Ben Falcone writes and directs THUNDER FORCE, starring Melissa McCarthy and Octavia Spencer! We need a good laugh!

Synopsis:

In a world where supervillains are commonplace, two estranged childhood best friends reunite after one devises a treatment that gives them powers to protect their city.

See the Trailer:

THUNDER FORCE arrives Friday, April 9, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Short-listed for an Academy Award, Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win a Digital Download of Documentary NOTTURNO.

Synopsis:

Gianfranco Rosi’s new documentary is an immersive portrait of those trying to survive in the war-torn Middle East.

See the Trailer:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet below for an extra chance. You must be following.

Rules and regulations here.

Elevation Pictures release NOTTURNO, available now on Digital and On-Demand.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

From Director Fede Alvarez comes CALLS, a new genre-bending Short-Form Series coming to APPLE TV+ with a superb Cast. Stories are told through 12 minute calls! There are nine episodes total.

Synopsis:

“Calls” is a groundbreaking, immersive television experience that masterfully uses audio and minimal abstract visuals to tell nine bone-chilling, short-form stories. Directed by Fede Álvarez (“Don’t Breathe”), each episode follows a darkly dramatic mystery that unfolds through a series of seemingly average, unconnected phone calls that quickly become surreal as the characters face growingly unsettling experiences.

The stellar cast assembled to bring this Apple Original series of eerie conversations to life includes Nicholas Braun (“Succession”), Clancy Brown (“The Shawshank Redemption”), Lily Collins (“Emily in Paris”), Rosario Dawson (“Jane the Virgin”), Mark Duplass (“The Morning Show”), Karen Gillan (“Avengers: Endgame”), Judy Greer (“Halloween”), Paul Walter Hauser (“Cobra Kai”), Danny Huston (“Children of Men”), Nick Jonas (“Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle”), Riley Keough (“The Girlfriend Experience”), Joey King (“The Act”), Stephen Lang (“Avatar”), Jaeden Martell (“Defending Jacob”), Paola Nuñez (“Bad Boys for Life”), Pedro Pascal (“The Mandalorian”), Edi Patterson (“The Righteous Gemstones”), Aubrey Plaza (“Parks and Recreation”), Danny Pudi (“Mythic Quest”), Ben Schwartz (“House of Lies”), Aaron Taylor-Johnson (“Tenet”) and Jennifer Tilly (“Family Guy”).

See the Trailer:

CALLS arrives on Friday, March 19, 2021 on Apple TV+.

(Photo/video credit: Apple TV)

In celebration of Women’s History Month and International Women’s Day, subscription video service IFC Films Unlimited have announced a slate of women-led programming in March!

FEMALE DIRECTORS
*Titles listed by date

A Call to Spy (2020) – Drama
Director: Lydia Dean Pilcher
Starring: Sarah Megan Thomas, Stana Katic, Radhika Apte, Linus Roache
Synopsis: At the dawn of WWII, a desperate Churchill orders his new spy agency to train women for covert ops. Together, they help to undermine the Nazi regime and turn the tide of the war.

Relic (2020) – Horror
Director: Natalie Erika James
Starring: Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin, Bella Heathcote 
Synopsis: A daughter, mother and grandmother are haunted by a manifestation of dementia that consumes their family’s home.

Knives and Skin (2019) – Drama
Director: Jennifer Reeder
Starring: Marika Engelhardt, Grace Smith, Ireon Roach, Kayla Carter, Tim Hopper, Kate Arrington, Audrey Francis, James Vincent Meredith, Ty Olwin, Raven Whitley, Jalen Gilbert, Emma Ladji, Robert T. Cunningham, Tony Fitzpatrick, Marilyn Dodds Frank
Synopsis: What happened to Carolyn Harper? Part suburban nightmare, part neon-soaked teenage fever dream, this tantalizing mystery traces the wave of fear and distrust that spreads across a small Midwestern town in the wake of a high school girl’s mysterious disappearance. As the loneliness and darkness lurking beneath the veneer of everyday life gradually comes to light, a collective awakening seems to overcome the town’s teenage girls—gathering in force until it can no longer be contained. Unfolding in a hallucinatory haze of lushly surreal images, Knives and Skin is a one-of-a-kind coming-of-age noir that haunts like a half-remembered dream.

Sword of Trust (2019) – Comedy
Director: Lynn Shelton
Starring: Marc Maron, Jon Bass, Michaela Watkins, Jillian Bell
Synopsis: Mel (Marc Maron) is a cantankerous pawnshop owner in Alabama who spends most of his time swindling customers while trying and failing to get his man-child employee Nathaniel (Jon Bass) to do any work. When Cynthia (Jillian Bell) and her wife Mary (Michaela Watkins) try to hawk a Civil War-era sword inherited from Cynthia’s recently deceased grandfather, he tries to get the better of them. The sword, however, comes with a convoluted report from Cynthia’s grandfather claiming the relic to be proof the South actually won the war. It isn’t long before the coveted “prover item” draws the attention of overzealous conspiracy theorists and the two duos have to join forces in order to sell the sword to the highest bidder. The journey that ensues takes the ragtag bunch on a tour through the deep South and the minds of the local fanatics who inhabit it. Created from the raw talent of its cast and infused with a lot of heart and laughs, Sword of Trust takes a stab at uncovering emotional truths through moments of hilarity and hits right on the mark.

