Every week, MobileSyrup goes over some of the most notable movies and TV shows that recently hit Canadian streaming platforms.
Our ‘Streaming in Canada’ column typically focuses on new content from Amazon Prime Video Canada, Crave and Netflix Canada, but other services like Apple TV+ and Disney+ will be mentioned when relevant.
We’ll also highlight shows or movies that are made in Canada, involve notable Canadian cast or crew and/or are filmed in Canada.
Finally, with the COVID-19 pandemic causing many movies to hit digital platforms much sooner than planned, we’ll make note of any major films — as well as any other notable streaming service news — that fall into this category when applicable.
Amazon Prime Video
A Perfect Planet
Narrated by Sir David Attenborough (Planet Earth), this docuseries examines how the forces of nature drive — including, most prominently, humans — impact the Earth’s wildlife.
Notably, A Perfect Planet incorporates four years of filming across six continents and 31 countries, showcasing everything from the Indian Monsoon and Hawaiian volcanoes to the islands of the Bahamas and finches of the Galapagos.
BBC Earth Canada release date: January 3rd, 2021 at 8pm ET (first episode, new episodes every Sunday)
Genre: Nature documentary
Runtime: Five episodes (around one hour each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream A Perfect Planet here. Note that a $3.99 CAD/month BBC Earth subscription is required.
Yearly Departed [Amazon Original]
Phoebe Robinson (2 Dope Queens) hosts this comedy special that’s all about giving 2020 the mocking sendoff it deserves.
Yearly Departed features an all-female ensemble of funny women, including Rachel Brosnahan (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel), Tiffany Haddish (Tuca & Bertie), Sarah Silverman (The Sarah Silverman Program) and Natasha Leggero (Chelsea Lately).
Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: December 30th, 2020
Genre: Comedy special
Runtime: One hour
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Yearly Departed here.
Amazon Prime Video is included at no additional cost in a $79 CAD/year Amazon Prime subscription.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Amazon Prime Video Canada in December can be found here. A roundup of January’s new content, meanwhile, is available here.
Crave
The High Note
When a superstar singer is presented with a career-altering choice, her aspiring music producer personal assistant devises a plan that could change their lives forever.
The High Note was directed by Vancouver’s Nisha Ganatra (Transparent) and stars Dakota Johnson (Fifty Shades series), Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish), Ice Cube (Boyz n the Hood) and Kelvin Harrison, Jr. (Waves).
Crave release date: January 1st, 2021
Genre: Comedy-drama
Runtime: 1 hour, 53 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 70 percent (based on 179 reviews)
Stream The High Note here.
The King of Staten Island
A young slacker with dreams of becoming a tattoo artist grapples with the loss of his father while living with his mother and hanging out with friends in Staten Island, New York.
The King of Staten Island was co-written and directed by Judd Apatow (The 40-Year-Old Virgin) and stars Saturday Night Live‘s Pete Davidson (who also co-wrote the film based on his own life), Marisa Tomei (My Cousin Vinny) and Bill Burr (F is for Family).
Original release date: June 12th, 2020 (PVOD)
Crave release date: January 1st, 2021
Genre: Comedy-drama
Runtime: 2 hours, 16 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 74 percent (based on 272 reviews)
Stream The King of Staten Island here. Note that a $19.98/month Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
RuPaul’s Drag Race (Season 13)
A new group of thirteen drag queens (including, for the first time ever, a trans man contestant) vie for the title of “America’s Next Drag Superstar” and a cash prize of $100,000.
Crave release date: January 1st, 2021
Genre: Reality
Runtime: 14 episodes (about one hour each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream RuPaul’s Drag Race here.
A standard Crave subscription costs $9.99/month, with Starz adding another $5.99/month and HBO an additional $9.99/month.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Crave in December can be found here. A roundup of January’s new content, meanwhile, is available here.
This week in Crave news: On December 31st, popular sitcom Friends left Netflix and is now streaming exclusively on Crave in Canada.
Disney+
Earth to Ned [Disney+ Original]
No need to adjust your vision. This IS really happening in January. Start steaming @MarvelStudios’ #WandaVision, Dinosaurs, @Pixar Popcorn, and more next month on #DisneyPlus. pic.twitter.com/TM8jB3gVAc
— Disney+ (@disneyplus) December 29, 2020
The second batch of new episodes of the first season of The Jim Henson Company’s human and alien co-hosted late-night talk show is now available.
