NOW critics pick the best titles coming to Canadian streaming platform Crave in August 2021, including a Sesame Street documentary, an animated Star Trek series and season three of Love Island.
In The Same Breath
One Child Nation filmmaker Nanfu Wang once again explores the personal and far-reaching impacts of state propaganda through a seamless blend of several documentary styles. In The Same Breath ingeniously takes viewers inside off-limits Wuhan hospitals, ambulances and crematoriums during the city’s coronavirus outbreak and the subsequent lockdown that stunned the world in January 2020. Working remotely with a group of local cinematographers, Wang calls into question China’s official death toll and shows how propaganda spreads like a kind of virus to undermine public health. It’s a visual stunner that also draws sadly ironic parallels to the early U.S. response. August 18
Street Gang: How We Got To Sesame Street
Based on Michael Davis’s book, this HBO documentary from Marilyn Agrelo (Mad Hot Ballroom) charts the history and evolution of the landmark children’s television show, mixing priceless behind-the-scenes footage with contemporary interviews with the surviving cast and creators – and their children. Did you know Sesame Street was funded by the U.S. government as a project to make educational television diverse, inclusive and engaging? Did you know they hated it in the South? Did you know that the Stevie Wonder counting song that’s been bouncing around your head for most of your life came from the show? All of this is true, and in telling the story, Agrelo fulfills the most important mission of Sesame Street: she makes learning fun. August 2
Anne Boleyn
Most European historical dramas have been lily white. Now this three-part series about the beautiful, doomed second wife of Henry VIII takes its cue from the recent hit Bridgerton and offers up an ethnically diverse cast. Queen & Slim’s Jodie Turner-Smith plays the lead role in this story of the final months of Boleyn’s life as she tries to secure a solid future for her daughter, who will, of course, go on to become Queen Elizabeth I. August 6
Star Trek: Lower Decks (season 2)
Created by Rick And Morty veteran Mike McMahan, this animated comedy – set in the Next Generation era, and focusing on a quartet of ensigns aboard “one of Starfleet’s least important ships,” the U.S.S. Cerritos – got off to a wobbly start, taking most of its first season to develop the characters into the best versions of themselves. But that just means season 2 is set to hit the ground running, as Beckett Mariner (voiced by Tawny Newsome) commits to taking Starfleet seriously, which will make her even more annoying to Brad Boimler (Jack Quaid), who’s built his entire personality on being the guy who does that. But fellow ensigns Rutherford (Loki’s Eugene Cordero) and Tendi (Master Of None’s Noël Wells) will be there to get overenthusiastic about science and stuff on their behalf, there’ll be voice cameos from any number of Trek players, and one of those aliens who speaks exclusively in metaphors joins the crew. So that’ll be fun. August 12
Love Island (season 3)
Will the final couple be Kyra and Will, Cinco and Trina, Shannon and Josh or… some new sexy duo? The third American season of the addictive reality TV dating series is shaping up to be one of its juiciest yet. And unlike last year’s edition, which was set in Las Vegas, this one takes place on an actual island. (Does it always rain so much in Hawaii?) The fact that American and Canadian viewers can affect the islanders’ outcomes, via the app, adds excitement. So too does the fact that Crave viewers can now watch Uncensored episodes featuring language and imagery too spicy for network TV. August 2-16
All My Life
In a perfect world, this true-life tale of romance, tragedy and crowdfunding would have been a huge Christmas hit. Instead, Marc Meyers’s unabashed studio weepie never had a chance to build the word of mouth that would have attracted audiences, and it sank into VOD oblivion. But now, the true story of Toronto couple Jenn Carter and Sol Chau – whose friends launched an online campaign to pay for their 2015 dream wedding when Sol was diagnosed with aggressive liver cancer – has another chance to catch your eye as you scroll through the new releases. Jessica Rothe (the Happy Death Day movies) and Harry Shum Jr. (Crazy Rich Asians) are charming as hell as instant soulmates whose connection sustains them through an unimaginable challenge, and the movie becomes a celebration of the life they could have made… if they’d only had more time. It’s been a rough year. Have a good cry. August 27
The full list of new titles available on Crave in August 2021 by date is below. The + symbol indicates a TV show or movie that is only available on Crave+ . The * symbol indicates a TV show or movie that is only available with the Starz add-on.
