By Mr. Will Wong

We are a day away from perhaps the biggest Blockbuster of Summer 2021. A pandemic requires an extraordinary superhero and he is SHANG-CHI.

We had the pleasure of sitting-in on a junket with the Toronto-raised Chinese-Canadian Actor Simu Liu, known to many in Canada for his role as Jung on Kim’s Convenience. While he deals with familial issues in Marvel’s SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, let’s just say the stakes are higher and the action is just a bit more… astonishing!

We ask Liu about his headspace right now promoting this Film on a whirlwind tour under exceptional circumstances.

Liu: It’s a lot! I have not slept properly in a really long time. But there’s also the sense that if I’m doing all this and doing all the interviews, and meeting the fans, it means people really care about this Movie and believe in its importance. That’s the battery fuel or recharge that’s keeping me going right now is that this Movie really can and will have an impact.

It’s truly incredible because I’ve fought for representation for the better part of my career and always wished I had a platform or a stage that was really big enough to shout it to the world. With Marvel, we have. It’s the biggest platform there possibly could be. They’re superhero films, global products, transcend cultures and are just so much fun for every body.

I think that’s such an amazing thing to get to show everybody the celebration of our cultures, our value, our language, our customs but we get to show it to the whole world, so for those who are within our community it can be very empowering and for those outside our community it can be an education of sharing.

Tony Leung whom after many years of acclaim in his native Chinese-speaking Asia, just now is wowing fans with his performance here as Shang-Chi’s father. Liu comments on his experience working with Leung.

Liu: I was a big fan of Tony‘s movies from Infernal Affairs to Hero to Chunking Express to In the Mood for Love, the list goes on and on. He is the A-Listers of A-Listers in Cinema and it really was such a privilege working with him.

I think what he taught me was the art of stillness. He’s mastered the art of a single glance in a single expression, that without saying any words can convey a well of emotion, break your heart and shift mountains and tectonic plates of story. It can just move you.

When you watch him, he is just so comfortable in his element and at peace in a way that is so poignant and so meaningful. He’s able to ground himself in a scene and just be so still.

For me, as a newer Actor it was a difficult thing to grasp as I had a lot of anxiety coming into the role and it would manifest in different ways. What he was so good at doing, was pulling me into a more grounded and present place with him. That’s something that I definitely take with me.

Matvel’s SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS is in theatres Friday, September 3, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Marvel Studios Canada)

Premiering at TIFF ’21, here is a new clip from THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN starring Benedict Cumberbatch!

Synopsis:

Academy Award® Nominee and BAFTA- winning Benedict Cumberbatch (Doctor Strange, Patrick Melrose, The Imitation Game) stars as forgotten British artist Louis Wain in the extraordinary true story of a brilliant but troubled soul, whose fascination with the mysteries of the world is both complicated and deepened when he meets the love of his life Emily, played by Emmy® Winner and BAFTA Nominee Claire Foy (The Crown, First Man).

The film boasts an impressive ensemble supporting cast including Andrea Riseborough (Birdman (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance), The Death of Stalin), Toby Jones (Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy, The Hunger Games), Sharon Rooney (My Mad Fat Diary, Dumbo), Aimee Lou Wood (Sex Education), Hayley Squires (I, Daniel Blake, Southcliffe), Stacy Martin (Nymphomaniac, Vox Lux), Phoebe Nicholls (The Elephant Man), Adeel Akhtar (The Big Sick, Pan, Four Lions, Utopia), Asim Chaudhry (People Just Do Nothing, Black Mirror: Bandersnatch), Richard Ayoade (Soul, The Souvenir) and Julian Barratt (Mindhorn, Flowers, The Mighty Boosh) and Sophia di Martino (Loki, Flowers). It was recently announced that Taika Waititi (Jojo Rabbit, Free Guy), Nick Cave (20,000 Days on Earth) and Olivia Colman (The Crown, The Favourite) appear in the film, with Colman narrating.

