Canadian Crossing

Canadian film review: The Grey Fox

The chase for The Grey Fox wasn't as significant as the search was for Goin' Down the Road. Still, the film's spot on the TIFF Top 10 all-time Canadian films list in 1984 (tied for 5th with Les Ordres) and 1993 (8th) brought a lot of curiosity. The premise for The Grey Fox seemed simple: after 33 years, stagecoach robber Bill Miner leaves prison as an old man in 1901. Miner eventually gets to Canada where he then robs trains.

Bill Miner was a real person who went from the United States to Canada. American actor Richard Farnsworth is very well-cast as Miner.

The early part of the film focuses on how the world has changed around him: new technologies such as a mechanised apple peeler, automobiles, and movie theatres.

Miner and his new partner Shorty (Wayne Robson) hide out in Kamloops, British Columbia after robbing trains. There, Miner meets feminist and photographer Katherine Flynn (Jackie Burroughs). He doesn't seem like a hardened criminal in trying to woo Flynn but that is part of his charm.

Learning a lot from lists of top all-time Canadian films

Canadian film review: Goin' Down the Road

TIFF ranks top Canadian films

Miner is inspired in the film to rob trains based on the 1903 film The Great Train Robbery. A younger ex-con needles Miner because there are no more stagecoaches after Miner says professionals have to specialise.

The time gap is a concern since you don't get the impression that 2 years have gone by within the film. Amusing that the only time we see snow is when Miner first crosses into Canada. Almost a secret message that Canada means snow.

The writing of John Hunter and direction of Phillip Borsos gives the audience a dry presentation. The slow pace and beautiful British Columbia scenery tell their own story. Farnsworth's charm as Miner helps the story go along.

The film debates whether an animal can change its stripes or is destined to keep doing what made them who they are.

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Is The Grey Fox a Top 10 Canadian film? I've seen the top 9 Canadian films from both the 1984 list and the 1993 list. I wouldn't rank the film as high in either survey but a Top 10 finish for what Canadian film was back then is understandable. The standards were pretty low for a long time in Canadian film.

I've seen every film on the 2004 list; The Grey Fox would not have made my Top 10.

The Grey Fox is a heartily recommended film. The film tells a story in a way that is heartwarming but not in a corny way. Just not in a Top 10 kind of way.

photo credit: The Grey Fox film
video credit: YouTube/kinolorber

Canadian government promos in the COVID-19 era

The government of Canada promos aren't really ads. They aren't trying to sell you a product. They are reminders of what the Canadian government does for its constituents. In the COVID-19 time, those promos have a new reflection: encouraging behaviour to help reduce the impact of the pandemic.

The ads were a huge contrast to the insanity of the reaction of the U.S. federal government in the beginning of the pandemic. None of the Canadian messages involved drinking bleach.

These promos are courtesy of the NHL Center Ice free preview on local and national NHL telecasts.

Canada surpasses 1 million COVID-19 cases

Remembering the COVID-19 'anniversary' in Canada

This promo shows a few halfway actions. The look of confusion on the young girl with the uncooked spaghetti is hilarious. The punchline is the guy wearing the mask over his mouth but not his nose.

The young woman giving a non-verbal clue to the incompletely masked man and having that work is more fantasy than reality. Still, a good visual to encourage people to be compliant with wearing the mask properly.

Governments provide services. They don't help as much if people can't or don't take advantage. There are several programs in the promos, though the job training credit is tied to the pandemic. A lot of people lost their jobs when COVID-19 kicked into Canadian society. Going through training for a new career can bring inspiration for a good economic future once the pandemic subsidies in intensity.

Canadian ads from winter 2021 NHL Center Ice free preview

CanadianCrossing.com advertising coverage

We noted a couple of promos from the government of Canada back in February. The U.S. may be in better shape on vaccines but skipped past the COVID-19 alert app. The second promo is about keeping the pace to get back to a relatively normal world.

We have been tooting the horn of Canada government promos under the previous prime minister and the current prime minister. All prime ministers run these promos. We think this is a great non-partisan idea.

Some Americans get confused sometimes with bipartisan vs. non-partisan. Having covered American politics, be suspicious of bipartisan and always ask for non-partisan. We consider Canada government promos to be a great non-partisan idea and should not be used in a partisan fashion.

video and photo credits: government of Canada

Celebrating National Canadian Film Day 2021

National Canadian Film Day is about celebrating Canadian film. As we saw in 2020 and is still true in 2021, we get to celebrate Canadian film separately.