Out of Blue (2019) – Drama
Director: Carol Morley
Starring: Patricia Clarkson, Toby Jones, Jacki Weaver, James Caan, Mamie Gummer, Aaron Tveit, Yolonda Ross, Jonathan Majors, Devyn Tyler
Synopsis: The hunt for a killer draws a detective into an even larger mystery: the nature of the universe itself. Mike Hoolihan (Patricia Clarkson) is an unconventional New Orleans cop investigating the murder of renowned astrophysicist Jennifer Rockwell (Mamie Gummer), a black hole expert found shot to death in her observatory. As Mike tumbles down the rabbit hole of the disturbing, labyrinthine case, she finds herself grappling with increasingly existential questions of quantum mechanics, parallel universes, and exploding stars—cosmic secrets that may hold the key to unraveling the crime, while throwing into doubt her very understanding of reality. Awash in a dreamlike, neo-noir atmosphere, this one-of-a-kind thriller is both a tantalizing whodunnit and a rich, metaphysical mind-bender.

Furlough (2018) – Drama
Director: Laurie Collyer
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Whoopi Goldberg, Melissa Leo, La La Anthony, Drena De Niro, Azhy Robertson, Jerry Dean
Synopsis: When an inmate is granted one weekend out of prison to see her dying mother, a rookie correction officer struggles to keep her under control.

The Female Brain (2018) – Comedy
Director: Whitney Cummings
Starring: Whitney Cummings, Sofia Vergara, Cecily Strong, Toby Kebbell, James Marsden, Lucy Punch, Beanie Feldstein
Synopsis: A comedy about modern day relationships that takes us from the heart into the inner workings of brain chemistry to understand love among couples at different stages of their relationships.

Evolution (2016) – Thriller
Director: Lucile Hadžihalilović
Starring: Max Brebant, Roxane Duran, Julie-Marie Parmentier
Synopsis: In this sci-fi thriller, a remote island is inhabited by young boys who are subjected to strange medical treatments. Soon one boy makes a disturbing discovery beneath the waves.

#Horror (2015) – Horror
Director: Tara Subkoff
Starring: Sadie Seelert, Haley Murphy, Bridget McGarry
Synopsis: Inspired by actual events, a group of 12 year old girls face a night of horror when the compulsive addiction of an online social media game turns a moment of a cyber bullying to a night of insanity.

Bare (2015) – Drama, Thriller
Director: Natalia Leite
Starring: Dianna Agron, Paz de la Huerta,
Synopsis: A young girl living in a small desert town in Nevada becomes romantically involved with a female drifter who leads her into a life of drugs, stripping, and psychedelic spiritual experiences.

Slow Learners (2015) – Comedy
Director: Sheena Joyce, Don Argott
Starring: Adam Pally, Sarah Burns, Reid Scott, Catherine Reitman
Synopsis: High school teachers Jeff and Anne are work BFFs all too familiar with the woes of romance. Desperate to turn their luck around they take on new personas and embark, withgusto, on an adventurous summer of uncharacteristic encounters.

Free the Nipple (2014) – Comedy
Director: Lina Esco
Starring: Casey LaBow, Zach Grenier, Monique Coleman, Lola Kirke, Lia Esco
Synopsis: An army of passionate women launch a revolution to “Free the Nipple” and decriminalize the female body. Based on a true story, this mass movement of topless women, armed with First Amendment lawyers, graffiti installations and national publicity stunts, invade New York City to protest the backwards censorship laws in the USA.

Kelly & Cal (2014) – Comedy
Director: Jen McGowan
Starring: Juliette Lewis, Cybill Shepherd, Jonny Weston
Synopsis: A former rock chick turned suburban housewife (Juliette Lewis) rediscovers her wild side when she befriends the teenaged boy next door. Also stars Cybill Shepherd.

Beyond the Edge (2014) – Thriller, Documentary
Director: Leanne Pooley
Starring: Chad Moffitt
Synopsis: A 3D feature film about Sir Edmund Hillary’s monumental and historical ascent of Mt. Everest in 1953 – an event that stunned the world and defined a nation.

Dancing in Jaffa (2014) – Documentary
Director: Hilla Medalia
Starring: Pierre Dulaine
Synopsis: Over a ten-week period, renowned ballroom dancer Pierre Dulaine teaches Jewish and Palestinian Israeli children to dance and compete together. The film explores the complex stories of three children, all of whom are forced to confront issues of identity, segregation, and racial prejudice as they dance with their enemy.

Elaine Stritch: Shoot Me (2014) – Documentary
Director: Chiemi Karasawa
Starring: Elaine Stritch, Alec Baldwin, Tina Fey , Nathan Lane
Synopsis: What does it mean to be a performing artist – first, last and always? Broadway legend Elaine Stritch can answer that. At 87, Stritch is still here, dominating the stage in her one woman cabaret act, torturing Alec Baldwin on 30ROCK, giving us her take on aging, her struggle with alcohol and diabetes, and the fear of leaving the follow spot behind. In stolen moments from her corner room at the Carlyle, and on breaks from her tour and work, candid reflections about her life are punctuated with rare archival footage, words from friends (Hal Prince, George C. Wolfe, Nathan Lane, Cherry Jones and John Turturro) and photographs from her personal collection. By turns bold, hilarious and achingly poignant, the journey connects Stritch’s present to her past, and an inspiring portrait of a one-of-a-kind survivor emerges.

The Selfish Giant (2013) – Drama
Director: Clio Barnard
Starring: Sean Gilder, Steve Evets
Synopsis: THE SELFISH GIANT is a contemporary fable about two teenage boys who get caught up in the world of copper theft.

Dark Touch (2013) – Horror
Director: Marina de Van
Starring: Marie Missy Keating, Marcella Plunkett, Padraic Delaney, Aidan Gillen, Charlotte Flyvholm
Synopsis: One night, the furniture and objects in an isolated house runs riot against the family within, leaving only an eleven-year-old girl alive.

Una Noche (2013) (Spanish) – Drama
Director: Lucy Mulloy
Starring: Dariel Arrechaga, Anailin de la Rua de la Torre, Javier Nuñez Florian
Synopsis: Havana: Accused and desperate, Raul is forced to the edge. 90 miles of treacherous ocean stand between him and his dream: Miami.

Breaking the Girls (2013) – Thriller
Director: Jamie Babbit
Starring: Madeline Zima, Agnes Bruckner, Shawn Ashmore
Synopsis: Two college girls become more than friends when they make a pact to kill off each other’s nemesis.

The Loneliest Planet (2012) – Thriller
Director: Julia Loktev
Starring: Gael Garcia Bernal, Hani Furstenberg, Bidzina Gujabidze
Synopsis: A local guide takes a young couple through a twisted backpacking trip across the Georgian wilderness.

The Decoy Bride (2012) – Comedy
Director: Sheree Folkson
Starring: David Tenant, Kelly McDonald, Alice Eve
Synopsis: When the media descend on the remote Scottish island where a Hollywood actress is getting married, a local girl is hired as a decoy bride to put the paparazzi off the scent.

Buck (2011) – Documentary
Director: Cindy Meehl
Starring: Buck Brannaman
Synopsis: In a story about the power of non-violence, master horse trainer Buck Brannaman uses principles of respect and trust to tame horses and inspire their human counterparts.

Tiny Furniture (2010) – Comedy
Director: Lena Dunham
Starring: Lena Dunham, Laurie Simmons, Grace Dunham, David Call, Alex Karpovsky
Synopsis: 22-year-old Aura returns home after college to her artist mother’s loft with the following: a useless film theory degree, 357 hits on her YouTube page, and no shoulders to cry on. Starring Dunham and her real-life family, Tiny Furniture is tragicomedy about what does and does not happen when you graduate with no skills, no love life, and a lot of free time.

LADIES OF HORROR
*Titles listed by date

Kindred (2020) – Thriller
Director: Joe Marcantonio
Starring: Fiona Shaw, Edward Holcroft, Jack Lowden, Tamara Lawrance, Chloe Pirrie, Anton Lesser, Kiran Sonia Sawar, Michael Nardone
Synopsis: A chilling tale of one young woman slowly losing her grip on reality…or is she being brainwashed and psychologically tortured by her deceased boyfriend’s family?

The Other Lamb (2020) – Horror, Drama
Director: Malgorzata Szumowska
Starring: Raffey Cassidy, Michiel Huisman, Denise Gough.
Synopsis: A girl born into an all-female cult led by a man in their compound begins to question his teachings and her own reality.

Relic (2020) – Horror
Director: Natalie Erika James
Starring: Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin, Bella Heathcote 
Synopsis: A daughter, mother and grandmother are haunted by a manifestation of dementia that consumes their family’s home.

Knives and Skin (2019) – Drama
Director: Jennifer Reeder
Starring: Marika Engelhardt, Grace Smith, Ireon Roach, Kayla Carter, Tim Hopper, Kate Arrington, Audrey Francis, James Vincent Meredith, Ty Olwin, Raven Whitley, Jalen Gilbert, Emma Ladji, Robert T. Cunningham, Tony Fitzpatrick, Marilyn Dodds Frank
Synopsis: What happened to Carolyn Harper? Part suburban nightmare, part neon-soaked teenage fever dream, this tantalizing mystery traces the wave of fear and distrust that spreads across a small Midwestern town in the wake of a high school girl’s mysterious disappearance. As the loneliness and darkness lurking beneath the veneer of everyday life gradually comes to light, a collective awakening seems to overcome the town’s teenage girls—gathering in force until it can no longer be contained. Unfolding in a hallucinatory haze of lushly surreal images, Knives and Skin is a one-of-a-kind coming-of-age noir that haunts like a half-remembered dream.

Beyond the Gates (of Hell) (2016) – Thriller
Director: Jackson Stewart
Starring: Barbara Crampton, Brea Grant, Ryan Kunert
Synopsis: Dice turn deadly when two brothers fight to survive a nightmarish role-playing game run by a sinister host (Barbara Crampton) in this throwback thriller.

Anesthesia (2016) – Drama
Director: Tim Blake Nelson
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Corey Stoll, Glenn Close, Michael K. Williams, Tim Blake Nelson, Mickey Sumner, Sam Waterston
Synopsis: Multiple lives intersect in the aftermath of the violent mugging of a Columbia University philosophy professor.

The Abandoned (2016) – Horror
Director: Eytan Rockaway
Starring: Jason Patric, Louisa Krause, Mark Margolis
Synopsis: A struggling single mother works as a security guard for a corporation, where she becomes trapped in the dark catacombs of the structure and her sanity is terrorized.

The Den (2014) – Horror, Thriller
Director: Zachary Donohue
Starring: Melanie Papalia, David Schlachtenhaufen, Matt Riedy, Adam Shapiro
Synopsis: A young woman studying the habits of webcam chat users from the apparent safety of her apartment witnesses a brutal murder online and is quickly immersed in a nightmare in which she and her loved ones are targeted for the same grisly fate as the first victim.

Dark Touch (2013) – Horror
Director: Marina de Van
Starring: Marie Missy Keating, Marcella Plunkett, Padraic Delaney, Aidan Gillen, Charlotte Flyvholm
Synopsis: One night, the furniture and objects in an isolated house runs riot against the family within, leaving only an eleven-year-old girl alive.

Breaking the Girls (2013) – Thriller
Director: Jamie Babbit
Starring: Madeline Zima, Agnes Bruckner, Shawn Ashmore
Synopsis: Two college girls become more than friends when they make a pact to kill off each other’s nemesis.

Contracted (2013) – Horror, Thriller
Director: Eric England
Starring: Najarra Townsend, Caroline Williams
Synopsis: A young girl has a one-night stand with a random stranger and contracts, what she thinks is, a sexually-transmitted disease – but is actually something much worse.

The Pact (2012) – Horror
Director: Nicholas McCarthy
Starring: Caity Lotz, Casper Van Dien, Haley Hudson, Sam Ball
Synopsis: When their mother dies, sisters Annie and Nicole begin to face their disturbing childhood. Nicole visits her mother’s house to deal with the estate and vanishes.

Dead Hooker in a Trunk (2011) – Horror
Director: Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska
Starring: Rikki Gagne, Jen Soska, Sylvia Soska, CJ Wallis, John Tench
Synopsis: A Canadian grindhouse film about a group of friends, including twin sisters (who are also the directors), who somehow end up with a dead hooker in their trunk. As they try to figure out how it happened, they become chased by cops, a sleazy hotel manager, chainsaw wielding triads, a brutal serial killer, and a mysterious cowboy pimp.

The Housemaid (2011) (Korean) – Thriller
Director: Im Sang-soo
Starring: Do-yeon Jeon, Jung-jae Lee, Woo Seo, Yuh-Jung Youn
Synopsis: A remake of Kim Ki-young’s Housemaid from the 1960s. A strange housemaid joins a peaceful family only to destroy them.

Exorcismus (2011) – Horror
Director: Luis de la Madrid
Starring: Sophie Vavasseur, Stephen Billington, Douglas Bradley, Jo Anne Stockham
Synopsis: Medical tests have ruled out any illness of 15 year old daughter Suzy but she gets worse every day. Father Ellis resorts to hypnosis to help Suzy but to find out what happens during the sessions, Suzy sets up a video camera.

FEMALE CINEMATOGRAPHERS
*Titles listed by date

Furlough (2018) – Drama
Director: Laurie Collyer
Cinematographer: Berenice Eveno
Starring: Tessa Thompson, Whoopi Goldberg, Melissa Leo, La La Anthony, Drena De Niro, Azhy Robertson, Jerry Dean
Synopsis: When an inmate is granted one weekend out of prison to see her dying mother, a rookie correction officer struggles to keep her under control.

Marguerite and Julien (2016) – Romance
Director: Valérie Donzelli
Cinematographer: Céline Bozon
Starring: Anaïs Demoustier, Jérémie Elkaïm, Frédéric Pierrot
Synopsis: An aristocratic brother and sister embrace passion and hope as they flee from society. A story of desire, love and death beyond all morality.

Anesthesia (2016) – Drama
Director: Tim Blake Nelson
Cinematographer: Christina Voros
Starring: Kristen Stewart, Corey Stoll, Glenn Close, Michael K. Williams, Tim Blake Nelson, Mickey Sumner, Sam Waterston
Synopsis: Multiple lives intersect in the aftermath of the violent mugging of a Columbia University philosophy professor.

The Pact 2 (2014) – Thriller
Director: Dallas Hallam, Patrick Horvath
Cinematographer: Carmen Cabana
Starring: Camilla Luddington, Scott Michael Foster
Synopsis: Sequel to Pact. When a series of brutal murders lead authorities to believe the Judas killer is back, Annie, (Caity Lotz The Machine), returns home for the final showdown.

Errors of the Human Body (2013) – Sci-fi
Director: Eron Sheean
Cinematographer: Anna Howard
Starring: Rik Mayall, Karoline Herfurth
Synopsis: When a potentially lethal virus is created within his new lab, Dr Geoff Burton is shocked to discover he is not only the unwitting cause, but also its first victim.

The Flat (2012) (Hebrew, German, English) – Documentary
Director: Arnon Goldfinger
Cinematographer: Talia Gal’On
Starring: Arnon Goldfinger
Synopsis: At age 98, director Arnon Goldfinger’s grandmother passed away, leaving him the task of clearing out the Tel Aviv flat that she and her husband shared since immigrating to Palestine from Nazi Germany in the 1930s. In this emotionally riveting documentary, Goldfinger follows the hints they left behind in a lifetime’s collection of documents.

The Decoy Bride (2012) – Comedy
Director: Sheree Folkson
Cinematographer: Nanu Segal
Starring: David Tenant, Kelly McDonald, Alice Eve
Synopsis: When the media descend on the remote Scottish island where a Hollywood actress is getting married, a local girl is hired as a decoy bride to put the paparazzi off the scent.

House of Pleasures (2011) – Drama
Director: Bertrand Bonello
Cinematographer: Josée Deshaies
Starring: Adèle Haenel, Alice Barnole, Céline Sallette, Hafsia Herzi, Iliana Zabeth, Jasmine Trinca, Noémie Lvovsky
Synopsis: At the dawn of the XXth century, in a brothel in Paris, a man disfigures a prostitute for life. She is marked with a scar that draws a tragic smile on her face.

XX/YX (2003) – Comedy, Drama
Director: Austin Chick
Cinematographer: Uta Briesewitz
Starring: Mark Ruffalo, Kathleen Robertson, Maya Stange, Petra Wright, David Thornton
Synopsis: Hot Sundance world premiere stars Mark Ruffalo; written, directed by Austin Chick. Friends begin a dangerous 3-way relationship that spirals out of control; dire consequences haunt them years later.

(Photo credit: IFC Films)

OWN THE ROOM follows thought leaders of tomorrow as they attend a high-profile entepreneurship competition! The Documentary arrives this month on Disney+.

Synopsis: 

“Own the Room” chronicles five students from disparate corners of the planet as they take their big ideas to Macau, China, host of one of the most prestigious entrepreneurship competitions in the world, the Global Student Entrepreneur Awards. Santosh is from a small farming town in Nepal; Alondra works the register at her family’s bakery in Puerto Rico; Henry is a programming wiz from Nairobi; Jason is a marketing machine from Greece; and Daniela is an immigrant escaping the crisis in Venezuela, taking on the chemical industry from her lab at NYU. They’ve each overcome immense obstacles in pursuit of their dreams, from hurricanes to poverty to civil unrest. Their ideas have already changed their own lives, but are they ready to change the world? 

See the Trailer:

OWN THE ROOM arrives on Disney+ Friday, March 12, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Disney)

Monday, March 8, 2021 is International Women’s Day and to celebrate, Hollywood Suite all month long are bringing you a selection of curated Films either directed by women or centering on powerful female characters. Kicking things off on March 8th is 2018’s COLETTE starring Keira Knightley.

Additional Films to be spotlighted:

RBG (2018) – March 2 at 6:30 pm ET
DIRECTORS: BETSY WEST and JULIE COHEN
A documentary showcasing the life and career of US Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg. From
being a trailblazer for women’s rights to becoming a pop culture icon in her final decade, West and Cohen
get behind-the-scenes, unprecedented access to the woman known lovingly as RBG.

REAL GENIUS (1985) – March 2 at 9pm ET
DIRECTOR: MARTHA COOLIDGE
When two college students discover their project is being eyed by nefarious government officials to be
used as a weapon, they set out to put a stop to their plans.

BLACK GIRL (1972) – March 9 at 9pm ET
DIRECTOR: Ossie Davis
STARRING: PEGGY PETTITT, LESLIE UGGAMS, RUBY DEE, CLAUDIA MCNEIL
A dramatic exploration of family dynamics, the search for identity and the fulfillment of dreams among
three generations of Black women.

ENOUGH (2002) – March 10 at 9pm ET
DIRECTOR: MICHAEL APTED
STARRING: JENNIFER LOPEZ, JULIETTE LEWIS
A working-class waitress thinks her dreams have come true when she’s swept off her feet by a gorgeous
millionaire. She soon discovers that her dream man is anything but, forcing her to go on the run.

WELCOME TO ME (2014) – March 14 at 9pm ET
DIRECTOR: SHIRA PIVEN
STARRING: KRISTEN WIIG, LINDA CARDELLINI
After winning the lottery and deciding to go off her medications, a mentally unbalanced woman buys her
own talk show.

MIXED NUTS (1994) – March 19 at 9pm ET
DIRECTOR: NORA EPHRON
When threatened with eviction on Christmas Eve, the staff of a crisis hotline called Lifesavers – along with
a cast of oddball characters – are thrown into a state of crisis themselves.

GIRLFRIENDS (1978) – March 23 at 9pm ET
DIRECTOR: CLAUDIA WEILL
STARRING: MELANIE MAYRON
This critically acclaimed drama centres around a struggling New York City photographer who finds
herself dealing with a profound loneliness when her best friend moves out and gets married.

SEVEN MINUTES IN HEAVEN (1986) – March 30 at 9pm ET
DIRECTOR: LINDA FEFERMAN
STARRING: JENNIFER CONNELLY, MADDIE CORMAN
Trusted by her father to care for their home while he’s out of town, a straight-A student lets her two best
friends move in

(Photo credit: Elevation Pictures)

Universal Pictures Home Entertainment x Mr. Will are thrilled to give Readers a chance to win a copy of widely-acclaimed PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN on Blu-ray™ !

Synopsis:

Everyone said Cassie (Carey Mulligan) was a promising young woman…until a mysterious event abruptly derailed her future. But nothing in Cassie’s life is what it appears to be: she’s wickedly smart, tantalizingly cunning, and she’s living a secret double life by night. Now, an unexpected encounter is about to give Cassie a chance to right the wrongs of the past in this thrilling and wildly entertaining story. Featuring incredible must-see performances from the entire cast, the bold and gritty PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN is led by critically acclaimed Mulligan who received the Los Angeles Film Critics Best Actress award for her role and has a phenomenal supporting cast including Bo Burnham (Eight Grade, The Big Sick), Alison Brie (Sleeping With Other People, “GLOW”), Clancy Brown (The Shawshank Redemption, Thor: Ragnarok), Jennifer Coolidge (Legally Blonde, American Pie), Laverne Cox (“Orange Is the New Black,” Grandma), Connie Britton (“Dirty John,” “Friday Night Lights”), Alfred Molina (Frida, Spider-Man 2), Adam Brody (Shazam!, “The OC”), Max Greenfield (“New Girl,” The Big Short), Christopher Mintz-Plasse (Superbad, Kick-Ass), Chris Lowell (The Help, Up in the Air), Sam Richardson (“Veep,” “New Girl”), and Molly Shannon (“Divorce,” Superstar).

BLU-RAY^TM, DVD & DIGITAL BONUS FEATURES:

• A Promising Vision – Writer/Director Emerald Fennell discusses her inspirations for writing this bold, genre-bending film.
• Two-Sided Transformation – A look at why Carey Mulligan was the perfect choice to play “Cassie” and how filmmakers used wardrobe, hair, and makeup to express the balance between light and dark.
• Balancing Act – Cast members discuss their unexpected reactions to the careful balance of levity and tragedy in director Emerald Fennell’s take on female revenge.
• Feature Commentary with Writer/Director Emerald Fennell

PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN will be available on Blu-ray^TM, DVD and Digital.

