Feast for a King. We’ve been on our best behaviour and it’s time for a feast! This combines all our favourites, Rib Steak, Sushi, Jumbo U.S. Spot Prawns and of course Uni (Sea Urchin), which is only available at points in the year at your local seafood market. We were so lucky to come across some so we thought we’d splurge a little! Incredibly creamy and umami, Uni might be an acquired taste for some, but it is the most amazing thing we’ve ever tasted. This feast is simple, sophisticated and elegant. And we’ve earned it!

Finish this off with a dead-simple Blueberry Tiramisu which you prepare the day before. No baking – just simple easy-to-find ingredients.

Ingredients:

1 lb Jumbo U.S. Spot Prawns
10 oz Rib Steak
10 pieces fresh Uni/Sea Urchin
1 cup Botan Calrose Rice
3 tbps Seasoned Rice Vinegar
1 tsp organic raw sugar
1/4 tsp sea salt
5 sheets Nori, quartered and toasted
Ground Pink Himalayan Salt
Ground Peppercorns
Olive Oil

Soy Sauce
Wasabi

Instructions:

1. Season steak with Himalayan Salt and Peppercorns, refrigerate for about 3 hours and bring out about 45 minutes before cooking.
2. In rice cooker, prepare rice. Rinse once and add 1 1/2 cups water. Cook fully and unplug once finished. Open lid and season with rice vinegar, salt and sugar. Mix gently and leave lid open to breathe. Once slightly-cooled, scoop into a serving bowl.
3. Pre-heat oven at 200°F. Place Nori on baking sheet (ungreased) and bake for about a 1-2 minutes, careful not to burn. You are toasting til crisp. Remove tray from oven right away. Stack on plate for serving.
3. Clean shrimp. Bring pot of salt water to boil and add prawns. Cook medium-high heat for about 2-3 minutes till cooked. Remove from heat and rinse under cold water. Pat dry with paper towels and arrange on plate.
4. Rinse Uni in cold water gently. Pat gently with paper towels till try. Arrange on plate and keep chilled till ready to serve.
5. Pre-heat Air Fryer at 400°F for 3 minutes. Brush steak sparingly with olive oil and fry for about 8 minutes. Once cooked, remove from Fryer and slice into thin strips. Season once more with Himalayan Salt. Arrange on plate.
6. In shallow small dish, combine Wasabi and Soy Sauce to taste.
7. Serve by taking Nori sheet, with one spoon of rice scooped-on. Dip Uni, Steak and Prawns in Wasabi-Soy and wrap in Nori and rice. Eat with hands.

Blueberry Tiramisu

24 Nilla Wafers or about 16 Ladyfingers
473 ml carton of Whipping Cream
250g tub of Mascarpone/Cream Cheese/Smooth Ricotta (room temperature)
2 tbsps Coffee Liqueur
2 tbsps high-grade Instant Coffee (brand suggestion: Davidoff or Maxim)
1 cup fresh Blueberries
3 tbsps icing sugar
1 tsp Vanilla Extract
3 tbsps Cocoa Powder

Instructions:

1. In small bowl, mix equal parts hot water and instant coffee. Add coffee liqueur. Stir well and set aside.
2. In large bowl, use handmixer to mix whipping cream till stiff peaks form. Mix-in cheese, vanilla and icing sugar until smoooth and creamy. Do not over-mix.
3. Dip Nilla Wafers in coffee mixture quickly and layer along bottom of loaf pan/dish.
4. Spoon cream on-top. Stack with layer of blueberries and then coffee-dipped Nilla Wafers. Layer again with remaining cream.
5. Sift Cocoa Powder on-top. Cover with wrap tightly and refrigerate overnight.
6. When ready to serve, scoop onto dish and top with more blueberries.

Gallery:

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

It’s been nine years since we’ve visited the Phineas and Ferb universe cinematically and right in time to lift our spirits through this Pandemic, is a new standalone sequel film coming to Disney+. This time around, Phineas and Ferb‘s older sister Candace (Ashley Tisdale) gets her own movie. We see her find her own utopia, far away from her pesky little brothers, after being abducted by aliens. Her brothers venture across the galaxy to rescue her.

