In its second week out, SPECTRE continues to demolish its competitors at the Box Office.  Earning $33.9 million from 3,929 theatres in its second week out for Sony Pictures, the Film in its domestic run thus far has grossed a whopping $129 million.

Charming THE PEANUTS MOVIE for a second week is in second spot with $23.9 million from 3,902 theatres for 20th Century Fox. It has made $82 million in two weeks domestically.

LOVE THE COOPERS gets a headstart on the holidays for eOne Films/Lionsgate Films in a third-place debut with $8.4 million from 2,603 theatres. Audiences gave the Comedy starring John Goodman and Diane Keaton a B- CinemaScore and Critics gave it 16% on the Tomatometer.

THE MARTIAN is showing amazing staying power for 20th Century Fox with $6.7 million in its seventh week out.

THE 33, based on the escape of trapped Chilean miners and starring Antonio Banderas, opens in fifth for Warner Bros. with $5.6 million from 2,452 theatres.  Critics gave it a 40% on the Tomatometer, while Audiences totally loved it with an A- CinemaScore.

Bollywood Blockbuster PREM RATAN DHAN PAYO opens in ninth with $2.2 million from only 286 theatres in North America for Fox International Productions. It plays in select theatres north and south of the border.

Inspirational Sports-Drama MY ALL AMERICAN starring Aaron Eckhart opens in tenth spot for AVI with $1.5 million. It garners 33% on the Tomatometer and an A CinemaScore.

Paramount Pictures Canada + Mr. Will want to take you to see star-studded THE BIG SHORT first!  Screenings take place in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary on Wednesday, December 16, 2015.

Synopsis:

When four outsiders saw what the big banks, media and government refused to, the global collapse of the economy, they had an idea:  The Big Short. Their bold investment leads them into the dark underbelly of modern banking where they must question everyone and everything.    Based on the true story and best-selling book by Michael Lewis (The Blind Side, Moneyball),  and directed by Adam Mckay (Anchorman, Step Brothers) The Big Short stars Christian Bale, Steve Carell, Ryan Gosling and Brad Pitt.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook only and state your city. You may click “share” from there or Tweet the below for an extra chance:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/thebigshort @MRWILLW wants us to #win Advance Passes to see #THEBIGSHORT! Out everywhere 12/23.

G’luck.

Paramount Pictures Canada release THE BIG SHORT in select cities Friday, December 18, 2015 and everywhere Wednesday, December 23, 2015.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)

Paramount Pictures Canada + Mr. Will want to take Readers in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver to see Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg in DADDY’S HOME! Screenings take place in Ottawa, Montreal, Vancouver, Edmonton + Calgary on Sunday, December 13, 2015. A special screening in Toronto takes place Monday, December 14, 2015 with a special guest.

Official Synopsis:
DADDY’S HOME follows a mild-mannered radio executive (Ferrell) who strives to become the best stepdad to his wife’s two children, but complications ensue when their freewheeling and freeloading real father (Wahlberg) arrives, forcing him to compete for the affection of the kids.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook.  Remember to state your city. Click “share” from there for an extra chance or Tweet the below too:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/daddyshome @MRWILLW wants us to #win Advance Passes to see #DADDYSHOME!  Out Christimas.

G’luck.

Paramount Pictures Canada release DADDY’S HOME on Friday, December 25, 2015.

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada)

eOne Films + Mr. Will want to take Readers to see one of this Fall’s most anticipated Thrillers, SECRET IN THEIR EYES. Julia Roberts, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Nicole Kidman. Casts don’t come more packed with star power than that! Screenings take place Thursday, November 19, 2015 in Toronto, Vancouver, Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Ottawa.

Official Synopsis:
A tight-knit team of FBI investigators, along with their District Attorney supervisor, is suddenly torn apart when they discover that one of their own teenage daughters has been brutally murdered. Written and directed by Academy Award® nominee Billy Ray (Captain Phillips, The Hunger Games), and produced by Academy Award® winner Mark Johnson (Rain Man, “Breaking Bad”), Secret In Their Eyes is an intense, powerful, haunting thriller starring Academy Award® nominee Chiwetel Ejiofor, and Academy Award® winners Nicole Kidman and Julia Roberts.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook and state your city. For an extra chance, click “share” from there or Tweet out the below:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/secretintheireyes @mrwillw wants us to #win Advance Passes to see #SECRETINTHEIREYES. Out 11/20.

G’luck, Willionaire$!

eOne Films release SECRET IN THEIR EYES on Friday, November 20, 2015.

(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)

It’s been a real long wait but Missy Elliott would not disappoint as a new video surfaced today for new single, WTF (Where They From). Dave Meyers, whom she has collaborated with on numerous occasions in her celebrated career, returns to collaborate on the Video.  She hasn’t lost a step and we love the rhythm – it’s unlike anything we’ve ever heard.

See it here:

Download WTF here.

WE NEED MORE!

(Photo/video credit: Warner Music Canada)

At age 24, diminutive Hong Kong singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist G.E.M. (an acronym for “Get Everybody Moving”) has accomplished the impossible, continuing to raise the bar of Asian Pop Music with great flare, innovation and mastery.

As the story would go, at age 15 in 2006, she entered a talent competition and what made her stand out most – in addition to her powerful vocals – was her ability and desire to write tunes and play instruments.  Many of her opponents were content doing karaoke, in a market filled with sons and daughters of such-and-such and where singing lessons sometimes come after a record deal.

G.E.M. is the complete package. She is a bona fide entertainer just as much as she is a musician. And her doll-like features would never have you believing she was a day over 16.

Only in Chinese-speaking Asia does a singer after being a top-selling artist and being signed to a record deal, still have to compete on reality television like an American Idol contestant for popularity. After building a sizable Cantonese-speaking following in her native Hong Kong, she and her team at Hummingbird Music had their eyes set on the domination of the lucrative Mandarin-speaking Asian market. Week after week G.E.M. would wow millions on popular staple reality series  I Am A Singer.  And although she lost-out in voting to a more seasoned veteran in the end – a phase in her career deleted noticeably from her Wikipedia page after reported creative differences with show producers – she gained millions of new fans on Social Media.

I don’t hand out compliments musically very often being a trained musician myself, but G.E.M. perhaps is the most talented vocalist ever to come out of Chinese-speaking Asia. And she did it at an age where many of us are/were figuring out what to do with our lives.

It is rare for an Asian artist to get to play at a prestigious venue like Air Canada Centre, reserved normally for blockbuster acts like Drake, Adele, Madonna or Taylor Swift, but G.E.M. managed to fill those seats on the Toronto leg of her X.X.X. Live Tour. Fans were devout, lighting-up their cell phones in unison as she powered her way through signature ballads showcasing that incredible control over that mezzo-soprano of hers.

She danced, she played drums with great fervour, she tickled the ivories of a baby grand piano and she rocked an electric guitar. And despite Chinese concerts often having a reputation of being dull and stuffy, the entire arena was dancing and on its feet. Young mixed-race couples – gay and straight – mom, dads, teens.  The audience was a testament to G.E.M.’s wide appeal and certainly makes a case for her expansion stateside.

A huge part of her success is Austrian producer Lupo Groinig who has the looks and talent to be performing on the most prolific stages, Asia or not. In addition to creating music together, he tours with G.E.M., giving an explosive display of riffs and licks on his electric guitar, plus an energetic showmanship. In their partnership, he is the mentor and a big part why G.E.M. continues to grow leaps and bounds as an artist. In a business where divas are always looking for new producers and sounds, the two are incredibly loyal to one another.

G.E.M. tells her Toronto fans, “This city has a special significance to me. The first time I ever laid my eyes on snow was right here”. “The first promo tour I ever did was in Toronto also and I played for about 1,000 of you back then”, she adds. A quick tally of the crowd would prove that this number obviously has multiplied exponentially.

After churning through her repertoire of Cantonese and Mandarin hits with several shimmery outfit changes, she  paid homage to some of her favourites, including a cover of Adele‘s Rolling in the Deep and current single, Goodbye. A total two-and-a-half hours on-stage with two encores and real value for the fan.

A little later into the evening, we caught up with G.E.M. who appeared tired after performing a soundcheck for VIP fans earlier before her show, the actual concert itself and meeting VIP fans who paid upwards of $1,000 for Photo Ops. She was more than nice to chat with fans but her handler refused photo requests in fairness to fans who had paid earlier, encouraging them in a formulaic statement to go to Hong Kong for a chance to meet G.E.M. next time. Okay, working on that…

G.E.M. did glance into my cell phone quickly though after asking her in English, but that was the end of it. I snapped the Selfie and I’ll just have to settle for a blurry one. Sure G.E.M. is delightful and charming but even on her off-time, the business machine is in full gear. A model and strategy of fan accessibility not unlike that of Taylor Swift, right?

Some Photos from the evening:

Selfie + An Autograph

Worst Selfie ever, but still with Asia’s Queen of Pop, #GEM. #GEMTang #XXXTOUR #XXXLIVE #鄧紫棋

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Nov 11, 2015 at 9:04pm PST

Following in the footsteps of Beyonce, G.E.M. has just released her fifth Chinese album, a visual one with a concise ten tracks, all with accompanying music videos.  Heartbeat is available now on iTunes.

A western expansion is in the works for the talented Artiste.

Follow G.E.M. on Twitter @GEMOVING and Instagram @GEM0816.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Hummingbird Music)

Amy Poehler + Tina Fey time and time again have proven a winning combination and you’ll be thrilled that Mr. Will Readers have a chance to see their upcoming comedy, SISTERS first!

  Screenings are set for Wednesday, December 16, 2015 in Toronto, Montreal, Vancouver, Ottawa, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg.

Synopsis:

Tina Fey and Amy Poehler reunite for Sisters, a new film from Pitch Perfect director Jason Moore about two disconnected sisters summoned home to clean out their childhood bedroom before their parents sell the family house. Looking to recapture their glory days, they throw one final high-school-style party for their classmates, which turns into the cathartic rager that a bunch of ground-down adults really need.

Sisters also stars Dianne Wiest, Kate McKinnon, James Brolin, Rachel Dratch, Ike Barinholtz and Maya Rudolph.

See the hilarious Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook and indicate your city.  Tell me the one thing you could not part with from your childhood.  You get an extra chance by clicking “share” from there or Tweeting out the below:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/sisters @MRWILLW wants us to #win passes to see #SISTERSMovie starring Tina Fey + Amy Poehler! Out 12/18!

G’luck.

Universal Pictures Canada release SISTERS on Friday, December 18, 2015.

(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)

For one final time, eOne Films + Mr. Will want you to witness the greatness that is THE HUNGER GAMES! We are offering Readers in Toronto, Halifax, Ottawa, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, Vancouver and Victoria a chance to see Box Office record-setting series finale, THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 2!  Screenings take place Wednesday, November 18, 2015.

Synopsis:
The rebels are close to winning the war. Peeta has been freed, but he’s been brainwashed by the Capitol into believing Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) is a mutt, whom he must kill. This puts Katniss in danger and the two are separated as the rebels try to take over the Capitol.

President Coin (Julianne Moore) and most of the surviving tributes, with the exception of Peeta (Josh Hutcherson), decide collectively to let the Capitol have a taste of their own medicine by holding a final Hunger Games in which the children of Capitol leaders will be the tributes.

Katniss still wants the right to personally kill President Snow (Donald Sutherland) once he is captured, but when the moment comes, she makes a surprising decision, one for which she may pay the ultimate price.

See the Trailer:

Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook  and indicate your city for me. Click “share” from there for an extra chance or Tweet the below:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/mockingjaypart2 @MRWILLW wants us to #win Advance Passes to see #MOCKINGJAYPart2! In theatres 11/20.

G’luck Willionaire$. May the odds be ever in your favour.

eOne Films release THE HUNGER GAMES: MOCKINGJAY, PART 2 on Friday, November 20, 2015.

(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)

Just say the words “KATY PERRY” and we’re there.  H&M has just released some new images from the top-earning Megastar’s holiday campaign. A full-length commercial is set to surface Monday, November 23, 2015 here.

The campaign, shot by famed photographer/director Jonas Åkerlund showcases Perry being adorable as usual and from what we can see that Elfie Selfie sweatshirt looks to be a hot-seller, as well as that red ribbon T-shirt.  We really love that festive Ski Chalet sweater Perry‘s sporting also.

For every specially-designed Gift Card you purchase at H&M this holiday season, 5% of proceeds will go to UNICEF in aid of the children of Myanmar.

H&M‘s Holiday Collection hits stores mid-November.

(Photo credit: H&M)

19-year-old singer/songwriter Alessia Cara certainly is a star on-the-rise.  And if some of her famous fanbase counts for anything, you can expect this Brampton native to among the biggest and best.  For one, Taylor Swift can’t stop singing her praises on Social Media and she even joined the Pop Queen on-stage on the Tampa leg of her 1989 tour.

If you listen to radio, Cara‘s debut single Here has been impossible to ignore since surfacing this summer.  It is one of those rare tracks that has a crossover appeal to Alternative, Urban and Top 40 audiences, getting lots of support locally before the likes of Ellen DeGeneres began championing it.  Here reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100, impressive for any new artist, let a long a girl with a guitar from Brampton.

Cara is now set to release her debut disc Know-It-All via Universal Music Canada/Def Jam Recordings, later this week and she has been hard at work in the city yesterday and today promoting the album which she finally got her hands on today when appearing at KISS 92.5 on The Roz & Mocha Show, where she played a cover of Nick Jonas‘ hit Levels acoustically.

We got a quick Selfie with Cara as she head in and she was amazingly-nice and friendly to take a minute to stop with an action-packed day ahead.  We are expecting big things ahead and know we’ll look back at today as a blessing before she fills arenas one day.

See the Video for Here:

See our Selfie:

One of the biggest emerging names in Music is from Brampton! Loved meeting #AlessiaCara, whom #TaylorSwift is a huge fan of. Debut #KnowitAll is out Friday! #NikonD3300

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Nov 10, 2015 at 7:52am PST

Order Know-It-All on iTunes here.

Universal Music Canada release Know-It-All on Friday, November 13, 2015.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)