By Mr. Will Wong
At long last, FREE GUY is set to arrive in theatres after multiple delays, but if you’ve heard the chatter, you’ll soon understand why this epic Comedy has been saved for our return to the theatres! Full of heart and surprises, the Film from Director Shawn Levy centers on a Bank Teller named Guy (Ryan Reynolds) who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, ultimately becoming the hero of his own story…out to save the world!
We had the joy of sitting-in on the global Press Junket for this hilarious Blockbuster and in-attendance were a star-studded group:
Shawn Levy – Director
Ryan Reynolds – Guy
Jodie Comer – Millie/Molotov Girl
Joe Keery – Keys
Lil Rel Howery – Buddy
Taika Waititi – Antoine
Utkarsh Ambudkar – Mouser
Shawn Levy talks about the excitement of the world finally getting to see FREE GUY.
Levy: Well, it has been a ride and a longer wait than we expected but this Movie was such a delight to make. The making of it was pretty joyous and fun, we’re just really excited to get to share a movie that has that same fun and delight and warmth that was on-set. Hopefully it translated to the screen. In some of these early reactions it’s been really affirming and all coming through to audiences the way we hoped.
Ryan Reynolds talks about stepping into the world of a wholesome hero.
Reynolds: My default is just pure trash on the inside so this is slightly new for me. There’s a movie I like called ‘Being There‘ starring Peter Sellers and it was like the first foothold I hand into this world. There’s something really wonderful about playing a character who’s kinda naive and innocent. In a sense, he’s like a four-year-old adult. So there’s something kinda fun about exploring everything with new eyes, which is what this character gets to do, and filtering that through the prism of Comedy. I love playing a character who’s stepping out of the background and into this new person.
Jodie Comer does double duty as Molotov Girl and Millie and tells us about balancing this.
Comer: One thing which draw me to the role was the Team – working with the Creators of the Film and also the sheer imagination the Script has. I remember reading it and thinking ‘Omigosh, how is this gonna translate onto the screen?’. You have the real world mixed-in with the Video Game and I think it was just the scope of it and how much heart it had. You see that it’s written about as an Action-Comedy, but you see there’s so much more to that. It provokes so much emotion in you. I think it was the imagination the Script had for me.
Mariah Carey’s ‘Fantasy‘ plays a pivotal role in Free Guy and the question is asked about why this song in particular.
Levy: Ryan is a maestro of the odd, random but inspired song idea. He was obsessive about it early on as we were working on the Script. He said, ‘You know what I think should be the entire anthem of the Movie and marketing campaign?’. He suggested this song by Mariah and we know that by the Third Act of the Movie we have a cover of that song by our very own Jodie Comer!
Reynolds: In the earliest drafts we’d written The Outfield‘s ‘Your Love‘ and it ended-up not fitting right. It’s a great song but Mariah Carey‘s ‘Fantasy‘ just came in like a lightening bolt. It was like an engine through so much of the Movie. It’s really fantastic!
Reynolds and Howery talk about the central theme of friendship in the Film.
Howery: I like when I get to the end of it and that’s where the audience sees the last speech Buddy gives before this big thing happens. It is always weird when you do big speeches like this, you get emotionally tied to it. I remember shooting with Shawn and I had to go take a walk. I wasn’t gonna tear-up in front of him. Buddy has a couple of those moments which is what I love about the character, it’s that his innocence that came with how comfortable he was with his friendship. It is something really beautiful that happens towards the end that Buddy discovers with his best friend. It’s another conversation in the beginning Guy trying to convince him what the sunglasses was showing him. Buddy just stuck to his ways and we just saw the heart of him open and open which is why I live this character so much. People are really surprised how much heart it has. Yeah, you’re gonna tear-up!
Taika Waititi steals the show as villainous Antoine and talks about his character.
Waititi: I didn’t really know what to expect or what I was doing. We had one phone call (with Shawn) and I hadn’t really met you. Shawn described the character and that appealed to me. I just play visions of my mom in all my characters and so this was my little vision of my mom. I’ve actually met a lot of people like this in America and it’s what I think of Americans… at CAA parties.
Utkarsh Ambudkar and Joe Keery tell us about their characters’ catch phrases.
