Since I heard about it being in development, I’ve been super-excited for Oz The Great and Powerful.  Starring James Franco, Michelle Williams, Rachel Weisz and Mila Kunis, the Fantasy directed by Sam Raimi follows the Story of Oscar (Franco) who transforms himself from a small-time Circus Magician into the greatest Wizard of all. He doesn’t get there however without convincing three Witches first, Theodora (Mila Kunis), Evanora (Rachel Weisz) and Glinda (Michelle Williams), who just aren’t buying his greatness.

Opening March 8, 2013 via Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures, a Sneak Peak of Oz The Great and Powerful will be presented during this Sunday’s Super Bowl, but you can see it first here!

Watch the Teaser below:

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

The 19th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were held tonight at The Shrine in Los Angeles, as one of the final major Awards Ceremonies leading up to next month’s Oscars.  The Awards, which allow Actors to honour their v. own, recognize both Film and Television Performers.  As is the case with the SAG Awards, what makes it unique is that their is now Best Picture Award as the Ceremony honours performances strictly.  This year, Dick Van Dyke was the honourary Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Winning top honours tonight was Argo for Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture, which is making it seem increasingly likely as a real Best Picture Candidate at the Oscars, considering its Motion Picture – Drama win at the Golden Globes a couple weeks back.  Actor/Director Ben Affleck, who was a noticeable omission from the Directing Category at the Oscars, delivered a heartfelt and funny Speech, remembering to thank Wife Jennifer Garner: “I wanna thank my Wife, who I love, and my Kids, and Warner Brothers, who I love, but not as much.”.  The Ensemble Cast from Argo includes: Clea Duvall, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin, Victor Garber, Scoot McNairy, Kerry Bishé, Tate Donovan and more.

Lincoln also continues to be a major presence this Awards Season with Daniel Day-Lewis solidifying his case for Best Actor at the Oscars with a win  for Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture.  This counts as his third win at the Awards, after previously having won in 2003 and 2008 for Gangs of New York and There Will Be Blood. In what was a competitive Category, Tommy Lee Jones too was awarded Supporting Actor, Film for his work in Lincoln too after having been defeated by Christoph Waltz a couple weeks ago at the Golden Globes.

Jennifer Lawrence, who despite recovering from Pneumonia still ventured-out in her Dior Couture (same label as her Golden Globes Dress), pulled-off a surprise upset over an Alexander McQueen-clad Jessica Chastain, with her spirited work in Silver Linings Playbook.  While accepting the Award, even Katniss herself couldn’t avoid a slight Wardrobe Malfunction with her dress appearing to tear at the knees, although it was later confirmed via Dior that in fact this was part of the design.

Meanwhile,  Anne Hathaway won Supporting Actress, Film for her stunning performance in Les Misérables, her first ever SAG Award and just one of many won of late.  The Actress stunned in Giambattista Valli Haute Couture, daring in a black Dress which drew some parallels to her scandal-inducing Tom Ford Dress worn at the New York City Premiere for the Film in December.

Now into its final Season, 30 Rock nabbed two Awards for Actor and Actress in Television Series, Comedy with both Alec Baldwin and Tina Fey respectively, while the Cast of Modern Family for a third time won Ensemble Cast, Comedy, Television Series.  ITV British Import Downton Abbey won Ensemble Cast, Drama, Television Series.

For Television Movie or Miniseries, both Film Veterans Kevin Costner and Juliane Moore were victorious for their work in History’s Hatfields and McCoys and HBO‘s Game Change respectively.  Claire Danes also continues her domination this Awards Season, winning for her work on Showtime‘s Homeland for Actress, Television Series, Drama, while  Cranston won Actor Award, Television Series, Drama  for AMC’s Breaking Bad (making him a double-Winner also for Argo), beating-out Danes’ Co-Star Damian Lewis who won at the Golden Globes.

