Movies and TV

This image released by Disney shows, from left, Sarah Jessica Parker as Sarah Sanderson, Bette Midler as Winifred Sanderson, and Kathy Najimy as Mary Sanderson in “Hocus Pocus 2.” (Matt Kennedy/Disney via AP)

Review: The witches return in lively ‘Hocus Pocus 2’

Surprisingly for a sequel based on a mediocre film, Hocus Pocus 2 is actually pretty fun

 

Chloë Grace Moretz plugs into the virtual reality headset of “The Peripheral,” a new series on Prime Video starting Oct. 21. THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Prime Video

Scary stuff to stream in October: Sci-fi yarn ‘Peripheral,’ thrilling ‘Midnight Club’

Here’s a look at some of the standout TV series and films…

 

FILE - A woman sits on a curb on Oct. 2, 2017, at the scene of a shooting outside a music festival on Oct. 1 that killed 58 people and injured hundreds on the Las Vegas Strip. A new documentary, “11 Minutes,” is an inside account of the 2017 massacre at a country music concert in Las Vegas. More than three hours long, the four-part documentary debuts on the Paramount+ streaming service Tuesday. (AP Photo/John Locher, File)

Harrowing film tells of Las Vegas shooting and its aftermath

58 people died and more than 850 people were hurt before the gunfire stopped

 

This image released by National Geographic shows an Anole lizard breathing underwater in Costa Rica in a scene from “Super/Natural,” a six-part series from National Geographic, airing on Disney+, (Robin Cox/National Geographic via AP)

James Cameron turns to Earth before release of new ‘Avatar’

New Disney+ series adds special effects on top of leading-edge filmmaking technology

This image released by National Geographic shows an Anole lizard breathing underwater in Costa Rica in a scene from “Super/Natural,” a six-part series from National Geographic, airing on Disney+, (Robin Cox/National Geographic via AP)
This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan in a scene from “See How They Run.” (Parisa Taghizadeh/Searchlight Pictures via AP)

Review: Murder-mystery ‘See How They Run’ really staggers

Love letter to/send-up of whodunits is a pleasant diversion, if not a particular memorable one

This image released by Searchlight Pictures shows Sam Rockwell and Saoirse Ronan in a scene from “See How They Run.” (Parisa Taghizadeh/Searchlight Pictures via AP)
Alexandra Daddario arrives at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

‘Succession,’ ‘Ted Lasso’ top Emmys; 1st time winners shine

Evening’s uplifting tone in contrast to the darkness that pervaded best drama series winner

Alexandra Daddario arrives at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards on Monday, Sept. 12, 2022, at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
An Emmy award is pictured during Press Preview Day for the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, at the Television Academy in Los Angeles. The awards show honoring excellence in American television programming will be held on Monday at the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

‘Squid Game,’ ‘Succession,’ ‘Ted Lasso’ vie for Emmy Awards

Organizers want their guests to have a good time as Hollywood preps for annual awards gala

An Emmy award is pictured during Press Preview Day for the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards on Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022, at the Television Academy in Los Angeles. The awards show honoring excellence in American television programming will be held on Monday at the Microsoft Theater at L.A. Live. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)
Marie Clements creator of the film “Bones of Crows” poses for a photograph at Elevation office during the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, September 11, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin

Residential school drama ‘Bones of Crows’ about need for truth, dialogue: director

For Indigenous audiences, Marie Clements hopes it offers ‘some relief’ to see their story told

Marie Clements creator of the film “Bones of Crows” poses for a photograph at Elevation office during the Toronto International Film Festival on Sunday, September 11, 2022. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Tijana Martin
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)
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)
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