Barry Hertz
@hertzbarry
Film Editor, The Globe and Mail (Toronto, Canada). Author of Welcome to the Family: The Explosive Story Behind Fast & Furious.
UPDATE from Canadian Heritage on percentages pursued from US streamers under the Online Streaming Act:
June 14: Heritage Minister Miller says Ottawa will pursue undefined contribution of US streamers under Online Streaming Act. "My colleagues in Bloc assume that it will go down to zero. That isn't the case" July 17: AG letter says Ottawa's "intention is to eliminate the base contribution requirement"
NEW: Starting Friday, two Viceland seasons of NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW plus movie will stream on Disney+/Hulu in U.S., marking first time show has ever been available on American streamer. On Aug. 7, show will stream on Disney+/Hulu in Canada. (Movie will remain on Crave here.)
NEW: Canada's Competition Bureau has concluded its review of Paramount Skydance's proposed acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery and ... issued a "No Action Letter," meaning the bureau has no intention of challenging the merger. California, we are not.
Either WestJet's in-flight magazine — including the letter from its CEO — is written entirely by ChatGPT, or its copywriters need to be put on a no-fly list.
NEW: Ahead of TIFF's Special Presentations and Gala reveal Monday, #TIFF26 announces five new titles: Zellner Bros' ALPHA GANG, Bejamín Naishtat’s GLAXO, Rachel Morrison’s LOVE OF YOUR LIFE, Ben Shirinian’s THE HOUSEWIFE, and Bassam Tariq’s YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER YOUR MOTHER
RIP Sam Neill. I chatted with the exceptionally gentlemanly star a few years ago for JURASSIC WORLD DOMINION, during which he amusingly got into the bumpy legacy of the franchise, particularly part three. www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/film/ar...
No nomination for Ken Leung — or *any* INDUSTRY actor — is reason enough to short the Emmys.
NEW: TIFF announces #TIFF26 opening-night film BEING HEUMANN, Siân Heder’s follow-up to CODA, plus world premieres of Susanna White’s PRIMA FACIE and Hur Jin-ho’s THE ASSASSIN(S). TIFF to announce Gala & Special Presentations slate July 20, with more announcements to follow.
From Bob & Doug to Matt & Jay, and every Canadian dreamer in between: Presenting @theglobeandmail.com’s 100 Best Canadian Films — and No. 1 might surprise you! Bonus: Canada’s top directors pick their own homegrown favourites. www.theglobeandmail.com/culture/film...
NEW: Matt Johnson’s Anthony Bourdain movie TONY will be distributed theatrically in Canada by A24 (which typically, but not always, partners with local independent distributors for Canadian releases) on Aug. 14, a week after it opens in select U.S. theatres.
Twenty five years ago today, THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS hit theatres. If that quarter-century mark sounds crazy, that's because it genuinely is. So much so that I wrote a whole book about it, which I may have mentioned here once or twice. Happy 25, F&F. www.hachettebookgroup.com/titles/barry...
NEW: Five years later, I have SUCCESSION's Jesse Armstrong on record re: Kendall's S3 @theglobeandmail.com namecheck: "I thought 'Globe and Mail' was a generic thing. We tended to invent our own media properties b/c it was more simple. I think that's what happened. It's less fun that way, I know."
If Spielberg really loved UFOs he would’ve premiered DISCLOSURE DAY at the Vaughan Cineplex Colossus
Our new Heritage Minute: NIRVANNA THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE just won the Canadian Screen Award for Best Original Song for … “The Alphabet Song.” This is not a joke.
NEW: Toronto film scene's worst-kept secret confirmed as TIFF announces Christopher Nolan: Grand Designs series, including live taping of The Big Picture at Lightbox July 8, followed by deep dive on TENET July 9 with Sean Fennessey & Amanda Dobbins. All screenings 35mm or 70mm.
NEW: Telefilm report on Q1 Canadian theatrical box office reveals some great numbers: -Total box office revenue in Canada was $229.4M, up 27% from same period in 2025 -Canadian films earned $5.8M, up 39% -English-language Canadian films earned $4M, up 166% -Two Eng-lang Cdn films cracked $1M mark