The Canadian Star System in full forcelast night at the North American Premiere of David Cronenberg’s Body Horror, CRIMES OF THE FUTURE. The Film, shot in Athens, got its World Premiere earlier this month in Cannes.
The Film looks Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen) and Caprice (Léa Seydoux), the former, a celebrity Performance Artist, who publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed… Their mission – to use Saul’s notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.
The film has received wide-acclaim, sticking to Cronenberg‘s shocking sensibilites.
In attendance at the Red Carpet Premiere at TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX was a who’s-who of Canadian Cinema including:
David CronenbergDon’t forget to visit TIFF Bell Lightbox as they celebrate Cronenberg‘s iconic career with display pieces from the David Cronenberg Permanent Collection throughout the building for a limited time only. TIFF will screen Crash (1996), setting the stage for both the theatrical release of Crimes of the Future and a four-film TIFF Cinematheque series spotlighting Cronenberg’s earlier work, titled Cronenberg: Crimes of the Past and running July 2 to July 10. The series features screenings of Videodrome (1983), Dead Ringers (1988), eXistenZ (1999), and a second screening of Crash. More at tiff.net.
Sphere Films will release CRIMES OF THE FUTURE June 3, 2022.
(Photo/video credit: Sphere Films/Mr. Will Wong)
The 2022 Cannes Film Festival might have started a week ago, but the excitement continues to build as David Cronenberg’s CRIMES OF THE FUTURE premiered tonight. In attendance were none other than Kristen Stewart, whom our Amanda Gilmore spotted at the Press Junket and Photo Call earlier in a pink Chanel suit. Also in attendance were Léa Seydoux, Scott Speedman and Viggo Mortensen.
The Horror centers on a Performance Artist couple Caprice (Léa Seydoux) and Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), whom publicly showcase the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed… Their mission – to use Saul’s notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.
The Horror received both walkouts and a standing ovation, divisive as Cronenberg expected. CRIMES OF THE FUTURE arrives in theatres June 3, 2022 via Sphere Films.
Also spotted around town were Jamie Foxx, seen enjoying the French Riviera on a yacht.
Canada’s Nina Dobrev and Shaun White also were spotted around town at both the Top Gun: Maverick Premiere last week, and a Fundraiser for Ukraine, the With Love for Peace Gala.
Review here for CRIMES OF THE FUTURE.
(Photo credit: Amanda Gilmore/Mr. Will Wong)
David Cronenberg‘s CRIMES OF THE FUTURE will be premiering at Cannes! This is the sixth time the Canadian Filmmaker has appeared at the Festival in competition.
Shot in Athens, the Film stars Viggo Mortensen, Léa Seydoux, Kristen Stewart and Scott Speedman.
Synopsis:
As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. With his partner Caprice (Léa Seydoux), Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), celebrity performance artist, publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed… Their mission – to use Saul’s notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution.
From Sphere Films (formerly MK2 | MILE END), the Film will be opening across Canada on June 3, 2022, following its world premiere in the Official Competition at the Festival de Cannes
(Photo/video credit: Sphere Films)
By David Baldwin
Sarah Jo (Kristine Froseth) is a naïve 26-year-old caregiver with shockingly little knowledge about sex, likely due to a trauma she suffered nearly ten years prior. She begins a sexual relationship with the father of one of her clients, which ends even quicker than it began, but wants to continue learning more about her sexuality and desires. So Sarah Jo makes an alphabetical list of positions and scenarios she wants to experience – and she is dedicated to checking them all off.
In only her second Feature film, Writer/Director/Actor Lena Dunham has crafted another project that is sex-positive and holds nothing back. The dialogue and storyline are exactly what you would expect from the award-winning Artist behind HBO’s Girls, and is just as divisive as you expect too. She is not trying to gain new fans here or change any opinions you might have of her. After so many years in the business, the honesty and frank depiction of sexuality in her work speaks for itself, and she continues to be a true “love it or hate it” icon. I admire that she does not let any of that controversial baggage get the best of her in Sharp Stick, and that she continues to speak for a generation with her graphic and humorous innuendos and flourishes (and really appreciated how natural the Covid integrations were throughout the Film). Yet I feel like she does not fully know what she wants to say here, despite how personal the project obviously is to her. By the time the Film concludes, it feels more like two very different storylines smashed together as opposed to one cohesive picture, and the all-too short runtime does not allow Dunham any time to examine what is really going on with Sarah Jo.