Keery: I think the best catch phrase is ‘catch-phrase’. I think that’s genius. I don’t feel my character really has a catch phrase.
Ambudkar: I don’t remember. Was it ‘Go Time? Yeah it’s Go Time, baby!’. That’s all me. I desperately tried getting Taika’s character on-board in this mentor/mentee-type relationship. Antoine is not having it at all. I think it makes for a funny chemistry between us. All of us got really lucky this whole Cast works really well together. Everyone makes each other look good. It’s rare you get this many people who get this energy going with each other so that’s awesome.
The Gaming industry is not unlike the Film industry in that they are male-dominated. Jodie Comer comments on the parallels in her character(s) and real life.
Comer: It was incredible and a huge part of what attracted me to the piece, especially having this girl Millie and Molotov being a creation of her. It was so important that it was always an essence of Millie but that Molotov was also very different so I really focused on the physicality. There is a lot of nuance within her world and even looking into how male-dominated that industry is, which is kinda similar to my own and those kind of fights we’re definitely up against, and the resilience in which that created in her. There was so much for me to play with. That was always really present and thought about from the moment I got the Script, the first draft to the moments we were on-set playing around, changing things. It was such a great experience bringing my own ideas to play.
Ryan Reynolds and Lil Rel Howery talk about the friendship they formed on and off-screen in FREE GUY.
Reynolds: Rel’s character and I live on this intersection a little bit on the page, a little bit on the moment. But I feel that’s the case of every single person on this webinar. Everybody here’s very good at creating and building and three-dimensionalizing their work. Rel and I immediately clicked. I was a huge fan of his. And we can all say he was a huge fan of Taika. It’s great to get out there, mess around and play and form that bond, and put it up on the big screen.
Howery: I mean for me it’s weird because Ryan Reynolds has been my friend in my head for a really long time. And to this day I don’t think he believes that I’m a legit fan. When he was winning everything with Deadpool I was calling people “I toldja! I toldja Ryan was a superstar!’. I don’t get nervous about meeting anyone but I was really nervous that first day. One of the fun things about this business is you get to work with people you really look up to, not just as an Actor but as a fan. I don’t know he’s gonna be my friend after this movie but we’re gonna enjoy the moment.
Levy and Reynolds tease the possibility of a Franchise for FREE GUY.
Reynolds: I hope we get to this again whether it’s in the form of a Sequel or something else. We’re lucky a couple people in here I’ve gotten to work with multiple times. If it’s not another FREE GUY movie or another movie in another form.
Levy: The short answer is ‘yes’. But I’ve made things that launched franchises and have made enough things to realize you just
I don’t know the outcome. We have flirted with some ideas but my favourite thing in Free Guy is that Taika‘s character in an original movie mocking the idea of releasing something new. It’s so rare a studio lets you make a big budget new movie. So to have Antoine played by Taika talking about sequels and having this cynical attitude towards them. I will say for anyone who’s seen the movie, if we do make Free Guy 2 it will be titled ‘Albuquerque, Boiled Turkey’! If you’ve seen the Movie you’ll get that joke! Based on one of 700 million improvised lines by Taika Waititi!
20th Century Studios Canada release FREE GUY August 13, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Studios)
THE SUICIDE SQUAD continues its franchise’s legacy of winning, taking the top spot at the Box Office in its debut this weekend with $27 million from 4,002 theatres. While times are a bit different from its Predecessor’s 2016 debut where it took-in $133 million, The title is available on HBO Max in the U.S. and it remains to see how it did as an at-home rental, but nonetheless reviews have been fantastic for this installment helmed by James Gunn, getting 92% on the Tomatometer.
Disney’s JUNGLE CRUISE takes second spot in its second week out with $14.8 million from 4,310 theatres. It has grossed $64.4 million already in North America, plus its Disney+ Premier Access downloads.
OLD comes in third with $3.8 million for Universal Pictures, a total $38.2 million grossed over three weeks.
BLACK WIDOW finds itself in fourth with $3.5 million for Disney, a total $173.9 million over in five weeks.
STILLWATER rounds-out the Top Five with $2.4 million from 2,611 theatres for Focus Features/Universal Pictures. In two weeks it has earned $9.5 million domestically.
