Every week, MobileSyrup goes over some of the most notable movies and TV shows that recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.
Our ‘Streaming in Canada’ 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 many 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
Welcome to Blumhouse [Amazon Originals]
Right in time for Halloween, Amazon has an exclusive deal with Blumhouse to stream four of the prolific horror movie production company’s latest scary films.
The four films are:
- Black Box — a single father loses his wife and memory in a car accident
- Evil Eye — a mother is convinced her daughter’s new boyfriend is the reincarnation of a man who tried to kill her decades ago
- The Lie — a teenager kills her best friend, leading her parents to desperately try to cover up her crime
- Nocturne — a timid music student discovers a mysterious notebook belonging to a recently deceased classmate
Notably, each film is from an up-and-comer in the film industry. Two released last week, while the rest of the collection was added this week, making the whole collection available together.
Amazon Prime Video is included at no additional cost in a $79 CAD/year Amazon Prime subscription.
The full list of movies and shows hitting Amazon Prime Video Canada this month can be found here.
Apple TV+
Helpsters (Season 2) [Apple Original]
From @SesameWorkshop comes a new season of problem-solving fun with #Helpsters! Join this lovable group of monsters for more adventures starting October 16 on @AppleTV. pic.twitter.com/uCVPa3zJpK
— Sesame Street (@sesamestreet) October 10, 2020
From the creators of Sesame Street comes a new season of Apple’s Helpsters pre-school series, which follows a group of monsters who love to help solve problems.
Apple TV+ release date: October 16th, 2020
Genre: Kids
Runtime: N/A
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Helpsters here.
An Apple TV+ subscription costs $5.99/month in Canada.
CBC Gem
PEN15 (Season 2)
Following its release on U.S.-only streaming service Hulu last month, the second season of cringe comedy series PEN15 is now streaming exclusively on CBC Gem in Canada. The series stars Maya Erskine (Betas) and Anna Konkle (Rosewood) as fictionalized versions of themselves navigating their awkward teenaged lives.
PEN15 was created by Erskine, Konkle and Sam Zvibleman (Imagine the Moon) and is produced by The Lonely Island. It’s important to note that this only the first half of Season 2 — the remaining seven episodes are expected to release next year.
Hulu release date: September 18th, 2020
CBC Gem release date: October 16th, 2020
Genre: Comedy
Runtime: Seven episodes (around 30 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent (based on 27 reviews)
Stream PEN15 here. Note that CBC Gem is free to all, although it does feature ads. Alternatively, there’s a $4.99/month CBC Gem subscription that is ad-free.
Crave
Cats (2019)
While a critical and commercial flop, 2019’s Cats film adaptation of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s eponymous iconic stage musical has developed somewhat of a cult following online, if for no other reason than it’s meme-worthy.
Amusingly, the film is directed by Oscar-winner Tom Hooper (The King’s Speech) and features funny/horrifying live-action/CG cat creatures played by the likes of Judi Dench (Shakespeare in Love), Idris Elba (Luther), Ian McKellen (The Lord of the Rings series) and singer-songwriter Taylor Swift (1989).
Unfortunately, though, this is standard version of Cats, not the much-fabled ‘Butthole Cut,’ so keep that in mind if you’re planning on watching this cinematic masterpiece.
Original theatrical release date: December 20th, 2019
Crave release date: October 16th, 2020
Genre: Musical
Runtime: 1 hour, 50 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 20 percent (based on 319 reviews)
Stream Cats here. Note that a $19.98/month Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
David Byrne’s American Utopia
Directed by Oscar winner Spike Lee (Do The Right Thing), this concert film follows singer-songwriter David Byrne (Talking Heads) and 11 musicians, singers and dancers as they perform a modified version of Byrne’s album American Utopia.
Crave release date: October 17th, 2020 at 8pm ET
Genre: Concert film
Runtime: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96 percent (based on 53 reviews)
Stream David Byrne’s American Utopia here. Note that a $19.98/month Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
Howie Mandel: But, Enough About Me [Crave Original]
Montreal-born director Barry Avrich (David Foster: Off the Record) takes a look at the career and personal life of Toronto-born comedian Howie Mandel.
Crave release date: October 12th, 2020
Genre: Concert film
Runtime: 1 hour, 28 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Howie Mandel: But, Enough About Me here.
Star Trek: Discovery (Season 3)
After the events of Season 3, the U.S.S. Discovery crew lands in a far, unknown future.
Star Trek: Discovery was created by Bryan Fuller (Hannibal) and Alex Kurtzman (2009’s Star Trek) and stars Sonequa Martin-Green (The Walking Dead), Doug Jones (The Shape of Water), Anthony Rapp (Rent: Live), Mary Wiseman (Room 104), Wilson Cruz (13 Reasons Why), and David Ajala (Supergirl).
It’s worth noting that the series is filmed in Toronto.
CBS All Access (U.S.)/Crave release date: October 16th, 2020 (first episode, new episodes every Friday at 9pm ET)
Genre: Sci-fi
Runtime: 13 episodes (TBA)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent (based on five reviews)
Stream Star Trek: Discovery here.
Outside of new titles, it’s also worth noting that Crave is now featuring the ‘Indigenous Stories‘ and ‘Creepy Cravings‘ collections for Indigenous and Halloween-themed content, respectively.
A standard Crave subscription costs $9.99/month, with Starz adding 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+
Clouds [Disney+ Original]
Based on Laura Sobiech’s memoir Fly a Little Higher: How God Answered a Mom’s Small Prayer in a Big Way, Clouds tells the story of Zach Sobiech, who, when told he only has months to live, decides to make an album and share his music with the world.
Clouds was directed by Justin Baldoni (Jane the Virgin) and stars Fin Argus (Total Eclipse), Sabrina Carpenter (Girl Meets World), Madison Iseman (Jumanji series) Guelph, Ontario’s Neve Campbell (Scream franchise) and Tom Everett Scott (Southland).
It’s worth noting that Clouds was filmed in various parts of Quebec, including Baie-D’Urfé and Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue.
Disney+ Canada release date: October 16th, 2020
Genre: Biographical drama
Runtime: 2 hours, 2 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 90 percent (based on 10 reviews)
Stream Clouds here.
Meet the Chimps [Disney+ Original]
Narrated by Jane Lynch (Glee), this docuseries showcases one of the world’s largest wildlife sanctuaries — Louisiana’s Chimp Haven — and follows a group of chimps who are given a second chance at life there.
Disney+ Canada release date: October 16th, 2020 (all episodes)
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: Six episodes (length TBA)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Meet the Chimps here.
A Disney+ subscription costs $8.99/month or $89.99/year in Canada.
The full list of movies and shows hitting Disney+ Canada this month can be found here.
Netflix
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting [Netflix Original]
After the Boogeyman and his monsters kidnap the boy she’s watching on Halloween, a high schooler must team up with a secret society of babysitters to save him.
A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting is based on Joe Ballarini’s book trilogy of the same name, was directed by Rachel Talalay (Nightmare on Elm Street series) and stars Tom Felton (Harry Potter series), Indya Moore (Pose), Tamara Smart (Are You Afraid of the Dark?) and Oona Laurence (Matilda on Broadway).
Netflix Canada Canada release date: October 15th, 2020
Genre: Family
Runtime: 1 hour, 38 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 80 percent (based on five reviews)
Stream A Babysitter’s Guide to Monster Hunting here.
Blackpink: Light Up the Sky [Netflix Original]
From Caroline Suh (Salt Fat Acid Heat) comes this documentary that tells the story of mega-popular South Korean girl group Blackpink (“Ddu-Du Ddu-Du”).
Notably, this is Netflix’s first K-pop original content and comes less than two weeks after the release of Blackpink’s first studio album, The Album.
Netflix Canada release date: October 14th, 2020
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 1 hour, 19 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent (based on nine reviews)
Stream Blackpink: Light Up the Sky here.
Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts (Season 3) [Netflix Original]
Kipo and the gang embark on a mission to fight Dr. Emilia, a fierce anti-Mute evildoer.
Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts was created by Radford Sechrist (Kung Fu Panda) and features the voices of Karen Fukuhara (The Boys), Sydney Mikayla (General Hospital), Coy Stewart (Are We There Yet?) and Deon Cole (Black-ish).
Netflix Canada release date: October 14th, 2020
Genre: Kids, animated
Runtime: 10 episodes (23 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent (based on five reviews)
Stream Kipo and the Age of the Wonderbeasts here.
The Last Kids on Earth: Book 3 [Netflix Original]
Jack worries that a newly discovered radio transmitter may put an end to the fun he and his friends are having with their monster pals.
The Last Kids on Earth is based on the Max Brallier’s book series of the same name and features the voices of Vancouver’s Nick Wolfhard (Smiling Friends), Quebecois comedian Charles Demers (Just For Laughs), Garland Whitt (Dolemite is My Name), Mark Hamill (Star Wars series), Toronto’s Catherine O’Hara (Schitt’s Creek), Keith David (Community) and Rosario Dawson (Rent).
It’s worth noting that the series is animated by Vancouver-based Atomic Cartoons.
Also, in case you’re like me and were wondering the same — yes, Nick Wolfhard is indeed the (older) brother of Finn Wolfhard, the Canadian star of Stranger Things.
Netflix Canada release date: October 16th, 2020
Genre: Kids, animated
Runtime: TBA
Rotten Tomatoes score: TBA
Stream The Last Kids on Earth here.
Social Distance [Netflix Original]
Filmed remotely amid the COVID-19 pandemic, this narrative anthology series features a mix of funny and sad stories about people getting by during quarantine.
Social Distance was created by Hilary Weisman Graham (Orange is the New Black) and stars Mike Colter (Marvel’s Luke Cage), Danielle Brooks (Orange is the New Black), Max Jenkins (Dead to Me) and Oscar Nuñez (The Office).
Netflix Canada release date: October 15th, 2020
Genre: Comedy, drama
Runtime: Eight episodes (18 to 23 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Social Distance here.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 [Netflix Original]
Based on true events, The Trial of the Chicago 7 follows the anti-Vietnam War protest group the Chicago Seven, which was charged with conspiracy and crossing state lines with the intention of inciting riots during Chicago’s 1968 Democratic National Convention.
The film was written and directed by Oscar winner Aaron Sorkin (The Social Network) and features an ensemble cast that includes Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Watchmen), Sacha Baron Cohen (Borat), Eddie Redmayne (The Theory of Everything), Michael Keaton (Birdman) and Joseph Gordon-Levitt (500 Days of Summer).
Netflix Canada release date: October 16th, 2020
Genre: Historical drama
Runtime: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 94 percent (based on 139 reviews)
Stream The Trial of the Chicago 7 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.
Video on demand (VOD)
Love and Monsters
Seven years after monsters took control of the land, Joel ventures out from humanity’s underground dwellings to reconnect with his high school girlfriend.
Love and Monsters was directed by Michael Matthews (Five Fingers for Marseilles) and stars Dylan O’Brien (Maze Runner franchise), Jessica Henwick (Marvel’s Iron Fist), Michael Rooker (Guardians of the Galaxy series) and Ariana Greenblatt (Avengers: Infinity War).
It’s worth noting that Montreal’s Shawn Levy (Stranger Things) is a producer on the film.
VOD release date: October 16th, 2020
Genre: Action, romantic comedy
Runtime: 2 hours, 10 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 86 percent (based on 21 reviews)
Love and Monsters can be purchased on iTunes and Google Play for $24.99.
What are you planning on streaming this week? Let us know in the comments.
For more recommendations, check out last week’s Streaming in Canada column here.
Image credit: Netflix
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