive things to say about the Film,  tallying-in at 69% at Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer.

Judd Apatow‘s Knocked-Up sorta Sequel This is 40 opens in 2,912 theatres this weekend in third with $12 million for Universal Pictures. Reviews unfortunately have been mixed for the Comedy starring Paul Rudd and Leslie Mann, garnering only 49% on the Tomatometer.

Rise of the Guardians still is going strong in fourth with $5.9 million for Paramount Pictures, landing ahead of Disney‘s Lincoln with $5.6 million in fifth.

Seth Rogen and Barbra Streisand on paper seemed like an amazing idea, but Mother-Son Comedy The Guilt Trip which perhaps would’ve better been saved for a Mother’s Day release than the already crowded Holiday slate.   It earns $5.4 million in its opening also for Paramount Pictures, good enough for sixth.

Experiencing a slip this weekend is former Champ Skyfall with $4.7 million in eighth, while The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 rounds out the Top Ten in its sixth week with $2.6 million.  Meanwhile, Oscar Frontrunner Zero Dark Thirty, which is set for a January wide release, opens limited in five theatres, grossing an impressive $410k from.  Keep a tab on this one as big things are expected from Director Kathryn Bigelow.

2012 was a memorable year for Music, with several standouts in Music and Film.  I was busier than ever chasing  Stars in the City, with several Celebrities having good reason to visit Toronto this year, including one of the most star-studded TIFFs in recent memory.  Let’s take a walk down Memory Lane in honour what I feel were the most memorable Films, Pop Songs and personal Celebrity Encounters!

Top Ten Movies of 2012

1. Argo
2. The Perks of Being a Wallflower
3. Django Unchained
4. Ted
5. Silver Linings Playbook
6. The Hunger Games
7. End of Watch
8. The Sessions
9. Les Misérables
10. Rock of Ages

Top Ten Singles of 2012

1. Brokenhearted – Karmin
2. What Doesn’t Kill You (Stronger) – Kelly Clarkson
3. Madness – Muse
4. Midnight City – M83
5. We are Young – fun. ft. Janelle Monáe
6. Dance Again – Jennifer Lopez ft. Pitbull
7. Skyfall – Adele
8. Wide Awake – Katy Perry
9. Starships – Nicki Minaj
10. Gangnam Style – PSY

Top Celebrity Encounters of 2012

Steven Tyler, Paula Abdul, Sheena Easton, Alanis Morissette, Nelly Furtado, Carly Rae Jepsen, PSY, The Wanted, One Direction, Ed Sheeran, fun., Karmin, Emeli Sandé, Adam Lambert, Jennifer Hudson, Jamie Foxx, Christoph Waltz, Quentin Tarantino, Gary Oldman, Michael Keaton, Robin Williams, Jon Voight, Malcolm McDowell, Viggo Mortensen, Matt Dillon, Andrew McCarthy, Rob Lowe, Linda Hamilton, Ben Affleck, Idris Elba, Charlie Hunnam, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, Joe Manganiello, Aaron Johnson, Ben Whishaw, Dane DeHaan, Joel Kinnaman, Daniel Radcliffe, Josh Hutcherson, Zac Efron, Logan Lerman, Jeremy Irvine, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Michael Shannon, Patrick Wilson, John Krasinski, Adam Sandler, Tracy Morgan, Kristen Wiig, Leslie Mann & Judd Apatow, Allison Williams, Meg Hilty, Lisa D’Amato, Cobie Smulders, Zoe Kazan & Paul Dano, Amy Adams, Julianne Moore, Mélanie Laurent, Marisa Tomei, Eva Mendes, Lily Collins, Alice Englert, Elle Fanning, Kristin Scott Thomas, Christina Hendricks, Kim Kardashian, Seann William Scott, Stephen Amell, Ricki Lake, Connie Chung, Jacky Cheung, George Takei, Mike Smith, Rosie Napravnik, Frankie Dettori, Andy Roddick & Brooklyn Decker and Jeremy Lin.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Holy Press! Not only am I honoured to have been written about by The National Post‘s Shinan Govani about my camera-breaking experience with Quentin Tarantino at the Django Unchained Premiere in Toronto, but now this!  My second time being in the Papers this week!  Thanks to Jane for sending the above Snap over from the recent HBO Canada Party for Girls, featuring the stunning Allison Williams.  How awesome. Look at me!  LOL

Catch-up below:

(Photo credit: The National Post/The Globe & Mail)

While we’re in the spirit of Les Misérables, I am thrilled to hear finally a full HQ Version of Anne Hathaway performing I Dreamed a Dream.  The Track is available on Les Misérables – Highlights from the Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, which originally was scheduled to be released on Boxing Day, but now is in-stores today.

Listen to Hathaway‘s raw, powerful and emotive performance in full right here on Tumblr.  You won’t believe your ears that the is the same young Woman who starred in The Princess Diaries and Ella Enchanted not too long ago.

Order the Soundtrack right here.

(Photo credit: Universal Pictures | Audio content: Universal Music)

Alliance Films and Mr. Will Wong are thrilled to give Readers a chance to win a Double Pass to see Zero Dark Thirty, a frontrunner for Best Picture at the upcoming Academy Awards. The Screening takes place Thursday, January 10, 2013 in Toronto.