All of that said, Dunham has put together an eclectic ensemble to tell this story, with standout turns from Jon Bernthal, Zola’s Taylour Paige, Jennifer Jason Leigh and an absolutely uninhibited Scott Speedman. They all help prop-up Froseth’s great performance that straddles the line between innocence and maturity. She goes all in here, accurately capturing Dunham’s voice. I wish the Film were as strong as she is.
SHARP STICK screens at Sundance as follows:
PREMIERE Jan 22 8:30PM EST Available Until Jan 22 11:30PM EST
SECOND SCREENING Jan 24 10:00AM EST Available Until Jan 25 10:00AM EST
Review by Amanda Gilmore for Mr. Will Wong
Run This Town follows a young reporter (Ben Platt) who gets a tip that there is a video of Toronto Mayor Rob Ford (Damien Lewis) smoking crack.
Writer-Director Ricky Tollman has crafted a Film told from the perspectives of the newspaper reporters – primarily Platt’s character who is eager to break his first story – those who worked at City Hall at that time. This Film offers a look into the Toronto government during the Rob Ford scandal and draws parallels to the political climate today.
The Cast, including Platt, Nina Dobrev and Scott Speedman, are great. However, all eyes are on an unrecognizable Lewis who has convincingly transformed into Ford.
Run This Town screens at SXSW on March 9 at 8:30 PM at Stateside, March 11 at 11 AM at Alamo Lamar A, and March 15 at 11:15 AM at Alamo Ritz 1.
Pacific Northwest Pictures + Mr. Will want you to win a copy of OCTOBER GALE on DVD!
Official Synopsis:
A killer stalks a remote island in this edge-of-your-seat thriller starring Patricia Clarkson, Scott Speedman, and Tim Roth. Helen (Clarkson), a recently widowed doctor, returns home to her isolated cottage off the Canadian coast to find a stranger with a gunshot wound (Speedman) hiding out from two men intent on killing him. As an ominous storm brews outside, trapping the pair on the island, they must join forces to survive a harrowing night of terror, while navigating the mounting attraction growing between them. Full of hairpin plot twists and unrelenting tension, October Gale is a grippingly suspenseful spine-chiller.
Watch the Trailer:
Patricia Clarkson + Mr. Will:
#ScottSpeedman at #TIFF14 for #OctoberGale. #NikonD3300 A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook!
Pacific Northwest Pictures release OCTOBER GALE on DVD, now in stores!
Order a copy here.
(Photo/video credit: Pacific Northwest Pictures)
Pacific Northwest Pictures + Mr. Will want to take you to see TIFF ’14 Selection OCTOBER GALE in Toronto and Vancouver!
Official Synopsis:
A killer stalks a remote island in this edge-of-your-seat thriller starring Patricia Clarkson, Scott Speedman, and Tim Roth. Helen (Clarkson), a recently widowed doctor, returns home to her isolated cottage off the Canadian coast to find a stranger with a gunshot wound (Speedman) hiding out from two men intent on killing him. As an ominous storm brews outside, trapping the pair on the island, they must join forces to survive a harrowing night of terror, while navigating the mounting attraction growing between them. Full of hairpin plot twists and unrelenting tension, October Gale is a grippingly suspenseful spine-chiller.
Watch the Trailer:
Patricia Clarkson + Mr. Will:
#ScottSpeedman at #TIFF14 for #OctoberGale. #NikonD3300
A photo posted by Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on
To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook and indicate your City!
Pacific Northwest Pictures release OCTOBER GALE on Friday, March 27, 2015.
(Photo/video credit: Pacific Northwest Pictures)
It is with great sadness that I’ve come to the realization TIFF ’14 is only a couple days away from its end. Going back into my normal routine once again surely will be especially hard because I had such an amazing Festival this year! I look forward to catching a couple more Movies this weekend now that the Parade of Stars are about to make an exit.
