Seen in April

A dog and a robot become fast friends.

Last One Standing UK
Prime Video
Ha! Why is everything funnier in a British accent? This reality show contest fills a room with comedians who attempt to not laugh at the shenanigans of their counterparts. The first one to laugh is kicked out, the last one laughing is the winner. This show has American and Canadian versions, but the British one is superior… because of those accents!

Robot Dreams
Crave
Oh, do you remember that night in September? A lonely dog living in New York City orders a robot companion. They become fast friends until an incident at the beach separates the two. This animated film, without dialogue, says a lot about relationships, friendship, memory and moving on. 

Saint-Pierre SO1
CBC Gem
Like Murdoch Mysteries in the 21st century, on a French Island off the southern coast of Newfoundland. It's a little hard to believe so many murders happen in a place that had only a single shooting during the rum-running days, but suspend disbelief and enjoy the view.

Son of a Critch SO4
CBC Gem
Being a Newfoundlander in the 90s wasn’t easy but then again when was it? Mark Critch's retelling of his childhood growing up living next door to a radio station is authentic and continues to charm.

Caine and MacLaine

Gambit
Michael Caine and Shirley MacLaine in a heist film from 1966. Caine plays Harry Dean who has his sights set on a rare artifact in the possession of wealthy businessman. MacLaine is pivotal to the plan, even more than Caine's Harry Dean knows as his plan doesn't go exactly as planned. Or did it?

Renfield
Dracula in the age of self-help and empowerment. Nick Cage does not disappoint as Dracula, but the rest of the film does. Nicholas Hoult is Renfield, Dracula's mortal familiar who tires of his boss' demands. Awkwafina is seriously miscast as a by-the-book incorruptible cop. At some point, this film just falls apart, forgets its original conceit, and then tries to save itself in the editing suite. It does not manage to save anything. Save yourself the time.

A little too much self-importance, but still a bit of fun.

Saturday Night
The true story of a TV show. This is the story of the opening night of the live sketch comedy show we know as Saturday Night Live. It feels frenetic and kinetic as I guess putting on a live show is. The casting gives us performers who are often eerily similar to the people they are playing. My only real criticism is how, throughout the film, someone is asking, "What is this show?" to Lorne Michaels (Gabriel LaBelle), who keeps inventing overly complicated answers. Did Michaels really think he was "re-inventing television" for a new generation? Whether you like SNL or not, it is simply a sketch comedy show with a musical guest. It isn't some Beckett play or something. It's weird to see a funny movie about making a (sometimes) funny show, take itself so seriously. 

Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams in Game Night

Game Night
Hate the game, don’t hate the player. A wildly competitive couple, Max and Annie (Jason Bateman and Rachel McAdams), engage in a regular game night with friends. When Max's showy older brother, Brooks (Kyle Chandler), appears and wants to up the ante, things go sideways. The gang of friends think Brooks' kidnapping is a stunt as part of an elaborate role-playing whodunit game and follow along gamely (am I saying "game" too often?). Like a group version of The Man Who Knew Too Little (a similar plot wherein a hapless regular guy outdoes real spies), this is a fun, entertaining and sadly overlooked film. If you're looking for some light entertainment to forget the wrongs of this world (the many, many wrongs), you could do a lot worse.