The biggest night in Music took place this evening with the 59th annual GRAMMY Awards being held at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Adele took home top honours garnering Best Pop Vocal Album, Best Pop Solo Performance (Hello), Record of the Year (Hello), Song of the Year (Hello) and Album of the Year with her 2015 third disc, 25.

Doing Canada proud is Toronto’s own Drake who took home multiple awards including Best Rap/ Sung Performance and Best Rap Song with Hotline Bling. 

An expectant Beyoncé wins  Best Music Video for Formation and Best Urban Contemporary Album with Lemonade which even the evening’s big winner Adele felt deserved to win Album of the Year, breaking her Grammy in half for 25 to share with Beyoncé.

Newcomer Chance the Rapper also took home  Best New Artist, Rap Album of the Year for Coloring Book, along with a win for Best Rap Performance for his collaboration No Problem.

Post-humously, David Bowie was awarded with multiple wins for his final disc, Blackstar including Best Alternative Music Album, Best Rock Performance and Best Rock Song (Blackstar).

While they are currently dominating Pop Music, Electronic duo The Chainsmokers failed to win Best New Artist although they took home Best Dance Recording for their Daya collaboration Don’t Let Me Down.

Some more highlights from the night:

Adele accepting Album of the Year

Lady Gaga x Metallica

Katy Perry x Skip Marley

Twenty One Pilots win Best Pop Duo/ Group Performance for Stressed Out pantless

Beyoncé accepting Best Urban Contemporary Album

Complete list of winners here.

(Photo/video credit: Recording Academy/Getty Images)

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE gets the love of Moviegoers taking the top of the Box Office in its debut Valentine’s Day weekend with $54.5 million from 4,088 theatres for Warner Bros. Pictures. Its 2014 predecessor made $69 million in its opening, while Critics love it equally as much with 91% on the Tomatometer and Audiences gave it a great A- CinemaScore.

Debuting right behind in second with $48.3 million from 3,710 theatres  is FIFTY SHADES DARKER, also a second series installment like LEGO. It gets 10% on the Tomatometer and a much better B+ CinemaScore from Audiences. By contrast, its predecessor made $85 million it its 2015 debut.

JOHN WICK: CHAPTER 2 opens in third with $29.6 million from 3,113 theatres for Lionsgate Films/eOne Films. This bests the series’ first installment which opened in 2014 with $14.4 million domestically. It gets a fantastic 91% on the Tomatometer from Critics and also an A- CinemaScore.

SPLIT still is going strong in fourth after three weeks on-top, with $9.1 million from 2,961 theatres for Universal Pictures. It has made $112 million thus far.

A DOG’S PURPOSE is in sixth with $7.7 million for Universal Pictures, a tally of $42.9 million over three weeks.

LA LA LAND is in eighth with $5 million for Lionsgate Films/eOne Films, tallying-in at $126 million over ten weeks.

THE SPACE BETWEEN US rounds-out the Top Ten with $1.7 million for STX Entertainment/VVS Films, a total $6.5 million over two weeks.

Our love for the Queen of Cake® knows no boundaries.  Did you know that Dufflet Pastries now once a month offers an evening dessert buffet, DUFFLET AFTER DARK?  After debuting late last year right before the Holidays, a second installment of the series was held tonight at their licensed Toronto Beaches location at 1917 Queen Street East. They brought-out their signature favourites on an all-you-can-eat basis for some lucky patrons who were able to secure a table at the event.  The ambient, candle-lit affair was hosted by Dufflet team members Davis, Chris and Pippa.

Appearing on the menu were Dufflet’s:

Chocolate Truffle Cake

White Chocolate Mousse Cake

Pink Velvet Cake

Lemon Coconut Cake

Four Fruit Pie

Pecan Pie

Carrot Cake

Braised Short Rib with Merlot Reduction Empanadas

Roasted Vegetable and Goat Cheese Empanadas

Yes, you read right. Empanadas – mini versions of the larger versions offered normally in-store. And they were delectable.

