sean penn
#GIVEAWAY: ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN PASSES TO AN ADVANCE SCREENING OF “DADDIO”
Mongrel Media x Mr. Will are thrilled to give Readers a chance to win passes to an Advance Screening of TIFF ’23 selection DADDIO starring Dakota Johnson x Sean Penn!
TORONTO:
Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at 7PM
Cineplex Yonge & Dundas (10 Dundas Street East Suite 402)
VANCOUVER:
Wednesday, June 26, 2024 at 7PM
Cineplex Odeon International Village Cinemas 88 W. Pender St.
To enter for a chance, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK or IG. In the comments state your city and tag a friend!
Rules and regulations here.
Mongrel Media release DADDIO June 28, 2024.
(Photo/video credit: Mongrel Media)
#TIFF23: “DADDIO” REVIEW
By Mr. Will Wong
Writer/Director Christy Hall makes a phenomenal feature debut with a brilliant pair of leads in DADDIO. Though the meter is stopped with a flat rate fare, we never quite know where we are headed as we follow a young woman (Dakota Johnson), boarding a cab at JFK Airport, only to be stuck in traffic. She’s driven by Clark (Sean Penn), a foul-mouth taxi driver who tells it like it is. The two make some playful banter back and forth as we learn about their loves and the roadblocks they have faced.
Hall does a fantastic job taking these two unlikely strangers and giving us a story about meaningful human connection. Clark is able to get to the very core of his passenger, whom while able to hold her own against him as a woman young enough to be his daughter, is pensive and we get glimpses of her world through her text message interactions with a love interest. Through Clark, the young woman is forced to confront some uncomfortable truths about her own life, and she is able to unpeel some layers from Clark‘s tough exterior as surely there’s a story there behind his street smarts and wisdom. Our two leads get more than they could ever have bargained before and their lives are changed forever this one night, borrowing a bit from Sofia Coppola‘s Lost in Translation, which explores some similar themes and emotions.
DADDIO is the type of film that leaves you thinking about it days after and we are simply in love with the performances from Johnson and Penn, whom are both absolutely irresistible. Johnson always manages to leave a bit of mystery in her characters, which leaves us wanting to know more.
DADDIO screens at TIFF ’23:
Sunday, September 10
TIFF Bell Lightbox
Closed captioning
3:00 PM
Thursday, September 14
TIFF Bell Lightbox
Closed captioning
4:00 PM
#CANNES: “BLACK FLIES” REVIEW
By Amanda Gilmore
Sean Penn’s latest is one brutal look into the lives of paramedics in East New York. It follows Ollie (Tye Sheridan) a rookie on the job. At the scene of a shooting, Ollie meets veteran EMT Rut (Penn). From there the two become paired up for Ollie’s first year on the job. Leading to the young paramedic getting a crash course in lifesaving techniques while working with the grizzled New York City veteran.
Black Flies is a raw look at the daily working life of paramedics in Brooklyn. Director Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire doesn’t spare us of just how brutal the job is. And the responsibility it carries — these people are carrying patients’ lives in their hands. It’s a tough and uncomfortable watch as it plays out like a Horror Film about a descent into hell. We watch three different paramedics at different points in their careers.
Ollie is at the very beginning and wants to save people’s lives. He’s shocked at the cruelty and inhumanity he sees every day. Sheridan, who also produces, turns in his greatest performance to date as an EMT attempting to maintain his morality while watching his colleagues lose theirs. There’s enough background given to Ollie that makes us invested in his journey. We hope he holds onto the light.
Rut has been at this for a long time and is at the point of snapping. Penn turns-in a captivating performance as a veteran paramedic who’s basically on his way out. He shows the audience the true struggle of making quick tough decisions. Then there’s Micheal C. Pitt’s character who has already snapped. He tells Ollie that they are the ones who play God as soon as the ambulance doors shut. Stating he decides who lives if he believes they are worthy of it.
Although it’s necessary to have a character who has already hit their breaking point, there are times this character feels like a distraction from the main purpose of the Film. Because Black Flies feels like its intention is to be a love letter to paramedics. The true heroes. Another distraction is the romantic storyline given to Ollie which doesn’t add anything substantial to the narrative.
Black Flies is a Film about the realities and the horror that Paramedics face every day and the mental toll the job takes.
Black Flies screens at Cannes ’23:
Thu May 18 at 10:30PM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE
Fri May 19 at 11:30AM at LICORNE
Fri May 19 at 11:45AM at GRAND THÉÂTRE LUMIÈRE
Fri May 19 at 2PM hat CINEUM IMAX
Sat May 20 at 1PM at CINEUM SCREEN X
Sun May 21 at 9PM at AGNÈS VARDA THEATRE
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#GIVEAWAY: ENTER TO WIN PASSES TO SEE “THE GUNMAN” ACROSS CANADA
Elevation Pictures + Mr. Will want you to see Sean Penn in THE GUNMAN! Screenings take place in Toronto, Vancouver, Ottawa, Calgary, Halifax, Edmonton, Winnipeg and Victoria on Wednesday, March 18 and Thursday, March 19, 2015.
