Rock of Ages, one of Broadway’s longest running hit musicals, will explode onto the Toronto theatre scene at the Elgin Theatre from February 23 to May 20, 2023. A gnarly concoction of power rock and hilarious comedy, this reimagined version of the iconic ‘80s-inspired production promises top tier talent and a night that won’t be forgotten. Tickets are available here.

Featuring earworm 80’s chartbuster music from iconic artists such as Quiet Riot, Poison, Whitesnake, Pat Benatar, Styx, Starship, Twisted Sister, Joan Jett, REO Speedwagon, Survivor, Foreigner and Guns N’ Roses, this blast of power-guitar heaven will both warm your soul and rock your world!

Following the show’s three-month run in Toronto, Rock of Ages will embark on an international tour, bringing 80’s hits to thousands of audience members across the world.

“More Entertainment is very proud and honoured to have collated a top-flight award-winning team of producers, performers, musicians, designers and marketers from around the globe to bring Rock of Ages to Toronto,” says Dr. JP Gedeon, CEO and Executive Producer of More Entertainment. “The 80’s were a time of innocence, freedom, youth and joy, and the nostalgia of those days brings to you a new, fresh, and totally re-envisioned Rock of Ages!”

A rockstar line-up of superior performers make up the production’s cast, including Trevor Coll (We Will Rock You North American Tour), AJ Bridel (Peter Pan, Drayton Ent; Anne of Green Gables, Charlottetown Festival; Kinky Boots, Mirvish), Kae Kae Lee (Zombies 3, Disney; What We Do In The Shadows, Fox), Louise Camilleri (ShowBoat, Gershwin Theatre; (Mamma Mia, Mirvish; Lord of The Rings, Mirvish) and Steffi DiDomenicantonio (Come From Away, Mirvish; Spring Awakening, Mirvish; Canadian Idol) .

Rock of Ages was casted by Larissa Mair Casting and Associates, an agency committed to discovering “new faces” and responsible for launching the careers of an abundance of talented performers.

In addition to the talented cast, Rock of Ages boasts a world-class team behind the show including Musical Director Mark Camilleri, who has worked on theatre productions that include Bend It Like Beckham and Funny Girl, and has provided piano accompaniment for the likes of Celine Dion and David Foster. Also on board is MTV video award-winning Choreographer Sean Cheesman (“Cream” by Prince, “Scream” by Michael Jackson & Janet Jackson), General Manager Ray Chandler (Jesus Christ Superstar National Tour, Beauty and the Beast National Production), award-winning Head of Design Nick Blais (Vespers, The Royal Winnipeg Ballet; Jerusalem, Outside The March), Head of Multimedia Design Simon Clemo (Life of Earth, Director X; Dream Girls, MTC), Company Manager Sabrina Kells (2010 Vancouver Olympic Games, Stars On Ice), Director of Technical Operations Gary Wilson and Head of Marketing and Communications Laura van Leest (CEO, Bellefair Entertainment; former Director of Marketing, Universal Music Canada).

Stay tuned for additional casting announcements and for more information, please visit http://rockofagestoronto.ca.

This month on Hollywood Suite, cinephiles will be treated to two newly restored classics from the Canadian film canon. The stunning 4K restoration of Tales From the Gimli Hospital (1988) from visionary director Guy Maddin will have its broadcast premiere on November 9, 2022, and the 2K digital remaster of Zale Dalen’s cult hit Skip Tracer (1977) will follow on November 29, 2022. Both titles are available to stream on demand.

The Maddin restoration is part of a broader movement to make hard to find Canadian art-house films accessible to a new generation of movie lovers. In Maddin’s surrealist, Manitoban-set feature debut Tales from the Gimli Hospital, a lonely fisherman stricken with smallpox (Kyle McCulloch) embarks on a fierce competition with a fellow patient (Michael Gottli) to vie for the affections of Gimli Hospital’s angelic young nurses. As part of Telefilm’s Canadian Cinema – Reignited initiative to restore and re-release Canadian films of historic and cultural importance, the Toronto International Film Festival hand-picked the restoration of Tales from the Gimli Hospital to premiere at this year’s festival.

Utilizing materials from Library and Archives Canada, the digital remaster of Skip Tracer was produced by Justin Decloux of The Great Canadian Cinema Library. Set in 1970s Vancouver, a debt collector (David Peterson) vies to win his company’s “Man of the Year Award” at any cost, only to be faced with the consequences of relentless and brutal tactics. Considered today to be an essential entry in the Canuxploitation oeuvre, Dalen’s feature film debut was the first Canadian film programmed at the New York Film Festival in 1979 and proved an exciting calling card for the young writer/director. It has been said to have influenced subsequent cult films including Alex Cox’s Repo Man (1984).