Today was a special day and I will remember this as the day that I met Ryan Reynolds. I’ve seen him many times but just simply never have been able to angle myself into contention to get a Snap with him. At last it happened today as I crossed paths with him while he was promoting his new Comedy, The Voices. The Film which sees him get into some trouble as he hears things from his Dog and his Cat, driving him to murder.
The Canadian-born Star looked particularly dappper in a blue suit tonight on the Red Carpet at Ryerson Theatre and was extremely generous with Fans taking time to sign as many Autographs and take as many Selfies as he could! No sign however of his Mrs., Blake Lively.
Earlier tonight, we also saw Patricia Clarkson and Scott Speedman on the Red Carpet for Winter Garden Theatre in support of their new Film, October Gale. The Film is about a Doctor who takes-in a wounded Man, only to discover that his Killer is out to complete the job.
Clarkson was absolutely amazing, stopping to sign some Autographs for Fans and I was lucky enough to get a Snap with the remarkable Actress.
Scott Speedman always looks sharp and tonight was an exception as the Toronto-born Actor graced the Red Carpet for October Gale also.
Although we didn’t get a chance to see him, our Contributor David Baldwin was thrilled to attend a Screening of Martin Scorcese‘s latest, The 50 Year Argument which he co-directs. Fan Reports are indicating that things got a little unruly outside the Theatre tonight hindering the Icon from signing more Autographs.
Tomorrow we’re expecting to see John Travolta, Chris Evans and Alice Eve, among others! We can’t wait. So check back!
Don’t forget to follow for immediate updates:
Twitter: @MRWILLW
Instagram: @MRWILLWONG
All Photos were taken on the Nikon D3300 and communciated via the Samsung Galaxy Tab S.
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong/David Baldwin)
eOne Films and Mr. Will want to take Readers to the Red Carpet Premiere of THE CAPTIVEon Wednesday, August 27, 2014 at Scotiabank Theatre. Director Atom Egoyan will be in-attendance for a special Q&A!
Official Synopsis
Matthew (Ryan Reynolds) and Tina (Mireille Enos) live in Niagara Falls, Ontario with their nine-year-old daughter Cassandra. When Matthew goes to a store to pick up some food, he leaves Cassandra in the truck. She vanishes without a trace.
Some years later, police officers Nicole (Rosario Dawson) and Jeffrey (Scott Speedman) uncover a lead in the case. After hours spent scanning the internet for photos and video circulated by pedophiles, they come across images of Cassandra, alive in captivity.
See the Trailer:
Enter to win by simply clicking “like” on this Post at Mr. Will Wong on Facebook. Share with your Friends on Facebook and increase your chances. Re-Tweet the below to increase your odds also:
http://www.mrwillwong.com/thecaptive @MRWILLW wants us to #win Passes to the Red Carpet Premiere of #THECAPTIVE with #AtomEgoyan in attendance!
eOne Films release THE CAPTIVE on Friday, September 5, 2014.
(Photo/video credit: eOne Films)
Avril Lavigne covers this week’s issue of Hello! Canada, featuring their 50 Most Beautiful Canadians. Set to return with her current single Here’s to Never Growing Up, Editor-in-Chief Alison Eastwood released a statement saying, “Unveiling our annual Most Beautiful issue is as thrilling as giving a close friend a big, beautiful birthday present. And this year is especially exciting. Avril and her Fiancé Chad Kroeger have been great friends to HELLO! Canada, their Wedding is just around the corner, and our exclusive (and rare) Photo Shoot, on the eve of Avril’s return to the pop charts, was nothing short of magical.”.
The List ranges from Media, Ballerinas, Singers to Movie Stars with some surprises and some names you have to do a quick Google Image search for. Selected this year by the Magazine are:
Stephen Amell
Actor: Arrow, CTV
Hometown: Toronto
Will Arnett
Actor: Arrested Development, Netflix
Hometown: Toronto
Justin Bieber
Singer, Universal
Hometown: Stratford, Ont.
