A dating show with personality! SEXY BEASTS really tests its contestants’ personalities and if they can get by on just that, over six episodes! Think The Masked Singer, but dating.

SEXY BEASTS premieres on Netflix July 21, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

By Mr. Will Wong

1996’s SPACE JAM not only had the distinction of being Warner Bros. Feature Animation‘s first ever film, but went on to become the highest-ever -grossing Basketball film and won several awards including ANNIEs and GRAMMYs, among others. To say it was a cultural phenomenon is by no means an exaggeration. 25 years later comes Malcolm D. Lee‘s SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY, coming to audiences with a new message, a new Cast, Lebron James, and of course some of the most beloved Warner Bros. characters of all time!

We had the pleasure of chatting with Scarborough’s very own Eric Bauza, a Voice Actor, Animator and also Co-Founder of Retrokid, a nostalgia-based apparel brand which right now has several exclusive and licensed Space Jam-inspired pieces. We ask him about what Space Jam means to him and voice multiple characters in the Film including Daffy Duck, Porky Pig, Elmer Fudd, Foghorn Leghorn and Marvin the Martian.

What does the legacy of SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY mean to you?

Eric: “Being a part of SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY is so important to me. I could be here all day doing all the press in the world and still not be able to describe how thrilled I am that I get to be a part of this and that my son gets to watch it with me! It is definitely a laundry list of characters that everyone knows so well, so the pressure is on. Not just to win a cyberspace Basketball game, but to make sure that these characters live on the way that we all remember them.”.

We all know Nike‘s message of “Just Do It”, but the Film has a unique message to us to “Just Do You”. What do you hope the audience will take away from the Film?

Eric: “The nugget of the Film is that it has such a family aspect to it that I think will be the biggest surprise. It’s not just this big fireworks show. It really has heart and meaning behind it. I think it does it well. I found myself a little choked-up watching the first screening. I was watching of course, to make sure that I did my job well, but I was really pleasantly surprised with how it all wrapped-up in the end. I hope the audience experiences that.”.

You were a Scarborough boy growing-up watching Mr. Dressup and drawing sketches. Walk us through how you got to fulfill your dream today being a part of Space Jam and also co-owning Retrokid?

Eric: “It’s a crazy journey that did start in Canada and will always be a part of me. I live here in Los Angeles now, but in any given year I’m back at least three to four times. Being part of Canada, there’s just something in the water that keeps us humble, but funny at the same time. Maybe it’s those long winters. I haven’t forgotten how to shovel a driveway! But it really was just being in a country that is very multi-cultural. And I think that’s the one big thing, that you really do feel welcome in Canada. I feel we’re in this secret club not only being from Toronto, but being from Scarborough. There’s something about being from that town. Mike Myers, Jim Carrey, John Candy – there’s something in the water in Scarborough that makes us a little Schizophrenic. Being able to capitalize on that is something.”.

“Retrokid is really a love letter to Toronto. It is a nostalgic apparel brand, but it ties into this too. I grew-up watching this Movie in Scarborough, seeing the ads at Kennedy Station. To now fast-forward 25 years later and know that I got to be a part of this, there’s no better way to celebrate than producing this line.”.

See Video from our Chat:

Warner Bros. Canada release SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY in theatres on Premium Video-on-Demand Friday, July 16, 2021.

Don’t forget, we’re giving away a SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY Prize Pack to one lucky winner, which includes a pass for two to see the Movie!

Head-on over to MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK for details how to win!

Don’t forget to check-out Retrokid‘s exciting Giveaway here where you can win a Space Jam: A New Legacy BMX bike! Built and designed by local artist Duro The Third.  

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros. Canada)

Wrapping-up what’s been a huge hit for Netflix, comes this new Trailer for FEAR STREET: PART 3! See the new Trailer.

Synopsis:

In 1994, a group of teenagers discover the terrifying events that have haunted their town for generations may all be connected — and they may be the next targets. Based on R.L. Stine’s best-selling horror series, FEAR STREET follows Shadyside’s sinister history through a nightmare 300 years in the making.

