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Where to stream the 2022 Oscars Best Picture nominees in Canada

On February 8th, the full list of nominations for the 94th Academy Awards was unveiled.

Notably, while there were only eight Best Picture nominees in 2021, this year’s ceremony has ten:

  • Belfast (directed by Kenneth Branagh)
  • CODA (directed by Sian Heder)
  • Don’t Look Up (directed by Adam McKay)
  • Drive My Car (directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi)
  • Dune (directed by Quebec’s own Denis Villeneuve)
  • King Richard (directed by Reinaldo Marcus Green)
  • Licorice Pizza (directed by Paul Thomas Anderson)
  • Nightmare Alley (directed by Guillermo Del Toro)
  • The Power of the Dog (directed by Jane Campion)
  • West Side Story (directed by Steven Spielberg)

Evidently, then, there’s a bunch to catch up on, but that’s not always easy, especially in Canada where theatrical distribution and streaming licensing agreements are convoluted. Some of these movies also only just opened in theatres, making them unavailable for streaming initially.

With that in mind, we’ve rounded up where you can stream the ten Best Picture nominees. It’s important to note that not all of these films are yet available for streaming in Canada, so we’ll update this story accordingly leading up to Oscar night on March 27th.

Belfast

Synopsis: A semi-autobiographical take on writer-director-producer Kenneth Branagh’s childhood in Belfast, Northern Ireland in 1969.

Genre: Coming-of-age comedy-drama

Where to stream: Currently, the film is only available to purchase for $19.99 to $24.99 CAD on premium video on demand (PVOD) platforms like iTunes and Google Play.

CODA

Synopsis: A CODA (child of deaf adults) struggles to balance her dreams of becoming a singer while taking care of her family. Notably, outside of star Emilia Jones (who plays main character Rubi), the mother, father and brother characters are all played by actual deaf actors: Marlee Matlin, Troy Kotsur (who’s also up for Best Actor in a Supporting Role) and Daniel Durant, respectively.

Genre: Coming-of-age comedy-drama

Where to stream: Since this is an Apple Original (and the first to be nominated for Best Picture), you can watch it on Apple TV+.

Don’t Look Up

Synopsis: Two astronomers (Leonardo DiCaprio and Jennifer Lawrence) attempt to warn humanity about an approaching comet that will wipe out humanity.

Genre: Apocalyptic dark comedy

Where to stream: Don’t Look Up is streaming exclusively on Netflix.

Drive My Car

Synopsis: The first Japanese film to earn a Best Picture nod follows a man (Hidetoshi Nishijima) who copes with the death of his wife (Reika Kirishima) while directing a multi-lingual production in Hiroshima.

Genre: Drama

Where to stream: This film is only just beginning to open in select Canadian theatres starting February 12th, so it’s unclear when and where it will hit streaming.

Dune

Synopsis: The first in a two-part adaptation of Frank Herbert’s classic sci-fi novel, Dune tells the story of Paul Atreides and his noble house as they’re thrust into a war on a deadly and inhospitable planet.

Genre: Sci-fi

Where to stream: Currently, Dune can only be rented for $24.99 or purchased for $29.99 on PVOD platforms like iTunes and Google Play. However, the film is set to come to Crave on a yet-to-be-determined date.

King Richard

Synopsis: King Richard is based on the true story of Richard Williams (played by Will Smith), the father of tennis legends Venus and Serena Williams (played by Saniyya Sidney and Demi Singlelton, respectively).

Genre: Biographical drama

Where to stream: Currently, King Richard can only be purchased for $24.99 on PVOD platforms like iTunes and Google Play. However, the film is set to come to Crave on a yet-to-be-determined date.

Licorice Pizza

Synopsis: A young woman (Alana Haim) and teenager (Cooper Hoffman) fall in love in San Fernando Valley in 1973.

Genre: Coming-of-age comedy-drama

Where to stream: Licorice Pizza opened in theatres late last year, so it’s not yet available on any streaming service.

Nightmare Alley

Synopsis: Based on William Lindsay Gresham’s 1946 novel of the same name, Nightmare Alley follows a shady carnival worker (Bradley Cooper) who makes big plays to boost his career. It’s worth noting that the film was largely shot in Toronto, like Guillermo Del Toro’s other work.

Genre: Neo-noir psychological thriller

Where to stream: Nightmare Alley opened in theatres late last year, so it’s not yet available on any streaming service. Presumably, it will come to Disney+ since it’s a Fox-produced movie, but that remains to be seen.

The Power of the Dog

Synopsis: Based on Thomas Savage’s 1967 novel of the same name, The Power of the Dog is about a rancher (Benedict Cumberbatch) who intimidates his brother’s (Jesse Plemons) new wife (Kirsten Dunst) and her son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) until his secrets are revealed.

