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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The free, ad-supported streaming platform Tubi is currently posting higher viewership numbers than more prestigious subscription services like Paramount+ and Disney+. Culture writers Kaiya Shunyata and Anne T. Donahue join guest host Amil Niazi to explain what’s behind the platform's surprising success – and it’s not just about because it’s free. Plus, the A24 film 'Tuesday," starring Julia Louis-Dreyfus, tells the story of a mother whose teenage daughter has a terminal illness. Writer Sophie Kohn talks about how the movie addresses death and grief.
With next week’s release of ‘I Am: Celine Dion,' guest host Amil Niazi is joined by Thomas Leblanc, Véronique LeVasseur and Carl Wilson for a brief look back on the singer’s pop career and reaction to her public struggle with Stiff Person’s Syndrome - a condition that has raised questions around Céline Dion's ability to perform again.
Theatre critic Aisling Murphy talks about the success of the Stratford Festival, its latest summer season and highlights upcoming shows across Canada. Plus, Jay Connor tells the story of Wu-Tang Clan's controversial album 'Once Upon a Time in Shaolin', the most expensive piece of music that, until recently, few people in the world had ever listened to.
Film critic Rachel Ho, entertainment reporter Teri Hart, and media personality Matt Hart join the Commotion Group Chat to discuss Pixar’s long-awaited sequel to the animated pop-psych masterpiece 'Inside Out', Glen Powell’s star turn in Richard Linklater’s action-comedy 'Hit Man', and Seth Meyers's late-night talk-show band getting laid off.
Film and TV critic Leila Latif joins guest host Amil Niazi to talk about the remake of “Presumed Innocent,” a legal thriller that starred Harrison Ford back in the 90s and now stars Jake Gyllenhaal, and why everything seems to be getting a reboot these days. Plus, Laura Sirikul reviews the latest entry in the Star Wars canon: The Acolyte, starring Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-Jae.
Guest host Amil Niazi is joined by film/tv critic Rad Simonpillai, culture critic Aparita Bhandari and writer/journalist Angela Sterritt to discuss the new Disney+ series 'Under The Bridge', about the horrific real life murder of 14 year-old Reena Virk in 1997, and whether the true crime format did justice to one of Canada's most harrowing teen murder cases.
Commotion regulars Niko Stratis and Rollie Pemberton join guest host Amil Niazi to talk about the new documentary, “How Music Got Free.” It explores the massive disruption of digital pirating and how it almost ruined the record business, but also kickstarted a digital music revolution. Plus, Ewan Simpson (intellectual property lawyer and chairman of the Jamaica Reggae Industry Association) discusses the Steely & Clevie copyright infringement lawsuit filed against numerous reggaeton artists - and the implications it could have for the future of reggaeton.
Sarah Berman and Ashley Ray join Commotion guest host Amil Niazi to talk about the new Netflix series "Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult” - and why is music by women, especially racialized and trans artists, still severely underplayed on commercial Canadian radio? Jada Watson, who authored a recent report on the issue, and Desiree Dorion, a Cree country artist, weigh in on where we go from here.
Elamin is joined by Ben Ozakawa, Kevin Bourne and Teri Hart with their takes on a new Alec Baldwin reality show, whether CRTC's new policy that forces streamers like Netflix to boost their Canadian content will actually work, and reaction to Drake's feature on the song 'Wah Gwan Delilah?'
Elamin is joined by Globe and Mail reporter Josh O’Kane to talk about the Calgary Philharmonic’s decision to remove two of its musicians after an investigation looking into ‘deeply troubling comments posted online’. Then, he speaks with Canadian violinist Lara St.John about how to make music schools and orchestras safer for girls and women.
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