Here as a surprise Guest, the amazingly talented and sweet Thandie Newton showed her support for a fantastic cause tonight at Roy Thomson Hall. The BAFTA Award-winning Actress who last visited the City during TIFF 2010 (read more here), came to deliver a Speech at the Hope Rising Fundraiser in support of the Stephen Lewis Foundation, which hopes to turn the tides of AIDS/HIV in Sub-Saharan South Africa. Over the past 10 years, the Foundation has contributed more than $55 million to those Countries affected most by the Pandemic. Newton, who just celebrated her Birthday yesterday, was dressed in a pair of stunning, shimmery Pants and currently is at-work on TV Series Rogue.
Joining the Cause tonight were four-time GRAMMY Winner and Pop Icon Annie Lennox and three-time GRAMMY-winning Canadian Songbird Sarah McLachlan. African Diva AngĂ©lique Kidjo also was fittingly featured as one of the Evening’s Headliners. After the two-and-a-half hour Concert which had all three Performers collaborating on Lennox‘s Sisters Are Doin’ It For Themselves and Sweet Dreams, they each made a quiet and quick exits out of the Venue in Suburbans with their respective Entourages.Â
For those of you who missed the Affair, CBC Radio One has plans to air the Concert on Friday, November 30, 2012.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
I am elated that Fox Searchlight Canada and Mr. Will Wong would like to give Readers a chance to win a Double Pass for a Movie which personally I am beyond excited to see! HITCHCOCK is a Love Story about one of the most influential Filmmakers of the last Century, Alfred Hitchcock (Anthony Hopkins) and his Wife and Partner Alma Reville (Helen Mirren). The Film takes place during the making of Hitchcock’s seminal Movie Psycho. Directed by Sacha Gervasi, Hitchcock stars also Jessica Biel, Scarlett Johansson, James D’Arcy, Danny Huston and Toni Collette.
Release Dates are as follows: Friday, November 23, 2012 – Toronto, Friday, November 30, 2012 – Vancouver and Friday, December 7, 2012 – Calgary. Although Screening Venues and Times are still to be confirmed, they will be taking place the same respective week of release for each City listed.
To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook. Please indicate which City you’re interested in attending a Screening for. You should also be following on Twitter here. If you have restricted Privacy Settings on Facebook which might prevent me from messaging you, please ensure you leave your Twitter Handle for me to reach you back. Good luck.
Watch the Trailer for Hitchcock below:
(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)
Following the explosive success of their Guu Izakaya Franchise, Kinton Ramen makes Noodles festive and exciting here in Toronto – giving us an authentic, rich taste of cultural staple in Japan. The Noodle Shop, meant as a quick and affordable option for those on-the-go and if it isn’t those delightfully chewy and bouncy Noodles which keep you coming back to the narrow Baldwin Street Establishment, it will that impeccably savoury 20-hour-simmered Soup Base – a balanced Harmony of Fish, Vegetable, Pork and Chicken Broths. Diners get the choice of Miso, Shio (Sea Salt), Shoyu (Soy Sauce) and Spicy Garlic Soups for their Noodles and I enjoyed immensely the Shoyu.
My Neighbours seemed to enjoy their Appetizer of Hot Karage (Fried Chicken), while I took joy in their thin-wrapped Gyoza Dumplings. Although Vegetarian options exist for those who absolutely must, you’d be foolish not to try either their tender and meaty Pork Belly or Pork Shoulder Add-ons.
Like Guu Izakaya, Patrons are greeted with enthusiasm as they come and go but sadly the wait also can be lengthy for a spot at their Communal Tables/Bar Stools.
Kinton Ramen is located at 51 Baldwin Street in Toronto. Visit their Official Website for more.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Yup, it was a decisive Victory. Congratulations President Obama. You did good, America.
xMr. Will
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Perhaps known better for his Collaborations, brilliant Producer/Singer/Songwriter Calvin Harris is in Toronto after a stay in New York, here promoting his latest Disc 18 Months, from Sony Music Canada. The Album already has topped both the UK and Scottish Album Charts, seeing a release Stateside just last week.
The 28-year-old Scotsman exploded onto the Pop Music Scene internationally back in 2008 with Hits The Girls and Acceptable in the 80s and already is gaining heavy Airplay for his new Single Feel So Close, which has achieved triple-Platinum sales in Canada already. 18 Months pairs Harris with some outstanding Vocalists including Kelis, Ellie Goulding, Florence Welch (Florence & The Machine), Tinie Tempah, Ne-Yo and of course his international Smash Hit with Rihanna, We Found Love, is featured also.
Harris earlier today made visits to Virgin Radio 99.9, KISS 92.5, FLOW 93.5 and Z103.5, in addition to an appearance on MuchMusic‘s New.Music.Live where tons of Fans got Snaps with the handsome and friendly Talent. Click here to read more on that.