Genre: Western, psychological drama

Where to stream: The Power of the Dog is streaming exclusively on Netflix.

West Side Story

Synopsis: Based on the 1957 stage musical of the same name, West Side Story explores the forbidden love between Tony (Ansel Elgort) and Maria (Rachel Zegler) and the rivalry between the Jets and the Sharks gangs.

Genre: Musical, romantic drama

Where to stream: West Side Story will begin streaming on Disney+ Canada on March 2nd.

That covers all 10 Best Picture nominees, but there are, of course, many other films that are up for Oscars. Some other films that are streaming include:

  • Encanto (Best Animated Feature, Score and Original Song for “Dos Oruguitas”) — Disney+
  • The Lost Daughter (Best Actress for Oliva Colman, Best Supporting Actress for Jessie Buckley) — Netflix
  • Spencer (Best Actress for Kristen Stewart) — $4.99 to $6.99 rental on PVOD platforms like iTunes and Google Play
  • Tick, Tick…Boom! (Best Actor for Andrew Garfield) — Netflix
  • The Tragedy of MacBeth (Best Actor for Denzel Washington, Production Design and Cinematography) — Apple TV+

You can view the full list of 2022 Oscar nominees here.

Image credit: Apple/Netflix/Warner Bros.

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Netflix sizzle reel teases 2022 film slate with Knives Out 2, The Gray Man and more

Netflix has released a three-minute video offering the first looks at its 2022 film slate.

Altogether, the streamer is set to premiere 86 original movies this year, with at least one dropping every week. These include:

  • The Adam Project (directed by Montreal’s Shawn Levy) — a family sci-fi adventure starring Vancouver’s Ryan Reynolds and Mark Ruffalo
  • Enola Holmes 2 (directed by Harry Bradbeer) — a mystery starring Millie Bobbie Brown and Henry Cavill
  • The Gray Man (directed by Avengers: Endgame’s The Russo Brothers) — an action-thriller starring London, Ontario’s Ryan Gosling and Chris Evans
  • Hustle (directed by Jeremiah Zagar) — a sports-comedy starring Adam Sandler and Queen Latifah
  • Knives Out 2 (directed by Rian Johnson) — a new murder mystery starring Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc
  • Spiderhead (directed by Joseph Kosinski) — a sci-fi action movie starring Chris Hemsworth, Miles Teller and Jurnee Smollett

You can check out the full video below:

Release dates for individual titles weren’t mentioned in the video, although Knives Out 2 — arguably Netflix’s most anticipated 2022 film — is expected to drop in the fourth quarter. The Adam Project has also been confirmed to premiere in March.

Netflix reached nearly 222 million total paid subscribers globally in January, slightly below its projections. The company’s stock has also been down, leading co-CEO Reed Hastings to buy $20 million additional Netflix shares last month. It remains to be seen how this film slate might help drive growth.

In related news, Netflix recently raised its price in Canada to $21/month for the 4K tier — a second hike in under two years.

Source: Netflix

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Where to stream the Scream movies in Canada before Scream (2022)

Ten years after the last Scream movie, Ghostface and the Woodsboro gang are back.

The fifth film, simply titled Scream, is set to hit theatres on January 14th. Notably, it’s the first in the series to not be directed by horror legend Wes Craven, following his passing in 2015. Instead, Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett (Ready or Not) are helming the new Scream.

Still, the film promises to bring back several Scream veterans, including Guelph, Ontario’s own Neve Campbell (Sidney Prescott), David Arquette (Dewey Riley), Courteney Cox (Gale Weathers) and Roger L. Jackson as the voice of Ghostface. On top of that, early reviews peg the film as showing a deep “reverence” for its predecessors.

With all of that in mind, we’ve rounded up how you can stream the four previous Scream movies ahead of Scream (2022).

Anyway, here’s where to watch the Wes Craven Scream flicks. Basically, Prime members are completely covered, although there are some options if you don’t have the service and/or prefer alternatives:

  • Scream (1996) — Amazon Prime Video (base tier, as well as on premium Super Channel and Starz channels), Crave (Crave + Starz subscription required)
  • Scream 2 (1997) — Amazon Prime Video (base tier, as well as on premium Super Channel and Starz channels), Crave (Crave + Starz subscription required)
  • Scream 3 (2000) — Amazon Prime Video (base tier, as well as on premium Shudder, Super Channel and Starz channels), Crave (Crave + Starz subscription required)
  • Scream 4 (2011) — Amazon Prime Video (base tier, as well as on premium Super Channel channels)

Hopefully, this will be helpful for both fans and newcomers. It should be noted, though, that moviegoers in Ontario and Quebec are out of luck at the moment when it comes to the new Scream, given provincial COVID-related theatre closures. For now, Paramount says the movie will premiere exclusively in Canadian theatres on January 14th in whichever provinces permit them; in other words, no premium video on demand (PVOD) option will be offered.

