NOW critics pick the best titles coming to Canadian streaming platform Crave in June 2021, including Betty season 2, Miranda July’s Kajillionaire and a David Cronenberg classic.
Betty (season 2)
The first season of Crystal Moselle’s TV adaptation of her movie Skate Kitchen was slightly painful to watch at the height of the COVID first wave – teen girls skating around NYC in summertime with abandon, getting high, getting into trouble. That casualness ultimately made the show so winning, but with life approaching something resembling “normal,” here’s hoping season 2 doesn’t feel as distantly wistful. The cast of skaters-turned-amateur actors is wearing face masks this time around, so the pandemic is part of the story, and with the cast entering adulthood there will surely be enough drama to distract us. June 11
The Witches
Anne Hathaway vamps it up in Robert Zemeckis’s adaptation of Roald Dahl’s book, taking over from Angelica Huston in first movie version from 1990. Hathaway sneers, slithers and tries to stomp out children who she turns into mice with committed glee. But more importantly, the movie also finds a charming young Black lead in Jahzir Bruno, who stars opposite Octavia Spencer as his hero’s grandmother. Together they throw a little hot sauce in Dahl’s brew. The movie doesn’t make a big deal about inclusivity, nor does it push any messaging to derail this formulaically fun family entertainment. Instead, it applies a light hand to acknowledge the weight of that casting. Wary of the danger afoot, Spencer’s grandma pulls her ward from their modest home and heads to an expensive hotel. She explains that witches like to prey on kids that no one pays attention to, as she retreats from a vulnerable Black community to a wealthy white bubble for safety. That says all that needs to be said. June 25
Veneno
The acclaimed Spanish miniseries about Cristina Ortiz Rodríguez, aka “La Veneno,” is hitting Crave just in time for Pride Month. After appearing on late-night TV, Rodríguez became a pop culture icon in Spain in the 1990s and one of the first trans women to break into the country’s media mainstream at the time. The biopic covers her childhood, rise to fame and the turbulent years prior to her untimely death at age 52. The show has become a cult hit outside Spain since it began rolling out last fall. June 24
Kajillionaire
Director Miranda July’s movie about a family of small-time crooks living a principled life off the grid who are nonetheless obsessed with money is a sly comedy full of metaphorical sight gags, philosophical questions and complex layers. Full of snappy dialogue and muted pastels, Kajillionaire cleverly uses comedic mise en scene, symbolism and sight gags to pose deeper questions about money, values and what shapes our world views. The movie mainly revolves around Evan Rachel Wood’s coming of age as a relationship with a new friend (Gina Rodriguez) casts her scheming parents (Richard Jenkins, Debra Winger) in a new light. The final climactic shot is a head-trip. June 11
Night Of The Kings
Director Philippe Lacôte’s Canadian co-produced second feature was a hit on the festival circuit last year thanks to its genre-defying, One Thousand And One Night-inspired story about a man who lands in Côte d’Ivoire’s largest prison, MACA, and must spend the night telling a story to survive. Partly based on the filmmaker’s own experiences visiting MACA to see his political prisoner mother as well as stories from a friend who served time there, the movie explores the creation of culture, oral history and how the past infuses the present. June 4
Videodrome
With news that Toronto director David Cronenberg is returning to body horror for his next film, why not catch up on Videodrome, his 1983 cult body horror classic about consumerism, technology media and mind control? (Still timely themes!) Influenced by Marshall McLuhan, it was the director’s first Hollywood film and features some now-iconic special makeup effects by Rick Baker. June 11
The full list of new titles available on Crave in June 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
June 1
The Bold And The Beautiful (season 34, episodes 163-167)
June 2
The Handmaid’s Tale (season 4, episode 8)
June 3
Dark Side Of The Ring (season 3A, episode 5)
Legendary (season 2, episodes 7-8)+
Hacks (season 1, episodes 7-8)+
June 4
Jets Legends (season 1, episodes 4-5)
Most Ridiculous (season 4)
MTV’s Celebrity Bumps: Famous And Pregnant (season 1)
MTV’s True Life Crime (season 1)
Pause With Same Jay (season 1, episode 3)+
Real Time With Bill Maher (season 19, episode 18)+
Step Up: High Water (season 2, episode 4)*
Wow! Wow! Wubbzy (season 2)*
June 5
RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under (season 1, episode 6)
June 6
Black Monday (season 3, episode 3)
The Chi (season 4, episode 3)
Flatbush Misdemeanors (season 1, episode 3)
The Girlfriend Experience (season 3, episode 7)*
In Treatment (season 4, episodes 9-10)+
The Kings, (season 1, episode 1)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (season 8, episode 14)+
Run The World (season 1, episode 4)*
Ziwe (season 1, episode 5)
June 7
Axios (season 4, episode 10)+
In Treatment (season 4, episodes 11-12)+
June 8
The Bold And The Beautiful (season 34, episodes 168-172)
June 9
The Handmaid’s Tale (season 4, episode 9)
June 10
Dark Side Of The Ring (season 3A, episode 6)
