Happiness is reuniting with an old friend and it’s been great seeing some of our favourite businesses re-open, meaning we can see some of our pals again. The 2021 Honda Accord Touring 2.0 in Sonic Gray Pearl gave us exactly that feeling when we got to Test Drive it this past weekend. We have very openly professed our love for the Accord, it is just everything we’d want in a car. My friends had to do a double-take thinking it was a Mercedes… and we see the resemblance.

We had plenty to celebrate as being double vaccinated now, we feel safe to go out and do things, still being cautious in our mask wearing, social distancing and frequent sanitizing. While there’s only a couple weeks left of Summer 2021, it has felt great enjoying what’s left of it and we’re so glad the Accord Touring 2.0 was there for us.

Powered by a 2.0-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC, i-VTEC^® turbocharged 4-cylinder engine and operating at 252 @ 6500 rpm horsepower, the vehicle is nothing short on pure power. Featuring unparalleled Fuel Economy at 10.4/7.4/9.1 liters per 100 km (city/highway/combined), on Regular fuel, even with gas prices being higher than normal, you still get exceptional value here.

Seating is extremely cozy. The Driver’s seat comes with 12-way power adjustment including 4-way power lumbar support, seating complete with perforated leather-trimmed seating surfaces. Above this, the Driver gets seat position memory for that perfect positioning every time!

The 2021 Honda Accord Touring 2.0 comes with a 452-watt AM/FM Premium audio system with MP3/Windows Media^® Audio playback capability and 10 speakers including subwoofer. Sound is glorious, allowing us to fully enjoy our long drives this past weekend on the highway, under the car’s atmospheric moonroof. Bluetooth connections to our phone were simple allowing us to field text messages and calls while on the road, and also navigate our playlists. Driver and passenger have no shortage of charging ports and we are a huge fan of the wireless charging plate!

Another feature we love in the Accord is its powerful dual-zone Climate Control, which is customizable for Driver and Passenger. I love the A/C cranked but sometimes my passengers don’t and we love that Honda has the intuition to be a people pleaser. Did we mention there are Seat Coolers? Totally used these unapologetically. It was so hot this past weekend!

What makes the driving experience in the Accord Touring 2.0 so special is the little details. Illuminated vanity mirrors, steering wheel audio controls, ambient lighting on the door handles. It’s small things like this that elevate your experience.

And if that weren’t enough, the car picks-up where we might forget sometimes with features like Maintenance Minder™ system, Walk-away door lock and Proximity Entry.

Safety goes without saying when it comes to Honda. All the potentially life-saving bells and whistles make a return here once again: 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); Auto high beam (very handy in rural areas at night); Collision Mitigation Braking System™; Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system; Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system; Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) system; Vehicle stability assist; and the Accord Touring 2.0 comes with an amazing hologram Traffic sign recognition that lets you know how fast you’re going against the speed limit where you’re driving. Super-handy!

Next-Generation Advanced Compatibility Engineering is a unique feature to Honda cars – including the Accord Touring 2.0 – in that it claims to distribute collision energy evenly and redirect it away from the passenger compartment, while at the same time, minimizing damage to other impacted vehicles.

It also comes armed with i-SRS airbag system, SmartVent™ side airbags; side curtain airbags and front knee airbags, so you can drive reassured.

Oh, and one thing. In case you’re trying to figure out how to open the trunk from within the car, hold this down for a count of three! Took me a bit to figure out but life is better since figuring it out! LOL

The 2021 Honda Accord Touring 2.0 starts at $41,770 CAN. More here.

Come re-live our action-packed End of Summer celebrations including some sightings and the Queen’s Plate this past weekend:

The 162th edition of North America’s most historic race, the Queen’s Plate, took place at Woodbine Racetrack yesterday. Fans being able to return back to the grandstand was something to cheer about. Even at 50% capacity at which tickets were sold-out with safety guidelines in place, the energy was electric still with reduced fanfare like activations, concerts and pop-ups.

The $1-million race was taken by SAFE CONDUCT, a New York-based son of Bodemeister who held-on gamely to the wire under U.S. jockey Irad Ortiz Jr., to win by a head. The 1 1/4 mile affair was run in a quick 2:02.8, the Phillip Serpe trainee owned by WellSpring Stable paying $8.00 to win on a $2.00 bet as the race favourite. Mitchell Kursner bred the colt and was present for the festivities with his family.