Toronto Viewers tonight were inconvenienced by technical glitches, delaying the broadcast of the SAG Awards on Global Television. Finally at approximately 9:00 PM the issue was resolved, but not without   Torontonians first being so outraged that they took to Twitter to vent so much that the Station trended.  Bad Publicity can be good too perhaps.

Read Global Television‘s Tweets about the glitches below:

 See some of the best looks from the SAG Awards tonight including  my favourite, Chastain and Seyfried in Zac Posen:

Complete List of Winners here.

(Photo credit: Getty Images/Warner Bros.)

Critics didn’t like it v. much, but Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters 3D opens solidly, debuting at number one this weekend with $19 million in North America for Paramount Pictures.  The Action-Fantasy starring Jeremy Renner and Gemma Arterton opened in 3,372 theatres, was made for $50 million and performed particularly well overseas including Russia where it earned $8.6 million alone on Friday.  Audiences gave the Film a B over at Cinemascore, which suggests it might not be as bad as Critics made it seem, earning only 15% at Rotten Tomatoes’ Tomatometer.

Last week’s Champ, Mama slips to second but still is going well with $12.9 million for Universal Pictures/eOne Films.  In two weeks it has grossed an impressive $47.5 million domestically.

Now into its eleventh week of release, Silver Linings Playbook continues to benefit from its Oscar Buzz in third, earning $10 million for The Weinstein Co./Alliance Films (eOne Films) from 2,641 theatres, keeping another Best Picture Contender,  Zero Dark Thirty, at bay in fourth with $9.8 million from 2,929 theatres.

Parker from FilmDistrict/eOne Films opens with $7 million this weekend in fourth.  The Action Flick starring Jason Statham and Jennifer Lopez garnered overall negative reviews (35% on Rotten Tomatoes), but Audiences responded with a B+ Cinemascore.

Django Unchained still is hanging-in sitting in fifth with $5 million and right behind in sixth is The Farrelly Brothers‘ latest RomCom Movie 43 which boasts an All-Star Cast, but still managed only to pull-in $5 million in its debut for Relativity Media/Alliance Films (eOne Films).  The Cast includes: Kate Winslet, Josh Duhamel, Johnny Knoxville, Chloe Moretz, Hugh Jackman, Naomi Watts, Liev Schreiber, Halle Berry, Uma Thurman, Anna Faris,  Chris Pratt, Gerard Butler, Snooki, Elizabeth Banks, Jason Sudeikis and many more.  Critics were particularly tough, the Film tallying only 6% on the Tomatometer. Audiences were equally tough with an unimpressed Cinemascore of a D.

Broken City rounds-out the Top Ten in its second week with $3.8 million ($15 million earned to date), almost on its way to recouping half of its $35 million budget.

Several Films are coming out of Sundance Film Festival in Park City this year with  Oscar potential/buzz and winning the Audience Award, U.S. Drama is The Weinstein Co.’s Fruitvale, produced by Forrest Whitaker’s Significant Productions and OG Project.  The Film from first-time Director Ryan Coogler, Fruitvale centers around Oscar Grant, who was shot to death on January 1, 2009 after Police responded to fight which took place aboard a Train in the Bay Area.  Michael B. Jordan, Octavia Spencer, Kevin Durand and Chad Michael Murray star in what is looking possibly like a TIFF 2013 Title.  The Sessions which won the same Award last year also en route to premiering at TIFF 2012, while Helen Hunt who starred in the Film went on to receive an Oscar nomination in the category of Best Supporting Actress for her work.

The Weinstein Co. also is gaining a fair amount of buzz with Lovelace, the Biopic about Pornstar Linda Lovelace starring Amanda Seyfried, Peter Sarsgaard, Sharon Stone, Juno Temple, James Franco and Wes Bentley.  The Hollywood Reporter already is calling it, “smartly done”.  Variety however has a more mixed reaction, but still feel the Film “goes down smooth”, despite its’ “Movie of the Week Melodrama”.

