An absolute joy being able to ring-in TIFF ’15 at the TIFF 40 Soiree tonight with none other than Natalie Portman. The Academy Award winner before an intimate audience reflected upon a massively-successful career which began at the age of 11 – just a girl from Long Island –  in Luc Besson‘s The Professional.  We received an extra-special surprise later in the conversation with TIFF Artistic Director Cameron Bailey as Black Swan Director Darren Aranofsky made an appearance too.

Several local talents came out to show their support for the affair, gracing the Red Carpet at TIFF Bell Lightbox including Patrick J. Adams, Amanda Brugel, Kristian Bruun,Megan Follows, Natalie Brown, Kristin Booth, Sarah Gadon and many more.

Portman shed some light on her career, admitting a bit of embarrassment after a clip of The Professional played in the background. “I’ve got to be more forgiving on my 11-year-old self”.  She adds that fortunately her childhood was free of unsettling things, especially after hearing stories from some of her colleagues who were child actors who saw drugs or experienced weird passes made at them.  “My parents were always hovering, but they gave me this great freedom to do whatever I wanted.”.

She admits she wasn’t quite thinking about her career path and more just happy to get a job acting when she was cast in The Professional, stating “I have always loved singing, dancing and putting on shows for the family. A lot of kids form Long Island would do commercials and put it into a college fund.  I knew a lot of kids who had agents, so I begged my parents to get me an agent. I think it was pure chance my first job I got a good director.”.

On her role in Beautiful Girls in which she starred opposite a Timothy Hutton, disarming him much like her character in Garden State, she says “It is a trope of cinema to have a very, very young girl disarm a much older man. She’s nubile and wise beyond her years. It’s not particularly a good trend.  It (Beautiful Girls) was more screenwriters writing a fantasy of a young girl who an intellectual equal.”.

Portman openly admits to being a huge fan of the series Broad City, but admits she has some changed feelings now about her performance in Garden State. “Some of the coolest people I know hated Garden State, so that’s got me feeling a little bit insecure.”.

After a bit of time away starting a family, she now is ready to re-immerse herself as an Actress and we wait with great anticipation.

The Actress-turned-Director is set to premiere her directorial debut at Elgin Theatre tomorrow night, a Biopic about Israeli Author Amos Oz called A Tale of Love and Darkness.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

With TIFF ’15 about to kick-off in one day, we asked our resident panel of film lovers which films they were most excited for at the Festival this year!  Check-out top selections below from David Baldwin, Jonathan Godfrey, Justin Waldman, George Kozera and me!

Of course we will have Reviews posted right here throughout the Festival, so be sure to check-back daily throughout the Festival September 10-20th for the latest!

DAVID BALDWIN

1. The Witch – super excited for this one. The buzz keeps building for this terrifying film, and it pains me that I need to wait until the end of the festival to see it!

2. Room – I read a one sentence synopsis and was hooked.

3. Green Room – Genuinely enjoyed Jeremy Saulnier’s slow-burn thriller Blue Ruin when I saw it at TIFF’13, and have been waiting for a follow-up ever since. Hoping it does not disappoint as this year’s Midnight Madness opening night film.

4. Love – I nearly had a seizure watching Enter the Void a few years back. So when Gaspar Noé’s said he wanted to make a movie with “blood, cum and tears,” and that movie is in 3D, then how can I say no?

5. Anomalisa – the cinematic return of the brilliant and enigmatic Charlie Kaufman. I was thrown off initially by it being animated and filmed in stop-motion, but now it just intrigues me endlessly.

JONATHAN GODFREY

1. Last year I went into TIFF with a focus on France, whereas this year if my focus is anywhere it’s on China. First and foremost I’m dying to see The Assassin. This Tang Dynasty epic about a lovelorn hitman looks absolutely breathtaking.

2. On that note, I’m also eager to see Office. In a category all its own, Office is a 3D musical whose songs sing of love, loss and capitalist corruption.

3. On the other side of the continent comes Kill Your Friends. Starring Nicholas Hoult, it is the tale of an A&R’s ruthless quest to become the king of Britpop.