TV shows
August 1
The 100-Foot Wave (season 1, episode 3)+
Black Monday (season 3, episode 10)
Blindspotting (season 1, episode 7)*
The Chi (season 4, episode 10)
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 37)
The End (season 1, episodes 5-6)
Flatbush Misdemeanors (season 1, episode 10)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (season 8, episode 19)+
Power Book III: Raising Kanan (season 1, episode 3)*
The White Lotus (season 1, episode 4)+
August 2
Small Town News: Kpvm Pahrump (season 1, episodes 1-2)+
August 3
Love Island: Uncensored (season 1, episode 11)
Obama: In Pursuit Of A More Perfect Union (season 1, episodes 1-3)+
August 5
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 38)
Fboy Island (season 1, episodes 4-6)+
Gossip Girl (season 1, episode 5)+
RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars (season 6, episode 8)
August 6
Anne Boleyn (season 1, episodes 1-3)
MTV’s The Hills: New Beginnings (season 2)
MTV’s Siesta Key (season 4)
MTV’s Teen Mom 2: Reunion (Part 1-2)
Real Time With Bill Maher (season 19, episode 22)+
August 7
Love Island (season 3, episodes 20-23)
Love Island: Uncensored (season 1, episodes 12-13)
August 8
The 100-Foot Wave (season 1, episode 4)+
Blindspotting (season 1, episode 8)*
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 39)
The End (season 1, episodes 7-8)
The L Word: Generation Q (season 1)
The L Word: Generation Q (season 2, episode 1)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (season 8, episode 20)+
Power Book III: Raising Kanan (season 1, episode 4)*
UFO (season 1)
The White Lotus (season 1, episode 5)+
August 9
Love Island (season 3, episode 24)
Small Town News: KPVM Pahrump (season 1, episodes 3-4)+
August 10
Love Island: Uncensored (season 1, episode 14)
August 12
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 40)
Fboy Island (season 1, episodes 7-10)+
Gossip Girl (season 1, episode 6)+
RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars (season 6, episode 9)
Star Trek: Lower Decks (season 2, episode 1)
August 13
Highway Thru Hell (season 9)
Love And Hip Hop: Atlanta (seasons 1-8)
MTV’s Catfish: The TV Show UK (August 13)
Real Time With Bill Maher (season 19, episode 23)+
August 14
Love Island (season 3, episodes 25-28)
Love Island: Uncensored (season 1, episode 15)
August 15
The 100-Foot Wave (season 1, episode 5)+
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 41)
The End (season 1, episodes 9-10)
Heels (season 1, episode 1)*
The L Word: Generation Q (season 2, episode 1)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (season 8, episode 21)+
Power Book III: Raising Kanan (season 1, episode 5)*
The White Lotus (season 1, episode 6)+
August 16
Love Island (season 3, episode 29)
Small Town News: KPVM Pahrump (season 1, episodes 5-6)+
August 19
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 42)
Love Island (season 3, episode 19)
RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars (season 6, episode 10)
Star Trek: Lower Decks (season 2, episode 2)
August 20
Real Time With Bill Maher (season 19, episode 24)+
August 22
The 100-Foot Wave (season 1, episode 6)+
Gossip (season 1, episode 1)
Heels (season 1, episode 2)*
The L Word: Generation Q (season 2, episode 3)
NYC Epicenters 9/11 2021 (season 1, episodes 1-2)+
Work In Progress (season 1)
Work In Progress (season 2, episodes 1-2)
August 23
