The Chronicle Herald (Provincial)
Missing our stunning scenery? Stream it!
Nova Scotians have been through hell this week. And given the recent events, I think it's fair to say we're all feeling pretty hurt and vulnerable right now.
What often happens during times like these is we find comfort in our communities, our home towns and our province.
Sadly, with the COVID-19 pandemic, most of us are confined to our homes, perhaps missing road trips, heading to the beach or biking along a scenic vista. When it comes to scenery, Nova Scotia has it in spades and we take great pride in that.
So, while we can't head out and explore our home province as much as we'd like, we can still appreciate it through the films and shows that were produced here.
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but maybe enough to get you started:
THE LIGHTHOUSE, AMAZON PRIME VIDEO
Filmed in Cape Forchu, near Yarmouth, Nova Scotia, the rugged wind and wave-swept scenery adds tons of mood to the drama/psychological thriller starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson.
The film was nominated for an academy award in cinematography and rightfully so. Robert Eggers, who directed and co-wrote The Lighthouse, once again worked with Jarin Blaschke as the director of photography. The pair also collaborated on The Witch, another moody, dark thriller worth watching. Although the titular lighthouse was purpose-built for the film, the surrounding scenery is pure French Shore gothic beauty, even in black and white.
The story focuses on Ephraim Winslow (Pattinson) who takes a job to be a sickie (lighthouse operator) and finds himself essentially trapped with cantankerous and brutal Thomas Wake (Dafoe). The story centres around their clashing personalities and the mythology of the sea as it crashes around them.
CAVENDISH, CBC GEM
Unfortunately cancelled after only one season, the hilarious Canadian-made comedy Cavendish was ironically filmed, at least partially, here in Nova Scotia. Andrew Bush and Mark Little, alums of Halifax sketch troupe Picnicface star in a zany romp through P.E.I. to look after their sick father but end up getting in a series of hijinks along the way.
The plot is simply a vehicle for Bush and Little to showcase their incredible, innate comedic abilities, which are in full form here. It's just too bad the series was cut short after one season.
Who knows what wild antics these characters could have found themselves in? I know people are bummed about Anne With An E getting cancelled, but what about Cavendish?
Be sure to watch the mini behind-the-scenes videos they shot as well, where Bush and
Little showcase their incredible improv chops.
LOCKE & KEY, NETFLIX
A teen-focused supernatural horror based on a graphic novel series of the same name, Locke & Key is set in Massachusetts, which is code for Nova Scotia (Lunenburg to be precise).
The story centres around the Locke family, who moves to an unusual old mansion called Keyhouse after the horrific death of their father Rendell Locke. The house is full of locked doors that require unique keys to open them, however, the doors open to more than just rooms.
Although the main thrust of the series focuses on the supernatural forces at play, it also deals with heavier issues of grief and loss. I really enjoyed the source material, which were dark and challenging reads, and was hopeful for the Netflix original series. So far it's been middling to good, but I'm hopeful the series will improve in season two, which is set to release in 2021.
WHAT'S NEW
Here are some new TV shows and movies coming to streaming networks in May:
APPLE TV PLUS:
Trying, May 1
Central Park, May 29
CRAVE:
Billions, season 5, May 3
Downton Abbey (film), May 8
Joker, May 22
Parasite, May 29
DISNEY PLUS:
George Of The Jungle, May 1
Homeward Bound 1 and 2, May 1
Pirates Of The Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, May 1
John Carter, May 2
Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil, May 15
Fantastic Mr. Fox, May 22
NETFLIX:
Deadpool 2, May 1
Medici: The Magnificent, season 3, May 1
The Half Of It, May1
Dead To Me, season 2,
May 8
Riverdale, season 4, May 14
She-ra And The Princess Of Power, season 5, May 15
Pacific Rim: Uprising, May 17
Space Force, season 1,
May 29
Note: Amazon Prime Video's May, 2020 lineup wasn't available as of publication time.