TIFF ’17 officially is switching into high gear as the starpower begins to pour over Toronto this weekend. Unlike previous years, we still are seeing a lot of action spilling into next Monday and Tuesday.
Greta Gerwig is getting tons of buzz for her work in autobiographical LADYBIRD, which she directs. We spotted the super-gracious Gerwig and Laurie Metcalf whom you remember from Sitcom Roseanne. Star Saoirse Ronan unfortunately couldn’t make it in this year despite being scheduled.
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We ❤ Emma Thompson and Stanley Tucci. Together in a Movie? Yes, please! The two star troubled relationship Drama THE CHILDREN ACT and both were so lovely despite time constraints with fans!
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There is no celebrity as nice as Jessica Chastain and we are thrilled her performance in Toronto-made MOLLY’S GAME is getting raves. The Film marks the directorial debut of Oscar-winning Screenwriter Aaron Sorkin. Watch Chastain own the fan chaos like a boss!
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Father-Son Dramedy Brad’s Status stars Ben Stiller and fresh face Austin Abrams, directed and written by Mike White. We spotted some of them out and about earlier amidst their Press stops.
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Oscar-nominated Canuck #EllenPage is back at TIFF with zombie cure fantasy The Cured. She was amazing with fans! 🍁
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Oscar-nominated Actor Ed Harris returns to the same City he filmed TIFF ’17 selection KODACHROME.
Everybody loves Charlie Day! The Funnyman stars in equally-funny Louis C.K.’s I LOVE YOU, DADDY at TIFF ’17. While Co-Stars John Malkovich and Edie Falco weren’t quite as giving as he, Day more than made-up for it taking the time out to greet an entire line of fans at Ryerson Theatre.
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MARY SHELLEY recounts the eponymous Author’s first romance with Poet Percy Bysshe Shelley and stars Elle Fanning, Douglas Booth, Maisie Williams and Bel Powley. Its stars rang-in its TIFF ’17 Premiere tonight at Roy Thomson Hall en route to a party at STORYS/RBC House. Attending by surprise was Fifty Shades of Grey star Jamie Dornan, whose wife Amelia Warner oversaw the Film’s music.
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One of the best bashes of TIFF annually is the InStyle Magazine Party, brought to us by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association. The Party drew-out an A-List crowd, along with several up-and-comers. See some of the names who graced the Carpet!
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#TIFF17: #TonyGoldwyn at #TIFF2017 with #MarkFelt. #TIFF #TorontoInternationalFilmFestival #Scandal
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(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Christine McPherson (Saoirse Ronan) is a rebel and outsider. She is in her last year of Catholic high school and insists people call her Lady Bird. She dreams of escaping her family in Sacramento, but her grades need a massive improvement.
Lady Bird is a delight from start to finish. It taps into the same adolescent angst as TIFF ’16 Closing Night Film The Edge of Seventeen, but feels a little more introspective and nostalgic – no doubt due to Gerwig’s hilarious and touching screenplay. The first-time Director shows a real knack for honing-in on great character moments – no matter how ordinary they might be. She has also assembled a terrific Cast, highlighted by magnificent performances from Laurie Metcalf and Beanie Feldstein (Jonah Hill’s younger sister!).
But Ronan is the one who is the true knockout, alternating between scathing humour and teenage melodrama with ease. She disappears into Lady Bird, giving us yet another reason to continue watching this spectacular young talent.
Lady Bird screens TIFF ’17 at the following times:
Friday, September 8 9:00 p.m. Ryerson Theatre
Saturday, September 9 7:00 p.m. Scotiabank Theatre 2
Saturday, September 16 8:45 p.m. Elgin Theatre
Fresh off its two Golden Globe nominations this morning for Best Actress, Comedy and Best Picture, Comedy or Musical, Elevation Pictures x Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to see 20th CENTURY WOMEN. Screenings take place as follows:
Toronto – Jan. 9th, 2017, 7PM
Cineplex Yonge-Dundas (10 Dundas St E #402, Toronto, ON M5B 2G9)
Vancouver – Jan 9th, 2017, 7PM
International Village (88 West Pender Street, 3rd floor, Vancouver, BC V6B 6N9)
Edmonton – Jan 11th, 2017, 7PM
Scotiabank Edmonton (West Edmonton Mall, 8882 170 St NW #3030, Edmonton, AB T5T 4M2)
Calgary – Jan 11th, 2017, 7PM
Eau Claire (Eau Claire Market, 200 Barclay Parade SW #200, Calgary, AB T2P 4R5)
Winnipeg – Jan 11th, 2017, 7PM
Cineplex McGillvray (2190 McGillivray Blvd, Winnipeg, MB R3Y 1S6)
Halifax – Jan 11th, 2017, 7PM
Park Lane (5657 Spring Garden Rd, Halifax, NS B3J 3R4)
Ottawa – Jan 20th, 2017, 6:50PM
ByTowne Cinema (325 Rideau St, Ottawa, ON K1N 5Y4)
Synopsis:
Starring Annette Bening, Elle Fanning, Greta Gerwig and Billy Crudup, 20th CENTURY WOMEN is about three women who explore love and freedom in Southern California in the late 1970s.
See the Trailer:
Artwork:
Awards buzz for JACKIE is deafening after a rousing premiere here at TIFF ’16. Fox Searchlight x Mr. Will want to give Readers in Toronto + Vancouver a chance to see it first.
The Toronto screening takes place Wednesday, December 7, 2016 and the Vancouver screening takes place Monday, December 12, 2016.
Synopsis:
JACKIE is a searing and intimate portrait of one of the most important and tragic moments in American history, seen through the eyes of the iconic First Lady, then Jacqueline Bouvier Kennedy (Natalie Portman). JACKIE places us in her world during the days immediately following her husband’s assassination. Known for her extraordinary dignity and poise, here we see a psychological portrait of the First Lady as she struggles to maintain her husband’s legacy and the world of “Camelot” that they created and loved so well.
Trailer:
Artwork:
To enter to win, simply click “Like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate your City.
Fox Searchlight release JACKIE Friday, December 9, 2016 in Toronto and Friday, December 16, 2016 in Vancouver.
(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)
“Having your heart broken is a terrific way to learn about the world.”
We’ve been wondering where four-time Oscar nominee Annette Bening‘s been. This new Trailer for 20TH CENTURY WOMEN looks fantastic. Lots of question marks in this brief clip which we wanted to know more about.
Synopsis:
In 1979 Santa Barbara, three women are teaching a boy about men, women, love and freedom when his mother takes in a boarder, shaking his world view.
Trailer:
Elevation Pictures release 20TH CENTURY WOMEN in January 2017.
(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)
If you loved Arthouse Comedy Frances Ha, you will be overjoyed about MISTRESS AMERICA, reteaming Noah Baumbach and Greta Gerwig once again!
Official Synopsis:
In MISTRESS AMERICA, Tracy (Lola Kirke) is a lonely college freshman in New York, having neither the exciting university experience nor the glamorous metropolitan lifestyle she envisioned. But when she is taken in by her soon-to-be stepsister, Brooke (Greta Gerwig) – a resident of Times Square and adventurous gal about town – she is rescued from her disappointment and seduced by Brooke‘s alluringly mad schemes.
See the Trailer:
Fox Searchlight release MISTRESS AMERICA on Friday, August 14, 2015.
(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)
With its release only a week away, Greta Gerwig (Arthur, Damsels in Distress) and Noah Baumbach (Kicking and Screaming, The Squid and the Whale) returned to the City where they debuted their latest Collaboration Frances Ha, once again. After drawing raves at TIFF last September, the Duo are here for a couple days of Press for the charming Dramedy about a 27-year-old Dance Company Apprentice whose world unravels after her Best Friend moves out of their apartment. This leaves Frances (Gerwig) on her own to figure out who she really is and what she will do with her life.
Several lucky Fans including Mr. Will Wong Readers, got a chance to see the Film tonight at a special Advance Screening held at Varsity Cinemas, attended by Gerwig and Baumbach. Due to overwhelming demand resulting in exceeded capacity, some had to be offered passes to an additional Screening of the Film next week. Those lucky enough to get in however, had a chance to chat with the Duo whom co-wrote the Film together afterwards, as they discussed their creative process. One aspiring Actress was ecstatic after jokingly being extended an offer by Baumbach to crash on his couch when she moves to New York City! Now that’s hospitality!
One Reader, Bruce Gibbons Tweets me, “They’re absolutely adorable!”, while Diana DiFrancesco raves, “Frances Ha is wonderful! Everyone should go see it!”. Another Reader Addison Wylie commented, “Frances Ha is a very Frenchy black-and-white episode of Girls, but it’s much more than that”, and Matt Hoffman also praises it, saying “Noah Baumbach is at his best in another great, quirky Comedy starring the lovely Greta Gerwig”.
Gerwig drew a crowd of Fans outside the theatre and was lovely to stop for a few Photos, with a few lucky enough to get a Snap! Special thanks to the Readers who were kind enough to send along their Photos!
Mongrel Media releases Frances Ha on Friday, June 21, 2013 in Toronto and Vancouver, followed by additional cities.
Read my Review of Frances Ha here.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/Diana DiFrancesco/Michelle Moon)
After making a splash at TIFF 2012, Director/Writer Noah Baumbach‘s latest effort, FRANCES HA hits theatres at long last. Now Mongrel Media and Mr. Will Wong are thrilled to give Toronto and Vancouver Readers a chance to see this delightful Comedy/Drama!
Official Synopsis:
Best Friends since their Vassar days, Frances (Gerwig) and Sophie (Mickey Sumner, Sting’s daughter) live together in a Brooklyn apartment. Whether discussing Boyfriends or just hanging out, the Women are so comfortable with each other, Frances jokes “we are like a Lesbian Couple that doesn’t have sex anymore.” But Frances’s world is toppled when Sophie decides to move with a Friend to Tribeca.
Baumbach likens Frances to Charlie Brown without the “good grief.”
She can’t afford the $3.00 charge on an ATM Machine, let alone an apartment in Tribeca. She’s an Apprentice with a Dance Company that may never hire her. She’s still considers Sophie her Best Friend, but they aren’t really speaking anymore. She’s still living in New York, but she doesn’t have a place of her own. While others move on with their lives, Frances bounces from apartment to apartment, maybe crashing with a friend or often making rash decisions, like taking a weekend trip to Paris.
The cast includes Grace Gummer (Meryl Streep’s Daughter) and Adam Driver (TV Hit Girls) with Cameos by Josh Hamilton (Star of Baumbach’s Kicking and Screaming) and Gerwig’s parents (who play Frances’s Parents).
The Advance Screening takes place at Fifth Avenue Cinemas (Vancouver) and Varsity Cinemas (Toronto) next Thursday, June 20, 2013 at 7:00 PM.
Watch the Trailer in full below:
To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook before Wednesday, June 13, 2013. Share on Facebook or Re-Tweet the info below and double your chances. Good luck!
http://www.mrwillwong.com/francesha @MRWILLW wants us to attend an Advance Screening of #FRANCESHA in #Toronto and #Vancouver! #win
Mongrel Media releases FRANCES HA on Friday, June 21, 2013 in Toronto and Vancouver, followed by Montreal on Wednesday, June 28, 2013.
I had the pleasure of seeing FRANCES HA last Fall at TIFF and loved it! Read my Review here.
(Photo/video credit: Mongrel Media)
Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada, Media Profile and Mr. Will Wong want to give Readers a chance to win Damsels in Distress. The Comedy which premiered last September at TIFF 2011 is the latest from acclaimed Director, Whit Stillman (The Last Days of Disco).
DAMSELS IN DISTRESS follows a trio of beautiful Girls who set out to revolutionize life at a grungy East Coast College – the dynamic leader Violet Wister (Greta Gerwig), principled Rose (Megalyn Echikunwoke) and sexy Heather (Carrie MacLemore). They welcome Transfer Student Lily (Analeigh Tipton) into their group, which seeks to help severely depressed students with a program of good hygiene and musical dance numbers. The girls become romantically entangled with a series of men — including slick Charlie (Adam Brody), Dreamboat Xavier (Hugo Becker) and the mad Frat Boys Frank (Ryan Metcalf) and Thor (Billy Magnussen)—who threaten the Girls’ friendship and sanity.
Bonus Features Include:
To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook before September 29, 2012. Readers in Canada only please.
See some of the Stars of Damsels in Distress in Toronto last September here.
Damsels in Distress is available on Blu-Ray and DVD on September 25, 2012. Order it here.
(Photo credit: Sony Pictures)
Noah Baumbach‘s Frances Ha centers around a Dance Apprentice soon approaching her 30s, questioning what it is she really wants in life. She lives day to day in a free-spirited manner, deeming herself “undateable” and having little regard for the future. Frances’ (Greta Gerwig) world falls apart after her Best Friend and Roommate Sophie (Mickey Sumner) decides to move-in with her Boyfriend Patch (Patrick Heusinger). At the same time, she is faced with the reality that she is not needed in the upcoming Holiday Season at her Dance Company. She is then forced to find herself as she moves from roommate to roommate and job to job, before ultimately hitting rock bottom.
Shot entirely in black and white, Frances Ha is highly stylized and exquisite to the eye. Gerwig‘s unconventional beauty and undeniable charisma alone are enough to colour the entire screen. Although this a modern story for the Female Underdog, truly anyone going through a rough patch in their lives can leave feeling inspiration from the Film. The stakes and rewards never are that high, but the situations are v. real and I found myself relating completely.
Sumner (Daughter of Rock Legend Sting) is a fresh face and name to look-out for and turns-in a solid performance, embodying at least one female Friend we all have in our lives. Rescue Me‘s Michael Zegen lights-up the screen, teasing us with chemistry between Gerwig and himself, even if things never come to fruition for them.
Frances Ha is a cute and elegant piece of Art, never for a moment talking down to us. Release date to be determined.
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