"Friends With Kids" - March 9, 2012

Distributor VVS Films will open the $10 million budgeted, independent ensemble comedy "Friends With Kids" in key cities across Canada, March 9, 2012.

Written, produced, directed by and starring Jennifer Westfeldt, the film co-stars Jon Hamm, Kristen Wiig, Adam Scott, and Megan Fox :

"...a pair of best friends in their 30's observe the effect kids have on couples. To avoid that 'toll', the best friends resolve to have a child as well as date other people..."

"Friends With Kids" was produced by Riza Aziz, Joey McFarland, Joshua Astrachan, Jake Kasdan, Hamm and Westfeldt for Red Granite Pictures, Studio Points West Pictures and Locomotive.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Friends With Kids"...

"Goon" Poster Penalized For Gross Misconduct

The new 'low-brow' hockey movie "Goon", written by and co-starring Canadian Jay Baruchel, offering a sympathetic depiction of hockey 'enforcers', has had numerous posters removed from Toronto bus shelters by outdoor advertiser Astral Media.

The reason was public complaints to Toronto City Hall about Baruchel being shown making a 'suggestive gesture' with his tongue and two spread fingers that is generally recognized (?) as signifying having oral sex with a woman.

"It must be exhausting to be that uptight," Baruchel said, adding that the poster pose was a "reflexive motion".

Meanwhile distributor Alliance blamed city officials.

"Apparently different districts of Toronto had lodged complaints," said Alliance."They deemed the artwork too offensive."

But Elyse Parker of the city's transportation services office said the final decision was not theirs, as city staff contacted Astral after receiving complaints, with Alliance removing the posters without further discussion.

"I can appreciate somebody being offended or not wanting that out there on the streets," said co-star Liv Shreiber.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Goon"...

Happy Birthday Michael Stevens !!!

Toronto Start For "The Colony" - February 22, 2012

Further to our Toronto Film Production Update here, actor Laurence Fishburne ("The Matrix") will star in the $16 million Canadian sci fi thriller, "The Colony", starting in Toronto February 22 and shooting through to March 30.

Kevin Zegers has also been cast in the film, following a group of underground survivors after the next 'Ice Age' that fend off an invasion of feral humanoid predators.

Jeff Renfroe will direct based on a screenplay he co-wrote with Patrick Tarr, Pascal Trottier and Svet Rouskov.

Paul Barkin is producing the film for Alcina Pictures, Item 7 and Mad Samurai Productions.

Click the images to enlarge...

"The Vow" Continues To Wow

Director Michael Sucsy's new romantic feature "The Vow", starring Canadian actress Rachel McAdams, Channing Tatum, Sam Neill, Canadian actor Scott Speedman and Jessica Lange ("Rob Roy"), conquered the weekend before Valentine's Day, with a domestic $41.2 million debut.

Lensed in Chicago, Toronto and Newmarket, Ontario, "The Vow" is based on a true story about a young woman who loses all recent memory in a car accident and struggles to rebuild her identity. based on the book "The Vow: The Kim and Krickitt Carpenter Story", by author Kim Carpenter :

"...a newlywed couple recovers from a car accident that puts 'Paige' in a coma. When she awakes with severe memory loss, 'Leo' endeavors to win his true love's heart all over again..."

Cast also includes Lucas Grabeel, Jessica McNamee, Dillon Casey and Rachel Skarsten.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "The Vow"...

"Durham County" 3 Season DVD Pack - February 21, 2012

Anchor Bay Entertainment will release all 3 seasons of the one-hour Canadian dramatic TV series, "Durham County" in a special 7 DVD pack, February 21, 2012.

The series is produced by Back Alley Film Productions Ltd. and Muse Entertainment Enterprises, starring actor Hugh Dillon ("Flashpoint") as a police detective, "...who finds that moving back home comes with trouble and danger..." :

"...'Mike Sweeney' (Dillon), a homicide detective from Toronto moves his family to suburban 'Durham County' to start over after his partner is killed and his wife 'Audrey' (Hélène Joy) is diagnosed with breast cancer. However, he soon discovers that his neighbour and childhood nemesis 'Ray Prager' (Justin Louis) may be a killer..."

