foxcatcher
#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN AN OFFICIAL “TEAM FOXCATCHER” HOODIE + BLU-RAY!
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada and Mr. Will want to give you a chance to win something special, something rare! An official FOXCATCHER Hoodie + Blu-ray!!! For those of you who haven’t yet seen this Oscar-nominated Gem, know that soon you will be able to see it on Home Video!
Official Synopsis:
Two Olympic medal-winning wrestling brothers, Mark (Channing Tatum) and Dave Schultz (Mark Ruffalo), get involved with the eccentric multi-millionaire John du Pont (Steve Carell). Wrestling fanatic du Pont first approaches Mark, who’s busy training for another shot at the Olympics. He forms “Team Foxcatcher” and Mark‘s involvement entices other high-level athletes to join.
Eventually, Mark‘s older brother Dave joins as well and moves to the du Pont compound with his young family, but he begins to realize du Pont, who openly bullies and demeans Mark, is showing signs of mental illness.
See the Trailer:
To enter to win a Hoodie, simply click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. You may share with your Friends from there for an extra chance! Canadian Readers only, please.
G’luck, Willionaire$!
Order FOXCATCHER on DVD/Blu-ray here.
See the Hoodie:
Mr. Will + The Cast of FOXCATCHER:
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada release FOXCATCHER on Tuesday, March 3, 2015.
(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Sony Pictures Classics)
#EDITORSNOTE: DAVID BALDWIN, JUSTIN WALDMAN, JONATHAN GODFREY + GEORGE KOZERA SELECT THEIR TOP 2014 FILMS
Cinema Lovers were inundated with fantastic Selections at the Movies in 2014. Although there isn’t quite a definitive Standout, there were many, many outstanding Films released. Dare we say, one of the strongest years in recent memory? This certainly makes the race for dominance this Awards Season a rather curious one.
We rely regularly on the opinions of our resident Contributors: Jonathan Godfrey (now with us a third year!), David Baldwin, Justin Waldman and our newest Team addition George Kozera, to keep us informed on what to watch and asked them what their Favourites of 2014 were. We’re not professional Film Critics by any measure, but we love Film passionately and if you ever want a Friend’s opinion, we are happy to share! The voice of the Fan always should matter most and we are Fans just like YOU!
As you will see, the choices are eclectic, a reflection of the offerings this year…
JONATHAN GODFREY
1. Interstellar
2. Lucy
3. The Tale of Princess Kaguya
4. Nymphomaniac
5. John Wick
6. Maps to the Stars
7. Wild
8. Mood Indigo
9. Hunger Games: Mockingjay Pt 1
10. Bjork: Biophilia Live
Every year of my life has been cinematically-splendid, and 2014 was no different. Numerous Films from diverse Genres excited my eyes and elevated my mind-state. None more so than Nolan’s Interstellar. Having seen it four times in the theatre it still doesn’t feel like enough. That said, it wasn’t the only slice of Sci-Fi I gobbled up. Lucy also satiated my appetite for Techno-Fantasy. Then there was the outright Fantasy of Studio Ghibli’s breathtaking tale about a Bamboo Princess, Lars Von Triers four-hour dive into sexual addiction, Keanu’s kick-ass Escapade, Cronenberg’s Olympian Tragedy, Witherspoon’s awe-inspiring performance, Michel Gondry’s take on a cult novel that finally made its way to Canadian screens, and Katniss Everdeen… the Icon who continues to inspire me. Last, but most definitely not least, Björk released her incredible Concert Film which combined technological advances with her love for nature. Maybe 2014 was a little different after all, it was grippingly- cinematic, but with a touch of the divine.
