MUBI, the global distributor, streaming service and production company, has slated Academy-Award® nominated director Luca Guadagnino’s Queer for release in Canada on December 13, 2024. Queer had its North American Premiere at TIFF 2024 and will have its UK Premiere as a Special Presentation at the BFI London Film Festival on October 17, 2024.

The film stars Daniel Craig, Drew Starkey, Academy-Award® nominee Lesley Manville, Jason Schwartzman, Henrique Zaga, Omar Apollo, Andra Ursuta, Andres Duprat, Ariel Shulman, Drew Droege, Michael Borremans, David Lowery, Lisandro Alonso and Colin Bates.

Queer is written by Justin Kuritzkes (Challengers), with music from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross (Challengers, The Killer, Bones and All, Mank), cinematography from Sayombhu Mukdeeprom (Challengers, Call Me By Your Name, Suspiria), edited by Marco Costa (Challengers, Bones and All) and costume design from J.W. Anderson (Challengers).

1950. William Lee, an American expat in Mexico City, spends his days almost entirely alone, except for a few contacts with other members of the small American community. His encounter with Eugene Allerton, an expat former soldier, new to the city, shows him, for the first time, that it might be finally possible to establish an intimate connection with somebody.

Queer was produced by Fremantle, Fremantle North America, Lorenzo Mieli for The Apartment, a Fremantle Group Company, and Luca Guadagnino for his Frenesy Film Company, in collaboration with Cinecittà and Frame by Frame. Fremantle Group financed the film.

QUEER WILL RELEASE IN CINEMAS IN CANADA ON DECEMBER 13, 2024

Today we get a new Featurette for WICKED which hones-in on the talented Cast singing live on-set during filming. Universal Pictures Canada release November 22, 2024.

After two decades as one of the most beloved and enduring musicals on the stage, Wicked makes its long-awaited journey to the big screen as a spectacular, generation-defining cinematic event this holiday season.

Directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu (Crazy Rich Asians, In the Heights), Wicked is the first chapter of a two-part immersive, cultural celebration. Wicked Part Two is scheduled to arrive in theaters on November 26, 2025.

Wicked, the untold story of the witches of Oz, stars Emmy, Grammy and Tony winning powerhouse Cynthia Erivo (Harriet, Broadway’s The Color Purple) as Elphaba, a young woman, misunderstood because of her unusual green skin, who has yet to discover her true power, and Grammy-winning, multi-platinum recording artist and global superstar Ariana Grande as Glinda, a popular young woman, gilded by privilege and ambition, who has yet to discover her true heart.

The two meet as students at Shiz University in the fantastical Land of Oz and forge an unlikely but profound friendship. Following an encounter with The Wonderful Wizard of Oz, their friendship reaches a crossroads and their lives take very different paths. Glinda’s unflinching desire for popularity sees her seduced by power, while Elphaba’s determination to remain true to herself, and to those around her, will have unexpected and shocking consequences on her future. Their extraordinary adventures in Oz will ultimately see them fulfill their destinies as Glinda the Good and the Wicked Witch of the West.

The film also stars Oscar® winner Michelle Yeoh as Shiz University’s regal headmistress Madame Morrible; Jonathan Bailey (Bridgerton, Fellow Travelers) as Fiyero, a roguish and carefree prince; Tony nominee Ethan Slater (Broadway’s Spongebob Squarepants, Fosse/Verdon) as Boq, an altruistic Munchkin student; Marissa Bode in her feature-film debut as Nessarose, Elphaba’s favored sister; and pop culture icon Jeff Goldblum as the legendary Wizard of Oz.

The cast of characters includes Pfannee and ShenShen, two conniving compatriots of Glinda played by Emmy nominee Bowen Yang (Saturday Night Live) and Bronwyn James (Harlots); a new character created for the film, Miss Coddle, played by Tony nominee Keala Settle (The Greatest Showman) and four-time Emmy winner Peter Dinklage (Game of Thrones) as the voice of Dr. Dillamond.

