By Ishani Nath

Every month, Ishani Nath, pop culture expert, journalist and the most avid tv-watcher I have ever met, is sharing her top picks for new shows, movies and documentaries to stream on Apple TV, Netflix Canada, Amazon Prime Video, Crave and CBC Gem, plus the one older release she thinks you should check out. Here’s what she’s recommending this month.

I’ve started spending my weekends sitting in a sunbeam. The only place in my home that gets direct sunshine is the front entranceway, so on sunny days, that’s where I can be found, nestled into the small couch surrounded by jackets and boots. It’s this spot that has given me a new appreciation for 3 p.m.—the hour that used to represent when I would hit a wall at work, but now marks the time when sunlight streams through the windows in a way that feels like a momentary vacation. As much as I love TV and movies, being able to not look at a screen and just soak in the sun has helped me briefly escape this ongoing panini we are stuck in.  

But don’t be fooled. When I’m not on vacay in my foyer, my go-to escape is the world of TV and movies, and thankfully, streaming services have a ton of stellar options to explore.

The movie I can’t shut up about: I first heard about Rocks at in 2019 at TIFF, where it opened the festival’s Platform Competition. Critics and audiences alike were buzzing about how director Sarah Gavron (Suffragette) and screenwriters Theresa Ikoko and Claire Wilson worked with the film’s young actors, cast from a pool of 1,300 London students, to shape a story that felt authentic and fresh. While the backbone of this film is its titular character “Rocks” (Bukky Bakray), a teen girl who suddenly finds herself the sole caregiver for her little brother, its heart is Rocks’ squad, the type of crew where each member feels like an extension of one another. This film is heartwarming, heartbreaking and it made me long for the days when “hanging with the girls” meant piling into a friend’s apartment with takeout and a gossip at the ready. More than a year after it sold out theatres at TIFF, Rocks is finally available on Netflix and it was worth the wait. 

In addition to Rocks, there are a ton of shows and movies, new and old, coming to Canadian streaming services this March. Here are some of my top picks:

Apple TV

Raya and the Last Dragon (Premieres March 5)

Raya and the Last Dragon takes us on an exciting, epic journey to the fantasy world of Kumandra, where humans and dragons lived together long ago in harmony. But when an evil force threatened the land, the dragons sacrificed themselves to save humanity. Now, 500 years later, that same evil has returned and it’s up to a lone warrior, Raya, to track down the legendary last dragon to restore the fractured land and its divided people. However, along her journey, she’ll learn that it’ll take more than a dragon to save the world—it’s going to take trust and teamwork as well.

Taste the Nation with Padma Lakshmi (Premieres March 26)

Host Padma Lakshmi takes audiences on a journey across America, exploring the rich and diverse food culture of various immigrant groups, seeking out the people who have so heavily shaped what American food is today.

CBC Gem

Blackstone Season 1 (Premieres March 5)

Blackstone tells the story of a community suffering disintegration by its own hand—a result of the corruption, mismanagement and nepotism of its Chief and Councillors; and the parallel complicity of the silent band members.

Nîpahistamâsowin: We Will Stand Up (Premieres March 5)

The death of a young Cree man, Colten Boushie, captures international attention and raises disturbing questions about racism in Canada's legal system. Winner of the Ted Rogers Best Feature Length Documentary Award at the 2020 Canadian Screen Awards.

Victoria Season 1 (Premieres March 22)

Starring Jenna Coleman (Doctor Who) as the candid, spirited monarch Queen Victoria, this ambitious series navigates the scandal, corruption and political intrigues of the Court, from the Queen’s ascension to the throne at the tender age of 18, through to her courtship and marriage to Prince Albert, played by Tom Hughes (A Discovery of Witches, The Game, Dancing on the Edge, Silk).

Amazon Prime Video

Coming 2 America (Premieres March 5)

Set in the lush and royal country of Zamunda, newly-crowned King Akeem (Eddie Murphy) and his trusted confidante Semmi (Arsenio Hall) embark on an all-new hilarious adventure that has them traversing the globe from their great African nation to the borough of Queens, New York – where it all began.

The Stand (Premieres March 19)

The nine-episode limited event series is Stephen King’s apocalyptic vision of a world decimated by plague and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail (Whoopi Goldberg) and a handful of survivors. Their worst nightmares are embodied in a man with a lethal smile and unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg (Alexander Skarsgård), the Dark Man.

Ammonite (Premieres March 25)

1840s England, acclaimed but overlooked fossil hunter Mary Anning and a young woman sent to convalesce by the sea develop an intense relationship, altering both of their lives forever.

