#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “THE PRINCESS SWITCH: SWITCHED AGAIN”

The only thing better than one Vanessa Hudgens is two! Check-out this new Trailer for THE PRINCESS SWITCH: SWITCHED AGAIN!

Synopsis:
When Duchess Margaret unexpectedly inherits the throne to Montenaro and hits a rough patch with boyfriend Kevin, it’s up to her double Princess Stacy of Belgravia to get these star-crossed lovers back together… but the course of true love is complicated by the appearance of a handsome royal who’s intent on stealing Margaret‘s heart. Throw in the unexpected arrival of Margaret’s outrageous party girl cousin Fiona, a third look-alike who has ambitions of her own, and you have the recipe for Christmas triple trouble!

See the Trailer:

THE PRINCESS SWITCH: SWITCHED AGAIN streams on Netflix Friday, November 19, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “SAVED BY THE BELL”

Great news! The new SAVED BY THE BELL Reboot we’re so stoked about has found a home in Canada on W Network!

Synopsis:

When California governor Zack Morris (Mark‑Paul Gosselaar) gets into hot water for closing too many underfunded high schools, he proposes they send the affected students to the most well-funded schools in the state – including Bayside High. The influx of new students gives the privileged Bayside kids (who never have a problem that can’t be solved in twenty-two minutes) a much-needed dose of reality.

Elizabeth Berkley Lauren and Mario Lopez star in the new Saved by the Bell series, reprising their roles as Jessie Spano and A.C. Slater. John Michael Higgins also stars as Principal Toddman alongside the new class featuring Belmont Cameli, Dexter Darden, Mitchell Hoog, Alycia Pascual-Peña, Josie Totah and Haskiri Velazquez.

See the Trailer:

SAVED BY THE BELL premieres on W Network November 26, 2020 at 8 PM ET.

(Photo/video credit: W Network)

#COOKING: DUMPLING WITH CHEF KEN YAU IN CELEBRATION OF NETFLIX’S “OVER THE MOON”

In celebration of Netflix‘s acclaimed Animated Feature OVER THE MOON, we got to partake in a special virtual Dumpling making class with Chef Ken Yau of k.dinners, who has worked at popular local hotspots Nota Bene and Scaramouche, in addition to three-Michelin star The Fat Duck in London. Local television personality Pay Chen hosted and among my classmates was the lovely Tanya Kim!

How fitting, since food is such an integral element in the culturally-rich, visual spectacle that is OVER THE MOON!

Official Synopsis:

Fueled with determination and a passion for science, a bright young girl builds a rocket ship to the moon to prove the existence of a legendary Moon Goddess. There she ends up on an unexpected quest, and discovers a whimsical land of fantastical creatures. Directed by animation legend Glen Keane, and produced by Gennie Rim and Peilin Chou, Over the Moon is an exhilarating musical adventure about moving forward, embracing the unexpected, and the power of imagination. The film stars Cathy Ang (Fei Fei), Phillipa Soo (Chang’e), Robert G. Chiu (Chin), Ken Jeong (Gobi), John Cho (Dad), Ruthie Ann Miles (Mom), Margaret Cho (Auntie Ling), Kimiko Glenn (Auntie Mei), Artt Butler (Uncle), and Sandra Oh (Mrs. Zhong). 

A Clip from the Film:

A few tips from Chef Yau about Dumplings:

-All vegetables should be chopped well (maximum 1 cm in size)
-Avoid olive oil if frying; use vegetable oil
-If frying dumplings, don’t use a stainless steel pan, use a non-stick frying pan for a fail-proof fry
-Mix your vegetables with egg separately in its own bowl from the meat before introducing them together
-When stirring your ground pork, go only one way as that activates the protein
-A light dab of water acts as an agent to help seal your dumplings; never use too much of it
-Made too much? don’t worry, freeze these uncooked in an air-tight bag or container for later use!
-Use some kind of liquid if not Shaoxing Wine in your ground pork as this does wonders for moisture
-If boiling your dumplings, they absolutely have to be sealed tonight. this rule isn’t as strict when frying dumplings
-He swears by Ponzu Sauce as an accompaniment to his dumplings

I asked Chef Yau if his recipe could be used in an Air Fryer, which we are obsessed with and he didn’t see why not, though he had never tried. So we did!