Right in time for Friday the 13th, we’re giving away the amazing FRIDAY THE 13TH 8 MOVIE COLLECTION to one lucky Reader!
Synopsis:
This to-die-for collection includes newly remastered versions of the first four films in one of the most influential and successful horror franchises in cinematic history. This must-have set for fans of heart-stopping horror is gushing over with hours of previously released special features including slashed scenes, making of featurettes, killer commentaries and much, much more. The set also includes access to digital copies of all eight movies, including the “uncut” edition of the original Friday the 13th. Return to the terror of Camp Crystal Lake and re-experience all the screams, scares, and creative kills. From the too-often ignored warnings of Camp Crustal Lake’s “death curse,” through an ever-increasing body-count that culminates on the streets of New York City, the hockey-masked mayhem is unleashed and unstoppable. The eight films in the collection are: Friday The 13th, Friday The 13th Part 2, Friday The 13th Part 3, Friday The 13th Part IV: The Final Chapter, Friday The 13th Part V: A New Beginning, Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives, Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood, and Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan.
To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. Re-Tweet this Contest Tweet for an extra chance. You must be following.
Rules and regulations here.
Paramount Home Entertainment release FRIDAY THE 13TH 8-MOVIE COLLECTION is in stores now.
(Photo/video credit: Paramount Home Entertainment)
The Weeknd is back with another amazing throwback Summer jam in TAKE MY BREATH! The new Video for the Track has just premiered, directed by Cliqua. The Track will be on his upcoming fifth Studio Disc.
The Song is available now here.
(Photo/video credit: Universal Music)
Clint Eastwood is back in CRY MACHO, starring and directing this adaptation of the Novel of the same name. See the new Trailer.
Synopsis:
From Warner Bros. Pictures come director/producer Clint Eastwood’s uplifting and poignant drama “Cry Macho.” The film stars Eastwood as Mike Milo, a one-time rodeo star and washed-up horse breeder who, in 1979, takes a job from an ex-boss to bring the man’s young son home from Mexico. Forced to take the backroads on their way to Texas, the unlikely pair faces an unexpectedly challenging journey, during which the world-weary horseman finds unexpected connections and his own sense of redemption.
Also starring are Eduardo Minett as the young boy, Rafo, in his feature film debut, Natalia Traven (“Collateral Damage,” TV’s “Soulmates”) as Marta, with Dwight Yoakam (“Logan Lucky,” “Sling Blade”) as Mike’s former employer, Howard Polk. The cast also includes Fernanda Urrejola (“Blue Miracle,” Netflix’s “Narcos: Mexico”) as Leta and Horacio Garcia-Rojas (“Netflix’s “Narcos: Mexico,” TV’s “La querida del Centauro”) as Aurelio. Oscar winner Eastwood directed from a screenplay by Nick Schenk and N. Richard Nash, based on the novel by Nash. Eastwood, Albert S. Ruddy, Tim Moore and Jessica Meier produced the film, with David M. Bernstein serving as executive producer.
Warner Bros. Canada release CRY MACHO in theatres September 17, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: Warner Bros.)
This actually was incredibly exciting! We’re a huge fan of Matty’s Patty’s out near Trinity Bellwoods Park, so it brought us great joy to cross paths with Canadian Celebrity Chef Matty Matheson. We actually have visited his shop a few times hoping he’d be there and eventually we got our wish, spotting him in Yorkville grabbing Chinese food. He was amazingly-nice to stop for a quick snap before going to what looked like a meeting of sorts at the restaurant.
The former Executive Chef of hotspot Parts & Labour has built a devout following with his scrumptious creations, cookbooks and appearances on TV Series like VICE‘s Munchies on which his outgoing personality and unique image have won fans over internationally.
More proof of our love for Matty! beanie also is a fan of his patties!
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/VICE)
By Justin Waldman & Amanda Gilmore
Fantasia Festival 2021 officially kicks-off on Thursday August 5, 2021 through Wednesday, August 25, 2021, now in its 25th year, with an incredible line up of films and features!
Our Team’s Justin Waldman and Amanda Gilmore had an opportunity to preview some of the amazing films to premiere at the Montreal-based Festival, celebrating genre Film! See some of their recommendations. Throughout the Festival, we will be sharing their reviews on what to see as well. Be sure to check back! Note, most films are available virtually through the duration of the Festival unless otherwise stated.