Image credit: Paramount

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Scream to release on January 14th in Canadian theatres that are open

Scream (also known as 5cream) will only play in theatres in certain parts of Canada.

According to a tweet from Barry Hertz, The Globe and Mail’s deputy arts editor/film editor, the anticipated horror movie will premiere on January 14th in Canadian theatres that are currently open.

This means that moviegoers in Ontario and Quebec will be out of luck as both provinces’ theatres are entirely closed amid the ongoing COVID-19 Omnicron variant surge.

Further, according to Hertz, the film will not receive an early premium video on demand release (PVOD) on platforms like iTunes and Google Play in these specific regions but will play in Ontario/Quebec when theatres re-open.

Cineplex recently announced that it has temporarily laid off nearly 5,000 part-time employees in Ontario due to the province’s mandated closure of theatres.

Scream takes place 25 years after a streak of murders occurred in the town of Woodsboro, California, with a new killer donning the Ghostface mask and targeting a group of teenagers.

Image credit: YouTube

Source: @HertzBarry 

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You won’t be able to watch the 2022 Golden Globes in Canada (or elsewhere)

Every year, we do a “how to watch the Golden Globes” story.

While the majority of our regular smartphone-focused readers likely aren’t interested, a lot of general internet users absolutely are. However, we’re here now to say that the 2022 Golden Globes, set for Sunday, January 9th at 9pm ET, will not actually be aired publicly at all.

“This year’s event is going to be a private event and will not be livestreamed,” the show’s organizer, the Hollywood Foreign Press Association (HFPA), said in a statement on social media.

Instead, the group says it will provide “real-time updates on winners” from the 90-minute show on its website and social media channels, like Twitter and Facebook.

Historically, the event has aired on NBC in the U.S. and Bell’s CTV networks in Canada. That said, NBC confirmed last May that it would not broadcast the Globes due to ongoing issues surrounding the HFPA, which include accusations of corruption and a complete lack of Black members. Studios, actors and other representations jointly condemned the organization and called for reform. The HFPA, for its part, says it’s “committed” to change but that it needs time to enact it.

According to Deadline, these controversies are one reason for the switch to a private event, although an NBC source claimed the company wasn’t preventing the HFPA from doing its own livestream. As well, Deadline notes that this year’s event, in general, has been significantly pared down due to COVID. That means no red carpet, media or celebrities in attendance, so there won’t actually be any presenters or nominees. Given all of that, there wouldn’t have been much for people to watch even if there was a livestream.

As for the nominees, Kenneth Branagh’s Irish comedy-drama Belfast and Jane Campion’s Western drama The Power of the Dog lead the pack with five nods each. In particular, both are up for Best Picture Drama, alongside Sian Heder’s CODA, Quebec-born Denis Villeneuve’s Dune and Reinaldo Marcus Green’s King Richard.

The full list of nominees can be found here.

Image credit: Warner Bros.

Source: The Hollywood Foreign Press Association

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Ontario to close movie theatres amid Omnicron surge

Following the Ontario government’s announcement that the province is moving back into modified step 2 of its reopening plan, the theatre chain, Cineplex, has confirmed that it will temporarily shut down operations.

“Based on recent government directives, all 67 theatres in Ontario will be closed as of Wednesday, January 5, and will reopen as soon as we are allowed,” said Cineplex in a recent Tweet.

Several high-profile films recently hit theatres, including Spider-Man: No Way Home and The Matrix: Resurrections. In mid-December, the province’s capacity limit for movie theatres was cut by 50 percent following further government restrictions related to the surge of Omnicron COVID-19 cases.

Quebec also recently closed theatres amid tightened restrictions related to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

In Ontario, along with closing theatres, social gathering restrictions will be reduced to five people indoors and ten people outdoors. The capacity at weddings, funerals and religious services will also be limited to 50 percent. Finally, retailers and shopping malls will be allowed 50 percent capacity, and schools will move to remote learning from January 5th to at least January 17th.

You can find all of Ontario’s new COVID-19 restrictions on the province’s official website.

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Spider-Man ticket holders waiting for updates from Cineplex amid Ontario’s new COVID-19 restrictions

Ontario is introducing new public health measures following an uptick in COVID-19 infections boosted by the Omicron variant.

The Ontario government has announced that it is reinstating capacity limits for some indoor venues, including casinos, movie theatres and entertainment or sports venues.

The new rules will go into effect on Saturday at 12:01am ET and will see venues with an indoor capacity of more than 1,000 people reduced by 50 percent.