More Canadians got a chance to access the Toronto International Film Festival than ever before thanks to streaming. You might have been one of those Canadians who saw Inconvenient Indian from Michelle Latimer. Yes, we are aware of the controversy but difficult to imagine the Best Canadian Feature Film winner may never be shown again.

You can pick other Indigenous films, including some of the many we have reviewed over the years: Angry Inuk, Monkey Beach, Trouble in the Garden, Indian Horse, Through Black Spruce, Blood Quantum, Iqaluit, Kayak to Klemtu, Rhymes for Young Ghouls, and The Body Remembers When the World Broke Open. We also have an Indigenous section with film reviews and a lot more.

For those who have not participated in previous years, welcome and bienvenue. You can find so many options at the National Canadian Film Day site from the fine folks at Reel Canada. Peter Keleghan and Ali Hassan hosted Last year's #CanFilmDay Live; the hosts have been nominated for the 2021 Canadian Screen Awards for Best Host, Web Program or Series.

Reflecting on National Canadian Film Day 2020

Jay Baruchel MADE road trip takes us through Canada for Canadian content

The #CanFilmDay Live Web experience proved last year that there isn't enough conversation about Canadian film. Understanding the relationships and why chemistry is often easier above the 49th parallel. Learning that Keleghan and Jay Baruchel live next door is pretty cool or that Keleghan and Gordon Pinsent are related through Keleghan's wife, fellow actor Leah Pinset.

Speaking of Baruchel, he spent the month of April tweeting out Canadian TV and film classics. Since you don't want to go back into Baruchel's @baruchelNDG Twitter feed, we happily compiled the list.

If you are really into Baruchel, we can recommend a film not mentioned on his own list. Celtic Soul is about Baruchel's obsession with Irish football. You get to see a lot of Ireland as well.

Celebrating National Canadian Film Day 2020

Celebrating National Canadian Film Day 2019

Celebrating National Canadian Film Day 2018

Celebrating National Canadian Film Day 2017

Celebrate the 2016 version of National Canadian Film Day

Celebrating National Canadian Film Day 2015

See a Canadian film on National Canadian Film Day 2014

CBC filled a lot of time with Canadian films on Saturday nights without the NHL. Canadians can access these films via CBC Gem. The lists are a good collection of Canadian films to improve your knowledge.

A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in fall and winter 2020-2021

A recap of CBC Saturday night Canadian films in spring and summer 2020

If you pick Don McKellar, you can find Canadian films where he acts, writes, directs, or some combination of them. Last Night is a great go-to Canadian film where McKellar does all 3. Sarah Polley, who is in Last Night, hasn't done all 3 so far: she did write and direct Away From Her, Take This Waltz, and Stories We Tell.

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

We are modest in self-celebration but note we have reviewed a lot of films and written about even more films. There are plenty of good options to celebrate Canadian film.

photo credits: Reel Canada; @BaruchelNDG

A slim chance of marijuana tourism in Canada in 2021

Today is 4/20, April 20. The day to celebrate marijuana in times of being illegal. Marijuana is legal in Canada. Some U.S. states have various levels of legalisation. The provinces regulate how much you can grow, if you are allowed to grow.

Canadians can easily consume marijuana in the privacy of their own homes, though smoking is tough if you rent. Marijuana tourism is a bit more difficult since there are conditions against public consumption. The excitement of finally getting legal edibles in Canada (for non-Canadians) was toned down by the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

The Canada-U.S. border "celebrates" 13 months of closure as of tomorrow. The border isn't opening any time soon. The focus has shifted from high COVID-19 case rates in the United States to the variants sending Canadian case rates higher than what they were a year ago.

Americans don't have to travel to Canada for legal marijuana. Vox reported that about 43 percent of the U.S. population live in a place where pot is available for any purpose. Recently, New Jersey, New York, Virginia, and New Mexico have approved recreational use.

Marijuana tourism might not be at the top of travel plans; people are anxious to go to different places. Canada-U.S. travel is a crucial part of the border experience that has been missing during the pandemic. Poutine tastes good if you are sober but could be more tempting in an altered state.

Marijuana Business Daily has some cool statistics on marijuana purchases in Canada's major cities.

