We will be honest – we know very little about FAWLTY TOWERS, the iconic BBC Sitcom which ran in the ’70s! Sorry, we’re young and can’t help it! FAULTY TOWERS: THE DINING EXPERIENCE, presented by Starvox Entertainment, is back for the first time in the City since 2015 and tickets are going fast. The dinner-and-a-show takes place at One Yonge Street’s Lighthouse ArtSpace through April 14, 2024 (or longer!).

The Experience immersive takes you right into the world of the Series that inspired it all with the Series’ three main characters, Basil, Sybil and Manuel! It literally is two-plus hours of chaos in the best way possible, serving sarcastic and smart British humour. The dinner contains three courses including soup, a main (vegetarian, chicken or vegan), plus dessert. If you are celebrating a milestone, do let them know in advance and you might get something special!

Highlights from our night:

Tickets here.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong)

By Amanda Gilmore

This emotional Documentary follows a group of women on a criminal justice crusade in Texas. The group filed a groundbreaking federal class-action lawsuit, the first to argue that sexual assault isn’t prosecuted because it’s a crime that predominantly affects women. The group is determined to hold police and prosecutors accountable for their inaction, but their resilience is tested as they face setbacks from the system they hope to change.

The heartbeat of An Army of Women is the subjects themselves. Their passion and determination are inspiring and symbolize unwavering hope and resilience for all survivors. Director Julie Lunde Lillesæter allows the women to tell their harrowing stories without judgment. Their honest, distressing experiences are singular from each other allowing audiences a deeper understanding of the lasting effects of trauma and the justice system set against them.

The crusade these women go on brings audiences into a corrupt judicial system that allowed sexual assaulters and rapists to go unpunished. The substantial evidence that these women had against their attackers should’ve resulted in charges. However, the police and prosecutors acted to protect the accused.

An Army of Women is a thought-provoking important documentary that should be seen.

An Army of Women screens at SXSW ’24:

Mar 8 at 2PM at ZACH Theatre

Mar 12 at 2:45PM at Rollins Theatre at The Long Center

Mar 15 at 6PM at Satellite Venue: AFS Cinema

I honestly am so pleasantly delighted by this Film! Rom-Coms have received such a bad rap but James A. Woods and Nicolas Wright‘s Quebec City-set story is very much what we need right now! The Co-Writers and Co-Directors pay tribute to their hometown and their own mixed Anglo-French families in this delightful flick starring Zac Braff, Vanessa Hudgens and our v. own Evelyne Brochu!

The Film centers on Gordon (Braff), who joins his girlfriend Sophie (Brochu) on a trip back to her hometown of Quebec City where she tests for a gig at Michelin-rated restaurant owned by her ex (Hudgens)! All the while, Gordon is just meeting Sophie’s family for the first time and struggles to win their acceptance.

So lucky to attend a special screening with the Filmmakers and Cast in-attendance including Brochu and Charlotte Aubin who plays her sister Juliette!

A highlight of the night:

Elevation Pictures release FRENCH GIRL March 15, 2024!

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Elevation Pictures)

This was such a blast! We love that CBC is embracing the K-Pop phenomenom with brand-new ten episode series GANGNAM PROJECT! We got to attend a fun celebration for the Series with most of the Cast in attendance. There were Korean drinks and snacks, plus an intro the Cast. We hear lead Julia Kim Caldwell was busy with studies and unable to make it! Why is this so ironic, considering she plays a tutor who finds herself unexpectedly on the path to stardom? This streams now on CBC Gem!

Some highlights from the bash:

Synopsis:

Set in Korea, GANGNAM PROJECT tells the story of Hannah Shin (Julia Kim Caldwell), a spirited Canadian/Korean teen with dreams of becoming a K-pop star and connecting with her Korean heritage. One summer, she accepts a job as an English tutor and flies to South Korea to work at an elite K-pop training school and ends up getting much more than she bargained for. Hannah is tasked with tutoring one of the school’s top students, Chan-Mi, who is proving a little challenging.

In a bid to win her and the other students over, Hannah showcases her talent with some impromptu performances, but instead her talents attract the attention of the school’s owner which leads to the opportunity to become a student herself. Along with singing, dancing and Korean lessons, there’s a lot of drama – Kdrama, especially when Hannah discovers that her father had once been a K-pop star himself!