MK2 | MILE END will release THE ELECTRICAL LIFE OF LOUIS WAIN in theatres October 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Obscured Pictures)

Guillermo del Toro quietly has been filming around Toronto for the past bit and at last we get confirmation exactly what and who!

Official titles and Cast for the upcoming Anthology Series are below:

• Essie Davis (The Babadook), Andrew Lincoln (The Walking Dead; Penguin Bloom) and Hannah Galway (Sex/Life) star in an episode written (based on an original story by Guillermo del Toro) and directed by Jennifer Kent (The Babadook; The Nightingale)
• Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham (Mythic Quest; Homeland; Amadeus), Glynn Turman (Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom; Fargo; The Wire) and Luke Roberts (Ransom; Black Sails) will appear in an episode written by David S. Goyer (Dark City; The Dark Knight; Batman Begins) (based on a short story by Michael Shea), and directed by David Prior (The Empty Man; AM1200).  
• Tim Blake Nelson (Watchmen; The Ballad of Buster Scruggs), Elpidia Carrillo (Predator; Bread & Roses; Euphoria), Demetrius Grosse (Fear The Walking Dead; Boon; Lovecraft Country) and Sebastian Roché (The Man in the High Castle; The Young Pope) star in an episode written by Regina Corrado (Deadwood; The Strain) (based on an original story by Guillermo del Toro); and directed by Guillermo Navarro (Godfather of Harlem; Narcos)
• Crispin Glover (Rivers Edge; Tim Burton’s Alice In Wonderland; American Gods; Back To The Future; Willard; Charlie’s Angels) and Ben Barnes (Shadow and Bone;  Westworld; The Punisher) star in an episode written by  Lee Patterson (Curve; The Colony) (based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft) and directed by Keith Thomas (Firestarter; The Vigil)
• Peter Weller (upcoming The Colosseum; Naked Lunch; Star Trek Into Darkness; Robocop) stars in an episode directed by Panos Cosmatos (Mandy), who also writes along with Aaron Stewart-Ahn
• Mika Watkins (Origin; Black Mirror; Troy: Fall of a City) writes an episode (based on a short story by H.P. Lovecraft) directed by Catherine Hardwicke (Thirteen; Lords of Dogtown; Twilight); with cast to be announced
• David Hewlett (SEE, The Shape of Water; Stargate: Atlantis) cast in an episode written (based on a short story by Henry Kuttner) and directed by Vincenzo Natali (In The Tall Grass; Splice; Cube; Hannibal) 
• Haley Z. Boston (Brand New Cherry Flavor) serves as writer of an episode (based on a short story by comic book author Emily Carroll) directed by Ana Lily Amirpour (A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night; Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon; The Bad Batch) with cast to be confirmed

The Series is coming soon to Netflix!

(Photo credit: Netflix)

We’ve been waiting eagerly for this and are so happy to read that several guests will be arriving in Toronto for TIFF ’21.

Confirmed today are the following guests (note this is subject to change):

In addition to this, it has just been announced to secret Steven Soderbergh film will be premiering at the Festival with details to come on how to get tickets! This is looking more like the TIFF we love!

The Festival runs September 8 – 19, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Searchlight Pictures)

How is this for a Cast? Joshua Jackson, AnnaSophia Robb, Christian Slater and Alec Baldwin star in new Series DR. DEATH, based on the eponymous Podcast and based on a true story.

Synopsis:

The new Peacock Original series is inspired by the terrifying true story of Dr. Christopher Duntsch (Joshua Jackson), a rising star in the Dallas medical community. Young, charismatic and ostensibly brilliant, Dr. Duntsch was building a flourishing neurosurgery practice when everything suddenly changed. Patients entered his operating room for complex but routine spinal surgeries and left permanently maimed or dead. As victims piled up, two fellow physicians, neurosurgeon Robert Henderson (Alec Baldwin) and vascular surgeon Randall Kirby (Christian Slater), as well as Dallas prosecutor Michelle Shughart (AnnaSophia Robb), set out to stop him. Dr. Death explores the twisted mind of Dr. Duntsch and the failures of the system designed to protect the most defenseless among us.

DR. DEATH premieres Sunday, September 12, 2021 at 9 p.m. ET on Showcase.

(Photo/video credit: Showcase)

The sky’s the limit for Simu Liu! The Chinese-Canadian Actor’s star continues to rise and his big moment has arrived with Marvel’s SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS set to be released this weekend.

Liu, known to many of us in Canada and abroad for his work on Sitcom Kim’s Convenience, landed the gig of a lifetime in the titular role of SHANG-CHI. And if word of mouth is any indicator, the Blockbuster is poised to do big things at a Box Office which has been in need of a wake-up as we navigate our way out this pandemic!

The emerging star has been busy premiering the Film in London, Los Angeles, New York and now Toronto, his hometown where is will be doing a couple days of Press in support of the Film.

In honour of his return home, a digital billboard displaying “Welcome Home Simu!” was set-up. The tribute certainly caught his eye as he did his rounds this morning, including interviews on Breakfast Television, The Morning Show, CP24 Breakfast and The Roz & Mocha Show. Liu ceasing the moment to take it all in, stopped for a couple snaps in front of the setup!

We are so happy to see Liu again and all the success he has and is about to achieve. A proud moment for many of us who have felt under-seen. We don’t believe he remembered our name when he came over to greet us!

Don’t forget to check-out Marvel’s SHANG–CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS as it arrives in theatres Friday, September, 2021!

Don’t forget to check-out some of our coverage including Review here!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Having won tons of accolades at Sundance, Fran Kranz‘s MASS soon will be in theatres. Here is your first look at its Trailer.

Synopsis:

Years after an unspeakable tragedy tore their lives apart, two sets of parents agree to talk privately in an attempt to move forward. In Fran Kranz’ writing and directing debut, he thoughtfully examines their journey of grief, anger and acceptance by coming face-to-face with the ones who have been left behind.

MK2 | Mile End release MASS October 15, 2021 in theatres.

(Photo/video credit: MK2|Mile End)

Premiering at TIFF ’21 and from Executive Producer Taika Waititi, we present to you the new Trailer for NIGHT RAIDERS by Danis Goulet.

Synopsis:

The year is 2043. A military occupation controls disenfranchised cities in post-war North America. Children are property of the State. A desperate Cree woman joins an underground band of vigilantes to infiltrate a State children’s academy and get her daughter back. Night Raiders is a female-driven dystopian drama about resilience, courage and love.

Elevation Pictures release NIGHT RAIDERS October 8, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

Despite a few shifts in release date, VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE comes at us with a new Poster!

Synopsis:

Tom Hardy returns to the big screen as the lethal protector Venom, one of MARVEL’s greatest and most complex characters. Directed by Andy Serkis, the film also stars Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris and Woody Harrelson, in the role of the villain Cletus Kasady/Carnage.

In case you’ve missed the Trailer, see it below:

Sony Pictures Canada release VENOM: LET THERE BE CARNAGE October 15, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Sony Pictures Canada)

CANDYMAN proves to sweet to resist to Moviegoers, taking top spot at the Box Office this weekend. The Sequel to the 1992 Horror brought-in a healthy $22.3 million for Universal Pictures, from 3,569 theatres. The second Feature by Nia DaCosta gets 85% on the Tomatometer.

In second spot is FREE GUY with $13.5 million from 3,940 theatres for 20th Century Studios. Over three weeks, the Action-Fantasy-Comedy starring Ryan Reynolds has brought in $79.3 million domestically in North America.

Landing in third is PAW PATROL: THE MOVIE with $6.6 million in its second week out for Paramount/Elevation Pictures. Thus far it has grossed $24 million.

Disney’s JUNGLE CRUISE is in fourth with $5 million in its fifth week out, just crossing $100 million.

DON’T BREATHE 2 rounds-out to the Top Five with $2.8 million for Sony Pictures, a total $24.6 million in three weeks.