Season 3 cast also includes Michael Nardone, Laurence Leboeuf, Greyston Holt, Krista Bridges, Bénédicte Décary, Andreas Aspergis, Cicely Austin and Shannon Kook-Chun :

"...when two young drug runners are found dead along Highway 401, newly promoted 'Superintendant Mike Sweeney' (Dillon) is assigned the case with his new partner 'Ivan Sujic' (Nardone). Mike also suspects foul play in the disappearance of Sujic's wife 'Katya' and that Sujic may know more then he claims. With Mike's wife 'Audrey' (Joy) pregnant and his daughter 'Sadie' (Leboeuf) a rookie on the police force, things may be looking up..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek Season 3 of "Durham County"...

Countdown to "Zero Hour"

Sneak Peek attended the opening night of "Zero Hour", followed by an 'After-Show Champagne Reception', February 9, 2012 @ Toronto's Bathurst Street Theatre.

Directed by Oscar-nominated actress Piper Laurie ("Carrie") and produced by Lia and Dana Matthow, the limited run of the one-man show starring and written by actor Jim Brochu recreates the persona of funnyman actor 'Zero Mostel' ("The Producers"):

"...Jim Brochu brings Zero Mostel back to extraordinary life in 'Zero Hour', re-creating the definitive backstory to this amazing performer's appearances in 'Fiddler on the Roof', 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' and Mel Brooks' 'The Producers'. Brochu is both hilarious and poignant as he recounts Mostel's big life - as a Broadway legend, a larger than life personality and the target of Hollywood blacklisting..."

"Zero Hour" won the New York Drama Desk Award for 'Outstanding Solo Performance', the Los Angeles Ovation for 'Best Play' and the Washington, D.C. 'Helen Hayes Award for Best Actor'.

"Zero had a great influence on my life and I was fortunate to get to know him when I was first starting out, " said Brochu.

"Zero Hour" plays in Toronto to March 11, 2012.

Click the images to enlarge...

Trish Stratus Runs With "Bounty Hunters"

Anchor Bay Entertainment Canada and Raven Banner Entertainment will release director Patrick McBrearty's new action feature "Bounty Hunters" (aka "Bail Enforcers") on DVD, February 28, 2012. The film stars former seven-time WWE Women’s Champion, TV personality and fitness icon Trish Stratus in her feature film debut :

"...'Jules' (Stratus) and her team of 'mercenaries' struggle to make ends meet until they find what seems like an easy job: deliver a crime informant to the police and claim a $100,000 reward. But the underworld has its own proposition and gives Jules a choice: hand over the captive and walk away with a million dollars or face death. Now Jules and her group must use every fighting skill they possess in an all-out battle for survival...."

"Bounty Hunters" also stars Boomer Philips, Joe Rafla, Andrea James Lui,and Frank J. Zupancic.

The Canadian DVD release of "Bounty Hunters' will be launched at a special screening in Toronto with Trish Stratus present, 7:00pm Tuesday, February 28, 2012 @ the AMC Yonge and Dundas, with a red carpet beforehand, as well as Q & A and autograph sessions afterwards.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Bounty Hunters"...

"Donovan's Echo"- Can His Past Save Our Future ?

From Canadian distributor Union Pictures, Sneak Peek the Vancouver-lensed mystery suspense feature "Donovan's Echo" directed by Jim Cliffe, opening in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver and other select Canadian theatres, February 24th, 2012.

"Donovan's Echo" stars Danny Glover ("Predator 2"), Bruce Greenwood ("Star Trek"), Natasha Calis, Sonja Bennett, David Lewis, Ian Tracey ("Intelligence") and Lanette Ware :

"...'Donovan' (Danny Glover) returns home to discover that tragic events from his past are possibly repeating. Plagued by 'déjà vu', he is convinced his young neighbour and her mother are doomed to die on the anniversary of his wife and daughter’s deaths.

"Struggling to unlock the pattern, Donovan tries to solicit the help of his brother-in-law, police 'Sergeant Finnley' (Bruce Greenwood). When his facts don’t add up, Donovan’s sanity is questioned. Is he losing his mind, or running out of time ?..."

