Stay ConnectedBig laughs. Smart takes. Every day. Commotion is where you go for thoughtful and vibrant conversations about all things pop culture. Host Elamin Abdelmahmoud calls on journalists, critics, creators and friends to talk through the biggest arts & entertainment stories of the day, in 30 minutes or less.
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'Task,' starring Mark Ruffalo, is HBO’s latest big Sunday night show -- and the gritty drama is by the creator of 'Mare of Easttown,' which became must-watch TV when it aired in the same slot a few years ago. Critics Rachel Ho and Kathryn VanArendonk join Elamin Abdelmahmoud to talk about whether 'Task' lives up to expectations.
The winner of this year's Polaris Music Prize is Yves Jarvis and his album, 'All Cylinders.' Elamin is joined by 2022 Polaris Music Prize winner Cadence Weapon and culture critic Riley Yesno to react to this year’s results and assess the awards’ value as it celebrates its 20th anniversary.
Remembering Robert Redford. The Iconic actor, legendary director, and unparalleled champion of Indie filmmaking has died. Teri Hart describes his contributions to cinema, and how he made the world a better place. Plus, culture critics Thomas Leblanc and Joyita Sengupta join Elamin to talk about SSENSE’s recent financial woes, and how the Montreal brand became a major player in the fashion industry.
Music journalists Tabassum Siddiqui, Rosie Long Decter, and Suzy Exposito discuss the new documentary, 'Lilith Fair: Building a Mystery,' which explores the groundbreaking legacy of Sarah McLachlan’s '90s-era all-female travelling music festival, and why revisiting its story is particularly meaningful in the current cultural moment.
The morning after the Emmy Awards, TV critics J. Kelly Nestruck and Roxana Hadadi talk about the big winners and snubs with guest host Amil Niazi. Plus, a new online trend called 'The Great Lock In' is creating buzz on TikTok. It’s a three month commitment to a rigid routine ahead of the New Year following summer’s indulgence and lack of structure. Is this just another glow up trend or a social response to something greater? Independent journalist and online culture critic, Taylor Lorenz talks to guest host Amil Niazi about what it means to lock in and the Gen Z-driven obsession with self-optimization.
Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join Elamin to talk about Hamnet winning People's Choice, films they think should've gotten more attention, and reaction to the festival as a whole - and whether TIFF might be too celebrity focused.
Teri Hart and Radheyan Simonpillai join guest host Amil Niazi to talk about some of the performances getting a lot of attention at this year's festival, including Rose Byrne in 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You,' and Dwayne Johnson in 'The Smashing Machine.' Then, they talk about some of their favourite international films in the line up - 'It Was Just An Accident' and 'No Other Choice.'
Music journalist Maura Johnston, culture writer Richie Assaly, and Leila Latif join the Group Chat to talk about the long-awaited sequel to Rob Reiner’s classic rock mockumentary, This Is Spinal Tap; the new album from pop mega-star Ed Sheeran; Justin Bieber’s surprise sequel to his surprise album; and Lizzo’s war on the algorithm.
Radheyan Simonpillai and Teri Hart join guest host Amil NIazi to talk about whether the Canadian line up at TIFF reflects this country's appetite to consume and support Canadian content. They also discuss why Blue Heron is capturing people's attention, the full circle moment for 'Modern Whore,' and share their favourite Canadian picks.
People in a small town in Michigan turned on each other trying to figure out who was viciously cyberbullying two young teenagers. In the end, the culprit was one of the victim’s own mother. Journalist Lauren Smiley joins Commotion guest host Amil Niazi to talk about the case, which is now the subject of a Netflix documentary called "Unknown Number: The Highschool Catfish" … and TV critic Kathryn VanArendonk weighs in with her take on turning a small town’s tragedy into must-watch TV.
Also, Amil is joined by culture critic and wrestling podcaster Pablo The Don about John Cena's return to the hit tv series ‘Peacemaker’ and his final farewell tour with the WWE.
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