“Something that Canadian cinema excels at is a ready-made oddball, DIY, cult mode—both Guy Maddin’s Tales from Gimli Hospital and Zale Dalen’s Skip Tracer are prime examples of this,” says Alicia Fletcher, Producer of Originals and Curatorial Advancement at Hollywood Suite. “With their debut features, both directors proved their singular, surrealist penchants for genre and bucked the rules and expectations of commercial Canadian filmmaking. The restoration and accessibility of important works from Canada’s 70s and 80s cult canon has never been more important if we’re to understand and celebrate the past half century of Canadian filmmaking, for its ground-breaking moments.”

Hollywood Suite is proud to air both of these films as part of its efforts to bring Canadian films to as many Canadians as possible. Positioned at the intersection of history, art, culture, and cool, Tales from the Gimli Hospital and Skip Tracer provide a snapshot of our filmmaking past, and give context to our present.

If you were browsing your Home Screen on Netflix this past weekend you might’ve noticed a new title, DRINK MASTERS. Produced by Canada’s marblemedia, this new Reality Competition Series, debuted in the Top Ten not only in Canada, but the U.S.!

Synopsis:

DRINK MASTERS is marblemedia‘s new unscripted competition series that sees twelve of the world’s most innovative mixologists infuse, stir and blend their way through a series of high-stakes cocktail challenges to win a life-changing prize and the title of The Ultimate Drink Master.

Hosted by actor/comedian, Tone Bell, professional judges, Frankie Solarik & Julie Reiner put the test of the taste to these professional mixologists.

MEET THE MIXOLOGISTS

• AISLING GAMMILL – Boise, Idaho

• ALEX VELEZ – Las Vegas, Nevada

• CHRISTIAN SUZUKI-ORELLANA (AKA “SUZU”) – San Francisco, CA

• KAPRI ROBINSON– Washington, D.C.

• KATE GERWIN – Albuquerque, New Mexico

• LAUREN “LP” PAYLOR O’BRIEN– Washington, D.C.

• LOYD VON ROSE – Montreal, Quebec

• MEREDITH BARRY – St. Louis, Missouri

• MICHAEL R. ANDERSON – Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

• NATALIE MIGLIARINI – New York, New York

• RAJ SHUKLA – Fort Wayne, Indiana

• TAO ZRAFI – Montreal, Quebec

DRINK MASTERS is streaming now in Netflix.

(Photo credit: Netflix)

BLACK ADAM continues to thrive in its second week of release, holding onto top spot at the Box Office again with $30.4 million from 4,402 theatres for Warner Bros. Over two weekends, it has grossed $113.4 million.

Second spot goes to TICKET TO PARADISE with $10.1 million from 3,543 theatres for Universal Pictures, a two weekend tally of $32.6 million for Universal Pictures.

Third is PREY FOR THE DEVIL with $7.8 million from 2,980 theatres in its debut for Lionsgate Films/Cineplex Pictures. The Horror fromt he same Director who brought us The Last Exorcist, gets 17% on the Tomatometer.

In fourth we have SMILE which is $6.6 million for Paramount Pictures. It has had an impressive run catering to Horror fans and edges so close to the $100 million-mark.

Fifth is HALLOWEEN ENDS with $4.4 million for Universal Pictures, a total run of $60.9 million.

Netflix Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Family Passes for four to see SLUMBERLAND in Toronto!

The screening will take place on Tuesday, November 15th, 2022 at 7PM at the Paradise Theatre in Toronto.

Synopsis:

Joined by a larger-than-life outlaw, a daring young orphan journeys through a land of dreams to find a precious pearl that will grant her greatest wish.

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. You also can Re-Tweet the below:

Rules and regulations here. You must be following.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Paramount Home Entertainment x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win a copy of TOP GUN: MAVERICK on Blu-ray!

TOP GUN: MAVERICK Synopsis:
After more than 30 years of service as a top naval aviator, Pete “Maverick” Mitchell (Tom Cruise) is where he belongs, pushing the envelope as a courageous test pilot. Yet, Maverick must confront the ghosts of his past when he returns to TOP GUN to train a group of elite graduates and comes face-to-face with Lt. Bradshaw (Miles Teller), the son of his former wingman, “Goose”. Bitter rivalries ignite as the pilots prepare for a specialized mission, which will require the ultimate sacrifice from those chosen to fly it.

TOP GUN: MAVERICK 4K Ultra HD
The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc™ boasts a Dolby Atmos® soundtrack remixed specifically for the home to place and move audio anywhere in the room, including overhead, and Dolby Vision™ high dynamic range (HDR), which delivers greater brightness and contrast, as well as a fuller palette of rich colors.** The film will also be available in a 4K Ultra HD SteelBook.™ The 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray includes access to a Digital copy of the film as well as “Cleared For Take Off,” “Breaking New Ground – Filming Top Gun: Maverick,” “A Love Letter To Aviation,” “Forging The Darkstar,” “Masterclass with Tom Cruise – Cannes Film Festival,” and the two music videos.

