Every week, MobileSyrup goes over some of the most notable movies and TV shows to recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.
Typically, this column focuses on content from Amazon Prime Video Canada, Crave and Netflix Canada, although other streaming services may be mentioned when relevant.
Shows or movies that are made in Canada, involve notable Canadian cast or crew or are filmed in Canada will also be highlighted.
Amazon Prime Video
Arctic
Brazilian YouTuber Joe Penna (MysteryGuitarMan) makes his directorial debut in Arctic, a drama that sees a man struggling to survive in the titular polar region after his plane crashes.
Arctic stars Mads Mikkelsen (Hannibal).
Theatrical release date: February 1st, 2019
Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: July 31st, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour, 38 minutes
Stream Arctic here.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Amazon Prime Video Canada in July can be found here. Meanwhile, August’s lineup is available here.
Crave
A Black Lady Sketch Show
The Rundown with Robin Thede host Robin Thede has created a new HBO sketch comedy series called A Black Lady Sketch Show. Thede, who also stars and writes the show, joins a cast of other African-American women, including Issa Rae (Insecure), Ashley Nicole Black (Full Frontal with Samantha Bee), Gabrielle Dennis (Marvel’s Luke Cage) and Quinta Bronson (Broke).
HBO Canada/Crave premiere date: August 3rd, 2019 at 12am ET
Runtime: At least six half-hour episodes (hitting Crave each subsequent Saturday at 12am ET)
Stream A Black Lady Sketch Show here.
Boy Erased
Based on Garrard Conley’s 2016 memoir of the same name, Boy Erased follows the son of Baptist parents who is forced into a gay conversion therapy program.
Joel Edgerton (The Gift) wrote and directed the film, which stars Lucas Hedges (Manchester by the Sea), Russell Crowe (Gladiator), Nicole Kidman (The Hours) and Edgerton.
Theatrical release date: November 2nd, 2018
Crave premiere date: August 2nd, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour, 52 minutes
Stream Boy Erased here. Note that a $19.98 CAD/month Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
New Homeland
Filmmaker Barbara Kopple (Shut Up & Sing) showcases five Syrian and Iraqi refugee children whose families have resettled in Canada.
DOC NYC festival premiere date: November 13th, 2018
Crave release date: August 1st, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour, 33 minutes
Stream New Homeland here. Note that a $19.98/month Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
The Whistleblower
Directed by Toronto filmmaker Larysa Kondracki, The Whistleblower is based on the true story of Kathryn Bolkovac, a Nebraska cop that discovers a covered-up United Nations sex scandal. In addition to being a Canadian co-production, the film is noteworthy for raising awareness of human trafficking — an issue still being combated in Canada today — and holding the U.N. accountable for its crimes.
The Whistleblower stars Rachel Weisz (The Constant Gardener), David Strathairn (The Bourne Ultimatum), Monica Belluci (The Passion of the Christ) and Benedict Cumberbatch (Sherlock).
Theatrical release date: August 12th, 2011
Crave release date: August 2nd, 2019
Runtime: 1 hour, 51 minutes
Stream The Whistleblower here. Note that a $15.98 Crave + Starz subscription is required.
It’s worth noting that there was nothing new this week on Crave in terms of July releases, but you can go back and see last month’s full lineup of content here. All of Crave’s movies and shows for August, meanwhile, is available here.
Netflix
Dear White People — Volume 3 (Netflix Original)
A group of black college students at an Ivy League institution raise awareness of American race relations issues, all while a mysterious organization called the Order of X looms in the background.
The series was created by Justin Simien (the 2014 Dear White People film) and stars Logan Browning (The Perfection), Brandon P. Bell (Hollywood Heights), John Patrick Amedori (Gossip Girl) and Giancarlo Esposito (Breaking Bad).
Netflix Canada premiere date: August 2nd, 2019
Runtime: 10 episodes (26 to 36 minutes each)
Stream Dear White People here.
The Red Sea Diving Resort (Netflix Original)
Captain America star Chris Evans’ first film after hanging up the shield in Avengers: Endgame is The Red Sea Diving Resort, a spy thriller based on the true story of undercover agents opening a fake hotel to rescue help smuggle thousands of Ethiopian refugees to safety.
The film was directed by Gideon Raff (Prisoners of War) and co-stars Michael K. Williams (The Wire), Ben Kingsley (Gandhi) and Haley Bennett (The Magnificent Seven).
Netflix Canada premiere date: July 31st, 2019
Runtime: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Stream The Red Sea Diving Resort here.
Whitney Cummings: Can I Touch It? (Netflix Original)
Comedienne Whitney Cumming’s new Netflix special returns to her hometown of Washington, D.C. with a sex robot to riff on technology, modern feminism and more.
Netflix Canada premiere date: July 30th, 2019
Runtime: 59 minutes
Stream Whitney Cummings: Can I Touch It? here.
A round-up of the movies and shows that came to Netflix in July can be found here. The full list of movies and shows coming to the service in August is available at this link.
In most provinces, it’s a long weekend thanks to the Civic Holiday (or your provincial equivalent), so that gives you an extra day to check out new streaming content. With that in mind, what are you planning to check out this week? Let us know in the comments.
Image credit: Netflix
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