David Fincher: Mind Games author Adam Nayman discusses his new book, the connective tissue between films like Zodiac and Gone Girl, the genius behind Fincher’s casting when wielding Ben Affleck’s public persona, and why we can’t stop comparing the Fight Club director to Paul Thomas Anderson. Plus, thoughts on Anderson’s latest movie Licorice Pizza.

NOW’s Holiday Movie Special is on the stands, summing up the year in film. And in this companion podcast, Norm talks to Oscar-winning producer J. Miles Dale about how he and Guillermo Del Toro saved their new film Nightmare Alley when COVID shut it down halfway through production. He also interviews Joanna Hogg, writer/director of The Souvenir Part II, his pick for the best film of 2021.

In this week’s issue, NOW associate editor Richard Trapunski takes stock of the year in music; for this companion episode, he’s joined by fellow music writer Melissa Vincent to talk through the highlights, the breakouts, the surprises … and the relief that came from being able to see performers back on stage where they belong.

This week, NOW rolled out its list of the year’s best shows, so Norm and fellow critics Kevin Ritchie, Ramona Leitao, Radheyan Simonpillai and Glenn Sumi assemble to discuss why we picked what we picked, and why we ranked them where we did.

The 2022 Grammy nominations were announced on Tuesday, and some of the names on the Recording Academy’s list were a little surprising: Louis CK, Marilyn Manson and Dave Chappelle are all up for awards, despite their current status as cultural pariahs. Music editor Richard Trapunski and culture editor Radheyan Simonpillai join Norm to discuss what it all means.

Norm and NOW music editor Richard Trapunski talk to journalist and author Corey Mintz about his new book, The Next Supper: The End Of Restaurants As We Knew Them, and how problems like underpaid employees, toxic work culture and untenable delivery-app fees won’t go away with the return of indoor dining. In fact, they might get worse.

In the wake of the fatal crowd surge at Travis Scott’s Astroworld festival last weekend, Norm and NOW music editor talk to Janet Sellery, the chair of Event Safety Alliance Canada, about the preparation that goes into events of this scale, and what can happen when things go wrong.

With the countdown underway to our next municipal election, NOW news editor Enzo DiMatteo joins Norm to consider the field of potential contenders, the departure of potential progressive candidate Joe Cressy, and whether John Tory is planning to run for a third term as mayor … and what happens if he doesn’t. You can read more from Enzo at nowtoronto.com/news .

It’s Halloween, so Norm talks to Alexandra West and Andrea Subissati -- narrators of NOW’s Haunted Toronto audio tour -- about their Faculty of Horror podcast, which released its 100th episode this month. And then filmmaker Edgar Wright discusses the ghosts that haunt his new movie Last Night in Soho, which opens in theatres today.

Happy Halloween! Faculty Of Horror hosts Andrea Subissati and Alexandra West are your guides to the city’s spookiest sites in this audio companion to NOW’s Hidden Toronto: Haunted Edition. Best enjoyed after dark.