Fantasia 20201 comes at us with some of the craziest, most outrageous movies I’ve seen this year! These movies range from Supernatural Thrillers to Puppet Zombie masterpieces of truly epic proportions and outlandish house parties gone wrong and zombie madness. There are definitely some movies that deserve a memorable shoutout like Sion Sono’s new film, Prisoners of the Ghostland starring the incomparable Nicolas Cage, Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break which won over audiences at SXSW, Woodlands Dark and Days Bewitched: A History of Folk Horror, a Documentary on Horror films. There is so much to see at Fantasia 2021 and here are five of the movies that I’ve seen thus far that have been some of the best! More to come!
Zombie Comedy-Horror films, few and far between get the movie and genre bending films right. Brain Freeze absolutely hits the nail on the head, it is a genuinely brilliant Zombie film with an interesting way explaining the spread of the disease, with fantastic gore and zombie action. There is so much fun that audiences will be smiling ear to ear, with their jaws falling off from laughter and pure joy from the zombies.
A small rich gated community wants to make sure their golf course stays green longer and uses a new fertilizer, however that fertilizer unfortunately is infected with a mutated gene that manages to turn people into Zombies. Everyone has been infected, the government doesn’t want the spread to get any further out of hand, and one lonely child Andre (Iani Bedard) must find his way out of the community, after all exits have been cut off or bombed. It’s a fight for survival, that is a bloody good time.
Brain Freeze is for fans of the Zombie genre, filled with blood, guts, and tons of laughter. This zombie comedy will entertain audiences. The cast encapsules the embodiment of zombies without landing on usual tropes, while providing some scares and silliness at the same time. Brain Freeze is not to be missed at Fantasia!
Frank and Zed, there is so much to say about this insanely bonkers film that one cannot simply describe! One must absolutely gush about the ingenuity and sheer joy that is brought by six years of labour into this masterful puppetry of brilliance that is Frank and Zed. Jesse Blanchard, dedicated six years of his life to make this wonderful insane masterpiece of blood, guts, and puppets. Frank and Zed is such a delight, it must be consumed to truly be believed.
Frank and Zed are two re-animated corpses who are dependent on each other to survive, one being a Frankenstein-esque monster and one being a Zombie, the two appear to be great friends and truly inseparable. Everything is fine in their lives, until one of the villagers discovers that they are living on the outskirts of the city and threatens their way of life. The reason the villagers are so terrified of them is because of an old prophecy: the orgy of blood! Everything about Frank and Zed is truly spectacular and cannot be missed. It will leave you in stitches!
Jesse Blanchard is truly someone to watch out for moving forward, his ability to tell and direct a story is simply sublime. Frank and Zed is some of the most fun, most gory, most insane feature I’ve seen all year. There is something so delightful and bloody fun about Frank and Zed that needs to be seen to be believed!
Office Royale is part-Scott Pilgrim, part-Battle Royale and part Tarantino if that does not get audiences excited, then there is something wrong. The Movie focuses on different Office Lady’s who are all part of different cliques who battle for office supremacy. In this wild ride, audiences get to see some masterful fights that are pure entertainment and filled with some excellent choreography and blood.
Naoko Tanaka (Mei Nagano) is one of the very few office lady’s who decides to sit outside of the cliques and just go about her day, not affiliating herself with any of the cliques and fights that we can notice. This changes when she meets who is deemed the ultimate office lady, Ran (Alice Hirose) who seems to be able to take down all the cliques and make one ultimate clique for the office itself. Things take a turn though when others learn of Ran and the Office Royale truly becomes a battle for supremacy.
While the Movie focuses on tropes, with taking comedic takes on them, it feels very meta. The performances throughout Office Royale are great as they take on all the tropes, while packing a punch both figuratively and literally for the audience. The fast pace action sequences are top notch, and Office Royale is a blast from start to finish.
Sweetie You Won’t Believe It, is one of the most brutally-insane films I’ve ever seen. It is everything you could expect from a day trip gone wrong comedy one could expect, it is insane. Three friends who cannot figure out what they’re actually doing, getting stalked by some of the most inept hitmen the worlds ever seen being hunted by a mute person who emerges from the forest.
