Every week, MobileSyrup outlines 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, Crave and Netflix, but other services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ are mentioned when relevant. Premium video on demand (PVOD) platforms are also fair game as movies continue to come to digital early amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
Finally, we’ll highlight shows or movies that are made by Canadian companies, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.
Amazon Prime Video
Licorice Pizza
In 1973 California, a 15-year-old actor falls in love with a 20-something photographer’s assistant.
Licorice Pizza was written and directed by Paul Thomas Anderson (There Will Be Blood) and stars Alana Haim (the band Haim) and Cooper Hoffman (son of late actor Philip Seymour Hoffman) in their film debuts, as well as Sean Penn (Milk), Bradley Cooper (A Star Is Born) and Benny Safdie (Uncut Gems).
It’s worth noting that Licorice Pizza was one of the nine films up for Best Picture at the most recent Oscars.
Original theatrical release date: November 26th, 2021
Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: August 5th, 2022
Genre: Comedy-drama
Runtime: 2 hours, 13 minutes
Stream Licorice Pizza here.
Thirteen Lives [Amazon Original]
Ron Howard (A Beautiful Mind) directs this film about the 2018 Tham Luang, Thailand incident in which a junior football team and their coach became trapped in a cave for nearly three weeks.
Thirteen Lives stars Viggo Mortensen (The Lord of the Rings trilogy), Colin Farrell (The Lobster), Joel Edgerton (The King) and Tom Bateman (Da Vinci’s Demons).
Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: August 5th, 2022
Genre: Biographical drama
Runtime: 2 hours, 27 minutes
Stream Thirteen Lives here.
An Amazon Prime Video subscription is included at no additional cost with an Amazon Prime membership, which costs $79/year.
The full list of movies and shows hitting Prime Video Canada this month can be found here.
Apple TV+
Luck [Apple Original]
Sam Greenfield is the unluckiest person in the world until she arrives in the mysterious Land of Luck and teams up with magical creatures to turn her fortunes around.
Luck was directed by Peggy Holmes (The Pirate Fairy) and features the voices of Eva Noblezada (Yellow Rose), Simon Pegg (Star Trek trilogy), Jane Fonda (Grace & Frankie) and Whoopi Goldberg (Sister Act).
Apple TV+ Canada release date: August 5th, 2022
Genre: Animated, family
Runtime: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Stream Luck here.
An Apple TV+ subscription costs $5.99/month in Canada.
Crave
Fireheart
In the 1930s, a 16-year-old girl who dreams of becoming the world’s first female firefighter must save her dad from a serial arsonist who can hypnotize people.
Fireheart was directed by Laurent Zeitoun (The Intouchables) and Theodore Ty (Lilo & Stitch) and features the voices of Olivia Cooke (Bates Motel), Montreal’s William Shatner (Star Trek), Laurie Holden (The Walking Dead) and Kenneth Branagh (Belfast).
It’s worth noting that the film was co-produced by Montreal-based L’Atelier Animation.
Crave release date: August 5th, 2022
Genre: Animated, family
Runtime: 1 hour, 32 minutes
Stream Fireheart here.
Parallel Mothers
Two single pregnant women meet in a hospital and form a close bond.
Parallel Mothers was directed by Pedro Almodóvar (Pain and Glory) and stars Penélope Cruz (Vicky Christina Barcelona) and Milena Smit (Cross the Line).
Original North American theatrical release date: December 24th, 2021
Crave release date: August 5th, 2022
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 2 hours
Stream Parallel Mothers here.
A standard Crave subscription is priced at $19.99/month, with Starz costing an additional $5.99/month. A mobile-only subscription is also available for $9.99/month.
The full list of movies and shows hitting Crave this month can be found here.
Disney+
Lego Star Wars: Summer Vacation [Disney+ Original]
While planning a surprise vacation for his friends, Finn encounters the spirits of Obi-Wan, Anakin and Leia, who each share their own story about vacations gone wrong.
Lego Star Wars: Summer Vacation was directed by Vancouver’s Ken Cunningham (Lego Marvel Avengers) and features the voices of Omar Miller (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Weird Al Yanokovic (“White and Nerdy”), James Arnold Taylor (Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Matt Lanter (Star Wars: The Clone Wars), Billy Dee Williams (Star Wars: Return of the Jedi) and Anthony Daniels (Star Wars series).