The series celebrates the world of K-pop featuring an original soundtrack composed by recording artist, songwriter, producer and musician, August Rigo, who has written songs for global talents including K-pop superstar group BTS (Black Swan and On, amassing over 1 billion views combined on YouTube), U Smile for Justin Bieber and Gotta Be You for One Direction.

Developed with CBC Kids and produced by Pillango Productions and Aircraft Pictures, series co-showrunners are Sarah Haasz (Circuit Breakers) and Romeo Candido (The Next Step). The series is produced with the financial participation of Shaw Rocket Fund and the Canada Media Fund. Federation Kids & Family is handling worldwide sales.

GANGNAM PROJECT is executive produced by co-showrunners Sarah Haasz and Romeo Candido. Aircraft’s Anthony Leo and Andrew Rosen also Executive Produce along with Cottonwood Media’s David Michel. The series is directed by Romeo Candido, Justin Wu, and Gloria Kim. For CBC, Sally Catto is General Manager, Entertainment, Factual and Sports; Marie McCann is Senior Director, Children’s Content, CBC Kids; and Swin Chang is Executive in Charge of Development and Production, CBC Kids. For CBBC, Sarah Muller is Senior Head of Children’s Commissioning 7+, Aubrey Clarke is Commissioning Executive 7+ and Desiree Peeters is Assistant Commissioner – Submissions Lead 0-12.

(Photo/video credit: CBC/Mr. Will Wong)

SXSW ’24 kicks off tomorrow, running March 8 through 16, 2024 in Austin, Texas! This Film and TV Festival is comprised of 115 features including 89 World Premieres, 3 International Premieres, 6 North American Premieres, 4 U.S. Premieres, 13 Texas Premieres + 80 Short Films including 19 Music Videos. The TV program includes 7 TV Premieres, 8 TV Spotlight World Premieres and 6 Independent TV Pilots. The XR Experience program includes 38 projects.

Highlighting this year’s Film & TV Festival are some high-profile titles like Monkey Man, the directorial debut from Oscar® nominee Dev Patel. Kyle Mooney also makes his directorial debut with New Year’s Eve disaster comedy Y2K, and Sydney Sweeney stars in Michael Mohan‘s psychological horror Immaculate.

Speakers at SXSW this year include a star-studded bunch like Pamela Adlon, Samantha Bee, Danny Brown, Michael Dell, Colman Domingo, Kirsten Dunst, Ilana Glazer, Selena Gomez, Nick Kroll, Conan O’Brien, Lilly Singh, Sydney Sweeney, Margrethe Vestager and more. Meghan Markle, The Duchess of Sussex, will headline a keynote panel alongside Katie Couric and Brooke Shields, kicking off SXSW’ 24 as well.

The Films & TV Awards will take place on Wednesday, March 13, 2024 at 7:30pm CT at the Paramount Theatre.

The Team will be covering the Festival virtually this year and here are our top picks at SXSW ’24!

DAVID BALDWIN

Arcadian
Hunting Daze
Grand Theft Hamlet
Monkey Man
Stormy

I love the eclectic style of SXSW and its emphasis on genre. Other festivals would go one way or another, but SXSW hits it right down the centre between sincere and weird — with a large helping of WTF sprinkled in for good measure. There are a solid mix of titles at this year’s fest, including a few that have been seen already (I dug Backspot and Smugglers, and our dear friend George Kozera was a big fan of Sing Sing) and plenty that have not just yet (Immaculate, Civil War, The Fall Guy — all can’t miss titles we will have access to in a few weeks). For my Top Five picks, I checked off the immediate titles that jumped off the page. A new Nic Cage joint? A French Canadian cabin in the woods thriller? An adaptation of Hamlet that takes place entirely in Grand Theft Auto? Dev Patel‘s directorial debut, which looks truly bad ass? A Documentary about Stormy Daniels, a young woman who you had to pretend to not recognize prior to her making the worldwide news? Like, what other Festival do you know of that would play in such a wide variety of places and genres, without the undercurrent of awards season coursing through its veins? It’s going to be a lot of fun, and I cannot wait to see how these titles all play out.