Das (Daniar Alshinov) is tired of all the issues he is running into at home so he plans a day out with his two equally tired friends, Arman (Azamat Markenlov) and Merat (Erlan Primbetov) as they go on a fishing expedition which starts off as a three stooges skit. From there they stumble across the world’s dumbest hitmen and notice them disposing of the body and they now become the hunted. However, to no one’s knowledge there is now a one-eyed man who is hunting them all down at this remote location. With screwball comedy and some blood and guts, Sweetie You Won’t Believe It delivers on all fronts of absolute insanity.
Audiences will be delighted to see the madness and hilarity that is going to delight crowds at Fantasia that is Sweetie You Won’t Believe It. The Movie is such a blast from start to finish, making you laugh or cringe at the Slapstick Comedy and immense violence. Sweetie You Won’t Believe It, is a must see for anyone who enjoys comedy and violence, a must see during this year’s Testival.
In Wonderful Paradise, the Sasayas are down on their luck and must move out of their house due to a foreclosure. There is a miscommunication that leads to some truly baffling events, some supernatural occurrences, and some drug dealing mishaps, it may be far from a wonderful paradise, but it is a wonderful time.
Akiko (Kaho Minami) misunderstands her dad’s request to make memories and posts on twitter a party at her house, before they must leave, for all to come and enjoy. A mishap cast of a homeless man, a couple, some drug dealers, and some random family all come and make this a night to remember. There is death, there is children disappearing in supernatural ways, and a talking cat, this is truly a Wonderful Paradise of chaos. Wonderful Paradise is sheer madness and a pure delightful film with absolute joy. With everything that is going on, and a magical coffee bean that comes to life, there is something for all fans of genre films in Wonderful Paradise.
Sometimes movies just need to be a mix match of genre bending weirdness to become their own identity, and Wonderful Paradise blends supernatural, comedy, horror, and kaiju madness to become this wonderful melting pot of glorious proportions. This Film is an absolute joy from start to finish, bringing laughter and genuine shock at what is going on. Wonderful Paradise is a love letter to genre cinema, and such a joyful watch.
James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad is an outrageous, fun action-packed thrill-ride loaded with humour from beginning to end. It’s hard to remember the last time this much fun could happen in the cinema.
This time around, the Squad sees many new additions. Most notably Bloodsport (Idris Elba), Peacemaker (John Cena), Ratcatcher (Daniela Melchoir) King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian) and more. But don’t fret, the fantabulous Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) and Col. Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) are still hanging with this unholy bunch. The new group is sent by Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) to the island of Corto Maltese to destroy what their government is hiding inside the Jotunheim building.
For those familiar with Gunn’s work — and you should be — his particular style of filmmaking is perfectly suited for this band of quirky supervillains. His new and improved The Suicide Squad is gruesome, violent, witty and a non-stop joyride. Even in the bleakest moments a line of dialogue or a character’s reaction slices the tension and causes laughs. Gunn’s always comes with a killer Soundtrack and once again, he delivers. It amplifies the characters inner turmoil, setting, themes and more.
Gunn has crafted a group of brilliant Actors who understand his delightful cocktail of action, gore and humour. It’s remarkable to think about the makeovers which Harley has had in her handful of films. Robbie shines every single time by building off of Harley’s previous endeavours and still making her new. Elba is the perfect fit as a ‘deadbeat dad’ trying possibly a little too late to become a good father. Cena’s comedic flair gets put to good use and he has a great rapport with Elba. Kinnaman brings the Rick Flag we’ve seen before but gives him a deeper desire to be the good guy. The rest of the ensemble, including the supporting members, are perfectly cast.
Overall, The Suicide Squad never disappoints and most impressively it’s entirely unpredictable. It’ll leave you laughing, cheering, gasping and it just might bring a tear to your eye.
The Suicide Squad screens at Fantasia in-person only, August 4, 2021 at Imperial Cinema at 7 PM. Warner Bros. Canada release THE SUICIDE SQUAD on August 6, 2021. Check out our full review then!