Canada celebrates 2 years of legal marijuana

Marijuana in Canada on 4/20/20

CanadianCrossing.com marijuana coverage

The Canadian Automobile Association North and East Ontario produced some fun public service announcements on all the great things you can do while on edibles (hint: driving is not one of them). The ketchup on the fries (above photo) is endearing since French fries have been a rare treat during the pandemic. Fries and gravy, a great Canadian staple, is very much missed.

Drug Free Kids Canada also has a campaign on marijuana edibles. Their focus is on how they aren't as innocent as they look. Edibles do take longer to kick into the human body. The music from A Clockwork Orange does add danger to the presentation.

Canadian film review: Canadian Strain

Tomorrow is National Canadian Film Day. We will have extensive coverage of that special day. If you want to get started early, we heartily recommend Canadian Strain. Americans can watch the Canadian film on Amazon Prime Video.

video and photo credit: CAA North and East Ontario; Drug Free Kids Canada

Canada Now has gone digital to bring Canadian film into the United States

We've written about Canada Now from Telefilm Canada since 2016. We love the idea of presenting Canadian film in the United States. The major drawback has been limited showings in a few select cities (New York City, Los Angeles, New Orleans).

We have used over coverage to make Americans more aware of titles in case they have a later opportunity to see the film.

This year, Canada Now is online and available across the United States with CanadaNow.us.

Telefilm Canada is working with Telescope for people to search Canadian films and find a way to watch them online or streaming. Canada Now also involves the Consulate General of New York and the National Film Board of Canada.

The Telescope feature allows people to input film titles, actors, directors, and more. Canada Now offers categories such as new arrivals, Oscar favourites, in the spotlight, and NFB gems. The categories change each month; Canada Now encourages people to sign up for its newsletter.

Our Canada Now coverage over the years: 2020; 2019; 2018; 2017; and 2016.

We don't normally run random quotes from press releases. This one echoed a lovely sentiment from Khawar Nasim, acting consul general, Consulate General of Canada in New York.

"Beyond arthouse cinemas and film festivals, it is often a challenge to locate and watch Canadian film and television projects here in the US. This difficulty was the catalyst for Canada Now to build something new and we couldn't be more thrilled to support it and share!"

Finding Canadian film is a bit easier than what Nasim describes. Finding good Canadian film is closer to his quote.

Telefilm Canada presents the Canadian Movie of the Week

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

Difficult to do a search if you aren't sure what you are looking for specifically. My search skills are above average with being a journalist. We do have Canadian film reviews and film coverage, good resources for tracking down Canadian film. If you like a Bruce McDonald or Patricia Rozema film, you can search for more films from that director.

This is what Canada Now needed: a wider U.S. audience for Canadian films. We do like the idea of having films in theatres in a few select cities when things are relatively normal. We just want more Americans outside a few select areas to have that access.

There is a similar parallel to Canadians and Canadian films: most significant films will come to a few select cities. Most Canadians (outside Quebec) don't have that opportunity.

Streaming a film can be a lot less expensive than driving to a theatre. Don't lose the theatre-going experience. Just share with as many people as you can.

photo credit: Canada Now/Telefilm Canada

Ontario-Quebec border will close on Monday

The Canada-U.S. border is approaching 14 months of closure. We've written about border communities struggling without the rest of the community. Now we can add Ottawa and Gatineau to the list.

The Ontario-Quebec border will be closed as of tomorrow thanks to the impact of variants in the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic. Standard exceptions are in place, such as going to and from work, seeking medical care, transporting goods and exercising Indigenous treaty rights.

Ontario is also closing its border with Manitoba. There aren't too many border communities in Canada. The Lloydminster twins (Alberta and Saskatchewan) leap to mind. The stretch of where New Brunswick and Nova Scotia meet before you go to Prince Edward Island. Ottawa (Ontario) and Gatineau (Quebec).

I have crossed provinces by bus (Manitoba to Saskatchewan); mini bus (New Brunswick to Nova Scotia and the reverse); and walking (Ottawa to Gatineau and back). The Royal Alexandra Interprovincial Bridge, aka Alexandra Bridge or Interprovincial Bridge, runs just north and east of Parliament Hill across the Ottawa River to Gatineau, Quebec.

There is a joy of crossing jurisdictions by walking over a bridge. The Cross Border Xpress (CBX) bridge from the United States to the Tijuana airport. The John A. Roebling Suspension Bridge from Cincinnati (Ohio) to Covington (Kentucky) is a personal favourite, having crossed that bridge. The Confederation Bridge between Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island is 12.9 km.

