Movies and TV

Director Steven Spielberg waves to fans during the red carpet premier of his film, The Fabelmans, at Princess of Wales Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival on, Saturday, September 10, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin

Review: With ‘The Fabelmans,’ Spielberg confronts the story of himself

Film shows how artist wasn’t birthed in a vacuum

Director Steven Spielberg waves to fans during the red carpet premier of his film, The Fabelmans, at Princess of Wales Theatre during the Toronto International Film Festival on, Saturday, September 10, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Tijana Martin
This image released by Netflix shows Adrien Brody, left, and Ana de Armas in “Blonde.” (Netflix via AP)

Playing Marilyn Monroe was life-changing for Ana de Armas

Film an experiential portrait delving into the psyche of movie star icon

This image released by Netflix shows Adrien Brody, left, and Ana de Armas in “Blonde.” (Netflix via AP)
FILE - This Netflix logo appears on a tablet in North Andover, Mass., Jan. 17, 2017. Gulf Arab countries on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, asked Netflix to remove “offensive content” on the streaming service, apparently targeting programs that show gays and lesbians. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)

Gulf Arab nations ask Netflix to remove ‘offensive’ videos

Saudi state television aired a segment suggesting Netflix could be banned in the kingdom

FILE - This Netflix logo appears on a tablet in North Andover, Mass., Jan. 17, 2017. Gulf Arab countries on Tuesday, Sept. 6, 2022, asked Netflix to remove “offensive content” on the streaming service, apparently targeting programs that show gays and lesbians. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola, File)
This image released by Amazon shows, from left, David Dawson, Emma Corrin and Harry Styles in a scene from “My Policeman.” (Parisa Taghizadeh/Amazon via AP)

Fall Preview: Is it, maybe, back to normal again at the movies?

Theatrical moviegoing — with its billions in ticket sales and cultural footprint — looking pretty good

This image released by Amazon shows, from left, David Dawson, Emma Corrin and Harry Styles in a scene from “My Policeman.” (Parisa Taghizadeh/Amazon via AP)
Organizers say next year’s Canadian Screen Awards will drop categories for male and female performers in favour of unspecified acting categories “to better represent the country’s diverse community of talent.” A rack of trophies are seen backstage at the 2017 Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto on Sunday, March 12, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Canadian Screen Awards makes next year’s acting categories gender neutral

No longer separate catgories for male and female performance awards

Organizers say next year’s Canadian Screen Awards will drop categories for male and female performers in favour of unspecified acting categories “to better represent the country’s diverse community of talent.” A rack of trophies are seen backstage at the 2017 Canadian Screen Awards in Toronto on Sunday, March 12, 2017. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
A still from animated documentary “Eternal Spring” is shown in this undated handout photo. “Eternal Spring,” an animated documentary about religious persecution in China, will be Canada’s contender for a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category at next year’s Academy Awards. Telefilm Canada announced Wednesday that it would submit Jason Loftus’s film for consideration in the category formerly called Best Foreign Language Film. The movie tells the story of the banned spiritual group Falun Gong, who were targeted by police raids after a faction of members hacked into a state TV signal in 2002 in an effort to correct the record about their practice. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - 2022 Lofty Sky Pictures

Animated doc ‘Eternal Spring’ selected as Canada’s contender for Oscar nomination

Filmmaker hopes selection will draw further attention to human rights abuses in China

A still from animated documentary “Eternal Spring” is shown in this undated handout photo. “Eternal Spring,” an animated documentary about religious persecution in China, will be Canada’s contender for a nomination in the Best International Feature Film category at next year’s Academy Awards. Telefilm Canada announced Wednesday that it would submit Jason Loftus’s film for consideration in the category formerly called Best Foreign Language Film. The movie tells the story of the banned spiritual group Falun Gong, who were targeted by police raids after a faction of members hacked into a state TV signal in 2002 in an effort to correct the record about their practice. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO - 2022 Lofty Sky Pictures
This image released by Disney+ shows Tatiana Maslany in a scene from “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” premiering Thursday. (Disney+ via AP)

Funny and relationship-focused, ‘She-Hulk’ is not your usual Marvel fare

Latest from the MCU takes a look at what being super might be like when you’re not saving the world

This image released by Disney+ shows Tatiana Maslany in a scene from “She-Hulk: Attorney at Law,” premiering Thursday. (Disney+ via AP)
(Photo - The Amazing Race Canada)

Lawn bowling, apple pies, and cherry trees: Amazing Race comes to Okanagan

The contestants went through three tasks on their way to the finish line

(Photo - The Amazing Race Canada)
The cast of “Bullet Train” pose on the red carpet at the film’s premiere on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022, at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. Pictured from left is Logan Lerman, Masi Oka, Hiroyuki Sanada, Brian Tyree Henry, Bad Bunny, Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Zazie Beetz and director David Leitch. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)

Brad Pitt’s ‘Bullet Train’ pulls into station with $30.1M

Comeback season pushed box office receipts close to pre-pandemic levels, but quiet looms in cinemas

The cast of “Bullet Train” pose on the red carpet at the film’s premiere on Monday, Aug. 1, 2022, at the Regency Village Theatre in Los Angeles. Pictured from left is Logan Lerman, Masi Oka, Hiroyuki Sanada, Brian Tyree Henry, Bad Bunny, Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Zazie Beetz and director David Leitch. (Photo by Jordan Strauss/Invision/AP)
This image released by Universal Pictures shows writer/director Jordan Peele on the set of “Nope.” (Glen Wilson/Universal Pictures via AP)

QA: director Jordan Peele on the dreams and nightmares of ‘Nope’

Film is a flying saucer horror that digs into the nature of spectacle and the desire to document it

