By Amanda Gilmore

Have you been craving the nostalgia of ’90s fashion, entertainment and/or technology? Are you seeking an endearing story about friendship told with British comedy? If so you’re in luck because Director-Writer Reggie Yates has got you covered.

In his breakout Feature-debut Pirates, Yates takes us on a journey through London on New Year’s Eve 1999. 18-year-old life-long friends, Cappo (Elliot Edusah), Two Tonne (Jordan Peters) and Kidda (Reda Elazouar), travel from North to South London with the hopes to attend the best millennium party ever.

A lot of the comedy comes from the time Pirates takes place. There’s a scene where Kidda ignores his friends’ questions because he needs to feed his Tamagotchi. Another scene holds a conversation between Cappo and Two Tonne discussing the new website Google and if they can play a DVD on a PlayStation. In the Second Act, the costumes speak for themselves as the three sit in Cappo’s tiny Peugeot 205 decked-out in ’90s Moschino.

Yates fits a lot within the Film’s tight run-time of 80 mins, while never losing sight of its central message. Each comical event that happens in the one eventful night ties to the heartfelt theme about the importance of friendships. This message and the comedic moments are made stronger through the vibrant chemistry the three actors share. Their chemistry creates authenticity to the life-long bond the characters have.

Overall, Pirates is a stand-out New Year’s Eve film.

Pirates Screens at SXSW:
In-Person:
Friday, March 11 at 6:30 PM EST – Alamo Lamar A

Monday, March 14 at 8:30 PM EST – Alamo Lamar C
Wednesday, March 16 at 7:45 PM EST – Violet Crown Cinema 2

Wednesday, March 16 at 8:15 PM EST – Violet Crown Cinema 4

Online:
Saturday, March 12 at 10:00 AM EST – Available for 48 hours

Dave Meyers directs this new clip for the super-catchy “Sweetest Pie” a hot new collabo between Megan Thee Stallion and Dua Lipa! The Track takes us back to the early ’00s with its vibe. The Track leads Megan Thee Stallion’s upcoming second LP.

See the Video:

Megan Thee Stallion will appear next week on Dua Lipa‘s Podcast AT YOUR SERVICE, available wherever you stream your Podcasts.

(Photo/video credit: Warner Music)

As you might remember, Netflix launched a NETFLIX IN YOUR NEIGHBOURHOOD site that helps fans connect with some exclusive behind-the-scenes of where their favourites were filmed in Canada! Just added are the following Series and Films:

• Sex/Life, a boundary pushing series shot around the city of Toronto starring Sarah Shahi, Mike Vogel and Adam Demos; 
• Awake, starring Gina Rodriguez alongside Torontonian Shamier Anderson, which transformed Uxbridge, Ontario into a post-apocalyptic town; 
• The Adam Project, Vancouver shot family adventure starring Ryan Reynolds and helmed by Canadian director Shawn Levy (released on Netflix today); 
• Brazen, a murder mystery from Vancouver-based director Monika Mitchell, and filmed around Vancouver and Surrey, British Columbia; and the hit comedy series;
•  The Guide to the Perfect Family / Le Guide de la famille parfaite which was shot on location throughout Quebec.

Adam Levy and Ryan Reynolds also talk about some of their favourite spots in Vancouver. Check it out here!

By Amanda Gilmore

Following its acclaim at Sundance, now’s your chance to see it at SXSW! Master follows three Black women at an elite New England university, Ambrose College, built on the site of a Salem-era gallows hill. Gail Bishop (Regina Hall) has just been instated as Master, first-year student Jasmine Moore (Zoe Renee) is trying to find her place, and literature professor Liv Beckman (Amber Gray) attempts to get her tenure. The three women navigate the politics and privilege of the campus and encounter increasingly terrifying manifestations of the school’s haunted past and present.