Prior to the race, the Jockey Class of ’21 posed together for a group shot!

Bettors wagered a whopping $16.1 million on the Queen’s Plate Sunday card, up from last year’s $14.5 million. The boost in popularity Woodbine has seen amidst the pandemic has continued with a spiked interest from U.S bettors who turned to the Toronto oval, while other tracks had closed.

In addition to action-packed racing, some notable names visited yesterday including Canada’s most decorated Olympian of all time, Penny Oleksiak, a vision in pink. Canadian Music Hall of Fame and Walk of Fame inductee Jim Cuddy graced us with his presence, performing with his Trio on the track apron, while Universal Music Canada emerging artist Ryland James performed the national anthem. Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, Elisabeth Dowdeswell arrived at the event by carriage, in a manner fit for the queen that she is!

So amazing Oleksiak shared our Snaps with her followers as well, a class act!

Several enticing stakes races lined the race card as well, giving the betting public some exciting options to wager.

The $350k Grade I Highlander would go to Stronach Stables’ SILENT POET. The hard-knocking six-year-old notched the biggest score of his career under regular pilot Justin Stein. Frank Stronach and his team at Adena Springs North also were present for celebrations. Trainer Nick Gonzalez received several congratulations from other horses’ connections, and he gestured to the sky in thanks at his late wife Martha who had passed last year.

The $175k Grade II Dance Smartly Stakes was taken by Christophe Clement trainee MUTAMAKINA, under jockey Dylan Davis. The formerly French-based mare by top sire Nathaniel, has found success in North America by way of the New York circuit.

The $150k Grade III Ontario Colleen Stakes took place earlier on the card with OUR FLASH DRIVE making it a perfect three-for-three in 2021 for Team Mark Casse and Live Oak Plantation. Patrick Husbands was aboard the score.

Was very excited seeing 79-1 shot MAMBOINTHEFOREST take his leg of the Turf Endurance Series under Sahin Civaci for Trainer Ron Sadler and Owner Phillip Lanning. You might recall this is the horse whom won me my Sovereign Award earlier this year for Outstanding Photograph! He won for me and that’s my story! Still waiting for the chance to visit him on the backstretch one day to give him some mints!

An awesome tidbit is that Stronach Stables’ RIPTIDE ROCK ran a hard-fought second in the Queen’s Plate. I remember joking when I took this Selfie with him and his mom Irish Influence – just a couple days old – that he’d one day be a Queen’s Plate winner… and we never would’ve guessed he’d almost do it!

Woodbine‘s next marquee card Woodbine Mile Day, takes place Saturday, September 18, 2021.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

We thoroughly enjoyed THE MORNING SHOW and are thrilled that S2 is just around the corner! Check-out this brand new Trailer which sees Steve Carell, Jennifer Aniston and Reese Witherspoon reprising their roles in the Series.

Synopsis:

Picking up after the explosive events of season one, season two finds the Morning Show team emerging from the wreckage of Alex (Aniston) and Bradley’s (Witherspoon) actions, to a new UBA and a world in flux, where identity is everything and the chasm between who we present as and who we really are comes into play. Along with Aniston and Witherspoon, the star-studded returning cast includes Steve Carell, Billy Crudup, Mark Duplass, Nestor Carbonell, Karen Pittman, Bel Powley, Desean Terry, Janina Gavankar, Tom Irwin and Marcia Gay Harden.  Joining the cast for season two are Greta Lee as ‘Stella Bak,’ a tech world wunderkind who has joined the UBA executive team; Ruairi O’Connor as ‘Ty Fitzgerald,’ a smart and charismatic YouTube star; Hasan Minhaj as ‘Eric Nomani,’ a new member of the Morning Show team; Emmy Award-winner Holland Taylor as ‘Cybil Richards,’ the savvy chairwoman of the UBA board; Tara Karsian as ‘Gayle Berman,’ a news producer; Valeria Golino as ‘Paola Lambruschini,’ a documentary filmmaker; and, Emmy and SAG Award-winner Julianna Margulies as ‘ Laura Peterson,’ a UBA news anchor. 