• Blu-ray^TM unleashes the power of your HDTV and is the best way to watch movies at home, featuring 6X the picture resolution of DVD, exclusive extras and theatre-quality surround sound.
• Digital lets fans watch movies anywhere on their favorite devices. Users can instantly stream or download.

See the Trailer:

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet below for another chance!

Rules and regulations here.

 Universal Pictures Home Entertainment release PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN on Digital March 2, 2021 and Blu-ray^TM and DVD March 16, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Home Enterainment)

At the forefront of discussion of late has been the College Admissions Scandal which rocked the world and landed celebrities in jail. OPERATION VARSITY BLUES: THE COLLEGE ADMISSIONS SCANDAL is coming soon to Netflix, starring Matthew Modine, examining this news headliner.

Synopsis:

An examination that goes beyond the celebrity-driven headlines and dives into the methods used by Rick Singer, the man at the center of the shocking 2019 college admissions scandal, to persuade his wealthy clients to cheat an educational system already designed to benefit the privileged. Using an innovative combination of interviews and narrative recreations of the FBI’s wiretapped conversations between Singer and his clients, Operation Varsity Blues offers a rare glimpse into the enigmatic figure behind a scheme that exposed the lengths wealthy families would go to for admission into elite colleges, and angered a nation already grappling with the effects of widespread inequality. From Chris Smith and Jon Karmen, the filmmakers behind Fyre, and starring Matthew Modine as Rick Singer.

See the Trailer:

Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal arrives on Netflix March 17, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

The 78th annual Golden Globe Awards took place tonight and for the first time ever, the Awards were bi-coastal, with many presenters and nominees opting to attend virtually. Tina Fey and Amy Poehler hosted a fourth time this year and did not hold back in their opening speech addressing some of the Awards’ controversies this year including a lack of black members on the Hollywood Foreign Press Association, who decide Golden Globe Award winners. Fey stated, “Look, we all know award shows are stupid. But the point is… inclusivity is important and there are no Black members of the Hollywood Foreign Press“. She also proceeded to call-out Emily in Paris’ nominations mentioning that “French Exit (for which Michelle Pfeiffer is nominated for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical) is what I did after I watched the first episode.”. The lighthearted Series starring Lily Collins drew a bit of controversy with many questioning its deservingness of recognition.

Leading the way was Netflix‘s THE CROWN sweeping all categories for which it was nominated: Best Television Series – Drama, Best Actor – Television Series Drama (Josh O’Connor), Best Actress – Television Series Drama (Emma Corrin), Best Supporting Actress – Series, Miniseries or Television Film (Gillian Anderson).

Netflix also saw its well-received THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT score for Limited TV Series and Actress in a Limited TV Series (Anya Taylor-Joy).

With three female Directors being nominated for Director in a Motion Picture, Chloé Zhao has the distinction of being the first woman of Asian descent (and second woman ever) to win a Golden Globe in the category for NOMADLAND. The Film also won for Motion Picture Drama and it is one of the favourites to take Best Picture at the Oscars. Another Asian-American Filmmaker, Lee Isaac Chung, also was recognized for his Film MINARI for Foreign Language Film.

BORAT Subsequent Moviefilm also was a big winner this evening taking Motion Picture Comedy or Musical and Sacha Baron Cohen taking Actor in a Motion Picture Comedy or Musical. He revealed he almost got shot twice making this Film, thanking his Bodyguard who went unnamed.

Canada shined bright on the global stage with SCHITT’S CREEK winning for TV Musical or Comedy Series. Stars Eugene Levy and Catherine O’Hara won also for Actor and Actress in a TV Comedy Series.

Posthumously, Chadwick Boseman was awarded Actor in a Motion Picture Drama for his performance in Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom. His surviving wife Taylor Simone Ledward accepted tearfully on his behalf saying “He would thank God, his parents and ancestors for their guidance and sacrifices… He would say something beautiful, something inspiring, something that would amplify that little voice inside us that tells us you can.”.

Winners tonight included:

Best Motion Picture, Drama – “Nomadland”

Best Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy – “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”

Best Director, Motion Picture – Chloé Zhao, “Nomadland”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Drama – Andra Day, “The United States vs. Billie Holiday”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy  – Rosamund Pike, “I Care a Lot”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture – Jodie Foster, “The Mauritanian”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Drama – Chadwick Boseman, “Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy – Sacha Baron Cohen, “Borat Subsequent Moviefilm”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in Any Motion Picture -Daniel Kaluuya, “Judas and the Black Messiah”

Best Screenplay, Motion Picture – Aaron Sorkin, “The Trial of the Chicago 7”

Best Original Score, Motion Picture – Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross and Jon Batiste, “Soul”

Best Original Song, Motion Picture – “Io Sì (Seen),” “The Life Ahead”

Best Motion Picture, Animated – “Soul”

Best Motion Picture, Foreign Language – “Minari”

Best Television Series, Drama –  “The Crown”

Best Television Series, Musical or Comedy –  “Schitt’s Creek”

Best Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television – “The Queen’s Gambit”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Drama – Emma Corrin, “The Crown”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy – Catherine O’Hara, “Schitt’s Creek”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Limited Series, Anthology Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television – Anya Taylor-Joy, “The Queen’s Gambit”

Best Performance by an Actress in a Television Supporting Role – Gillian Anderson, “The Crown”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Drama – Josh O’Connor, “The Crown”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Series, Musical or Comedy – Jason Sudeikis, “Ted Lasso”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Limited Series or a Motion Picture Made for Television – Mark Ruffalo, “I Know This Much Is True”

Best Performance by an Actor in a Television Supporting Role – John Boyega, “Small Axe”

Carol Burnett Award – Norman Lear

Cecil B. DeMille Award – Jane Fonda

One of the evening’s most relatable moments was a technical glitch experienced as Daniel Kaluuya was named winner for Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for Judas and the Black Messiah. While his audio could not be heard, leading Presenter Laura Dern to try to move on, he rebutted, “You guys did me dirty!” after almost losing his change to give his speech. He then was able to carry-on.