TOP GUN: MAVERICK Blu-ray
The TOP GUN: MAVERICK Blu-ray is presented in 1080p high definition with Dolby Atmos. The Blu-ray includes access to a Digital copy of the film as well as “Cleared For Take Off,” “Breaking New Ground – Filming Top Gun: Maverick,” “A Love Letter To Aviation,” “Forging The Darkstar,” and the two music videos.

TOP GUN: MAVERICK DVD
The DVD includes the feature film in standard definition.

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. You also can Re-Tweet the below.

Rules and regulations here. You must be following.

TOP GUN: MAVERICK is available on 4k Ultra HD, Blu-ray and DVD October 31, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Home Entertainment)

Finally, a new Rihanna track! “Lift Me Up” is featured on the upcoming Soundtrack for BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER. The Ballad is written by Rihanna, Ludwig Göransson and Director Ryan Coogler, plus Tems. This is Rihanna‘s first new track in over six years and is a welcome return back, showing an deeper maturity and you can hear a thicker texture in her voice. The simple strings and piano let her voice shine in this tribute to the late Chadwick Boseman.

BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER is in theatres November 11, 2022. The Original Motion Picture Soundtrack for BLACK PANTHER: WAKANDA FOREVER is out November 4, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Music)

Based on the internationally best-selling Memoir of the same name by Gregory David Roberts, SHANTARAM debuted a couple weeks back on Apple TV+ and quickly has surged to the top on the streaming service. Fronted by the very talented Charlie Hunnam, the Series takes us on an Australian man’s journey in the ’70s as a fugitive, finding a new life in Bombay under a new name, Lin. We are swept away into a dark underworld of crime and humbling life in the slums. Lin must grapple with love, carving out his own place in his new surroundings, yet avoid his past.

Though a Canadian Premiere was to be celebrated earlier this month, we learned that Hunnam had contracted COVID-19 after the Series’ Premiere in Los Angeles which delayed plans. After having visited and filmed (Pacific Rim, Crimson Peak) in Toronto on numerous occasions over this past decade, his love for this City knows no limits. Delivering on their promise of a visit, a Midseason Celebration of SHANTARAM was held at TIFF Bell Lightbox featuring Hunnam and Co-Stars Antonia Desplat (Karla), Elektra Kilbey (Lisa) and Shubham Saraf (Prabhu). Fans in attendance got a first glimpse of Episode Six, which premieres this coming Friday.

We were so excited to chat with this exciting Ensemble from what hopefully will result in additional seasons of the Series.

Hunnam tells us what exactly happened resulting in a delay in these Canadian celebrations for SHANTARAM.

Hunnam: “It was terrible. I had two torn discs in my back and the first day I got Covid, I sneezed and coughed a lot, reinjuring my back, so I had eight days where I couldn’t move at all. But we’re here now and smiling again.”.

We congratulate him on all his success with this Series – reaching #1 spot on Apple TV+. This been a long-time coming, but actually isn’t something new for him. SONS OF ANARCHY which had him starring in the beloved role of Jax Teller garnered huge numbers for FX over its seven seasons.

Hunnam: “I have a self-protection mechanism that once a show comes out, I divorce myself from it completely. I don’t look at any ratings, but I am happy to hear we’re #1! You made my day, I really didn’t know that!”.

SHANTARAM actually isn’t Fiction. We are curious about Hunnam‘s research for the role of Lin and his own relationship with the man whom inspired his character, Gregory David Roberts.

Hunnam: “I had the incredible opportunity spending four days with Greg in Jamaica and I’m so interested in the things he has challenged himself to explore in his life. The nature of God, the nature of what it is to be human, to bringing your highest potential into reality – all that kinda stuff. I found myself in that transitional period in my late 30s into 40, I was thinking about a lot of those things at the time that I was given this Book for the first time.”.

“When I met him, we spent about 16 hours a day chainsmoking joints, just listening to him put on these Harvard University-style lectures on Theology, Philosophy and Psychology. Really such an incredible mind. Very honoured to spend those four days with him.”.

And of course, we had to know the first thing he did after landing in Toronto for this two-day Press Tour.

Hunnam: “Khao San Road. The Thai Restaurant!”.

One of the most fascinating characters in SHANTARAM is Lisa, played by Elektra Kilbey – a prostitute who is battling her own demons. The Series explores women as commodities, but Lisa re-frames this narrative. We ask Kilbey about this.

Kilbey: “I feel like Lisa at the beginning starts at rock-bottom and her arc has her taking agency of her own life, taking command of her own life and realizing she’s going to have to change things in her own life to be the kind of woman she wants to be. And I think she keeps getting roped into other people’s bullshit. If you think about Lisa, her and Prabhu are the sincerest characters on the show. Though Lisa is a lot darker and a bit more damaged I guess.”.

