Review by David Baldwin for Mr. Will Wong
Masterpiece. That is the easiest and quickest way to describe Guillermo del Toro’s gothic romance The Shape of Water. The Film recently won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and is the early front-runner to take the Grolsch People’s Choice Award at TIFF this Sunday.
It is the 1960’s and mute Eliza (a never better Sally Hawkins) is working as a cleaning lady in a high-tech government facility. While cleaning one of the labs, she discovers what the scientists and top brass refer to as The Asset (Doug Jones) – a fish/human/creature hybrid. Despite the secrecy of his existence, Eliza befriends the creature, changing both of their lives irrevocably.
Not since 2006’s Oscar-nominated Pan’s Labyrinth has del Toro been able to marry his incredible visuals with a worthwhile story. But he delivers in spades here, creating a dark fairy tale that is just as much touching and emotional as it is thrilling. It is a breathless and surprising experience that is sure to delight audiences, and is easily one of the top movies of the year. And it’s all the more special because so much of this period piece was filmed in Toronto – including at the Elgin Theatre where it will screen during TIFF.
Don’t miss it.
Fox Searchlight Pictures will screen The Shape of Water at TIFF ’17 at the following times:
Monday, September 11 9:30 p.m. Elgin Theatre
Tuesday, September 12 3:00 p.m. Elgin Theatre
Friday, September 15 9:00 p.m. Elgin Theatre
Sunday, September 17 6:30 p.m. Elgin Theatre
TIFF ’17 will be remembered as one of the most electrifyingly star-studded Festivals in many years and today is exactly why!
Names don’t come any bigger than Angelina Jolie who walked her first of two Red Carpets this afternoon. She produces Animated Feature THE BREADWINNER and humbly came out to grace not only the Red Carpet but walk the line of Fans stopping for photos and autographs along Yonge Street in front of Winter Garden Theatre. We were among the lucky! What a thrill! Don’t miss her at her Premiere for well-reviewed Documentary FIRST THEY KILLED MY FATHER tomorrow!
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Academy Award winner Jennifer Lawrence also drew a large crowd at TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX for the Presser for Darren Aronofsky‘s well-reviewed mother! While there was no sign of Michelle Pfeiffer today, Javier Bardem and Ed Harris later would walk the Red Carpet after being absent at the Film’s Presser. We even got a photo with Lawrence although tragically, flashes going off would wash out the Photo! Devastation!
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THE SHAPE OF WATER continues to garner tons of Oscar buzz with Festival Creative Director Cameron Bailey touting it as his fave! We spotted its friendly cast today including two-time Oscar nominee Sally Hawkins, winner Octavia Spencer, nominee Richard Jenkins and Doug Jones. Hawkins is getting a lot of early buzz for her work.in this Toronto-made Fantasy by Guillermo del Toro. No signs of Michael Shannon however!
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We loved seeing Julianne Moore out earlier as she promoted George Clooney‘s SUBURBICON. We didn’t see Clooney though who was snuck-in, although we hear he has been really fantastic and giving to fans at TIFF ’17!
Sam Rockwell is back at it in the City, a place which work has brought him to many times, returning to TIFF with THREE BILLBOARDS OUTSIDE EBBING, MISSOURI.
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Dave Franco stars alongside brother James Franco in hilarious THE DISASTER ARTIST, based on THE ROOM star Greg Sestero‘s Memoir about working on that Cult Classic! He was in a bit of a rush today but we hope to see him around tomorrow as the Film premieres then at Midnight Madness.
James McAvoy consistently delivers and we were thrilled that he was able to make it in this year as we’ve wanted to meet him since we saw The Last King of Scotland, which also premiered here back in 2006. He’s here for SUBMERGENCE and was gracious sporting a bald look for his X-Men: Dark Phoenix role which he is shooting now in Montreal.
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(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)
Fox Searchlight x Mr. Will and thrilled to give Readers a chance to attend an Advance Screening of the touching GIFTED! Our Amanda Gilmore had a chance to screen this already and loved it! Screenings take place as follows:
TORONTO
Thursday, April 6th Scotiabank Toronto 7:00PM
VANCOUVER
Monday, April 10th Cineplex Cinemas Metropolis 7:00PM
CALGARY
Monday, April 10th Scotiabank Chinook 7:00PM
EDMONTON
Monday, April 10th Cineplex South Edmonton 7:00PM
OTTAWA
Monday, April 17th Scotiabank Ottawa 7:00PM
Synopsis:
Frank Adler (Chris Evans) is a single man raising his seven-year-old niece Mary (Mckenna Grace). Although she was home schooled and would prefer to keep being taught at home, Frank decides to send Mary to school.
