#TIFF20: “SHIVA BABY”

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Perennial undergrad student Dani (Rachel Sennot) is at a crossroads in her life. She doesn’t know what to do with her career and she’s in a money-exchange relationship with an older man Max (Danny Deferrari). When her parents haul her to a Shiva (a Jewish mourning event), her past, present and future converge in one house. Surprisingly, she encounters her ex Maya (Molly Gordon) and current flame Max. At once, she is hounded by questions from extended family and friends at the affair. As the pressure surmounts, Dani’s anxiety reaches a breaking point.

It’s hard to believe Shiva Baby is a first-time Feature. Writer-Director Emma Seligman navigates her story with the precision and confidence of a seasoned Filmmaker. She has a clear vision and executes it masterfully. Her Script includes heavy themes of inner-turmoil laced with Comedy, making can make this tightrope to walk. Seligman manages to balance herself steadily.

Another feat Seligman achieves is giving this Dramedy a very distinct feel. She borrows a bit from the Horror genre to heighten Dani’s anxiety. The disquieting Score by Ariel Marx could easily have been used in a Horror film, yet it triumphs in this heartfelt Coming-of-Age story. Not only does it parallel the trepidation of the protagonist, but instills great tension in its audience.

There are moments where Seligman’s whip-smart dialogue is delivered by multiple characters in succession, overpowering us as we immerse ourselves in Dani’s building unease. As a result, we feel both a mix of empathy and anxiousness. Cinematographer Maria Rusche adds to the escalating tension with close-up shots that induce a claustrophobic feeling. This is further aided by the stellar, concise editing by Hanna Park, who for example, makes quick jumps between dialogue, close-up shots and the ear-piercing cries of a baby.

At the heart of Shiva Baby is its endearingly-flawed characters. Seligman manages to get us invested in each character because she gives the same detailed attention to her one-line characters as she does Dani. Our protragonist is placed in a series of cringe-worthy situations which many of us relate to. Refreshingly, she’s never pigeon-holed and is perfectly brought to life by the outstanding performance from Sennot.

As the lead, Sennot commands the screen and encapsulates the essence of Dani – her anxiety, her secretiveness and her fire. However wrong Dani’s actions are, we sympathize with her because Sennot makes it hard not to. She also excels at understanding the power-dynamics within each scene in Seligman’s Script. Sennot is surrounded by an immensely-talented Ensemble. Gordon is delightful as the still-in-love ex. Polly Draper and Fred Melamed are superb as Dani’s supportive, yet overbearing parents. And Dianna Agron is just captivating as a woman slowly learning of her husband’s deceit.

Overall, Shiva Baby is a hilarious, heartfelt Film about the surmounting pressures of family expectations and growing up. At its core are its stellar performances and expert filmmaking all around.

Shiva Baby screens at TIFF:

Thu, Sep 10
Online at Bell Digital Cinema
Streaming in Canada Available from:
6:00pm

Thu, Sep 17
TIFF Bell Lightbox
12:00pm

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF “DC SUPERGIRL: THE COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON” on BLU-RAY™

DC SUPERGIRL: THE COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON is available now on Blu-ray™ and Digital and we want to give our Readers a chance to win a copy!

Synopsis:

In season five, Supergirl faces threats, both new and ancient. National City becomes enthralled with addictive virtual reality technologies created by CatCo’s charming-but-secretive new owner, Andrea Rojas. As Kara uses the power of the press to try to expose this danger, she must contend with challenges put up by rival reporter William Dey, renegade Martian Malefic J’onzz, a shadowy organization called Leviathan, and the shocking return of Lex Luthor who, in addition to his plot for world domination, seeks to claim the soul of Supergirl’s best friend (and his sister) Lena. With humanity choosing to lose itself in technology, can Supergirl save the world yet again?