Wicked is produced by Marc Platt (La La Land, The Little Mermaid), whose films, television shows and stage productions have earned a combined 46 Oscar® nominations, 58 Emmy nominations and 36 Tony nominations, and by multiple Tony winner David Stone (Kimberly Akimbo, Next to Normal), with whom Platt produced the blockbuster Wicked stage musical. The executive producers are David Nicksay, Stephen Schwartz and Jared LeBoff.

Based on the bestselling novel by Gregory Maguire, Wicked is adapted for the screen by the stage production’s book writer Winnie Holzman and by legendary Grammy and Oscar® winning composer and lyricist Stephen Schwartz. The Broadway stage musical is produced by Universal Stage Productions, Marc Platt, the Araca Group, Jon B. Platt and David Stone.

Genre: Musical Event

Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Marissa Bode, Bowen Yang, Bronwyn James, Keala Settle and Peter Dinklage

Director: Jon M. Chu

Written by: Winnie Holzman

Based on the musical Wicked, music and lyrics by Stephen Schwartz, book by Winnie Holzman, from the novel by Gregory Maguire

Producers: Marc Platt, David Stone

Executive Producers: David Nicksay, Stephen Schwartz, Jared LeBoff

Alan Cumming stars in DRIVE BACK HOME which opens December 6, 2024 via Photon Films after a successful award-winning festival run.

SYNOPSIS
In the winter of 1970, a cantankerous, small town plumber from rural New Brunswick, must drive his beat-up work truck 1000 miles to Toronto to get his estranged, gay brother out of jail after being arrested for having sex in a public park. The two men are then forced to drive back home together at the behest of their hard-nosed mother before they kill each other. Inspired by a true story.

COUNTRY: Canada
LANGUAGE: English
RUNTIME: 100 minutes

CAST:
Alan Cumming (Perley) – Instinct, Eyes Wide Shut, The Good Wife
Charlie Creed-Miles (Weldon) – Criminal Record, Giri/Haji, Peaky Blinders
Clare Coulter (Ada) – The Apprentice, Fargo, Three Pines
Sprague Grayden (Martha)- Six Feet Under, Dirty Jon, Sons of Anarchy
Gray Powell (Moses) – Sort Of, Brilliant Minds, The Hardy Boys

WRITER-DIRECTOR: Michael Clowater (Feature Film Debut, Acclaimed Commercial Director)

DIRECTOR OF PHOTOGRAPHY: Stuart Campbell
EDITOR: Mikaela Bodin
PRODUCTION DESIGNER: Natasha Uhrig
COMPOSER: Hayden

PRODUCERS: Brian Mason, William Woods, Maddy Falle
EXECUTIVE PRODUCERS: Michael Clowater, Edie Weiss, Scott Mackenzie, Ilene Bronsteter, Mark Gingras, John Laing

Toronto got a huge surprise as the Cast of top-rated Netflix series OUTER BANKS came out to celebrate its fourth season tonight! Here for the event at Toronto Event Centre on Canadian National Exhibition grounds, were Rudy Pankow (JJ), Carlacia Grant (Cleo) and Austin North (Topper). The event was hosted by Torri Webster.

Guests also got a spirited concert by Canada’s own The Arkells too, who despite being on-tour, were able to make it out to make the event so festive with their surprise cover versions including tunes by ABBA, Chappell Roan, Shania Twain, Taylor Swift and more!

What a fun-filled night with food (by The Food Dudes) fun and activations (by Coolab), including free branded Outer Banks tote bags, plus tattoos!

Highlights here:

Day Two:

OUTER BANKS Season 4 Part 2 arrives November 8, 2024. Part 1 steams now on Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Paramount+ today debuted the second official trailer and released the key art for the highly anticipated new original series, LANDMAN, starring Oscar winner Billy Bob Thornton. The drama will premiere on Sunday, November 17, 2024 exclusively on Paramount+ in Canada, the U.S. and international markets where the service is available. The series will launch with two episodes and subsequent episodes of the 10-episode first season will be available every Sunday. Co-created by Oscar nominee Taylor Sheridan and Christian Wallace, LANDMAN is produced by MTV Entertainment Studios, 101 Studios and Sheridan’s Bosque Ranch Productions exclusively for Paramount+.

Set in the proverbial boomtowns of West Texas, LANDMAN is a modern-day tale of fortune-seeking in the world of oil rigs. Based on the notable 11-part podcast “Boomtown” from Imperative Entertainment and Texas Monthly, the series is an upstairs/downstairs story of roughnecks and wildcat billionaires fueling a boom so big, it’s reshaping our climate, our economy and our geopolitics.

In addition to Thornton, the series stars Ali Larter (The Last Victim), Jacob Lofland (Joker 2), Michelle Randolph (1923), Paulina Chávez (The Expanding Universe of Ashley Garcia), Canadian Kayla Wallace (When Calls the Heart), Mark Collie (Nashville), James Jordan (Yellowstone), and Demi Moore (Feud: Capote Vs. The Swans). Jon Hamm (Mad Men) will star in a recurring guest role with Andy Garcia (Expendables franchise) and Michael Peña (End of Watch) also serving as guest stars.

LANDMAN is executive produced by Taylor Sheridan, David C. Glasser, ​David Hutkin, Ron Burkle, Bob Yari​, Christian Wallace, Geyer Kosinski, Michael Friedman and Stephen Kay. Dan Friedkin and Jason Hoch for Imperative Entertainment, and J.K. Nickell and Megan Creydt for Texas Monthly also executive produce. Peter Feldman serves as co-executive producer. LANDMAN is distributed by Paramount Global Content Distribution.

The series is the latest addition to Sheridan’s growing slate on Paramount+, which includes YELLOWSTONE, 1923, 1883, LIONESS, MAYOR OF KINGSTOWN, TULSA KING and LAWMEN: BASS REEVES.

Prime Video today released the official trailer and key art for The Sticky, a fast-paced, dark comedy series from Blumhouse Television, inspired by a real-life heist that made global headlines in 2012, which saw more than $18 million worth of maple syrup stolen from Quebec’s national reserves. From showrunners Brian Donovan and Ed Herro, The Sticky combines moments of culture-clash hilarity, edge-of-the-seat excitement and heartbreaking drama. All six episodes premiere on December 6, 2024 exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories around the world.

The Sticky follows Ruth Landry (three-time Emmy Award winner Margo Martindale), a tough, middle-aged maple syrup farmer who turns to crime when the bureaucratic authorities threaten to take away everything she loves. She teams up with the hot-tempered Bostonian mobster (Chris Diamantopoulos), and a mild-mannered French-Canadian security guard (Guillaume Cyr) to carry out a multi-million-dollar heist on Quebec’s maple syrup surplus.

In the deliciously devious trailer, the unlikely trio of maple syrup thieves are introduced – as they evade the long arm of the law, create mayhem in their quest for liquid gold, and potentially dabble in murder. The trailer also delivers the first glimpse of legendary Oscar and Emmy Award winner Jamie Lee Curtis sinking her teeth into an unwavering, powerhouse guest starring role.

The Sticky is produced by Blumhouse Television, Jamie Lee Curtis’ Comet Pictures, Jonathan Levine’s Megamix and Sphere Media. Creators, executive producers, showrunners and writers are Brian Donovan and Ed Herro; executive producers Jonathan Levine and Gillian Bohrer for Megamix; Jamie Lee Curtis for Comet Pictures; Jason Blum, Chris Dickie, Jeremy Gold, and Chris McCumber, for Blumhouse Television; and Michael Dowse. Lauren Grant also serves as executive producer, along with Josée Vallée and Bruno Dubé for Sphere Media, Inc and associate producer Russell Goldman for Comet Pictures.

The series joins the critically acclaimed and award-winning slate of Canadian Amazon Original series and films including TIFF 2024 People’s Choice Documentary Award winner The Tragically Hip: No Dress Rehearsal and TIFF 2023 People’s Choice Documentary Award and Canadian Screen Award-winner Mr. Dressup: The Magic of Make-Believe, Luxe Listings: Toronto, LOL: Qui rira le dernier?, Three Pines, Saving Sakic, All or Nothing: Toronto Maple Leafs, The Kids in the Hall, The Lake, LOL: Last One Laughing Canada, and The Unsolved Murder of Beverly Lynn Smith.