4. Also taking place in Jolly ol’ England is Legend. Starring Tom Hardy as both Kray twins, Legend is inspired by the rise of their criminal empire.

5. Last but not least is The Lobster. This oddly-titled film follows an equally odd narrative wherein its characters must find a mate or be transformed into an animal.

Those are my top five picks for TIFF ’15, with Angry Indian Goddesses being a very close sixth. The film about a group of Goan women discussing their storied lives is not to be overlooked. All in all it looks like another great year at the Festival of Festivals, one that I am happy to cover alongside Mr. Will‘s Crew.

JUSTIN WALDMAN

1. Room. Because of all the hype its been getting out of Teluride and when isn’t Brie Larson absolutely incredible?

2. Anomalisa. CHARLIE FREAKING KAUFMAN

3. High-Rise. Ben Wheatly directing Tom Hiddleston, what else can someone want?

4. Family Fang. Bateman’s first directorial debut, Bad Words was rib-splitting fun, hopefully his second time out is just as enjoyable.

5. Demolition. Hotly-anticipated new film from Jean-Marc Vallée starring Jake Gyllenhaal who has proven to be excellent in everything he’s been in of late.

GEORGE KOZERA

In the blink of an eye, the 2015 Toronto International Film Festival has arrived and now in its 40th year, the Festival promises to be bigger than better the year.  Loaded with megawatts of star-power, we promise to be there every step of the way, giving you some of the most intimate access in the City to the Festival!

Before the TIFF 40/TIFF ’15 begins, we want to take a moment to thank our partners, many who are returning once again to show their support for the MR. WILL WONG brand!  This is our sixth year blogging and we certainly are showing no signs of stopping.  Star-spottings, Giveaways, Film Reviews and buzz. Our Team including Jonathan Godfrey, Justin Waldman, David Baldwin, George Kozera and myself have previewed some of the hottest titles at the Festival in advance so you’ll know which Films should be on your radars this Award season. We’ll be right in the thick of things with our unique perspective and you’ll be right in the know.

We’d like to thank:

CP24: For the seventh consecutive year, we are partnering with ultra-popular CP24 for up-to-the-minute celebrity sightings around the City! I’ll be in studio and catching-up with the station throughout the Festival, so be sure to tune-in!  In the past we’ve appeared also on affiliates like Virgin Radio 99.9 and CTV News, so don’t be surprised that literally we’re everywhere again this TIFF!

ITV & TOURISM TORONTO: For the first time ever we’re appearing on television in the U.K. and we’re thrilled to have worked together with iTV and Tourism Toronto to draw focus on the excitement our City has to offer during TIFF, with a feature spot on popular morning program GOOD MORNING BRITAIN.

TYRRELLS: Made from the aristocratic potatoes of England, Tyrrells rapidly is gaining a reputation as the perfect chip for entertaining! What makes them unique is their intense taste, crunch and the fact they contain just a sliver of skin for that real potato authenticity. Flavours include Lightly Sea Salted, Sea Salt & Cider Vinegar, Sweet Chili  & Red Pepper, Mature Cheddar & Chives, Sea Salt & Black Pepper, Worcestershire Sauce & Sundried Tomato and Vegetable Chips! Learn more here.   Your friends and family will know you went that extra mile if they know you serve Tyrrells!

FORD CANADA: We’re a huge fan of Ford  and once again they are on-board with us for TIFF 40/TIFF ’15!  We’ll be driving in style this Festival in a fuel-efficient Ford Focus, which meets out biggest need – compactness and fuel-efficiency – to a t. We won’t miss a step this Festival thanks to Ford Canada.  See our sweet ride in all its loaded glory here.

SONY PICTURES HOME ENTERTAINMENT CANADA: This year we’re giving our Readers a chance to win a couple awesome new English-themed releases in celebration of the City to City Programme’s focus on London.  Although wildly-popular OUTLANDER Season 1, Volume 1 has already captivated fans, we’re giving you a chance to win also Volume 2 (out Tuesday, September 29, 2015) on DVD!  Documentary LAMBERT & STAMP (in stores now) also gives us an intimate look at one of England’s most beloved rock outfits, The Who.

