JESSICA CHASTAIN RULES THE BOX OFFICE

Jessica Chastain

If there was ever any doubt about Jessica Chastain's Star Power, I'll have you know that she stars in both the number one and number two Films at the Box Office this weekend. The Help for the second week in a row, lands atop the Box Office in its third week of release, with $18 million projected for this four-day Labour Day weekend. The Debt which has her starring alongside Helen Mirren and Sam Worthington, exceeds expectations in second spot with $12 million, in second spot.  Just one more week til she's here for TIFF 2011!

Apollo 18, despite some negative reviews, lands in third spot in its debut with $11 million, just ahead of another panned Opener, Shark Night 3-D, in fourth.  Both garnered 24% on the Tomatometer at Rotten Tomatoes.

Columbiana is in fifth spot with $10 million for Sony Pictures, just ahead of Don't Be Afraid of the Dark with $6 million; both in their second week of release. Surprisingly, The Smurfs 3-D remains resilient in rounding out the Top Ten, hanging on for a sixth week also for Sony Pictures, with $5 million.

WHO WANTS PASSES FOR TORONTO ADVANCE SCREENINGS OF "THE DEBT" & "DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK"?

 Alliance Films & Mr. Will-W.:Pop Maven are giving away 15 30 pairs of passes for both THE DEBT (Sam Worthington, Helen Mirren, Jessica Chastain) & DON'T BE AFRAID OF THE DARK (Katie Holmes, Guy Pearce) both screening next week in Toronto. 

Visit my Fan Page to qualify! All you’ve gotta do is click “LIKE”. See you there, Mavenati!

Don't forget to follow me on Twitter too!

DAME HELEN MIRREN IN TORONTO FOR BLACKCREEK MUSIC FESTIVAL

Dame Helen Mirren, Prince Billy of Yorkville & Mr. Will-W.

Yes!  A meeting of the Royals! The Queen herself meets Prince Billy of Yorkville at long last!  Oscar, Golden Globe, SAG and Emmy Award-winning Actress Dame Helen Mirren arrived in Toronto yesterday along with fellow Thespian Jeremy Irons for the Black Creek Music Festival's presentation of Music Inspired by Shakespeare which took place this evening at Rexall Centre.

Taking my Dog Billy out for an evening stroll, I received word that Mirren would be arriving back at her Yorkville Hotel shortly and before we knew it, we saw her coming out of her Town Car.  And there she was - a vision of elegance - her hair like Platinum and skin sun-kissed, coming out to sign a couple Autographs and pose for a couple Photos.  Seen accompanying Mirren was her sister Kate.

Asking for her permission to take a Photo together, she obliged kindly, rather smitten by Billy as he had leaned in for a kiss.  Mirren pet his head - all smiles after a long day at work - telling him, "Billy, you're just beautiful!".

Earlier in the day, Mirren was spotted out and about shopping in Yorkville and even popped by Banana Republic on Bloor St. to peruse their Fashions before heading off for one final Rehearsal at Rexall Centre.

Mirren can next be seen in the riveting Thriller The Debt, in theatres August 31, 201 via Alliance Films.  Read my Review of it here.

(Photo credit: Mr. Will-W.)

MR. WILL-W.'S TIFF 2010 BEST-OF LISTS

Nicole Kidman for Rabbit
Hole at TIFF

TIFF 2010 has been wonderful and the last day of the Festival is always bittersweet for me.  After ten days of sheer madness, the normalcy once again is always welcome and for one, I'm sure my dog Billy will appreciate seeing me home more.  And I'm sure my waistline will appreciate it again too as all I've been eating on the go are Hot Dogs (you've never had a Hot Dog until you've had a Toronto Hot Dog), Pastries, Order-at-the-counter Chinese and Starbucks.