THE MORNING SHOW S2 arrives September 17, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Apple TV+)

Australian Actor-Singer-Dancer Keiynan Lonsdale can do it all and he’s back in town working on something exciting and new! The star of hits The Divergent Series, The Flash, Love, Simon and Work It, is here filming Lionsgate & BuzzFeed (yes, they’re making films now!) Feature, MY FAKE BOYFRIEND. The Film is an inclusive love story which centers on Lonsdale‘s character who teams with their best friend (Dylan Sprouse) to create a fake boyfriend on Social Media to keep the former’s ex out of their life! We’re on-board with this!

The Film quietly has been filming in and around Hamilton and Burlington, and is set to wrap at some point next week! The Comedy also stars Modern Family‘s Sarah Hyland, with both she and Sprouse already having wrapped, as Lonsdale completes filming around town. Sprouse has been spotted around Hamilton’s Hess Village with his partner, Model Barbara Palvin. The two will be promoting Sprouse’s wine in Bulgaria next week.

We were so happy to get to meet Lonsdale, who just filmed Work It here a couple Summers ago. And we loved that Film (see it on Netflix if you haven’t yet!). He has been working hard promoting his Music, just releasing a new Video for his Track, Rhythm & Music. Awesome to see him experimenting with different personas and having fun with it! And those dance moves. OMG.

He was looking amazing all in white, hanging with his Entourage between filming and was so kind to come over to say “hi”, graciously interacting with us and asking beanie‘s name.

See our Snap:

We can’t wait for MY FAKE BOYFRIEND! Should be amazing!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

We’re thrilled to give our Readers in Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary a chance to attend and Advance Screening of Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS on September 1, 2021.

Synopsis: 

Marvel Studios’ “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he is drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. The film also stars Tony Leung as Wenwu, Awkwafina as Shang-Chi’s friend Katy and Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan, as well as Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu and Ronny Chieng.  “Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings” is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and produced by Kevin Feige and Jonathan Schwartz, with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Charles Newirth serving as executive producers.

To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. In the comments there, please indicate your City. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet for an extra chance.

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

(Photo/video credit: Marvel)

The buzz is feverish for Marvel Studios’ SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS! Starring Toronto’s own Simu Liu, the Action-Fantasy takes place after the events of Avengers: Endgame. Shang-Chi (Liu) was trained at a young age to be an Assassin and after living a normal life in San Francisco, he’s draw-in to the Ten Rings organization, having to face again a part of his life he left behind. The Film is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton (Just Mercy) and stars a notable Cast including Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh, Awkwafina, Sir Ben Kingsley, Meng’er Zhang and Ronny Chieng.

We got to sit-in on on the global Press Conference for the Film and joining us were:

Destin Daniel Cretton is asked what drew him to take on directing SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS.

Cretton: I feel the stories I am drawn to are a combination of humour and optimism, but also not shying away from the very real darkness and pain that we all experience as humans. I think this Movie really does encapsulate a lot of the things that I believe in.

Sir Ben Kingsley talks about cultural conversation and social impact of his Oscar-winning role in Gandhi and whether Shang-Chi in terms of storytelling and society will have similar impact.

Cretton: When you hear Destin‘s intentions behind this story, they are crystal-clear, lucid, pure motives. They are life-enhancing and not patronizing, because they do introduce in a beautiful way, memory, ancestry, loss and families torn apart, reunited and reconfigured. All of this is from Destin‘s heart, Kevin‘s heart and the Writers’ hearts. And if your motives are pure as a storyteller, the angels will come to assist you with that story.

This story ultimately will be healing because it’s not propaganda, it’s just a really beautiful story. I as an Actor, Trevor (reprising his Iron Man 3 character) of course is a Shakespearean actor and he finds himself transported into a completely exotic environment, but he survives. And thanks to the welcome Kevin, Destin and my beautiful colleagues gave me. I have done 17 out of Shakespeare‘s whole canon of plays, so I’m sort of a Shakespearean actor. As soon as I arrived on-set, the fact that my colleagues were of a different culture was immaterial and irrelevant. We are Actors together and we live on empathy and transformation and this is our currency. All the rest is irrelevant. If we can demonstrate that energy, ultimately it will be healing and soothing.

