CILLIAN MURPHY & RODRIGO CORTÉS IN TORONTO FOR "RED LIGHTS"

Cillian Murphy & Rodrigo Cortés in Toronto - June 2012

Notoriously press-shy, acclaimed Irish-born/London-based Actor Cillian Murphy returned to the same City where he filmed Red Lights last April. Murphy just arrived in Toronto along with Director/Writer Rodrigo Cortés (Buried) to promote the Sci-Fi/Thriller which centers around Research Assistant Tom Buckley (Murphy) and Psychologist Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver). The Duo are known for their work uncovering Paranormal Hoaxes.  After having disappeared for several years, renowned Psychic Simon Silver (Robert DeNiro) resurfaces but soon becomes the target of an Investigation from Margaret and Tom who are determined to prove for once and for all that he has no supernatural abilities.

Moviegoers got a special treat at TIFF Bell Lightbox, getting a chance to interact with both Cortés and Murphy following Red Lights' Canadian Premiere.  Cortés tells the intimate Audience that much of what drives the Film along is the power of Doubt.  That is, even though we might be fully convinced that the Paranormal might not truly exist, the remote possibility of it existing is enough to trigger dialogue and thought on the matter. And Red Lights indeed is one of those Films which make you think after the Credits roll.

Praised by Cortés as being "The Only Actor who can turn a Romantic-Comedy into a Horror at the blink of an eye", we learned that a selective Murphy first and foremost was draw to the Film by its solid Script. In preparation for this Film had visited Las Vegas and worked closely with Paranormal Debunker James Randi (who was born in Toronto), while also receiving an abundance of Reading Material from Cortés. "Ultimately, it becomes about Characters", says Murphy. "You have to concentrate on what's driving the character. The Psychology of the characters - the emotions. That's what becomes the most important part.".

Watch a Clip of Cortés and Murphy speaking below:

ENTER TO WIN PASSES TO THE CANADIAN PREMIERE OF "RED LIGHTS"



Red Lights Official Artwork

Mr. Will-W.:Pop Maven & Alliance Films want to give ten lucky Readers Double Passes to see the Canadian Premiere of Rodrigo Cortés' Red Lights.  The Event takes place at TIFF Bell Lightbox on Wednesday, June 27, 2012 and both Cortés and the brilliant Cillian Murphy are expected to attend!

Shot partly in Toronto, Red Lights centers around two Investigators of Paranormal Hoaxes, the veteran Dr. Margaret Matheson (Sigourney Weaver) and her young Assistant, Tom Buckley (Murphy), study the most varied Metaphysical Phenomena with the aim of proving their fraudulent origin.

Simon Silver (Robert De Niro), a legendary blind psychic, reappears after an enigmatic absence of 30 years to become the greatest international challenge for both Orthodox science and professional skeptics.

Tom starts to develop an intense obsession with Silver, whose magnetism becomes stronger with each new manifestation of inexplicable events. As Tom gets closer to Silver, tension mounts, and his worldview is threatened to its core.

Watch the Trailer for Red Lights in full below:

"JOHN CARTER" LOS ANGELES PREMIERE PHOTOS

Taylor Kitsch in Los Angeles for Premiere of John Carter

Although it doesn't open till March 9, 2012, Walt Disney Motion Pictures' John Carter had its Premiere in Los Angeles last night at Regal Cinemas L.A. Live and attending were the likes of Helen Mirren, Willem Dafoe, Zendaya Coleman, Bella Thorne, Dermot Mulroney, Frankie Muniz, Lynn Collins, Sigourney Weaver, Bryan Cranston and of course its Canadian Star, Taylor Kitsch who will see a huge 2012 with this and also Battleship on its way. 

Although it is possibly just hearsay, there are hopes of Kitsch coming home for a bit of Press for the $250-million release.  Nothing has been confirmed just yet.

