Every week, MobileSyrup outlines 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 other notable streaming service news — that fall into this category when applicable.
Amazon Prime Video
The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run
The third theatrical Spongebob film tells the story of how Spongebob met Gary the Snail and his quest to rescue his shelled friend after he’s kidnapped.
The Spongebob Movie: Sponge on the Run was directed by SpongeBob SquarePants writer Tim Hill and features the long-running series’ regular voice cast of Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward) and Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs), as well as Awkwafina (Awkwafina is Nora from Queens), Toronto’s own Keanu Reeves (The Matrix) and rapper Snoop Dogg.
Interestingly, Sponge on the Run got a Canadian-exclusive theatrical release last summer amid the pandemic, while the U.S. only just got the film last month on the Paramount+ service.
Original theatrical release date: August 14th, 2020 (Canada)
Amazon Prime Video Canada release date: April 2nd, 2021
Genre: Animated comedy
Runtime: 1 hour, 31 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 67 percent (based on 69 reviews)
Stream Sponge on the Run here.
An Amazon Prime Video subscription is included at no additional cost with a $69/year Amazon Prime subscription.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Amazon Prime Video Canada in March can be found here. Meanwhile, a roundup of April’s new content is available here.
Crave
Black Bear
A filmmaker stays at a remote lake house with a couple in an effort to find inspiration, only for the visit to devolve into a dangerous and calculated conflict.
Black Bear was written and directed by Lawrence Michael Levine (Wild Canaries) and stars Aubrey Plaza (Parks and Recreation), Toronto’s own Sarah Gadon (Alias Grace) and Christopher Abbott (First Man).
Original release date: December 4th, 2020 (PVOD)
Crave release date: April 2nd, 2021
Genre: Comedy-drama, thriller
Runtime: 1 hour, 44 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 89 percent (based on 122 reviews)
Stream Black Bear here. Note that a $19.98/month Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
The Canadian Screen Award Nominated Collection
Following this week’s announcement of the nominees for the 9th annual Canadian Screen Awards, Crave has rolled out a ‘Canadian Screen Award Nominated Collection‘ to promote some of these shows and films that are on its service.
Some of the featured titles are Canada’s Drag Race, Letterkenny, New Eden, Blood Quantum and Random Acts of Violence.
Note: Canada’s Drag Race is produced by Blue Ant Studios, a division of MobileSyrup parent company Blue Ant Media.
The Last Cruise
HBO’s latest documentary offers a first-person account of the Diamond Princess cruise ship, which set sail from Japan in January 2020 and saw hundreds of people infected with COVID-19.
The Last Cruise was directed by Hannah Olson (Baby God).
Crave/HBO Canada release date: March 31st, 2021
Genre: Documentary
Runtime: 40 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 100 percent (based on seven reviews)
Stream The Last Cruise here. Note that a $19.98/month Crave + Movies + HBO subscription is required.
A standard Crave subscription is priced at $9.99/month, with Starz costing another $5.99/month and HBO an additional $9.99/month. However, there’s a 50 percent off promotion on all of these plans until the end of March.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Crave in March can be found here. Meanwhile, a roundup of April’s new content is available here.
Disney+
Misc. Star Wars content
Samurai Jack creator Genndy Tartakovsky’s 2003 Star Wars: The Clone Wars series is now on Disney+ (not to be confused with the Dave Filoni-helmed 2008 CG Clone Wars show).
Further, Star Wars: Ewoks (Season 1-2), Story of the Faithful Wookiee and Ewoks: The Battle for Endor have also hit the service.
Stream all of these titles here.
Disney+ costs $11.99/month or $119.99/year in Canada.
The full list of movies and shows that hit Disney+ Canada in March can be found here. Meanwhile, a roundup of April’s new content is available here.
Netflix
Concrete Cowboy [Netflix Original]
When a 15-year-old Detroit boy is sent to live with his estranged father in Philadelphia, he becomes entwined in the world of urban cowboys.
Concrete Cowboys was co-written and directed by Ricky Staub (The Cage) and stars Idris Elba (Beasts of No Nation), Caleb McLaughlin (Stranger Things) and Jharrell Jerome (Moonlight).
Netflix Canada release date: April 2nd, 2021
Genre: Western drama
Runtime: 1 hour, 51 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 78 percent (based on 54 reviews)
Stream Concrete Cowboy here.
Run [Netflix Original]
A homeschooled teenager begins to suspect her mother is harbouring a dark secret.
Run was co-written and directed by Aneesh Chaganty (Searching) and stars Sarah Paulson (American Horror Story) and Kiera Allen (debut film).
It’s worth noting that the film was shot in Winnipeg.
Original release date: November 20th, 2020 (Hulu in the U.S.)
Netflix Canada release date: April 2nd, 2021
Genre: Psychological thriller
Runtime: 1 hour, 29 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 89 percent (based on 123 reviews)
Stream Run here.
A ‘Basic’ Netflix subscription costs $9.99/month, a ‘Standard’ subscription (HD-supported) costs $14.99/month and a ‘Premium’ membership is priced at $18.99/month (4K-supported).
The full list of movies and shows that hit Netflix Canada in March can be found here. Meanwhile, a roundup of April’s new is available here.
Premium video on demand (PVOD)
Godzilla vs. Kong
After initially only setting Godzilla vs. Kong for a theatrical release despite widespread theatre closures, Warner Bros. Canada has finally opted to release the long-awaited ‘MonsterVerse’ flick on PVOD platforms.
The film is a sequel to 2017’s Kong: Skull Island and 2019’s Godzilla: King of the Monsters and is focused on, as the title suggests, the long-awaited battle between Godzilla and King Kong.
Godzilla vs. Kong was directed by Adam Wingard (The Guest) and features an ensemble cast that includes Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things), Alexander Skarsgård (Big Little Lies), Kyle Chandler (Friday Night Lights) and Brian Tyree Henry (Atlanta).
Notably, is Warner Bros.’ fourth film this year to come directly to Canadian PVOD platforms, following The Little Things, Judas and the Black Messiah and Tom and Jerry. All of the company’s major 2021 films are being released simultaneously on HBO Max and in theatres in the U.S.
Canadian PVOD release date: March 31st, 2021
Genre: Monster
Runtime: 1 hour, 53 minutes
Rotten Tomatoes score: 80 percent (based on 212 reviews)
Godzilla vs. Kong can be rented for $24.99 for 24 hours on PVOD platforms like iTunes, Google Play, the Cineplex Store and Prime Video.
What are you planning on streaming this week? Are you #TeamKong or #TeamGodzilla? Let us know in the comments.
For more suggestions, check out last week’s Streaming in Canada column.
Meanwhile, our latest video game-focused column, ‘Stream ‘n Load,’ can be found here.
Image credit: Warner Bros.