This South Korean Thriller from Writer-Director Kwon Oseung, follows Kyung-mi (Jin Ki-joo), who is hearing-impaired, after trying to save a stabbed woman, becomes prey to psychopathic killer Do-shik (Wi Ha-joon). For the rest of the night, Kyung-mi is caught in a hide-and-seek scenario with the killer.
By making the lead deaf it has opened up an array of different ways of telling this particular genre story. Oseung never uses it as a disability but as a tool to show the arrogance of the hearing population. Kyung-mi searches for help from citizens and also the police, but to no avail. This is due to them becoming irritated or impatient with her. This leaves her to rely on herself and become her own saviour. It’s a refreshing take on this killer hunting female storyline.
The Cast is strong with its two main players giving powerful performances. Ki-joo is dynamite at evoking fear through one look and then getting more into the physicality of her performance. The Film plays with sound often cutting it all together when we are experiences life through Kyung-mi’s eyes. In these moments, Ki-joo’s physical performance is even more impactful. And Ha-joon understands that the most iconic psychotic characters have charisma. He plays this up with precision, often changing within seconds from charismatic to sinister.
Sometimes fear comes from knowing why someone did something. But sometimes it comes from there is no reason at all. What makes Midnight scary is that there is no reason as to why Do-shik is killing innocent women.
Midnight screens at Fantasia on Virtual Projection August 22 at 9 PM and August 24 at 9 AM.
This Psychological Thriller will constantly keep you on your toes.
It follows Beth (a fantastic Rebecca Hall) in the aftermath of her husband’s, Owen (Evan Jonigkeit), unexpected suicide. Beth now resides in the empty house her late-husband built for them. However, when she begins searching for an explanation for her husband’s decision, she discovers some disturbing and spiritual secrets.
Director David Bruckner has found an effective way to use jump-scares that force even the most seasoned horror fan to be on edge. This happens right from the beginning, at times in daylight and with no cues (such as cutting the sound). In doing so, Bruckner forces his audience to expect anything at any time. Thus, creating a continuous atmosphere of fear that is rare in this genre today. Bruckner, along with the production design, film in a home that is simple and modern. There are no cobwebs, dust and creaking old floors. That’s because Bruckner and the Production Design team have effectively used camera angles and framing to play tricks on our eyes. Making us see spirits where there may —or may not— be any.
At the core of the Film, is the powerful performance from Hall. The majority of the nights, Beth is searching her house. In another’s hands, this could easily become aimless wandering. Yet, Hall puts immense intension behind each of Beth’s movements. Additionally, the grief-stricken Beth doesn’t shy away from death and the afterlife, instead she refreshingly runs toward it. And Hall exposes the curiosity, fear and at times relief that pass through Beth’s thoughts with mastery.
The Night House screens at Fantasia in-person August 12 at Imperial Cinema at 7 PM. Searchlight Pictures release The Night House August 20, 2021. Check out our full review and chat with Hall then!
Charity-shop worker, Paul Dood (Tom Meeten) is set on winning the big national talent show. But when the actions of five selfish people cause him to miss his audition, he sets out to seek deathly revenge. It’s one lunch break, five spectacular murders.
This is quintessential British Dark-Comedy at its finest. At its core is the story of a middle-aged man who really wants to attain his dream. It appears to be a standard run-of-the-mill underdog story but it’s got a hilarious twist. A want hiding deeper within Paul than winning the national talent show is that he wants to be famous. It’s this desire for fame that Meeten latches onto and delivers one of the funniest performances of the Festival. His natural wit and charm make us root for Paul even when we know what he’s doing is wrong.
Paul Dood’s Deadly Lunch Break could easily just be a darkly-comedic film, but it’s more than that. Co-writer and Director Nick Gillespie introduces the impact of social media on Paul’s insatiable need for fame. In order to become a star, Paul videos his journey to the audition. However, he doesn’t turn it off as he follows out his deathly revenge. And somehow, society tunes in and Paul believes he’s becoming a star. This is a Comedy with a powerful message on our current society’s obsession with likes and fame.
In a future where the government records dreams and taxes them, a dream auditor James (Kentucker Audley who also co-writes and directs) gets caught up in ageing eccentric Arabella‘s (Penny Fuller) dreams. Thus, making him question the extent of control the government and corporations have over their dreamscape.