Sharing Chef Yau’s recipe below with his permission. I added double the soy sauce to the filling for just a bit more flavour.

PORK DUMPLINGS

2lbs ground pork (or ground chicken)

1 bunch green onion, minced

1 cup Nappa cabbage, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bulb ginger, minced

1.5 tbsps salt

2 tbsps vegetable oil

1 tbsps soy sauce 

1 Egg

1 Pack of fresh dumpling wrappers (if frozen, thaw out in the fridge overnight or min 30-40 mins before) 

Optional:

¼ – ⅓ cup Shaoxing Cooking Wine 

Instructions:

1. In large mixing bowl, mixed chopped vegetables together with egg.
2. In separate bowl, pour wine into ground pork. Season with salt and soy sauce.
3. Mix pork into vegetables, stirring one direction only till combined.
4. Dab a bit of water (careful not to over-wet it) on edge of half of dumpling wrapper.
5. Scoop a spoon of filling onto center of wrapper. Fold edges firmly together. For added effect, you can pleat the edges into an “S”-shape repeatedly and pinch to seal. Repeat till you’ve reached desired amount of dumplings and store on a baking sheet.
6. You boiling pot of water, bringing dumplings to boil and reduce to medium/medium-low heat, covered for about 8 minutes, cooking in batches of 12 at a time.
7. Alternatively, for a crisp dumpling, you can air-fry at 380°F. Drizzle with a tiny bit of oil, pre-heating fryer for three minutes and then frying dumplings for about 6 minutes, tossing the dumplings once and placing back in fryer to finish for about 3-4 more minutes.
8. Plate the dumplings and serve with soy sauce, chili sauce or red/black vinegar.

Carousel Gallery:

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So fun partaking in a virtual #Dumpling making class with Chef Ken Yau of @k.dinners. Chef Yau has worked with the best at the likes of three-Michelin star The Fat Duck in London, Scaramouche and Nota Bene. The class, hosted by @paychen was in celebration of the phenomenal @NetflixCA Animated Feature #OvertheMoon! You must see this heartfelt visual spectacle! We adapted Chef Yau’s easy-to-follow recipe for an extra-crispy crunch in the Air Fryer and also did them boiled! More on link in Bio!

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Nov 5, 2020 at 5:47pm PST

See the Trailer:

Our glowing Review of OVER THE MOON here.

OVER THE MOON is streaming now on Netflix!

(Photo credit: Netflix/Mr. Will Wong)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “LEGO STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL”

Here’s your first look at the LEGO STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL coming later this month to Disney+!

Synopsis:

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?  

See the Trailer:

LEGO STAR WARS HOLIDAY SPECIAL arrives on Disney+ November 17, 2020.

(Photo/video credit: Disney)

#GIVEAWAY: ENTER FOR A CHANCE TO WIN A FREE DIGITAL RENTAL OF “MEMORIES OF MURDER”

If you loved Academy Award-winning PARASITE, you’ll love MEMORIES OF MURDER, the Film that placed Bong Joon Ho on the map. His original masterpiece has been re-mastered and is now available on-demand and digitally. This is your chance to enter to win a digital rental!

Synopsis:

The film is based on the true story of Korea’s first serial murders in history, which took place between 1986 and 1991 in Hwaseong, Gyeonggi Province. MEMORIES OF MURDER has been named one of the best South Korean movies of the decade and century, and included into “favourites” lists by other famous directors, such as Quentin Tarantino.

Read Dave Baldwin‘s review here.

To enter to win, click “like” on this Post at MR. WILL ON FACEBOOK. You also may Re-Tweet this Tweet below for a chance!

Enter for a chance to #win a digital rental of Bong Joon Ho’s classic MEMORIES OF MURDER.

How: https://t.co/bkJzdtorJc pic.twitter.com/bAIRUVEwRi

— MR. WILL WONG 📸 (@mrwillw) November 4, 2020

Rules and regulations here.

Elevation Pictures release MEMORIES OF MURDER, now available on-demand and digitally.

