#FIRSTLOOK: WHAT TO WATCH SEPTEMBER 2021 – “NINE PERFECT STRANGERS”, “ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING”, “VACATION FRIENDS”, “CODA”

It’s hard to believe Summer’s almost over, so now’s your chance to get away on an escape before it’s too late. Some new releases for you to check-out including some soulful journeys, wild escapes and whodunnits!

ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING (DISNEY+)

Steve Martin, Martin Short and Selena Gomez team-up on darkly-comedic Mystery series ONLY MURDERS IN THE BUILDING. The Series, consisting of eight episodes, streams on Disney+ in Canada. Neighbours Charles (Martin) is an Actor of former glory, while Oliver (Short) is a Director and Mabel (Gomez), is a bit of a mystery how she can afford to live in their upscale building. After a death occurs in their building, the trio get into some antics trying to take matters into their own hands, sneaking into the victim’s apartment for clues. Wild on paper they might be an odd mix, the three complement each other well and there’s something for everyone here. Stars Nathan Lane and Sting also appear on this pager-turner of a Series, which is a quick watch. The first three episodes arrive August 31, 2021, with new episodes arriving weekly on Tuesdays.

NINE PERFECT STRANGERS (AMAZON PRIME VIDEO)

Based on Liane Moriarty‘s best-selling Novel, NINE PERFECT STRANGERS brings together an eclectic group of characters who unite at a wellness resort. At the center of it all is crude Russian founder Masha (Nicole Kidman) who is just as mysterious as the rest of the guests, who all uncover secrets about themselves in their stay over eight episodes. Jonathan Levine directs the Series which also stars Melissa McCarthy as Frances, a successful Writer dealing with her own personal issues; Luke Evans as Lars, a man with a hidden agenda; Melvin Gregg and Samara Weaving as Ben and Jessica, a wealthy young couple facing their own relationship problems; Regina Hall as Carmel, whose husband left her for a younger woman; Michael Shannon as Napoleon, a father at the resort with his family, coping with a loss; and Bobby Cannavale as Tony, a recovering addict. The Series is a tonal mix of grief and tragedy with Dark Comedy, feeling at times subdued, but the brilliant Ensemble come together to delve deep into their characters’ struggles to keep us engaged. Uncanny that this surfaced around the same time as similarly escapist THE WHITE LOTUS. The first three episodes arrive on Amazon Prime Video, with new episodes arriving Wednesdays.

VACATION FRIENDS (DISNEY+/STAR)

If you’re looking for some fun this weekend, look no further than the raunchy ride that is VACATION FRIENDS. This Buddy Comedy sees Marcus (Lil Rel Howery) and Emily (Yvonne Orji) head off to resort to get married. They encounter a whacky couple, Ron (Jon Cena) and Kyla (Meredith Hanger) who land them in all sorts of craziness, crashing on their plans. The Film is everything you’d want on a weekend romp and the chemistry between Cena and his superb Physical Comedy and Howery are comedic gold, not too mention Hanger who really brings a chaotic, upbeat energy. We have a feeling this story might continue between these buddies, and while the Film is rich in laughs, there is heart in the center of it all. VACATION FRIENDS streams now on STAR via Disney+. Read our Chat with the Film’s Director and Cast here.

CODA (APPLE TV+)

Winning tons of raves out of Sundance and also nabbing the London Award there, Sian Heder‘s CODA (Child of Deaf Adults) has arrived on Apple TV+. The Coming-of-Age story centers on Ruby (Emilia Jones), whose parents (Troy Kostur, Oscar winner Marlee Matlin) are hearing-impaired. She aspires to explore her musical side with the gift of a beautiful voice, but she never had the reassurance of her family who are unable to hear. She auditions for a school choir where Mr. V (Eugenio Derbez) quickly realizes her potential, pushing her to apply to a prestigious musical school despite her reluctance. She falls for choirmate Miles (Ferdia Walsh-Peelo) and in ways they find themselves in their Music and eachother. I cannot stress how touched I was by this beautiful story, packed with emotion, phenomenal performances, joy and amazing Music. A definite must-see, streaming now on Apple TV+. Check-out Dave Baldwin‘s review here.

Also, don’t forget to check-out the Team’s reviews of new theatrical releases like SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS, CANDYMAN, TILL DEATH, DEMONIC, RAGING FIRE, RESPECT, NINE DAYS, THE NIGHT HOUSE and more right here.

#FIRSTLOOK: WHAT TO WATCH – AUGUST 2021: “ANNETTE”, “COOKING WITH PARIS”, “THE WHITE LOTUS”

We’ve been spending our time enjoying the quirky, odd and funny of late and we’re happy to share some of our streaming recommendations for you this month!

COOKING WITH PARIS (NETFLIX)

One thing’s for certain. Paris Hilton could read us a children’s book and our eyes would probably be glued to the screen. The Empire Maker from an Empire’s latest venture is six-episode Netflix series COOKING WITH PARIS where we see her team-up with friends in her kitchen, challenging herself with new themes each episode. Among those who join-in on the fun are Kim Kardashian-West, Demi Lovato, Nikki Glaser, Whitney Cummings and more. From glittery unicorn Cannoli to Holiday Turkey with glitter, part of the fun is watching her flop, but surprisingly some things still manage to turn-out fine despite her lackadaisical approach which sees eggs cracked improperly, pasta dough over-oiled, and dairy left out at room temperature. Nonetheless, Hilton knows exactly what her brand is and we keep coming back and through the candor with her friends, she does manage to reveal interesting anecdotes about herself and her guests in an intimate way. COOKING WITH PARIS streams now on Netflix.