This actually isn’t Kilbey‘s first time in Toronto. Her and twin sister Anna have a Band called SAY LOU LOU and they have been in-town prior for a show at The Garrison back 2015. We ask her about her initial impressions of the City.

Kilbey: “It was an amazing show and we hung at Kensington Market. Super-cool city.”.

Shubham Saraf who plays Lin‘s friend and tour guide Prabhu, starred in TIFF ’20 selection A SUITABLE BOY but with a mostly-online format that year, the Festival saw no talent come amidst the pandemic restrictions. He got his chance to visit this time around and tells us his thoughts also on Toronto.

Saraf: “Beautiful. Toronto in Autumn. I just went to Grange Park today and went to the Art Gallery of Ontario and it felt like I was literally inside a poster for Canada. When the leaves turn, the sun, the Tower. It was really like a mixture of nature and Brutalism. I loved it.

We ask about the palpable friendly chemistry between him and Co-Star Hunnam which we see on-screen.

Saraf: “It helps that I hadn’t met him (Hunnam) till literally our first scene together – a key scene to develop their relationship, and within the scene I was like, ‘I like thus guy!’. And I think he also was like, ‘Hey! I like this guy!’. It was really fun. Prabhu’s had the hardest life and all he tries to do is overcome those boundaries with love. That’s the best thing to do, the best thing to embody.”.

Antonia Desplat delivers a commanding performance as Karla, a woman whom Lin falls in love with. She is mysterious and has deeply-entrenched ties to the crime underworld in Bombay. She walks us through Karla‘s world.

Desplat: “Karla‘s big battle is between power and love. By getting herself stuck into the dark underworld of the Bombay Mafia, she’s trying to assert a certain power and a certain personality in order to protect her more vulnerable side. Lin is a catalyst to bringing that side out of her because she’s trying to control other people’s perception of her. With Lin, that’s the first time those barriers can fall down and she can just be. Episode Five is where you can just see Karla for the first time.”,

We ask Desplat about her working processes with both Hunnam and Alexander Siddig, who plays Khader Khan, one of this most powerful Crime Lords in Bombay.

Desplat: “They have quite different processes. Charlie is very spontaneous and he keeps me on my toes. Alexander Siddig he will all the sudden say a line and I’m like, ‘Where did that come from?’. Sometimes he keeps it reserved when it’s for his coverage and surprises me on my coverage with a very strong presence I didn’t expect. Sometimes it’s the other way around and it keeps it fun!

A Reel from the Evening:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Apple TV+)

This was WILD! Had so much fun seeing Toronto’s very own LILYISTHATYOU headline her first ever show at The Drake Underground. The completely-sold-out show had the emerging Artist perform her repertoire, which included two new songs. Fans were rewarded in the Finale with her biggest viral hit to date, “FMRN” which has received in-excess of 40 million streams on Spotify alone!

LILYISTHATYOU, nee Lily Davies, got intimate with her fans talking about battling her demons and her own destructive behaviours but also recognized how far along she has come, finally delivering Toronto fans their very own show. She delivered a message on the importance of Self-Love and even threw-in a cover of The Weeknd’s “Wicked Games”, professing her love for that Toronto Megastar’s versatility.

After playing Austin City Limits recently, she’s bound for Mexico where she’ll be playing alongside the likes of Miley Cyrus, Phoebe Bridgers, Lil Nas X, The 1975, Brian Wilson and many other heavyweights.

A Highlight Reel:

Some Snaps from the night:

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

We present a new Trailer for THE SANTA CLAUSES, which sees Tim Allen reprising the beloved role of Scott Calvin!

Synopsis:

Scott Calvin is back! After being Santa Claus for nearly thirty years, he’s as jolly as ever. But as Christmas declines in popularity, so does his Santa magic. Scott struggles to keep up with the demands of the job, as well as being there for his family. Upon discovering there is a way to retire from his post, Scott considers stepping down as Santa Claus and finding a worthy successor so that he can become a better father and husband.

The series stars Tim Allen as Scott Calvin/Santa Claus, Elizabeth Mitchell as Carol/Mrs. Claus, Elizabeth Allen-Dick as Sandra, Devin Bright as Noel, Austin Kane as Cal, Matilda Lawler as Betty, Rupali Redd as Grace and Kal Penn as Simon Choksi.

Award-winning Jack Burditt (“30 Rock,” “Modern Family,” “Frasier,” “Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt”) is the executive producer and showrunner and Tim Allen, in addition to starring, Kevin Hench (“Last Man Standing”), Richard Baker and Rick Messina will also serve as executive producers along with Jason Winer and Jon Radler for Small Dog Picture Company.

The first two episodes of the six-episode series will premiere Wednesday, November 16, 2022, exclusively on Disney+. 

(Photo/video credit: Disney)