(Photo credit: Elevation Pictures)

#FIRSTLOOK: FOOD NETWORK CANADA’S 2020 HOLIDAY PROGRAMMING LINEUP

One of our favourite things to do over the Holidays is watch Food Network’s various marathons and in addition to those, they have several exciting new programs coming at us! Buddy Valastro is back in BUDDY VS. CHRISTMAS and Kristin Chenoweth hosts CANDY LAND! See some of their exciting options lined-up including premiere dates for these and returning favourites HOLIDAY WARS, HOLIDAY BAKING CHAMPIONSHIP and more!

Holiday Wars, Season 2 (6x60min)
Canadian Broadcast Premiere
Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT

It’s time for a brand-new holiday season competition packed with tons of Christmas cheer! Hosted by Raven-Symoné, five teams of cake masters and sugar artists face off in four jolly battles, creating mind-blowing, fantastical holiday displays that are as festive as they are delicious. In the Snowball Fight challenge, the competitors must use cake and sugar to create an edible holiday design in just 45 minutes. One winning team wins an advantage for the Winter Blizzard challenge, where they have to craft an eye-popping Christmas display made up entirely of cake and sugar. One team is eliminated after each battle, and in the end, one team will jingle all the way home with a $25,000 grand prize.

Holiday Baking Championship, Season 7 (2x120min & 6x60min)

Canadian Broadcast Premiere
Mondays at 9 p.m. ET/PT

The search to find the greatest holiday baker begins as eight amateur bakers enter the kitchen, where they show off their family traditions and superb baking skills. To survive the challenges from week to week, they must prove their abilities in front of the tough-love judges: Duff Goldman, Nancy Fuller and Lorraine Pascale. Hosted by Jesse Palmer, this baking championship is the sweetest way to celebrate this holiday season.

Kids Baking Championship: Season’s Sweetings (1x60min)
Canadian Broadcast Premiere
Sunday, November 8 at 9 p.m. ET/PT

Four beloved kid bakers are back and must think on their feet, as Valerie Bertinelli and Duff Goldman challenge them to create holiday gingerbread houses with a cake twist. Their skills are tested with a surprising curveball of making reindeer treats as well. One winner will rise to the top to take home a baker’s dream prize package of top-of-the-line baking equipment worth over $10,000.

Christmas Cookie Challenge, Season 4 (6x60min)

Canadian Broadcast Premiere
Sundays at 9 p.m. ET/PT beginning November 15

Holiday cookies are more than mere sweets — they are gifts, mementos of childhood, and most certainly made with pride. In Christmas Cookie Challenge, five confident and daring bakers compete to prove their holiday cookie-making skills. Tough-love judges are on hand to crown the holiday cookie master, who will go home with a $10,000 prize!

Candy Land (1x120min & 5x60min)
Canadian Broadcast Premiere

Tuesdays at 10 p.m. ET/PT beginning November 17

On the sweetest new competition series, Candy Land, host Kristin Chenoweth guides five teams of professional cake and sugar artists through fantastical challenges to create heavenly confectionary showpieces based on the iconic Hasbro game. Each of the six episodes feature the players stepping into one of the eye-popping life-size lands, from Peppermint Forest and Gumdrop Mountains, to Chocolate Mountain and Lollipop Woods, to forage for flavors and unique ingredients to use for their masterpiece designs. Judges Nacho Aguirre and Aarti Sequeira determine which teams advance down the board, and the first to make it to King Kandy’s Castle wins the game and earns the grand prize of $25,000.

Buddy vs. Christmas (4x60min)
Canadian Broadcast Premiere
Mondays at 10 p.m. ET/PT beginning November 23

Buddy Valastro goes head-to-head with the greatest non-cake artists in the new elaborate Christmas-themed competition series, Buddy vs. Christmas. Buddy’s skills will be tested as he goes up against an award-winning scenic designer, a glassblower, an animatronics expert and more. The one that conquers Christmas with their design will be crowned winner by cartoonist and comedian Jason Chatfield and lifestyle blogger Courtney Quin.

DAYTIME PROGRAMMING
Some of Food Network most recognizable faces share holiday-themed instructional programming from series including Giada’s Holiday Handbook, Guy’s Ranch Kitchen, The Kitchen, The Pioneer Woman, and Valerie’s Home Cooking.