Writer-Director Mariama Diallo crafts an assured, compelling Feature debut. Like the finest of Psychological Horrors, Master excels in its social critique. It examines the racism and classism on campuses, however, it strives in connecting what happens at Ambrose College to everywhere. Diallo achieves this through her steady direction and precise Script. Additionally, she’s gifted audiences with a fresh take on the genre.

Diallo entwines the past and the present. The past for the history of black students dying in the room to which Jasmine has been assigned, and the present for the racism of the current students and faculty. In doing so, Diallo expertly toys with our minds making us question and guess until the very end. Additionally, she creates a chilling watch from start to finish. With expert use of lighting, sound and production design Diallo creates an eerie atmosphere interpolated with unsettling, frightening moments.

Then there are the powerful performances from this Cast. Hall gives a commanding performance as the Master battling with what she should and shouldn’t do and believe. Upcoming talent Renee gives a captivating performance as a young woman trying to find her place. Then there’s Gray who gives the perfect amount of mystery to Liv, allowing for some psychological aspects of the Script to thrive.

MASTER will be released on Prime Video March 18, 2022.

MASTER screens at SXSW ’22 as follows:

Master at ZACH Theatre

Mar 14, 2022 2:30pm—4:08pm

Master at Online Screening

Mar 15, 9:00am CDT – Mar 17, 9:00am CDT 9:00am—10:38am Availability: Worldwide

Master at Stateside Theatre

Mar 16, 2022 5:15pm—6:53pm

Master at Alamo Lamar B

Mar 19, 2022 9:15pm—10:53pm

By Mr. Will Wong

LIZZO became a household name in 2019, propelling to widespread popularity with her powerful message of body positivity and undeniable hits “Juice“, “Good as Hell” and “Truth Hurts“. She’d go on to win three Grammys and become a cultural icon.

She parlays her success into upcoming Prime Video series LIZZO’S WATCH OUT FOR THE BIG GRRRLS, just as she prepares to go on tour in support of her upcoming album, and also her performance in Bonnaroo 2021. The Reality Show pits plus-sized dancers together for a chance to compete to be one of her dancers, or as she affectionately calls them, her BIG GRRRLS.

The Show works on a few levels. It is a chance for fans to connect with Lizzo, who despite posting regularly on Social Media, has been laying low for the past bit. On another level, it explores the dynamic of these talented women whom while competing against one another, also at once are forming a deep bond in working and living together as a family, exchanging experiences and healing from the pain they’ve experienced in their lives due to stigma against race and body type. Through this experience, we see these women come to new realizations about themselves. Above all, the Series is wildly-entertaining, exploring the process and struggles of learning challenging choreography, while putting on a dazzling show each episode, at times borrowing from the spirit of RuPaul’s Drag Race.

While LIZZO’S WATCH OUT FOR THE BIG GRRRLS speaks to the black experience, we hear other voices as well. One contestant Jayla, is trans and Isabel is bi-racial, speaking from an Asian-American voice. Lizzo crafts a safe space and an inclusive tone and we feel each of the girls gets a chance to be heard. And of course no Reality Series is without drama and the conflicting personalities of classically-trained Arianna (she’s our favourite!) and alpha Jasmine certainly gives us some juice!

LIZZO’S WATCH OUT FOR THE BIG GRRRLS arrives March 25, 2022 on Prime Video. Lizzo will speak at an SXSW Keynote Sunday, March 13, 2022 at 1:00pm CT. More here.

Mayim Bialik writes and directs AS THEY MADE US, which arrives soon via Quiver Distribution.

Synopsis:

As They Made Us follows Abigail (Agron), a divorced mother of two, who is struggling to find sanity in her dysfunctional family as she attempts to cultivate new love. Her father, Eugene (Hoffman), has a degenerative condition that he and his wife, Barbara (Bergen), refuse to accept. Her brother Nathan (Helberg) has been estranged from the family for decades. A self-appointed fixer, Abigail attempts to mend her complicated family before it’s too late.

