Strange Empire, on CBC
After a gruesome massacre, a group of women find themselves at the mercy of a ruthless man in this premiere. Starring Cara Gee, Melissa Farman and Tattiawna Jones, the drama puts a feminine twist on the story of the Wild West.
Bob's Burgers, on Fox, Global
Fresh off an Emmy win for outstanding animated program, Bob Belcher and his family return in this season premiere. This season, Bob enters a "Best Burger" contest, Linda dyes her hair and Tina sparks up a romance with a ghost.
New Releases for the week of October 5 - 11
Million Dollar Arm
In danger of losing his job as a sports agent, JB Bernstein (Hamm) travels to India to produce a reality show competition with the idea that he can turn a talented young cricket pitcher into a baseball star. With the help of an irritable retired baseball scout (Arkin), JB discovers two 18-year-old boys with incredible throwing arms, yet no idea how to play baseball. Back in America, he trains the boys in the hopes of signing them to major league contracts, but it's JB who ends up learning a thing or two about family, teamwork and commitment.
Director: Craig Gillespie. Stars: Jon Hamm, Bill Paxton, Lake Bell, Suraj Sharma, Alan Arkin, Aasif Mandvi, Pitobash, Darshan Jariwala, Allyn Rachel. 2014. 124 min. Drama.
Edge of Tomorrow
In the near future, a powerful alien race has launched a devastating attack on Earth, and none of the world's military units are able to get it under control. Maj. William Cage (Cruise) has very little combat experience and is killed minutes after being thrown into what is ostensibly a suicide mission. He soon finds himself in a time loop, forced to experience the same battle and his death over and over again. With each return to combat, he finds himself a little more proficient, and alongside Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt), he comes closer to obliterating the enemy once and for all.
Director: Doug Liman. Stars: Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson, Noah Taylor, Kick Gurry, Dragomir Mrsic, Charlotte Riley, Jonas Armstrong. 2014. 113 min. Sci-fi.
A Million Ways to Die in the West
Albert (MacFarlane) is a craven sheep farmer in the perilous Old West whose beloved girlfriend (Seyfried) leaves him for another man after his cowardly withdrawal from a duel. He soon meets and falls for Anna (Theron), a mysterious new woman who arrives in town and helps him develop confidence, courage and shooting skills. Albert's newfound bravery is put to the test when Anna’s outlaw husband (Neeson), an infamous gunslinger, rides into town and demands payback.
Director: Seth MacFarlane. Stars: Seth MacFarlane, Charlize Theron, Liam Neeson, Neil Patrick Harris, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, Sarah Silverman. 2014. 116 min. Comedy.
Don't Drive Here, on Discovery Channel
Host Andrew Younghusband risks life and limb once again as he takes to the streets of Sao Paolo. In this series, cameras follow Younghusband on a thrilling global adventure as he navigates the world's worst cities for driving.
Last Man Standing, on ABC
Tim Allen brings his manly man persona Mike Baxter back to prime-time in this highly anticipated season premiere. Nancy Travis co-stars as his loving wife Vanessa, and together the Baxters watch their three daughters grow up and move on.
Bad Judge, on NBC
Rebecca Wright (Kate Walsh) is a real wild child, but she also happens to be one of the best criminal court judges in Los Angeles in this new series. While she may be well-respected in the courtroom, she parties too much and plays drums in a band.
Criminal Minds, on CBS CTV
Jennifer Love Hewitt joins the cast as seasoned FBI undercover agent Kate Callahan in the milestone 10th season premiere. In the season opener, the team investigates a series of gruesome murders in Bakersfield, Calif.
Manhattan Love Story, on ABC
Dana (Analeigh Tipton) and Peter (Jake McDorman) navigate the tricky waters of modern-day dating in this new comedy. This unique series allows viewers to hear what Dana and Peter are thinking, highlighting the differences between men and women.
NCIS: Los Angeles, on CBS Global
Callen (Chris O'Donnell) and Sam (LL Cool J) are in deep trouble when they find themselves trapped in an armed submarine in this season premiere. At the same time, Hetty (Linda Hunt) and the team scramble to prevent a terrorist attack.
New Releases for the week of September 28 - October 4
Transformers: Age of Extinction
Five years after the Decepticons invaded Chicago, the Autobots have gone into hiding as fear grows among society. Though the Autobots were initially granted asylum, the government has been secretly and systematically hunting them down. Cade Yeager (Wahlberg), a single father and mechanic, stumbles across a deactivated Optimus Prime (Cullen), and soon he and his daughter’s boyfriend (Reynor) become wrapped up in a conflict between man and machine. Meanwhile, the future of mankind itself is threatened when a new and powerful enemy targets Earth.
Director: Michael Bay. Stars: Mark Wahlberg, Peter Cullen, Jack Reynor, Stanley Tucci, Kelsey Grammer, Nicola Peltz, Titus Welliver, Sophia Myles, Bingbing Li, T.J. Miller. 2014. 165 min. Action.
Chef
When his culinary creativity is staunched by his autocratic employer (Hoffman), talented chef Carl Casper (Favreau) leaves his job at a prominent Los Angeles restaurant to consider the next stage of his life. Returning to his hometown of Miami, Fla., Carl reunites with his ex-wife (Vergara), his son (Anthony) and his friend (Leguizamo), and together they open up a food truck. Hitting the road, the gang sets off across the country as Chef Carl plans to reassert himself as a culinary master and reclaim his success in L.A.
Director: Jon Favreau. Stars: Jon Favreau, Emjay Anthony, Scarlett Johansson, Sofia Vergara, John Leguizamo, Robert Downey Jr., Dustin Hoffman, Oliver Platt, Bobby Cannavale. 2014. 114 min. Comedy.
Hellion
Hollis Wilson (Paul) is a hard-drinking and emotionally absent single father who struggles to raise his two boys, especially his rebellious 13-year-old son Jacob (Wiggins). As Jacob’s obsession with heavy metal and motocross culture leads to dangerous behaviour, the authorities step in, placing his younger brother Wes (Garner) in the custody of his Aunt Pam (Lewis), forcing Jacob to rekindle his relationship with his estranged father in order to bring Wes home.
Director: Kat Candler. Stars: Aaron Paul, Juliette Lewis, Josh Wiggins, Deke Garner, Jonny Mars, Annalee Jefferies. 2014. 94 min. Drama.
Decoding Annie Parker
Based on incredible true events, the story follows Annie Parker (Morton), who lives a wonderful life with her parents and her older sister. After a series of tragedies wherein her father dies and both her mother and sister lose battles with breast cancer, Annie is struck by the incurable disease herself. Meanwhile, brilliant geneticist Mary-Claire King (Hunt) is on the hunt for new information on the origins of cancer. The two women soon find their paths intersecting, and they discover a bond that goes beyond science.
Director: Steven Bernstein. Stars: Samantha Morton, Helen Hunt, Aaron Paul, Maggie Grace, Rashida Jones, Alice Eve, Corey Stoll, Ben McKenzie, Kate Micucci. 2013. 91 min. Drama.