How the Canada-U.S. border closure has affected border towns

Remembering the COVID-19 'anniversary' in Canada

CanadianCrossing.com trade coverage

CanadianCrossing.com travel coverage

Metro in Washington DC in the U.S. capital crosses between Maryland, Virginia, and the District of Columbia. Ottawa buses regularly travel to Gatineau.

Young people have had a ritual of going from Ontario to Quebec to buy alcohol (19 vs. 18) and now from Quebec to Ontario to buy marijuana (21 vs. 19). Some government workers may live in Quebec and commute into Ottawa because housing may be cheaper. They will be able to cross now but their commutes will change.

We believe in a world where borders are a minor inconvenience, if that. The nationalism we've seen creeping through Europe and North America during the pandemic has been depressing. Going from London to Quebec City might not be advised but restricting traffic within border communities is inhumane.

The Canada-U.S. border won't open until provincial borders are open. Let's hope that is soon.

Canadian film review: Bon Cop Bad Cop 2

CanadianCrossing.com border crossings coverage

The premise for the original Bon Cop, Bad Cop is that a body is found on the Ontario-Quebec border. So a cop from Ontario and a cop from Quebec work together on the case. The premise is a bit out there but funny for a movie. The pandemic version would have each cop on his own side of the border; not nearly as funny.

photo credits: Google maps; Bon Cop, Bad Cop film

2021 MLS preview

The 2020 Major League Soccer (MLS) season had the Canadian teams start out "normal" before the COVID-19 pandemic. Each Canadian MLS team had a home game before the shutdown and then 3 home games on Canadian soil in September. Otherwise, they were wandering nomads in the U.S. desert.

Vancouver even had to play Portland in a "home game" in Portland.

2021 still has the Canadian teams in the United States. Toronto FC will start the 2021 season playing home matches in Orlando.

The Reds were in East Hartford, Connecticut as their U.S. base following the brief trip on Canadian soil. Like the Toronto Blue Jays, the logic of playing in Florida in the spring makes a lot of sense. The team might be back in East Hartford, Connecticut later in the season if not BMO Field in Toronto.

CF Montréal is playing at the Inter Miami CF stadium in Fort Lauderdale after playing in Harrison, NJ last season. Montréal got a home game at Olympic Stadium before the pandemic and 3 at Stade Saputo in the late summer.

Vancouver will establish a base at Rio Tinto Stadium in Sandy, Utah outside Salt Lake City as a base until the team can get back to BC Place.

The Montréal Impact have rebranded as Club de Foot Montréal, or CF Montréal. CF Montréal has a new logo as well as part of the rebranding.

Wilfried Nancy, an assistant coach with the team since 2016, takes over for Thierry Henry, who left after a single season. Henry was mentioned in the rumour mills to leave to coach Bournemouth.

While that team decided to retain its interim manager, Henry then left CF Montréal for family reasons.

Henry's single season for Montréal led to a 8-13-2 record and a playoff game, the first for the team since 2016.

Toronto FC, Montreal Impact gone from 2020 MLS Playoffs

Chris Armas is the new Toronto FC coach. Armas replaces Greg Vanney, who resigned. Vanney is now the coach for the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Armas was the New York Red Bulls head coach for slightly over 2 years from 2018-2020.

Vanney took over Toronto FC in August 2014, the team's 9th coach in 8 years. He provided a much needed stability and brought success to the team. Vanney finished his Toronto career with a regular-season record of 87-68-48. The team went to 3 MLS Cups in his tenure: 2016, 2017, and 2019 winning the title in 2017.

The Reds qualified for the playoffs under Vanney in all but one of his 6 full seasons.

2017 was a stellar year for Vanney: MLS Cup, Supporters’ Shield, and the Canadian Championship.

This makes Marc Dos Santos the longest running coach of a Canadian MLS team. Santos has been in charge of the Vancouver Whitecaps since November 7, 2018. The Whitecaps haven't made the MLS playoffs since 2017.

2020 MLS playoffs preview

Toronto, Montreal make 2020 MLS playoffs

2020 MLS preview

Montréal "hosts" Toronto to start the MLS season on Saturday in Fort Lauderdale. Vancouver hosts Portland in Utah on Sunday. The Toronto "home" opener in Orlando will be next Saturday against the Vancouver Whitecaps.

CanadianCrossing.com soccer coverage

The only U.S. TV appearances for the Canadian MLS teams in 2020 came as a result of the Orlando tournament. The COVID-19 pandemic took out the spring TV schedule for CTV in 2020.