H&M CANADA: We love H&M and estimate that 90% 100% of our wardrobe is in fact H&M. They aren’t afraid of taking risks, have a bit of fun and continue to offer amazing value to Canada’s fashion-conscious. We are excited for you to see some the fun fashions we picked-out from their Fall/Winter 2015 Collection on our Social Media channels, during the Festival!  We can’t wait for Katy Perry‘s holiday campaign! See some of their hottest new looks here!

HOTEL NOVOTEL TORONTO CENTRE: Billy and I dream of our cozy bed at Hotel Novotel Toronto Centre and can’t wait to enjoy what little sleep we intend to get at TIFF 40/TIFF ’15 this year.  The Hotel is minutes from the thick of it all and their amazing facilities include Wi-Fi, a gym, accessible parking, pool and amazing breakfast buffet at Cafe Nicole offer exceptional value for anyone visiting Toronto during the Festival.  Best of all, they’re pet-friendly (yay for Billy)!  It’s always reassuring knowing this as we often stress about our loved ones with those long hours during TIFF. Learn more here.

NIKON CANADA: We get tons of compliments on our photography and wouldn’t have been able to do it without the support of Nikon Canada and our amazing D3300 HDSLR. We’re gonna take you that extra bit closer with their generosity, helping stay connected with our latest Photo updates via a  WU-1a wireless mobile adapter and also a zoom lens. Can you handle that level of intimacy?  You’ll basically be right beside the likes of Natalie Portman, Johnny Depp and Matt Damon! More here.

SAMSUNG CANADA: Staying connected is important and there could only be one phone for the job, the Samsung Galaxy S6 with its spacious screen and quick-charge adapter.  We’re thrilled to use this TIFF 40/TIFF ’15 and most of our blogging and Social Media will be done through this amazing Smartphone!  More here.

But most of all you, thank you Willionaire$ for your making us a part of your day these past six years!  We are grateful and appreciative!

Your chance to #win a v. English Prize Pack, in celebration of #TIFF15! Link in Bio! #Giveaway #Contest #Toronto #TheSix #Tyrrells #Outlander #LambertandStamp #London #England #TIFF40 #TorontoFilmFestival

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Sep 7, 2015 at 11:59am PDT

Now for a bit of fun, we’re giving one v. English Prize Pack including every flavour of Tyrrells Hand Crafted English Crisps, plus copies of LAMBERT & STAMP and OUTLANDER (Season 1, Volumes 1&2 on DVD)!  To enter to win, simply click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook!

Be following on Social Media:

Instagram: @MRWILLWONG

Twitter: @MRWILLW

Facebook: MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK

(Photo credit: Samsung Canada, Nikon Canada, Ford Canada, Sony Pictures Home Entertainment Canada, H&M Canada, Tyrrells, Hotel Novotel Downtown Centre)

After a phenomenal reception in the UK, NORTHERN SOUL is set to make its debut here at TIFF ’15!

Official Synopsis:

The film offers an extensive look into the underground soul music scene in the UK during the 1970s, a scene that Constantine is personally familiar with. As a much-needed escape from the realities of working class teenage life, John (Elliot James Langridge) and Matt (Josh Whitehouse) fall in love with soul music with the intentions of travelling Stateside in search of rare vintage vinyl in the pursuit of becoming DJs.

Watch the Trailer:

Poster:

See at TIFF ’15 at:
Fri Sep 18 9:00 PM
RYERSON THEATRE

Sat Sep 19 4:00 PM
SCOTIABANK 10

(Photo/video credit: Search Engine Films)

In addition to an exciting series of In Conversation-Withs (Julianne Moore, Sarah Silverman, Salma Hayek, Matthew Weiner and more) and the official #TIFF15 Schedule being announced today, the moment we’ve been waiting for has come. The confirmed stars list!

Although we’re on the road right now and blogging from our Samsung Galaxy S6, here is your list!

