Hey Friends!

Happy Holidays! Just a reminder that from now till the end of January, I’m raising a bit of money for the SickKids Foundation’s Possibilities Fund, catering to the Hospital’s most urgent needs.

My initiative, Mr. Will’s Collages for Kids,  requires only a $40 Donation and gets you an individual 10-15 minute Photoshoot with me in-and-around Toronto. Right now Tuesdays and Wednesdays are available only.  If you want to bring your Friends, Family and Pets in on the fun, by all means – the more the merrier!  An extra donation of only $15 is required per extra individual.

This is a great way to have something festive to remember forever and at once, a great way to show you care about those Kids in our Community who need our help most!

Photo-shy?  No worries!  Donations of any amount are accepted between now and the end of January.  Click here to make your contribution!

Simply e-mail press@mrwillwong.com to book your shoot.  Hurry, as time is running out!

Cheers,

Mr. Will

There is nothing dwarf-like at all about the success of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, which debuts with $85 million this weekend across North America in 4,045 theatres for Warner Bros. The Peter Jackson Fantasy Flick also sets a Box Office record for highest December weekend and biggest December opening ever (Friday – $37.5 million) and also sets a record for highest opening ever in December.

Last week’s Champ Skyfall slips to second this weekend with $7.1 million, neck-in-neck with Rise of the Guardian  earning $7.0 million in third.

Disney‘s Lincoln continues to perform impeccably in fourth with $6.7 million, now it its sixth week of release.  The Historical Drama no doubt got a boost from Thursday’s Golden Globe nomination announcements, where it led the way a smashing seven nominations.

Not  much particularly earth-shattering on the bottom end of this weekend’s Top Ten as Wreck-It Ralph lands in seventh with $3.2 million for Disney, while Playing for Keeps earns $3 million in eighth. TIFF 2012 People’s Choice Winner  Silver Linings Playbook, which received three Golden Globe nominations earlier this week, rounds things out with $2.0 million.

Although there’s been much talk about it, finally we got a confirmation of filming dates. Chloe Director Atom Egoyan will be filming his new Thriller Queen of the Night – not to be confused as a Whitney Houston Biopic (I wish!!) – here in Toronto. Filming dates have been scheduled and the month-plus-long shoot will take place throughout the City between February 4 through March 18, 2013.

The Film centers around a Man in pursuit of his kidnapped Daughter. Starring a Canadian Duo of Ryan Reynolds and Scott Speedman, Toronto’s Egoyan truly is a Man of his word, talking the talk in keeping it Canadian. Does this perhaps mean we’ll be seeing Blake Lively spend Valentine’s Day here in Toronto next year? We’ll soon see won’t we?…

eOne Films will be distributing Queen of the Night in Canada.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

This year’s Golden Globe Nominees were announced this morning and on-top is Disney‘s Lincoln, leading the way with a superb seven nominations. Its stars Sally Field, Tommy Lee Jones and Daniel Day-Lewis all are up for Awards in the acting categories, while Argo and Django Unchained also each get an impressive five nods. Silver Linings Playbook, Les Les Misérables and Zero Dark Thirty – the latter two which still haven’t been released yet – each tied in third with four nominations as well.

Looking already like wide-open year, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association really got it right in this pre-cursor to the Oscars, recognizing Film and Television achievements which the Oscars don’t always consider.  Great to see Richard Gere who traditionally gets snubbed at the Oscars, get credit for his work on Arbitrage, while Best Performance by an Actor In A Supporting Role in a Motion Picture looks like a real Nailbiter as Django Unchained Co-Stars Leonardo Dicaprio and Christoph Waltz going head-to-head with Jones, Alan Arkin (Argo) and Philip Seymour Hoffman (The Master).

For a complete list of Nominees, click here.

NBC televises on Sunday, January 13, 2013.