RETURNING HOLIDAY SPECIALS
In addition to the new programming, Food Network Canada’s schedule is jam-packed with holiday-themed episodes and specials from fan-favourite series including Chopped, Chopped: Sweets, Chopped Juniors, Guy’s Grocery Games, The Big Bake: Holiday, The Great Food Truck Race, and more.

HOLIDAY MARATHONS
Beginning December 7, marathons of fan-favourite holiday series and specials air every day from 2 p.m. to 8 p.m. ET/PT.
Viewers can also cozy up on the couch and enjoy marathons of Christmas Cookie Challenge, Gingerbread Giants, Holiday Baking Championship, Holiday Gingerbread Showdown, Holiday Wars, Santa’s Baking Blizzard, The Big Bake: Holiday, and more.

(Photo credit: Food Network Canada)

#COOKING: BEEF STEW AND CHEDDAR DUMPLINGS RECIPE

Beef Stew and Cheddar Dumplings. Something hearty for you as the temperatures drop! Ensure that you are always cooking your beef at a low heat and a long simmer for that perfect fall-apart texture. This will last you days.

Stew:
2 lbs stewing beef
3 cups squash, chopped into chunks
1 large white potato, pellets and diced
1 cup small button mushrooms
2 carrots, peeled and sliced
1/2 large white onion, minced
1 zucchini, sliced
1/2 cup white wine
5 tbsps corn starch
5 cloves garlic, minced
3 bay leaves
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp Herbs de Provence
Olive oil
Sea salt and pepper, to taste

Dumplings:
1 1/2 cups flour
3/4 cup grated cheddar
2/3 cup whole milk
1/3 cup Crisco Golden
3/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp sea salt
1 tbsp thyme
1 tbsp Herbs de Provence
1 tbsp parsley
1 tbsp truffle oil

Sour Cream (optional)

Instructions:

1. Season beef in salt and pepper and brown in Air Fryer in two batches at 400°F for 9 minutes each batch. Alternatively, you can sear the meat in batches in a large skillet on medium-high heat till browned.
2. Sautée garlic and onions in olive oil, using large pot.
3. Add in remaining vegetables, herbs, leaves and season with salt and pepper.
4. Add beef, wine and just enough water to reach surface of mixture. Bring to boil.
5. Reduce heat to low and simmer with lid on.
6. Simmer for 4 hours or more on low heat, stirring occasionally.
7. In a small bowl, make a slurry with corn starch and equal parts water. Stir till smooth and add into stew mixture, stirring quickly till thickened. Transfer to casserole dish.
8. Preheat oven to 350°F.
9. In a large mixing bowl mix dry ingredients for dumplings and herbs. Cut-in shortening with 2 knives till mixture resembles peas.
10. Mix-in milk and cheese till just combined.
11. Roll dough into balls, careful not to over-handle and place on-top of stew and drizzle dumplings with truffle oil and more herbs if you wish.
12. Bake 35-40 minutes or till dumplings are golden brown.
13. Allow to stand 15 minutes before serving. Serve with Sour Cream if you wish.

Gallery:

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Beef Stew and Cheddar Dumplings. Something hearty for you as the temperatures drop! Ensure that you are always cooking your beef at a low heat and a long simmer for that perfect fall-apart texture. This will last you days. 🍲 How: mrwillwong.com/beefstewanddumplings #Stew #Cooking #Dumplings #Hearty #Autumn

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Nov 3, 2020 at 3:58pm PST

(Photo credit: Mr. Will Wong)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW PROGRAMMING FOR HOLLYWOOD SUITE – NOVEMBER 2020

Hollywood Suite present a special slate of programming for November, including a tribute weekend to the late Anton Yelchin, including an exclusive broadcast of Documentary LOVE, ANTOSHA which premiered to raves at Sundance, and also a ReelWorld 20th Anniversary Retrospective which can’t be missed!