Includes:

• The Best of DC TV’s Comic-Con Panels San Diego 2019
• Deleted Scenes
• Gag Reel
• Digital Copy

BONUS DISC

• All Five Epic Episodes of the DC Crossover Event Crisis on Infinite Earths from Supergirl, Batwoman, The Flash, Arrow and DC’s Legends of Tomorrow

Special Features:

• Crisis Past and Present: Kevin Conroy Bat Legend
• Crisis on Infinite Earths: The Architects Return
• Crisis Past and Present – Superman vs. Superman
• Characters in Crisis: Pariah
• Crisis Management
• Character in Crisis: The Anti-Monitor

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. You can Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet from @mrwillw or an extra chance. Contest open to Readers in Canada and the U.S. You must be following and we will be verifying!

Enter for a chance to #win DC SUPERGIRL: THE COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON on Blu-ray™!

How: https://t.co/ZWXsbwVTMy pic.twitter.com/mZ0KjF182s

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) September 11, 2020

Rules and regulations here.

DC SUPERGIRL: THE COMPLETE FIFTH SEASON is available now on Blu-ray™ and Digital.

Buy it now here.

(Photo credit: Warner Bros.)

#HORSERACING: A PIC BY MRWILL & MR WILL’S PRINCESS AND PRINCE DIARY – SEPTEMBER 2020

He’s back! Just after the anniversary of his being purchased by Michelle Love at the CTHS Premier Yearling Sale in 2018, our William (MR WILL) is scheduled to make his third start ever at Woodbine Racetrack this Sunday, September 13, 2020, race 8, approximately 4:40 PM ET. Princess (A PIC BY MRWILL) also went through that same sale in 2015!

We hope our friends all got what they wanted at this year’s sale. Can’t wait to see new talent at the track next year!

While William‘s last race was disappointing, it was not without reason. After a bit of bumping and being forced wide, he decided to pack it in after stepping-up a bit in class against tougher competition. The top-two finishers were well-meant, so we have absolutely no hard feelings about it. Mr Will returned to his barn full of fire and ready to attack, knowing he was capable of more. He also had a cut on his now-healed hock. Understandably, all these challenges combined made for a less than stellar effort.

Since then, he’s posted a couple breezes in the morning. A couple weeks ago, he went with a horse from Nicholas Gonzalez‘s barn who ran last Sunday in a tough Allowance race and lost narrowly in a multi-horse photo finish to get fourth, so that bodes well. He also did a little tune-up a few days back and Michelle tells us he galloped out strongly. Hoping this confidence transfers to the track in this next race as his first race was so solid and promising. He was meant to run last week although the race didn’t fill completely, so here’s his chance.

I was so happy to be able to see him in-person again in his last race. The last time I saw him was March. Rest assured, I came armed with goodies – he only loves Peppermints (trust me, he’s rejected fancy horsey biscuits from me) – and a stuffie for him. He may be growing-up quickly but he’s still my little boy. You can bet I’ll be there to show him my support!

Some snaps I got of him:

A huge congrats goes to Michelle, who notched her first stakes-placing Sunday in the $250k Simcoe Stakes with Took a Wrong Turn! The talented young man by sire Souper Speedy got third, confirming the potential she saw in him!

We also caught-up with Princess for the first time since the Pandemic started. So happy to see her adjusting to life at her new home with her Mom Emily Fisher. She is so lucky to live in such a beautiful space, with plenty of room to run. As she’s spent much of her life living indoors and recovering in a stall, this change has taken a bit of getting used to. For one, she’s very used to being socialized around people hence admittedly is a bit of a ‘loner’ when it comes to playing with her new sisters who have all gotten acquainted with one another over the years. She will get there and we can confirm, she still LOVES to eat, knowing exactly what ensues when she gets a visit from me! Have missed her so much. Best of luck to Emily and Lakeside Retreat as they embark on their Eventing career together.

Some snaps. And yes, she still does that adorable thing with her front legs when she eats.

Wish us luck! Thanks for all your continued interest and support!

We hope it isn’t long before you are able to be back at Woodbine too and also that you have fun enjoying the Queen’s Plate from home!

Don’t forget to follow Princess and William!

