Articles by David Friend, The Canadian Press

Aug 12 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Projectors began lighting up the big screens at many Cineplex Inc. movie theatres over the spring, but Canada's biggest cinema chain still faced another quarter of deep losses. The impact of theatre closures from the COVID-19 pandemic and moviegoers still cautious to return to multiplexes continued to wreak havoc on the company's financial […]

Aug 11 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Woodstock defined a generation in the summer of 1969 but not long afterwards a Toronto music festival made its own noise with the likes of John Lennon, Little Richard and the Doors. Filmmakers say work is underway on “Rock & Roll Revival,” a documentary named after the one-day Canadian festival that took place […]

Aug 9 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Gordon Lightfoot is recovering after a fall at his home last week caused him to fracture his wrist. The "If You Could Read My Mind" singer-songwriter has been forced to postpone a number of upcoming tour dates after undergoing emergency surgery at Sunnybrook Hospital in Toronto. Victoria Lord, a representative for Lightfoot, said […]

Aug 7 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Cineplex Inc. is hoping that moviegoers who've missed the big screen will join the club. Canada's largest film exhibitor has announced plans to launch a monthly subscription program on Wednesday that offers a small selection of perks and discounts at the multiplex. CineClub will cost $9.99 per month — less than the price […]

Aug 5 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Standing in her backyard on a drizzly summer afternoon, pop singer Ralph is proving to be a tenacious trooper of the Canadian independent music scene. Rather than bowing out from a photoshoot in the rain, she's slipped into a silver rain jacket and agreed to play along with a visual gag. The idea […]

Aug 4 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — "Come From Away" is landing on Apple TV Plus in September. The streaming service says a live filmed version of the Tony-winning musical will debut Sept. 10 on the platform. The premiere coincides with the eve of the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center. "Come From Away" […]

Aug 3 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Social turmoil echoes through the halls of academia, while a journey back to Sesame Street offers some levity in August’s streaming highlights. Here’s a look at TV series and films to add to your watchlist this month: "The Chair" Dr. Ji-Yoon Kim (Canadian actress Sandra Oh) is the first woman to hold the […]

Jul 30 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Drake is teaming up with LeBron James and other creators for a feature documentary on the history of Black hockey players. The Toronto rapper's production company says in a release he will executive produce "Black Ice," an examination of the "often overlooked and marginalized contributions" of Black players to the game.  The story […]

Jul 19 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Ed Robertson says when early chatter about COVID-19 began circulating through the music industry, he feared that live concerts were headed for a world of trouble. Having more than three decades of experience in Barenaked Ladies, the singer-songwriter said he couldn’t imagine thousands of people gathering at shows while a mysterious virus raged. […]

Jul 16 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Ontario and Manitoba head back to the movies this weekend, joining the rest of the country for a summer season delayed by starkly different pandemic restrictions. Both provinces move forward with reopening plans that allow cinemas to screen a fresh slate of films for the first time in months. Movie theatres in Ontario […]

Jul 15 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Albums from Quebec singer Dominique Fils-Aimé and Toronto rapper Tobi have been shortlisted for this year's Polaris Music Prize. The selection of 10 albums vying for the $50,000 award includes projects spanning an array of music genres. Fils-Aimé's "Three Little Words" completes a trilogy of albums celebrating the history of Black-American music, while […]

Jul 14 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Canadian fans of Harry Styles saw their "Watermelon Sugar" high crushed after the British singer quietly cancelled concerts set for Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal later this year. The pop star released an updated schedule of his North American tour on Wednesday and missing from the 40 dates was any mention of his four […]

Jul 13 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — "Schitt's Creek" may be over but the Emmy Awards aren't done with Dan Levy. After sweeping the top categories last year with the final season of the CBC hit comedy, Levy is up for a trophy again — this time for guest hosting "Saturday Night Live." He joins several Canadian Emmy contenders announced […]

Jul 12 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Ontario movie theatres will be back in business on Friday as the province moves into Step 3 of reopening in the heat of summer movie season, but strict capacity limits have sent a chill through exhibitors' hopes of drawing the big crowds for the latest blockbusters. It's another twist in the storyline for […]

Jul 7 2021 — David Friend, The Canadian Press — TORONTO — Telefilm and several of Canada’s other leading film organizations are working together on a new project that will dust off homegrown cinematic gems for the digital generation. More than 10 Canadian films, including English- and French-language fictional narratives, documentaries and shorts, are part of a restoration effort that will see each digitized to […]