Screenplay is by Cliffe and Melodie Krieger, for producers Trent Carlson, Andria Spring and executive producers Mary Anne Waterhouse and Greenwood.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Donovan's Echo"...

"Elite Squad: The Enemy Within"- February 14, 2012

"Elite Squad: The Enemy Within", the 2010 sequel to the 2007 Brazilian action feature "The Elite Squad", produced and directed by José Padilha, will be available from VVS Films, on Blu-ray and DVD, February 14, 2012.

The sequel is a continuation of the semi-fictional account of the 'BOPE' (Portuguese: 'Batalhão de Operações Policiais Especiais'), aka the 'Special Police Operations Battalion' of the Rio de Janeiro Military Police, with a focus on the relationship between law enforcement and politics :

"...set thirteen years after the events of the first film, 'The Enemy Within' focuses on former captain and now 'Lt. Col. Roberto Nascimento', who, after a disastrous 'BOPE' operation during a prison riot, gets caught in a bloody political dispute that involves not only the 'Public Safety Department', the State governor and State Military Police, but also paramilitary groups known as 'milícias'.

"Nascimento also has family issues, with his now adolescent son gradually moving away from him due to his job and the influence of his stepfather, 'Diogo Fraga'..."

Cast includes Wagner Moura, Irandhir Santos, André Ramiro, Maria Ribeiro, Sandro Rocha, Milhem Cortaz, Tainá Müller, Seu Jorge, André Mattos and Emilio Neto Orciollo Valmir.

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek "Elite Squad: The Enemy Within"...

We're Off To See The "Wizard World Toronto Comic Con" - April 14-15, 2012

Celebrities attending the 2012 "Wizard World Toronto Comic Con", April 14-15 @ the Metro Toronto Convention Centre in downtown Toronto, will include Jeri Ryan, Scott Bakula, Paul Wesley, WWE Superstar Edge and Amy Acker among numerous additional headliners TBA.

Bakula ("Star Trek: Enterprise"), and Acker ("Angel") will appear both days, while Wesley ("The Vampire Diaries"), Ryan ("Star Trek: Voyager") and Edge are scheduled to attend Saturday only.

"Toronto and the entire region have embraced 'Wizard World Toronto Comic Con' over the past two years," said John Macaluso, Wizard World Board of Directors, "and we're excited to bring a first-class event to the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.

"From well-known, relevant stars like Paul Wesley and Jeri Ryan, classic and cult actors/actresses, to an outstanding collection of big-time artists and a unique array of exhibitors and vendors, there's something here for everyone."

The event, produced by Wizard World, Inc., brings fans, celebrities and industry professionals to celebrate pop culture, movies, graphic novels, comics, toys, video games, television, sci-fi, original art, collectibles, contests and a whole lot more.

Comics creators attending this year include Mike Deodato Jr. ("Amazing Spider-Man"), Jock ("Detective Comics"), John McCrea ("Hitman"), Javi Fernandez ("Captain America: First Vengeance"), Dale Keown ("Hulk"), Tyler Kirkham ("Green Lantern Corps"), Marcus To ("The Huntress"), Ken Lashley ("Batwing"), David Mack ("Daredevil"), Greg Tocchini ("Batman and Robin"), Michael Golden ("Batman"), Greg Horn ("Spider-Man: Turn off the Dark"), and Arthur Suydam ("Marvel Zombies").

Celebrity guests will also include Colin Ferguson ("Eureka"), Sean Maher ("Serenity"), Jeremy Bulloch ("Star Wars: Episode III, V, VI), Sam Witwer ("Smallville"), Sam Huntington ("Superman Returns"), Meaghan Rath ("Being Human") and Catherine Mary Stewart ("The Last Starfighter").

"...attendees are encouraged to come dressed as their favorite villain, superhero or pop culture personality for the chance to win special prizes in costume contests.

"Event-goers may also try their hand at interactive product exhibits and shop for collectible comics, movie and television memorabilia, toys and games at scores of dealer booths..."

Click the images to enlarge and Sneak Peek The "Wizard World Toronto Comic Con"...