Although my eyes certainly are bigger than my stomach, I managed to get in a bite of each offering. That Lemon Coconut Cake is still as perfect as I remember it and the Four Fruit Pie quickly has become a personal favourite with its shortbread-like crust and a just-tart-enough filling of rhubarb, blueberry, strawberry and apple. It is pie-fection!  Their best-selling Carrot Cake remains a gold standard in the industry and is among the best I’ve ever tasted. I brought Mama Wong along for the fun and she quite enjoyed the Pink Velvet Cake.

The Buffet is paired with your choice of red/white wine, coffee (including Espresso) and Sloane Teas.  May I recommend the Inniskillin Riesling which was born to be served with the delightful sweetness of Duffet Pastries.

Learn more about DUFFLET AFTER DARK here.

Our Snapstory:

Mama Wong x Mr. Will

Awesome night out with Mom at #DuffletAfterDark! A once a month dessert buffet with a selection of favourites by the Queen of Cake herself and your choice of wine, tea or coffee. Check my Snapstory later for more. 🍰 #Dufflet

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Feb 10, 2017 at 6:50pm PST

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Fox Searchlight x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to see A UNITED KINGDOM in Toronto, Vancouver and Calgary.

Screenings take place:

TORONTO
Wednesday, February 22
7:00PM
Cineplex Varsity Cinemas

VANCOUVER
Thursday, February 23
7:00PM
Cineplex International Village

CALGARY
Thursday, March 2
7:00PM
Cineplex Eau Claire Market Cinemas

Synopsis:
A UNITED KINGDOM is the true story of King Seretse Khama of Botswana (David Oyelowo) and Ruth Williams (Rosamund Pike), a white woman from London, which caused an international uproar when they decided to marry in the late 1940s just as apartheid was being introduced into South Africa. It was a decision that altered the course of African history.

See the Trailer:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City.

Fox Searchlight release A UNITED KINGDOM Friday, February 24, 2017 Toronto + Vancouver and Friday, March 3, 2017 Calgary.

(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)

We love us some Katy Perry and just when thought we couldn’t handle the tease anymore, she unleashes CHAINED TO THE RHYTHM today finally!

While she will debut the track at the GRAMMYS, Perry treats us to this adorable Lyric Video starring Mr. Parsons the Hamster. The early 80s-Synth Pop tune with a bit of Reggae is set to have the world under arrest.

Watch below:

(Photo/video credit: Universal Music)

Filled to the brim with starpower, THE CIRCLE is on our spring Must-Watch List!

Synopsis:
When Mae (Emma Watson) is hired to work for the world’s largest and most powerful tech & social media company, she sees it as an opportunity of a lifetime. As she rises through the ranks, she is encouraged by the company’s founder, Eamon Bailey (Tom Hanks), to engage in a groundbreaking experiment that pushes the boundaries of privacy, ethics and ultimately her personal freedom. Her participation in the experiment, and every decision she makes begin to affect the lives and future of her friends, family and that of humanity.

See the Trailer:

Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to see first BEFORE I FALL. Screenings take place Wednesday, March 1, 2017 in Toronto, Halifax, Vancouver, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Calgary and Edmonton.

Synopsis:
Sam seemed to have everything a teenage girl could want: popularity, a hot boyfriend, cool status, fun friends, loving family and seeming happiness. But beyond the superficial, Sam’s life wasn’t so charmed. She was one of a clique of high school mean girls who made life hellish for those different from them. When she’s killed in a car accident, Sam is forced to relive her last day on Earth seven times in order to get things right. She attempts to make sense of what befell her and gain a better understanding of herself and others. In the process Sam evolves, learns to be a good person and comes to accept her fate. As narrated by Sam (Zoey Deutsch), this touching story, based on the 2010 young adult novel by Lauren Oliver, has a Groundhog Day structure, with a dramatic arc.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City on the comments there.

Deutch x Mr. Will:

Another pic with lovely #ZoeyDeutch. #MetGala #NYC #MetBall

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on May 2, 2016 at 10:19pm PDT

Elevation Pictures release BEFORE I FALL Friday, March 3, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)

ALMOST ADULTS tells the story of two young women, best friends Mackenzie and Cassie, who face relationship strains as the former copes with her sexuality and the latter deals with the end of a long-term relationship. The Film, brought to life with the generosity of donors via crowdfunding, gives a voice to a generation of Millennials and some of the issues they face in relationships.  We had the pleasure of chatting with Director Sarah Rotella and Writer Adrianna Dilonardo on their first Feature Film.