Reflecting on my favourite highlights is always a challenge, but this year in particular is difficult to extract from as the first few days of the Festival were extraordinarily concentrated with action, that  surely amidst the madness I might have missed the buzz on some amazing films (i.e. Clint Eastwood's Hereafter) and actors in town.  But if I were to make a few selections, I would narrow it down as follows:





MR. WILL-W.'S TOP FILMS OF TIFF 2010

1. Rabbit  Hole 

2. Black Swan

3. Blue Valentine

4. The Debt

5. 127 Hours

James Franco for 127 Hours

MR. WILL-W.'S GREATEST GUYS OF TIFF 2010

1. James Franco

2. Sam Worthington

3. Ryan Reynolds

4. Ryan Gosling

5. Michael Sheen

SAM WORTHINGTON GREETS FANS AT "LAST NIGHT" TIFF GALA

A number of you have messaged me on Facebook telling me how mean Sam Worthington looks in my photo with him from last week and I just want to prove to you how far from the truth that is. Perhaps Worthington's naturally dramatic gaze is misleading, but he is just lovely. Watch him greet fans outside VISA Screening Room last night on his way out to Roy Thomson Hall to do the Red Carpet for Last Night. Love him. To death.

TIFF REVIEW OF THE DEBT

John Madden at TIFF 2010

Director John Madden has crafted a sublime film in The Debt, a remake of a 2007 Israeli film.  The film centers around three Israeli CIA Agents on a mission to capture a Nazi War Criminal and they are successful.  Or are they?  I attended a TIFF screening of the film this morning at VISA Screening Room and we were v. fortunate to have had Madden present for a Q&A.

Helen Mirren steals the show as the older Rachel in this Action Drama which grabs you from the get-go and never quite lets up with a cloud of danger hanging always present.  Rachel is a celebrated national Hero, her claim to fame being her successful killing of the said Criminal 30 years prior, as he tried to escape his capturers.

The story reverts back to the backstory behind the present, with younger Rachel (Jessica Chastain) being assigned to the mission along with two other Agents, Stefan (Marton Csokas) and David (Avatar's Sam Worthington).  The three live together in the same house where passions ignite.  After successfully capturing Vogel (Jesper Christensen), the true challenge only begins from there as his hatred towards the Jewish runs deep, knowing exactly how to strike where it hurts with his three captors.  Rachel, Stefan and David however become entangled in a passionate love triangle complicating matters further and also dissolving their bond as a team.

SAM WORTHINGTON SPOTTED IN TORONTO AT TIFF FOR THE DEBT

Sam Worthington & Mr. Will-W.

Well, isn't this a surprise?  I was walking in Yorkville midday with my friend Angela and I spotted none another than the hottest male actor in Hollywood right now, Sam Worthington of Avatar and Clash of the Titans 3D fame.  This more than made up for my missing-out on a photo-op with another famous Australian export Nicole Kidman earlier in the day.  Although Worthington looks a bit miserable here, he was actually v. cool in-person and more than happy to pose for a photo, as he walked about with his PR.

Worthington premiered John Madden's The Debt at Roy Thomson Hall with the amazing Dame Helen Mirren earlier this evening and the film is about three Israeli Agents on a secret mission to capture a Nazi War Criminal.  Intriguing.  I'll be seeing the film tomorrow morning and posting a review shortly.

Check out more photos I got of the ruggedly handsome actor below:

SAM WORTHINGTON: A SERIOUS ACTOR?

English-born Australian Sam Worthington is undisputedly the hottest new actor in Hollywood. Out of nowhere he's landed leading roles in big budget blockbusters like Terminator: Salvation, Avatar and Clash of The Titans, which is to be released April 2, 2010 and looks rather amazing.

But is he a "serious" actor though?  And is it all happening too soon?  In addition to Titans, he has another film out at the end of April called Last Night also starring Keira Knightley, about a couple whom encounter extra-marrital temptations. There is also The Debt which comes out later this year and it looks to be a little on the heavier side in its story line of Israeli spies seeking revenge on Nazi War Criminals. This one stars Ciaran Hinds, Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson and many more. And lined up after that is a role in The Texas Killing Fields, which is about a string of unsolved murders in Texas. How's that for serious?

Although we have yet to see Worthington's true acting chops with the material he's been in, we'll be getting a clearer picture of his "worth" before long.