TV: ‘Unchosen’
In this slow-burn British thriller miniseries on Netflix, a young mother in a fundamentalist Christian sect experiences a crisis in faith when a handsome and charismatic stranger rescues her drowning daughter. Peppered with sex, murder, torture and intense car chases, it’s a gripping story, expertly told — provided you ignore the unhinged (and improbable) twist ending. — Doug Brod
Movies: ‘Top Gun’ and ‘Top Gun: Maverick’
Do you feel the need? The need … for speed! Two jet-fuelled masterpieces of homoerotica are roaring back into theatres this week to mark the 40th anniversary of “Top Gun.” Even better? You can experience all the loop-de-loops and screaming engines in glorious ScreenX or 4DX. In an era so lacking in true star power, revel in Tom Cruise’s megawatt rizz, in both baby-face and grizzled veteran form. Cue the Kenny Loggins! — Briony Smith
Short Film: “& Other Concerns”
Based on the hit Toronto Fringe play “An Atlas, a Necktie, & Other Concerns,” this short film streaming on CBC Gem may remind you of the works of Luis Buñuel. Kooky, surreal and with some unsettling threads lurking beneath the surface, Lauren Greenwood’s “& Other Concerns” follows a woman experiencing a mid-life crisis, all while trapped inside a mind-bending escape room. Blythe Haynes delivers an appropriately unsettling central performance, while Myrthin Stagg, Chantel Winters and Yvonne Addai round out the cast as the woman’s inept and unhelpful friends. — Joshua Chong
Festival: Inside Out 2SLGBTQ+ Film Festival
One of Toronto’s most fun film festivals kicks off May 22 at TIFF Lightbox, featuring documentaries about queer icons Billie Jean King, Carole Pope, Brittney Griner and RuGirls Peppermint and Pangina Heals, along with the postapocalyptic drama “Perfect,” featuring Julia Fox, and John Early’s buzzy comedy “Maddie’s Secret.” We’re especially excited for “Out of the Woods,” featuring character-actor faves Bruce Davison and Frances Fisher; the doc “We Are Pat,” about the famous gender-bending “Saturday Night Live” character; and the true-crime investigation “My Brother’s Killer,” about the fight for justice in the case of slain gay porn star Billy London. — Briony Smith