You both have collaborated together multiple times now. Tell us how your partnership came about and what makes you click?

Dilonardo: Sarah and I met in high school in a video class. We began making short films together and haven’t stopped since. I think it’s one of the reasons why we work so well together, because we’ve known each other for so long and have worked together for so long that we are very honest with each other. No one’s feelings get hurt and no one has an ego, we trust each other’s opinions so that we make the best content we can. –

Congrats on being a major crowdfunding success story. Can you shed some light on the experience of  getting this story off the ground and made into a polished looking product?

Rotella: Thank you! We knew we wanted to do a crowdfunding campaign right away but were overwhelmed by the support we received. Our original goal was $40,000, which we reached 50% of in less than 24 hours and 100% of in a week and by the end of the campaign we were at 305%. The original goal was to cover our production budget and we were planning on trying for post-production funding once we had shot the Film, but surpassing our goal allowed us to cover everything we needed to finish the Film.  We were able to tell this story because there is a lack of LGBTQ stories in Film and the millennial audience that has supported us from day 1 really just wanted to see themselves on screen and see their stories being told.

What was your greatest challenge making the Film?

Dilonardo: For being our first Feature, every step went better than we could have hoped for. We didn’t have any major stumbles or issues during the process. However having said that, being our first Feature Film the entire process was a challenge, as we made the entire Film, along with our Producer Rebecca Swift, by ourselves. We didn’t have any help from a production company, we didn’t get any financial funding (other than what we raised ourselves on Kickstarter) and we didn’t use a sales agent to sell the Film.

We know Elise Bauman (Mackenzie) and Natasha Nevoganlis (Cassie) from Web-series Carmilla. Describe what went behind casting these two actresses as your leads?

Rotella: They were a part of our normal casting process, but it wasn’t until we had them paired together for a chemistry read that we knew we had to have them as Cassie and Mackenzie. They had worked together for a couple years prior, and it really came through in the casting process. They knew how each other worked so well that if someone forgot a line, or improved a line, they could keep going without missing a beat. For two characters who have been lifelong friends, it was a benefit to the Film to cast leads that had started developing a relationship, opposed to casting two leads that we would have had to start from the ground and work our way up.

How much of yourselves do you see in Mackenzie and Cassie?

Dilonardo: I find parts of myself in both Cassie and Mackenzie. Mackenzie is probably the most similar to myself in regards to her sense of humour,  her naiveté when it comes to dating and her eating habits. Cassie‘s character and her relationship with her parents is a little similar to mine. My parents aren’t as hard on me as Cassie‘s are, but growing up they didn’t support my career choices, because they wanted me to get a traditional 9-5 job, and be a “responsible adult”. Cassie‘s struggle in wanting to break away from those expectations her parents have on her really connected to me.

What’s next?

Rotella: We have already shot our second Feature Film and are in post-production. The Film is about five struggling actor friends that go away to a cottage for a weekend and while they’re there, one of them books a life-changing, blockbuster role, which in turns brings out everyone’s pettiness and jealousy and begins tearing their friendships apart.

ALMOST ADULTS is available across Canada in all digital and on-demand platforms.

See the Trailer below:

 (Photo/video credit: Unsolicited Project)

Just released earlier today is the new Trailer for Marvel’s IRON FIST. The exciting, action-packed 13-episode series is poised to be the next streaming sensation.

Synopsis:

Billionaire Danny Rand (Finn Jones) returns to New York City after being missing for years, trying to reconnect with his past and his family legacy. He fights against the criminal element corrupting New York City with his kung-fu mastery and ability to summon the awesome power of the fiery Iron Fist.

See the Trailer:

Netflix Canada streams MARVEL’S IRON FIST Friday, March 17, 2017.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

It is amazing how quickly STRANGER THINGS has gone on to become a global phenomenon is such a quick time! Premiering last night during the BIG GAME, this new Teaser announces that the beloved Horror Series will stream this Halloween!

Synopsis

A year after Will’s return, everything seems back to normal… but a darkness lurks just beneath the surface, threatening all of Hawkins.

See the Tease:

(Photo/video credit: Netflix Canada)