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (season 8, episode 22)+
August 26
RuPaul’s Drag Race: All Stars (season 6, episode 11)
Star Trek: Lower Decks (season 2, episode 3)
August 27
Real Time With Bill Maher (season 19, episode 25)+
Sister, Sister (seasons 1-6)
August 29
Gossip (season 1, episode 2)
Heels (season 1, episode 3)*
The L Word: Generation Q (season 2, episode 4)
Power Book III: Raising Kanan (season 1, episode 6)*
NYC Epicenters 9/11 2021 (season 1, episodes 3-4)+
Work In Progress (season 2, episodes 3-4)
Movies
August 1
Monkey Beach+
August 2
Street Gang: How We Got To Seasame Street
August 4
Death Of A Ladies Man+
The Journals Of Knud Rasmussen+
August 6
Jigsaw*
Let Him Go+
The Last Days Of Disco*
Logan Lucky*
Saw II*
Saw III*
Saw IV*
Saw V*
Saw VI*
Saw: The Final Chapter*
Titanic*
August 11
Like A House On Fire+
Poor Boy’s Game*
August 13
Like A House On Fire+
Master And Commander: The Far Side Of The World*
Percy+
Raising Arizona*
The Short History Of A Long Road+
What To Expect When You’re Expecting*
August 18
In The Same Breath+
Remember*
August 20
Beverly Hills Cop*
Garden State*
Godzilla Vs. Kong+
Godzilla Vs. Mechagodzilla +
Gojira (Aka Godzilla) (1954)+
Mean Girls*
Mothra Vs. Godzilla+
Nutty Professor*
Open Water*
Public Enemies*
The World To Come+
August 27
All My Life+
Buddy Games*
For Colored Girls*
The Hulk*
Mars Attacks!
Out Of Sight (1998)*
Pee-Wee’s Big Adventure*
Pitch Black*
Selma*
Last call
The following titles are leaving Crave in August 2021.
August 2
Pavarotti
August 5
The Hustle
August 6
Once Upon A Time In Hollywood
August 7
Antigone
Pete Lee: Talk, Dark & Pleasant
Superheroes
August 8
David Bowie: Finding Fame
August 9
Casino Royale (2006)
Diamonds Are Forever
Die Another Day
Dr. No
For Your Eyes Only
From Russia With Love
Goldeneye
License To Kill
Live And Let Die
The Living Daylights
The Man With The Golden Gun
Moonraker
Never Say Never Again
Octopussy
On Her Majesty’s Secret Service
Quantum Of Solace
Skyfall
Spectre
The Spy Who Loved Me
Thunderball
Tomorrow Never Dies
A View To A Kill
The World Is Not Enough
You Only Live Twice
August 10
Lucky Day
Mr. Peabody & Sherman
August 14
Gloria: In Her Own Words
August 15
Joker
August 16
The Lead
August 17
Captivated: The Trials Of Pamela Smart
August 19
22 Jump Street
August 23
Love Island (season 2)
The Peanut Butter Falcon
Vita & Virginia
August 24
The Death And Life Of John F. Donovan
August 25
Back In The Hood: Gang War 2
August 28
Hip-Hop Evolution
August 29
Cross: Rise Of The Villains
Lucy In The Sky
August 30
Overcomer
August 31
21
Ad Astra
American Hustle
Anatomy Of A Murder
And Now For Something Completely Different
Any Given Sunday
Babe
Babe: A Pig In The City
The Babadook
Battle Of The Year
Billy Elliot
Blow
Bottle Rocket
The Book Thief
Boyz N The Hood
The Bucket List
Charlie Zone
Constantine
Couples Retreat
The Deer Hunter
The Devil’s Advocate
The Dilemma
Dirty Harry
Dog Day Afternoon
Dragonheart: Vengeance
Drone
Duplicity
Ender’s Game
The Fighter
The French Connection
Frost/Nixon
Gangster Squad
Ghost In The Shell
Girl, Interrupted
Insomnia
Jack The Giant Slayer
Living Out Loud
Mama
Marie Antoinette
My Sister’s Keeper
Nights To Radanthe
Nose To Tail
Parenthood
Saving Hope (season 5)
Scarecrow
Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World
Southapw
Spy Game
Starsky & Hutch
Tarantula
Terminator Salvation
The Wolves At The Door