None of the English and Spanish channels in the U.S. have any telecasts with Canadian teams, again. Ugh.

TSN will carry Toronto FC and Vancouver FC matches as well as select CF Montréal contests. RDS will carry all CF Montréal matches en Francaise.;

CTV will simulcast the TSN feed on Saturday telecasts this spring:

April 17 Toronto FC @ CF Montréal, 2 pm
April 24 Vancouver FC @ Toronto, 3 pm
May 1 Columbus @ CF Montréal, 3 pm
May 8 CF Montréal @ Vancouver FC, 3 pm
May 15 Toronto FC @ New York City FC, 1 pm
May 22 Cincinnati @ CF Montréal, 1 pm
May 29 Toronto FC @ Columbus, 3 pm

All games are available on ESPN+. Once (if) the CFL resumes, ESPN+ is a better acquisition for your humble narrator.

MLS Canadian teams playoffs results

Year	Date	Teams	Winner	Score
2020	November 24	Nashville @ Toronto	Nashville	1-0 (ET)
2020	November 20	Montréal @ New England	New England	2-1
2019	November 10	Toronto @ Seattle	Seattle	3-1
2019	October 30	Toronto @ Atlanta	Toronto	2-1
2019	October 23	Toronto @ New York City FC	Toronto	2-1
2019	October 19	D.C. United @ Toronto	Toronto	5-1 (ET)
2017	December 9	Seattle @ Toronto	Toronto	2-0
2017	November 29	Columbus @ Toronto	Toronto	1-0
2017	November 21	Toronto @ Columbus	Tie	0-0
2017	November 5	New York Red Bulls @ Toronto	NY Red Bulls	1-0
2017	November 2	Vancouver @ Seattle	Seattle	2-0
2017	October 30	Toronto @ New York Red Bulls	Toronto	2-1
2017	October 29	Seattle @ Vancouver	Tie	0-0
2017	October 25	San Jose @ Vancouver	Vancouver	5-0
2016	December 10	Seattle @ Toronto FC	Seattle	0-0 (5-4 PK)
2016	November 30	Montréal @ Toronto FC	Toronto FC	5-2 (ET)
2016	November 22	Toronto FC @ Montréal	Montréal	3-2
2016	November 6	Montréal @ New York Red Bulls	Montréal	2-1
2016	November 6	Toronto FC @ NYCFC	Toronto FC	5-0
2016	October 30	NYCFC @ Toronto FC	Toronto FC	2-0
2016	October 30	New York Red Bulls @ Montréal	Montréal	1-0
2016	October 27	Montréal @ D.C. United	Montréal	4-2
2016	October 26	Philadelphia @ Toronto FC	Toronto FC	3-1
2015	November 8	Portland @ Vancouver	Portland	2-0
2015	November 8	Montréal @ Columbus	Columbus	3-1 (ET)
2015	November 1	Vancouver @ Portland	Tie	0-0
2015	November 1	Columbus @ Montréal	Montréal	2-1
2015	October 29	Toronto FC @ Montréal	Montréal	3-0
2014	October 29	Vancouver @ Dallas	Dallas	2-1
2013	October 31	Montréal @ Houston	Houston	3-0
2012	November 1	Vancouver @ LA Galaxy	LA Galaxy	2-1

logo credits: MLS

Seek More embraces inclusion in Canadian television and film

#SeekMore #inclusion #cdntv is at its best when we all are involved in front of and behind the camera. Same for #cdnfilm

We tweeted this out yesterday when we first heard about the Seek More campaign from Made | Nous. Our regular readers know Made | Nous is set up to promote Canadian content, projects defined as Canadian and those shot in Canada.

Coming on the heels of the end of Kim's Convenience, the timing of #SeekMore is great in that there is so much Canadian content from people of colour. The campaign features the 3 Canadian stars in the video: Simu Liu, Shamier Anderson, and Kawennáhere Devery Jacobs along with the 3 other ambassadors: Mélissa Bédard, Adib Alkhalidey, and Cynthia Wu-Maheux.

"What every Canadian can do is realise that they can vote with their eyeballs and with their wallets and watch and support content that reflects the world that they live in," said Liu in the video.

Each of the ambassadors has Canadian content to recommend that ties back to the Seek More message. Their recommendations are a great guide to finding Canadian content that may be new to you.