While many nominees and presenters appeared on the broadcast from the comfort of their homes, there still was some dazzling fashion to beheld. See some of the evening’s most fantastic looks.

Amanda Seyfried in Oscar de la Renta

Angela Bassett in Dolce & Gabbana

Carey Mulligan in Prada

Regina King in Louis Vuitton

Anya Taylor-Joy in Dior

Awards Season culminates in the 93rd Academy Awards, which air on ABC April 25, 2021 on ABC.

(Photo credit: Golden Globes)

By Mr. Will Wong

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON is the latest Feature Film from Walt Disney Animation Studios and this astonishing-looking Fantasy Adventure is set in the world of Kumandra, a place where dragons and humans once co-existed together. After monsters known as the Druun surfaced, dragons sacrificed their lives almost becoming extinct. A young warrior named Raya (Kelly Marie Tran) is tasked with locating the last dragon, Sisu (Awkwafina) to stop the Druun from destroying humanity. However, zany Sisu alone might not be enough and Raya and her enemies, including Namaari (Gemma Chan), must learn to overcome their differences and trust one another to accomplish this.

With production taking place over the Pandemic, its Cast and Crew of 450 people – many who worked from home – RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON is a mystical journey that explores division and the importance of trust and community. Featuring a predominantly Asian Principal Voice Cast, the Film arrives at a time where some of its sentiments echo what the Asian community is be experiencing as we heal from a divide in the aftermath of the Pandemic.

See the Trailer:

We were thrilled to join the Global Press Conference for RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON and joining us were:

• Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada – Directors
• Qui Nguyen and Adele Lim – Writers
• Osnat Shurer – Producer
• Kelly Marie Tran – Raya
• Awkwafina – Sisu
• Gemma Chan – Namaari
• Sandra Oh – Virana, Namaari‘s mother
• Daniel Dae Kim – Chief Benja, Raya‘s father
• Benedict Wong – Tong, a giant
• Izaac Wang –  Boun, a ten-year-old Entrepreneur 
• Thalia Tran –  Little Noi, a toddler Ongi (a bit like a money, a bit like a catfish)

Moderating was Television Personality Jeannie Mai.

The symbology of dragons are very present in the Film and we learn that the Eastern Dragon is very different from common perception.

Lim: “It was so exciting to celebrate the Eastern Dragon and we realized this was something most of the world was not familiar with. In East Asia they are referred to as Nāgas , they’re water deities who bring auspiciousness, so it’s very different from the Western Dragon who’s winged and fire-breathing, something you have to destroy and take-down. We love this symbology in our Movie because Raya thinks she’s bringing forth this Water Dragon thinking she can just snap her fingers and solve all the problems in the world. Instead, what she finds is this crazy, zany creature voiced by Awkwafina, and she’s vulnerable and needs to be protected. She’s just quirky and always sees the good in people and Raya as a warrior, thinks this is nuts. It’s so rare we get a Hollywood movie with a special female friendship at the heart of it. The humour here comes from seeing the best in people, people who Raya thought were her enemies, people who’ve let you down. It was the Dragon who could see that potential and it inspires everyone to come together and get past it.”.

The younger Cast members Isaac Wang and Thalia Tran talk about the Film’s Southeast Asian family values.

Wang: “It’s pretty crazy to think 450 people working on this Movie and they just stuffed a bunch of cultures into this Movie. It’s amazing to see all the things that are included from the food to the weapons that you see. I’ve been centered around only a couple cultures my whole life, so to see all these cultures is really amazing to me.”.

Tran (Thalia): “Playing Noi is like nothing I’ve ever done before. She doesn’t use English words, she speaks in her own language but that connection she has with her gang of Ongis (like catfish-monkeys), Tong, Raya and the whole gang, that sense of camaraderie and the sense of family, that is something I related to. Growing up in a Vietnamese family, I learned that family always comes first, from traditions to every day life, especially now in quarantine where I’m with my family all the time. It’s something that definitely clicked with me as I know what it feels like. For her to be so young and have her family be turned to stone by the Druun, and her to have to raise herself with the Ongis, that sense of strength I feel is something very common in Southeast Asian families, especially because it’s something very valued in terms of independence. There’s a lot about Noi even though she can’t speak words, people still can connect with.”.

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON explores a central theme of female friendship. Gemma Chan and Kelly Marie Tran comment on their characters’ rivalry and love-hate relationship.

Chan: “I love that they have this love-hate dynamic, but at the core they have so much in common. I love that Namaari has this aggressive exterior but underneath it all, she’s got this huge heart. She has this love for dragons that’s really been there since childhood and I really love that first scene where she locks eyes with Sisu. It’s as if she’s become a child again. I love that and that was my way into her really. We’ve all got people in our lives we’ve got a love-hate relationship with and I think it’s such a fine line. I love that Namaari and Raya have had that connection since childhood.”.

“It shows as children when we’re young we don’t inherently hate each other. It’s learned whether it comes through as something that’s parental, a family influence or a particular tribe. Those things are learned, but they can be unlearned. Kids get on and that’s something to take away from the Movie.”.

Tran (Kelly Marie): “Setting-up these characters as kids and seeing how authentically they can connect at a young age, and then cutting-forward and seeing the way they’ve been divided, it’s really incredible. We have this idea that the two characters switch places at one point. When I really think about it in my life when things like that have happened to me, I think about just how difficult it is to get out of your own biases from someone you see as an enemy. Incredibly by the end of the story, Raya and Namaari are willing to step outside of themselves and risk everything for this idea of community and what their relationship could have been all this time. It’s really inspiring and something I want to do in my own life. Their relationship in this Movie is one of my favourites because of how complicated it is.”.