Since 2015, Amazon MGM Studios, as well as MGM Television and MGM+ Studios have commissioned more than 40 series and films that have been shot in Canada, including The Boys, Gen V, Reacher, and The Handmaid’s Tale in Ontario; Fargo and Billy The Kid in Alberta; The Man in the High Castle and Upload in British Columbia; Tales from the Loop in Manitoba; as well as parts of Tom Clancy’s Jack Ryan and The Voyeurs in Quebec.

We get a new official Trailer for THAT CHRISTMAS from Simon Otto and Richard Curtis! We just know this is going to be heartwarming!

“Becoming an animator had been on my Christmas wish list ever since I was a child and watching animated movies was one of the biggest Christmas traditions in my family. But never could I have imagined that one day I would get the chance to direct a Christmas film written by the one-and-only Richard Curtis and collaborate with some of the most iconic voice talents. Watching this cast bring life to these heart-warmingly funny tales and infuse them with the magic of animation is truly a dream come true. I hope That Christmas becomes a cherished tradition for audiences worldwide.” – Simon Otto, Director

“This has been the most amazing adventure, my first animated film. It’s been especially exciting to see the whole world I imagined come to life beyond my wildest dreams – and populated by a dream bunch of actors, their wonderful voices turned into such rich and funny characters.” – Richard Curtis, Writer and Executive Producer

More on THAT CHRISTMAS
Directed by: Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy)
Screenplay by: Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Yesterday) & Peter Souter
Based on the books by: Written by Richard Curtis, Illustrated by Rebecca Cobb
Produced by: Nicole P. Hearon p.g.a (Moana, Frozen), Adam Tandy p.g.a (The Thick of It, Detectorists)
Executive producers: Mary Coleman, Natalie Fischer, Julie Lockhart, Elisabeth Murdoch, Bonnie Arnold, Lara Breay, Sarah Smith, Rebecca Cobb, Richard Curtis, Colin Hopkins
Original song by: Ed Sheeran (Under The Tree)
Music by: John Powell
Animation by: Locksmith Animation
Cast: Brian Cox [Santa], Fiona Shaw [Ms Trapper], Jodie Whittaker [Mrs Williams], Lolly Adefope [Mrs McNutt], Alex Macqueen [Mr Forrest], Katherine Parkinson [Mrs Forrest], Sindhu Vee [Mrs Mulji], India Brown [Bernadette], Zazie Hayhurst [Sam], Sienna Sayer [Charlie], Jack Wisniewski [Danny], Rosie Cavaliero [Mrs Beccles], Paul Kaye [Yirrell], Guz Khan [Dasher], Andy Nyman [Mr Beccles], Kuhu Agarwal [Nisha], Bronte Smith [Eve], Freddie Spry [Teddy], Ava Talbot [Scarlett], with Bill Nighy [Bill] and Rhys Darby [Mr McNutt].
Synopsis: Based on the successful series of children’s books by BAFTA winner and Academy Award® nominee Richard Curtis (Four Weddings and a Funeral, Love Actually, Yesterday), Locksmith Animation’s heartwarming film marks the feature film directorial debut of renowned character animation and story artist veteran Simon Otto (How to Train Your Dragon trilogy). That Christmas follows a series of entwined tales about love and loneliness, family and friends, and Santa Claus making a big mistake, not to mention an enormous number of turkeys! Nicole P. Hearon (Moana, Frozen) and Adam Tandy (The Thick of It, Detectorists) are producers.

Tickets are on sale now everywhere tickets are sold for Walt Disney Animation Studios’ epic animated musical “Moana 2.” Opening in theatres on Nov. 27, 2024, the all-new feature film reunites Moana (voice of Auli‘i Cravalho) and Maui (voice of Dwayne Johnson) for an expansive new voyage alongside a crew of unlikely seafarers. A new featurette called “Moana is Back” is now available:

In addition to Cravalho and Johnson, the voice cast of “Moana 2” includes Hualālai Chung, Rose Matafeo, David Fane, Awhimai Fraser, Khaleesi Lambert-Tsuda, Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Rachel House, Gerald Ramsey and Alan Tudyk, who returns as Heihei. Directed by David Derrick Jr., Jason Hand and Dana Ledoux Miller, and produced by Christina Chen and Yvett Merino, “Moana 2” features music by Grammy® winners Abigail Barlow and Emily Bear, Grammy nominee Opetaia Foa‘i, and three-time Grammy winner Mark Mancina. Jared Bush and Miller are writing the film, which is executive produced by Jennifer Lee, Bush and Johnson.