(Photo credit: Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)

Beautiful and burgeoning, Alexandra Daddario is a name to look-out for.  The Star of VVS Films’ upcoming Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D already boasts an incredible Résumé and you may actually recognize her from her work on Parenthood, Law & Order: Criminal Intent, Percy Jackson & the Olympians and White Collar.

Looking a vision of festivity in pink, Daddario was out at Global Television‘s The Morning Show earlier today promoting the eagerly-awaited Remake which sees a young Woman have to travel to Texas with her Friends to collect an inheritance… only to run into a Chainsaw-wielding Maniac.  Don’t you bloody hate it when that happens? The Horror is poised to scare the heck out of Moviegoers next month when it sees a release.

“Thanks so much for standing out in the cold for me”, Daddario says with gratitude. I clarified that what we’re experiencing here in Toronto actually is considered mild and she comments  back, “Oh believe me, I know – I’m from New York!”.

So get this, the Actress was incredibly sweet to sign a Photo for me, which I am going to give away to a lucky Reader. If you’re interested, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook – I’ll pick one of you at random early January!

VVS Films releases Texas Chainsaw Massacre 3D on January 4, 2013.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Missed your chance to attend the Toronto Red Carpet Screening of DJANGO UNCHAINED? Here’s your second chance! Alliance Films & Mr. Will Wong want to give Readers a chance to win a Double Pass to attend next Thursday’s Advance Screening of Quentin Tarantino‘s latest Masterpiece!

The Screening takes place at Scotiabank Theatre on Thursday, December 20, 2012. Simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook to enter to win before Saturday, December 15, 2012.  Good luck!

I was out getting Snaps from both the Toronto Screening featuring Quentin Tarantino and also the New York City World Premiere of the Film where all the Stars and more came out. And also, don’t miss this ultra-rare opportunity to win a Photo signed by Quentin Tarantino himself! Click here for that.

(Photo credit: Alliance Films)

Simply not getting enough of the amazing DJANGO UNCHAINED festivities tonight in Toronto last night, I went back for a double-helping in New York City, scoping-out the World Premiere of this latest Masterpiece from Quentin Tarantino. The Stars came-out in full force in support of the Film at Zeigfeld Theatre, including the likes of Olivia Wilde, John Legend, Zac Efron, 50 Cent, Zach Braff, Darren Aronofsky, Natasha Lyonne, Patrick Wilson, Liv Tyler, Jeremy Piven and oh so many more. Cast Members Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Christoph Waltz, Don Johnson and Leonardo Dicaprio joined iconic Filmmaker Tarantino, whom I was lucky enough to meet in Toronto. Stargazers didn’t even know which direction to run first as the Celebrities poured onto the Red Carpet and out of the venue after the three-hour-long Action-Drama-Western-Thriller ended after 11:00 PM.

I was even lucky enough to get to meet Oscar Winners Foxx and Waltz. Also, I was super-stoked to get Snaps with the handsome Stars Wilson and Piven. Leone has never looked better and what a pleasure it was to meet the Man (Aronofsky) who helmed one of my all-time Faves, Black Swan.

Watch some brief Clips I got of Foxx and Dicaprio arriving at the Venue:

I never leave my Readers empty-handed and got you back a little Souvenir from my Trip – a signed Photo from Quentin Tarantino himself! To enter to win it, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook before January 12, 2013. All are welcome to enter!

Alliance Films releases DJANGO UNCHAINED in theatres Christmas Day.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Don’t get me wrong – I love Toronto, but my love affair with New York City has been ongoing for many years now. Life happens and priorities call, so believe it or not, it’s been about five years since I’ve been on vacation.  Feeling inspired I decided to take a Daytrip, flying-out this morning.  At the break of dawn my friend Keith was ever so kind to come pick me up and we dropped Billy off at the Boarder’s for a day.

My day was exhilarating, absorbing the hustle and bustle of the City, getting lost and finding my way again.  A day away is all it took and I feel so incredibly rejuvenated!  The Fashion, the buzzing energy, the lights -New York City brims with an unwavering confidence and extra bit of attention to detail which we all could learn from.