Your list of Stars attending #TIFF15. #TIFF40 #TorontoFilmFestival

A photo posted by Mr. Will Wong (@mrwillwong) on Aug 25, 2015 at 10:12am PDT

Although we are bummed about no Cate, we are thrilled for Kate, Sandra, Penelope, Johnny, Natalie and both Toms!

Start organizing your schedule now if you haven’t already!

Click here to download.

Just 14 more days!!!

(Photo credit: TORONTO INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL)

It’s that time of the year again and we couldn’t be more thrilled with this initial batch of Films announced as part of the TIFF ’15 (aka #TIFF40, now in its 40th year) Lineup. The annual unveiling took place at TIFF Bell Lightbox as Filmlovers and Industry types awaited eagerly as titles were announced at 10:00 AM.

Although the Celebrity and Filmmaker Guest List is still to come, thus far we can expect A-Listers like Johnny Depp, Matt Damon, Tom Hardy, Michael Caine, Helen Mirren, Jake Gyllenhaal, Rachel McAdams, Sandra Bullock, Kristen Stewart, Eddie Redmayne, Tom Hiddleston, Kate Winslet, Liam Hemsworth, Emily Blunt, Julianne Moore, Jessica Chastain and several, several, more.

In addition, there will be several exciting Documentaries including Davis Guggenheim‘s latest, He Called Me Malala and two about Horse Racing, Being Ap and Dark Horse.

DEMOLITION has been announced as the Opening Night Gala, from Canadian Director Jean–Marc Vallée, who has brought us delights WILD and DALLAS BUYERS CLUB in recent years.  And it would appear once again we have eclectic mix of Films from all around the World, ranging from The Danish Girl from Oscar-winning Director Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) which sees Oscar Winner Eddie Redmayne in a transgender role, to gritty Dramas like BLACK MASS starring Johnny Depp as Gangster Whitey Bulger and highly-buzzed SICARIO from Canadian Director Denis Villeneuve (Prisoners) about an FBI Agent caught in a dangerous Mexican cross-border sting.  Emily Blunt is getting tons of Oscar buzz for her performance in this and this will mark a pivotal moment in her campaign trail at the TIFF.

Closing Night Gala looks to end on a light-hearted note with Paco Gazeba‘s MR. RIGHT starring Anna Kendrick and Sam Rockwell.

London also has been chosen as the city of focus in this year’s City to City Programme with Films starring Nicholas Hoult and Tom Hardy being featured.

Also just announced is an opening night Charity Soirée with Academy Award Winner Natalie Portman where she talks about her successful career and upcoming work.  Tickets range from $350 to $650. Details here.

As part of TIFF‘s  new Primetime Programme, showcasing Television for the first time, we learned that NBC‘s Toronto-filmed HEROES: REBORN will be premiering its first episode in its two-hour entirety at the Festival.

Whether it be part of Documentaries, Special Presentations or Gala Presentations, here are some of the highlights to rock the City this September.

45 YEARS (Andrew Haigh)

ABOUT RAY (Gaby Dellal)

BEASTS OF NO NATION (Cary Fukunaga)

BEEBA BOYS (Deepa Mehta)

BEING AP (Anthony Wonke)

BEING CHARLIE (Rob Reiner)

BLACK MASS (Scott Cooper)

BORN TO BE BLUE (Robert Budreau)

BOXING (Grayson Moore, Aidan Shipley)

BROOKLYN (John Crowley)

COLONIA (Florian Gallenberger)

THE DANISH GIRL (Tom Hooper)

DARK HORSE (Louise Osmond)

THE DAUGHTER (Simon Stone)

DISORDER (Alice Winocour)

DEMOLITION (Jean-Marc Vallée) 

THE DRESSMAKER (Jocelyn Moorhose)

EQUALS (Drake Doremus)

EYE IN THE SKY (Gavin Hood)

THE FINAL GIRLS (Todd Strauss-Schulson)

FREEHELD (Peter Sollett)

THE FAMILY FANG (Jason Bateman)

FORSAKEN (Jon Cassar)

THE GIRL IN PHOTOGRAPHS (Nick Simon)