Awkwafina comments on her comedic influences for the scene-stealing role of Sisu.

Awkwafina: “Genie was one of my favourite characters from my childhood so maybe there was a subconscious thing. The real beauty here is when I was approached to play Sisu and hear what her vibe was, I think I was given a chance to add my own voice to it and simultaneously build her up with the Directors who were always willing to explore and play. I think she was really born out of that process. The really cool thing about Sisu is that she was part my voice.”.

The Film also explores the father-daughter relationship between Chief Benja and Raya. The former is the Chief of Kumandra‘s heartland and Raya in line to be a ruler next.

Tran (Kelly Marie): “Benja and Raya are so reminiscent of the relationship between me and my own father – that reverence for your elders, how important family is and the way he bestows upon Raya all these incredible ideas at such a young age. Gosh, I cried in so many scenes with Benja.”.

Kim: “I really give a lot of credit to Don, Carlos and the Producing Team because the pitfall of the character is that he can be a Centurion Oratour, the kind of King who’s going to dictate the way everything is. But they kept pushing me to say ‘No, you have a really intimate, loving relationship with your daughter. Take it down, make it more intimate’, and it triggered something different in me and led me to finding that relationship. The second thing is Kelly, I was following you in the news and knew all the things you were about and these were characteristics I could relate to and connect to. It wasn’t just about our roles as characters, but knowing who you were as a person and that I could connect to that. When I watched the Film, I felt that we had that connection even though we weren’t in that booth together. It’s a real testament to your performance.”.

Aside from stunning lifelike animation, the Martial Arts in RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON is phenomenal. The Film’s two Directors Don Hall and Carlos López Estrada speak to this.

Hall: “We were fortunate the Martial Arts Coordinator also happened to be one of the Writers. We leaned on Qui quite a bit. There was one day he brought into the studio – how he got it past Security I don’t know – he brought a giant bag of weapons in to show us he was a legit Martial Arts Choreographer, which we didn’t doubt. But I think after seeing that bag of weapons, we probably treated him a little better after that too!

Estrada: “Just so that this doesn’t become a headline, I will back you up and say that they were stage weapons. The entire Crew, it was really special for them to have Qui down the hall. The Story Artists, the Animators, the vista of people, could just knock on his door and just say ‘Hey, check this move out, does this make sense?’ and Qui would give them links and bring them movies, do some in-office demonstrations. To have that direct access to someone who’s so knowledgeable in that region is invaluable and you really see that in the fights, they feel so different and so unique.”.

Nguyen: “A lot of credit goes to Maggie Macdonald who choreographed a lot of our reference fights and it was important for me to bring on a female Fight Choreographer. She brought on a female team of fighters to do the references because of our two leads are Raya and Namaari. The way a female body moves is just different and we had something that was really utilizing speed, strength and agility. You often see in movies like this Kung-Fu or Karate. It’s nice to see Southeast Asian Martial Arts shown in this way.”.

A point this Film is making is one about representation. The Cast is asked about the importance of this.

Oh: “It’s difficult because this was made in COVID times and the way Animation is made, you don’t get to meet everyone all the Directors do. I think it’s really seeing how Animation has moved on for someone like myself growing-up in the ’70s and ’80s and we didn’t really see anything. I feel like that has been the same way representation wise for a really long time. I actually am glad I’m still alive to be a part of this type of screen (she refers to the grid of predominantly Asian faces on the Zoom call grid) where you get to see the type of people who have made it. In that way it’s very exciting. It’s exciting to hear what Isaac and Thalia have to say and give them an opportunity to have their voices heard. Especially for the much younger generation for them to have a space to be heard. It’s an exhilarating change for someone like me to be a part of and witness.

Tran (Thalia): “We owe it all to people like you”.

We are faced with news of some horrific treatment the Asian community has faced subsequent to the Pandemic. The Cast talks about RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON‘s place in the world today.

Oh: “I was moved by the theme and ending of the story, which ultimately is about trust and how I myself am struggling with that. Art is here to pose questions and to potentially suggest possibility. And I think even if we start with that question in one’s self, ‘Who do I trust? How can I trust? Can I trust that other side? Can I trust that other side when it seems it’s very proof-positive that this is what has been done to me?’. As the theme of the story goes, we cannot continue without this open-heartedness. And the truth I think Raya learns is that you just have to keep having your heart broken again and again just to keep it open. Hate is not finished by hate, it is only won over by love. We have to each individually and as a large community – societally – move towards this because all of us are on the same boat. 2020 in all its destructiveness, if one can see opportunity to somehow it also has broken all our hearts open. So what can we do with all of that?”.

Hall: There were certainly moments during the making of the Film where we were very aware of how this Film which was meant to be timeless was unbelievably timely. I think it emboldened us to continue forward as I felt we had something to say. If this Film can just teach one person to be brave enough to trust someone, then we’ve done what we set-out to do.

Benedict Wong, who came dressed like his fumbling giant character, Tong, tells us about his experience watching the Film with his son.

Wong: “It was the first time we actually sat down and watched the Film entirely all the way through. Afterwards, he turned, gave me a hug and said ‘I trust you, Daddy’. We need this to unite. We are living through remnants of hate that have permeated through the world and again it’s very timely with our beautiful Film that shows that love can lead the way.”.

RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON arrives on Disney+ with Premier Access and in theatres Friday, March 5, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Disney)