After their acclaimed work together in BEING THE RICARDOS, Nicole Kidman and Javier Bardem join forces again and have been added to the Cast of upcoming Animated Musical Feature, SPELLBOUND.

More details:

Kidman will be voicing the role of ‘Ellsmere,’ the kind and just, yet hyper-precise Queen of Lumbria; and Bardem will voice ‘Solon,’ the boastful yet big-hearted King of Lumbria. Together, they are the parents of ‘Princess Ellian’ (voice by West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler), who they join on her daring quest to save her family and kingdom after a mysterious spell transforms them into monsters and threatens to cover Lumbria in darkness forever. 

Also joining the cast is multi-award winner John Lithgow (“Sharper,” “Killers of the Flower Moon,” “Bombshell”), who will provide the voice for ‘Minister Bolinar,’ and Jenifer Lewis (“The Princess and the Frog,” “Black-ish,” “I Love That For You”) who will provide the voice for ‘Minister Nazara Prone,’ both royal advisors to Princess Ellian. Ellian seeks out The Oracles of the Sun and Moon, voiced by Nathan Lane (“The Lion King,” “The Producers,” “The Birdcage”) and Emmy Award winner André De Shields (“tick, tick…BOOM!,” “Hadestown,” “Extreme Measures”), to break the spell on her parents and the kingdom. Throughout her journey, Ellian meets several characters who help her, including ‘Callan,’ a young nomad, voiced by Jordan Fisher (Broadway’s “Dear Evan Hansen,” “Hello, Goodbye and Everything in Between,” “To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You”).

“Spellbound” is directed by Vicky Jenson (“Shrek”) and written by Lauren Hynek & Elizabeth Martin and Linda Woolverton. The original score and songs for the film hail from Academy Award-winner Alan Menken, with song lyrics by Glenn Slater. Chris Montan serves as executive music producer. John Lasseter, David Ellison, Dana Goldberg and David Lipman are producing for Skydance Animation.

More to come. Apple TV+‘s first-ever Animated Feature, LUCK arrives on the service August 5, 2022.

With just a few days to go till its release, here’s a look back at last Friday’s Exclusive Canadian Screening of ELVIS which took place at TIFF Bell Lightbox. Visionary Filmmaker Baz Luhrmann and stars Austin Butler and Olivia De Jonge, who play Elvis and Priscilla Presley respectively graced the Red Carpet – the first time the Film screened publicly ever in Canada.

Fans queued for hours for a chance to get Selfies, autogprahs and meet the Film’s stars and Luhrmann. And one lucky fan won a Gibson SJ-200 guitar worth more than $6,000 just in time to have it signed by the stars, making for the ultimate keepsake!

A lot of detail went into the Red Carpet set-up and Warner Bros. Pictures Canada state that 150+ lightbulbs were installed, with a nod to the carnival-themed spectacle in the Film; a 13 ft-high film-branded backdrop; and a carpet that ran a whopping 100 feet throughout TIFF Bell Lightbox lobby.

A historical note: Elvis‘ first show ever in Toronto was at the iconic Maple Leaf Gardens – where Loblaws now is located at Carlton and Church – back in 1957, before shows in Ottawa and Vancouver.

In case you missed it, we caught Luhrmann, Butler and De Jonge on the Morning Show circuit during their visit here.

Our Review of ELVIS from Cannes here. The Film is sitting at 80% on the Tomatometer currently, a FRESH rating.

Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release ELVIS Friday, June 24, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros. Pictures Canada)

Just released this past weekend, IRON CHEF: QUEST FOR AN IRON LEGEND is Competition Television at its finest! We loved IRON CHEF, but in all honesty, haven’t watched it in years. This latest installment in the Franchise pits new up-an-coming Chefs against five esteemed and accomplished Iron Chefs:

And is it ever thrilling! New secret ingredients, true to form, are revealed every episode and the one up-and-coming Chef is pit against one Iron Chef to make a multi-course meal for our panel of judges. The results are breathtaking, craveworthy and drool-inducing. More than ever before we get an inclusive Cast and the real touching stories behind these Chefs and their passion for food. The Challenger is up to win the title of IRON LEGEND, a first of its kind, and wins the Golden Knife!

The Competition culminates in the most successful Challenger going up against ALL FIVE Iron Chefs. Mindblowingly-good. I need a second season. Next time I visit New York, I must try Challenger Esther Choi‘s MOKBAR after seeing her amazing Kimchify-ing of her food! Instant fan.

Really love the thoughtful adjudication by our panel of Judges including Nilou Motamed and Andrew Zimmern, plus one new special guest on each episode! Hosts Kristen Kish and Alton Brown also deliver some smart commentary and banter that make this such a joyful watch.

All eight episodes of IRON CHEF: QUEST FOR AN IRON LEGEND are out now on Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

In antiticipation of the super-sized Finale to STRANGER THINGS 4, here’s a first look at the Trailer for the last two episodes, set against a new re-working of Kate Bush‘s “Running Up That Hill” which is enjoying an unforeseen emergence again, hitting #1 in the UK and Top Five in the U.S.

Synopsis:

The super-sized, epic conclusion of Stranger Things 4 premieres July 1, 2022
with Episodes 408 and 409, only on Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Beyoncé goes House on this brand new track from her upcoming RENAISSANCE Album! “Break My Soul” is about to get us dancing once again! That’s LGBTQ2S+ Trailblazer Big Freedia you’re hearing in the background also! A timely celebration of Pride!

Renaissance arrives July 29, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Sony Music Entertainment)

Apple TV+ have announced today that they’ve ordered a new eight-episode Crime Thriller Series, CRIMINAL RECORD starring Peter Capaldi and Cush Jumbo! The Series currently is in production.

Synopsis:

“Criminal Record” is a powerful, character-driven thriller set in the heart of contemporary London. An anonymous phone call draws two brilliant detectives into a confrontation over an old murder case, one a young woman in the early stages of her career; the other a well-connected man determined to protect his legacy. The series touches on issues of race, institutional failure, and the quest to find common ground in a polarized Britain. Peter Capaldi (“Doctor Who,” “The Thick of It”) stars as Detective Chief Inspector Daniel Hegarty and Cush Jumbo (“The Good Wife,” “The Good Fight,” “The Beast Must Die”) stars as Detective Sergeant June Lenker.

BAFTA Award nominee Paul Rutman (Creator of “Vera” from the Anne Cleeves novels and “Indian Summers”), BAFTA Scotland Award winner Elaine Collins (“Shetland,“ ”Vera“), BAFTA and Academy Award winner Peter Capaldi (“Doctor Who,” “The Thick of It”) and Laurence Olivier Award and Critics Choice Award nominee Cush Jumbo (“The Good Wife,” “The Good Fight,” “Trying”) serve as Executive Producers. BAFTA Award winner Jim Loach (“Save Me Too,” “Oranges and Sunshine”) directs the Series.

(Photo credit: Apple TV+)

JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION for a second straight week demolishes the competition. In its second weekend, it pulls-in $66.2 million, a total $257.3 million from 4,697 theatres for Universal Pictures.

LIGHTYEAR which was expected to take the crown in its debut brightens up the Box Office settles for #2 at $55 million from 4,255 theatres for Disney, This origins story for the hero who inspired the Toy Story character and voiced by Chris Evans, gets 78% on the Tomatometer. Though not a a part of the Toy Story franchise, by comparison 2019’s Toy Story 4 opened with $120 million in North America.

TOP GUN: MAVERICK still is in-flight with $46.5 million from 4,035 theatres for Paramount Pictures, taking it to $468 million in its domestic run.

DOCTOR STRANGE IN THE MULTIVERSE OF MADNESS is in fourth with $3.8 million for Disney, a total $404 million grossed to date.

Fifth spot goes to THE BAD GUYS with $4 million in its eighth weekend for Universal Pictures.

It’s Elvismania allover again! The Cast and Director of ELVIS have landed in Toronto for a day of Press in advance of tonight’s Canadian Premiere of the Film at TIFF Bell Lightbox, where the Red Carpet will be rolled-out!

Stars Austin Butler and Olivia De Jonge were up and at it early today doing the Morning Show circuit, with stops at Breakfast Television and The Morning Show. They star as Elvis and Priscilla Presley respectively in Baz Luhrmann‘s upcoming spectacle which recounts The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll’s rise to fame, and complicated relationship with his Manager, Colonel Tom Parker (Tom Hanks).

After a Premiere at Cannes where it got a record extended standing ovation, the buzz continues to spread for this latest effort from the same Director who brought us The Great Gatsby and Moulin Rouge.

Some lucky fans were able to get Selfies with Butler, who actually spent a Summer here back in 2010 filming SHARPAY’S FABULOUS ADVENTURE back in 2010. De Jonge, in a bit of a rush, still was gracious enough to stop for a couple snaps, holding a Tim Hortons cup of coffee! Honourary Canadian!

Luhrmann returns to Toronto after having promoted The Great Gatsby here back in 2013. We were so lucky to get to chat with him. More here.

Our Review of ELVIS here.

See some Snaps:

Warner Bros. Pictures Canada release ELVIS Friday, June 24, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros. Pictures Canada)

One of 2022’s biggest breakout hits no doubt will be CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH. Written, directed by and starring Cooper Raiff, the heartfelt Dramedy about a 22-year-old named Andrew who strikes an unlikely bond with a young mother, Domino (Dakota Johnson) and her daughter Lola (Vanessa Burghardt). This all set of course in the world of the Bar Mitzvah circuit.