Moving between present-day and flashbacks to a chaotic and confusing childhood, Abigail juggles parenting her young sons with her annoyingly competent ex-husband Peter (Weber) and trying to land a cover story at the news magazine she works for. Barbara barely gives Abigail a moment of peace, calling her to clean up messes every time Eugene falls or when a nurse sneaks him weed gummy bears against her wishes. Barbara’s intrusiveness proves amusing to Abigail’s crush, her landscaper Jay (Chu Cary), but it’s yet another part of Abigail’s life which she finds unable to disentangle her family’s insanity. 

Navigating Eugene’s degenerative condition and Barbara’s manic hostility is alternately hilarious and heartbreakingly cringe-worthy. Family struggles range from fights over birthday cake to wheelchair mechanical snafus to Barbara’s bizarre behavior at doctor’s appointments. Things come to a head when Nathan agrees to visit Eugene, but only if Barbara isn’t present. Barbara begrudgingly agrees to let them have their reunion, and Nathan and Eugene’s visit is bittersweet. However, Barbara cannot resist spoiling Abigail’s joy, leaving Abigail to once again choose between her comfort and that of her mother. Eugene’s health worsens and with his passing, Nathan and Abigail begin to repair their relationship and, in turn, their family.

AS THEY MADE US arrives on VOD April 8, 2022.

(Photo/video credit: Quiver Distribution)

Check-out this new Still from Disney+‘s upcoming live-action Adaptation of PINOCCHIO, starring Tom Hanks as Gepetto!

Synopsis:

Academy Award® winner Robert Zemeckis directs this live action retelling of the beloved tale of a wooden puppet who embarks on a thrilling adventure to become a real boy. Tom Hanks stars as Geppetto, the wood-carver who builds and treats Pinocchio (Benjamin Evan Ainsworth) as if he were his own son. Joseph Gordon-Levitt is Jiminy Cricket, who serves as Pinocchio’s guide as well as his “conscience”; Academy Award® nominee Cynthia Erivo is the Blue Fairy; Keegan-Michael Key is “Honest” John; Academy Award® nominee Lorraine Bracco is Sofia the Seagull, a new character, and Luke Evans is The Coachman.

PINOCCHIO arrives on Disney+ this September!

(Photo/video credit: Disney)

A new Trailer has been unveiled for the eagerly-anticipated second season of Netflix hit series BRIDGERTON.

Logline:
From Shondaland and Creator Chris Van Dusen, the second season of Bridgertonfollows Lord Anthony Bridgerton (Jonathan Bailey), the eldest Bridgerton sibling and Viscount, as he sets out to find a suitable wife. Driven by his duty to uphold the family name, Anthony’s search for a debutante who meets his impossible standards seems ill-fated until Kate (Simone Ashley) and her younger sister Edwina (Charithra Chandran) Sharma arrive from India. When Anthony begins to court Edwina, Kate discovers the true nature of his intentions — a true love match is not high on his priority list — and decides to do everything in her power to stop the union. But in doing so, Kate and Anthony’s verbal sparring matches only bring them closer together, complicating matters on both sides. Across Grosvenor Square, the Featheringtons must welcome the newest heir to their estate while Penelope (Nicola Coughlan) continues to navigate the ton whilst keeping her deepest secret from the people closest to her.

BRIDGERTON S2 arrives March 25, 2022 on Netflix.

(Photo/video credit: Netflix)

A moment for Toronto to call its own! The Cast of Disney and Pixar‘s upcoming feature TURNING RED came to the City that inspired it all! The Toronto-set coming of age story centers on Meilin, a 13-year-old girl about to go through puberty, navigating life, boy bands and her mother in the early 2000s. Above, this she finds herself turning into a Red Panda every time she gets triggered! Packed with Toronto-isms, catchy Pop, brilliant animation and performances, TURNING RED is a must-see and it will stream exclusively on Disney+.

The Red Carpet was rolled-out tonight at TIFF Bell Lightbox, coinciding with International Women’s Day, welcoming the Film’s stars, Director and Producer as we see in-person events pop-up again in the City.

Appearing tonight and wrapping-up a busy two-day Press Tour, were:

We had the pleasure of chatting with stars Rosalie Chiang and Maitreyi Ramakrishnan:

This Press Tour is Chiang‘s first time ever in Toronto and we ask her what she loves most about the City.

Chiang: “There’s nothing I didn’t like about Toronto. The City is gorgeous. This is my first time in Canada, so seeing the full ambience and energy, it’s very refreshing!”.

We ask Chiang to take us through the emotions of the casting process and finding out she landed the starring role of Meilin.

Chiang: “At first I went through shock… when they told me that I was officially Meilin, I froze. I teared-up a little, but it wasn’t till a week later that I processed it. My mom was like ‘What’s wrong?’ and I was like, ‘I can’t believed I booked it!!'”.

The Film touches upon themes of female friendship. We ask what Chiang pulled from her own life experiences in exploring Meilin‘s world.

Chiang: “Often time, female friendships are portrayed as catty and backstabbing. I never actually went through that. I don’t know anyone who has. In my life, I’ve had friends come and go for sure, however the friends I’m with now, I’ve known them my entire life. There was one point that I moved away. When I came back, they welcomed me back with open arms.”.

Today was a big day for Ramakrishnan who stars in Netflix hit series NEVER HAVE I EVER, which just got renewed for a fourth and final season. In addition to this, the Mississauga native is to receive the Radius Award at the upcoming Canadian Screen Awards in April.

We ask her what makes her ‘turn red’?

Ramakrishnan: “You mean like as in ‘Panda-Out’? I think a lot of things. I’m an Actor, we all are emotional little worms. That’s what Actors are. We wear our hearts on our sleeves. Basically I ‘Panda-Out’ all the time. I’m more of a Panda than I am a human.”.

Ramakrishnan knows all the good spots in Toronto to eat. We ask her for her ultimate Hidden Gem in the City.

Ramakrishnan: “Being the Mississauga Girl that I am, I’m gonna keep it in Mississauga. Actually, maybe I don’t want others to know… oh my God…I’ve gone to deep. You saw that realization! We really have to support the businesses. There’s this really awesome Korean Fried Chicken place called K-Pocha – they make the best Corn Cheese. It’s open late night. And I’m a late night owl and I go out at 2 in the morning, you know?”.

Some Snaps from the night:

Video Highlights (pardon the mic issues):

Disney and Pixar‘s TURNING RED arrives March 11, 2022 on Disney+.

We had the pleasure of sitting-in on a junket with the Cast and Creators as well recently. More here.

Our Review of Disney and Pixar‘s TURNING RED here.

(Photo/video credit: Mr. Will Wong/Walt Disney Studios Canada)

Canadian stars Simu Liu and Nathalie Younglai team together to create upcoming CBC Gem Series HELLO (AGAIN). The nine-episode Series at ten minutes each, arrives this later month.

The Series centers on Jayden (Alex Mallari Jr.) and Avery (Rong Fu) who meet by chance one day in a park. They begin their whirlwind romance, but flash-forward to the present, and we see them having relationship troubles. Months pass after their breakup, and Jayden has another chance encounter, this time crossing paths with a supernatural girl (Rebecca Chan) who while annoying him, also by puts him in his place, pushing him to giving love another go.

HELLO (AGAIN) takes the Rom-Com genre and offers a fresh-spin on it, lending focus to how relationships take much work to thrive, working its way backwards and then forward again. It recognizes the importance of self-reflection and doing the work with one’s self, because a relationship won’t fix all problems when there are underlying issues to be confronted. All this, while doing this in a distinctively Asian-Canadian voice, nagging mother sighing “Aiya” and all! The Music featured on the Series also is by Asian-Canadian Artist, Kierscey.

Mallari and Fu are engaging as our leads and while we’ve only previewed the first couple episodes, we are interested to see where the story takes them and their journeys.

Don’t forget to check-out HELLO (AGAIN) as it streams March 25, 2022 on CBC Gem. More here.