AMANDA GILMORE

Civil War
Babes
Monkey Man
Cuckoo
Omni Loop

This year’s SXSW has a stacked lineup. These are my most anticipated titles due to the talent attached, both behind and in front of the camera. I’m always excited to see what Alex Garland delivers next and Civil War‘s trailer had me on the edge of my seat. I loved Pamela Adlon‘s autobiographical TV series Better Things and can’t wait to see her feature Babes. Dev Patel is making his big directorial debut at SXSW with Monkey Man. That trailer is loaded with full-octane action. Hunter Schafer has had me locked onto her career since the first season of Euphoria, so can’t wait to see her in Cuckoo. And the talents, hilarious and captivating Ayo Edebiri stars alongside Mary Louise Parker in Omni Loop…need I say more?

MR. WILL

I’ve heard nothing but phenomental feedback about ROAD HOUSE, a re-imagining of the 1989 film of the same name.. but with an MMA twist! We’ve missed Jake Gyllenhaal and he rarely misses the mark. Should be exciting. Could things be going any better for Sydney Sweeney? IMMACULATE promises to be a thrilling ride and even outside the Festival, we’d be pumped to see this theatrically. Everything we’ve seen about Dev Patel‘s directorial debut MONKEY MAN has looked so intriguing and with Jordan Peele backing, we know we’re set-up for success. CIVIL WAR we’re sure is on everyone’s must-watch list – what a huge get for SXSW! And we are in it for fun, and Pamela Adlon‘s BABES certainly looks that. We can’t get enough Michelle Buteau after her first season of popular Netflix series Survival of the Thickest!

Festival schedule is here.

Happy SXSW ’24!

A new trailer is now available for Disney and Pixar’s upcoming theatrical release, “Inside Out 2,” which welcomes new Emotions to now-teenager Riley’s mind. Joining Joy (voice of Amy Poehler), Anger (voice of Lewis Black), Sadness (voice of Phyllis Smith), Fear (voice of Tony Hale) and Disgust (voice of Liza Lapira) is a group of Emotions perfectly suited for the teenage years.

Maya Hawke voices Anxiety, the previously announced new arrival bound to shake up everything in headquarters and beyond. A bundle of frazzled energy, Anxiety enthusiastically ensures Riley’s prepared for every possible negative outcome.
Envy, voice of Ayo Edebiri, may be small but she sure knows what she wants. She’s perpetually jealous of everything everyone else has, and she’s not afraid to pine over it.
Ennui, who’s voiced by Adèle Exarchopoulos, couldn’t care less. Bored and lethargic with a well-practiced eye-roll, Ennui adds the perfect amount of teenage apathy to Riley’s personality, when she feels like it.
Embarrassment, voiced by Paul Walter Hauser, likes to lay low, which isn’t easy for this burly guy with a bright blush-pink complexion.

Additionally, Kensington Tallman lends her voice to Riley Andersen, who’s about to begin high school. Lilimar was called on to voice Valentina “Val” Ortiz, a high school hockey player who everyone, including Riley and her friends, looks up to. Diane Lane and Kyle MacLachlan return to voice Riley’s mom and dad; Sumayyah Nuriddin-Green and Grace Lu provide the voices for Riley’s besties; and Yvette Nicole Brown voices Coach Roberts, who heads up a summer hockey camp. The voice cast also includes Sarayu Blue, Flea, Ron Funches, Dave Goelz, James Austin Johnson, Bobby Moynihan, Frank Oz, Paula Pell, Paula Poundstone, John Ratzenberger, Kendall Coyne Schofield, June Squibb, Kirk Thatcher and Yong Yea.

ABOUT THE MOVIE

Disney and Pixar’s “Inside Out 2” returns to the mind of newly minted teenager Riley just as headquarters is undergoing a sudden demolition to make room for something entirely unexpected: new Emotions! Joy, Sadness, Anger, Fear and Disgust, who’ve long been running a successful operation by all accounts, aren’t sure how to feel when Anxiety shows up. And it looks like she’s not alone. Directed by Kelsey Mann and produced by Mark Nielsen with a score by Andrea Datzman, “Inside Out 2” releases only in theatres June 14, 2024.

Today we get a new Trailer for Netflix‘s 3 BODY PROBLEM, ahead if its SXSW ’24 Premiere! THEY are coming!

TRAILER BREAKDOWN:
Over a haunting version of “This Bitter Earth” by Dinah Washington, the final trailer features the following dialogue against compelling imagery from the series.