Tickets available now here.

It was a birthday week to remember, test driving the 2024 Honda Accord Hybrid Sport. It’s no mystery that the Accord is one of our beloved favourites in the Honda family. This midsize Sedan is the perfect drive, the perfect median between luxury and economy without ever sacrificing style. Our test ride was am ever-eyecatching Radiant Red Metallic.

The biggest selling point of all here is an unparalleled Fuel Economy 5.0/5.7/5.3 l/100 km (City/Highway/Combined). We were so pleasantly surprised not only how smooth and quiet our drives were, but also how little they cost! One day during our test drive we decided to cross the border to Buffalo from Toronto’s east end on a full tank of gas, only paying $17 US to fill our tank on the way back! That was incredible!

The Accord Hybrid Sport operates on a 2.0-litre, 16-valve, Direct Injection, DOHC with dual variable timing control (VTC) 4-cylinder engine and runs at a combined 204 total horsepower. The Driver gets a multitude of options to drive in: ECON, Normal, Sport and Individual drive toggle modes.

One new unique thing I noticed here was the traffic sign recognition. While this feature is nothing new, an upgrade has been done in this generation where when you are crossing the US border, the speedometer converts for you the American speed limit with a red marking, making it easier than ever to ensure you are driving at a safe speed and within parameters.

Above this, the Accord Hybrid Sport is filled to the brim with features we love.  The moonroof makes our daily drivers that much better. But simple and subtle things like assisted opening trunk, proximity entry, pushbutton start, multi-angle rearview camera, Maintenance Minder™,  driver attention monitor (it let me know a couple times when I was getting fatigued on the long drives!) and dual-zone automatic climate control with air-filtration system have gone from nice-to-haves to must-haves today for us.

Entertainment wise, the ride boasts a gorgeous 12.3-inch colour touchscreen Display Audio System with 8 speakers. This looks rather superb and we love the new split-screen option when using Android Auto, making it easy to toggle between playlists on Spotify, while navigating with Google Maps all at once. Genius! Another new update is that we love that when we input a destination on Google Maps using Android Auto, right away there is an indicator that tells us how much fuel you are saving using ECON mode when you input your destination. Also, it also will tell you ahead what parking avails in the area surroudning your destination are like, i.e. EASY or DIFFICULT. Throughout your drives, you’ll notice how much more interactive they are, with notifications popping-up asking you if there are stalled vehicles, slowdowns, etc. are still impacting your routes. This can be good for some, but foreseeably a nuisance if you are trying to stay focussed on driving.

There are some minor downsides that we must highlight with the Accord Hybrid Sport. We were a little baffled at the lack of USB charging ports, this latest model preferring USB-C charging ports only, meaning you have to purchase new cables to charge if you don’t have this type already. This, and no wireless charging option was available as well. This model has no driver’s seat memory position – which though not a dealbreaker, can be a bit of a hurdle for some. The Driver does get 8-way power adjustment with lumbar support still and heated seating is available in the front row.

We definitely missed having automatic lock when walking away from the vehicle here, and there were a lack of beverage holders (things got a little messy with a hot coffee!) and charging ports for our backseat passengers. This was a little uncharacteristic of the care and intuition that Honda usually shows our passengers’ needs. Seats also are in sport fabric versus the usual leather trim – again not a huge deal but might not be ideal for some.

One thing Honda doesn’t sacrifice here though is its thorough safety features. Passive Safety features here include: 3-point front seat belts with automatic tensioning system; Front knee airbags (SRS); Rear side airbags; HondaLink™ Assist Automatic Emergency Response System; Side curtain airbags with rollover sensor system; SmartVent™ side airbags; Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children (LATCH); Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure; and Childproof rear door locks.