ANTON YELCHIN WEEKEND – November 13^th and 14^th and OnDemand

LOVE, ANTOSHA (2019)A Hollywood Suite Exclusive — Friday, November 13, 9:00 pm ET on HS00

This heartwarming documentary that premiered at Sundance focuses on Anton Yelchin’s prolific career in film and television. Anton Yelchin left an indelible legacy as an actor. Through his journals and other writings, his photography, the original music he wrote, and interviews with his family, friends, and colleagues, this film looks not just at Anton’s impressive career, but at a broader portrait of the man. Born in the former Soviet Union to a family of artists, Anton came to the U.S. with his parents when he was six months old. He started acting at nine. He had a genuine curiosity and love for people, for art, and for family and a willingness to explore, and be open with, the darker parts of himself. Love, Antosha explores his successes and his struggles, and lets viewers get to know this extraordinary person the world was cheated from seeing grow old.

5 to 7 (2014) — Friday, November 13, 10:35 pm ET on HS00

Starring Anton Yelchin, Bérénice Marlohe, Olivia Thirlby, Lambert Wilson, Frank Langella and Glenn Close, 5 to 7 is the love story of Brian, a 24-year-old writer who has an affair with a 33-year-old married French woman, Arielle. Arielle and her middle-aged husband have an agreement, allowing them to have extramarital affairs as long as they are confined to the hours between 5 and 7 p.m.

Only Lovers Left Alive (2013) — Saturday, November 14, 9:00 pm ET on HS00

Written and Directed by Jim Jarmusch, Only Lovers Left Alive tells the story of two artistic, sophisticated and centuries old vampire lovers who ponder their ultimate place in modern society. The film boasts an all-star cast including: Tilda Swinton, Tom Hiddleston, Mia Wasikowska, Anton Yelchin, Jeffrey Wright and John Hurt.

Green Room (2016) — Saturday, November 14, 11:05 pm ET on HS00

A punk rock band becomes trapped in a secluded venue after finding a scene of violence. For what they saw, the band themselves become targets of violence from a gang of white power skinheads who want to eliminate all evidence of the crime. The cast includes Patrick Stewart, Anton Yelchin, Imogen Poots, Alia Shawkat and Macon Blair.

REELWORLD 20th ANNIVERSARY RETROSPECTIVE – November 18^th and 19^th and OnDemand

Founded in 2000, The Reelworld Festival supports Canadian filmmakers and artists from Black, Indigenous, Asian, South Asian, Middle Eastern and Latin American communities. As a partnership between Reelworld and Hollywood Suite, the Reelworld 20^th Anniversary Retrospective, showcases seven award-winning films from past Reelworld festivals.

Hue: A Matter of Colour(2014) — Wednesday, November 18, 9:00 pm ET

This feature documentary by renowned director and cinematographer Vic Sarin is a personal, yet global investigation into the history and current state of colourism: the discrimination within one ethnicity based on differences in skin tone. Sarin travels the globe to discuss this complex cross-cultural social issue with individuals whose lives it affects, including a Filipina entrepreneur whose business has flourished within the billion-dollar skin-whitening industry. Hue leads viewers on a thoughtful and surprising journey to the heart of a painful and pervasive social issue that not only polices appearance, but also class, gender, and geography.

Farewell Regent(2019) – Wednesday, November 18, 10:30 pm ET

In a documentary that charts the complex canvas of Regent Park, Christene Browne puts a human face on the unique tensions and fellowships of the country’s most infamous social housing project. Farewell Regent eschews the storied violence of the Toronto community to focus on the activism and resilience that has always been in the DNA of its people.

Tiger!(2005) — Wednesday, November 18, 12:05 am ET

Lalita Krishna tells the compelling story about a wrestling legend who turned 60 in 2004 and instead of retiring, chose to take on a 36-year-old Judo champion. Tiger Jeet Singh spelled terror and mayhem for men as big and burly as him, yet his name was whispered with tremulous adulation by thousands of fans from Toronto to Tokyo.

Echoes(2013) — Wednesday, November 18, 1:00 am ET

Director Sun-Kyung (Sunny) Yi looks at international adoptions from China. An extraordinarily intuitive film about the very essence of life, which is loss, Echoes chronicles the experiences of mothers who represent three distinct aspects of the story: A Chinese mother who abandoned her baby; a white, middle-class North American mother who adopted a Chinese girl; and a Canadian mother preparing to pick up her baby from China. Each of these mothers shares her experiences and struggles reconciling the powerful emotions and ideas that both abandonment and adoption, from an alien culture, entail.