Her teacher, Bonnie (Jenny Slate), quickly realizes Mary is a mathematical genius and tells Frank. She and the principal tell Frank his niece would be better off at a school for gifted youngsters. Frank refuses, saying he promised his sister he would give Mary a normal life.
When Frank‘s mother Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan) finds out, she disagrees with Frank and decides to petition the court to get custody of Mary. Frank, who loves Mary deeply and wants to do what’s best for her, fights to retain his rights to raise his little niece.
Artwork:
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Fox Searchlight release GIFTED Friday, April 7, 2017 in select cities.
(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)
20th Century Fox + Mr. Will want to take Readers in Toronto to an Advance Screening of hotly-anticipated HIDDEN FIGURES! The Screening takes place Wednesday, January 4, 2017.
Synopsis:
The inspirational true story of the first female African-American mathemetician, Katherine Johnson (Taraji P. Henson), and her two colleagues, Dorothy Vaughan (Octavia Spencer) and Mary Jackson (Janelle Monáe), whose groundbreaking calculations helped NASA catch up in the “Space Race” with the Soviet Union and allowed John Glenn (Glen Powell) to become the first American astronaut to successfully make a complete orbit of the Earth.
In addition to helping launch John into orbit, the brilliant women crossed gender and race lines, defied expectations and battled stereotypes. In the process, they inspired generations of people to aim high and dream big.
Trailer:
Artwork:
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Mr. Will + The Cast of HIDDEN FIGURES
20th Century Fox Canada release HIDDEN FIGURES across Canada Friday, January 6, 2017.
(Photo/video credit: 20th Century Fox)
Something to warm your heart. GIFTED is exactly where Chris Evans has been lately. You need to see this new Trailer!
Synopsis:
Frank Adler (Chris Evans) is a single man raising a child prodigy – his spirited young niece Mary (Mckenna Grace) – in a coastal town in Florida. Frank’s plans for a normal school life for Mary are foiled when the seven-year-old’s mathematical abilities come to the attention of Frank’s formidable mother Evelyn (Lindsay Duncan) whose plans for her granddaughter threaten to separate Frank and Mary. Octavia Spencer plays Roberta, Frank and Mary’s landlady and best friend. Jenny Slate is Mary’s teacher, Bonnie, a young woman whose concern for her student develops into a connection with her uncle as well.
Trailer:
Fox Searchlight release GIFTED Friday, April 12, 2017.
(Photo/video credit: Fox Searchlight)
It absolutely is our favourite time of the year again and announced this morning is the official list of Talent coming to Toronto for TIFF ’14! We look forward to seeing plenty of returning names – some just here last year like the likes of Jennifer Aniston and Kate Winslet – and also plenty of Stars from years past making their way back here once more!
Among the names attending TIFF ’14 this year include:
Jon Stewart, Martin Scorcese, Richard Gere, Andrew Garfield, Viggo Mortensen, Gael Garcia Bernal, James Franco, Jane Fonda, Chloë Moretz, Brit Marling, Laura Dern, Charlotte Gainsbourg, Vanessa Redgrave, Vera Farmiga, Al Pacino, Tina Fey, Haley Joel Osment, Robert Pattinson, Ansel Elgort, Alice Eve, Sam Rockwell, Amanda Seyfried, Michael Shannon, Dax Sheppard, Robert Duvall, Ben Stiller, Robert Downey Jr., Hailee Steinfield, Justin Chatwin, Method Man, Jennifer Connelly, Bobby Cannavale, Kuoth Wiel, Cassie Williams, Danny Webb, Dominic West, Jung Woo-Sung, John Boylan, Sam Worthington, Tye Sheridan, Andrew Scott, Timothy Spall, Alan Rickman, Connie Britton, Reese Witherspoon, Evan Bird, Zhao Wei, Han Ye-Ri, Melissa Benoist, Haley Bennett, Sonja Bennett, John Travolta, Julianne Moore, Isaach De Bankolé, Dan Stevens, Jason Bateman, Corey Stoll, Xavier Dolan, Peter Stormare, Ben Schnetzer, Abigail Spencer, Ellen Barkin, Bill Pullman, Charlotte Aubin, Kate Winslet, Ryan Reynolds, Rene Russo, Roger Waters, Simon Pegg, Rosamund Pike, Loreto Aravena, Tobey Maguire, Aubrey