Every week, MobileSyrup goes over some of the most notable movies and TV shows that recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.
This column typically focuses on new content from Amazon Prime Video Canada, Crave and Netflix Canada, but other services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ will be mentioned when relevant.
We’ll also highlight shows or movies that are made in Canada, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.
Finally, with the COVID-19 pandemic causing movies to hit digital platforms much sooner than planned, we’ll make note of any major films that fall into this category when applicable.
Amazon Prime Video
Homecoming (Season 2) [Amazon Original]
In its second season, Homecoming tells a new story about a woman who wakes up on a canoe without her memory, prompting her to dig into her mysterious past.
Homecoming was created by Eli Horowitz (A Vision of Post-Apocalyptic Cuisine: The Frankenchicken) and Micah Bloomberg (99 Homes) and stars newcomers Janelle Monáe (Hidden Figures) and Chris Cooper (Adaptation), as well as returning faces like Toronto’s own Stephan James (If Beale Street Could Talk) and Hong Chau (Downsizing).
Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: May 22nd, 2020
Genre: Psychological thriller
Runtime: Seven episodes (24 to 37 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 45 percent (based on 20 reviews)
Stream Homecoming (Season 2) here.
Little Fires Everywhere [exclusive to Amazon Prime Video in Canada]
In the late 90s, the life of a picture-perfect family gets upended by another mother and daughter.
Little Fires Everywhere is based on Celeste Ng’s 2017 novel of the same name and stars Reese Witherspoon (Big Little Lies) and Kerry Washington (Scandal).
Original TV broadcast run: March to April 2020 (Hulu in the U.S.)
Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: May 22nd, 2020
Genre: Drama
Runtime: Eight episodes (53 to 66 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 77 percent (based on 61 reviews)
Stream Little Fires Everywhere here.
Amazon Prime Video is included at no additional cost in a $79 CAD/year Amazon Prime subscription.
The full list of movies and shows that are hitting Amazon Prime Video Canada this month can be found here.
Apple TV+
Mythic Quest: Quarantine [Apple TV+ Original]
With production on Season 2 of Mythic Quest put on hold due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the sitcom’s cast and crew have put together a special quarantine-themed episode from the comfort of their own homes. In the appropriately titled Mythic Quest: Quarantine, the Mythic Quest team deals with the challenges of working remotely.
Mythic Quest: Quarantine reassembles the series’ entire cast, which includes co-creator and co-writer Rob McElhenney (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Charlotte Nicdao (Content), David Hornsby (It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia), Danny Pudi (Community) and F. Murray Abraham (Amadeus).
Notably, the episode was filmed completely with iPhones and edited and completed within three weeks.
McElhenney fellow It’s Always Sunny in Philadelphia alums Megan Ganz and Charlie Day co-created the series with him.
Apple TV+ release date: May 22nd, 2020
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: 25 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Mythic Quest: Quarantine here.
Find out what’s coming to Apple TV+ over the next few weeks here.
An Apple TV+ subscription costs $5.99/month in Canada.
Crave
Come to Daddy
A man in his 30s travels to his estranged father’s remote cabin to reconnect.
Come to Daddy was directed by Ant Timpson (The ABCs of Death) and stars Elijah Wood (The Lord of the Rings series) and Martin Donovan (Weeds).
Notably, Come to Daddy is a Canadian-New Zealand production that was filmed in Tofino, B.C.
Original theatrical release date: February 21st, 2020
Apple TV+ release date: May 22nd, 2020
Genre: Comedy, thriller
Runtime: 1 hour, 33 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 86 percent (based on 91 percent)
Stream Come to Daddy here. Note that a $19.98/month Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
David Foster: Off the Record (Director’s Cut)
A special director’s cut of the Crave Original Documentary David Foster: Off The Record drops on Crave today, and features nearly 20 additional minutes of conversation with David Foster and his wife Katharine McPhee. Head to @thelede_ca to read more: https://t.co/4FtKzOW6Sv pic.twitter.com/QAc1woyxlW
— Crave_PR (@Crave_PR) May 22, 2020
Crave has released the director’s cut of its David Foster: Off the Record documentary that premiered in December. Directed by Montreal-born Barry Avrich (Caesar and Cleopatra), the documentary focuses on prolific musician and record producer David Foster, who hails from Victoria, B.C. In addition to Foster, the documentary features interviews with the likes of Quincy Jones, Barbra Streisand, Lionel Richie and fellow Canadians Céline Dion and Michael Bublé.
The director’s cut includes nearly 20 additional minutes of conversation with Foster and his wife Katharine McPhee, touching on his car accident and how family has impacted his career, among other subjects.
Crave release date: May 22nd, 2020
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 1 hour, 46 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream the director’s cut of David Foster: Off the Record here.
Joker
Loosely based on the iconic Batman villain of the same name, Joker follows a failed stand-up comedian who descends into insanity due to the inequities of Gotham City.