I have to tell you something…something insane…but true…about all of us. It started a long time ago. – JIN CHENG (Jess Hong)
Back in 1977 they detected a sequence…called it the wow signal… – DA SHI (Benedict Wong)
What’s it say? – WADE (Liam Cunningham)

#

They are Coming. – YE WENJIE (Rosalind Chao)
Who are they? – SAUL DURAND (Jovan Adepo)
That’s the question, right? – DA SHI (Benedict Wong)

#

Oh Hello Darling – DA SHI (Benedict Wong)
When your consciousness ends in one world it could continue to exist in many other worlds – WILL DOWNING (Alex Sharp)

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What do you think is happening? – AUGGIE SALAZAR (Eiza González)
I think we’re at war – RAJ VARMA (Saamer Usmani)

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How will you be remembered? – YE WENJIE (Rosalind Chao)
As someone who fought back. – JIN CHENG (Jess Hong)

About THREE BODY PROBLEM:
A young woman’s fateful decision in 1960s China reverberates across space and time into the present day. When the laws of nature inexplicably unravel before their eyes, a close-knit group of brilliant scientists join forces with an unorthodox detective to confront the greatest threat in humanity’s history. The series stars (in alpha order) Jovan Adepo, John Bradley, Rosalind Chao, Liam Cunningham, Eiza González, Jess Hong, Marlo Kelly, Alex Sharp, Sea Shimooka, Zine Tseng, Saamer Usmani, Benedict Wong and Jonathan Pryce.

David Benioff and D.B. Weiss (Game of Thrones) and Alexander Woo (The Terror: Infamy, True Blood) are co-creators, executive producers and writers of the series. Bernadette Caulfield (Game of Thrones, The X-Files) is Executive Producer. Rian Johnson (Knives Out, Star Wars: Episode VIII – The Last Jedi), Ram Bergman and Nena Rodrigue are Executive Producers for T-Street. Lin Qi, the late former Chairman of Yoozoo Group, and Zhao Jilong, CEO of the rights-holder, The Three-Body Universe, are Executive Producers, along with Xiaosong Gao and Lauren Ma. Plan B Entertainment’s Brad Pitt, Jeremy Kleiner and Dede Gardner are Executive Producers. Rosamund Pike and Robie Uniacke are Executive Producers for Primitive Streak. Derek Tsang and Andrew Stanton will direct and co-executive produce. Additional directors include Jeremy Podeswa and Minkie Spiro.

Today, Prime Video opened the vault to the official trailer for the upcoming post-apocalyptic series Fallout, based on the immensely popular retro-futuristic video game franchise. The cinematic trailer, which maintains the game’s expansive world building and signature dark humor, sees vault dweller Lucy (Ella Purnell) struggle to adapt to the twisted and dangerous world of the irradiated wasteland, and offers the first glimpse of Moldaver (Sarita Choudhury) and Ma June (Dale Dickey). The trailer also revealed that the series will premiere all eight episodes on April 11, 2024 on Prime Video, one day sooner than previously announced.

Jonathan Nolan directed the first three episodes of the Kilter Films series. Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner serve as executive producers, writers and co-showrunners. The series comes from Kilter Films and executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. Athena Wickham of Kilter Films also executive produces, along with Todd Howard for Bethesda Game Studios and James Altman for Bethesda Softworks. The series stars Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets), Aaron Moten (Emancipation) and Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight). Amazon MGM Studios and Kilter Films produce in association with Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks. The series cast includes Moisés Arias (The King of Staten Island), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks), Sarita Choudhury (Homeland), Michael Emerson (Person of Interest), Leslie Uggams (Deadpool), Frances Turner (The Boys), Dave Register (Heightened), Zach Cherry (Severance), Johnny Pemberton (Ant-Man), Rodrigo Luzzi (Dead Ringers), Annabel O’Hagan (Law & Order: SVU), and Xelia Mendes-Jones (The Wheel of Time). It will be available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

About Fallout

Based on one of the greatest video game series of all time, Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. Two-hundred years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind—and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird, and highly violent universe waiting for them.