Canada is a melting pot; the kind of country the United States thinks it is but isn't as strong in multiculturalism as compared to Canada.

As Made | Nous points out, "Canada’s home to some of the best talent in the world. Different perspectives are what set our content apart. But now is the time to push beyond what we know and seek a greater variety of voices. Seek More inspires Canadians to search out more content and creators from more backgrounds, cultures, and communities."

Your humble narrator has marveled at the excellent Indigenous films that Canada has produced. Jacobs has starred in a pair of films from Jeff Barnaby: Rhymes for Young Ghouls and Blood Quantum. The immigrant experience comes up often from Monsieur Lazhar to Kim's Convenience.

Clicking on a recommendation leads to other recommendations. I clicked on Rhymes for Young Ghouls and saw that Amanda Brugel recommended Tallboyz.

Other voices include Hamza Haq, Kaniehtiio Horn, Cassandra James, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, and Drew Ray Tanner.

Kim's Convenience ends its run after 5 seasons

Celebrating Pride with Canadian films and television

Jay Baruchel MADE road trip takes us through Canada for Canadian content

Canadian content notebook: Made | Nous gets love at TIFF 2019

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian TV coverage

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

As a film reviewer and sometimes TV reviewer, the skill set is to embrace cultures that are not your own and give them an objective — as objective as anyone can — perspective. I fail as every mortal human does, but I do try.

Kim's Convenience is a great example: an immigrant story, an Asian story, a Korean-Canadian story, a funny story, sweet and clever from people who may look like you or who don't.

Give some of these Canadian films and TV shows a good chance. Seek the rainbow of perspectives. Seek More.

video and photo credit: Made | Nous

Canadian film review: One Pandemic Day

One Pandemic Day dives into the early COVID-19 world on April 14 in Oakville, Ontario. The documentary explores the lives of Oakville residents about a month into the pandemic.

Oakville is west of Mississauga about halfway between Toronto and Hamilton on Lake Ontario. The town is about 200,000 people.

April 14, 2020 — a year to today — we see very few masks in the community. That is a bit of a surprise. The documentary is about how the lives of people are adjusting to the new "normal."

The residents film themselves. The quality of most of the video is shockingly good. The one resident who struggles with the video is Oakville Mayor Rob Burton with his “one-handed lifestyle for the day.”

Those without kids will see what online learning is like in 2020. The scene of kids in a hot tub for recess is a way for their mother to do her own homework for a writing course.

We see clips of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Ontario Premier Rob Ford. We hear more from local politicians such as Pam Damoff, MP from Oakville North-Burlington.

Jeff Kroll, Oakville town & regional councillor, is pretty much the star of the film. We see Kroll in his role as a politician and his day job as the CEO of the Film.Ca Cinemas. You have to read the credits to find out Kroll is an executive producer on the film.

Kroll weighs in on the difficulty of getting financial help from his business during the film. Kroll does give an otherwise missing perspective, which is running a business and dealing with how to get the CEBA (Canadian Emergency Business Account) assistance. That said, the conflict should be upfront in the film.

The look back is fascinating yet incomplete. No one is mentally exhausted from the pandemic only being a month into what is happening. Current audiences might be wishful for that time as a more innocent time.

April 14 last year started out warm and sunny yet snow arrived by the afternoon. While that might seem abnormal in some areas of the North America continent, that was somewhat normal compared to the lives upended by the pandemic.

Too much emphasis is placed on those in great situations versus those struggling financially. Perhaps that is what Oakville reflected on that date. The news coverage has greatly emphasized the same type of people featured in the documentary.

Watching people go through the pandemic while we are still in the pandemic can be jarring for some. Others want to learn from the mistakes made a year ago.

Director/editor Mikelle Virey lets the residents speak for themselves. There isn't a sense of who was picked and why.

CanadianCrossing.com film reviews

CanadianCrossing.com film coverage

One Pandemic Day is worth watching whether today or maybe a few months from now when you might be ready.

One Pandemic Day is available in the United States on Amazon Prime Video.

video credit: YouTube Film.Ca Cinemas
photos credit: One Pandemic Day film

Kim's Convenience ends its run after 5 seasons

"OK. See you."

The play Kim's Convenience started out at the 2011 Toronto Fringe Festival. I've been to fringe festivals in my Canadian travels in Winnipeg, Edmonton, and Victoria. You never truly know what you will find.