Watch this Clip below:

CBS Films also acquired Toy’s House, which on paper is reminiscent of Stand By Me, about three teenage Boys who try to make a life in the Wilderness.  The Comedy stars Breakout Stars Nick Offerman, Allison Bride, Moises Arias and Nick Robinson.

Kill Your Darlings perhaps is the Beat Generation Film which those disappointed by On the Road, are waiting for.  The Film centers around a Murder investigation surrounding three Icons of the era, Allen Ginsberg (Daniel Radcliffe), William S. Burroughs (Ben Foster)  and Lucien Carr (Dane DeHaan).  Variety praises the Drama, but admits “the Picture’s Pansexual content and intellectual focus will limit its specialty-market reach, but it should court a small, discerning audience.“.  The Hollywood Reporter raves about Up-and-Comer DeHaan most, stating that he is a “febrile, magnetic presence, making no mystery of why Ginsberg, Kammerer and Kerouac would be so drawn to fickle Carr.”.  Strong possibility we might see this one a TIFF 2013.

Ain’t Them Bodies Saints has gained lots of praise, the Drama starring Casey Affleck as an Outlaw who escapes prison to find his Wife (Rooney Mara) and Daughter, whom he has yet to meet.  Variety feels that the Film is “too lyrical for mainstream expectations… but a powerful Indie Player”. Likewise, The Hollywood Reporter says “this is an out-and-out Art Film”. IFC Films releases in the U.S.

jOBS possibly is the most hotly-buzzed Flick to screen at Sundance this year and although reviews still are scarce for the Biopic of Apple Founder Steve Jobs starring Ashton Kutcher, The Hollywood Reporter states, “Regardless of his outsized stature, their ability to keep the movie frequently engaging is an indication of their studious dedication to the Project.”.  Open Road Films  releases in the U.S. on April 13, 2013, commemorating Apple‘s 37th Anniversary. (UPDATE 3/16/13: It has been confirmed that this date is now postponed to allow for a proper promotional strategy).

Watch the Teaser Trailer below:

Last year’s Sundance Film Festival spawned Beasts of the Southern Wild, which currently is nominated for four Oscars including Best Actress, Best Directing, Best Writing and Best Picture.

(Photo credit: The Weinstein Co.)

In anticipation of this eagerly-awaited new Netflix original Series, Mr. Will Wong wants to equip two lucky Readers with free six-month Memberships to Netflix Canada!  Readers also will win a free Netflix Canada Tote Bag and T-Shirt. Yes!

To enter to win, Readers must reside in Canada and also click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook. Tell me also the name of the brand new Series which you can stream a full season of, on via Netflix Canada on February 1, 2013.  Your deadline is January 29, 2013.  Good luck!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Toronto as you might know, is hosting WorldPride 2014 – deemed an international Celebration incorporating Activism, Education, History and Culture of global LGBTTIQQ2SA Communities.  The dates for the Festivities have been confirmed to take place between June 20 to 29, 2014.

On the newly-confirmed dates, Pride Toronto Co-Chair Luke Amona says, “In the interest of good planning, the new dates ensure Toronto is capable of accommodating the predicted influx in tourism for WorldPride 2014.”.

In addition to these dates being confirmed, the Theme of the Celebration has been unveiled as Rise Up!.  Yes, as in the 1983 Hit from Toronto Band, Parachute Club.  Although a Teaser Video was leaked yesterday featuring the Song, Pride Toronto stated that they will in the next few weeks be releasing a new exciting Logo and official Teaser.

In Toronto Magazine, TD Bank and Pride Toronto hosted a Gala for WorldPride 2014 last night with a Toronto Gay Who`s Who in attendance, while  in addition to the spirit of Pride, gathered for the chiseled Go-Go Boys, Cocktails and Daniel et Daniel Catering.

Oh yeah.