It was our honour to chat with Raiff about this Film, which took the Audience Award in the Dramatic category at Sundance earlier this year. It possesses a rare magic to it that so compassionately takes us into the world of these characters. You don’t forget a Film like CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH and its people.

We ask Raiff about the genesis of the Film and whether or not it is autobiographical.

Raiff: “It’s a very personal movie. None of it’s autobiographical, but all of it is. It’s based on feelings I’ve had, experiences I’ve had, people in my life. It’s always difficult taking things that are personal to you onto a screen. You’re not just trying to have this cathartic thing, you’re trying to communicate to an audience.”

“The genesis of it is that I wanted to make a Movie about a young mom of a disabled daughter. I started pitching those two characters to people and they were like, ‘That’s not a Movie. That’s like two Characters.’. Then I thought of this other character and thought of this idea to tell the story through the lens of the person I knew best in the world, this 22-year-old dummy. I needed a way for them to keep coming into contact with each other and then the Bar Mitzvah circuit idea came in.”.

We ask about what struggles Raiff faced getting something so personal to him to the screen, and also the process of getting Dakota Johnson to sign-on as Executive Producer, in addition to starring as Domino.

Raiff: “Her Producer met her first, Ro Donnelly. I pitched her those four elements, and I pitched her the title CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH, and she told Dakota about it. And we all met, the three of us the next day, and it was night time for Dakota, she was in Greece, about to film The Lost Daughter. And I pitched her this Character and I told her how much I love her as a Performer and how much I really wanted to collaborate with her.”

“A big struggle was that the character of Domino is kinda based on my mom. Lola‘s in a way based on my sister. My sister’s disabled. She’s not Autistic, it’s more severe. She has a condition called Holoprosencephaly where she can’t walk or talk and I really wanted to make a Movie about her. This is what I’m talking about. The struggle of something so personal. I was going to make this Movie about my actual sister and I realized she would’ve been a very terrible Actress. She would’ve looked into the camera the whole time. So what I wanted to communicate was that bond.”

“The best moments of the Movie are when Vanessa Burghardt who plays Lola – watching her audition tape, it just triggered something in me where I started crying so hard, because I knew immediately she was reading with her mom, like her mom was behind the camera. I don’t know why I knew, but I could tell she was frustrated at one point. She was frustrated with her mom. It made me laugh and want to cry and that bond is what I wanted to make the Movie about.”.

Vanessa Burghardt delivers a breakout performance here, in what is her Feature Film debut. Raiff tells us about tackling the topic of Disability in his Film.

Raiff: “Vanessa said that Lola’s a person before she’s a poster for Autism. Something I really care about is that it’s important to respect that we are different. But there’s this line in the Movie where Andrew asks Domino, ‘Is it hard?’ to Lola being Autistic, and she says, ‘Yeah, but not because of her’. That is a key thing with people with disabilities. It’s really harsh. But it’s not hard because of this Disability, it’s hard because of the world we’re living in makes it difficult. And it’s not accessible in many ways. People are idiots. I think it’s important to show that embracing it is really easy.”.

After raves on the Festival Circuit including Sundance, SXSW and more recently the Tribeca Film Festival, Raiff reflects on all the accolades.

Raiff: “It’s been surprising and so emotional and nice. Hearing you talk about it, it gives me chills and I really feel so happy to be talking to you about it.”.

We ask Raiff what’s next?

Raiff: “I’m shooting a Hockey Movie this Fall called THE TRASHERS, based on a True Story about this dad named Jimmy Galante (David Harbour), who gifts his 18-year-old son a Hockey Team, and his son becomes the President of the Team and the story ends with the dad in federal prison. It’s really personal to me and I can’t wait for people to see it!”.

See our Chat here:

CHA CHA REAL SMOOTH arrives June 17, 2022 on Apple TV+.

(Photo/video credit: Apple TV+)

Attention Motorsport fans! Samsung Canada and Advanced SimRacing, have developed a one-of-a-kind Racing Simulator for their Samsung Neo QLED 8K TVs.

To ensure the simulator meets the needs of motorsports industry professionals, Samsung also partnered with Canadian professional Race Car Driver, Daniel Morad. A tech enthusiast and top-rated sim racing streamer, Morad’s range of expertise was an ideal match to help showcase the ultimate racing simulator.

The Samsung Neo QLED 8K Racing Simulator will be available for consumers to enjoy at the Samsung Experience Store at CF Toronto Eaton Centre, starting this Friday, June 17, 2022.

Also, Samsung recently announced that Xbox is joining the Samsung Gaming Hub, a brand new game streaming discovery platform available on 2022 Samsung Smart TV models (including the Neo QLED 8K) beginning June 30, 2022, making Samsung the world’s first Smart TV platform to include the Xbox app on Smart TVs.

(Photo credit: Samsung Canada)