#REVIEW: “BARBERSHOP 3: THE NEXT CUT”

Review by Jonathan Godfrey for Mr. Will Wong It’s been 12 years since the last Barbershop Movie. In that time, a black man has become President and the Chicago crime rate has escalated… exponentially. This and so much more is reflected in Barbershop: The Next Cut. Like its predecessors, the Film follows Calvin Palmer, a Chicago based barber. The primary difference with this third chapter is its discussion of serious contemporary issues. Namely, the relentless gun violence in Chicago. ... Read more

#REVIEW: “THE JUNGLE BOOK”

Review by Justin Waldman for Mr. Will Wong Director Jon Favreau brings to life The Jungle Book for an entirely new generation of kids. This CGI/Live-Action comes with a fresh perspective and tone. By contrast, this take on the Rudyard Kipling literary classic is much darker and heavier than the 1967 animated version we have come to love, hence young children be warned. For 105 minutes, we are in a complete state of bliss knowing that the story has been adapted so faithfully, even if the ... Read more

#REVIEW: “MILES AHEAD”

Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong As a teenager growing up in Montreal, my musical tastes always steered towards R&B, Funk and Motown. In those Jurassic days of yore when something called an internet was more science fiction than “Star Trek”, I would rely on Rolling Stone magazine for information about music and reviews of albums. Often artists whose music I loved (like Sly and the Family Stone) would refer to Miles Davis as a huge influence in their life. On a whim, I bought ... Read more

#REVIEW: “CRIMINAL”

Review by Siobhán Rich for Mr. Will Wong When director Ariel Vromen blew out the candles on his birthday cake last year he may well have made the ultimate movie wish: a script worthy of a 90’s action thriller and enough cross-generational star power to ensure the widest possible audience. Oh and if the wish gods were feeling generous, those stars should ideally include Oscar winners and action stars. What could possibly go wrong with a wish like that? Criminal opens with Kevin Costner’s ... Read more

#REVIEW: “HARDCORE HENRY”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong You are a cyborg woken up in the near future by your scientist wife Estelle (Haley Bennett). Before you get your bearings, the lab is attacked by a group led by Akan (Danila Kozlovsky), and Estelle is kidnapped. Unable to speak, you run into a man named Jimmy (Sharlto Copley), who knows who you are and volunteers his help to find your wife. Then you are off to battle your way through Russia to find her. That set-up sounds positively insane, but acts ... Read more

#REVIEW: “THE BOSS”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong Michelle Darnell (Melissa McCarthy) bounced in and out of foster homes before becoming one of Chicago’s premier industry moguls. But her world collapses after she is arrested for insider trading, loses all of her possessions and is forced to reluctantly live with her former assistant Claire (Kristen Bell) and her daughter Rachel (Ella Anderson). But one batch of brownies and some late night thinking may be just enough to send Michelle back to the ... Read more

#REVIEW: “DEMOLITION”

Review by Justin Waldman for Mr. Will Wong Jean-Marc Vallée is one of the finest directors to have emerged in recent years, hitting a sweet spot in his career with greats such as Dallas Buyers Club and Wild, both incredible character studies that transport the audience into the lives of their subjects themselves. Last year's Toronto International Film Festival Opening Night Gala, Demolition, is no different as it is arguably one of the best character studies Vallée has released. However, ... Read more

#REVIEW: “MIDNIGHT SPECIAL”

Review by Jonathan Godfrey for Mr. Will Wong Midnight Special has been compared to Close Encounters for good reason. Like Spielberg’s masterpiece, Jeff Nichols' latest Film is bound to make an indelible impression. Written and directed by Nichols, it stars his favorite leading man, Michael Shannon. Shannon plays Roy Tomlin, a father on the run with his only child, Alton. Alton, played by Jaeden Lieberher, wields a power beyond his understanding… beyond anyone’s understanding. The ... Read more

#REVIEW: “EVERYBODY WANTS SOME!!”

Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong “Alright, alright, alright.” Twenty-three years ago, writer/director Richard Linklater likely had no idea the kind of cultural impact his semi-autobiographical Film Dazed and Confused would have. The infinitely quotable cult classic has only grown in popularity since (even landing a spot in the coveted Criterion Collection) and launched a number of careers – including future Oscar-winners Ben Affleck and of course, Matthew McConaughey. Now ... Read more

#REVIEW: “BOREALIS” (CANADIAN FILM FEST)

Review by George Kozera for Mr. Will Wong I was in a quandary after viewing BOREALIS. There was so much to admire about it. They cast ultra-talented Joey King (Wish I Was Here, TV’s Fargo), with the most hypnotic, beautiful eyes to grace the big screen since Kirstie Alley in Star Trek 2: The Wrath of Khan, and have her play Aurora, a character who is going blind. Surround her with the folks who made one of my favourite Movie of 2012, My Awkward Sexual Adventure: Jonas Chernik (who also wrote ... Read more