Legendary (season 2, episodes 9-10)+
Hacks (season 1, episodes 9-10)+
June 11
Betty (season 2, episode 1)+
Gossip Girl (seasons 1-6)
JB Smoove: That’s How I Dooz It
Jets Legend (season 1, episodes 6-7)
MTV’s Deliciousness (season 2B)
MTV’s Teen Mom: Young And Pregnant (seasons 1-2)
Pause With Same Jay (season 1, episode 4)+
Real Time With Bill Maher (season 19, episode 19)+
Step Up: High Water (season 2, episode 5)*
June 12
RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under (season 1, episode 7)
June 13
Black Monday (season 3, episode 4)
Blindspotting (season 1, episode 1)*
The Chi (season 4, episode 4)
Flatbush Misdemeanors (season 1, episode 4)
The Girlfriend Experience (season 3, episode 8)*
In Treatment (season 4, episodes 13-14)+
The Kings, (season 1, episode 2)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (season 8, episode 15)+
Run The World (season 1, episode 5)*
Ziwe (season 1, episode 6)
June 14
Axios (season 4, episode 11)+
In Treatment (season 4, episodes 15-24)+
June 16
The Handmaid’s Tale (season 4, episode 10)
June 17
Dark Side Of The Ring (season 3A, episode 7)
Genera+tion (season 1, episodes 9-11)+
June 18
Betty (season 2, episode 2)+
Domina (season 1)
Jets Legend (season 1, episodes 8-9)
Pause. With Sam Jay (season 1, episode 5)+
Real Time With Bill Maher (season 19, episode 20)+
The Rookie (season 3)
Step Up: High Water (season 2, episode 6)*
Wipeout (season 1, episodes 6-10)
June 19
RuPaul’s Drag Race Down Under (season 1, episode 7)
June 20
Black Monday (season 3, episode 5)
Blindspotting (season 1, episode 2)*
The Chi (season 4, episode 5)
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 26)
Flatbush Misdemeanors (season 1, episode 5)
The Girlfriend Experience (season 3, episodes 9-10)*
The Kings, (season 1, episode 3)
June 21
Axios (season 4, episode 12)+
I’ll Be Gone In The Dark (special episode)+
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (season 8, episode 16)+
June 22
The Bold And The Beautiful (season 34, episodes 173-177)
June 24
Dark Side Of The Ring (season 3A, episode 8)
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 27)
Genera+tion (season 1, episodes 12-13)+
RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars (season 6, episode 1)
Veneno (season 1)+
June 25
Betty (season 2, episode 3)+
Catfish: The TV Show UK (season 1)
Deutschland ’89
Jets Legends (season 1, episode 10)
Pause. With Sam Jay (season 1, episode 6)+
Real Time With Bill Maher (season 19, episode 21)+
Step Up: High Water (season 2, episode 7)*
June 26
Bosch (season 7)
June 27
Black Monday (season 3, episode 6)
Blindspotting (season 1, episode 3)*
The Chi (season 4, episode 6)
Desus & Mero (season 3, episode 27)
Flatbush Misdemeanors (season 1, episode 6)
Last Week Tonight With John Oliver (season 8, episode 17)+
The Kings, (season 1, episode 4)
Run The World (season 1, episode 6)*
June 29
The Bold And The Beautiful (season 34, episodes 178-182)
Movies
June 1
Carol*
Hedwig And The Angry Inch*
June 2
Jump, Darling+
Passchendaele*
June 4
Cats & Dogs 3: Paws Unite+
Milk*
Menace II Society*
Miss Hokusai*
The Night Of Kings+
Non Stop*
Oblivion*
Passenger 57*
Supernova+
Twilight*
Twilight Saga: The New Moon*
Twilight Saga: The Eclipse*
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part I*
Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn Part II*
June 9
Boys Vs Girls+
The Croods: A New Age+
Kajillionaire+
The Kid Detective+
The Snow Walker*
Videodrome+
June 11
Belle*
The Expendables 2 *
The Expendables 3*
The Pianist*
Silk Road*
June 15
Revolution Rent+
June 16
The Trotsky*
June 18
About A Boy*
Boy And The World*
Fatale*
First Blood*
The Full Monty*
Meet The Parents*
Meet The Fockers*
Little Fockers*
The Little Things+
Rambo: First Blood Part II*
Rambo III
Terminator 2: Judgment Day*
The United States Vs. Billie Holiday+
June 23
Lie With me*
June 25
Another Round+
The Devil Wears Prada+
Fair Game*
Hologram For A King*
New York Minute*
Rio+
Rio 2+
Wedding Crashers*
The Witches+
June 28
The Holy Game
June 29
The Legend Of The Underground+
June 30
Tom At The Farm*
Last call
The following titles are leaving Crave in June 2021.
June 7
Ask Dr. Ruth
June 11
Change And Action: Racism In Canada
June 13
Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw
The Sun Is Also A Star
June 14
Remember
June 15
Cold Case Hammarskjold
Ode To Joy
Think Like A Man Too
June 20
Shooter (seasons 1-3)
June 24
Believer
The Parting Glass
June 26
Hot Coffee
Ride Along
June 27
The Amazing Race Canada (season 4)
June 30
Abominable
The Art Of Racing In The Rain
Barton Fink
The Birds
Dazed And Confused
A Dog’s Journey
Dr. Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb
The Fall Of The American Empire
Fantastic Four
Fantastic Four: Rise Of The Silver Surfer
Frenzy (June 30)
Good Boys
Guarding Tess
Hop
Juno
Knocked Up
A League Of Their Own
The Man Who Knew Too Much
Marnie
Once Upon A Time In Mexico
Panic Room
The People Vs. Larry Flynt
Places In The Heart
Psycho (1960)
Rear Window
Riot Girls
Rope
Saboteur
Shawdow Of A Doubt
The Souvenir
Spirit Unforgettable
Stuber
This Changes Everything
True Romance
Vertigo
Updated (May 28, 2021): This post has been updated to include the addition of a special episode of I’ll Be Gone In The Dark on June 21 and season 6 of RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars. Season 1 of Intergalactic has been removed from the Crave schedule in June.