DAVE BALDWIN
Looking back, I think 2014 was one hell of a year for Film. There were some truly awful and sub-par Films released this year too. But there were just as many good, and even a few truly-great Films released as well. It was a mixed bag, but the quality and ambition of some of this year’s crop of Films was truly extraordinary. While Franchise/Comic Book Film fatigue is starting to become quite evident, some pretty huge and experimental gambles paid off brilliantly (did anyone ever expect The LEGO Movie to be as wildly enjoyable as it was?). The Box Office stats in North America may not suggest it, but it was a truly memorable year. And if this is what we have to expect in 2015, I am immediately excited for some of its prospects — and for some time to re-watch some of this year’s best Films again!
1. Whiplash
2. Nightcrawler
3. Birdman
4. Boyhood
5. Life Itself
6. Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
7. The Imitation Game
8. Gone Girl
9. How To Train Your Dragon 2
10. Guardians of the Galaxy
(Potential top Films not seen before end of 2014: Big Eyes, American Sniper, A Most Violent Year)
JUSTIN WALDMAN
It is New Year’s Eve and that means that we are supposed to look back at the year and discuss the best things we have seen and witnessed this year. This year brought a ton of great Films that were released throughout the entire year, most of which came out in the second half of the year but some came out earlier on. With so many great Films that came out this past year and one Title that comes out in February, here are the best Films of 2014 with a few extra Titles. In absolutely no particular order:
1. Snowpiercer
2. Big Hero 6
3. Whiplash
4. Nightcrawler
5. Foxcatcher
6. The F Word
7. Pride
8. Dear White People
9. Calvary
10. Guardians of the Galaxy
Now that the best 10 Movies of the year I saw are out there, here is a few of the other Titles that did not make the Top 10 but deserve recognition, at least in my mind. Into the Woods, Big Eyes, Theory of Everything, Interstellar, Birdman, Gone Girl, Locke and Life Itself. 2014 was an excellent year of Film, 2015 has a tough year to compete against but BRING IT ON!
GEORGE KOZERA
For the first time in years, I struggled with whittling down the Movies I saw that were eligible for my Top 10 Movies of 2014. That in itself is a strong indication how many great movies were released this year! So it is with great apologies to the following Movies that WOULD have made the list in a weaker movie year (The Grand Budapest Hotel, Wild, Gone Girl, The Lego Movie, The F Word, Locke & The Babadook), I submit my Top 10 that made the biggest impact on me in 2014.
1. Boyhood
2. Foxcatcher
3. The Theory of Everything
4. Birdman
5. Ida
6. The Immigrant
7. The Imitation Game
8. Mommy
9. Nightcrawler
10. Whiplash
My 2014 in review, including my Best-Of? Click here for that.
Stick with us once again in 2015 for the most exciting Canadian Advance Screening Giveaways, Prizes, Star-Spottings and Reviews!
(Photo credit: Paramount Pictures/Mongrel Media/Elevation Pictures/Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures Canada)
#TIFF14: THE BEST-OF TIFF ’14!
It was a great TIFF ’14. I admit things were looking a bit scary with a smaller-than-expected Celebrity Guest List initially and lack of confirmations, but the Festival truly brought its A-Game and this indeed was one for the books! I distinctly remember feeling a bit of panic on the first Friday of the Festival trailing far off the pace I’m normally at, nabbing only a handful of Celeb Snaps. Once the Festival picked-up by the weekend, I found myself barely able to hang-on! What a wild ride!
Many will attribute the shift in pace of the Festival due to the well-publicized guideline changes set this year, making it impossible for any Studios/Filmmakers to premiere at TIFF within its first four days had it premiered elsewhere on the North American Festival Circuit. This in turn created room for several star-studded In-Conversation-Withs as part of the Festival’s Mavericks Programme with the likes of Denzel Washington & Antoine Fuqua, Richard Gere, Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Juliette Binoche. We felt the pinch, believe me. This however is a Statement the Festival must make to secure its exclusivity and maintain its place as an important Fixture for Films on the Award Trail.
We loved seeing the Publicity Machine at work before our eyes. Stars in previous years who were on the inaccessible side, suddenly became warm to Fans. On the contrary though, we noticed a few Stars who normally are friendly and accessible become tough to access this TIFF. We’re looking at you, Channing. It always is a true testament to how much the Stars believe in their product when they are willing to bring it!
We also are not surprised that THE IMITATION GAME (review here) was awared the Grolsch People’s Choice Award. Upon seeing it in advance of the Festival, we knew the Film had that something special and this will be the Film that makes Benedict Cumberbatch a household name in North America. How it shall fare this Awards Season remains to be seen, but given its Oscar-bagging connections – The Weinstein Co. – it should do just fine!
Our Contributors Jonathan Godfrey, David Baldwin, Justin Waldman and myself also might also have a thing or two to say about other deserving Contenders which premiered here at TIFF, which might not have gotten recognition. Baldwin has the highest praise for Eddie Redmayne‘s performance in The Theory of Everything (review here), while Godfrey still is singing the patriotic praises of the “cosmic” Maps to the Stars (review here). Waldman has a place in his heart for the overlooked Mommy (review here) and Pride (review here) – both which he feels will be Awards Season Candidates. I myself was spellbound by the meditative slow-burn of Foxcatcher (review here) and the devastatingly-good Whiplash (review here). Never discount Jake Gyllenhaal too as his self-starring and produced Nightcrawler was a bit of a Hit among Fans (review here)! And although we didn’t see it, Chris Rock‘s triumphant return Top Five had multiple Studios in a bidding war for distribution rights.
… and now for some Lists!
MR. WILL‘S TOP TIFF ’14 MOMENTS
1. Meeting Tom Hardy
2. Meeting Bill Murray
3. Meeting Benedict Cumberbatch x 2
4. Epic Reese Witherspoon Photo Op (after six tries prior)
5. Meeting Steve Carell
6. Meeting Melissa McCarthy
7. Ansel Elgort saying he had to get a Selfie with Mr. Will, followed by comment from him on Instagram.
8. Mr. Will‘s Epic Hat Fail, blocking Jennifer Garner‘s beautiful face
9. Meeting Miles Teller/J.K, Simmons WHIPLASH Combo
10. John Travolta‘s Fan Buffet outside The Forger Press Junket
MOST FAN-FRIENDLY CELEBS AT TIFF ’14
1. John Travolta
2. Tom Hardy
3. Reese Witherspoon (we are shocked!)
4. Benedict Cumberbatch
5. Chris Evans
CELEBS WHO OWNED TIFF ’14
1. Bill Murray
2. Al Pacino
3. Benedict Cumberbatch
4. Anna Kendrick
5. Steve Carell
SURPRISE! CELEBS
1. Melissa McCarthy
2. Kristen Bell
3. Chris Pine
4. Elizabeth Banks
5. Cara Delevingne
LEAST-ACCESSIBLE CELEBS
1. Robert Downey Jr.
2. Tina Fey
3. Keira Knightley
4. Denzel Washington
5. Kate Winslet
CELEBS WHO MADE THE MOST OF TIFF ’14
1. Chris Evans
2. Steve Carell
3. Benedict Cumberbatch
4. Jon Stewart
5. Bill Murray
BUZZMETER
1. Benedict Cumberbatch
2. Eddie Redmayne
3. Miles Teller
4. Felicity Jones
5. Ansel Elgort
FILMS TO LOOK-OUT FOR AWARDS SEASON FROM TIFF ’14
1, The Imitation Game
2. St. Vincent
3. The Theory of Everything
4. Foxcatcher
5. Whiplash
And last but not least, we must thank our wonderful Supporters throughout TIFF who make it all possible.
CP24 & Bell Media: Thank you for continuing to provide and support me with an Outlet to share my greatest passion with Ontarians at my favourite time of year. I look forward to working together again TIFF ’15!
H&M Canada: Everything I wear is H&M. Your Cardigans and Jackets were perfect for the indecisive hot-cold of TIFF ’14. Your clothing gives me confidence and comfort. Thank you.
Nikon Canada: Although I am still mastering my Nikon D3300 admittedly, many of my Photos were another level of fantastic. Capturing Photos in 24MP has given my Pictures a depth, clarity and level of detail which I’ve never before achieved. In the words of Joel McHale (at the Festival with Adult Beginners), “Are you sure this is the best Camera to take a Selfie with?” *SNAP* “I guess it is!”.
Novotel Centre Toronto: I am happy to have called you my home once again TIFF ’14. Billy and I miss our amazingly cozy bed and we appreciate the Puppy Welcome Package. This shows the level of attentiveness you have for your Clients. To be only minutes away from the thick of it all: the Movies, Parties and Celebrities and be able to crash in my Hotel Room for a quick recharge when I was in dire need of it was an absolute luxury I will not take for granted. The in-and-our privileges of your Parking Lot were a blessing as was the reliable Wi-Fi. The Staff always are accommodating, understanding and friendly. Without a doubt, I can recommend Novotel Centre Toronto as the place to stay during TIFF.
Samsung Canada: Communication is key to my Brand during TIFF and having access to the Samsung Galaxy S5 and Galaxy Tab S this year ensured I always was able to stay in touch and charged. When there was the ever rare lull in my day, I could whip-out my Devices and prep my Photos and Blog Posts, ensuring that I could actually spend precious time in my Hotel Room sleeping versus working. This meant so much to me and I basically cannot imagine my life without a Galaxy Tab S. Really!
Ford Canada: I have never experienced luxury like a LINCOLN MKZ. The Panoramic Roof was a dream. The 6-Speed SelectShift® was absolute state-of-the-art. The massaging chairs were decadent. The THX® II Certified Audio System was symphonic. The customizable interior lighting let me changing colours according to my mood. The Lincoln MKZ‘s concern for my safety with frequent alerts kept me focused on the road. Did I mention it’s awful easy on the eyes? I will never forget the TIFF in which Billy and I rolled in that silky, smooth Lincoln!
Out There with Melissa DiMarco: We always have a blast at Melissa’s Out There VIP Interview Studio and Hospitality Suite! Thank you for keeping Team Mr. Will fed and hydrated with your delectable goodies and thank you for embracing my Willionaire$!
NKPR IT LOUNGE: We are thrilled to have experienced the goodness enjoyed by the likes of Julianne Moore, Robert Pattinson, John Cuasack, Justin Long, Jena Malone, Felicity Jones and several more! Thank you also for giving my Willionaire$ a taste of that Celeb Life with your generosity!
Touchwood PR: We love you and appreciate the Golden Tickets my Readers and I have been given thanks to your kindness. We value your friendship and are excited about what’s next to come!
Rock-It Promotions: We are honoured by some of the plum opportunities we were given this TIFF and we look forward to building our relationship with you in the future!
Shinan Govani: We are so proud to call you a Friend. You are one of TIFF‘s most omnipresent Stars. We continue to look-up to you and your profound influence on our thriving Celebrity Culture.
We hope you had a blast on our Digital Journey this TIFF ’14 and we can’t wait to do it all over.
Stick around, we’re at this year-round.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#TIFF14: MR. WILL, JONATHAN GODFREY, JUSTIN WALDMAN + DAVID BALDWIN MAKE THEIR TOP TIFF ’14 PICKS!
While we’re still waiting on a final list of Films and Celebrities to grace our City for TIFF ’14, Mr. Will‘s Dream Team had the chance to catch-up over Dinner tonight to share our excitement about our favourite Festival! Running Wednesday, September 4 – Sunday, September 14, 2014, you can expect us to be front-row and center with unparalleled access to the Films and Stars which make TIFF basically, the greatest Festival on Earth!
We must take a moment to thank our Friends Jonathan Godfrey, Justin Waldman and David Baldwin who have played an instrumental role this past year delivering Fan-friendly Reviews of the latest Movies to hit theatres. Without them, how else would we know what to take a chance on at the Box Office? Together, we give you a snapshot of what’s worth your time, whether it be Indie Films to 3-D Blockbusters.
For the past five years, Mr. Will Wong has developed from a humble Blogspot Page to a real online experience for our Readers. We love engaging you Willionaire$, taking you to the hottest Advance Screenings throughout the Country and taking you along for a ride through our journeys spotting Stars around the City. Earlier this year we even took you to Los Angeles and New York City! This TIFF, we want to be your #1 Go-To in helping you pick-out the Award-worthy Films and give you unparalleled intimate access to the Stars with our Snaps! These past five years have been an amazing ride and we look forward to another amazing ride this TIFF!
Whether it be Jon’s obsession with Kristen Stewart, Dave‘s quest to be Miles Teller‘s BFF or Justin‘s Michael Shannon meltdown, we’re all truly Fans of Cinema and the Stars underneath it all and we hope you’re just as thrilled as we are!
Without further a do, here are our Picks for TIFF ’14:
#FIRSTLOOK: “FOXCATCHER” TEASER TRAILER
There is no other American Film garnering more early Awards season buzz than FOXCATCHER. Just coming out of Cannes yesterday with a Best Director (Bennett Miller) win and feverish acclaim for performances from Funnyman Steve Carell, Mark Ruffalo and Channing Tatum, the Film based on the shocking True Story of millionaire Wrestling Coach John du Pont (Carell) and Brothers Mark (Tatum) and David Schultz (Ruffalo).
Murder, obsession, psychosis. This Film has all the ingredients of a Champion and Fans of Capote and Moneyball, both which premiered at TIFF prior to successful Awards Season Campaigns and directed too by Miller, won’t be disappointed.
Although the Teaser Trailer surfaced a while back, now is a perfect moment to get acquainted with what could well get a TIFF ’14 Premiere here in Toronto this September. In fact, I’d be shocked if this didn’t make the rounds here!
Watch the Trailer:
Friday, November 14, 2014 has been set as the release date for FOXCATCHER via Sony Pictures Classics (Mongrel Media in Canada).
(Photo/video credit: Mongrel Media)
CHANNING TATUM NAMED “SEXIEST MAN ALIVE” BY “PEOPLE”
No surprises here! As rumoured last week, Channing Tatum nabs the Title as People Magazine‘s 2012 Sexiest Man Alive. Tatum, who turned-up temperatures earlier this year with his starring Role in Male Stripper Flick Magic Mike, has proven his promise as the new Hollywood Megastar with great success in 2012 Smashes like The Vow, 21 Jump Street and Haywire.
Things definitely aren’t slowing-down anytime soon as Tatum is hard at work still. Out in 2013 are Psychological Thriller Side Effects in February, G.I. Joe: Retaliation in March, Save-the-President Blockbuster White House Down (filming in Montreal) in June and also True Events-inspired Foxcatcher to be released in the latter part of the year. At once, he is prepping for work on three separate Films, including a Sequel to 21 Jump Street. Pretty much everything Tatum‘s touched has turned to gold at the Box Office and we can expect his Reign to continue for a bit. And oh yes, he is pretty sexy too, isn’t he?
I’ve met Tatum on a couple occasions and can say hands down – including this Interview – along with 2011 Winner Bradley Cooper, is one of the nicest Guys in the Business. Cooper once again made the List this year, despite handing the Crown to Tatum. Embarrassed, he admits to People, “My Friends are going to kill me. They’re going to own me over this. I challenge you to say one thing nice about this.”.
Also on the List this year, representing individual American States are obvious choices: Ben Affleck, Blake Shelton, Adam Levine, Tom Brady, Jon Hamm, Ian Somerhalder, Paul Rudd, Dylan McDermott, Aaron Paul, Chris Hemsworth, Max Greenfield, Wes Bentley, Matt Bomer and many more.
Click here to read more about Tatum‘s newest and well-deserved Title and Photos of other Contenders over at People.
(Photo credit: People Magazine)
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