Photo and Words by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Ahead of its Canadian Premiere, TIFF held the Press Conference for The Front Runner. In attendance were Producer Helen Estabrook, Writers/Executive Producers Matt Bai and Jay Carson, Writer/Producer/Director Jason Reitman and Star Hugh Jackman. The Film, based on a true story, chronicles the fallout from reporters discovering and detailing the private life of Democratic Party Leader front running candidate Gary Hart (Jackman).
The Film has been in development for many years now, with the recent American Presidential Election not having any effect on the Film. “We were drawn to the story before we [lived] in the world today. It made it more relevant to us,” Reitman says. And while the ripped from the headlines plot may seem incredibly timely, the Film’s goal aims a lot higher. “The Film is always asking what do we want to know, and what should we know,” Reitman said, echoing the opinions of Bai and Carson and reminding us that news outlets did not report on political candidates’ personal lives before these stories broke out about Hart. Jackman, having met Hart while preparing for the Film suggests that had he been elected, “It’d be a very different world today if it had happened.”
The Front Runner‘s date was recently moved to Tuesday November 7, Election Day for public officials in the United States. Reitman was pretty empathic on his hope with the move: “First thing: vote. Second thing: see our Movie.”
The Front Runner screens Saturday, September 8 at 6:30 PM at Ryerson Theatre, Sunday, September 9 at 12:30 PM at Elgin Theatre, Friday, September 14 at 1:00PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox and Saturday, September 15 at 6:00 PM at Ryerson Theatre.
By Mr. Will Wong
We don’t recall a more explosive first Saturday at TIFF in recent memory! Several stars were out and about on Day Three of the Festival and your jaw will drop who we saw!
A STAR IS BORN – Lady Gaga
THE HUMMINGBIRD PROJECT – Alexander SkarsgĂĄrd and Jesse Eisenberg
GLORIA BELL – John Turturro and Julianne Moore
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THE FRONT RUNNER – Hugh Jackman and Jason Reitman
HALLOWEEN – Jamie Lee Curtis
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🤞🖖#JamieLeeCurtis at #TIFF18 for #Halloween! #TIFF #torontointernationalfilmfestival
LIFE ITSELF – Annette Bening, Olivia Cooke and Mandy Patinkin
IF BEALE STREET COULD TALK – Stephan James, Kiki Layne and Barry Jenkins
PAPI CHULO – Matt Bomer
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#MattBomer at #TIFF18 for #PapiChulo. #TIFF #torontointernationalfilmfestival
WILD ROSE – Jessie Buckley and Mary Steenburgen
THE KINDERGARTEN TEACHER – Maggie Gyllenhaal
THE SISTERS BROTHERS – Riz Ahmed
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#RizAhmed at #TIFF18 for #TheSistersBrothers. #torontointernationalfilmfestival #TIFF
WIDOWS – Viola Davis and Daniel Kaluuya

INSTYLE MAGAZINE PARTY – traditionally the hottest party at the Festival!
THE HATE U GIVE – Amandla Stenberg
BEAUTIFUL BOY – TimothĂ©e Chalamet
SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS – Kelly Marie Tran
(Photo credit: David Baldwin/Mr. Will Wong)
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
After debuting at Teluride last week, Toronto favourite Jason Reitman has brought his second film of the year, The Front Runner, to TIFF for its Canadian premiere. The Film tells the story of US Senator Gary Hart (Hugh Jackman), a one-time presidential hopeful in the three weeks leading up to the Democratic National Convention. Hart is the front runner to be the Democratic nominee for President of the United States, but when the Miami Herald uncovers an extramarital affair, it will change the way the news reports on politics.
The Front Runner is downright fascinating in how it examines how news is reported, while asking deeper questions about morality and ethics. Reitman is at the height of his directorial powers here, shooting sweeping one-take shots with ease and focusing on an ever-growing ensemble of incredible talent — with Jackman in one of his most electric roles to date. The newsroom scenes are particularly terrific, but once the affair is uncovered, the film seems to get bogged down in mundane melodrama and begins to dramatically deflate. By the time the Film ends, it becomes completely devoid of energy and importance, and never seems to answer the question of why we should care about the moment when the news cycle was irrevocably changed forever. And if that was not disappointing enough, the Film criminally underutilizes Oscar-winner J.K. Simmons, which is quite simply unacceptable.