The play moved to the Soulpepper Theatre in 2012. Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Jean Yoon played Appa and Umma in the play. Ins Choi, creator of the play, played Jung. Grace Lynn Kung played Janet in the Soulpepper production and national tour.

Kim's Convenience — the TV show — debuted in 2016 on CBC. The story was about the contrast between 1st and 2nd generations of the immigrant experience with the prodigal son mixed in and growing up Korean-Canadian.

Choi and Kevin White co-created the TV show but by all consensus, Kim's Convenience the everything was Ins Choi. The producers noted that Choi's departure was the reason the show is coming to an end after 5 seasons.

Kim's Convenience has been a major hit in Canada on CBC and outside Canada on Netflix. Lee and Yoon were joined on the TV show by Andrea Bang as Janet and Simu Liu as Jung along with Andrew Phung (Kimchee) and Nicole Power (Shannon). The series finale airs tonight on CBC.

The significance of the mostly Korean descent cast has been crucial and the show has gone out of its way to cast all hues in the smaller parts. Toronto is truly a multicultural, multi-ethnic metropolis in North America.

We also learned about the significance of Korean history, even in scenes where Appa tested a young Korean man who was going to take out Janet.

CBC will have a lot of holes to fill in the 2021-2022 television schedule

Kim's Convenience to end after Season 5; Frankie Drake Mysteries ends its CBC run

Top 10 best Canadian TV shows in the 2010s

Canadian culture notebook: Kim's Convenience and more Canadian content on Netflix

To my fellow costars. @bitterasiandude @jean_yoon @SimuLiu @NicolePower3 and Andrea Bang, it was the greatest honour to watch you act, learn from you, and act alongside you. Every day with you with an absolute joy. I’m so proud of everything we created and cherish all moments... pic.twitter.com/dL6tgRvrNO

— Andrew Phung (@andrewphung) March 8, 2021

If you look back at Schitt's Creek, 6 seasons made sense since they were telling a story about characters who progressed over time. Kim's Convenience had its own set of conflicts but also was about family. The core family was absolutely key; family could also be used for the collective on-screen people and off-screen people. You got the impression that like Schitt's Creek, Kim's Convenience was a fun experience.

A Season 6 would have made the departure of the show a bit easier to handle. Leaving a bit early in the TV landscape is heralded; some shows need more time to tell stories rarely heard in that TV landscape. Kim's Convenience feels like one of those shows that needed more time and episodes.

We do want to mention a few of the many on-screen people who made an impact on Kim's Convenience. John Ng (Mr. Chin); Ben Beauchemin (Gerald Tremblay); Michael Musi (Terence Pepler); Derek McGrath (Frank); Amanda Brugel (Pastor Nina Gomez); Sugith Varughese (Mr. Mehta); Ishan Davé (Raj Mehta); Gabriella Sundar Singh (Chelsea Chettiar); and Akosua Amo-Adem (Stacie).

Could build an all-star Canadian TV lineup out of shows that are leaving

CanadianCrossing.com Canadian TV coverage

CanadianCrossing.com CBC coverage

CanadianCrossing.com television coverage

The CBC lineup will be without Kim’s Convenience next season. The 2 new shows feature actors from the show in new settings. Strays is the only Kim's Convenience spinoff featuring Shannon (Nicole Power) relocating to Hamilton. The optics of having the only non-Korean descent major cast member getting the only spinoff is odd at best. Kevin White created the show. Can't think of too many spinoffs of Canadian TV shows.

Andrew Phung is the co-creator and lead in Run the Burbs about a stay-at-home dad with an entrepreneur wife and 2 kids.

These shows have been in the planning stage for some time so a potential Season 6 of Kim's Convenience might not have had everyone back.

The show didn't really have a lot of colour behind the scenes outside of Choi. That is an unfortunate legacy of the show.

We hope to see more of the actors from the show. We know Liu has been cast as the superhero Shang-Chi for Marvel with Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings. We know Lee was in a couple episodes of The Mandalorian. We don't want to forget about Yoon and Bang and hope to see them in future Canadian films and TV shows. Bang had a small role in the Canadian film Adventures in Public School.

If you are new to Kim's Convenience, come along with the journey. The saga is specific and also timeless. Congratulations on the 5 seasons and the impact felt on Canadian television.

Kim's Convenience is available in Canada on CBC and CBC Gem. The show is available on Netflix in the United States with Season 5 to air later this year.

photo credits: Kim's Convenience/CBC; Hockey Night in Canada/Sportsnet
Twitter capture: @andrewphung