We were thrilled to have a Zoom chat with the Cast and Creators of the Film, including:

Jeff “Swampy” Marsh (Major Monogram/Co-Writer)
Dan Povenmire (Doofenschmirtz/Co-Writer)
Ashley Tisdale (Candace)
Vincent Martella (Phineas)
Alyson Stoner (Isabella)
Dee Baker (Perry)
Maulik Pancholy (Baljeet)

Martella recalls his time in the Franchise in the lead role of Phineas, first joining the Animated Series pilot. “I was 13 when I did the pilot and I’m now 27. I never got taller and my voice never got lower!”, he jokes. One thing he revealed to us was the inspiration in crafting Phineas‘ voice which came as a shock to his castmates. “My parents played a lot of Bob Dylan music while I was warming up my voice. I was singing a lot of Folk music as Phineas as a teenager!”.

Tisdale expresses her excitement to her about her Candace getting to be front and center this time around. “It’s crazy to be a star of your own movie. I obviously love it and she’s excited to have her name out there”, she admits. “The experience of being abducted by aliens is scary, but then she feels very special and I think it’s a win for Candace. At this point, she’s so frustrated she never gets them busted, so she needs a little separation from them, but then she realized she might take them for granted. She has learning experiences in space.

Stoner who plays Isabella, tells us that coincidentally where she’s staying right now is actually close to a rumoured UFO Farm. “Apparently it’s where the UFOs land to get repaired. I passed by and this was part of the property I’m staying on …I’ve got photos!”. On reprising her character, she says “Isabella has always been so aspirational. She’s capable of finding, being the solution or executing solution. I loved revisiting the complexity and paradox of Isabella.”. “She’s on a nonsensical mission, but tripped-up in emotional swells when managing her crush on Phineas. To be able to be masculine and feminine, with leadership and nurturing skills is really fun.”. On her time in the Franchise, she feels, “This entire series has been indication that anything is possible, removing limitations. Explore and play and see what comes out of it. Even if you say something not scripted and it’s true, we often wind-up keeping it. Many fans think that’s their favourite aspect of the character”.

Marsh and Povenmire tell us about the idea to take this Film and set it in space. Marsh says, “Our writing started with weeks of throwing around story ideas,  so there were other ideas we explored before we hit on this. My greatest hero is Neil Armstrong, so any time you get to go to space is really cool.”. Povenmire adds, “If we’re going to do a big Feature – the last one was in another dimension and this is in another planet which allows us to make it up and look however we want. We wanted it to be a big, sweeping epic kind of story. We did over 230 episodes of lampooning and Sci-Fi and had to find new things to do.”.

The Pandemic inspired their creativity, writing the song heard in the End Credits over Facetime even! They also talk to some of the new characters we see in PHINEAS AND FERB THE MOVIE: CANDACE AGAINST THE UNIVERSE. Povenmire says, “Ali Wong plays an Alien Queen who’s name is Super Super Big Doctor. The name came from somebody who used that phrase when talking about a doctor. That then became a phrase and we named a character after it! She knocked it out of the park.  We have Diedrich Bader as one of the aliens Borthos, with a voice that made us laugh. His role got bigger the more we heard him talk in character. Thomas Middledich is in one of our favourite Improv things, Middleditch and Schwartz. It’s so exciting to have people come and do great stuff for us!”.

One some of the things that make this Film so magical, Baker who plays Perry describes it in two words, “Melodious Optimism. It contains melody and smart humour. These two things in a package are irresistible.”.

Pancholy, who plays Baljeet says, “You fall in love with every single one of characters. You can play cartoons over and over. This world is so fun and full of friendship, love, family and sticking-up for each other.  Dan can write snarky jokes which are full of love!”.

PHINEAS AND FERB THE MOVIE: CANDACE AGAINST THE UNIVERSE has something for the kids big and small and never underestimates the intelligence of a child. It arrives on Disney+ Friday, August 28, 2020.

See the Trailer:

Just a few weeks left of summer, but there’s plenty of action and thrills to enjoy at home on digital, on-demand and via streaming. See what’s out!

BLACK WATER: ABYSS (levelFilm)

By David Baldwin

A group of five friends set out to go spelunking through an uncharted cave deep in the Northern Australian forest. As they begin exploring, a tropical storm sets in, flooding the cave and leaving the group trapped. And survival will not be easy with a crocodile swimming around close by.

