Commotion with Elamin Abdelmahmoud

Guests Niko Stratis, a culture critic, Rad Simonpillai, a freelance film critic, and filmmaker Sonya Ballantyne dive into Val Kilmer’s rich legacy, spotlighting his iconic roles and the emotional weight of his appearances. They also discuss the animated film 'Flow', highlighting its artistic storytelling and recent Oscar win. The group humorously critiques the upcoming Minecraft movie, questioning its anti-capitalist themes juxtaposed with blockbuster budget. Plus, they share thoughts on the evolving narrative of The Beatles in film.

CBC reporter Jonathan Ore checks in from the Nintendo Direct event in New York City, where the videogame giant unveiled its latest console, the Nintendo Switch 2. Is this highly anticipated upgrade worth the wait?

Based on a true story, Dying for Sex asks us to think hard about what we’d do if we only had months or years to live. Elamin Abdelmahmoud talks about some surprising truths of a terminal cancer diagnosis the comedy gets right with Jen Pogue and Sophie Kohn. They share their experiences - Jen as a patient, and Sophie as a caregiver. Jen was featured on the Women On Screen Out Loud podcast about coming to terms with her diagnosis.

In this engaging discussion, Steven Zeitchik, Senior Editor for Technology and Politics at The Hollywood Reporter, delves into the recent updates to ChatGPT's image generator and its exciting capabilities. The episode pays tribute to Canadian rap legend Bishop Brigante, celebrating his legacy in the music community alongside guests Choclair and Big Tweeze. The conversation also explores the cultural significance of Studio Ghibli and the intricate balance between AI innovation and copyright challenges in the entertainment industry.

Elamin is joined by New York Times theatre critic Michael Paulson, longtime theatre critic Glenn Sumi, and CBC entertainment reporter Jackson Weaver to discuss U.S. President Trump’s takeover of The Kennedy Center and what it could signal for the culture of theatre in that country, and Denzel Washington in ‘Othello’ becoming the highest grossing non-musical Broadway show ever and what its high ticket prices says about the future of accessible productions in that world. 

The Juno Awards were held in Vancouver last night at a time when national pride is surging. So did last night’s show make us proud to be Canadian? Elamin is joined by music journalist Lisa Christiansen.

On the eve of a U.S. tour, Tamara Lindeman – a.k.a. indie-folk artist The Weather Station – talks about traveling to the States in this tense political moment, and why Canadian musicians can’t so easily participate in cultural boycotts when so much of their livelihood is dependent on U.S. touring. Then, musician and author Dave Bidini talks about how Canadian musicians can navigate these turbulent times by refocusing their efforts back home. 

With the Canadian government proposing additional counter-tariffs on U.S. goods that could potentially include U.S. books coming into Canada, Elamin is joined by reporter Josh O’Kane to explain why this has Canadian book stakeholders concerned. Plus, Anne Murray gets a Juno for Lifetime Achievement on Sunday. More than a decade ago, Family Guy aired an episode where baby Stewie becomes obsessed with Anne Murray, and it introduced a new generation of fans to her music. Elamin speaks with one of them – the music journalist Tony Le Calvez.

Book lovers Arizona O’Neill and Lu Aburawi talk about the new Hunger Games prequel, 'Sunrise on the Reaping,' and the cultural impact of Suzanne Collins’ popular series. Plus, Elamin talks to Matt Carey, documentary editor at Deadline.com, about the latest headlines involving this year’s Oscar winner for best documentary feature ‘No Other Land’ - including the recent detainment and release of co-director Hamdan Ballal by the Israeli military. 

TV critic Angie Han and entertainment reporter Teri Hart discuss Seth Rogen’s new Apple TV+, ‘The Studio,' a satirical look at the inner workings of the movie industry and the perpetual tension between art and commerce in Hollywood. Plus, The Cut’s Emily Gould reviews the bestselling memoir, 'The Tell' by Amy Griffin, where the businesswoman shares her path to healing after MDMA-assisted therapy unearthed a long-hidden childhood trauma.