John Candy: I Like Me (Prime Video)
To fans, John Candy was a legendary Canadian comic with unforgettable roles in John Hughes films and 1984’s Splash (a gem of a movie). But to his friends and family, he was a man who suffered from crippling anxiety and grappled with the pressure to please in an industry that cared more about the bottom line than overall health.
All of that is covered in this documentary, which was directed by Colin Hanks and opened this year’s Toronto International Film Festival. It’s impossible not to both tear up and laugh while hearing the multifaceted views of the man, shared by his surviving family and friends including Catherine O’Hara, Martin Short, Steve Martin, Andrea Martin, Bill Murray and Macaulay Culkin. The film hits Prime Video 31 years after Candy’s 1994 death at the age of 43 from a heart attack.
More film and TV recommendations
18 to 35 (Fibe TV app or on-demand on Channel 1)
What better way to celebrate Canadian Thanksgiving than with some turkey and a six-episode binge of 18 to 35, an utterly Canadian series. Created by Charlie Whalley (Ginny & Georgia) and Rahul Chaturvedi (Late Bloomer), the workplace comedy (with family vibes) is the product of a winning pitch at the 2023 Forest City Film Festival.
It stars Natalia Gracious as Misha Patel, a Wall Street exec who is forced to return home to London, Ont., after she loses her job and visa. There, she helps run the family business: a chaotic youth hostel. Andrew Phung (Run the Burbs) executive produces the heartfelt story, which is filmed on location and features a predominantly local crew.
The Chair Company (Crave)
Tim Robinson fans still holding out for a fourth-season renewal of I Think You Should Leave should definitely catch the actor in this latest role, which could be a character ripped from the aforementioned sketch series. Here, he’s a conspiracy theorist who digs deep into a far-reaching idea after an embarrassing chair incident at work.
The HBO series hails from the same creators as ITYSL and features plenty of that signature cringe comedy. Lake Bell, Sophia Lillis, Will Price and Lou Diamond Phillips round out the cast in the eight-episode offering, which drops weekly on Crave starting Sunday. Still need to catch up on I Think You Should Leave? Go directly to Netflix and stream it now.
Ozzy: No Escape From Now (Paramount+)
When Ozzy Osbourne began filming this documentary capturing his life after a bad fall in 2019, it wasn’t meant to be a celebration of his final days. But when the former Black Sabbath front man passed away in July as the film was in edit, that’s exactly what it became.
Director Tania Alexander captures those final few years and how life changed for Osbourne and those who loved him. There are poignant moments that dig deep, such as the lingering hurt over getting fired from the band, and the mental toll that followed an overzealous spinal surgery. But over 90 minutes it’s also clear how much fans, friends and family meant to this man, making the film a fitting final tribute.
Boots (Netflix)
For more than 70 years, Norman Lear helped created plenty of timely gems, from All in the Family to The Jeffersons. One thing that linked the producer’s myriad projects throughout the decades was their ability to tackle topical issues in a mainstream way, blending controversy with flawed characters.
Enter his final project, from creator Andy Parker. Boots, now streaming on Netflix, goes back to the 1990s, where bullied gay teen Cameron Cope (Parenthood’s Miles Heizer) follows his best friend to the Marine Corps. The result is a coming-of-age story of a confused yet earnest protagonist.