Ella Purnell is Lucy, an optimistic Vault-dweller with an all-American can-do spirit. Her peaceful and idealistic nature is tested when she is forced to the surface to rescue her father. Aaron Moten is Maximus, a young soldier who rises to the rank of squire in the militaristic faction called Brotherhood of Steel. He will do anything to further the Brotherhood’s goals of bringing law and order to the wasteland. Walton Goggins is the Ghoul, a morally ambiguous bounty hunter who holds within him a 200-year history of the post-nuclear world.

The series comes from Kilter Films and executive producers Jonathan Nolan and Lisa Joy. Nolan directed the first three episodes. Geneva Robertson-Dworet and Graham Wagner serve as executive producers, writers and co-showrunners. The series stars Ella Purnell (Yellowjackets), Aaron Moten (Emancipation) and Walton Goggins (The Hateful Eight). Athena Wickham of Kilter Films also executive produces, along with Todd Howard for Bethesda Game Studios and James Altman for Bethesda Softworks. Amazon MGM Studios and Kilter Films produce in association with Bethesda Game Studios and Bethesda Softworks. The series cast includes Moisés Arias (The King of Staten Island), Kyle MacLachlan (Twin Peaks), Sarita Choudhury (Homeland), Michael Emerson (Person of Interest), Leslie Uggams (Deadpool), Frances Turner (The Boys), Dave Register (Heightened), Zach Cherry (Severance), Johnny Pemberton (Ant-Man), Rodrigo Luzzi (Dead Ringers), Annabel O’Hagan (Law & Order: SVU), and Xelia Mendes-Jones (The Wheel of Time). It will be available to stream exclusively on Prime Video in more than 240 countries and territories worldwide.

Exciting stuff! Starbucks Canada have announced their Spring 2024 menu with new and returning favourites – including one which now is permanent! All items are available now!

Here’s everything you need to know:

LAVENDER FIELDS FOREVER – Starbucks is introducing lavender to the spring menu as the latest innovation and unique experience that brings floral hues and delicate aroma with every sip. The beverage development team at Starbucks took a trip to a lavender farm in Washington state, inspiring two new iced lavender beverages.

The NEW Iced Lavender Cream Oat Matcha features smooth and creamy matcha and oat beverage, served over ice and topped with sweetness and subtle floral notes from Starbucks newest innovation – lavender cream cold foam. This combination is spring in a cup​, bringing a refreshing feeling to each sip.

The NEW Iced Lavender Oat Latte combines smooth Starbucks® Blonde Espresso, creamy oat beverage, ice and a touch of lavender for the perfect cup of rejuvenation.

MATCHA MADE IN HEAVEN – Matcha has grown in popularity, with the Matcha Tea Latte being one of Starbucks most popular and fastest growing beverages in Canada. Starbucks uses 100% matcha green tea powder, sourced from some of the oldest producers in the world for an authentic experience. To meet the demand for matcha, Starbucks is re-introducing this springtime delight.

IT’S BACK – Exclusively available in Canada, the Iced Strawberry Oat Matcha Tea Latte ​has returned for its second year and it’s here to stay with a permanent spot on the menu so customers can enjoy it year-round.

SPRING SPIRIT – Customers can showcase their beverages in new drinkware that brightens up any moment. From multi-coloured pastel cold cups to solid color curved hot cups, this vibrant collection will help get you in the mood for warmer months ahead.

Anne Hathaway and Nicholas Galtizine star in THE IDEA OF YOU, based on the popular book. Today we got a new Trailer!

Synopsis:

Based on the acclaimed, contemporary love story of the same name, The Idea of You centers on Solène (Anne Hathaway), a 40-year-old single mom who begins an unexpected romance with 24-year-old Hayes Campbell (Nicholas Galitzine), the lead singer of August Moon, the hottest boy band on the planet. When Solène must step in to chaperone her teenage daughter’s trip to the Coachella Music Festival after her ex bails at the last minute, she has a chance encounter with Hayes and there is an instant, undeniable spark. As they begin a whirlwind romance, it isn’t long before Hayes’ superstar status poses unavoidable challenges to their relationship, and Solène soon discovers that life in the glare of his spotlight might be more than she bargained for.

Stream “Dance Before We Walk” from the Film’s upcoming Soundtrack here. OST is released May 2, 2024.

THE IDEA OF YOU premieres at SXSW ’24 March 16, 2024. It arrives on Prime Video May 2, 2024.

(Photo/video credit: Prime Video Canada)