This image released by Universal Pictures shows writer/director Jordan Peele on the set of “Nope.” (Glen Wilson/Universal Pictures via AP)
Actor and friend Jackson Davies posted this image as part of a Facebook tribute to his friend Pat John July 14 in the wake of John’s death at age 69. Facebook

Pat John, Indigenous actor on long-running TV show ‘The Beachcombers,’ dies at 69

John played Jesse Jim one of the first contemporary Indigenous characters on Canadian TV

Actor and friend Jackson Davies posted this image as part of a Facebook tribute to his friend Pat John July 14 in the wake of John’s death at age 69. Facebook
This image released by Hulu shows, from left, Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin in a scene from “Only Murders In The Building.” THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu via AP

Martin Short, Sandra Oh, Norm Macdonald among Canadians picking up Emmy nominations

TV industry awards nominating talent from north of the border

This image released by Hulu shows, from left, Selena Gomez, Martin Short and Steve Martin in a scene from “Only Murders In The Building.” THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Craig Blankenhorn/Hulu via AP
This image released by Marvel Studios shows Natalie Portman, left, and Chris Hemsworth in a scene from “Thor: Love and Thunder.” (Jasin Boland/Marvel Studios-Disney via AP)

Review: ‘Thor: Love and Thunder’ is pure bonkers filmmaking

Fourth edition of Marvel’s god of thunder is even more bananas than part 3

This image released by Marvel Studios shows Natalie Portman, left, and Chris Hemsworth in a scene from “Thor: Love and Thunder.” (Jasin Boland/Marvel Studios-Disney via AP)
Minion characters Kevin, left, and Bob pose on the 86th floor observatory deck at the Empire State Building to celebrate the upcoming film “Minions: The Rise of Gru” on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)

‘Minions’ set box office on fire with $108.5-million debut

Film on track to be one of the biggest-ever July 4 weekend openings

Minion characters Kevin, left, and Bob pose on the 86th floor observatory deck at the Empire State Building to celebrate the upcoming film “Minions: The Rise of Gru” on Tuesday, June 28, 2022, in New York. (Photo by Evan Agostini/Invision/AP)
This image released by Universal Pictures shows Otto the Minion in a scene from "Minions: The Rise of Gru." (Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures via AP)

Review: In ‘Rise of Gru,’ Minion mayhem reigns and will make fans happy

5th instalment of the ‘Despicable Me’ franchise delivers what the audience wants

This image released by Universal Pictures shows Otto the Minion in a scene from "Minions: The Rise of Gru." (Illumination Entertainment/Universal Pictures via AP)
Jeopardy host Mayim Bialik, left, and contestant Whitney Wood, a VIU professor, on the Alex Trebek Stage at Sony Pictures Studios at Culver City, Calif. (Photo courtesy Jeopardy Productions, Inc.)

B.C. university prof happy with runner-up finish on Jeopardy

Vancouver Island’s Whitney Wood appeared on the episode that aired Thursday, June 23

Jeopardy host Mayim Bialik, left, and contestant Whitney Wood, a VIU professor, on the Alex Trebek Stage at Sony Pictures Studios at Culver City, Calif. (Photo courtesy Jeopardy Productions, Inc.)
FILE - Boston Pops Conductor John Williams conducting the orchestra in Boston in 1980. Williams, 90, is devoting himself to composing concert music, including a piano concerto he’s writing for Emanuel X. This spring, he and cellist Yo-Yo Ma released the album “A Gathering of Friends,” recorded with the New York Philharmonic. (AP Photo, File)

Movie music maestro John Williams, 90, steps away from film, but not music

After more than six decades of making bicycles soar, sending panicked swimmers…

FILE - Boston Pops Conductor John Williams conducting the orchestra in Boston in 1980. Williams, 90, is devoting himself to composing concert music, including a piano concerto he’s writing for Emanuel X. This spring, he and cellist Yo-Yo Ma released the album “A Gathering of Friends,” recorded with the New York Philharmonic. (AP Photo, File)
R&B singer Jully Black is photographed in Toronto on Friday January 17, 2020. Black is hitting the road – to compete on the next edition of “The Amazing Race Canada.” THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young

Jully Black hits the road for this summer’s edition of ‘The Amazing Race Canada’

Singer-songwriter, producer and actress racing on latest edition of the show, set to launch July 5

R&B singer Jully Black is photographed in Toronto on Friday January 17, 2020. Black is hitting the road – to compete on the next edition of “The Amazing Race Canada.” THE CANADIAN PRESS/Chris Young
FILE - Bill Cosby arrives for a sentencing hearing following his sexual assault conviction at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown Pa., on Sept. 25, 2018. Jurors at a civil trial found Tuesday, June 21, 2022, that Cosby sexually abused a 16-year-old girl at the Playboy Mansion in 1975. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Civil jury finds Bill Cosby sexually abused teenager in 1975

Judy Huth, who is now 64, awarded $500,00

FILE - Bill Cosby arrives for a sentencing hearing following his sexual assault conviction at the Montgomery County Courthouse in Norristown Pa., on Sept. 25, 2018. Jurors at a civil trial found Tuesday, June 21, 2022, that Cosby sexually abused a 16-year-old girl at the Playboy Mansion in 1975. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)
This Aug. 13, 2020, photo shows a logo for Netflix on a remote control in Portland, Ore. Netflix is launching a development program exclusively for diverse Canadian writers in film and television. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, file)

Netflix launches development program for diverse Canadian writers

Writers from underrepresented groups get paid mentorship and consultation sessions

This Aug. 13, 2020, photo shows a logo for Netflix on a remote control in Portland, Ore. Netflix is launching a development program exclusively for diverse Canadian writers in film and television. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane, file)