Plaza, Tobey Maguire, Gemma Arterton, Juliette Binoche, Zhang Yimou, Rosemarie DeWitt, Kristen Wiig, Adam Sandler, Rose Byrne, Channing Tatum, Chris Evans, Jake Gyllenhaal, Dustin Hoffman, Mark Ruffalo, Bill Murray, Daniel Barber, Liam Aiken, Mike Leigh, Olivier Assayas, Richard LaGravenese, Diane Keaton, Kevin Kline, Anna Kendrick, Morgan Freeman, Benicio del Toro, Michael Douglas, Rosario Dawson, Chris Rock, John Cusack, Benedict Cumberbatch, Octavia Spencer, Keira Knightley, Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Kevin Costner, Anthony Mackie, Patricia Clarkson, J.K. Simmons, Miles Teller, Priyanka Chopra, Daniel Bruhl, Michael Winterbottom, Justin Chon, Steve Carell, Gong Li, Hayden Christensen, Tory Kittles, Jordana Brewster, Holliday Grainger, Max Irons, Lone Scherfig, Sam Claflin, Douglas Booth, Paul Bettany, Daniel Barnz, Noah Baumbach, Barry Avrich, Jennifer Aniston, Akon, Nick Kroll, Holly Hunter, Catherine Keener, Greta Gerwig, Omar Sy Jennifer Garner, Salma Hayek, Kevin Smith, Eddie Redmayne, Felicity Jones, Faye Marsay, Bill Nighy, Justin Long, Christopher Plummer, Marton Csokas, David Cronenberg, Sarah Gadon, Tom Schilling, Tom Hardy and more!
TIFF also will be hosting a series of In-Conversations-With as part of their Mavericks Programme. Joining-in are the likes of Reese Witherspoon, Robert Duvall, Denzel Washington, Richard Gere, Juliette Binoche, Jon Stewart, Dan Savage, Julie Taymor and several more!
As is the case always, it’s sometimes not just who’s coming – it’s who they’re bringing. Don’t be surprised if Jennifer Garner brings Husband Ben Affleck along and be warned if Andrew Garfield brings Emma Stone along!
Who’s on our list of Must-Meets? Plenty! We hope finally to get a positive moment with Reese Witherspoon and Kate Winslet! Excited about Martin Scorcese, J.K. Simmons, Bobby Cannavale, Miles Teller, Corey Stoll, Tobey Maguire, Rose Byrne, Michael Douglas and newer names like Max Irons and Douglas Booth, that’s for sure. And did we read TINA FEY!?!? Finally! AND WHERE IS TOM HARDY?!?!
The list is always subject to surprise and no-shows as we know all too well!
Visit the official TIFF Website for more.
TIFF ’14 runs September 3 – 14, 2014.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
We all love a good Biopic and GET ON UP is one we’ve been excited about! Godfather of Soul JAMES BROWN is immortalized not only by his legendary Music, but also this upcoming Film about his rise to fame. Universal Pictures Canada and Mr. Will want to take Readers in Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver to a July 30th Advance Screening!
Official Synopsis:
In his follow-up to the four-time Academy Award®-nominated blockbuster The Help, Tate Taylor directs 42‘s Chadwick Boseman as James Brown in GET ON UP. Based on the incredible life story of the Godfather of Soul, the Film will give a fearless look inside the music, moves and moods of Brown, taking audiences on the journey from his impoverished childhood to his evolution into one of the most influential figures of the 20th century. Boseman is joined in the Drama by a brilliant Supporting Cast: Viola Davis, Octavia Spencer, Nelsan Ellis, Lennie James, Tika Sumpter, Jill Scott and Dan Aykroyd.
Watch the Trailer:
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Official Artwork:
Universal Pictures Canada release GET ON UP on Friday, August 1, 2014.
(Photo/video credit: Universal Pictures Canada)
Academy Award-winning Actress Octavia Spencer might’ve been late arriving to the Red Carpet for the Premiere of Smashed tonight, but she sure made-up for it. After assuring Fans she’d come over to them after “taking care of business” first, she signed a storm of Autographs. Unfortunately, due to time constraints she only could sign Autographs today, declining Photos with Fans.
Spencer tells us, “Did you guys get Mary (Winstead)? She’s gonna get an Oscar for this performance so tell all your friends about the Movie!”. It takes an Oscar Winner to know one, right?
Mongrel Media releases Smashed on November 2, 2012.
(Photo credit: Catherine Dennis)
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