TV & Movies

Satisfy Your Streaming Appetite with Crave from Blockbusters to Indie Offerings

HBO Fuels Powerful Streaming Package.

By: Amy Lloyd

We know there’s a lot of streaming platforms out there vying for your viewership, but Canada’s Crave has been successfully playing the game for years now. Arguably, its initial winning factor was HBO access (Did anyone else use their login for Game of Thrones viewing parties back in the day?). The platform’s offering has grown significantly since and is now more accessible than ever with the elimination of tiered plans. As of last fall, all TV shows and movies live under one package. If you feel like a movie marathon, Crave has the entire Harry Potter and James Bond collections. But if you’re feeling a little more adventurous, check out these new series and lucky finds, from horror flicks to raunchy comedies.

The Sex Lives of College Girls

New and Notable

Where: HBO Max
What: TV series, 10 episodes, 25 – 50 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Teen drama
Why you should watch: Just as the name suggests, Mindy Kaling’s latest TV masterpiece follows four freshman college roommates as they navigate their newfound freedom — sex lives included. The girls come from contrasting backgrounds — senators for parents, painfully sheltered upbringings, bustling New York City versus small town Arizona. Despite their differences, they forge a quick friendship and help one another through their first semester. It’s awkward and messy, just as any life transition should be. An easy binge, our only complaint is that we have to wait for a second season.

Station Eleven

Where: HBO Max
What: Miniseries, 10 episodes, 55 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Dystopian drama
Why you should watch: A strong adaptation of the novel by Canadian author Emily St. John Mandel, this new HBO Max series hits close to home. Twenty years after a flu pandemic causes the collapse of civilization, a group of survivors joins forces as a travelling performance troupe, proving that art prevails even in the darkest of times. The troupe encounters a bizarre cult and through moody pre-apocalypse flashbacks, we learn how some members are more connected than they realize.

I May Destroy You

Recent and Recommended

Where: HBO
What: Miniseries, 12 episodes, 30 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Drama
Why you should watch: If you missed the hype around this HBO original in 2020, now’s the time to catch up. BAFTA and Emmy Award winner Michaela Coel (Chewing Gum, Black Mirror) pulls from personal experiences as the writer and lead actor of this acclaimed miniseries. Coel plays Arabella, a social media star turned novelist who’s drugged and sexually assaulted on a night out. As the show unfolds, we watch Arabella piece together the hazy events and try to move forward with the help of her friends. The subject matter isn’t easily digestible, but it’s handled with care and Coel finds a way to infuse the right amount of humour in the very human way we try to break tension in tough situations.

The High Note

Where: Crave
What: Film, 113 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Comedy drama
Why you should watch: For a bit of comfort viewing on a cold night in, curl up to the R&B stylings of fictional star Grace Davis. Davis, played by Tracee Ellis Ross, is a legendary singer at a fork road in her career. She’s supported by Dakota Johnson’s character Maggie, a personal assistant desperate to take the leap into record producing. Between private jets, sequinned gowns and decked-out recording studios, there’s troubled romance and a glimpse at the struggles of a Black woman over 40 fighting to stay in the charts. The High Note is a low-stakes flick that has you rooting for everyone in it.

Blood Quantum

Where: Crave
What: Film, 96 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Horror
Why you should watch: This Canadian Screen Award-winning film first premiered during TIFF’s Midnight Madness, making it the perfect addition to your next horror movie marathon. Set in 1981 on the Mi’qmaq reserve of Red Crow, sheriff Traylor responds to a series of unusual calls in which diseased animals are reanimating and attacking the public. The disease sweeps through humans, leading to a zombie apocalypse. The catch? Indigenous communities are immune. It’s a refreshing twist on an old trope and the muddy, graffitied set designs feel dystopian in a way that isn’t far-fetched.

Long Time Running

Where: Crave
What: Film, 95 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Music documentary
Why you should watch: A word of warning, dear reader — this one’s a tear-jerker. This beautiful, powerful documentary chronicles The Tragically Hip’s final cross-Canada tour in 2016, after the world learned of Gord Downie’s brain cancer diagnosis. In a collection of intimate interviews, rehearsal footage and stunning stage performances, viewers see the immense amount of work and detail that brought this tour to life, right down to the chosen feathers in Downie’s infamous stage hats. What’s most overwhelming is the immeasurable amount of love from everyone involved in this film — band, crew and audience.

Hacks

Where: HBO Max
What: TV series, 10 episodes, 30 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Comedy drama
Why you should watch: Deborah Vance (Jean Smart) is a Joan Rivers-esque Vegas comedian in need of fresh material. Enter Ava Daniels (Hannah Einbinder), a young comedy writer who’s one controversial tweet away from never working again. In a battle of the generations without being cringe, the two women join forces to get ahead in their careers. What starts as mutual contempt develops into a friendship that seems to take both by surprise. The writing is deliciously quick-witted and, at times, so cutthroat it will pull an audible gasp from you.

Just Another Immigrant: Romesh at the Greek

Where: Crave
What: Film, 54 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Stand-up comedy
Why you should watch: British TV personality Romesh Ranganathan is a math teacher turned comedian with a self-deprecating sense of humour and Just Another Immigrant captures his pessimism perfectly. This hour-long comedy special is the final chapter to Ranganathan’s mockumentary series of the same name. A bit of backstory: The comedian uprooted his wife, three children and mother from England to try life in Los Angeles with the goal of selling out the infamous Greek Theatre. This special works as a standalone piece and cleverly balances funny anecdotes with commentary on the realities of being a person of colour. One word of advice: Don’t watch with young kids in the room!

Suited

Where: HBO
What: Film, 77 mins.
When: Now
Genre: LGBTQ+ documentary
Why you should watch: This eloquent and thought-provoking documentary tells the story of Brooklyn-based tailor shop Bindle & Keep, who gained a following for making clothes for transgender and non-binary clients. Through a series of consultations and fittings, we meet six customers, all queer and seeking a suit that fits their correct identity. The shop handles nuanced requests with care, like the desire to hide a curved figure for a wedding day or a teen’s need for a bar mitzvah outfit. It’s a simple production that’s inspirational and heartwarming.

Let’s Brunch

Where: Crave
What: TV series, 22 mins.
When: Now
Genre: Cooking show
Why you should watch: If you’re not keen on visiting the country’s outdoor patios this month (who could blame you in -10 C weather?) and you’re missing your weekend brunches, why not try a few recipes at home? Let’s Brunch is a lighthearted cooking show that removes the high-stakes competition elements and allows viewers to casually watch along and find inspiration. Marilyn Denis food expert Vanessa Gianfrancesco hosts from a sunny kitchen and makes everything from fluffy pancakes to dim sum. There’s decadence and health foods, backdropped by ukulele music that’s reminiscent of early 2000s YouTube videos.