GREEN ROOM (Nick Saulnier)

HE NAMED ME MALALA (Davis Guggenheim)

HIGH-RISE (Ben Wheatley)

HYENA ROAD (Paul Gross)

I SAW THE LIGHT (Marc Abraham)

I SMILE BACK (Adam Salky)

IT’S NOT YOU (Don McKellar)

JANIS: BLUE LITTLE GIRL (Amy Berg)

JE SUIS CHARLIE (Daniel Leconte, Emmanuel Leconte)

KILL YOUR FRIENDS (Owen Harris)

KILO TWO BRAVO (Paul Katis)

THE LADY IN THE VAN (Nicolas Hynter)

LEGEND (Brian Helgeland)

LEN AND COMPANY (Tim Godsall)

THE LOBSTER (Yorgos Lanthimos)

LOLO (Julie Delpy)

LONDON FIELDS (Matthew Cullen)

LONDON ROAD (Rufus Norris)

LOUDER THAN BOMBS (Joachim Trier)

MAGGIE’S PLAN (Rebecca Miller)

MAN DOWN (Dito Montiel)

THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY (Matthew Brown)

THE MARTIAN (Ridley Scott)

THE MEDDLER (Lorraine Scafaria)

MISS SHARON JONES! (Barbara Kopple)

MISSISSIPPI GRIND (Ryan Fleck and Anna Boden)

MISS YOU ALREADY (Catherine Hardwicke)

MOUNTAINS MAY DEPART (Jia Zhang-ke)

MR. RIGHT (Paco Gazeba)  – Closing Night Gala

OFFICE (Johnnie To)

THE ONES BELOW (David Farr)

OUR BRAND IS CRISIS (David Gordon Green)

THE PROGRAM (Stephen Frears)

THE REFLEKTOR TAPES (Kahlil Joseph)

REMEMBER (Atom Egoyan)

ROOM (Lenny Abrahamson)

SEPTEMBERS OF SHIRAZ (Wayne Blair)

SICARIO (Denis Villeneuve)

SPOTLIGHT (Tom McCarthy) – didn’t Rachel McAdams hint at us first it would be at TIFF?

STONEWALL (Roland Emmerich)

A TALE OF LOVE AND DARKNESS (Natalie Portman)

A TALE OF THREE CITIES (Mabel Cheung)

TRUMBO (Jay Roach)

TRUTH (James Vanderbilt)

UN PLUS UNE (Claude Lelouch)

WHERE TO INVADE NEXT (Michael Moore)

THE WITCH (Robert Eggers)

WOMEN HE’S DRESSED (Gillian Armstrong)

YOUTH (Paolo Sorrentino) – NSFW Trailer

Complete list of Titles complete Synopses announced thus far here.

Just 14 more days to go! Final titles to be announced in a week.

(Photo credit: eOne Films/Warner Bros./Studio Canal/Majestic Filmproduktion/20th Century Fox)

By Justin Waldman

The 2015 TriBeCa Film Festival ran from April 15-26, 2015 in beautiful Tribeca, New York and I attended for the first time ever! What originally drew me into travelling for 10 days to New York City for this incredible Film Festival co-founded by Robert DeNiro to bring people back downtown New York after the tragedies of 9/11, were the conversations, or Tribeca Talks: Director Series that was announced in the middle of March, just a mere month before the Festival. The booking and scouring to look-up Films, allow time to line up and travel, and build a schedule with no backups had begun.

The Tribeca Talks: Director Series that was just aforementioned including one hour Conversations with George Lucas moderated by Stephen Colbert, Christopher Nolan moderated by Bennett Miller, Cary Fukunaga moderated by James Schumer, and last not certainly not least, Brad Bird moderated by Janeane Garofalo. These Talks were not only incredible for their insight, but they were beyond entertaining and masterful. The 60 minutes flew-by in what felt like seconds, but the entire time was surreal, something that words cannot merely describe.