FEAR STREET PART 3: 1666 CAST:
KIANA MADEIRA
ASHLEY ZUKERMAN
GILLIAN JACOBS
OLIVIA SCOTT WELCH
BENJAMIN FLORES JR.
DARRELL BRITT-GIBSON
SADIE SINK
EMILY RUDD
McCABE SLYE
JULIA REHWALD
FRED HECHINGER
JORDANA SPIRO
JORDYN DiNATALE
ELIZABETH SCOPEL
JEREMY FORDR
ANDY HAVENS

FEAR STREET: PART 3 arrives Friday, July 16, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

Nelvana, which has and continues to produce and distribute some of our favourite children’s programming worldwide, is partnering with Telefilm Canada and the Youth Media Alliance to bring us CANADIAN CHILDRENS MEDIA DAY on July 26, 2021. The day celebrates Canada’s accomplishments as a trailblazer in Children’s programming, also aligning with Nelvana‘s 50th anniversary. There even will be a CN Tower lighting to commemorate!

Here are a list of celebrations taking place July 26, 2021.

·10 a.m. – 3:30 p.m.: Corus Entertainment’s top kids’ networks, YTV, Treehouse and TELETOON, will be featuring the best of Canadian content with back-to-back episodes of fan-favourite series, including:

·10:10 a.m. – 1:30pm – Babar and the Adventures of Badou, Toon Bops, Max & Ruby, Franklin and Friends, Esme & Roy, Miss Persona, and more, on Treehouse

·12:50 p.m. to 3:00 p.m. – Hotel Transylvania, Detentionaire, D.N. Ace, and more, on TELETOON

·1:00 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. – Grossology, Scaredy Squirrel, Ollie’s Pack, Go Away Unicorn, and more, on YTV

·6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.: Northern Star: How Canada Shines in Animation & Children’s Media – Canadian Children’s Media Day panel event with:

·       Moderator: Angela Pacienza – Executive Editor, The Globe & Mail

·       Athena Georgaklis – Head of Development, Nelvana

·       Francesca Accinelli – Vice President, Promotion, Communication and International Relations, Telefilm

·       Ted Gervan – Dean, Faculty of Animation, Arts & Design, Sheridan College

·       Magali Simard – Program Manager, Film Sector Development, The City of Toronto

After sunset: CN Tower Lighting in Blue and Gold for Canadian Children’s Media Day

Additional celebrations to follow:

Wednesday, July 28

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.: Animation Coffee Break with Nelvana’s Past & Present Talent with Ottawa International Animation Festival

Thursday, July 29

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.: A Behind-The-Scenes look at Nelvana’s Daytime Emmy® Nominated Series, Esme & Roy with Animaze Montreal International Film Festival

Tuesday, August 10

8:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.: Get a Head Spark on Your Career in Animation! with Spark CG Society

More to come.

For more information on Nelvana’s 50^th Anniversary, please visit: nelvana.com

To register for the Canadian Children’s Media Day panel, please visit: bit.ly/Nelvana-CCMDPanel  

In case you missed some of these fan favourites that did the Festival circuit this year, now’s your chance to see some compelling films this Summer outdoors, brought to you by INSIDE OUT, the world’s premiere 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival.

Playing this Summer as part of the Series in around Ontario:

July 23
FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK (in co-presentation with Hot Docs)
Directed by: Bobbi Jo Hart
Fanny: The Right to Rock tells the story of one of the best bands—Filipina-American and LBGTQ+ bandmates included—that you have likely never heard.

July 24
SWAN SONG
Directed by: Todd Stephens
An aging hairdresser escapes his nursing home and embarks on an odyssey across his small town to style a dead woman’s hair for her funeral, rediscovering his sparkle along the way.

*Preceded by short film: I AM GAY
Directed by: Ajahnis Charley
After working abroad for five years, filmmaker Ajahnis Charley returns home to Oshawa, Ontario, in the age of quarantine.