Click here to like WorldPride 2014 on Facebook.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

The face of Television is changing and also how we consume it.  As a Kid I remember my Mom driving us to the few Chinese Shopping Malls that existed in Scarborough and she`d rent the latest TV Series from Hong Kong by-the-block.  Basically, with the exception of stopping to eat Dinner in the Kitchen, we`d spend weekends zipping through the VHS Tapes in a mad rush to get them back to the Rental Shop by Monday to avoid late fees. Trust me, we were a Family of six on a budget. Every dollar counted. What Netflix has done here not only is assume the role of Rental Shop, but they`ve also replaced by Mom`s Chrysler Plymouth by bringing the Series right into our homes and at once play the role of  the Television Network on which the Series aired.

I was one of the few lucky members of the Media who got invited to a Private Screening in the basement of a posh Hotel in Toronto, wooed with Cocktails, Appetizers and Candy in hopes possibly of helping create a bit of buzz for Netflix`s latest original Series, House of Cards.  The fact of the matter though is that the Series not only is groundbreaking from a business model standpoint, but legitimately it is Awards-worthy good.  It has been confirmed that the Series would be eligible to compete for an EMMY, but the Golden Globes still are a bit of a gray area.  Will the Hollywood Foreign Press Association incorporate Internet-based Television into their voting criteria? We`ll soon see.  Regardless, House of Cards is a Game Changer and times are a changing indeed.

Oscar-winning  Kevin Spacey teams once again with Visionary Director David Fincher after some outstanding results with 2011`s The Social Network. The former serves as both Actor and Executive Producer, while the latter of course helms this Adaptation of the British Series of the same name. Spacey is deliciously bad as Congressman Frank Underwood, with an insatiable desire to take-down the President after he is passed for the position of Secretary of State.  One by one, this House of Cards crumbles as he beguiles  his way up, revealing his inner most secret thoughts and desires in a Shakespearean-like (often funny) Soliloquies.  Equally ferocious is the chilly Robin Wright as Frank`s Wife Claire –  meticulous and manipulative.   Kate Mara (Sister of Rooney) is a true revelation after showing flashes of promise in American Horror Story, playing a young Reporter for a top Washington Newspaper who aggressively pushes  her way to Frank, gaining unparalleled access to information which of course drives her more tenured Colleagues crazy.  Theatre Star Corey Stoll also is unconventionally hot as a corrupt Congressman on the edge of downfall with several of his  shocking vices.

Netflix Canada releases the complete first Season of House of Cards on Friday, February 1, 2013.  Yes, the entire Season in one shot.

Click here for more details and to watch the Trailer.

Enter to win a free six-month Membership to Netflix Canada right here!

(Photo credit: Netflix)

It’s been about four years since we’ve seen the comedic genius of Marlon Wayans on the Big Screen, but he’s definitely back.  And if the U.S. Box Office success of his co-produced, co-written and self-starring A Haunted House is any indication, Moviegoers definitely have missed them some Marlon.

Out-of-nowhere, the Horror-Comedy which spoofs Paranormal Activity, nabbed the second spot at the Box Office in its debut behind Best Picture Contender Zero Dark Thirty.  Not even the highly-touted Gangster S ad, starring the likes of Emma Stone, Sean Penn, Ryan Gosling and Josh Brolin could challenge this “Found Footage” Flick which like the Franchise it parodies, was made for a paltry budget – $2.5 million to be precise.  Canadians had to wait a bit longer for it, but VVS Films acquired distribution rights for A Haunted House and are releasing the crude but undeniably funny Movie this Friday, January 25, 2013.

Handsome Wayans has built a Résumé not so much on critical acclaim, but it his brilliant timing, fearlessness and smart comedic choices which have helped him connect in a big way with multiple generations.  Critics hated the likes of White Chicks, Scary Movie and Norbit – which perhaps he has gained the most exposure from – but Fans overwhelmingly have responded to  those Movies.  I don’t feel that I’m being overly generous in saying that White Chicks is a Masterpiece – a Film I still can watch nine years later and laugh at.