It’s worth noting that Lego Star Wars: Summer Vacation was produced by Vancouver’s Atomic Cartoons (Lego Star Wars: Holiday Special).
Disney+ Canada release date: August 5th, 2022
Genre: Animated, family
Runtime: 48 minutes
Stream Lego Star Wars: Summer Vacation here.
Lightyear
A young astronaut named Buzz Lightyear is marooned on a hostile planet with his commander and crew, forcing him to find a way back home while confronting a deadly universal threat.
It should be noted that, somewhat confusingly, Lightyear is a Toy Story spin-off about an in-universe movie that Andy, one of the characters from the main Toy Story films, is said to have watched.
Lightyear was co-written and directed by Angus MacLane (Finding Dory) and features the voices of Chris Evans (Avengers: Endgame), Keke Palmer (Akeelah and the Bee), Peter Sohn (Ratatouille), Taika Waititi (Thor: Ragnarok) and Dale Soules (Orange is the New Black).
Original theatrical release date: July 17th, 2022
Disney+ Canada release date: August 3rd, 2022
Genre: Animated, family
Runtime: 1 hour, 45 minutes
Stream Lightyear here.
Marvel Studios’ Assembled: The Making of Ms. Marvel [Disney+ Original]
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the production of the critically-acclaimed Ms. Marvel Disney+ series, featuring Markham, Ontario’s Iman Vellani (Ms. Marvel), directors Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah, Marvel Studios president Kevin Feige and more.
Disney+ Canada release date: August 3rd, 2022
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 1 hour, 2 minutes
Stream Marvel Studios’ Assembled: The Making of Ms. Marvel here.
Prey [Star Original]
Set in the Comanche Nation in 1717, this Predator series prequel chronicles the battle between a skilled warrior and a highly evolved alien.
Prey was directed by Dan Trachtenberg (10 Cloverfield Lane) and stars Amber Midthunder (Roswell, New Mexico), Dakota Beavers (debut acting role) and Dane DiLiegro (American Horror Stories).
It’s worth noting that Prey was filmed in Calgary.
Disney+ Canada Star release date: August 5th, 2022
Genre: Sci-fi action
Runtime: 1 hour, 37 minutes
Stream Prey here.
A Disney+ subscription costs $11.99/month or $119.99/year.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Disney+ Canada this month can be found here.
Netflix
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie [Netflix Original]
Picking up after Nickelodeon’s Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, the Turtles must protect the world from a terrifying alien species known as the Krang.
Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie was directed by Ant Ward and Andy Suriano (Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles) and features the voices of Ben Schwartz (Sonic the Hedgehog), Omar Miller (Lego Star Wars: Holiday Special), Brandon Mychal Smith (Sonny With a Chance) and Josh Brener (Star Wars Resistance).
Netflix Canada release date: August 5th, 2022
Genre: Animated, superhero, comedy
Runtime: 1 hour, 22 minutes
Stream Rise of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: The Movie here.
The Sandman [Netflix Original]
Free from imprisonment, Morpheus, also known as The King of Dreams, journeys across worlds to restore his power.
Based on Neil Gaiman’s DC Comics series of the same name, The Sandman was developed by Gaiman, David S. Goyer (The Dark Knight trilogy) and Allan Heinberg (Wonder Woman) and stars Tom Sturridge (Orphans), Gwendoline Christie (Game of Thrones), Vivienne Acheampong (The Witches), Boyd Holbrook (Logan), Charles Dance (Game of Thrones) and Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who).
Netflix Canada release date: August 5th, 2022
Genre: Fantasy drama
Runtime: 10 episodes (around one hour each)
Stream The Sandman here.
A ‘Basic’ Netflix subscription costs $9.99/month, a ‘Standard’ subscription (HD-supported) costs $16.49/month and a ‘Premium’ membership is priced at $20.99/month (4K-supported).
The full list of movies and shows hitting Netflix Canada this month can be found here.
What are you planning on watching this week? Let us know in the comments.
For more suggestions, check out last week’s column.
Image credit: 20th Century Studios
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