*Includes pre-show musical performance by Tafari Anthony

July 25
SUMMERTIME
Directed by: Carlos López Estrada
Inspired by a showcase featuring diverse high school performers, Carlos López Estrada collaborates with young poets, many of whom are LGBTQ, to develop their work into an inspiring narrative and love letter to the youth of Los Angeles.

*Preceded by short film: NOOR & LAYLA
Directed by: Fawzia Mirza
Noor and Layla are breaking up. It’s the end of the road for these two Muslim women…or is it just the beginning? Five life-changing moments in their relationship are marked by the Muslim call to prayer.

*Includes pre-show musical performance by TÖME

MUSTANG DRIVE-IN (LONDON)

Address: 2551 Wilton Grove Rd, London, ON N6N 1M7
Doors Open: 7PM
Program Start: 8PM

July 28
DOUBLE FEATURE: SWEETHEART & BEYTO

SWEETHEART
Directed by Marley Morrison
As sun-soaked as one can get at a caravan park in Dorset, Sweetheart follows A.J. as she attempts to balance an embarrassing family vacation with the terrifying adventure of first love.

BEYTO
Directed by Gitta Gsell
Adapted from a novel by Swiss-Kurdish writer Yusuf Yesilöz, Beyto, which won the Prix du Public audience award at Switzerland’s Solothurn Film Festival, wrestles with the tension between cultures, and between a family’s sense of honour and a person’s need to be true to themselves.

*Preceded by short film: NOOR & LAYLA
Directed by: Fawzia Mirza
Noor and Layla are breaking up. It’s the end of the road for these two Muslim women…or is it just the beginning? Five life-changing moments in their relationship are marked by the Muslim call to prayer.

TORONTO OUTDOOR PICTURE SHOW (TORONTO)

Address: “Walled Fort” of Fort York National Historic Site – entry at west gates of 100 Garrison Road
Doors Open: 7:00PM
Program Start: Sundown
*This is an outdoor screening, not a drive-in

August 20
CHUTNEY POPCORN
Directed by: Nisha Ganatra
As a struggling artist and Honda-riding out-lesbian, Reena (Nisha Ganatra) feels she has nothing on her older married do-perfect sister Sarita (Sakina Jaffrey) – except her ovaries, that is. When Sarita and her husband discover that they cannot have children, Reena offers to serve as a surrogate mother. All that stands in the way is convincing her sister, mother, friends, and commitment-phobic girlfriend, Lisa (Jill Hennessey,) to go along with it.

*Preceded by short film: NOOR & LAYLA
Directed by: Fawzia Mirza
Noor and Layla are breaking up. It’s the end of the road for these two Muslim women…or is it just the beginning? Five life-changing moments in their relationship are marked by the Muslim call to prayer.

MUSTANG DRIVE-IN PICTON (PRINCE EDWARD COUNTY)

Address: 1521 Prince Edward County Rd 1, Bloomfield, ON K0K 1G0
Doors Open: 7PM
Program Start: 8PM

August 24
DOUBLE FEATURE: SWEETHEART & BEYTO

SWEETHEART
Directed by Marley Morrison
As sun-soaked as one can get at a caravan park in Dorset, Sweetheart follows A.J. as she attempts to balance an embarrassing family vacation with the terrifying adventure of first love.

BEYTO
Directed by Gitta Gsell
Adapted from a novel by Swiss-Kurdish writer Yusuf Yesilöz, Beyto, which won the Prix du Public audience award at Switzerland’s Solothurn Film Festival, wrestles with the tension between cultures, and between a family’s sense of honour and a person’s need to be true to themselves.

*Preceded by short film: PITOC E ICINAKOSIAN
Directed by: Gerry Ottawa, Jos-Onimskiw Ottawa-Dubé
Gerry and their big brother Jos show us that there is more to being different than bullying, discrimination, and harassment.

THE DRIVE-IN EXPERIENCE OTTAWA WEST (OTTAWA)

Address: RBC Festival Field – Wesley Clover Parks, 401 Corkstown Road, Nepean, ON K2H 8G2
Doors Open: 7PM
Program Start: 8PM

August 27
FANNY: THE RIGHT TO ROCK (in co-presentation with Hot Docs)
Directed by: Bobbi Jo Hart
Fanny: The Right to Rock tells the story of one of the best bands—Filipina-American and LBGTQ+ bandmates included—that you have likely never heard.

*Preceded by short film: I AM GAY
Directed by: Ajahnis Charley
After working abroad for five years, filmmaker Ajahnis Charley returns home to Oshawa, Ontario, in the age of quarantine.

August 28
BEYTO
Directed by Gitta Gsell
Adapted from a novel by Swiss-Kurdish writer Yusuf Yesilöz, Beyto, which won the Prix du Public audience award at Switzerland’s Solothurn Film Festival, wrestles with the tension between cultures, and between a family’s sense of honour and a person’s need to be true to themselves.

*Preceded by short film: PITOC E ICINAKOSIAN
Directed by: Gerry Ottawa, Jos-Onimskiw Ottawa-Dubé
Gerry and their big brother Jos show us that there is more to being different than bullying, discrimination, and harassment.

Click here for more and tickets.

(Photo credit: Inside Out)

Premiering at Cannes, Justin Chon‘s BLUE BAYOU is set to hit theatres this September.

Story: 

An official selection of the 2021 Cannes Film Festival from award-winning writer/director Justin Chon, Blue Bayou is the moving and timely story of a uniquely American family fighting for their future. Antonio LeBlanc (Chon), a Korean adoptee raised in a small town in the Louisiana bayou, is married to the love of his life Kathy (Alicia Vikander) and step-dad to their beloved daughter Jessie. Struggling to make a better life for his family, he must confront the ghosts of his past when he discovers that he could be deported from the only country he has ever called home.

Focus Features release BLUE BAYOU September 17, 2021.

(Photo/video credit: Focus Features)

After tons of buzz following its premiere on Amazon Prime Video, it’s been announced a second season of LUXE LISTINGS: SYDNEY is on the way in 2022.

Synopsis:

Sydney’s real estate market is unlike any other in the world, with Luxe Listings Sydney offering a brilliant mix of big personalities, spectacular properties and high-stakes deals,” said Erika North, Head of Originals, Asia Pacific, at Amazon Studios. “Prime members in Australia and around the world loved season one, and we are thrilled to be continuing our work with talented Australian producers in greenlighting a second season of Luxe Listing Sydney showcasing the beautiful backdrop Sydney provides and give members a further glimpse into the world-class real estate market in this iconic city.

See the Trailer:

Season 1 of LUXE LISTINGS: SYDNEY is available now on Amazon Prime Video.

(Photo/video credit: Amazon Prime Video)

Executive produced by Dwayne Johnson, BEHIND THE ATTRACTION looks at some of Disney‘s most iconic rides and the stories behind them!

The following episodes will be available on Disney+ on Wednesday, July 21:

• Jungle Cruise: Join a skipper for the story behind Jungle Cruise, and try to spot the backside of water! When Walt decided to create the original immersive attraction, he tasked Imagineers with building a river AND the mechanical animals to populate it. 

• Haunted Mansion: Welcome, foolish mortals, to the Haunted Mansion — enter if you dare! When Walt Disney developed the attraction, he didn’t specify if it should be funny or scary, and so it became a perfect blend of both. 

• Star Tours: Lightspeed to Endor! A long time ago…Disney created Star Tours, a thrilling simulator attraction that takes guests to a galaxy far, far away. It inspired Imagineers to build a whole new land — Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge. 

• The Twilight Zone Tower of Terror: Discover the ups (and downs!) of creating this gravity-defying attraction set in the eerie world of Rod Serling’s renowned “Twilight Zone” television series. Then hold on tight as Imagineers reimagine the Disney California Adventure Park version as Guardians of the Galaxy – Mission: BREAKOUT!

• Space Mountain: You’re about to hear the story of Space Mountain in T-minus 5, 4, 3, 2, 1…launch! Walt’s vision of an attraction that simulates space travel was a design challenge Imagineer John Hench tackled head on, creating a signature structure in Disney Parks around the world. 

(Photo/video credit: Disney)

JUST FOR LAUGHS MONTRÉAL is back! Pivoting to adapt to the current travel restrictions, the world’s top Comedy Festival runs this year July 26-31, 2021! Appearing at the Festival, which will be in a hybrid format this year, are the likes of Kevin Hart, Dave Chappelle, Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo, Jason Sudeikis, Bowen Yang, Patton Oswalt and so many more! Hart will be sitting down with Neal Brennan as part of LOL’s Comedy Gold Minds with Kevin Hart!

Just announced also is that Jean Smart, star of HBO Max‘s acclaimed HACKS will be honoured with COMEDY PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR AWARD at the 2021 JUST FOR LAUGHS AWARDS SHOW, to be hosted by Amber Ruffin.

For the first time ever this year, fans will be able to tune in online from anywhere in the world to watch the JUST FOR LAUGHS AWARDS SHOW. Being honoured this year are Dave Chapelle with the Comedy Person of the Year Award; Kristen Wiig & Annie Mumolo as Comedy Writers of the Year for their hilarious film BARB & STAR GO TO VISTA DEL MAR; the Writers and Cast of TED LASSO, including star Jason Sudeikis for Comedy Series of the Year Award; and SNL‘s Bowen Yang receiving Breakout Comedy Star of the Year Award. The JFL Awards Show will air online for free at hahaha.com as of July 28, 2021.

Kevin Hart will be front and center at the Festival this year with his Comedy Gold Minds with Kevin Hart. The show dives into the minds of some of the world’s funniest people with Kevin Hart in his show, Comedy Gold Minds. From rising stars to comedy legends, Kevin pairs with comedic tastemakers for “ear-opening” dialogue that takes listeners on a wild and crazy ride through some of the world’s top comedic minds. From chronicling their comedy club experiences to a sneak peek of their latest material, each episode is packed with punchlines, anecdotes, and inside jokes. Previous guests include Jerry Seinfeld, Eddie Murphy, Tiffany Haddish, Sarah Silverman, Steve Harvey, Amy Schumer, Nick Kroll, Hasan Minhaj, and more. This show will air online for free at hahaha.com.

For a complete list of programming at the Festival this year and tickets, visit hahaha.com. More announcements to come.

We are thrilled to give our Readers a chance to win a SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY Prize Pack, which includes a pass to see the Movie!

Synopsis:

Welcome to the Jam! Basketball champion and global icon LeBron James goes on an epic adventure alongside timeless Tune Bugs Bunny with the animated/live-action event “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” from director Malcolm D. Lee and an innovative filmmaking team including Ryan Coogler and Maverick Carter. This transformational journey is a manic mashup of two worlds that reveals just how far some parents will go to connect with their kids. When LeBron and his young son Dom are trapped in a digital space by a rogue A.I., LeBron must get them home safe by leading Bugs, Lola Bunny and the whole gang of notoriously undisciplined Looney Tunes to victory over the A.I.’s digitized champions on the court: a powered-up roster of profes-sional basketball stars as you’ve never seen them before. It’s Tunes versus Goons in the high-est-stakes challenge of his life, that will redefine LeBron’s bond with his son and shine a light on the power of being yourself. The ready-for-action Tunes destroy convention, supercharge their unique talents and surprise even “King” James by playing the game their own way.

James stars alongside Oscar nominee Don Cheadle (the “Avengers” films, “Hotel Rwanda”), Khris Davis (“Judas and the Black Messiah,” TV’s “Atlanta”), Sonequa Martin-Green (TV’s “The Walking Dead,” “Star Trek: Discovery”), newcomer Cedric Joe, Jeff Bergman (“Looney Tunes Cartoons”), Eric Bauza (“Looney Tunes Cartoons”), and Zendaya (upcoming “Dune,” “Malcolm & Marie”).

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

Rules and regulations here.

Warner Bros. Canada release SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY Friday, July 16, 2021 in theatres and Premium-Video-on-Demand.

Stay tuned for our chat with star Eric Bauza!

(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros. Canada)