Jeffrey Wright.
#TIFF23: “AMERICAN FICTION” REVIEW
By David Baldwin
Thelonious “Monk” Ellison (Jeffrey Wright) is a professor and published Author who cannot seem to catch a break with his new book. After a few failed attempts and bitterness over the state of writing about the African-American experience, he composes a novel using every Black cliché he can think of. He makes up a fake author with a fake backstory, and though his agent thinks it will not sell, the book is sent out to publishers. And despite Monk thinking he wrote a satire, a major publisher is very interested and is offering the largest advance he has ever seen.
And that is all before we get into some of Monk’s familial issues.
Watching AMERICAN FICTION is akin to getting hit by a shotgun blast. The satire and humour is razor sharp, as are the wickedly savage indictments on white people (specifically critics) and African-American stereotypes. Emmy-winning Writer/Director Cord Jefferson picked a hell of a source novel (Percival Everett’s Erasure) to adapt for his feature directorial debut, and swings for the fences from the moment the first image hits the frame. Some of it comes off as angry, most of it comes off as hilarious (so much so that people might not realize they are laughing at the microaggressions and vocabulary they use themselves). Either way, it is a terrific script that will likely reward multiple viewings. There are a few cringey and uncomfortable moments, but they are uncomfortable on purpose. Though he slows down a bit too much in the third act and cannot make the meta moments work as fluidly as they should, Jefferson has crafted a biting film that has its finger on the pulse of race and cultural relations. Expect a lot of online discourse when it is released later this fall.
Wright, long an underutilized supporting player, is absolutely incredible as Monk. He nails the cadence and rhythm of the poisonous barbs and does even better in the film’s more intimate and emotional moments. The Film may falter, but Wright never wavers. Supporting turns from Issa Rae, Tracee Ellis Ross and especially Sterling K. Brown are all fantastic, each one delivering profound and sobering monologues that speak to the film’s larger thesis. Much like the film itself, they are a total joy to watch.
AMERICAN FICTION screens at TIFF ’23:
Friday, September 8 at 8:30 PM at Royal Alexandra Theatre
Saturday, September 9 at 5:30 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
Thursday, September 14 at 8:30 PM at Royal Alexandra Theatre
Saturday, September 16 at 9:15 PM at Scotiabank Theatre Toronto
#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “ALL DAY AND A NIGHT”
Synopsis:
As soft-spoken Jahkor Abraham Lincoln (Ashton Sanders, Moonlight) struggles to keep his dream of rapping alive amidst a gang war in Oakland, his ill-fated life and real-world responsibilities drive him further and further across the line of right and wrong with tragic consequences. Landing in prison beside his father, J.D. (Jeffrey Wright, Westworld) whom he never wanted to be like, Jahkor embarks on an unlikely journey of self-discovery, exploring the events that unite them, in hopes of helping his newborn son break a cycle that feels unavoidable.
The drama co-stars Isaiah John (Snowfall), Kelly Jenrette (The Handmaid’s Tale), Shakira Ja’Nai Paye (Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse), Regina Taylor (The Unit), Christopher Meyer (The Affair) and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen).
See the Trailer:
ALL DAY AND A NIGHT streams on Netflix Friday, May 1, 2020.
(Photo/video credit: Netflix)
#TIFF18: “HOLD THE DARK” REVIEW
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Medora Slone’s (Riley Keough) son has gone missing in the Alaskan wilderness. She presumes wolves have taken him, and calls in expert Russell Core (Jeffrey Wright) to help track down the body and kill the wolf who did it. But Russell suspects something is not quite right, and when her husband Vernon (Alexander Skarsgård) returns home from a tour in the Middle East, things only become more violent.
Hold the Dark is Director Jeremy Saulnier’s most ambitious and sprawling film. The Alaskan landscapes (which were actually shot in Alberta) are absolutely gorgeous, even as the Film’s atmosphere becomes progressively darker and bleaker. The performances are all very good and Saulnier’s penchant for brutally graphic violence is amped-up considerably, with a vicious shootout scene ranking as some of the grisliest moments of the Festival. And while the Film is a slow-burn Thriller, it becomes glacially paced all too often. The second half of the Film especially feels dragged-out and overly enigmatic – which may benefit Netflix viewers but will genuinely frustrate some TIFF audiences.
Hold the Dark screens on Wednesday, September 12 at 6:00 PM at Princess of Wales Theatre [World Premiere], Thursday, September 13 at 1:00PM at Elgin Theatre, Friday, September 14 at 9:45 AM at TIFF Bell Lightbox and Saturday, September 15 at 2:00PM at Ryerson Theatre.
#TIFF18: “THE PUBLIC” REVIEW
Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
After premiering earlier this year in Santa Barbara, Writer/Producer/Director/Star Emilio Estevez has brought The Public to TIFF. Stuart (Estevez) is a supervisor at the Cincinnati Public Library. One cold evening, homeless Jackson (Michael K. Williams) stages a sit-in with a large number of other homeless patrons. They refuse to leave, and after the doors are barricaded shut, news of the situation quickly reaches the police and local television media – and only becomes bigger from there.
Estevez admirably tackles a number of topics and ideas within The Public. But from the very beginning, the Film has trouble honing in on where to properly focus. The sit-in that forms the crux of the Plot does not take place until nearly 45-minutes into two-hour Film, and everything that comes afterwards feels very long and drawn-out. The sprawling Ensemble Cast do the best with what they are given (especially Williams and Christian Slater as a slimy mayoral candidate), but many are cast aside after they serve their characters’ purpose. With some choice edits, The Public could easily become a much stronger Film.
The Public screens on Sunday, September 9 at 2:30 PM at Roy Thomson Hall, Monday, September 10 at 10:30AM at Winter Garden Theatre, and Friday, September 14 at 4:15PM at Elgin Theatre.