(Photo/video credit: Woodbine Entertainment Group/Mr. Will Wong)

#TIFF20: “THE WAY I SEE IT”

By Mr. Will Wong

Pete Souza is the former Chief Official White House Photographer and is the fascinating subject of Dawn Porter‘s Documentary, THE WAY I SEE IT. While serving as a portrait of a Photographer who has witnessed many momumental things in his career, this Laura Dern-produced piece ultimately is a love letter to President Obama‘s legacy on America in these uncertain times.

The Film follows Sousa‘s career from President Reagan’s days in the White House. While he admits he wasn’t a fan of Reagan, he did manage to capture many tender moments between him and First Lady Nancy Reagan and it was these candid moments that he believes are some of his best work, humanizing him to America and he was invited back to capture Reagan‘s funeral.

Souza then in 2005 was tasked with photographing Barrack Obama‘s first year as Senator not knowing much about him. From his eyes, candid footage and his work, we get an intimate look at the eventual President told through various components of his life as a father, a husband and the leader of a nation, giving the public unprecedented access to the President through his work being uploaded to flickr. Despite being in a political profession, he never became serious about politics and social justice until his time with Obama. In this time, he sees time and again Obama‘s traits as a leader shine-through whether it be his personable handling of the Sandy Hook shootings or how he navigated the killing of Osama bin Laden.

The Photographer garnered much notoriety firing back at President Donald Trump on Instagram, using his own body of work to refute erroneous claims becoming material for his book SHADE: A TALE OF TWO PRESIDENTS which has led him on many speaking engagements, helping him fulfill a late-realized passion in politics.

Sometimes being the only person permitted in the room with President Obama, we learn how difficult some decisions were for him and how taxing emotionally some aspects of his presidency were. Obama even attended Souza‘s wedding too and we get first-hand accounts what it was like for LGBTQ White House staff after Obama expressed his support for Same-Sex marriage. Porter asking these intimate questions brings us that much closer to the story.

While the Film touches briefly upon some of the hatred Souza has received online, a little more insight into the opposition and maybe even more about Souza‘s opinions and why they align with Obama‘s, might have painted an even more complete photo of Souza‘s resilience.

Focus Features release THE WAY I SEE it in select cities including Toronto, Friday, September 18, 2020. You also can see it at TIFF ’20 as follows:

Fri, Sep 11
Online at Bell Digital Cinema
Streaming in Canada Available from:
6:00pm

#TIFF20: A PHOTO RETROSPECTIVE

By Mr. Will Wong

My love of Film and Stars go hand-in-hand. I’ll never forget seeing my first Film at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2001. After spending a couple weeks in Singapore earlier that Summer and hearing nothing but raves about Chicken Rice War, I thought I’d never get a chance to see it back home in Toronto. The chance came at the Festival, I got my ticket and being fashionably-late always, I remember being guided into a full theatre at Varsity Cinema by a volunteer usher in the pitch dark, before finally finding a seat somewhere at the front. This would become my favourite spot to sit watching Movies at the Festival. Odd, I know! But sitting close to the screen, you can see every bit of emotion on the face of an Actor, small details in the set design and best of all, be right up-front when the Q&A happens after the Film. How cool was it that we got to hear the Director (Chee Kong Cheah) talk all about the process of making the Film and even get to ask him questions? I was overjoyed. I felt right in my element. This was the place I was meant to be.

After that, I made it a point of putting aside a bit of money every year for my one big splurge in September, getting to see three, four Movies a day for the duration of the Festival, maybe taking one rest day for laundry and quality time with my dog. “Normal” people go on vacation with the couple weeks off work they get a year. Mine always go towards TIFF.

I’ll never forget the generosity of someone who gave me a tip-sheet on the greatest spots to see the stars at TIFF. Back in the day I first began going to TIFF, Press Conferences were held at the now-gone Sutton Place Hotel. Easily in one afternoon, you could see Brad Pitt, George Clooney and Charlize Theron come right through the side door. Paps would tell me to move. Clipboards got propped over my face by autograph hounds in pursuit of a “graph”. My one dry Sharpie given to Drew Barrymore literally f*cked-up an entire signing spree, leaving everyone with faded scribbles on their memorabilia and 8×10s. I literally got booed when the infamous parched pen was traced back to me. I never asked for autographs, but I had to have Drew‘s. But clearly none of that got me down because I loved the rush so much. I couldn’t believe my luck that I’d stumbled upon this secret celebrity underworld. I’d juggle my Stargazing in-between Movies and this ignited my decision to start a website devoted entirely to the joy this brought me. To TIFF I am indebted as it has led me to you.

Over the years I’ve spent many a TIFF cramming in the Films and snapping stars around town and I thought with the talent and fans staying safe right now in the Pandemic – as they should – I thought it would be fun to share some of my favourite snaps from over the years!

I think it’s hard to dispute why TIFF is the world’s greatest Film Festival and I have the photos to prove it. The red carpets won’t be rolled-out and my camera sits on the shelf this year. While things aren’t the same this Festival, we are hopeful for what’s to come next year as we adapt to our new normal. Be safe everyone, and be sure to bookmark this page and check regularly for our #TIFF20 coverage.

xMr. Will

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#TIFF20: ANNOUNCING OFFICIAL FESTIVAL PARTNERS FOR MR. WILL WONG

It’s that time of the year again! We admit TIFF ’20 couldn’t gave come any sooner as it is the highlight of our year every year. While our expectations have been managed of a reduced Festival in light of our current climate, we still plan to celebrate the best Film Festival in the world however we can. We understand the star power won’t be here in the City like previous years, but we are still excited to deliver you content just as you were there with us at the Festival! We’ve got our Films picked-out and look forward to bringing you highlights from some star-studded In-Conversations with the likes of Halle Berry, Denzel Washington, Saoirse Ronan and more, plus daily reviews of the Festival’s most-buzzed titles! Team Mr. Will are thrilled to deliver you our best coverage just like we do every year, even if on a different scale!

We spoke to The Toronto Sun‘s Jane Stevenson about how this year’s set-up impacts our plans here.

First are foremost we’d like to thank our partners, returning and new this year.

H&M CANADA – H&M still remains our favourite fashion go-to year after year and while there are a limited number of physical events to attend this year, we’re still honoured to showcase pieces from their Fall/Winter 2020 Collection! With the seasons changing, H&M wants to help you build your best and coziest Fall wardrobe. With all H&M stores officially reopened across Canada, they have great, fashionable Fall items and amazing deals happening both online and in store. We’re thrilled to rock a couple new pieces from their Fall/Winter 2020 Collection at some TIFF ’20 in-person events.

CHATIME CANADA – We are obsessed with Chatime and are delighted again this year to give our Readers and Followers a chance to win some gift vouchers. Others try, but Chatime has proven time and again to be the best Bubble Tea available and we’re thrilled they’re branching-out to several new areas for you to see what the crazy is all about! We live a walk away from a location but often just Uber Eats it in as nothing’s better than bypassing the wait! My recommendations are their Brown Sugar Pearl Milk Tea, Wintermelon Iced Tea or Iced Grapefruit Black Tea! Be sure to try their brand-new Tea of the Month, the Brown Rice Green Tea with Fresh Milk and also their 1 litre Super Cups Also right in-time for Mid-Autumn Festival, you also can find limited edition Mooncakes in select stores by Bake Code!

NTD APPAREL INC. – We understand safety should always come at the expense of fun and style. NTD Apparel Inc.’s official licensed merchandise are available at several retailers like Winners, Walmart, Canadian Tire and more! We offered you a chance to win some JAWS and BACK TO THE FUTURE face coverings in July and those were a huge hit!

SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT – One of our favourite purveyor of cinematic hits has in recent months brought us our favourites on Home Entertainment including Bad Boys For Life, Little Women, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood, Bloodshot and more!

ACURA CANADA – As TIFF this year while largely is digital, it will include a Drive-In component, more than ever do we need an amazing ride for the task. We’ll be arriving in style TIFF ’20 in the 2020 ACURA ILX TECH A-SPEC! We’ve already got a few Premieres on our schedule that we’ll enjoy in the ILX and we can’t wait to take you along with us for the ride!

NINJA KITCHEN CANADA – One of the joys of our pandemic has been sharpening our culinary skills and we were excited to launch a Cooking section on our website and the feedback has been amazing! Never did we realize before how much the Ninja Kitchen Air Fryer would elevate and simplify our cooking experience. We’ve made everything from Roast Chicken to Doughnuts to Steak and it is a joy to know we can have our favourite Sweet Potato Fries whenever we want now! Being home at TIFF this year more than ever for screenings, we appreciate the value of good food at home while we’re screening the Festival’s hottest titles.

STARBUCKS CANADA – Starbucks was a part of my daily life before the pandemic and it broke my heart that being home meant I couldn’t have my Starbucks every day. We’re so happy their stores are open again full-service and right in time for Pumpkin Spice Latte season – our favourite thing to have every TIFF, iced or hot! And don’t forget to try their brand-new Apple Oat Flat White. The ever-popular Oat Beverage is now available as a dairy alternative!

HAPPY HAND SANITIZER – More than ever before do we depend on staying safe with some sanitizer. Available at retailers like Well.ca and Whole Foods, Happy Hand Sanitizer sprays on easy, moisturizes, dries quick and is unscented. Best of all, it isn’t goopy like many others on the market. It also is safe for continued daily use at 80% alcohol and available in 2 and 8 oz. bottles. We don’t go anywhere without it! And best of all, it’s Canadian-made!

More excitingly, we’re thrilled to give our lucky Readers a chance to enjoy some of the products our partners offer! One lucky Readers will win our MR. WILL’S TIFF SURVIVAL PRIZE PACK which is an annual highlight. This year, the prize is more thrilling than ever!

The Prize Pack includes:

1 Ninja Kitchen Air Fryer, 3.8L (value $189 CAN)
4 Chatime Canada Gift Drink Vouchers with official Chatime Reusable Straws (value $60 CAN)
$25 Starbucks Canada Gift Card (value $25 CAN)
1 H&M Canada VIP Discount Card, good for 25% off
1 Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada Blu-ray™  Set including: Bad Boys For Life, Little Women, A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, Once Upon a Time…in Hollywood and Bloodshot! (value $125)
NTD Apparel Inc. official licensed BACK TO THE FUTURE and JAWS Face Coverings (value $25)
2 2 oz. bottles of HAPPY Hand Sanitizer (value $15)

A total value of at least $500 CAN! If the drawn winner is from the Great Toronto Area, I will hand-deliver the package to you during TIFF ’20.

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. You can Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet from @mrwillw or tag two friends on this Post on our Instagram for an extra chance! You must be following and we will be verifying!

Even if you don’t win the Prize Pack, we’ve got some goodies to give away on our Social Media throughout the Fest!

MRWILL on Twitter

MR. WILL on Instagram

DAVE BALDWIN on Twitter

AMANDA GILMORE on Twitter

Bookmark this link here and check back often for our rolling TIFF ’20 coverage.

#TIFF20 runs September 10-20, 2020.

Happy TIFF, everyone!

Team Mr. Will

#FIRSTLOOK: “DUNE” TRAILER

The jaw-dropping new Trailer for Denis Villeneuve‘s DUNE is now out!

Synopsis:

Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve (“Arrival,” “Blade Runner 2049”) directs Warner Bros. Pictures and Legendary Pictures’ “Dune,” the big-screen adaptation of Frank Herbert’s seminal bestseller of the same name. A mythic and emotionally charged hero’s journey, “Dune” tells the story of Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, who must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet’s exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence—a commodity capable of unlocking humanity’s greatest potential—only those who can conquer their fear will survive.The film stars Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet (“Call Me by Your Name,” “Little Women”), Rebecca Ferguson (“Stephen King’s Doctor Sleep,” “Mission: Impossible – Fallout”), Oscar Isaac (the “Star Wars” franchise) Oscar nominee Josh Brolin (“Milk,” “Avengers: Infinity War”), Stellan Skarsgård (HBO’s “Chernobyl,” “Avengers: Age of Ultron”), Dave Bautista (the “Guardians of the Galaxy” films, “Avengers: Endgame”), Stephen McKinley Henderson (“Fences,” “Lady Bird”), Zendaya (“Spider-Man: Homecoming,” HBO’s “Euphoria”), Chang Chen (“Mr. Long,” “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon”), David Dastmalchian (“Blade Runner 2049,” “The Dark Knight”), Sharon Duncan-Brewster (“Rogue One: A Star Wars Story,” Netflix’s “Sex Education”), with Oscar nominee Charlotte Rampling (“45 Years,” “Assassin’s Creed”), with Jason Momoa (“Aquaman,” HBO’s “Game of Thrones”), and Oscar winner Javier Bardem (“No Country for Old Men,” “Skyfall”). Villeneuve directed “Dune” from a screenplay he co-wrote with Jon Spaihts and Eric Roth based on the novel of the same name written by Frank Herbert.

See the Trailer:

Warner Bros. Canada release DUNE Friday, December 18, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros. Canada)

#FIRSTLOOK: “MIGHTY EXPRESS” TRAILER

From the makers of Paw Patrol comes MIGHTY EXPRESS! See the new Traiiler for this upcoming Netflix release.

Synopsis:

Hop on the fast track to Tracksville, where, in a vast, playful, quirky world crisscrossed by railway tracks, a team of trains and their kid best-buddies keep things moving and get the delivery done no matter what the trouble – one adventure after another! Each of the trains has a specialty which they use when going on Mega Missions or hauling cargo, be it animals, equipment, or giant dinosaur bones. They always rise to the occasion when trouble strikes!

See the Trailer:

MIGHTY EXPRESS streams on Netflix Tuesday, September 22, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

#FIRSTLOOK: “HUBIE HALLOWEEN” NEW TRAILER

Halloween is just around the corner and Netflix is ready to get us in the spirit with HUBIE HALLOWEEN!

Synopsis:

In the infamous town of Salem, Massachusetts, big-hearted Hubie Dubois (Adam Sandler) regularly spends Halloween making sure his fellow residents celebrate the holiday safely and keep the childish shenanigans in check, though they don’t often thank him for it. Hubie is mocked for being overly cautious and still living with his mom (June Squibb), plus he’s called the police so often over the years that Officer Steve Downing (Kevin James) actively avoids him.

Also starring: Julie Bowen, Ray Liotta, Maya Rudolph, Rob Schneider, Kenan Thompson, Steve Buscemi, Michael Chiklis, Tim Meadows, Noah Schnapp, Paris Berelc, China Anne McClain and Shaquille O’Neal. Steve Brill (Little Nicky, Walk of Shame) directs.

Some new stills:

See the Trailer:

HUBIE HALLOWEEN streams on Netflix Wednesday, October 7, 2020.

(Photo credit: Netflix)

#FIRSTLOOK: “ONCE UPON A SNOWMAN” SHORT COMING TO DISNEY+

Our favourite Snowman Olaf gets his origins story told in an upcoming new Short Film on Disney+!

Synopsis:

The film follows Olaf’s first steps as he comes to life and searches for his identity in the snowy mountains outside Arendelle. Once Upon a Snowman is directed by Trent Correy (animation supervisor, “Olaf” in Frozen 2) and Dan Abraham (veteran story artist who boarded Olaf’s “When I Am Older” musical sequence in Frozen 2) and produced by Nicole Hearon (associate producer “Frozen 2” and “Moana”) with Peter Del Vecho (producer, “Frozen 2,” “Frozen” and the upcoming “Raya and the Last Dragon”). Olaf is voiced by award-winning actor Josh Gad.

ONCE UPON A SNOWMAN arrives on Disney+ Friday, October 23, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)