Black Water: Abyss is a small, claustrophobic Thriller that works best when it focuses on the increasingly cramped spaces around our group of friends. The cave is small, the water is gradually rising up around them and swimming through some of the caverns could mean death by crocodile. It all makes for a handful of terrifying and breathless sequences, but it comes at the price of some daft underwater cinematography and less than ideal creature effects. Worse, it is hard to care about any of the characters living or dying when they are saddled with a stereotypical soap opera storyline that you will predict the outcome of instantaneously. The film would have benefitted from Director Andrew Traucki – who Co-Directed the first Black Water film – spending less time lingering on specific dialogue and items that will obviously come up again later, and more time on the precarious situation these friends find themselves in.

levelFILM release BLACK WATER: ABYSS on On-Demand on Tuesday, August 10, 2020.

THINGS I DO FOR MONEY (Raven Banner Releasing)

By David Baldwin

Eli Yaguchi (Theodor Aoki) is a cellist trying to get into a prestigious musical conservatory. He needs to rehearse with his brother Nick (Maximillian Aoki), but Nick is more invested in working at a bar with some local gangsters. But when Eli finds a big bag of money, the brothers get entangled in a plot involving a kidnapping, a heist and some seedy characters with their own agendas.

As a Hamilton boy born and bred, I love seeing Hamilton on screen as Hamilton (and not Detroit or any other American wasteland). Co-Writer/Director Warren P. Sonoda is a Hamilton boy as well, and his love for the city is on full display throughout Things I Do For Money. The Film is a very personal story right from the start, even if it is about crime, violence and all the sordid types of things we do for the ones we love. I was afraid after a few initial scenes that it would be overly artsy, but the Film has a slick look and feel that blends nicely with the beautifully-shot and often intense cello playing scenes. While I wish the dialogue was a bit less clunky and that the acting was a bit stronger (to be fair, many of the actors here are first timers – including our leads), Things I Do For Money is a well-made and enjoyable Canadian picture.

Raven Banner Releasing release THINGS I DO FOR MONEY on Digital and
On-Demand on Tuesday, August 10, 2020.

PROJECT POWER (Netflix)

By Mr. Will Wong

Paranormal Activity Co-Directors Ariel Schulman and Henry Joost, join forces again in high-octane Action-Thriller PROJECT POWER. The Film set in New Orleans, centers on an ex-soldier, Art (Jamie Foxx) with a vendetta and out to rescue his daughter; a cop named Frank (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) on a mission, teaming with a teenage drug dealer, Robin (Dominique Fishback). The trio’s stories intersect as a highly-coveted drug surfaces in New Orleans, givings its users superhuman ability for the span of five minutes. You might turn invisible, you might become bulletproof, you might die. With the drug being responsible for an influx of crime in the City, the power is in this trio’s hands to fight those responsible for the dangerous drug.

Time passes rather quickly in this action-packed ride loaded with some cool CGI, which has us rooting for these three. In many ways, the story is a reflection of the vicious cycle of crime in the inner city and speaks to the oppression of black people in the most timely manner. Fishback whom you might remember from 2018’s The Hate U Give, is back and steals the show as a girl wise beyond her years, yet still embodies a naiveté that acts as a vessel which connects us to this dark, fiery underworld.

PROJECT POWER streams on Netflix Friday, August 14, 2020.

YOU CANNOT KILL DAVID ARQUETTE (Elevation Pictures)

By Mr. Will Wong

David Arquette rose to prominence in Hollywood in the mid-90s with major hits like the Scream franchise, Never Been Kissed, See Spot Run and more. Coming from a family rich in acting pedigree with siblings Rosanna, Richmond, Patricia and Alexis all actors also. Arquette made headlines after crossing into the world of Wrestling, being crowned WCW World Heavyweight Champion in 2000, drawing outrage from fans. This Documentary co-directed by David Darg and Price James follows his return to the sport. This time around, he really has something to prove to himself and wrestling fans – that through hard work and cutting his teeth like a real wrestler, that he too can be competitive. The Actor after suffering a heart attack goes on a journey to get fit and we meet his family, including his wife and kids who have no choice but to be supportive no matter how embarrassing this is for them.

The Film goes a level deeper in giving us an understanding of some of the mental issues he is coping with and his comeback at times is scary and goes to some near-death situations. We thoroughly were entertained and Arquette isn’t unlike most of us. Acceptance and approval means something to many of us.

In addition to premiering at the Fantasia Film Festival (coverage to come), YOU CANNOT KILL DAVID ARQUETTE is available on Digital and On-Demand via Elevation Pictures Friday, August 28, 2020.