As well, the selection of seemingly endless Movies was unfathomable. There were so many great choices, and promising options, most of which turned out to be extremely fun and enjoyable while others fell short of that standard. Some of the highlights were: Leslye Headland’s Sleeping with Other People starring Alison Brie and Jason Sudeikis. This Movie was absolutely hysterical as it steered from the typical Romantic Comedy norms and clichés, and provided new laughs and nuances that truly made this RomCom stand-out from the crowd. Hopefully it gets a Canadian release, and if it unfortunately does not it will be released on VOD 90 days after its opening in Cinemas. Other standouts included Man Up from Director Ben Palmer which paired Simon Pegg and Lake Bell together in an unseeingly-perfect Romantic Comedy as well. I swear I did not just see Romcoms at TriBeCa. Ashby from Director Tony McNamara is another extremely funny, brilliant, Dark Comedy featuring Mickey Rourke, Nat Wolff and Emma Roberts. The Film focuses on Wolff and Rourke who is a former Assassin and how the manage to enrich one another’s life.

The TriBeCa Film Festival also features an after the Movie discussion for certain Titles, not that the new Movies don’t have Q&As but rather they take older Movies and bring back Cast and Crew for a 45 minute discussion about the Movie and some insider information regarding the Project. The one that I was lucky enough to attend was Gus Van Sant’s brilliant Good Will Hunting. Minnie Driver, Gus Van Sant and Stellan Skarsgård were in attendance for this post movie talk and included a lot of information about Robin Williams on the set. This moved most of the Audience to laughter and tears. Some of the most memorable moments were when Skarsgård revealed that the first take of the scene between Williams and Skarsgård in the bar, Robin did the entire Role in his Nicholson impersonation. Another memorable tidbit was from Driver who reveled that the focus puller was terrible and could not be fired because he was related to someone high up so he referred to him as Helen… Keller. Moments like these unknown facts are what make for great memories.

TriBeCa was an incredible experience, which offered a ton of excitement in an array of events geared to true Film Lovers. These separate ticketed events are something that would be classified as once in a lifetime. Events such as Mary J. Blige’s Documentary The London Sessions, followed by her performing a live Concert, or a showing of Monty Python and the Holy Grail followed by a Talk with Monty Python. However, the Closing Night Film was the piece DE résistance. Goodfellas’ 25th Anniversary Screening in the new 4K restoration with a post-Screening Discussion with Robert DeNiro, Ray Liotta, Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino, moderated by Jon Stewart. That was a memory never to be duplicated.

TriBeCa was a delight to attend, and a Festival I cannot wait to experience again next year!

Audio from this year’s Director Series below:

Christopher Nolan

Cary Fukunaga

George Lucas

Brad Bird

(Photo credit: Justin Waldman)

Everybody at TIFF ’14 was talking about TOP FIVE, seen by many as Chris Rock’s big comeback.  Paramount Pictures Canada and Mr. Will want to take Readers in Montreal and Toronto to see the Comedy directed, produced by and starring the Funnyman, before it hits theatres!  Screenings take place in Toronto on Monday, December 8, 2014 at 7:00 PM and Montreal on Wednesday, December 10, 2014 at 7:30 PM.

 Synopsis:

Pulsing with the rhythm of his greatest stand-up, Chris Rock’s TOP FIVE takes things to the next level, reveling in the high and the low, and blending a star-studded comedic romp with an irresistible romance. TOP FIVE digs under the surface of show business, politics, rap, and the exigencies of being black and famous today—holding it all up to the light in the way only Chris Rock can. Mingling echoes of Woody Allen and Dick Gregory with the energy of Kanye West and Jay Z, TOP FIVE is an original and radically new kind of American movie.

TOP FIVE stars Rosario Dawson, Gabrielle Union, J.B. Smoove, Sherri Shepherd,  Cedric the Entertainer, Kevin Hart, Jay Pharoah and several other surprise turns!

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at Mr. Will on Facebook.Indicate for me which City you’re from. For an extra chance, share this Post from Facebook with your Friends or Re-Tweet the below:

http://www.mrwillwong.com/topfive @MRWILLW wants us to #win Passes to see #TOPFIVE in #Toronto + #Montreal.  Out 12/12!