THE WHITE LOTUS (HBOMAX/CRAVE)

Mike White has built a brand for his quirky creations and this is his latest, six-episode Limited Series THE WHITE LOTUS is exactly that. The Series centers on various hotel guests and its staff at the titular Hawaiian resort and while the backdrop is a sunny one, these characters all are on the verge of some things dark being uncovered about themselves. Shane (Jake Lacy) and Rachel (Alexandra Daddario) are a newlywed couple who married after a year together and Shane is obsessed with having been given the wrong suite at the hotel to the point it becomes a point of contention in their thus far, trouble-free relationship. Tanya (Jennifer Coolidge in a career-best performance) carries her mother’s ashes on the trip, still grieving the recent loss. Natasha Rothwell plays spa owner Belinda getting a chance to shine and show range as her character questions entitlement among White clientele. Nicole (Connie Britton) is a successful businesswoman who brings her family on vacation. Her husband Mark (Steve Zahn) is convinced he has Cancer, their daughter Olivia (Sydney Sweeney) is outright mean and son Quinn (Fred Hechinger) is awkward and in his old world playing video games. Then we have hotel manager Armond (Murray Bartlett), a recovering addict who is a bit aloof to what’s going on around him. This is an odd yet perfect storm of elements and characters which will grab your interest by intrigue and we can’t wait to see where the Series takes us on these characters’ journeys and growth as their paths cross and stories become intertwined. New episodes of THE WHITE LOTUS arrive Sunday nights on Crave in Canada 9 PM ET.

ANNETTE (AMAZON PRIME VIDEO/MK2 | MILE END)

French Filmmaker Leos Carax makes his English-language debut in ANNETTE, a quirky story of a Comedian named Henry (Adam Driver) who falls in love with famed Opera singer Ann (Marion Cotillard). Their world is turned upside-down with the birth of their daughter Annette played partly by a wooden marionette and also Devyn McDowell. Clocking-in at two hours and twenty minutes, the Film takes us a real journey as we see Henry and Ann go through a fallout as he takes care of their baby, while Ann continues to experience great success. The Film is driven by emotional extremes and lines between reality and fantasy often are blurred in this Musical where we are transfixed by Henry‘s tragic unravelling. Driver exercises some of those theatrical muscles we got glimpses of in Marriage Story, but really gets a challenge here exploring the world of someone who is complicated and flawed. We have never seen anything quite like ANNETTE, it is stylish, provocative, very strange and in ways cathartic. MK2 | MILE END release ANNETTE in select theatres now, arriving on Amazon Prime Video August 20, 2021.

We can’t wait for Amazon Prime Video‘s NINE PERFECT STRANGERS starring Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy, arriving August 20th!

Check-out our Team’s latest theatrical releases here including: FREE GUY, THE SUICIDE SQUAD, STILLWATER, THE GREEN KNIGHT, Disney’s JUNGLE CRUISE and more!

(Photo/video credit: Amazon Prime Video/Netflix/HBO Max)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “NINE PERFECT STRANGERS”

Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy team-up on NINE PERFECT STRANGERS, coming next month to Amazon Prime Video!

Synopsis:

Based on The New York Times bestselling book from Australian author Liane Moriarty, Nine Perfect Strangers is produced by the teams behind Big Little Lies and stars Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy in their first project together.

Filmed on location in Australia, the drama is set at a boutique health-and-wellness resort that promises healing and transformation, nine stressed city dwellers try to get on a path to a better way of living. Watching over them during this ten-day retreat is the resort’s director Masha (Kidman), a woman on a mission to reinvigorate their tired minds and bodies. However, these nine strangers have no idea what is about to hit them.

The cast also includes Luke Evans, Tiffany Boone, Bobby Cannavale, Melvin Gregg, Regina Hall, Manny Jacinto, Asher Keddie, Michael Shannon, Grace Van Patten and Samara Weaving. Nine Perfect Strangers is executive produced by Nicole Kidman and Per Saari for Blossom Films, Bruna Papandrea, Jodi Matterson and Steve Hutensky for Made Up Stories, David E Kelley, Melissa McCarthy, John Henry Butterworth, Samantha Strauss, Jonathan Levine, Molly Allen and Liane Moriarty. The series is co-written by David E Kelley and John Henry Butterworth, with Jonathan Levine directing the series.

The first three episodes of Nine Perfect Strangers will launch on Amazon Prime Video on August 20, 2021 with new episodes launching weekly.

(Photo/video credit: Amazon Prime Video)

#FIRSTLOOK: “NINE PERFECT STRANGERS” TO PREMIERE ON AMAZON PRIME VIDEO

Great news! If you loved BIG LITTLE LIES, you’ll love Hulu Original eight-episode Series NINE PERFECT STRANGERS starring Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy, coming this Fall to Amazon Prime Video.

Synopsis:

The highly anticipated drama series Nine Perfect Strangers, starring Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy, based on the 2018 novel by Australian author of Big Little Lies Liane Moriarty and directed and produced by Jonathan Levine, will premiere exclusively on Amazon Prime Video in countries outside the U.S. and China later this year.

Set at a boutique health-and-wellness resort that promises healing and transformation, nine stressed city dwellers try to get on a path to a better way of living. Watching over them during this ten-day retreat is the resort’s director Masha (Kidman), a woman on a mission to reinvigorate their tired minds and bodies. However, these nine strangers have no idea what is about to hit them.

Filmed on location in Australia, the cast includes Nicole Kidman and Melissa McCarthy,in their first project together, alongside Luke Evans, Tiffany Boone, Bobby Cannavale, Melvin Gregg, Regina Hall, Manny Jacinto, Asher Keddie, Michael Shannon, Grace Van Patten, and Samara Weaving.

(Photo/video credit: Amazon Prime Video)