“This measure is being taken to reduce opportunities for close contact in high-risk indoor settings with large crowds and when masks are not always worn,” a news release from the province said.

With this year’s arguably most anticipated movie Spider-Man: No Way Home releasing on Friday, it’s unclear how these new rules will affect the film’s launch. Cineplex says it’s still reviewing the government’s guidelines.

“For guests with advance tickets, we ask them to keep an eye on their email accounts in the coming days for updates and next steps,” reads Cineplex’s recent Tweet.

These new provincial capacity guidelines come alongside Ontario expanding third dose eligibility to individuals that are 18+ and double-vaxed as of Monday, December 20th.

Image credit: Shutterstock

Source: @CineplexMovies

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Scene+ launches in Canada, adding perks for travel, shopping and more

Cineplex and Scotiabank have officially rolled out Scene+, their expansion to the Scene loyalty rewards program, in Canada.

Existing Scene members and eligible Scotiabank Scene cardholders will automatically be upgraded to Scene+ at no cost. Existing points balances will also carry over. Under the new branding, members will still be able to earn and claim points on movies, entertainment and dining, with new benefits for travel, shopping and banking.

Here’s a more detailed breakdown of what that means:

Banking — Scotiabank Scene+ members can earn points for purchases on eight eligible Scotiabank credit and debit cards, including Scotiabank American Express Gold and Scotia Passport Visa Infinite credit card. These members can also redeem points for an account credit on eligible Scotiabank debit and credit cards.

Scene+ Rakuten — You can link your Rakuten.ca account to Scene+ to get access to exclusive offers and the ability to earn Scene+ points instead of Rakuten “cash back.” Hundreds of online retailers are eligible, including Indigo, Sephora, Gap and Sport Chek. Scene+ members can also earn up to 20 percent more cash back in points with exclusive offers

Scene+ Travel — Powered by Expedia, Scene+ members will be able to book their trip through Scene+ Travel. You can earn 3 points for every $1 when you purchase or redeem points on hotel and car rentals. Full or partial points can also be redeemed through Scene+ Travel towards bookings of flights

Shopping — You can redeem points for products at Apple and Best Buy, or for gift cards from 60+ retailers, including Amazon, PlayStation, American Eagle Outfitters, Canadian Tire, Footlocker, Indigo and Pet Smart.
ard Scotiabank Scene+ members can also redeem points for an account credit on eligible Scotiabank debit and credit cards.

The Scene mobile app has also been rebranded and redesigned under the ‘Scene+’ banner. You can download that for free on Android and iOS.

Source: Scotiabank

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Cineplex offering buy one, get one free tickets when you purchase online

Cineplex is currently running a buy one, get one free (BOGO) promotion on ticket purchases made through its website or mobile app.

From December 8th to 12th, buy one movie ticket online and get a second free using the code ‘2021241.’ It’s important to note that the code is only valid on showtimes before December 13th, so you can’t buy a ticket between the 8th and the 12th for something like Spider-Man: No Way Home or The Matrix Resurrections, which premiere December 16th and 21st, respectively.

Still, there are a decent number of notable films playing this week, including Encanto, West Side Story, Ghostbusters: Afterlife (co-written and directed by Montreal’s Jason Reitman), Resident Evil: Raccoon City, House of Gucci, Dune and Eternals.

It’s worth noting that Cineplex offered this deal last week as well, but it’s back if you missed it the first time.

Image credit: 20th Century Studios

Source: Cineplex

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Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness and Thor: Love and Thunder among delayed MCU movies

Marvel fans will have to wait a little longer to see their favourite heroes battle it out.

Disney has pushed back the release dates of many forthcoming movies, including Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness from March 25th to May 6th, 2022; Thor: Love and Thunder from May 6th to July 8th, 2022; and Black Panther: Wakanda Forever from July 8th to November 11th, 2022.

The ripple effect continues well into 2023; The Marvels has been pushed back to early 2023, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has been pushed back from February 17th to July 28th, 2023.

As a result of the scheduling changes, there will only be three Marvel movies next year, rather than the intended four, with the Captain Marvel sequel The Marvels now set for February 17th, 2023.

However, the biggest delay has been sustained by a non-Marvel movie. The fifth Indiana Jones installment, which was supposed to appear in theatres on July 29th, 2022, has been pushed back to June 30th, 2023.

Further, four unnamed 2023-expected Marvel films have been removed from the schedule, while one untitled Marvel film has been moved from November 10 to November 3, 2023.

What effect these changes in schedule will have on Disney+ remains to be seen. Disney has committed to an exclusive theatrical window for its films before they’re accessible to stream for the remainder of 2021, but it hasn’t said anything about how things will operate in 2022 and beyond.

Image credit: Marvel Studios

Via: Variety