TARGET NUMBER ONE (eOne Films)

By Mr. Will Wong

A story so twisted, it had to be true. Based on a true story set in 1989, Daniel Roby‘s TARGET NUMBER ONE (known as MOST WANTED in the U.S.), centers on a Canadian investigative journalist named Victor Malarek (Josh Hartnett) who is in pursuit of the truth after a former heroine junkie Daniel Léger (Antoine Olivier Pilon), is sentenced suspiciously to 100 years in jail in Thailand. The story works its way backwards where we learn the series of events that led to Léger‘s conviction and the people behind his demise, namely a drug dealer named Glen Picker (Jim Gaffigan). Picker convinces Leger to go to Thailand, framing him to authorities as a major player in international drug trade overseeing a major shipment. This in turn sets Picker up for a big pay-off in exchange for this information. Léger winds-up serving eight years in a Thai prison subject to several abuses, before making his way back to Canada thanks to Malarek whose choices are less than supported by his wife (Amanda Crew).

Clocking-in at 2 hours and 15 minutes, there certainly was room for a bit more judiciousness in editing, but thankfully the story here is compelling enough to retain our interest. Hartnett delivers some of his best work yet and Léger, whom we saw last in Xavier Dolan‘s award-sweeping Mommy, delivers a commendable performance. Funnyman Gaffigan gives us something new but in a way that is familiar as the calculating and conniving Picker, full of one-liners, like “Keep your shirt on, this isn’t a gay cruise!”. We’re still laughing about that.

eOne Films release TARGET NUMBER ONE, opening in Ontario theatres Friday, August 14, 2020.

HOST (Shudder)

By David Baldwin

Six friends in lockdown decide to hold a séance with a medium over a Zoom chat. While they are initially skeptical of the things the medium says, things quickly take a turn when it becomes clear a demonic spirit has begun haunting their homes.

Host is a movie of the moment, and one that will scare the hell out of you – especially if you tend to have your daily work meetings over Zoom. It is not a particularly original idea (the film taking place in real time “over a computer screen” gimmick has been done), but rarely has this filmmaking style been used as effective as it is here. Director Rob Savage introduces us to our characters, jumps right into the action and finishes all in 56 ridiculously-brisk and well-paced minutes. He does not waste a single second. Where other films would take a moment to breathe, Host keeps moving relentlessly, lining up and knocking down one breathless, terrifying set piece after the next. The deliberately consumer grade look of the Film amplifies the scares, using the limitations and our knowledge of our phones, laptops and Zoom itself to its advantage. Even when it is at its most artificial and predictable, Host fires on all cylinders.

Now I just need to log into my work computer and cancel all of my Zoom meetings, ASAP. HOST streams on Shudder now.

ALMOST LOVE (Netflix)

By Mr. Will Wong

This Ensemble Comedy directed and written by Actor Mike Doyle centers on a group of thirtysomethings who either are single or falling-out of love. We meet Cammy (Michelle Buteau) who falls for a homeless guy Henry (Colin Donnell); Haley (Zoe Chao) who is seduced by her student Scott (Christopher Gray); Adam (Scott Evans) and Marklin (Augustus Prew) who are growing apart; and Elizabeth (Kate Walsh) who seldom has trouble meeting guys. While each of these characters goes through their own messy situations, Doyle takes us on a journey which each of them and what he captures well is their tight-knit bond. We only wish it went to deeper places or had them exploring more about struggles in their own friendships with one another. Even despite some questionable choices, their bond remains unbreakable. There are some very solid performances from this Ensemble led by Buteau and Walsh and what amounts is a mildly-dramatic watch.

DIRTY JOHN: THE BETTY BRODERICK STORY (Netflix)

We absolutely love tales of obsession and people on-the-verge and this is everything we hoped for. We’ve always enjoyed Amanda Peet but she slays it in the lead role here of Betty Broderick. This season of the Series based on true events in the mid-80s, sees this Socialite’s world crumble when she is growingly-suspicious of her lawyer husband Dan (Christian Slater) cheating on her, eventually shut-out from her kids’ lives and driven to murder. While the Series literally starts at level 11 on a scale of 10 in terms of chaos, the story works its way backwards a bit and we witness that build-up in tension before it erupts into a relentless fire. Peet is effective start to finish, managing to deliver a sympathetic performance even if Broderick’s choices ultimately are horribly-wrong. Slater is growingly-loathsome as the story progresses which means he did his job just right. These eight episodes flew-by so quickly and we loved it!

If you’re braving the theatres this weekend, check-out our Review of UNHINGED which is now in theatres.