Good luck, Willionaire$!

See the Trailer below:

Official Artwork:

Mr. Will + The Cast of TOP FIVE in Toronto:

Paramount Pictures Canada release TOP FIVE on Friday, December 12, 2014!

(Photo/video credit: Paramount Pictures Canada/Mr. Will Wong)

Now in its 39th year, TIFF ’14 kicked-off with an Opening Night Gala at none other than TIFF BELL LIGHTBOX.  Ringing-in the celebrations was Acting Icon Al Pacino who did a Q&A with George Stroumboulopoulos, discussing everything from his childhood to what he looks for in a project now.  The Godfather Star says without ever a doubt he always knew he would be a Movie Star, encouraged by a Grade School Teacher who noted to his Grandmother his talent at a young age.  “I feel like I am doing Films I feel are reflective of where I am in my life.”, states Pacino.

The New York-born-Los Angeles Transplant is at TIFF ’14 with two new Films, The Humbling and Manglehorn.  Arriving on the Red Carpet tonight with his Girlfriend Lucia Sola, Pacino admits the former is subject close to him.  The Film is about a suicidal Actor and a younger Woman’s sexual relationship.   “Manglehorn challenged me to do something different”, he says about the other Drama which seems him starring as a Locksmith in a small town, never quite getting over the love of his life.

The Star got candid about his childhood and relationship with his estranged Father whom had married five times.  Although he didn’t get to know his Father Sal well as a Child, he recalls distinctly understanding what it felt like for the first time feeling his Father’s spirit covering him after his death.  He remembers feeling so moved that he had been stopped in his tracks.

In addition, an Auction was held for the charitable Organization afterward, one prize including a shadowing opportunity with TIFF‘s Chief Executive Officer Piers Handling. Among those ringing-in the festivities tonight were a Who’s-Who of Canadian Talent including Sandra Oh (Grey’s Anatomy), Sarah Gadon (Maps to the Stars),  Gabriel Macht (Suits), Don McKellar (Sensitive Skin), Colm Feore (The Borgias), Eric Johnson (Rookie Blue), Gregory Smith (Rookie Blue) and Newlyweds Zachary Levi (Chuck) and Missy Peregrym (Rookie Blue); Peregrym looked dazzling head-to-toe in Intermix.

TIFF ’14 has finally arrived, running Thursday, September 4, 2014 through Sunday September 14, 2014!

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

While we’re still waiting on a final list of Films and Celebrities to grace our City for TIFF ’14, Mr. Will‘s Dream Team had the chance to catch-up over Dinner tonight to share our excitement about our favourite Festival!  Running Wednesday, September 4 – Sunday, September 14, 2014, you can expect us to be front-row and center with unparalleled access to the Films and Stars which make TIFF basically, the greatest Festival on Earth!

We must take a moment to thank our Friends Jonathan Godfrey, Justin Waldman and David Baldwin who have played an instrumental role this past year delivering Fan-friendly Reviews of the latest Movies to hit theatres.  Without them, how else would we know what to take a chance on at the Box Office?  Together, we give you a snapshot of what’s worth your time, whether it be Indie Films to 3-D Blockbusters.

For the past five years, Mr. Will Wong has developed from a humble Blogspot Page to a real online experience for our Readers.  We love engaging you Willionaire$, taking you  to the hottest Advance Screenings throughout the Country and taking you along for a ride through our journeys spotting Stars around the City.  Earlier this year we even took you to Los Angeles and New York City!  This TIFF, we want to be your #1 Go-To in helping you pick-out the Award-worthy Films and give you unparalleled intimate access to the Stars with our Snaps!  These past five years have been an amazing ride and we look forward to another amazing ride this TIFF!

Whether it be Jon’s obsession with Kristen Stewart, Dave‘s quest to be Miles Teller‘s BFF or Justin‘s Michael Shannon meltdown, we’re all truly Fans of Cinema and the Stars underneath it all and we hope you’re just as thrilled as we are!

Without further a do, here are our Picks for TIFF ’14: