FIRST TRAILER: "GAME CHANGE" STARRING JULIANNE MOORE AS SARAH PALIN

Still from Game Change

 "It wasn't my fault, I wasn't properly prepped".

Julianne Moore like the brilliant Actress she is, absolutely transforms into Sarah Palin in this intriguing first Trailer for HBO's Game Change. Delving behind-the scenes on the intense relationship between John McCain and the famed former Alaskan Governor, this would appear immediately to a bit more on the satirical side.  One thing's for sure -  Palin isn't portrayed all that favourably from what we see here and if anything, she seems rather unstable. Directed by Jay Roach, Game Change also stars Woody Harrelson, Ron Livingston, Sarah Paulson and Ed Harris.

Watch the Trailer in full below:

Game Change airs on HBO, Saturday, March 10, 2012.

(Photo/video credit: HBO)

WIN 1 OF 3 "THE WAY BACK" PRIZE PACKS!

Alliance Films and Mr. Will-W.:Pop Maven want to give three lucky readers the chance to win The Way Back Prize Packs!  The latest Film from four-time Oscar nominated Director Peter Weir has won the hearts of Critics and opens in theatres Friday, January 21, 2011.

Watch a stellar Cast which includes Ed Harris, Saoirse Ronan, Colin Farrell and Jim Sturgess trek across Siberia fighting for survival with quite literally nothing.  Read my recap of the Toronto Premiere earlier this month right here.

Prize Packs include the original Novel which The Way Back is based upon, Slavomir Rawicz's The Long Walk: The True Story of a Trek to Freedom and passes for two to see the Film nationwide at your own convenience.  

To qualify for the win, just e-mail mrwillw@mrwillw.com with subject header "THE WAY BACK".  Winners will be contacted by Tuesday, January 24, 2011.  Good luck, Mavenati!  

Watch the Trailer below:

"THE WAY BACK" TORONTO PREMIERE WITH DIRECTOR PETER WEIR

Peter Weir & Mr. Will-W.

Four-time Oscar nominated Director and Screenwriter Peter Weir graced Toronto with his presence today, doing Press for his already well-received new Film The Way Back.  Known for acclaimed titles like Green Card, Dead Poets Society, The Witness, The Truman Show and more recently, Master and Commander, Weir is still at the top of his game with this latest effort. 

Although I am unable to post my Review of The Way Back due to a Press Embargo which ends on Release Day, January 21, 2011, I can say for now that the journey for these Siberian Gulag Prisoners is grueling, and in effect cathartic.  This fantastic Ensemble Cast including the likes of Ed Harris, Jim Sturgess, Saoirse Ronan and Colin Farrell put on some tour-de-force performances in an all-out fight for survival across Siberia.

As you might recall, Alliance Films was generous enough to give away passes here last week to a few lucky readers for tonight's Screening at gorgeous Bell Lightbox and it was a pleasure for me to see some familiar faces!  

After visiting CBC for a taping of George Stroumboulopoulous Tonight (airing Thursday) earlier in the day, Weir was kind enough to do a Q&A for the Film, hosted by Canada AM's Richard Crouse.  Fielding questions from the Audience, Weir expressed that he has absolutely no regrets focusing attentions now on relatively more-Commercial releases, compared to some of his earlier work. Like Crouse, Weir is wowed by 16 year-old Atonement Star Saoirse Ronan's professionalism and drive for perfection.  The Australian Director concluded that Ronan who plays Irena, simply is an "Old Soul".  On the Film's Lead Character Janusz played by Jim Sturgess, who delivers a career-best here, Weir acted jokingly insulted about a statement Sturgess made recently on how making this Film was like "making a Movie in the olden days".  In reality, Weir has adapted to the Digital Technology of this era, although he has no interest in making a 3-D Film at this time.

WIN 1 OF 5 PASSES TO TORONTO PREMIERE OF "THE WAY BACK"

Critics are raving about The Way Back, the latest Film from Master and Commander Director Peter Weir.  Its story is about a group of Prisoners who escape a Siberian Penal Camp at the brink of World War II en route to freedom.  Alliance Films wants to give five lucky Mr. Will-W.:Pop Maven readers passes for two to attend an Advanced Screening of the beautifully-cast Film including Jim Sturgess, Ed Harris, Saoirse Ronan and Colin Farrell in Toronto Tuesday, January 12, 2011.  The Screening will be held at the gorgeous TIFF Bell Lightbox at 7:00 PM and four-time Oscar-nominee Director Weir will be in attendance.

If interested, please email mrwillw@mrwillw.com before Saturday, January 8, 2011 at 12:00 PM EST.  Tickets will be sent to you digitally so you must be able to print a copy.  Good luck, Mavenati!

The Way Back hits theatres January 21, 2011.  Which Blog loves you back most? :')

WHAT'S WRONG WITH VIRGINIA REVIEW

Dustin Lance Black

Something's definitely wrong with Virginia.  Milk Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black makes his Directorial debut in What's Wrong With Virginia and I'm going to be as easy on it as I can after seeing a screening of it earlier today at TIFF.

The film revolves around a mentally unstable woman named Virginia (Jennifer Connelly) involved with a married man many years her senior, Dick (Ed Harris).  Dick has political aspirations as the town's Sherriff, but after Virginia manages to convince him that she is pregnant with his baby, he decides to end the affair in fear of derailing his bid.  Meanwhile, Virginia's teenaged son Emmett (Harrison Gilbertson) resents Dick but also at the same time is romantically involved with a girl named Jesse (Emma Roberts) who could well be his biological half-sister, seeing that Virginia devoted herself only to one man for 20 years.

Where What's Wrong with Virginia falls short is a lack of a character development and a clear focus.  I failed to find one character I found engaging, which is odd. Virginia of course is at times comedic in her instability (i.e. running into a bank with a gorilla mask, gun and a dress) and endearing in her fragility, but one finds it difficult to empathize with her as we never get the opportunity to know her or her back story.  The story line of forbidden love involving Emmett and Jesse lacks any heart or tension, as is the case with Dick and Virginia; we never tap into their psyches nor do we understand what draws them to one another.

JENNIFER CONNELLY IN DUSTIN LANCE BLACK'S WHAT'S WRONG WITH VIRGINIA AT TIFF

Jennifer Connelly arrives at Pre-party for new film What's Wrong with Virginia

Is there anything more lovely than Jennifer Connelly?  The brilliant actress arrived at Swarovski at Yonge x Bloor this afternoon to party along with the cast of Milk Screenwriter Dustin Lance Black's directorial debut, What's Wrong with Virginia.  Also in attendance today were the amazing Ed Harris who plays the man whom she has a scandalous longtime affair with in the film, Yeardley Smith (yes, the voice of Lisa on The Simpsons) and newcomer Harrison Gilbertson.  Emma Roberts who also stars in the film, unfortunately did not attend after partaking in TIFF festivities this past weekend.

What's Wrong with Virginia premiered tonight at VISA Screening Room and I will be reviewing the film tomorrow.  On her way out, I managed to nab an autograph from the stunning actress, who was surprisingly generous.

Check out more photos below from the Pre-party and Premiere: