What’s new on Netflix, Amazon Prime, CBC Gem, Crave and Criterion

A weekly round-up of the new movies and TV series on Netflix, Crave, Amazon Prime Video, CBC Gem and Criterion Channel

New on Netflix

Though‌ ‌the‌ ‌end‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌year‌ ‌usually‌ ‌spells‌ ‌Oscar‌ ‌hopefuls‌ ‌and‌ ‌festival‌ ‌hits,‌ ‌the‌ ‌relative‌ ‌paucity‌ ‌of‌ ‌movies‌ ‌of‌ ‌that‌ ‌kind‌ ‌in 2020 ‌means‌ ‌that‌ ‌“awards‌ ‌season”‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌little‌ ‌slow‌ ‌to‌ ‌get‌ ‌going‌.‌ ‌Netflix‌ ‌has‌ ‌therefore‌ ‌decided‌ ‌to‌ ‌fill‌ ‌this‌ ‌gap‌ ‌by‌ ‌being‌ ‌ultra-ready‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌holiday‌ ‌season.‌ The‌ ‌next‌ ‌few‌ ‌weeks‌ ‌are‌ ‌absolutely‌ ‌bursting‌ ‌with‌ ‌holiday‌ ‌and‌ ‌Christmas-themed‌ ‌productions.‌ ‌

Dropping‌ ‌today‌ ‌on‌ ‌Netflix‌ ‌is‌ ‌Jingle-Jangle:‌ ‌A‌ ‌Christmas‌ ‌Journey,‌ ‌a‌ ‌Yuletide-themed‌ ‌musical‌ ‌with‌ ‌songs‌ ‌from‌ ‌John‌ ‌Legend.‌ ‌Forest‌ ‌Whitaker‌ ‌stars‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌toymaker‌ ‌who‌ ‌goes‌ ‌on‌ ‌a‌ ‌Christmas‌ ‌adventure‌ ‌with‌ ‌his‌ ‌granddaughter,‌ ‌played‌ ‌by‌ ‌Madalen‌ ‌Mills;‌ ‌Keegan-Michael‌ ‌Key,‌ ‌Anika‌ ‌Noni‌ ‌Rose‌ ‌and‌ ‌Ricky‌ ‌Martin‌ ‌(!)‌ ‌co-star.‌ ‌‌

The‌ ‌Life‌ ‌Ahead‌ ‌‌drops‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌same‌ ‌day‌ ‌—‌ ‌the‌ ‌Italian‌ ‌drama‌ ‌stars‌ ‌Sophia‌ ‌Loren‌ ‌(whose‌ ‌son,‌ ‌Edoardo‌ ‌Ponti,‌ ‌directs)‌ ‌as‌ ‌a‌ ‌Holocaust‌ ‌survivor‌ ‌who‌ ‌befriends‌ ‌a‌ ‌young‌ ‌Senegalese‌ ‌immigrant.‌ ‌Spanish‌ ‌filmmaker‌ ‌Mateo‌ ‌Gil‌ ‌(‌Blackthorn,‌ ‌Realive‌)‌ ‌adapts‌ ‌a‌ ‌Jack‌ ‌London‌ ‌short‌ ‌story‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌miniseries‌ ‌‌The‌ ‌Minions‌ ‌of‌ ‌Midas‌ ‌‌(Nov‌. ‌13),‌ ‌starring‌ ‌Luis‌ ‌Tosar‌ ‌and‌ ‌Marta‌ ‌Milans‌ ‌(‌Shazam!).‌ ‌ ‌ 

Season‌ ‌4‌ ‌of‌ ‌‌The‌ ‌Crown‌ ‌‌has‌ ‌been‌ ‌‌extremely‌ ‌‌anticipated. One‌ ‌of‌ ‌Netflix’s‌ ‌most‌ ‌popular‌ ‌shows‌ ‌since‌ ‌its‌ ‌inception,‌ ‌‌The‌ ‌Crown‌ ‌‌is‌ ‌also‌ ‌notable‌ ‌for‌ ‌its‌ ‌casting‌, ‌which‌ ‌renews‌ ‌every‌ ‌two‌ ‌seasons.‌ ‌Olivia‌ ‌Colman‌ ‌is‌ ‌still‌ ‌on-hand‌ ‌to‌ ‌play‌ ‌Queen‌ ‌Elizabeth‌ ‌II,‌ ‌but‌ ‌she’s‌ ‌joined‌ ‌this‌ ‌time‌ ‌by‌ ‌new‌ ‌addition‌ ‌Gillian‌ ‌Anderson‌ ‌as‌ ‌Margaret‌ ‌Thatcher.‌ ‌It‌ ‌hits‌ ‌the‌ ‌streaming‌ ‌service‌ ‌on‌ ‌Nov.‌ ‌15‌ ‌alongside‌ ‌a‌ ‌couple‌ ‌of‌ ‌holiday-themed‌ ‌Hallmark‌ ‌movies.‌ ‌

As‌ ‌I‌ ‌understand‌ ‌it,‌ ‌the‌ ‌2018‌ ‌Netflix‌ ‌production‌ ‌‌The‌ ‌Princess‌ ‌Switch‌ ‌‌was‌ ‌a‌ ‌huge‌ ‌hit‌ ‌for‌ ‌the‌ ‌service,‌ ‌undoubtedly‌ ‌prompting‌ ‌its‌ ‌current‌ ‌rapid-pace‌ ‌release‌ ‌of‌ ‌assembly-line‌ ‌romcoms. In‌ ‌any‌ ‌case,‌ ‌there’s‌ ‌now‌ ‌a‌ ‌sequel called The‌ ‌Princess‌ ‌Switch:‌ ‌‌Switched‌ ‌Again‌.‌ ‌ ‌Interior‌ ‌designer‌ ‌Benjamin‌ ‌“Mr.‌ ‌Christmas”‌ ‌Bradley‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌star‌ ‌of‌ ‌Holiday‌ ‌Home‌ ‌Makeover‌ ‌With‌ ‌Mr.‌ ‌Christmas‌ ‌(Nov.‌ ‌18),‌ ‌a‌ ‌holiday‌ ‌makeover‌ ‌show‌ ‌that…‌ ‌you‌ ‌know,‌ ‌actually,‌ ‌it’s‌ ‌all‌ ‌there.‌ ‌Galicia‌ ‌crime‌ ‌series‌ ‌‌Bitter‌ ‌Daisies‌ ‌‌is‌ ‌also‌ ‌back‌ ‌with‌ ‌a‌ ‌second‌ ‌season‌ ‌on‌ ‌Nov. ‌18.‌ ‌ ‌

New‌ ‌on‌ ‌Amazon‌ ‌Prime‌ ‌

Alfonso‌ ‌Gomez-Rejon’s‌ ‌‌The‌ ‌Current‌ ‌War,‌ ‌‌a‌ ‌Thomas‌ ‌Edison‌ ‌biopic‌ ‌starring‌ ‌Benedict‌ ‌Cumberbatch‌ ‌as‌ ‌Edison,‌ ‌was‌ ‌fairly‌ ‌well-anticipated‌ ‌when‌ ‌it‌ ‌premiered‌ ‌at‌ ‌TIFF‌ ‌in‌ ‌2017.‌ ‌It‌ ‌screened‌ ‌to‌ ‌middling-to-negative‌ ‌reviews‌ ‌and‌ ‌then‌ ‌was‌ ‌pulled‌ ‌entirely‌ ‌following‌ ‌the‌ ‌Harvey‌ ‌Weinstein‌ ‌scandal.‌ ‌It‌ ‌sat‌ ‌on‌ ‌the‌ ‌shelf‌ ‌for‌ ‌two‌ ‌years‌ ‌and‌ ‌was‌ ‌finally‌ ‌released‌ ‌in‌ ‌a‌ ‌re-edited‌ ‌version‌ ‌to‌ ‌general‌ ‌indifference.‌ ‌For‌ ‌what‌ ‌it’s‌ ‌worth,‌ ‌the‌ ‌director’s‌ ‌cut‌ ‌(on ‌Amazon‌ as ‌of‌ ‌Nov. ‌14)‌ ‌is‌ ‌considered‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌a‌ ‌significant‌ ‌improvement.‌ ‌Also‌ ‌hitting‌ ‌the‌ ‌service‌ ‌on‌ ‌Nov. ‌14‌ ‌are‌ ‌both‌ ‌installments‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌‌Red‌ ‌‌duology,‌ ‌starring‌ ‌Bruce‌ ‌Willis‌ ‌and‌ ‌a‌ ‌bunch‌ ‌of‌ ‌other‌ ‌ageing‌ ‌action‌ ‌stars‌ ‌in‌ ‌what‌ ‌was‌ ‌dubbed‌ ‌as‌ ‌the‌ ‌“intellectual”‌ ‌alternative‌ ‌to‌ ‌the‌ ‌‌Expendables‌ ‌‌films.‌ ‌They’re‌ ‌not‌ ‌‌much‌ ‌more‌ ‌‌intellectual,‌ ‌but‌ ‌they’re‌ ‌fun.‌ ‌ 

‌The‌ ‌last‌ ‌season‌ ‌of‌ ‌‌Schitt’s‌ ‌Creek‌ ‌‌comes to Amazon ‌alongside‌ ‌the‌ ‌farewell‌ ‌special‌ ‌on‌ ‌Nov. ‌15,‌ ‌alongside‌ ‌two‌ ‌hotly-contested‌ ‌modern‌ ‌holiday‌ ‌classics:‌ ‌Ron‌ ‌Howard’s‌ ‌nightmarish‌ ‌‌How‌ ‌the‌ ‌Grinch‌ ‌Stole‌ ‌Christmas‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌Love,‌ ‌Actually,‌ ‌‌a‌ ‌film‌ ‌that‌ ‌everyone‌ ‌has‌ ‌opinions‌ ‌on.‌ ‌On‌ ‌Nov.‌ ‌18‌ ‌you‌ ‌can‌ ‌stream‌ ‌the‌ ‌‌overwrought‌‌ ‌teen‌ ‌drama‌ ‌‌Waves‌‌ ‌and‌ ‌‌No‌ ‌Gogó‌ ‌do‌ ‌Paulinho,‌ ‌‌which‌ ‌for‌ ‌all‌ ‌intents‌ ‌and‌ ‌purposes‌ ‌seems‌ ‌to‌ ‌be‌ ‌a‌ ‌Brazilian‌ ‌remake‌ ‌of‌ ‌‌Forrest‌ ‌Gump‌.‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

New‌ ‌on‌ ‌Crave‌ ‌ 

‌On‌ ‌Crave‌ ‌you‌ ‌can‌ ‌stream‌ ‌the‌ ‌Greta‌ ‌Thunberg‌ ‌documentary‌ ‌‌I‌ ‌Am‌ ‌Greta‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌the‌ ‌environmental‌ ‌cover-up‌ ‌thriller‌ ‌‌Dark‌ ‌Waters‌ ‌‌starring‌ ‌Mark‌ ‌Ruffalo,‌ ‌in‌ ‌case‌ ‌you‌ ‌want‌ ‌to‌ ‌really‌ ‌get‌ ‌outraged‌ ‌at‌ ‌the‌ ‌state‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌world‌ ‌and‌ ‌just‌ ‌looking‌ ‌outside‌ ‌at‌ ‌any‌ ‌moment‌ ‌isn’t‌ ‌quite‌ ‌doing‌ ‌it.‌ ‌On‌ ‌Nov.‌ ‌15,‌ ‌you‌ ‌can‌ ‌stream‌ ‌the‌ ‌first‌ ‌episode‌ ‌of‌ ‌‌The‌ ‌Reagans‌,‌ ‌a‌ ‌multi-part‌ ‌documentary‌ ‌series‌ ‌about‌ ‌Ronald‌ ‌and‌ ‌Nancy‌ ‌Reagan‌ ‌that‌ ‌‌cannot‌ ‌‌be‌ ‌less‌ ‌depressing‌ ‌than‌ ‌the‌ ‌Greta‌ ‌documentary.‌ ‌In‌ ‌similarly‌ ‌uplifting‌ ‌news‌, ‌you‌ ‌can‌ ‌also‌ ‌stream‌ ‌the‌ ‌first‌ ‌episode‌ ‌of‌ ‌‌Murder‌ ‌on‌ ‌Middle‌ ‌Beach‌‌ ‌that‌ ‌day. ‌The‌ ‌true-crime‌ ‌docuseries‌ features‌ ‌first-time‌ ‌filmmaker‌ ‌Madison‌ ‌Hamburg‌ ‌investigating‌ ‌the‌ ‌death‌ ‌of‌ ‌her‌ ‌own‌ ‌mother.‌ ‌ 

‌I‌ ‌suppose‌ ‌the‌ ‌most‌ ‌uplifting‌ ‌addition‌ ‌on‌ ‌Crave‌ ‌this‌ ‌week‌ ‌is‌ ‌the‌ ‌second‌ ‌season‌ ‌of‌ ‌‌His‌ ‌Dark‌ ‌Materials,‌ ‌‌the‌ ‌adaptation‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Philip‌ ‌Pullman‌ ‌novel‌ ‌co-produced‌ ‌by‌ ‌BBC‌ ‌and‌ ‌HBO.‌ ‌It‌ ‌could‌ ‌also,‌ ‌technically,‌ ‌be‌ ‌‌Dreamland‌ ‌‌(Nov.‌ ‌18), ‌a‌ ‌Montreal-shot crime‌ ‌drama‌ ‌starring‌ ‌Margot‌ ‌Robbie,‌ ‌Garrett‌ ‌Hedlund‌ ‌and‌ ‌Travis‌ ‌Fimmel.‌ ‌The‌ ‌film‌ ‌came‌ ‌and‌ ‌went‌ ‌without‌ ‌much‌ ‌of‌ ‌a‌ ‌festival‌ ‌run,‌ ‌which‌ ‌may‌ ‌or‌ ‌may‌ ‌not‌ ‌be‌ ‌a‌ ‌result‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌pandemic.‌ ‌Also‌ ‌hitting‌ ‌HBO‌ ‌on‌ ‌Nov. 18‌ ‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌new‌ ‌film by‌ ‌insanely‌ ‌prolific‌ ‌documentarian‌ ‌Alex‌ ‌Gibney. ‌Crazy,‌ ‌Not‌ ‌Insane‌ ‌‌is‌ ‌a‌ ‌documentary‌ ‌about‌ ‌the‌ ‌psychology‌ ‌of‌ ‌serial‌ ‌killers‌ ‌narrated‌ ‌by‌ ‌Laura‌ ‌Dern.‌ ‌ ‌

New‌ ‌on‌ ‌CBC‌ ‌Gem‌ ‌

Season 2 of German‌ ‌war‌ ‌series‌ ‌‌Das‌ ‌Boot‌‌ — less‌ ‌a‌ ‌remake‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌1981‌ ‌film‌ ‌and‌ ‌more‌ ‌of‌ ‌an‌ ‌adaptation‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌novel‌ ‌that‌ ‌inspired‌ ‌it — ‌comes to‌ ‌CBC‌ ‌Gem‌ ‌on Nov. 13.‌ ‌Also‌ ‌available‌ ‌to‌ ‌stream‌ ‌is‌ ‌season‌ ‌6‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌acclaimed‌ ‌Kahnawake-set‌ ‌comedy‌ ‌‌Mohawk‌ ‌Girls‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌Sébastien‌ ‌Pilote’s‌ ‌‌La‌ ‌disparition‌ ‌des‌ ‌lucioles‌.‌ ‌ ‌

New‌ ‌on‌ ‌Criterion‌ ‌Channel‌ ‌

The‌ ‌Criterion‌ ‌Channel‌ ‌celebrates‌ ‌the‌ ‌30th‌ ‌anniversary‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌Film‌ ‌Foundation,‌ ‌the‌ ‌Martin‌ ‌Scorsese-led‌ ‌organization‌ ‌that‌ ‌oversees‌ ‌the‌ ‌restoration‌ ‌of‌ ‌classic‌ ‌films‌ ‌from‌ ‌across‌ ‌the‌ ‌globe.‌ ‌Amongst‌ ‌titles‌ ‌that‌ ‌have‌ ‌been‌ ‌lovingly‌ ‌restored‌ ‌by‌ ‌the‌ ‌Film‌ ‌Foundation,‌ ‌you’ll‌ ‌find‌ ‌Shirley‌ ‌Clarke’s‌ ‌The‌ ‌Connection‌,‌ ‌‌Ugestu,‌ ‌Once‌ ‌Upon‌ ‌a‌ ‌Time‌ ‌in‌ ‌the‌ ‌West,‌ ‌The‌ ‌Mattei‌ ‌Affair‌ ‌‌and‌ ‌‌The‌ ‌Red‌ ‌Shoes‌.‌ ‌The‌ ‌service‌ ‌also‌ ‌presents‌ ‌an‌ ‌extensive‌ ‌retrospective‌ ‌of‌ ‌the‌ ‌short-film‌ ‌work‌ ‌of‌ ‌Sky‌ ‌Hopinka‌ ‌and‌ ‌three‌ ‌films‌ ‌from‌ ‌Nadav‌ ‌Lapid.‌ ‌■

See what’s new on Netflix Canada here.

For what’s new on Crave, click here.

Find out what’s new on Amazon Prime Video here.

For what’s new on CBC Gem, click here.

See what’s new on Criterion Channel here.

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For more film coverage, please visit the Film & TV section.

A weekly round-up of the new movies and TV series on Netflix, Crave, Amazon Prime Video, CBC Gem and Criterion Channel