I indulged in Macarons from Bouchon, inhaled a Lobster Roll from The Soup Man, devoured a Rockette Red Velvet Cupcake from Magnolia Bakery, gobbled Truffles from La Maison du Chocolat and although I could’ve enjoyed any of the fine Cuisine in New York City, I chose to reunite with Toronto’s long-lost Friend, The Olive Garden, meeting-up with a Friend Jamie who also happened to be visiting coincidentally!  For once I couldn’t even finish the plate!  I also found a charming one bedroom apartment to rent overnight right in the thick of it all.

Today was a day I’ll never forget and here are some  images from my best day ever.  Enjoy.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

A Legend is before us. One night before the big Premiere of his DJANGO UNCHAINED in New York City, iconic Filmmaker Quentin Tarantino brought a Crowd out to Scotiabank Theatre tonight here in Toronto.  Journalists and Fans alike lined the Red Carpet tonight to catch a glimpse of Tarantino who hasn’t been in the City since premiering his Oscar-worthy Inglorious Basterds here back in 2009 at the same venue.

This new Action-Thriller-Drama centers around an enslaved Bounty Hunter’s revenge against the gross injustices witnessed against others – including his Wife – at the hands of a sadistic Plantation Owner. It stars a brilliant Cast including Jamie Foxx, Leonardo Dicaprio, Christoph Waltz, Kerry Washington and Samuel L. Jackson. Tarantino tells The Toronto Star‘s Peter Howell, “I feel shame for my Country that it happened”, on the topic of Slavery.

Measuring Fan reactions, the Filmmaker sat-in on the Screening tonight for well-over two hours before being escorted into his Escalade by two Security Guards.

Thanks to my dear Friend Keith McCalmont who was super-kind to send a Photo of Tarantino on the Carpet with another good Friend, Melissa DiMarco below.  And of course, I had to have my moment with Tarantino also, although when he reached over to grab my Camera to take a Selfie of us, the lens seemed to have been knocked out of its socket!  Oh well, if it was going to be one person whom it would be fitting to break my Camera, it definitely would be him!  Special thanks to John Vassal who was awesome to capture the moment on his Camera still!

 I’ll be out in NYC tomorrow capturing some of the Highlights at the Premiere. Wish me luck!

Alliance Films releases Django Unchained  in theatres Christmas Day.

(Photo credit: Keith McCalmont/John Vassal/Mr. Will Wong)

Unbelieveable! Skyfall, in its fifth week of release, climbs to the top of the Box Office this weekend, usurping the three-week reign of The Twlight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2. Earning $10.8 million on a tepid weekend at the theatres, the latest in the James Bond Franchise has made over $261 million now domestically for Sony Pictures.

Paramount Pictures’ Rise of the Guardian rises to second spot this weekend earning $10.4 million in its third week of release, just ahead of Breaking Dawn – Part 2, which slips to third spot in this its fourth week in theatres with $8.9 million this weekend, closing-in on the $300 million mark domestically for Summit Entertainment/eOne Films.

Lincoln still continues to go strong in fourth spot for Disney with $8.8 million, with tons of Oscar buzz driving Moviegoers to the theatres to see dual Oscar Winners respectively, Sally Field and Daniel Day-Lewis.

This weekend’s sole debut in the Top Ten comes from Playing for Keeps, the Rom-Com starring Gerard Butler from FilmDistrict/VVS Films, earning $6.1 million from 2,837 theatres. Critics unfortunately weren’t charmed, tallying-in at 2% on Rotten Tomatoes.  Fans however are responding, with the Film making the grade with a B+ via CinemaScore.

The Weinstein Co.’s Killing them Softly meanwhile, rounds out the Top Ten with $2.8 million in its second week.  Reviews overall have been solid, maintaining a 76% on the Tomatometer.