Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

The Report follows the real-life story of Senate staffer Daniel Jones (Adam Driver) who was tasked with leading an investigation into the CIA‘s Detention and Interrogation Program following 9/11. The purpose of the investigation was to find out if the torture acts performed under the Program were in fact, illegal.

This Film is one of the most compelling viewing experiences at Sundance this year with its fascinating story and timely relevance. Writer-Director Scott Z. Burns has written a solid and tight Script that depicts the exhausting efforts and challenges Jones faced, along with many crucial aspects of the 6,700-page document he wrote. Fresh off his multiple award nominations this year, Driver gives the finest and most driven performance of his career as Jones. His subtle yet expressive performance leaves a heavy impact. And Annette Bening is a marvel as the weight-on-her-shoulders Senator Dianne Feinstein.

The Report screens at Sundance on Jan 26 at 3:45PM at Eccles PC, Jan 27 at 9AM at Eccles PC, Jan 30 at 6:30PM at Rose Wagner SLC, Jan 2 at 3:30PM at Eccles PC, and Feb 3 at 3PM at Tower SLC.

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

The Film follows mild OCD-afflicted Cathy (Wendi McLendon-Covey) whose life begins to spiral out of control when she believes her husband is having an affair and her teenage daughter begins keeping things from her.

Imaginary Order is an in-depth character study of a woman who happily created her life around being a good mother and wife. Writer-Director Debra Eisenstadt has created a beautiful Indie film that examines what happens to our mental and emotional self when we feel our lives beginning to change. McLendon-Covey has made an impressive transition from Comedy to Drama in her portrayal of Cathy.

Imaginary Order screens at Sundance on Jan 26 at 6PM at Library PC, Jan 27 at 1PM at Redstone 2 PC, Jan 28 at 10PM at Rose Wagner SLC, Jan 31 at 9:30PM at Eccles PC, and Feb 1 at 11:30AM at Egyptian PC.

We’ve heard all this talk of the spinoff and now here is your first look of FAST & FURIOUS PRESENTS HOBBS & SHAW starring Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham.

See the Trailer:

Universal Pictures Canada release HOBBS & SHAW this Summer!

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures)

Right in time for Chinese New Year, PEPPA CELEBRATES CHINESE NEW YEAR gets a special Canadian release Saturday, February 9, 2019, with one showing at each location! The Film is in Mandarin Chinese with English subtitles.

Synopsis:
Tang Yuan and Jiao Zi live happily with their mom and dad. On the morning of Chinese New Year’s Eve, the kids were excited to go to their grandpa and grandma’s home (dad’s side) but were surprised to see their parents were busy cleaning the house. Their parents forgot to tell them that their grandpa and grandma (mom’s side) would be coming over from the south to spend the Chinese New Year with them. To cheer up the kids, Dad told them a story about Peppa at a kid’s festival.

Missing their grandkids so much, grandpa and grandma (dad’s side) cut short their vacation in Sanya and came back to the north. Their arrival added a lot of CNY festival mood to the family. Grandma told the kids about the unexpected happening during Peppa’s adventure on the 2nd day of the kid’s festival.. Together the family celebrated many Chinese traditional customs like hanging up the Chinese knot, paper cutting, sticking the spring festival scrolls and sending red packet etc. Like Peppa and George, they love family, life and each other more after each experience.

Featuring brand new Peppa Pig episodes, as well as some fan favorites, Tang Yuan, Jiao Zi and their family enjoy the Chinese New Year together, learning about traditions, and sharing Peppa Pig stories along the way.

汤圆、饺子和爸爸妈妈生活在一个温暖的家庭里。除夕清晨，汤圆和饺子兴高采烈地穿着好准备去爷爷奶奶家，却看到正在家里打扫的爸爸妈妈，原来爸爸妈妈忘记告诉他们一个秘密 – 姥姥姥爷从南方过来陪汤圆饺子一家过春节。为了逗孩子们开心，爸爸讲起了小猪佩奇去儿童节的故事。

想念孩子们的爷爷奶奶提早结束了三亚的旅程，赶回到了北方。奶奶抵达后为孩子们讲述了小猪佩奇在儿童节的第二天遇到了意想不到的事情。爷爷奶奶的到来为家中增添了浓浓的年味并一起体验了传统的中国习俗 – 挂中国节，剪窗花，贴春联，发红包等。他们和佩奇乔治一样，每经历一件事情，就会让他们更加热爱彼此，热爱家人，热爱生活。

包含小猪佩奇全新动画剧集，与汤圆、饺子和他们的家人一起庆祝中国春节，学习中国传统习俗并分享小猪佩奇的故事。提示：《小猪佩奇过大年》为国语配音加英文字幕。

Locations:

Toronto

Cineplex Cinemas Yonge & Dundas

Cineplex Cinemas Scarborough

Cineplex Cinemas Mississauga

Cineplex Cinemas Markham

SilverCity Richmond Hill

Cineplex Cinemas Winston Churchill

Waterloo

Galaxy Cinemas Waterloo

London

SilverCity London

Ottawa

Cineplex Odeon South Keys

Montreal

Cinema Cineplex Forum

Winnipeg

SilverCity St. Vital

Calgary

Scotiabank Chinook

Cineplex Odeon Crowfoot

Edmonton

Cineplex Odeon South Edmonton

Vancouver

Cineplex Odeon International Village

SilverCity Riverport

Cineplex Cinemas Metropolis (Burnaby)

Cineplex Cinemas Coquitlam

Halifax

Scotiabank Halifax

See the Trailer:

eOne Films release PEPPA CELEBRATES CHINESE NEW YEAR Saturday, February 9, 2019.

(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Little Monsters follows Kindergarten Teacher Miss Caroline (Lupita Nyong’o) and her class on a trip to a local Australian zoo. What the class, herself and unenthused chaperon Dave (Alexander England) soon realize, is that they are trapped there and being hunted by zombies.

Writer-Director Abe Forsythe has created a Genre-Comedy that could be an instant hit. The comedic timing of everyone involved, both behind and in-front of the camera, is perfect. The Script is tightly-written and offers ample amounts of wit. Nyong’o excels and we get a range we haven’t seen prior from the Oscar winner. England is unbelievably-funny in his cluelessness as an uncle of one of the the kids.  Josh Gad also is fantastic as a popular child TV Programme Host, who isn’t so kid-friendly in person.

Little Monsters screens at Sundance on Jan 27 at 11:59PM at Library PC, Jan 29 at 2:30PM at The MARC PC, Jan 30 at 11:45PM at Egyptian PC, Jan 31 at 12:30PM at The Ray PC, and Feb 2 at 11:59PM at Tower SLC.

Now in its second year, the PENDANCE FILM FESTIVAL runs Friday, January 31 – Monday, February 3, 2019 at Toronto’s Regent Theatre. The fast-growing Festival showcases independent Cinema from around the world and will premiere 50 Shorts and Features.

Highlighting the Festival are FRIDAY’S CHILD by A.J. Edwards, starring Ty Sheridan (Ready Player One) as a young drifter who befriends an unlikely friend; Psychological Thriller TO THE NIGHT by Peter Brunner starring Caleb Landry Jones (Get Out) as an Artist who tries piecing together his tormented past and the fire that killed his parents; and QUEST by Santiago Rizzo starring Lakeith Stanfield (Sorry to Bother You), which is about the between a teacher and a troubled child, addicted to graffiti.

Some of our Team had the pleasure of previewing a couple marquee titles at the Festival in advance.

George Kozera (@PartyG) tells us about QUEST:

As QUEST opens with a dedication to one teacher followed by the tagline “based on promises never broken”, Director Santiago Rizzo’s semi-autobiographical debut feature quickly establishes that we are in for a heartfelt, emotional ride. 12 year old Mills (an astonishing Gregory Kasyan) is a skilled graffiti artist using the tag Quest. Obviously skilled and bright, his home life is in shambles due to an abusive stepfather (Lou Diamond Phillips, surprisingly menacing) and a clueless, self-absorbed mother (Betsy Brandt). Mills streets smarts education comes from Diego (an effective Lakeith Stanfield), a fellow graffiti artist who hides his weed in a hollowed out hardcover book and spouts platitudes on how to survive. Destined to a life that will go nowhere and spiral downwards even more, Mills life changes when he attracts the attention of the high school football coach Tim (Dash Mihok in a cinematic breakthrough performance) who senses something genuine in Mills. Suspicious at first, a mentor relationship between the two develops that is, most importantly, based on trust.

It is virtually impossible not to be moved by QUEST. Santiago Rizzo’s love towards the man who changed the course of his life is apparent in every scene between the coach and boy. It is genuinely sincere and involving. There are few false moments in the movie and the performance by young Gregory Kasyan in his movie debut is letter perfect. To those who think the coach may have been written too saintly, I will suggest that they never had a teacher that influenced them. My mentor was my grade six teacher, Mr. Matthews, who will always be my role model.

 QUEST is assured, wonderfully photographed and exquisitely acted. It’s a must see. It screens Monday, February 3rd at 3:00 PM.

___________

Justin Waldman (@DubsReviews) shares his thoughts on LOST HOLIDAY:

Writers and Directors Michael Kerry Matthews and Thomas Matthews give their first Feature go at in Lost Holiday, and  it is not unenjoyable.

The Film focuses on Margaret (Kate Lyn Sheil) and Henry (Thomas Matthews) and the exploits they get into trying to find a kidnapped socialite while Margaret is back visiting her home town. While they might not be the sharpest tools in the shed, the clumsy antics they get involved in are rather entertaining.

The Plot has various twists and turns and both Sheil and Matthews do their best with the material given.

Lost Holiday screens at PENDANCE FILM FESTIVAL on February 2nd at 9:30 PM.

___________

Justin on IN REALITY:

Ann Lupo writes, directs and stars in In Reality and it amounts to a fun, honest look at dating, relationships, and loving one’s self in the age of the Millennial. There is so much truth behind what Ann (Lupo) goes through, as she finds herself pining after a man who just wants to ‘friend zone’ her.

What makes In Reality such a joy to watch is the craziness that Ann puts herself through. She creates these characters that she brings life to in her mind, and what results is something truly comical. We can’t wait to see what’s next for her.