#TIFF18: DAY FOUR – BRADLEY COOPER, LADY GAGA, CARA DELEVINGNE, QUINCY JONES, AMBER HEARD + MORE
By Mr. Will Wong
Toronto is “gaga” for A STAR IS BORN at TIFF ’18 as the Film saw two screenings tonight as part of the Festival’s Galas Programme. Stars Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Anthony Ramos, Sam Elliott and Dave Chappelle were at the Press Conference for the Oscar contender bright and early this morning!
While the Festival was particularly front-loaded this year, we look forward to a bit of a breather these next couple days, before we start focusing on seeing Films at the Festival!
See who we saw!
A STAR IS BORN – Lady Gaga, Bradley Cooper, Anthony Ramos, Sam Elliott and Dave Chappelle
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WIDOWS – Colin Farrell, Steve McQueen Daniel Kaluuya, Robert Duvall, Cynthia Erivo, Brian Tyree Henry, Michelle Rodriguez, Elizabeth Debicki and more
HER SMELL – Elisabeth Moss, Cara Delevingne, Amber Heard, Agyness Deyn
SORRY FOR YOUR LOSS – Elizabeth Olsen and Mamoudou Athie
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BURNING – Steven Yeun
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With #StevenYeun at his #TIFF18 Premiere for Burning. #TIFF #torontointernationalfilmfestival
THE PUBLIC – Jeffrey Wright
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#JeffreyWright at #TIFF18 for #ThePublic. #TIFF #torontointernationalfilmfestival
QUINCY – Quincy Jones
A FAITHFUL MAN – Lily Rose Depp, Louis Garrel
FIRST MAN – Damien Chazelle
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Academy Award winner #DamienChazelle (#Whiplash, #LaLaLand) is back at #TIFF18 with #FirstMan.
JASON REITMAN’S THE BREAKFAST CLUB LIVE READ – Aaron Paul, Bel Powley, Jesse Eisenberg, Christina Hendricks, Steve Zissis, Richard E Grant and Robert Wuhl
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN A COPY OF “THE GOOD DINOSAUR” ON BLU-RAY COMBO PACK
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Canada + Mr. Will want to give Readers a chance to win on Digital HD + Blu-ray Combo Pack, worldwide Box Office hit, THE GOOD DINOSAUR! Fresh off its run in theatres, this is your chance to bring it home for your family to enjoy!
Synopsis:
From the innovative minds of Disney•Pixar comes a hilariously heartwarming adventure about the power of confronting and overcoming your fears and discovering who you are meant to be.
THE GOOD DINOSAUR asks the question: What if the asteroid that forever changed life on Earth missed the planet completely, and giant dinosaurs never became extinct? In this epic journey into the world of dinosaurs, an apatosaurus named Arlo makes an unlikely human friend. While traveling through a harsh and mysterious landscape, Arlo learns the power of confronting his fears and discovers what he is truly capable of.
THE GOOD DINOSAUR features the voice work of Frances McDormand, Jeffrey Wright, Anna Paquin, John Ratzenberger and Raymond Ochoa.
See the Trailer:
Artwork:
To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook.
You may click “share” from there for an extra chance. Canadian Readers only, please.
G’luck!
Walt Disney Studios Home Entertainment Canada release THE GOOD DINOSAUR on Digital HD + Blu-ray Combo Pack Tuesday, February 23, 2016.
(Photo/video credit: Disney•Pixar)
#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN “THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE” STARRING JENNIFER HUDSON, JORDIN SPARKS AND ANTHONY MACKIE ON DVD
D Films and Mr. Will Wong want to give Readers a chance to win George Tillman Jr.‘s THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE on DVD, the powerful new Drama starring Jennifer Hudson, Jordin Sparks, Anthony Mackie, Skylan Brooks, Ethan Dizon, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Jeffrey Wright. The Film also features brand new Music from Alicia Keys.
Official Synopsis:
During a sweltering summer in New York City, 13-year-old Mister‘s (Skylan Brooks) hard-living Mother (Jennifer Hudson) is apprehended by the Police, leaving the Boy and nine-year-old Pete (Ethan Dizon) alone to forage for food while dodging Child Protective Services and the destructive scenarios of the Brooklyn Projects.
Faced with more than any child can be expected to bear, the resourceful Mister nevertheless feels he is an unstoppable force against seemingly unmovable obstacles. But what really keeps the pair in the survival game is much more Mister‘s vulnerability than his larger-than-life attitude.
Watch the Trailer:
To enter to win THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE on DVD/Blu-ray simply by clicking “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook. You are encouraged to share with your Friends on Facebook!
Canadian Readers only, please.
Good luck, Wongsters!
D Films release THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE on DVD Tuesday, February 18, 2014.
Order THE INEVITABLE DEFEAT OF MISTER & PETE on DVD here.
Official Artwork:
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(Photo/video credit: levelFILM)
#FIRSTLOOK: FINAL TRAILER FOR “THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE”
“Would you like to be in a real War?”.
After their Victory in the 74th Hunger Games, Peeta Mellark and Katniss Everdeen spark a rebellion in the Districts of Panem. Katniss finds herself not only in a fight for her life, but also the lives of those whom she loves.
See the pandemonium in this gripping Final Trailer for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire:
The Hunger Games: Catching Fire stars Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Jena Malone, Liam Hemsworth, Woody Harrelson, Elizabeth Banks, Sam Claflin, Stanley Tucci, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Donald Sutherland, Lenny Kravitz and Jeffrey Wright.
Tick-tock.
eOne Films releases The Hunger Games: Catching Fire on Friday, November 22, 2013.
(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)
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