Meng’er Zhang talks about stage acting and film acting, playing Shang-Chi‘s estranged sister, Xialing.

Zhang: Oh, it was so different because this was my very first film experience and I am so lucky to work with all of them. Sir Ben, I asked him a lot of questions on-set. As he said so beautifully, when we are on-stage, we are landscape artists and when we are in front of camera, we are portrait artists. And I felt that gave me a very clear image. I literally took notes!

Kingsley: I thought you were just correcting my spelling!

Zhang: I also remember when we were doing some stunts, it was so different from stage acting. I remember the makeup team doing the final touch-up on my fringe to make sure everything was perfect. Someone came to tell me ‘Meng’er, there’s going to be a bit of wind and water’, so I said ‘Okay!’ and I was ready. Then, 3-2-1, action! And then the wind was like… (making aggressive wind sounds). And then okay, reset! (laughing).

Awkwafina talks about physicality of her character Katy, a close friend to Shang-Chi.

Awkwafina: I’d say this was slightly more physically demanding. But not physically-demanding as in like wind, but more like I was falling as a team with gravity. When I fall, my neck kinda gives out. It’s kind of a ‘me issue’ as I don’t have the will power to lift it up.

I actually went to a race track and learned how to drift, which was really fun but probably not practical in any scenario. And I learned how to shoot a bow and arrow.

Simu Liu comments on working with some of the Film’s heavy hitters.

Liu: It was like Impostor Syndrome every single day. Truly, it was such a treat. I did all I could do not to mess it up. When I was first cast, I did my final screen test with Nora (Awkwafina) and she did such a wonderful job putting me at ease. My nerves were sky-high. I was an Actor from Toronto and never had ever allowed myself to imagine being part of the MCU (Marvel Cinematic Universe). I mean, it’s the craziest dream someone could possibly dream. Nora did a great job putting me at ease. And just being in the moment with me. We had such a beautiful chemistry. This bickery, old couple chemistry right from the get-go. As I met more members of the Cast like Tony Leung, Michelle Yeoh and Sir Ben, every day it was like waking-up to another dream. And then having Meng’er come join us too when we were all in Sydney, it was fantastic. She was great. I can’t wait for people to watch the Movie because who you are in real life and in the Movie, they are really parts of you, but really so polar opposite.

Ronny, you were fine. We were shut down for four months during the pandemic. Ronny, was living a couple floors above me.

Awkwafina: Ronny, would come with me and sneak into the gym and say ‘I’ve been working out with Simu!’

Chieng: I’m trying to get that free Marvel workout. You know what? I’m going to use this pandemic to get super-ripped and I end up doing 10% of the weights Simu was doing every day!

Simu Liu talks about on his casting. Is it true he Tweeted at Marvel and got the role of Shang-Chi?

Liu: When you Tweet at Marvel, you’re thinking it’s going to some 19-year-old intern and nobody’s gonna ready that or care what I have to say! Maybe they did!

Feige: I did not see that! Unfortunately Simu, it was not your Tweeting. It was your acting ability and constant professionalism and multiple reads and meetings that you did. Now did Sarah Finn our Casting Director see that, that I don’t know! That’s a cosmic wonder!

Daniel Destin Cretton comments on the use of Mandarin-Chinese in scenes in the Film.

Cretton: The conversation behind which language they should be speaking was always rooted in the logic of the character and who would naturally be speaking what language. So that started in the Writers’ Room and once our Actors came in, it was always a dialogue. These are bilingual, trilingual, quadrilingual characters who could speak whatever made sense at the time. So we were constantly having the conversation what made sense for the scene.

Feige: One moment I particularly like is where Simu‘s character speaks to Awkwafina‘s character and says ‘Oh no, my Chinese isn’t good’ and Simu’s character says, ‘Don’t worry, I speak ABC!’.

Awkwafina: That was really a big moment. Culturally, you just never see that.

Liu: ABC means American-born Chinese but it’s the first time in a Movie where someone just calls it out!

Marvel Studios Canada release SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS Friday, September 3, 2021.