In Reality screens at Pendance Film Festival Monday, February 3rd at 1 PM.

More on the Pendance Film Festival including showtimes and tickets, here.

20th Century Fox Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL! Screenings take place as follows:

TORONTO
Thursday, February 7
7:00 PM
Scotiabank Theatre

MONTREAL – ENGLISH
Thursday, February 7
7:00PM
Cinema Banque Scotia

MONTREAL – FRENCH
Monday, February 11
7:00PM
Starcite Montreal

VANCOUVER
Thursday, February 7
7:00PM
Scotiabank Theatre Vancouver

Synopsis:
From visionary filmmakers James Cameron (AVATAR) and Robert Rodriguez (SIN CITY), comes ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL, an epic adventure of hope and empowerment. When Alita (Rosa Salazar) awakens with no memory of who she is in a future world she does not recognize, she is taken in by Ido (Christoph Waltz), a compassionate doctor who realizes that somewhere in this abandoned cyborg shell is the heart and soul of a young woman with an extraordinary past. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious history while her street-smart new friend Hugo (Keean Johnson) offers instead to help trigger her memories. But it is only when the deadly and corrupt forces that run the city come after Alita that she discovers a clue to her past – she has unique fighting abilities that those in power will stop at nothing to control. If she can stay out of their grasp, she could be the key to saving her friends, her family and the world she’s grown to love.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate in the comments there, your City. Montreal entrants, please indicate English, French or both. Re-Tweet this Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance!

20th Century Fox Canada release ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL Thursday, February 14, 2019.

(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Fox Canada)

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

Jimmie Fails (Jimmie Fails) has one dream in life: to reclaim the Victorian house his family once lived in and grandfather built. When Jimmie and his only friend Montgomery (Jonathan Majors) find out the current owners of the house have moved out, they squat there and recreate the home Jimmie once knew.

The Last Black Man In San Francisco is the astonishing first feature debut of Director Joe Talbot. The Film is a sophisticated examination of gentrification and the effects it has on communities and individuals. Through focusing on one man’s story, the real-life story of Jimmie Fails, the themes are specific and therefore become universal. Fails, in playing a fictionalized version of himself, is enthralling to watch. His subtle performance adds texture to the already flawless Script and direction, while Majors gives a breakout performance as Fails’ supportive Playwright best friend. This is an essential viewing experience and will be watched and revisited years from now.

The Last Black Man In San Francisco screens at Sundance on Jan 26 at 12:15PM at Eccles PC, Jan 27 at 9:30PM at Redstone 1 PC, Jan 31 at 6PM at Library Theatre SLC, Feb 1 at 8:30PM at Prospector PC, and Feb 2 at 8:45AM at Library PC.

New Stills have surfaced from LONG SHOT, starring Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron!

SYNOPSIS:

He’s a hard-hitting political writer with a talent for trouble. She’s the country’s top diplomat with a talent for…well, everything. When Fred Flarsky (Seth Rogen) reunites with his first crush who also happens to be the current US Secretary of State, Charlotte Field (Charlize Theron), he charms her with his self-deprecating humor and his memories of her youthful idealism. As she prepares to make a surprise run for the Oval Office, Charlotte hires Fred to punch up her campaign speeches and their unmistakable chemistry leads to a round-the-world affair. But Fred’s carefree indiscretions, past and present, could bring down her campaign before it even begins. The film redefines “international relations” with a profane, funny and unexpected love.

From the celebrated team of Seth Rogen and Evan Goldberg, creators of outrageous comedy hits including SAUSAGE PARTY, NEIGHBORS franchise, and KNOCKED UP, LONG SHOT also features O’Shea Jackson Jr. (Den of Thieves, Straight Outta Compton), Andy Serkis (Black Panther, Planet of the Apes), June Diane Raphael (The Disaster Artist, Grace & Frankie), Ravi Patel (TV’s Master of None) and Alexander Skarsgård (TV’s Big Little Lies and The Legend of Tarzan).

See the Stills:

eOne Films release LONG SHOT Friday, May 3, 2019.

(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)

Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong

16-year- old Mo (Griffin Gluck) has been best friends with his sister’s 23-year-old ex-boyfriend, Zeke (Pete Davidson) since he was nine. Zeke has been Mo’s sole role model, however, he’s an adult who drinks and smokes weed all day long and convinces Mo to sell drugs to high school seniors at their weekend parties.

Big Time Adolescence is a hilarious coming-of-age story with characters which feel authentic. The Film examines what it is like to be a teenager and an early 20-something in today’s ever-changing world. Davidson is a showstopper as the quintessential man-child. He captures perfectly the feeling of being lost while transitioning into adulthood. Gluck delivers as Mo, who wants so bad to be popular and gives us an honest look into being a teenager.

Big Time Adolescence screens at Sundance on Jan 28 at 3:30PM at Eccles PC, Jan 29 at 9:15AM at The Ray PC, Jan 31 at 11:30AM at Prospector PC, Feb 1 at 6:15PM at Grand SLC, and Feb 2 at 12PM at Library PC.