What to watch on Netflix Canada this week

Take a trip back in time on the streamers this week. Ana de Armas’s portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in the much-talked-about Blonde transports us to a surrealist version of Hollywood’s Golden Age, and horror-comedy My Best Friend’s Exorcism invokes ’80s camp as one teen tries to save another from demonic possession. There’s also Hocus Pocus 2, which, despite being set in the present day, conjures up so much seasonal nostalgia that it’ll transport you nearly three decades back to the first one. Here are our picks for the most notable new titles streaming on Netflix, Crave, Disney Plus, Prime Video, Apple TV Plus and CBC Gem this week.

NETFLIX

Blonde 

Ana de Armas’s long-awaited turn as Hollywood icon Marilyn Monroe is finally here. Part historical fiction, part psychological drama, this bold film (which is based on the Joyce Carol Oates novel of the same name) explores Monroe’s complicated life and attempts to uncover the woman behind the glitzy star persona. Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale and Julianne Nicholson also star. Now streaming 

Eat the Rich: The GameStop Saga 

Remember when, in early 2021, the internet became obsessed with a group of amateur traders wreaking havoc on the stock market by coming together to short video-game retailer GameStop? This humour-tinged docuseries takes viewers behind the scenes of the familiar story, explaining what really happened and examining the gamification of investing. Now streaming

Human Playground 

Idris Elba narrates this fascinating documentary that chronicles the evolution of play and sports around the world. Highlights include segments on robot camel racing in the United Arab Emirates, eagle hunting in Kyrgyzstan and big wave surfing in Portugal. September 30 

Entergalactic 

To complement his upcoming album (also called Entergalactic), Kid Cudi created this beautiful adult animated special that follows young artists in New York as they navigate life and love. The album serves as a soundtrack to the visual component, which also features voice work by Jessica Williams, Timothée Chalamet, Jaden Smith, Ty Dolla Sign, Laura Harrier, Vanessa Hudgens and Macaulay Culkin. September 30 

CRAVE

Ramy (Season 3) 

Bella Hadid joins the cast of this Peabody Award–winning comedy, which was created by and stars comedian Ramy Youssef. This season, Ramy and his family continue to explore their spirituality and identities, finding themselves caught in the middle of their politically divided New Jersey neighbourhood, a religious Muslim community and a skeptical younger generation. September 30 

DISNEY PLUS

Reasonable Doubt 

This Kerry Washington–produced legal drama follows whip-smart defence attorney Jax (Emayatzy Corinealdi), who is sought after for her talent despite often being questioned for her ethics. The slick series is the first scripted drama from Onyx Collective, a Disney content brand dedicated to amplifying creators of colour and underrepresented voices. Now streaming

Hocus Pocus 2 

Amok, amok, amok—the witchy Sanderson sisters of Hocus Pocus are back. Twenty-nine years after the OG fantasy-horror-comedy, Sarah Jessica Parker, Bette Midler and Kathy Najimy reprise their roles for this spooky-ish sequel, which finds three high schools uniting to thwart the villainous trio upon their return to present-day Salem. September 30 

PRIME VIDEO

My Best Friend’s Exorcism 

During a weekend away, the teens in this ’80s-set horror-comedy decide to explore an abandoned building that was once the site of a satanic ritual. The next thing they know, Gretchen (Amiah Miller) has been possessed by a demon, leaving her best friend Abby (Elsie Fisher) to figure out how to save her. September 30 

APPLE TV PLUS

The Greatest Beer Run Ever 

In this dramedy inspired by true events, Zac Efron stars as Chickie, a man who decides to personally deliver American beer—and messages from home—to his friends fighting in the Vietnam War. The film was directed and co-written by Peter Farrelly (Dumb and Dumber, Green Book), and Russell Crowe and Bill Murray also star. September 30

CBC GEM

Virgins! 

Torontonian Aden Abebe created this dramatic comedy that follows four women who feel too modest for their lives in the city but too “provocative” for the East African homes they were raised in. Inexperienced when it comes to sex and life in general, the pals awkwardly move through the milestones of young adulthood, from starting careers to dating. Now streaming