Netflix Canada

Biggie: I Got a Story to Tell (Premieres March 1)

Featuring rare footage and in-depth interviews, this documentary celebrates the life of The Notorious B.I.G. on his journey from hustler to rap king.

Bombay Begums (Premieres March 8)

From boardrooms to society's margins, five ambitious women from various walks of life navigate dreams, desires and disappointments in modern Mumbai.

Bombay Rose (Premieres March 8)

Escaping from child marriage, a young club dancer living in the streets of Bombay, must choose between fending for her family and finding love with a boy orphaned by the militancy. Painted frame by frame and woven delicately through music, a red rose brings together three tales of impossible loves. Love between two dreamers tested by duty and religious divides. Love between two women. Love of an entire city for its Bollywood stars. Based on true events, the film, in documentary fashion, explores the ruthlessness of a society where the love and life that reigns on the big screen can crush you in its mean streets.

Last Chance U: Basketball (Premieres March 10)

From Greg Whiteley (Cheer) and the team behind Emmy-winning Last Chance U comes Last Chance U: Basketball, an honest, gritty look inside the world of community college basketball. Over the course of eight episodes, viewers will follow the East Los Angeles College Huskies (ELAC) in their high stakes chase to an unprecedented California state basketball championship. Led by passionate head coach John Mosley, the ELAC team is made up of former D1 recruits and powerhouse athletes hustling to prove themselves for a last chance to fulfill their dreams of playing at the next level. But the team is tested as the players battle adversity, inner demons, and emotions on and off the court.

The One (Premieres March 12) 

Love — and lies — spiral when a DNA researcher helps discover a way to find the perfect partner, and creates a bold new matchmaking service

Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal (Premieres March 17) 

Reenactments drive this documentary investigating the mastermind behind a scam to sneak the kids of rich and famous families into top US universities.

Sky Rojo (Premieres March 19) 

On the run from their pimp and his henchmen, three women embark on a wild and crazy journey in search of freedom. From the creators of Money Heist.

Crave Canada

Step Up: High Water (Premieres March 5) 

Step Up: High Water focuses on several ambitious young dancers in a contemporary performing arts school in Atlanta. Sage Odom (Ne-Yo) is the legendary founder of Atlanta's famed High Water Performing Arts School. Collette (late Naya Rivera), is a former dancer turned High Water administrator whose passion for her students is only matched by her history with Sage, and secrets of her own. Dancers "Janelle" (Lauryn McClain) and "Tal" (Petrice Jones), are twins who are uprooted from suburban Ohio to live with their Uncle Al (Faizon Love).

First Cow (Premieres March 5) 

Two travellers on the run from a band of vengeful hunters in the 1820s, dream of striking it rich. But their tenuous plan to make their fortune on the frontier comes to rely on the secret use of a landowner's prized dairy cow.

Underplayed (Premieres March 8) 

An official selection of the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) and the Tribeca Film Festival in 2020, the film, from award-winning documentary filmmaker Stacey Lee, examines gender inequality in the electronic dance music scene. Filmed in 2019 over the summer festival season, the film presents a portrait of the current status of equality issues in EDM through the lens of the female pioneers, next-generation artists, and industry leaders who are championing the change to inspire future generations. Ultimately, the film explores how gender disparity happens; a theme that transcends music and finds relevance in many of today's industries. The documentary stars a diverse group of established DJs such as Alison Wonderland, Sherelle, and Canada’s own REZZ. Executive produced by Bud Light Canada.

Genera+ion (Premieres March 11) 

This dark yet playful 30-minute dramedy follows a group of high school students whose exploration of modern sexuality (devices and all) tests deeply entrenched beliefs about life, love, and the nature of family in their conservative community. Created by 18-year-old Zelda Barnz and her father Daniel Barnz who also directs, and executive produced by Lena Dunham (Girls) and Ben Barnz

Broken Hearts Gallery (Premieres March 12) 

Broken Hearts Gallery follows the always unique Lucy (Geraldine Viswanathan), a 20-something art gallery assistant living in New York City, who also happens to be an emotional hoarder. After she gets dumped by her latest boyfriend, Lucy is inspired to create The Broken Heart Gallery, a pop-up space for the items love has left behind. Word of the gallery spreads, encouraging a movement and a fresh start for all the romantics out there, including Lucy herself.

Tina (Premieres March 27) 

Tina offers a revealing and intimate look at the life and career of musical icon Tina Turner. With more than 200 million record sales worldwide, 12 GRAMMY® Awards and the holder of the Guinness World Record for selling more concert tickets than any solo performer in history, Tina Turner’s road to superstardom is an undeniable story of triumph over adversity.