Jean-Luc Bilodeau
Actor: Baby Daddy, ABC Spark
Hometown: Vancouver
Dean Brody
Singer, Universal
Hometown: Jaffray, B.C.
Michael Bublé
Singer, Warner
Hometown: Burnaby, B.C.
Sidney Crosby
Professional hockey player, Pittsburgh Penguins
Hometown: Cole Harbour, N.S.
Antonio Cupo
Actor: Bomb Girls, Global TV
Hometown: Vancouver
Victoria Duffield
Singer, Warner
Hometown: Abbotsford, B.C.
Matt Dusk
Singer, eOne Music
Hometown: Toronto
Nathan Fillion
Actor: Castle, CTV
Hometown: Edmonton
Mitsou Gélinas
Radio host: Rythme FM
Hometown: Montreal
Ryan Gosling
Actor
Hometown: Cornwall, Ont.
Pascale Hutton
Actor: Arctic Air, CBC
Hometown: Creston, B.C.
Carly Rae Jepsen
Singer, Universal
Hometown: Mission, B.C.
Sean Jones
Singer
Hometown: Toronto
Tanya Kim
Anchor: etalk, CTV
Hometown: Sault Ste. Marie, Ont.
Adam Korson
Actor: Seed, City
Hometown: Thornhill, Ont.
Kristin Kreuk
Actor: Beauty and the Beast, Showcase
Hometown: Vancouver
Amanda Lang
Anchor: The Lang and O’Leary Exchange, CBC
Hometown: Ottawa
Avril Lavigne
Singer, Sony
Hometown: Napanee, Ont.
Dan Levy
Actor: TV/film
Hometown: Toronto
Raine Maida
Singer, Warner
Hometown: Toronto
Rachel McAdams
Actor
Hometown: St. Thomas, Ont.
Kandyse McClure
Actor: Hemlock Grove, Netflix
Hometown: Vancouver
Tracy Moore
Host: Cityline, City
Hometown: Richmond Hill, Ont.
Ashley Diana Morris
Guess! model
Hometown: Toronto
Alanis Morissette
Singer, Collective Sounds
Hometown: Ottawa
Enuka Okuma
Actor: Rookie Blue, Global TV
Hometown: Vancouver
Ellen Page
Actor
Hometown: Halifax
Jessica Paré
Actor: Mad Men, AMC
Hometown: Montreal
Jason Priestley
Actor
Hometown: Vancouver
Milos Raonic
Professional tennis player
Thornhill, Ont.
Lisa Ray
Host: Top Chef Canada, Food Network Canada
Hometown: Toronto
Ryan Reynolds
Actor
Hometown: Vancouver
Ed Robertson
Singer, Warner
Hometown: Toronto
Sonia Rodriguez
Principal dancer, National Ballet of Canada
Hometown: Toronto
Anna Silk
Actor: Lost Girl, Showcase
Hometown: Fredericton
Hannah Simone
Actor: New Girl, City
Hometown: Calgary
Cobie Smulders
Actor: How I Met Your Mother, City
Hometown: Vancouver
Scott Speedman
Actor
Hometown: Toronto
Jessica Stam
Model
Hometown: Kincardine, Ont.
George Stroumboulopoulos
Host: George Stroumboulopoulos Tonight, CBC
Hometown: Toronto
David Sutcliffe
Actor: Cracked, CBC
Hometown: Saskatoon
Shania Twain
Singer, Universal
Hometown: Timmins, Ont.
Emily VanCamp
Actor: Revenge, City
Hometown: Port Perry, Ont.
Cory Vitiello
Executive chef: The Harbord Room
Hometown: Brantford, Ont.
Roz Weston
Senior entertainment reporter, ET Canada, Global TV
Hometown: Acton, Ont.
Ellen Wong
Actor: The Carrie Diaries, City
Hometown: Toronto
Kevin Zegers
Actor
Hometown: Woodstock, Ont.
See the Cover below:
The 124-page Double Issue is now on Newsstands.
(Photo/ credit: Hello! Canada/Sony Music)
For advertising opportunites please contact mrwill@mrwillwong.com