This Sundance 2021 hit is sure to spark conversation from the Fantasia audience. Co-Writers and Directors Audley and Albert Birney have created a futuristic world where capitalism has managed to expand and now invades every aspect of our lives — even if we aren’t aware of it. The inventive decision to show this through an eccentric’s dreams, lets this filmmaking pair take us on a journey to some surreal places. Impressively, no matter how surreal this Film gets the message is never lost.
Along this fun, magical ride is some great comedic moments. These primarily come from James’ recurring pink room dream where a man only known as Buddy (a hilarious Linas Phillips) brings him the same bucket of fried chicken from the same fast-food chain. These scenes, along with the rest of this film, are visually stunning. The dazzling Cinematography from Tyler Davis gives off a hazy, dreamy look to the Film overall. If that wasn’t enough to impress, the entire cast gives strong performances that are anchored in the want to have our dreams be our own.
More on the Festival here.
(Photo credit: Fantasia Festival)
20th Century Studios Canada x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win Advance Passes to see FREE GUY! Screenings take place as follows:
Toronto – Wednesday, August 11 @ 7:30pm – Scotiabank Theatre
Vancouver – Wednesday, August 11 @ 7:00pm – Scotiabank Theatre
Calgary – Wednesday, August 11 @ 7:00pm – Scotiabank Theatre
Edmonton – Wednesday, August 11 @ 7:00pm – Scotiabank Theatre
Synopsis:
In Twentieth Century Studios’ epic adventure-comedy “Free Guy,” a bank teller who discovers he is actually a background player in an open-world video game, decides to become the hero of his own story…one he rewrites himself. Now in a world where there are no limits, he is determined to be the guy who saves his world his way…before it is too late. Starring Ryan Reynolds, Jodie Comer, Lil Rel Howery, Joe Keery, Utkarsh Ambudkar and Taika Waititi, “Free Guy” is directed by Shawn Levy from a screenplay by Matt Lieberman and Zak Penn and a story by Lieberman. The film is produced by Ryan Reynolds, p.g.a., Shawn Levy, p.g.a., Sarah Schechter, Greg Berlanti and Adam Kolbrenner with Mary McLaglen, Josh McLaglen, George Dewey, Dan Levine and Michael Riley McGrath serving as executive producers. FREE GUY is in theatres August 13, 2021.
To enter for a chance to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and in the comments there, indicate your City! For an extra chance, RT this Contest Tweet from @mrwillw.
Enter for a chance to #win Advance Screening Passes to see #FreeGuy in select cities!
— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) August 4, 2021
How: https://t.co/mcWK2PDowr pic.twitter.com/U4LsePBfLH
You must be following.
Rules and regulations here.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Studios Canada)
Mary Elizabeth Winstead is back in KATE, coming this Fall to select theatres and on Netflix!
About Kate:
Meticulous and preternaturally skilled, Kate is the perfect specimen of a finely tuned assassin at the height of her game. But when she uncharacteristically blows an assignment targeting a member of the yakuza in Tokyo, she quickly discovers she’s been poisoned, a brutally slow execution that gives her less than 24 hours to exact revenge on her killers. As her body swiftly deteriorates, Kate forms an unlikely bond with the teenage daughter of one of her past victims. Starring Mary Elizabeth Winstead and Woody Harrelson, and directed by Cedric Nicolas-Troyan, Kate follows a burned assassin’s furious pursuit of one last self-appointed job.
KATE arrives in select theatres and on Netflix September 10, 2021.
(Photo/video credit: Netflix)
More titles have been announced for TIFF ’21 in the TIFF Docs, Midnight Madness, Wavelengths and Contemporary World Cinema Programmes. Among those premiering at the Festival this September in Toronto are Cannes Palme d’Or winner TITANE in the Midnight Madness Programme, getting the Opening Film slot.
Also surfacing at TIFF is Sundance hit JOCKEY starring Clifton Collins Jr. The Film competed in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition, and also win Collins the US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Actor and got picked-up by Sony Pictures Classics shortly after. TRUE THINGS starring The Affair‘s Ruth Wilson also will be presented in the Contemporary World Cinema Programme alongside Jockey, among others.
The Festival runs September 9–18, 2021 and will be a combination of in-person and virtual events and screenings.