For a decade, an elite team of intelligence and military operatives, working in secret across the Globe, devoted themselves to a single goal: to find and eliminate Osama bin Laden. Zero Dark Thirty reunites the Oscar®-winning Team of director-producer Kathryn Bigelow and writer-producer Mark Boal (The Hurt Locker) for the story of History’s greatest manhunt for the world’s most dangerous Man. The Drama stars Jessica Chastain, Chris Pratt, Jason Clarke, Joel Edgerton and Taylor Kinney,

Watch the Trailer below:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook before January 6, 2013. You must also be following on Twitter here.

Alliance Films releases Zero Dark Thirty on Friday, January 11, 2013.

(Photo/video credit: Alliance Films)

Alliance Films and Mr. Will Wong are thrilled to give Readers a chance to win a Double Pass to see Gus Van Sant‘s (MILK, Good Will Hunting) latest Film, Promised Land. The Screening takes place on Thursday, January 3, 2013 in Toronto. Personally I’ve seen the Film and was really pleasantly surprised!

Promised Land is the new contemporary drama directed by Gus Van Sant (Good Will Hunting, Milk). Matt Damon plays Steve Butler, an ace corporate Salesman who is sent along with his Partner, Sue Thomason (Frances McDormand), to close a key rural town in his company’s expansion plans. With the town having been hit hard by the economic decline of recent years, the two outsiders see the local Citizens as likely to accept their company’s offer, for drilling rights to their properties, as much-needed relief. What seems like an easy job for the duo becomes complicated by the objection of a respected Schoolteacher (Hal Holbrook) with support from a grassroots campaign led by another Man (John Krasinski), as well as the interest of a local Woman (Rosemarie DeWitt). Promised Land explores America at the crossroads where big business and the strength of small-town community converge.

Watch the Trailer below:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook before New Year’s Day! You should also be following on Twitter.

Alliance Films releases Promised Land on Friday, January 4, 2013.

(Photo/video credit: Alliance Films)

He’s never looked better. Check-out this dazzling new Trailer for The Great Gatbsy 3-D which we finally get an update for after a lengthy pause. Leonardo Dicaprio looks amazingly dapper in this gorgeous looking latest effort from Moulin Rouge Director Baz Luhrmann. It’s been ages since we’ve seen a proper Romance and nobody translates love to the Big Screen with such elegance as the Australian Filmmaker.

For those of us who aren’t familiar with the Novel by F. Scott Fitzgerland, The Great Gatsby is about a Midwesterner named Nick Carraway (Tobey Maguire) who becomes entangled in an unfamiliar and glamorous World of Jay Gatsby (Leonardo Dicaprio) his  after moving to Long Island, drawn-into a world of obsession and tragedy. Carey Mulligan, Jason Clarke, Isla Fisher and Joel Edgerton star also.

Watch the Trailer in full below:

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

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros.)

Season Eleven Winner of American Idol, Phillip Phillips arrived in Toronto a couple days ago to promote his debut Disc from Universal Music Canada, The World from the Other Side of the Moon.  Up and at ’em early, Phillips had a busy Press Day yesterday which had him at MuchMusic for a taping and today he performed live on CityTV‘s Breakfast Television.

Phillips is making the most of his Visit to the City and tonight, Fans in the east end will have a chance to see him live as he appears at Pickering Town Centre at 5:30 PM for a Autograph Signing.  The handsome 22-year-old will be meeting Fans who purchase a copy of his Disc at HMV.

In addition to touring with Adult Contemporary-Pop Veterans Matchbox Twenty next year, Phillips just released his new Single Gone, Gone, Gone.

Check-out his performance at AOL Sessions below:

See more Photos below:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong | Video credit: Universal Music/AOL)

For the second year in-a-row, eOne Films takes home Top Prize with the Toronto Film Critics Association‘s Best Film being awarded to The Master.  Last year, they were victorious with Terrence Malick‘s ever-polarizing Tree of Life.   Paul Thomas Anderson’s Drama which many believe to be about Scientology, also wins in Directing, Screenwriting and Supporting Actor categories for both Anderson and Philip Seymour Hoffman, respectively.  Joaquin Phoenix and Amy Adams who turn-in stellar performances also, fell just-short of deserved accolades.

In a bit of a surprise,  the TFCA also selected Denis Lavant as Best Actor for his work in French Film Holy Motors, while Rachel Weisz wins Best Actress for her performance in The Deep Blue Sea.  Both Films are distributed in Canada by Mongrel Media. Gina Gershon also is awarded Best Supporting Actress for her chicken bone-sucking performance in VVS Films‘ Killer Joe.  These all are seen somewhat as a shock, considering the amount of year-end buzz Films like Zero Dark Thirty, Les Miserables, Silver Linings Playbook and Lincoln are receiving from our Friends south of the Border.

Also, a huge congrats goes to our Friends at Alliance Films for their Best Animated Feature win with ParaNorman.  The Canadian Distributor also is up for the $100k Rogers Best Canadian Film Award with Goon, which is up against Bestiaire and Stories We Tell.  The Winner will be revealed January 8, 2013 at The Carlu during the TFCA‘s annual Awards Dinner.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)