Actve Safety features here include: 4-wheel Anti-lock Braking System (ABS); Auto high beam headlights Collision Mitigation Braking System™ (CMBS®);  Forward Collision Warning (FCW) system; Hill Start Assist; Lane Departure Warning (LDW) system; Road Departure Mitigation (RDM) system2; Vehicle Stability Assist (VSA®) with Traction Control; and Electronic Brake-force Distribution (EBD).

More highlights from our Birthday Week Test Drive:

In all an amazing ride that more than ever focuses on smoothness and economy and we’re here for it! The 2024 Honda Accord Hybrid Sport starts at $43,400 CAN. More here.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

Production is underway on “Deliver Me from Nowhere,” the eagerly anticipated movie adaptation of Warren Zanes’ fascinating telling of the making of Bruce Springsteen’s 1982 “Nebraska” album. Slated for theaters in 2025, the film is written and directed by Scott Cooper (“Crazy Heart,” “Hostiles,” “Antlers,” “Black Mass”) and stars Jeremy Allen White (“The Bear,” “The Iron Claw,” “Shameless”) as the visionary musician as he embarks on an emotional journey to record “Nebraska.”

“Beginning production on this film is an incredibly humbling and thrilling journey,” said Cooper. “Bruce Springsteen’s ‘Nebraska’ has profoundly shaped my artistic vision. The album’s raw, unvarnished portrayal of life’s trials and resilience resonates deeply with me. Our film aims to capture that same spirit, bringing Warren Zanes’ compelling narrative of Bruce’s life to the screen with authenticity and hope, honouring Bruce’s legacy in a transformative cinematic experience. It has been a great pleasure to collaborate with Bruce and Jon [Landau] as I tell their story, and their creative energy fuels every part of this journey. As well, I’m excited to reunite with my friend, David Greenbaum [president, Disney Live Action and 20th Century Studios], as he embarks on his new role at Disney, adding another layer of inspiration to this project.”

White has won consecutive Golden Globe®, SAG, Critics’ Choice and Emmy® Awards in the past two years for his performance in FX’s hit series “The Bear.” Joining White in “Deliver Me from Nowhere” are a host of talented, award-winning performers.

· Jeremy Strong (“The Apprentice,” “Succession”), who’s an Emmy-, Golden Globe-, Critics’ Choice-, SAG Award®- and Tony®-winning actor, stars as Springsteen’s long-time mentor and manager, Jon Landau.

· Paul Walter Hauser (“Black Bird,” “Richard Jewell”) portrays guitar tech Mike Batlan.

· Odessa Young (“Mothering Sunday,” “The Staircase”) is young Faye, a formative love interest in Springsteen’s life.

· Sir Stephen Graham (“Young Woman and the Sea,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales”) plays Springsteen’s father.

· Johnny Cannizzaro (“Quantum Leap,” “Jersey Boys”) joins the cast as The E Street Band member Stevie Van Zandt.

The development of “Nebraska,” which followed Springsteen’s 1981 “The River Tour,” marked a pivotal time in his life, one that he would only openly talk about decades after its release. It’s regarded as a landmark in his musical odyssey and a source of inspiration for a generation of artists and musicians. Recorded on a 4-track recorder in Springsteen’s New Jersey bedroom and without The E Street Band, “Nebraska” is considered one of Springsteen’s most enduring works—a raw, haunted acoustic record populated by lost souls searching for a reason to believe.

Among the most recognized South Jersey natives, Springsteen maintains a huge footprint at the Jersey Shore, frequenting local shops, pizza parlors, pubs, restaurants and music venues. Filming for “Deliver Me from Nowhere” will take place primarily in locations in New Jersey and New York, with additional production in Los Angeles.

Cooper produces with the Gotham Group’s Ellen Goldsmith-Vein (“The Maze Runner” trilogy, “Juror #2”) and Eric Robinson (“Kodachrome,” “Last Days”), who developed the project with Cooper. Scott Stuber (“Frankenstein,” “Ted,” “Safe House”) also produces. Tracey Landon (“Maestro,” “Amsterdam”), who recently worked with Cooper on “The Pale Blue Eye,” and Warren Zanes are executive producing.