Joker was co-written and directed by Todd Phillips (The Hangover trilogy) and stars Joaquin Phoenix (Walk the Line), Robert De Niro (Taxi Driver) and Zazie Beetz (Atlanta).
Original theatrical release date: October 4th, 2019
Crave release date: May 22nd, 2020
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 2 hours, 2 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 68 percent (based on 552 reviews)
Stream Joker here. Note that a $19.98/month Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
A standard Crave subscription costs $9.99/month, with Starz costing another $5.99/month and HBO an additional $9.99/month.
The full list of movies and shows hitting Crave this month can be found here.
Disney+
The Big Fib [Disney+ Original]
Yvette Nicole Brown (Community) hosts this game show that tasks kids with asking adult know-it-alls questions in an effort to find out which of them is lying.
Rhys Darby (Flight of the Concords) voices Brown’s robot sidekick C.L.I.V.E.
Disney+ Canada release date: May 22nd, 2020
Genre: Game show
Runtime: 15 episodes (around 22 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream The Big Fib here.
Taylor Swift City of Lover Concert
Due to mass global tour cancellations in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, pop star Taylor Swift’s only 2020 concert performance has been made available on Disney+. The special features Swift performing songs from her album Lover in Paris.
Original TV broadcast date: May 17th, 2020 (ABC)
Disney+ Canada release date: May 22nd, 2020
Genre: Concert
Runtime: 41 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Taylor Swift City of Lover Concert here.
Zenimation [Disney+ Original]
This ASMR series aims to help viewers relax through calming Disney-themed backdrops, such as Big Hero 6‘s Hiro and Baymax flying over San Fransokyo or Frozen‘s Anna and Kristoff walking through an icy forest.
Disney+ Canada release date: May 22nd, 2020
Genre: Animation
Runtime: 10 episodes (around five to seven minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Zenimation here.
A Disney+ subscription costs $8.99/month or $89.99/year in Canada.
The full list of what’s hitting Disney+ Canada this month can be found here.
Netflix
Ben Platt Live From Radio City Music Hall [Netflix Original]
The Politician star Ben Platt performs numbers from his debut LP, Sing to Me Instead.
Netflix Canada release date: May 20th, 2020
Genre: Concert
Runtime: 1 hour, 25 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Ben Platt Live From Radio City Music Hall here.
The Big Flower Fight [Netflix Original]
Ten pairs of florists, sculptors and garden designers see who can build the best garden sculptures.
The series is hosted by English comedian Vic Reeves and What We Do in the Shadows star Natasha Demetriou.
Netflix Canada release date: May 18th, 2020
Genre: Reality
Runtime: Eight episodes (33 to 43 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 45 percent (based on 11 reviews)
Stream The Big Flower Fight here.
History 101 [Netflix Original]
This docuseries offers short history lessons on a variety of topics, including fast food, the Space Race, AIDS, feminism and robots.
Netflix Canada release date: May 18th, 2020
Genre: Reality
Runtime: 10 episodes (about 22 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream History 101 here.
The Lovebirds [Netflix Original]
After plans for an April 3rd theatrical release were scrapped due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Paramount has sold the rights to The Lovebirds to Netflix.
The romantic comedy follows a couple that goes on the run after witnessing a murder.
The Lovebirds was directed by Michael Showalter (The Big Sick) and stars Kumail Nanjiani (lead and co-writer of The Big Sick) and Issa Rae (Insecure).
Netflix Canada release date: May 22nd, 2020
Genre: Romantic comedy
Runtime: 1 hour, 27 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 65 percent (based on 75 reviews)
Stream The Lovebirds here.
Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything [Netflix Original]
The King of Queens star Patton Oswalt’s latest stand-up special riffs on turning 50, finding love, buying a house and more. There’s also a bonus special from one of Oswalt’s biggest influences, comedian Bob Rubin.
Netflix Canada release date: May 19th, 2020
Genre: Stand-up comedy
Runtime: Two “episodes” (53 to 67 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent (based on six reviews)
Stream Patton Oswalt: I Love Everything here.
Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series (Season 2) [Netflix Original]
Everyone’s favourite Canadian hillbillies return to try their hands at ride-sharing, viral videos, package theft and other ludicrous scams.
Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series was created by Halifax’s John Paul Tremblay, Moncton, New Brunswick’s Robb Wells and New Glasgow, Nova Scotia’s Mike Smith and features the voices of the three Canadians.
Netflix Canada release date: May 22nd, 2020
Genre: Animated comedy
Runtime: Ten episodes (24 to 26 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Trailer Park Boys: The Animated Series (Season 2) here.
A ‘Basic’ Netflix subscription costs $9.99/month, a ‘Standard’ subscription (HD-supported) costs $13.99/month and a ‘Premium’ membership is priced at $16.99/month (4K-supported).
The full list of movies and shows hitting Netflix Canada this month can be found here.
What are you planning on streaming this week? Let us know in the comments.
Check out last week’s Streaming in Canada column here.
Image credit: Netflix
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