Synopsis:
An ex-special forces government contractor named Jim Terrier (Sean Penn) has his past come back to haunt him when his former employer wants him killed.
From the jungles of Africa to the streets of London and the city of Barcelona, Terrier goes on the run on a mission to find the people who want him dead. To save his life, he has to bring down one of the world’s most powerful organizations and face a dangerous enemy from his past in a high-stakes showdown.
Watch the Trailer:
To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook and state your City.
G’luck Willionaire$!
Elevation Pictures release THE GUNMAN on Friday, March 20, 2015.
(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures)
#SPOTTED: 2014 COSTUME INSTITUTE GALA (MET BALL) HIGHLIGHTS
The 43rd annual Costume Institute Gala was held last night in New York City. The annual Fixture at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art pairs Fashion and Starpower together in a dazzling Red Carpet Affair with a hand-picked A-List of Invitees approved none other than by Vogue Editor-in-Chief Anna Wintour – the most respected and at once feared Woman in the Fashion industry. Earlier in the day, American First Lady Michelle Obama honoured her in a Ceremony at the Venue.
Bringing the focus on influencial Fashion Designer Charles James, Men for the first time ever played a more pronounced role at the Gala. Hugh Jackman, Neil Patrick Harris, Jim Parsons, Benedict Cumberbatch, Jay-Z, Kanye West, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Bradley Cooper – the latter serving as Chair this year, were among the many Hunks gracing the Red Carpet which shut down a portion of Fifth Avenue. A mandate was set by Wintour encouraging Coat Tails and white Bow Ties, most adhering as would best be advisable at the profile-boosting Extravaganza of the highest form.
As always, the Ladies are front and center. Sporting and among the Red Carpet Favourites last included Supermodel Cara Delevingne in a Pantsuit by Stella McCartney, Karolina Kurkova in Marchesa, Lupita Nyong’o in a sparkly green piece by Prada and Blake Lively in Gucci.
The Party didn’t end right there though as the stars came out in full force at the Afterparties around town. It is said Beyoncé and Jay-Z got swarmed by Fans, travelling separately from one Party possibly for their own safety. Sean Penn and Charlize Theron were seen happily out and about as were another new Couple in Michael Sheen and Sarah Silverman. We wonder if there were any moments of awkwardness as Toronto’s own Rachel McAdams also attended; she previously was involved with Sheen. All eyes however were on Lively and Ryan Reynolds as loud cheers were hears upon their cozy displays of affection.
Several were disappointed about Jennifer Lawrence‘s deeply-felt absence despite being scheduled to be dressed in Dior and without Madonna this year, there seemed to be that little bit less enthusiasm in the air.
Some got a bit tipsy as we witnessed Academy Award Nominee Ejiofor getting a bit of help back to his Hotel, as was 20-year-old French Acting Sensation Adèle Exarchopoulos. And was that Tomato Sauce we saw on Lily Allen‘s cheek as she made her way back to her Hotel with a big box of Pizza in-tow?
Personally, we are still giddy about meeting Australian Beauties Naomi Watts and breakout Star Margot Robbie! And did we mention that we got an ultra-rare opportunity to meet the biggest Celebrity in New York right now, Pasty Chef Dominique Ansel? The soon-to-be Author and Beard Honour-receiving Cronut Inventor has the Culinary World and New York City at the palm of his hand. It was also sublime getting to meet Celebrity Photographer of the highest calibre, Mario Testino!
Just some of the Snaps below of whom I got to meet:
Thanks again, New York City for the fun times!
(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)
#COMINGSOON: WATCH THE TRAILER FOR “GANGSTER SQUAD” | GIOVANNI RIBISI TO PROMOTE FILM IN TORONTO
Mob King Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) has Los Angeles at the palm of his hands in the the mid-’40s: the Police, Politicians, Prostitutes and Pimps. What he doesn’t know though is that a secret group of LAPD Outsiders headed by Sargeant John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) and Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling) are hot on his heels and eager to keep the East Coast Mafia out of the City of Angels. The stakes are upped as Jerry becomes involved with Mickey‘s choice Companion in Grace Faraday (Emma Stone).
Directed by Ruben Fleischer (Zombieland), we’ve all been awaiting the arrival of real life-inspired Gangster Squad for quite some time now and its release is just-over a week away. As an interesting tidbit, Screenwriter Will Beall actually just five years ago was working for the LAPD as a Homocide Detective, landing at number seven on 2009’s Black List, honouring the Industry’s best un-produced Screenplays.
If this weren’t exciting enough, Giovanni Ribisi who stars as the technically-inclined Officer Conway Keeler, will be in the City next week to promote the Film!
Watch the Trailer in full below:
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