The official Synopsis for John Carter is as follows:

"From Academy Award®–winning filmmaker Andrew Stanton comes John Carter—a sweeping action-adventure set on the mysterious and exotic planet of Barsoom (Mars). John Carter is based on a classic novel by Edgar Rice Burroughs, whose highly imaginative adventures served as inspiration for many filmmakers, both past and present. The film tells the story of war-weary, former military captain John Carter (Taylor Kitsch), who is inexplicably transported to Mars where he becomes reluctantly embroiled in a conflict of epic proportions amongst the inhabitants of the planet, including Tars Tarkas (Willem Dafoe) and the captivating Princess Dejah Thoris (Lynn Collins). In a world on the brink of collapse, Carter rediscovers his humanity when he realizes that the survival of Barsoom and its people rests in his hands.". 

See more Photos from the Red Carpet below:

"RED LIGHTS", "ARBITRAGE" & "ROBOT AND FRANK" GARNERING BUZZ AT SUNDANCE

Still from Red Lights

Filmed partly in Toronto, Director Rodrigo Cortés' Red Lights is getting a fair amount of positive buzz out of the Sundance Film Festival.  Described as "campy" and "over-the-top" by New York Magazine, the Thriller starring Sigourney Weaver, Elizabeth Olsen, Cillian Murphy and Robert DeNiro is about a Psychologist and her Assistant who study Paranormal Activity, being led to a world-renowned Psychic in Barcelona.  Alliance Films has picked-up this one, although there still isn't a set release date.  Will we be seeing this one at TIFF this September?

Richard Gere is no stranger to covering-up a secret or two. In 2002's Chicago, he played Billy Flynn - a top Lawyer hired to defend to Murderesses and also that year he starred in Unfaithful as a Husband who murders his Wife's Lover, rolling him up in a rug and throwing him in garbage dump.  Gere is gaining a ton of buzz at Sundance so far with his latest Drama, Arbitrage, which has him not only concealing his some financial wrong-doings at work, but also the death of his Mistress.  Juicy.  The New York Post also is raving that this juts might be the Actor's best performance ever.

Frank Langella and James Marsden star in Robot and Frank, a futuristic Comedy about and aged former-Jewel Thief whose Son employs a Robot to spend time with him.  New York Magazine already is calling the Film a "gem".

UPDATE: Abritrage was sold to Lionsgate Films and Roadside Attractions on January 25, 2012 for a reported $2.5 million. This might mean that Alliance Films will be distributing in Canada, seeing that they acquired Maple Pictures last year, which had a direct deal with Lionsgate.

(Photo credit: Nostromo Pictures)

ELIZABETH OLSEN & SIGOURNEY WEAVER IN TORONTO FOR "RED LIGHTS"

Elizabeth Olsen & Mr. Will-W.

Don't even doubt that 22 year-old Elizabeth Olsen already is one of the hottest new names in Hollywood. The younger Sister of Multimedia Queens Mary-Kate & Ashley is just now working on her third Feature Film Red Lights, a Thriller directed by Rodrigo Cortés (Buried). Only recently did she win accolades for her work in Horror The Silent House at this year's Sundance Film Festival in Park City.  She also goes by Lizzie.

Olsen, who graduated from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts (yes, the School of Lady Gaga) not long ago, stars in Red Lights as the love interest of Cillian Murphy. The Film is about a Psychologist named Margaret (Sigourney Weaver) who with her Assistant Tom (Murphy) study Paranormal Activity.  They then travel to Spain, visiting a world-renowned Psychic (Robert DeNiro).

Although a majority of filming for the Movie has taken place in Barcelona, two weeks' worth of Production was completed Toronto. Olsen wrapped early today and was actually a bit surprised to see that she had Fans asking for Autographs and wanting to take a Photo with her.  "Ugh, I look like a mess!", she chuckled.  Still though, she was incredibly friendly about posing for Photos as opposed to her Co-Star Murphy who was reported to be a little more shy about being photographed.  Filming wrapped officially after midnight with Olsen being the first to finish today; Murphy was the last to leave the Set at Pinewood Studios this evening.

SIGOURNEY WEAVER SPOTTED IN TORONTO FOR "RED LIGHTS"

Sigourney Weaver - TIFF 2007

Too awesome!  Walking in and around Union Station today after work, I spotted none other than a low-key Sigourney Weaver bundled-up in her puffy black Winter Coat.  The three-time Academy Award nominee is in-town til the end of the week filming Rodrigo Cortes' Red Lights. She was holding what looked like some Dinner in a brown Paper Bag from Richtree Market.  Yum.

