Happy New Year! 2020 is officially here, and with it, more shows and movies to stream.
Every week, MobileSyrup goes over some of the most notable movies and TV shows to recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.
This column typically focuses on content from Amazon Prime Video Canada, Crave and Netflix Canada, but other streaming services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ will be mentioned when relevant.
Additionally, we’ll highlight shows or movies that are made in Canada, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.
Amazon Prime Video
Ilana Glazer: The Planet is Burning
Actress-comedian Ilana Glazer (Broad City) riffs on homophobes, Nazis, women’s razors and the patriarchy.
Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: January 3rd, 2020
Genre: Stand-up
Runtime: 59 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Ilana Glazer: The Planet is Burning here.
Amazon Prime Video is included at no additional cost with an Amazon Prime subscription, which is priced at $79 CAD/year in Canada.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Amazon Prime Video Canada in December can be found here. Meanwhile, January’s full content lineup is available here.
Crave
Alita: Battle Angel
A cyborg reawakens with no memory of her past, forcing her to carve out a new path for herself in the treacherous streets of Iron City.
Based on the 1990s Gunnm manga by Yukito Kishiro, Alita: Battle Angel was directed by Robert Rodriguez (Sin City) and stars Rosa Salazar (Parenthood), Christoph Waltz (Django Unchained), Jennifer Connelly (A Beautiful Mind) and Mahershala Ali (Moonlight).
It’s worth noting that Kapuskasing, Ontario’s own James Cameron produced and co-wrote the film.
Original theatrical release date:
Crave release date: January 3rd, 2020
Genre: Action, cyberpunk
Runtime: 2 hours, 2 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 61 percent
Stream Alita: Battle Angel here. Note that a $19.98 Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
Howie Mandel’s 5th Annual All-Star Comedy Gala
Ahead of HOWIE MANDEL'S 5TH ANNUAL ALL-STAR COMEDY GALA, taped @JustForLaughs in Montreal this past summer, @HowieMandel spoke to @billharris_tv about getting into stand-up comedy, and his future. Read the full interview on @thelede_ca here: https://t.co/lA3furZuix pic.twitter.com/taihzmJsso
— CTV PR (@CTV_PR) December 18, 2019
Toronto-born comedian Howie Mandel (Deal or No Deal) hosts a variety of stand-up comedians at The JFL Festival in Montreal.
Original TV broadcast date: December 19th, 2019
Crave release date: January 3rd, 2020
Genre: Stand-up
Runtime: 1 hour, 22 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Howie Mandel’s 5h Annual All-Star Comedy Gala here.
New Eden [Crave Original]
This new mockumentary series follows an all-female cult compound as it descends into murder and chaos.
Ladysmith, B.C.’s Kayla Lorette (When the Storm Fades) and Toronto’s Evany Rosen (Baroness von Sketch Show) created and star. The series was filmed in various parts of Ontario, including Brampton and North Bay.
Crave release date: December 31st, 2019
Genre: Mockumentary
Runtime: Eight episodes (25 to 38 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream New Eden here.
Pokémon Detective Pikachu
A talking Pikachu helps former Pokémon trainer Tim search for his missing father and unravel a larger conspiracy.
Based on the massively popular Pokémon video game franchise, Pokémon Detective Pikachu was directed by Rob Letterman (Gulliver’s Travels) and stars Vancouver’s own Ryan Reynolds (the Deadpool star provides the voice of Pikachu), Justice Smith (The Get Down), Kathryn Newton (Big Little Lies) and Bill Nighy (Love Actually).
Original theatrical release date: May 10th, 2019
Crave release date: January 1st, 2020
Genre: Adventure, comedy
Runtime: 1 hour, 48 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 68 percent
Stream Pokémon Detective Pikachu 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 that hit Crave in December can be found here. Meanwhile, January’s full content lineup is available here.
Disney+
TRUDY! 🗣 Seasons 1 and 2 of #TheProudFamily are now streaming on #DisneyPlus! pic.twitter.com/PjhkifulO8
— Disney+ (@DisneyPlus) January 1, 2020
It’s worth noting that Disney released a fresh batch of older movies and shows on Disney+.
Some of the movies and shows include:
- Austin & Ally (Season 1 — 4)
- Cool Runnings [based on 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, filmed in Calgary, starring late Newmarket, Ontario-born actor John Candy]
- Dr. Oakley, Yukon Vet (as the name suggests, featuring a veterinarian who works in the Yukon)
- Holes
- The Proud Family (Season 1 — 2)
These aren’t new titles, but there might still be something that tickles your fancy. Check out the full list of what’s hitting Disney+ early this month here. A list of content coming in late January can be found here.
Netflix
The Circle [Netflix Original]
A reality show in which contestants move into an apartment and communicate using only a special social media app. Contestants have to build their profiles and try to win over the others, with $100,000 being the ultimate prize.
The series is hosted by Michelle Buteau (Always Be My Maybe).
Netflix Canada release date: January 1st, 2020 (first four episodes, new episodes released in batches of four every following Wednesday)
Genre: Reality
Runtime: 12 episodes (44 to 63 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream The Circle here.
Dracula [Netflix Original]
The latest adaptation of Bram Stoker’s Dracula dives into the origins of the titular vampire as he fights Van Helsing’s descendants in Eastern Europe.
The series was created by Mark Gatiss and Steven Moffat (Doctor Who) and stars Claes Bang (The Square), Dolly Wells (Blunt Talk) and John Heffernan (Luther).
Original TV broadcast run: January 1st to 3rd, 2020 (BBC)
Netflix Canada release date: January 4th, 2020
Genre: Drama, horror
Runtime: Three episodes (around one hour each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 80 percent
Stream Dracula here.
Sex, Explained [Netflix Original]
Janelle Monáe (Moonlight) narrates this docuseries tackling all aspects of sex, from the biology of attraction to the history of birth control.
Netflix Canada release date: January 2nd, 2020
Genre: Docuseries
Runtime: Five episodes (17 to 26 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Sex, Explained here.
Spinning Out
Following a serious injury, an ice skater is offered the change to restart her career as a pairs skater while hiding her family’s history of mental illness.
Spinning Out was created by Samantha Stratton (Mr. Mercedes) and stars Kaya Scodelario (Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile), Willow Shields (The Hunger Games), Milton, Ontario’s David James Elliott (J.A.G.) and January Jones (Mad Men).
It’s worth noting that Spinning Out was filmed in Toronto and features a number of Canadian figure skaters as doubles for the series’ stars.
Netflix Canada release date: January 1st, 2020
Genre: Drama
Runtime: 10 episodes (45 to 56 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 56 percent
Stream Spinning Out 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 that hit Netflix Canada in December can be found here. Meanwhile, January’s full content lineup is available here.
What are you looking to stream to kick off the new year? Let us know in the comments!
Image credit: Bell Media
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