From Producer Sam Raimi comes NIGHTBOOKS, coming soon to Netflix!

Synopsis:
Alex (Winslow Fegley) is a creative boy with a strong passion for writing scary stories. But when he’s labeled weird and rejected for what he likes, he swears he’ll never write again. That’s when an evil witch (Krysten Ritter), captures him in her magical apartment in New York City and demands that he tell her a new tale every night if he wants to stay alive. Trapped inside with Lenore, the witch’s spiteful cat watching his every move, Alex meets Yasmin (Lidya Jewett), another young prisoner who has learned how to survive the witch’s wicked whims. With Yasmin’s help, Alex must learn to embrace what makes him unique — his love for scary stories — and rewrite his own destiny to break them free.

NIGHTBOOKS arrives on Netflix September 15, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win an iTunes code to watch THE GREEN KNIGHT.

Synopsis:

An epic fantasy adventure based on the timeless Arthurian legend, THE GREEN KNIGHT tells the story of Sir Gawain (Dev Patel), King Arthur‘s reckless and headstrong nephew, who embarks on a daring quest to confront the eponymous Green Knight, a gigantic emerald-skinned stranger and tester of men. Gawain contends with ghosts, giants, thieves, and schemers in what becomes a deeper journey to define his character and prove his worth in the eyes of his family and kingdom by facing the ultimate challenger. From visionary filmmaker David Lowery comes a fresh and bold spin on a classic tale from the knights of the round table. 

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance.

Elevation Pictures release THE GREEN KNIGHT on Premium VOD August 19, 2021.

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(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

Paramount Home Entertainment x Mr. Will are thrilled to give Readers a chance to win a Digital Download and official SNAKE EYES: G.I. JOE ORIGINS long-sleeve T-Shirt!

Synopsis:

Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins stars Henry Golding as Snake Eyes, a tenacious loner who is welcomed into an ancient Japanese clan called the Arashikage after saving the life of their heir apparent. Upon arrival in Japan, the Arashikage teach Snake Eyes the ways of the ninja warrior while also providing something he’s been longing for: a home. But, when secrets from his past are revealed, Snake Eyes’ honor and allegiance will be tested – even if that means losing the trust of those closest to him. Based on the iconic G.I. Joe character, Snake Eyes: G.I. Joe Origins also stars Andrew Koji as Storm Shadow, Úrsula Corberó as Baroness, Samara Weaving as Scarlett, Haruka Abe as Akiko, Tahehiro Hira as Kenta and Iko Uwais as Hard Master.

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SNAKE EYES: G.I. JOE ORIGINS is on Premium Digital and Video on Demand August 17, 2021. It arrives on 4k Ultra HD/Blu-ray/DVD October 19, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Home Entertainment)

A new Trailer and Poster have been unveiled for Marvel Studios’ ETERNALS from Oscar-winning Director Chloé Zhao.

Synopsis:

MCU’s newest team-up, features a group of heroes from beyond the stars who had protected the Earth since the dawn of man. When monstrous creatures called the Deviants, long thought lost to history, mysteriously return, the Eternals are forced to reunite in order to defend humanity once again.

The outstanding ensemble cast includes Gemma Chan as humankind-loving Sersi, Richard Madden as the all-powerful Ikaris, Kumail Nanjiani as cosmic-powered Kingo, Lia McHugh as the eternally young, old-soul Sprite, Brian Tyree Henry as the intelligent inventor Phastos, Lauren Ridloff as the super-fast Makkari, Barry Keoghan as aloof loner Druig, Don Lee as the powerful Gilgamesh, with Kit Harington as Dane Whitman, with Salma Hayek as the wise and spiritual leader Ajak, and Angelina Jolie as the fierce warrior Thena.

Chloé Zhao directs the film, and Kevin Feige and Nate Moore are the producers, with Louis D’Esposito, Victoria Alonso and Kevin de la Noy serving as executive producers. The story is by Ryan Firpo & Matthew K. Firpo, and the screenplay is by Chloé Zhao and Chloé Zhao & Patrick Burleigh.

Trailer:

Marvel Studio’s ETERNALS is in theatres November 5, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Marvel)