Toronto was lucky enough to host Wayans as he did his rounds with local Press today, including scheduled Interviews with  CP24, The Movie Network, KISS 92.5, Entertainment Tonight Canada, eTalk and New.Music.Live – the latter his only opportunity to see Fans and he was generous with them taking  several Photos with them, drawing smiles infectiously throughout the Studio.  He even surprised a female Crew member on the Show, giving her a big hug as  he burst into the Control Room.  See some Photos here!

Wayans was amazing to roll down the window of his Suburban  for Fans who waited in the freezing cold tonight.  One Fan even requested an Interview with him, which most Stars would brush-off uncomfortably, but  diplomatically he had his Handlers take down  her information before heading-off to Dinner.   I was fortunate enough to get a Snap with Wayans, getting a handshake with his Fingerless Gloves on and he even agreed to signing a Photo for my Readers.  If you’d like to enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook before February 10, 2013.  Good luck!

See Wayans greet Fans below:

Watch the Trailer for A Haunted House below:

Review to follow on Friday. Stay tuned.

UPDATE: Look who Re-Tweeted our Post!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Following the success of their Best Picture Contender Lincoln, Disney now sets its sights on the intriguing The Fifth Estate – not to be confused with the popular CBC Series of the same name.  The Film directed by the amazing Bill Condon (Dreamgirls, The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn),  just began principal photography and the above Still was released today.

The Fifth Estate traces the beginnings of  controversial and game-changing Website WikiLeaks, which made its Founders famous and also re-directed the flow by which Media receive their information. Benedict Cumberbatch (Atonement, War Horse) plays  Julian Assange and Daniel Brühl (The Bourne Ultimatum, Inglourious Basterds) plays Daniel Domscheit-Berg. Laura Linney, Anthony Mackie, David Thewlis, Peter Capaldi, Dan Stevens, Alicia Vikander and Carice van Houten also star.

Disney‘s Touchstone Pictures will be releasing the Drama on November 15, 2013.  The Film is co-financed by DreamWorks Studios and Participant Media.

(Photo credit: Dreamworks Studios)

“I don’t know who I really am inside. I don’t know what I’ll be”.

Mr. Will Wong is thrilled to give Readers in OTTAWA, VANCOUVER and TORONTO a chance to attend the Advance Screening of the awesome BEAUTIFUL CREATURES!  Screenings take place Wednesday, February 6, 2013.

A supernatural Love Story set in the South, Beautiful Creatures tells the tale of two star-crossed Lovers:  Ethan (Alden Ehrenreich), a young Man longing to escape his small town, and Lena (Alice Englert), a mysterious new Girl.  Together, they uncover dark secrets about their respective Families, their History and their Town.

Oscar^® Nominee Richard LaGravenese (The Fisher King, P.S. I Love You) directs from his Adaptation of the first Novel in the best-selling Series by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl.  The Film stars Alden Ehrenreich (Tetro), Alice Englert (Ginger & Rosa), Academy Award^® Winner Jeremy Irons (Reversal of Fortune), Oscar^® Nominee Viola Davis (The Help, Doubt), Emmy Rossum (TV’s “Shameless), Thomas Mann (Project X) and Academy Award^® Winner Emma Thompson (Howard’s End, Sense and Sensibility). Rounding out the cast are Eileen Atkins, Margo Martindale, Zoey Deutch, Tiffany Boone, Rachel Brosnahan, Kyle Gallner, Pruitt Taylor Vince and Sam Gilroy.

Watch the Official Trailer in full below:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook before February 2, 2013.  Remember to indicate which City you’d like Passes for – Toronto, Ottawa or Vancouver – and if you have restricted Privacy Settings, please ensure you provide your Twitter account for me to reach you back at.

Double your chances by Re-Tweeting the below:

http://tinyurl.com/ah85b7p Enter to win a Double Pass to an Advance Screening of BEAUTIFUL CREATURES for TOR/OTT/VAN via @MRWILLW!