Watch the Official Video for Calvin Harris’ Feel So Close below:
Order 18 Months on iTunes right here.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong | Video credit: Sony Music)
The best surprises are always the ones you least expect! After spending the weekend in California enjoying Horse Racing’s Championship Day, the Breeders’ Cup at Santa Anita Park, I spotted Funnyman Jerry O’Connell here in Toronto of all places at Queen Station. My Best Friend Fran was out with me at the time, and the timing was perfect since we are huge Mariah Carey Fans (O’Connell starred in her amazing Heartbreaker Video) and we both also love the campy Thriller Obsessed in which he stars as stalked Idris Elba‘s Co-Worker. He could be heard chatting with his Mom on his Cell Phone just as he entered the Station and was gracious to stop for a couple Photos for us Fans.
Many might wonder why the Actor, known best for his work on Series like Sliders, The Defenders and My Secret Identity, is in-town and as announced recently his Wife – Actress Rebecca Romijn – currently is in-town filming TV Pilot King and Maxwell till mid-November. Just down the street from Queen Station, Romijn was hard at work as bright lights lit-up the Financial District during the Night Shoot.
McConnell was seen only recently on NBC Television Movie Mockingbird Lane, which aired before Halloween starring alongside Wife of Ellen DeGeneres – Portia de Rossi – and Eddie Izzard.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Wow! Nothing like a good Psychological Thriller to throw you off-center. You must watch this brand new Trailer for Side Effects (also known as The Bitter Pill) from Director Steven Soderbergh. Rooney Mara plays Emily, who turns to Prescription Medication to cope with her Husband’s (Channing Tatum) impending release from Prison. This Trailer is cut so brilliantly that there really is no telling what the deal is here and who’s behind Emily‘s Delusion. Jude Law and Catherine Zeta- Jones star also.
Is it just me or is Mara channeling some serious Natalie Portman here?
Made for a Budget of $30 million, Side Effects was shot last Spring in New York City and is slated for a February 8, 2013 release via eOne Films in Canada. Looks good.
Watch the Trailer in full below:
(Photo/video credit: Open Road Films)
Finally a reason to watch Glee again. Upon hearing about an upcoming Episode “hopelessly-devoted” entirely to Grease, I felt a great sigh of relief that Glee finally is “shaping-up”! Rolling Stone gets the first Preview of You’re the One That I Want which for an entire generation and many after, defined a moment of liberation known as the Finale of one of the Greatest Musical Films of all time.
The Glease Episode doesn’t air till Thursday, November 15, 2012 on FOX/Global at 8:00 PM EST, but here’s a Sneak Peak of what we can expect:
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Glease is in-stores on Tuesday, November 6, 2012 via Sony Music Canada. Order it here.
How brillz! Tarantino Fans, this is your chance to design official DJANGO UNCHAINED Swag! Alliance Films just announced this Contest where you can design an official Promo Sticker for the much-anticipated Film (to be gifted to Fans at Nobis Retailers), due this Christmas in theatres. Above this, you could win Advance Passes to see the Film before everyone else, plus a complete Tarantino Blu-Ray Box Set.
DJANGO UNCHAINED is the seventh Film from visionary Director Quentin Tarantino, starring Jamie Foxx, Kerry Washington, Leonardo Dicaprio, Christoph Waltz and Samuel L. Jackson.
See the Trailer in full below:
All details are here. Good luck!
(Photo credit: Alliance Films)
Huge bow for Disney this weekend with Animated Feature Wreck-It Ralph debuting at number one with $49.1 million. Opening Friday night with an impressive $13.4 million from 3,752 theatres across North America, the Video Game-obsessed Film features the Voicework of Jack McBrayer (spotted in Toronto recently), Sarah Silverman, John C. Reilly and Jane Lynch. Audiences and Critics are responding well already with it earning 84% on Rotten Tomatoes, putting it in-contention for Best Animated Feature at the upcoming Oscars.
Opening in second is Paramount Pictures’ Flight, starring Denzel Washington. The Film is the latest from Director/Producer/Writer Robert Zemeckis, best known for 2000’s Cast Away. The Plane Crash-Drama has received solid Reviews, tallying 76% at Rotten Tomatoes and earns $25 million from 1,900 theatres this weekend.
Last week’s number one Film, Argo slips to number three this weekend but still is performing strongly with $10.2 million for Warner Bros., which has a legitimate chance of winning Best Picture with this gripping Political Drama – not to mention several Acting Awards with an array of brilliant performances.
RZA‘s directorial Debut, The Man with the Iron Fists insists on keeping expectations low, opening in fourth for Universal Pictures with $8.2 million from 1,868 theatres. Reviews have been mixed (56% on Rotten Tomatoes) for the Kung Fu-Action Flick, made for a Budget of $20 million. Eli Roth produces while Lucy Liu, Rick Yune, Jamie Chung and Russell Crowe star.
Cloud Atlas unfortunately continues to under-perform for Warner Bros. in sixth with $4.8 million in this its second week of release, just ahead of Paranormal Activity 4 in eight with $4.3 million with a bit of a post-Halloween slump in its third week. Meanwhile, Silent Hill: Revelation 3-D rounds out the Top Ten with $3.3 million.
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