Bearwalker(2001) — Thursday, November 19, 9:00 pm ET

Shirley Cheechoo C.M. tells the story of a supernatural force at work in a small community where prejudice, injustice, corruption, and revenge are simmering just below the surface. Four Aboriginal sisters struggle with the powerful and menacing spirit of the Bearwalker, an evil force that takes possession of and tears apart several lives in the town.

Little Brother of War(2003) – Thursday, November 19, 10:25 pm ET

A young boy’s heroic journey in search of his deceased parents sets forth a series of life-affirming events, changing not only his life but also the lives of others.

Turbulence (2015) –Thursday, November 19 at 12:00 am ET

From director Soran Mardookhi, Turbulence tells the story of Sherzad, a former electrical engineer from Iraqi Kurdistan, who tries his best to lead a normal life in Canada, his adopted country. His estranged young daughter, Jina, numbs herself with drugs in order to forget her bitter past, but has a hard time fitting in, even amongst the misfits. Jina and her father both have to resort to desperate measures to deal with their situation.

(Photo credit: Hollywood Suite)

#FIRSTLOOK: NEW TRAILER FOR “VANGUARD”

Jackie Chan‘s back in Stanley Tong‘s VANGUARD, coming soon to theatres!

Synopsis:

Covert security company Vanguard is the last hope of survival for an accountant after he is targeted by the world’s deadliest mercenary organization.

Cast: Jackie Chan, Yang Yang, , Ai Lun, Mu Qimiya, Xu Ruohan and Zhu Zhengting

See the Trailer:

VANGUARD is in theatres Friday, November 20, 2020.

(Photo/video: Gravitas Ventures)

#FIRSTLOOK: WHAT TO WATCH – NOVEMBER 2020: “MY NEXT GUEST NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION”, “UNSOLVED MYSTERIES”, “THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR”, “HOLIDATE”, “THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT”, THE RIGHT STUFF”, “THE LIFE AHEAD”

We enjoy this time of year as the onslaught of Holiday-theme programs, Horrors and Awards Season contenders start surfacing. Here’s some of our recommendations what to watch right now!

MY NEXT GUEST NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION SEASON 3 (NETFLIX)

David Letterman is back in this abbreviated third season of his Talk Show MY NEXT GUEST NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION and true to form, he’s unafraid to ask the questions we’ve all been curious about. Robert Downey Jr. discusses his drug addiction; Dave Chappelle opens-up about that time he walked away from the spotlight; Kim Kardashian reveals what it felt like to be robbed in Paris; and Lizzo talks about her rise to fame and being “unapologetic” in an interview taped during the Pandemic. We only wish there were more episodes!

Fun fact, some of our archived Lizzo footage made the cut in her episode and we’re so honoured!

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So honoured some of my footage is featured in DAVID LETTERMAN’S MY NEXT GUEST NEEDS NO INTRODUCTION: LIZZO, out now on @NetflixCA! Don’t forget to check it out. Several fascinating subjects like Kim Kardashian, David Chappelle and Robert Downey Jr. this season!

A post shared by Mr. Will Wong 📸 (@mrwillwong) on Oct 27, 2020 at 4:51pm PDT

UNSOLVED MYSTERIES VOLUME 2 (NETFLIX)

As if we weren’t mortified enough by the first Volume, UNSOLVED MYSTERIES already is back with a second set of mysteries waiting to be solved. Among the stories this round are a mother goes missing after visiting a church and her body is found, without any clear leads; a convicted child killer on death row escapes prison and still hasn’t been found; two young children go missing in New York and still to this day have not been found; and the phenomenon of Tsunami ghosts which haunt communities in northeastern Japan after 2011’s catastrophic earthquake. The latter episode was our clear favourite, hitting some real emotional notes and also remaining haunting at once. Shivers.

THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR (NETFLIX)

Following the great success of THE HAUNTING OF HILL HOUSE, THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR is the second entry in The Haunting franchise. Set in the ’80s, a young governess is hired to take care of a man’s nephew and niece at his country home, where she discovers apparitions. We learn too that some ghosts from her past might be haunting her. Victoria Pedretti returns here as Dani, the governess and is phenomenal once again and this fresh-faced Ensemble is fantastic including Oliver Jackson-Cohen, T’Nia Miller, Rahul Kohli and Tahirah Sharif. While the pacing at times suffers a bit and the jump-scares might not be as great as its predecessor, the Series keeps intact that unique tone in the Series’ sentimental mixture of Horror, Romance and Drama.

HOLIDATE (NETFLIX)

After a chance meeting at the mall, Sloane (Emma Roberts) and Jackson (Luke Bracey) both equally hate Christmas and together in their bond, these singles who are over putting-up with judgment, vow to be each other’s “Holidates” for every festive occasion in the year ahead. What initially starts off as being in good fun could lead to romance between these two. John Whitesell directs this crude Rom-Com which at once is an Anti-Rom-Com. Definitely some sentiments several of us can relate to with its cynical view of traditional love and we must we’re extra forgiving whenever there’s a Holiday theme involved!

THE RIGHT STUFF (DISNEY+)

Based on the Book by Tom Wolfe and the 1983 film of the same name THE RIGHT STUFF is an eight-episode Series which continues National Geographic’s foray into scripted programming. The Series, which is racy and gritty by Disney standards, introduces us to the “Mercury Seven” as the origins of the United States’ space program in the late ’50s is explored with NASA putting out a search throughout the country for its first set of pilots to lead its first space mission. These pilots and could either day or become immortal. Toronto’s Patrick J. Adams (Suits) gets the Lead Role, unrecognizable as John Glenn in this stylish-looking Series (think Mad Men) which nails all the details of the era including its Soundtrack.

New episodes arrive weekly till November 20, 2020.

THE QUEEN’S GAMBIT (NETFLIX)

Based on Walter Tevis‘ Novel of the same name, this seven-episode Mini-Series directed and written by Scott Frank tells the story of a young woman named Beth Harmon (Anya Taylor-Joy) who was orphaned at a young age. We witness her youth, where she is played by Isla Johnston and Annabeth Kelly and she is introduced to a life of things a child shouldn’t know about, leading to her subsequent battle with both drugs and alcohol in her adulthood. Through this, her solace is her adopted mother Mrs. Wheatley (Marielle Heller) who supports her drive and ambition, with her excelling at her academics and her passion for chess, which she learns from a janitor (Bill Camp) at the home where she is raised. From this she finds herself at age 22 overcoming all odds, competing with the world’s best and overcoming expectations of her age, past and gender. Taylor-Joy as always is sensational, mastering Beth‘s focused yet world-worn gaze and fully commits, nailing nuances of the time this is set.

THE LIFE AHEAD (NETFLIX)

Sophia Loren makes her return in this adaptation of the Book The Life Before Us, directed and co-written by her son Edoardo Ponti. The Italian film centers on an orphaned 10-year-old boy named Momo (Ibrahima Gueye) who robs Madame Rosa (Loren), a former prostitute and Holocaust survivor who cares of the children of other prostitutes. She then takes him in as he navigates his life hustling on the streets and with her becoming increasingly-ill, he realizes life’s fragility and questions his own direction. With authenticity, we get a painful reminder of what it is like for a child to realize that their loved ones might not be around forever. At the heart of this Drama is the beautiful bond between this unlikely pair, each filling something of a void in each other’s lives. While their relationship often is confrontational, it blossoms and becomes a beautiful thing to watch. In addition to its lightheartedness, brought by newcomer Gueye‘s carefree-ness, the Film explores some heavier territory in Rosa as she confronts triggers which force her to examine her painful past in her own youth. Loren‘s performance feels effortless and fully lived-in, proving she still is at the top of her game.

THE LIFE AHEAD arrives on Netflix Friday, November 13, 2020.

Click on links below to read our Reviews of the following:

BORAT SUBSEQUENT MOVIEFILM

REBECCA

COME PLAY

MEMORIES OF MURDER

THE SECRETS WE KEEP

BLACKPINK: LIGHT UP THE SKY

TOTALLY UNDER CONTROL

OVER THE MOON

SPONTANEOUS

ONE THE ROCKS