There was nothing Diva about her, as she was channelling Aliens-era Weaver, toughing the light hail/rain the City saw today. Longest Winter ever. 

Weaver will be seen in a whopping seven Movies this year, including upcoming Maple Pictures release, Abduction starring Taylor Lautner and Lily Collins.  Red Lights, also starring Cillian Murphy, Robert DeNiro and Elizabeth Olsen,  is scheduled for a 2012 release.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

DeNIRO, WEAVER AND OLSEN-HEADLINING "RED LIGHTS" TO FILM IN TORONTO?

Robert DeNiro at TIFF 2010

Director Rodrigo Cortés heightened his profile significantly at TIFF 2010 with Maple Pictures' Buried and its One Man-Cast of Ryan Reynolds.  It is said that Cortés has completed Pre-Production on his next project titled Red Lights and is now ready to begin filming. 

Red Lights is a Thriller about a Psychiatrist and her Assistant who study Paranormal Activity.  From this, they are led to a Psychic. 

Now here's the Kicker. Attached to the project are Blockbuster names like Sigourney Weaver, Robert DeNiro, Toby Jones, Cillian Murphy and Elizabeth Olsen, younger Sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley.  22 year-old Olsen created quite a bit of buzz at the Sundance Film Festival a couple weeks ago with her performance in Silent House, another Thriller.

Although we are waiting on confirmation whether or not Red Lights will actually film in Toronto, a telling sign is that Pre-production for the Film has taken place in both Barcelona and Toronto.  Tentatively, it is set for a 2012 release.  IMDB indicates that filming indeed will take place in Canada.  Stay tuned.... 

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

YOU AGAIN REVIEW

You Again

Let's face it - You Again isn't the type of movie that wins Critics over, but if there's such a thing as fluff done right, this would be the gold standard. Marni (Kristen Bell) is an ugly duckling turned lovely and successful business woman, but her feelings of insecurity are awakened once again upon realizing that her older brother Will (James Wolk) is about to wed her teenage nightmare Joanne (Odette Yustman). The story is multi-layered though, as we realize that upon the bride and groom's families meeting for the first time, that Joanne's aunt Ramona (Sigourney Weaver) and Will/Marni's mother Gail (Jamie Lee Curtis) actually were BFFs gone sour back in the day. With the Wedding Day approaching rapidly and unresolved tensions mounting between both Joanne and Marni and also Ramona and Gail, we wonder if everything will culminate in a big disaster as hidden secrets rise to the surface at the absolute worst time.

If you weren't sold on Kristen Bell yet, this is the film that will have her winning your heart as the vulnerable girl who never really grew up. Never for a moment do we stop rooting for her even when her character goes through its most dramatic transformation. Her chemistry with arch-nemesis Yustman is explosive and at the same time she is equally convincing as the protective sister as she is the daughter who needs approval. And need I mention the masterful comedic work of Curtis and Weaver? Curtis' cheerleading sequence will have you on the floor and her clumsiness makes us recall the memorable work she displayed in True Lies. Weaver is pitch-perfect as a catty show-off who never ceases to get rid of that chip on her shoulder. And although they are mostly in the wings, Canadian Victor Garber as Marni's father and Betty White as her grandmother provide perfectly positioned bits of laughter. Kristin Chenoweth is delightful as the over-the-top Wedding Planner too.  Above all else, Hall & Oates even make a cameo!

JAMIE LEE CURTIS AND SIGOURNEY WEAVER'S MATCHING DRESSES AT YOU AGAIN PREMIERE

Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver
at Hollywood Premiere of You Again

Two funny.  Jamie Lee Curtis and Sigourney Weaver play High School rivals reunited by the marriage of Curtis' daughter and Weaver's niece.  Curtis' daughter, played by Kristen Bell, was bullied by Weaver's soon-to-wed  niece (Odette Yustman) and Bell goes on an all-out campaign to make her brother see the true colours of the woman he is about the marry.  And so the fire is reignited.   

To poke fun at a scene in their new movie You Again where they by chance wear the same dress, both Curtis and Weaver wore matching David Meister dresses again to the Hollywood premiere of the movie at El Capitan Theatre.

Disney's You Again hits theatres today.  A must-see.

(Photo credit: Getty Images)