The Front Runner screens Saturday, September 8 at 6:30PM at Ryerson Theatre, Sunday, September 9 at 12:30PM at Elgin Theatre, Friday, September 14 at 1:00PM at TIFF Bell Lightbox and Saturday, September 15 at 6:00PM at Ryerson Theatre.
You know we love Christmas! Mr. Will x Warner Music Canada want to give Readers to win copies of this Holiday’s hottest releases, SIA‘s EVERYDAY IS CHRISTMAS and THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, one of our favourite Movies of 2017!
To get you into the spirit, have a listen to these uplifting Holiday tunes!
SANTA’S COMING FOR US (starring Kristen Bell)
EVERYDAY IS CHRISTMAS
THE GREATEST SHOW – Hugh Jackman and Cast
NEVER ENOUGH – Loren Allred
The Cast of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN x Mr. Will
Sia x Mr. Will
We’ll never forget the day our dreams came true and Snapchat had a SIA Snapchat Lens!
To enter to win these amazing CDs, plus also a super-rare SIA Christmas wig, click “like” on this Post over at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK! Contest open to all Readers in Canada.
Warner Music Canada release SIA‘s EVERYDAY IS CHRISTMAS and THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK, both now in stores and available digitally.
We are hit or miss on Musicals but can we tell you how floored we are by the Spectacle that is THE GREATEST SHOWMAN? Hitting theatres this Christmas, its stellar Soundtrack now is in stores to get you ready for the experience on the Big Screen!
Brace yourself to be swept away to magical land of euphoria and dazzling dreams. We cannot stop listening to the Tracklist featuring phenomenal performances by Hugh Jackman, Zendaya, Zac Efron, Keala Settle and several more including a showstopping delivery by The Voice Finalist Loren Allred who voices Rebecca Ferguson’s Jenny Lind in the Movie. Her work on the perfect ballad Never Enough will affect you deeply.
Benj Pasek and Justin Paul oversee the original Music in this triple-Golden Globe-nominated Musical based on the rise of Entrepreneur and Showman P.T. Barnum.
While it was to be released a year ago, The Greatest Showman directed by Australian Michael Gracey with a Screeplay by Jenny Bicks (Sex and the City) and Bill Condon (The Twilight Saga, Dreamgirls), proves worth the long wait. The Choreography is precise and fantastic, the emotions are real. This is Me performed by Settle is just one of several fantastic numbers here and it gets the Globe nod when many others on the Album also could have made the short list. Jackman was born to play the titular role. The Film is unable to separate itself from Baz Luhrmann‘s genius influence but that is a good problem to have.
In addition to Allred’s vocal perfection on Never Enough, Jackman has never sounded better. We love the much-needed uplifting spirit on The Greatest Show and Come Alive, perfect for the Holidays. Efron and Zendaya shine bright on duet Rewrite the Stars. Production is slick and sonically the Soundtrack lifts us just like the Film does.
Enjoy a few selections from THE GREATEST SHOWMAN below:
THIS IS ME
COME ALIVE
NEVER ENOUGH
REWRITE THE STARS
THE GREATEST SHOW
Warner Music Canada release THE GREATEST SHOWMAN ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK, in stores now.
Mr. Will x 20th Century Fox want to give Readers in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver a chance to attend an Advance Screening of THE GREATEST SHOWMAN!
The Screening takes place this Sunday, December 10, 2017 10:00 AM. Due to the fast turnaround on these we will be drawing winners right away, please enter only if you are sure you can attend.
Synopsis:
Inspired by the imagination of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business & tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
See the Trailer:
Artwork:

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK and indicate for us your City. Re-Tweet this Tweet from @mrwillw for an extra chance.
20th Century Fox Canada release THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Friday, December 20, 2017.
Official Hashtag: #GreatestShowman
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Fox)
We live our musicals and what better way to spend the holidays than with Hugh Jackman in one? Check out the new Trailer for THE GREATEST SHOWMAN!
SYNOPSIS
Inspired by the imagination of P.T. Barnum, The Greatest Showman is an original musical that celebrates the birth of show business & tells of a visionary who rose from nothing to create a spectacle that became a worldwide sensation.
Cast includes Hugh Jackman; Zac Efron; Michelle Williams; Rebecca Ferguson and Zendaya.
See the Trailer:
20th Century Fox Canada release THE GREATEST SHOWMAN Christmas Day.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Fox)
LOGANÂ shreds its competition to take the top of the Box Office with a monstrous $81 million opening for 20th Century Fox. Â Playing it 4,071 theatres across North America, the final Wolverine Film starring Hugh Jackman receives an outstanding 93% on the Tomatometer and Audiences gave it an A- CinemaScore. Despite an outstanding performance in its debut, it still is behind 2009’s X-MEN ORIGINS: WOLVERINE, which opened with $85 million, although it should be noted that was a PG-13 release and this latest installment is R-rated, setting a record for highest-ever opening for a Film of that rating in March, a record held previously by 300.
In second this weekend is GET OUT from Universal Pictures, which last weekend debuted on-top. Â It earns a stellar $26.5 million in its second week out, a two-week tally of $76.3 million.
Faith-based Film THE SHACK opens in third with $15.3 million from 2,888 theatres for Lionsgate Films/eOne Films. It gets 16% on the Tomatometer and an A CinemaScore.
THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE is in fourth with $11.1 million for Warner Bros. Over four weeks it has made $148 million domestically.
BEFORE I FALL debuts in sixth for Open Road Films/Elevation Pictures with $4.6 million from 2,346 theatres. The Sundance selection gets a respectable 68% on the Tomatometer and a B CinemaScore.
LA LA LAND rounds-out the Top Ten with $3.1 million after last weekend’s Oscars mis-announcement debacle where it was named Best Picture, only or it to be clarified the award actually went to MOONLIGHT. Â LA LA LAND over 13 weeks has earned $145 million for Lionsgate Films/eOne Films. Â MOONLIGHT also gets a boost from last weekend’s Oscars exposure placing eleventh, expanding back to 1,564 theatres and earning $2.2 million. Â It has grossed $25 million over 20 weeks of release for A24 Films/Elevation Pictures.
This new Trailer for LOGAN will have you at the edge of your seat! Explosive action and an intriguing performance from newcomer Dafine Keen as Laura Kinney, we have plenty to be excited from this latest sure-fire hit from Marvel!
Synopsis:
In the near future, a weary Logan cares for an ailing Professor X in a hideout on the Mexican border. But Logan‘s attempts to hide from the world and his legacy are up-ended when a young mutant arrives, being pursued by dark forces. Check out the brand new trailer below.
Trailer:
20th Century Fox Canada release LOGAN Friday, March 3, 2017.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Fox)
The weather could not stop Hugh Jackman and Taron Egerton from letting Eddie fly! The Duo after being scheduled for the Canadian Premiere of Sports Biopic EDDIE THE EAGLE at Scotiabank Theatre had unforeseen delays preventing them from leaving New York in time for last night’s Red Carpet. Attending however was Actor/Director Dexter Fletcher, treating last night’s audience to a Q&A. More on that here.
Welsh-born Egerton, who was just at the BAFTAs this weekend, gained many new Fans last year in breakout hit KINGSMAN: THE SECRET SERVICE. Although we were expecting to see him at TIFF alongside Tom Hardy for LEGEND, today would be the day – a snowy afternoon with traffic moving at a pedestrian pace.
Despite being in a rush, Egerton stopped for Fans quickly after a morning of Press, before heading out to CTV‘s THE SOCIAL where he and Co-Star Hugh Jackman would appear.
We spotted Jackman in a t-shirt, jeans and a handful of bags heading into his SUV, apologizing that he didn’t have time to stop today. Hughly..errr… we mean highly forgivable as he has been wonderful to the City, starring in a one-man show at Princess of Wales Theatre Summer 2011 greeting fans daily, the Premiere of Real Steel and his last visit here TIFF ’13 for Prisoners.
EDDIE THE EAGLE centers on Eddie “The Eagle” Edwards (Egerton) who competed at the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympics without funding or sponsorship. After placing last in two ski jumping events for Great Britain, he became an example of “heroic failure”, celebrated and becoming a star in his own right with a career which saw him authoring a book and several television appearances. The Film hones in on his battle to compete after he sparked several changes in rules and regulations to qualify for the Olympics, and also his relationship with imaginary mentor Bronson Peary (Jackson).
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20th Century Fox Canada release EDDIE THE EAGLE Friday, February 26, 2016.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
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