Some of Ned and Cornelius’ latest guests include Ginnifer Goodwin (Once Upon a Time), Kevin Smith (Clerks), Alyson Hanigan (How I Met Your Mother) and Yvette Nicole Brown (Community).
Disney+ Canada release date: January 1st, 2021
Genre: Talk show
Runtime: 10 episodes (around 25 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Earth to Ned here.
A Disney+ subscription costs $8.99/month or $89.99/year in Canada.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Disney+ in December can be found here. A roundup of January’s new content, meanwhile, is available here.
Netflix
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina: Part 4 [Netflix Original]
After Part 3’s release in January, Part 4 of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina — consisting of the series’ final episodes — is now streaming on Netflix.
In the series’ swan song, Sabrina Spellman and her hell-based counterpart face both the consequences of their violations of the universe’s laws and the manipulative Father Blackwood.
Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is adapted from Archie Comics’ Sabrina series by Roberto Aguirre-Sacasa (Riverdale) and stars Kiernan Shipka (Mad Men), Ross Lynch (Austin & Ally), Lucy Davis (The Office) and Richard Coyle (Hard Sun).
Netflix Canada release date: December 31st, 2020
Genre: Supernatural horror
Runtime: Eight episodes (51 to 64 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 77 percent (based on 13 reviews)
Stream Chilling Adventures of Sabrina here.
Cobra Kai (Season 3) [Netflix Original]
The third season of Netflix’s acclaimed Karate Kid successor series is here, one week early.
In Cobra Kai‘s freshman outing, a violent brawl between their dojos pushes Daniel to go to Okinawa and Johnny to seek redemption.
Cobra Kai was created by Josh Heald (Hot Tub Time Machine), Jon Hurwitz and Hayden Schlossberg (Harold & Kumar series) and features Ralph Maccio, William Zabka and John Cove reprising their respective Karate Kid roles of Danny, Johnny and Kreese. Courtney Henggeler (The Big Bang Theory), Xolo Maridueña (Parenthood) and Tanner Buchanan (Designated Survivor) co-star.
Netflix Canada release date: January 1st, 2021
Genre: Comedy-drama
Runtime: 10 episodes (30 to 41 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: 96 percent (based on 28 reviews)
Stream Cobra Kai here.
Headspace Guide to Meditation [Netflix Original]
Headspace co-founder, Buddhist monk and author Andy Puddicombe offers an animated tour through various meditation techniques.
Netflix Canada release date: January 1st, 2021
Genre: Lifestyle
Runtime: Eight episodes (19 to 24 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Headspace Guide to Meditation here.
Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy — Earthrise [Netflix Original]
Following the events of War for Cybertron Trilogy — Siege (released in August), the Allspark is missing and the Ark is marooned in space, leading Optimus Prime and the surviving Autobots on a desperate race against time, all while having to contend with the Mercenaries and Megatron.
Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy is based on the Hasbro toyline of the same name and features the voices of Jake Foushee (Transformers: Cyberverse), Jason Marnocha (Transformers: Combiner Wars), Bill Rogers (Pokémon), Linsay Rousseau (The Bonfire of Destiny) and Joe Zieja (Fire Emblem: Three Houses).
Netflix Canada release date: December 31st, 2020
Genre: Animated
Runtime: Six episodes (24 to 25 minutes each)
Rotten Tomatoes score: N/A
Stream Transformers: War for Cybertron Trilogy — Earthrise here.
A ‘Basic’ Netflix subscription costs $9.99/month, a ‘Standard’ subscription (HD-supported) costs $13.99/month and a ‘Premium’ membership is priced at $16.99/month (4K-supported).
The full list of movies and shows that hit Netflix Canada in December can be found here. A roundup of January’s new content, meanwhile, is available here.
What are you planning to stream this week? Let us know in the comments! Happy New Year!
For more recommendations, check out last week’s Streaming in Canada column here. As well, if you’re interested in reading about some of the most noteworthy Canadian shows and movies to hit streaming services last year, check out our roundup here.
BBC Earth is owned and operated by Blue Ant Productions, a division of MobileSyrup parent company Blue Ant Media.
Image credit: Netflix