(Photo/video credit: Elevation Pictures/eOne Films/Raven Banner Releasing/Netflix/levelFilm/Shudder)

Dua Lipa is prepared to gift us once again this Pandemic with even more amazing music. She’s just released this new Remix for the track LEVITATING featuring DJ/Producer The Blessed Madonna, Missy Elliott and Madonna herself! The Video for the Track just dropped and while Madonna doesn’t appear in it visually, her boyfriend Anwar Hadid does!

Check-out the Video:

Warner Music Canada release Club Future Nostalgia: The Remix Album Friday, August 28, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Music)

THE LEGO STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL arrives on Disney+ in advance of the Holidays!

Synopsis:

The LEGO Star Wars Holiday Special” reunites Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewie, Rose and the droids for a joyous feast on Life Day, a holiday first introduced in the 1978 “Star Wars Holiday Special.” The new LEGO special is the first to debut on Disney+ and will continue the rich legacy of collaboration between Lucasfilm and LEGO—playful adventures told in the endearingly irreverent way that only LEGO Star Wars cobranded content can. 

Directly following the events of “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker,” Rey leaves her friends to prepare for Life Day as she sets off on a new adventure with BB-8 to gain a deeper knowledge of the Force. At a mysterious Jedi Temple, she is hurled into a cross-timeline adventure through beloved moments in Star Wars cinematic history, coming into contact with Luke Skywalker, Darth Vader, Yoda, Obi-Wan and other iconic heroes and villains from all nine Skywalker saga films. But will she make it back in time for the Life Day feast and learn the true meaning of holiday spirit? 

THE LEGO STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL streams on Disney+ Tuesday, November 17, 2020.

Robert DeNiro is back in THE WAR WITH GRANDPA, based on the award-winning novel by Robert Kimmel Smith.

Synopsis:

Sixth-grader Peter (Oakes Fegley) is pretty much your average kid—he likes gaming, hanging with his friends and his beloved pair of Air Jordans. But when his recently widowed grandfather Ed (Robert De Niro) moves in with Peter’s family, the boy is forced to give up his most prized possession of all, his bedroom. Unwilling to let such an injustice stand, Peter devises a series of increasingly elaborate pranks to drive out the interloper, but Grandpa Ed won’t go without a fight. Soon, the friendly combatants are engaged in an all-out war with side-splitting consequences. 

The War with Grandpa is a hilarious family comedy featuring an all-star supporting cast: Christopher Walken, Uma Thurman, Rob Riggle, Cheech Marin, Laura Marano and Jane Seymour.

See the Trailer:

THE WAR WITH GRANDPA is out Friday, October 9, 2020 via VVS Films.

(Photo/video credit: VVS Films)

Country Queen Dolly Parton is back this October with her first Holiday Album in 30 years! Parton penned/co-penned six new tracks for the collection which features collaborations with Michael Bublé, Billy Ray Cyrus, Miley Cyrus, Jimmy Fallon and Willie Nelson, and her brother, Randy Parton. 

A Holly Dolly Christmas Track Listing:

1. Holly Jolly Christmas – Dolly Parton

2. Christmas Is (feat. Miley Cyrus) – Dolly Parton

3. Cuddle Up, Cozy Down Christmas – Dolly Parton, Michael Bublé

4. Christmas On The Square – Dolly Parton

5. Circle Of Love – Dolly Parton

6. All I Want For Christmas Is You – Dolly Parton, Jimmy Fallon

7. Comin’ Home For Christmas – Dolly Parton

8. Christmas Where We Are (feat. Billy Ray Cyrus) – Dolly Parton

9. Pretty Paper – Dolly Parton, Willie Nelson

10. Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus – Dolly Parton

11. You Are My Christmas (feat. Randy Parton) – Dolly Parton

12. Mary, Did You Know? – Dolly Parton

Artwork:

Warner Music Canada release A HOLLY DOLLY CHRISTMAS Friday, October 2, 2020.

(Photo credit: Warner Music Canada)

Following the acclaim of season one, DIRTY JOHN is back for a second season and is coming to Netflix this weekend! Amanda Peet stars as Betty Broderick and this is based on a true story which shocked the nation!

Synopsis:

Socialite Betty Broderick hits a homicidal boiling point during a bitter divorce from her unfaithful husband. Based on the headline-making crime.

See the Trailer:

DIRTY JOHN Season 2 premieres on Netflix Friday, August 14, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)