Titles announced today include:
TIFF DOCS
Presented by A&E IndieFilms
TIFF Docs Opening Film
Attica Stanley Nelson | USA
World Premiere
Beba Rebeca Huntt | USA/Mexico
World Premiere
Becoming Cousteau Liz Garbus | USA
International Premiere
Burning Eva Orner | Australia
World Premiere
Comala Gian Cassini | Mexico
World Premiere
The Devil’s Drivers Mohammed Abugeth, Daniel Carsenty | Qatar/France/Lebanon/Germany
World Premiere
Flee Jonas Poher Rasmussen | Denmark/France/Sweden/Norway
Canadian Premiere
Hold Your Fire Stefan Forbes | USA
World Premiere
Listening to Kenny G Penny Lane | USA
World Premiere
Oscar Peterson: Black + White Barry Avrich | Canada
World Premiere
The Rescue E. Chai Vasarhelyi, Jimmy Chin | USA/United Kingdom
International Premiere
Three Minutes – A Lengthening Bianca Stigter | Netherlands/United Kingdom
Canadian Premiere
Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace Heather Hatch | Canada
World Premiere
WAVELENGTHS FEATURES
Futura Pietro Marcello, Francesco Munzi, Alice Rohrwacher | Italy
North American Premiere
The Girl and the Spider (Das Mädchen und die Spinne) Ramon Zürcher, Silvan Zürcher | Switzerland
North American Premiere
Wavelengths Opening Film
Neptune Frost Saul Williams, Anisia Uzeyman | Rwanda/USA
North American Premiere
A Night of Knowing Nothing Payal Kapadia | India/France
International Premiere
Ste. Anne Rhayne Vermette | Canada
North American Premiere
The Tsugua Diaries (Diários de Otsoga) Maureen Fazendeiro, Miguel Gomes | Portugal
North American Premiere
WAVELENGTHS SHORTS
The Capacity for Adequate Anger Vika Kirchenbauer | Germany
World Premiere
Dear Chantal (Querida Chantal) Nicolás Pereda | Mexico/Spain
International Premiere
earthearthearth Daïchi Saïto | Canada
North American Premiere
Inner Outer Space Laida Lertxundi | Spain
North American Premiere
Polycephaly in D Michael Robinson | USA
World Premiere
“The red filter is withdrawn.” (“Le-deu-pil-teo-ga Cheol-hoe-doeb-ni-da.”) Minjung Kim | South Korea
North American Premiere
Train Again Peter Tscherkassky | Austria
North American Premiere
MIDNIGHT MADNESS
After Blue (Dirty Paradise) Bertrand Mandico | France
North American Premiere
DASHCAM Rob Savage | United Kingdom/USA
World Premiere
Saloum Jean Luc Herbulot | Senegal
World Premiere Midnight Madness Opening Film
Titane Julia Ducournau | France
North American Premiere
You Are Not My Mother Kate Dolan | Ireland
World Premiere
Zalava Arsalan Amiri | Iran
North American Premiere
SPECIAL PRESENTATIONS
Presented by Visa
(New additions to previously announced programme)
Ahed’s Knee (Ha’berech) Nadav Lapid | Israel/France/Germany
North American Premiere
The Box (La Caja) Lorenzo Vigas | USA/Mexico
North American Premiere (previously announced in Contemporary World Cinema)
France Bruno Dumont | France/Germany/Italy/Belgium
North American Premiere
Where Is Anne Frank? Ari Folman | Belgium/France/Netherlands/Luxembourg/Israel
North American Premiere
CONTEMPORARY WORLD CINEMA
Presented by Sun Life
(New additions to previously announced programme)
7 Prisoners (7 Prisioneiros) Alexandre Moratto | Brazil
North American Premiere
Compartment No. 6 Juho Kuosmanen | Finland/Germany/Estonia/Russia
North American Premiere
The Gravedigger’s Wife Khadar Ayderus Ahmed | France/Somalia/Germany/Finland
North American Premiere
Jockey Clint Bentley | USA
International Premiere
Small Body Laura Samani | Italy/France/Slovenia
North American Premiere
True Things Harry Wootliff | United Kingdom
North American Premiere
More details here.
(Photo credit: Sony Pictures Classics)
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