MOVIES
What are the main movies to be released in the U.S. in October?
October is looking tasty at cinemas around the country with a number of high profile films - some definitely on the scary side - being released.
Joker: Folie à Deux hits screens this Friday, October 4, heralding what movie goers are hoping will be a tasty month on big screens around the country. With a certain scary festival coming up at the end of the month, there’s no surprise October’s film releases are dominated by horror, thrillers and things that generally make you want to jump out of your seat. Hold on to your popcorn.
Joker: Folie à Deux
The next instalment in the Joker story, after 2019′s psychological thriller based on the baddie from the Batman franchise, finds Arthur Fleck, played by Joaquin Phoenix, institutionalised in Arkham State Hospital as he awaits trial for the crimes he committed as the Joker. As he battles with the complex nature of his personality, he finds love, in the form of Harleen “Lee” Quinzel, aka Harley Quinn, played by Lady Gaga, another patient at the institution.
As the two form a deadly romantic relationship, based on mutual obsession - note that Jolie à deux is a medical term for a mental disorder that affects two or more individuals together - expect violence, laughs and general chaos.
Joker: Folie à Deux is released on October, 4 nationwide.
Terrifier 3
Art the Clown isn’t somebody you really want around at any time of year, but for Sienna Shaw and her younger brother who had to deal with him ruining Halloween (again) in Terrifier 2, they now have to put up with him at Christmas. He may be bringing presents, but not the kind you’d hope to find under your tree.
Another low budget film from Damien Leone - just $2 million, though the original was just $35,000! - expect more gore, more shocks, more twisted terror, more violent deaths and also some interesting character interplay as Vicky Heyes, the sole survivor of the first film turns evil and acts as Art’s partner-in-crime.
(The trailer isn’t too terrifying, but remarkably it’s not particularly nice either - if you’re around small people or folk of a nervous disposition, maybe leave it till later.)
Terrifier 3 is released on October 11, nationwide.
Saturday Night
Not a terror movie! Though it might have been terrifying for some of the young comedians and writers in the 90 chaotic minutes before the first episode of Saturday Night Live aired in 1975. This film offers a behind the scenes look at how it all went down.
Saturday Night is released on October 11, nationwide.
Piece by Piece
Nobody was expecting music icon Pharrell Williams to have his life documented through the medium of LEGO animation, but... just be open! Williams has come ups with five new songs for the film, and critics are generally pretty keen, having praised the directing, the voices, the humor and the animation. Oh, and the soundtrack, as you’d expect.
Piece by Piece is released on October 11, nationwide.
Smile 2
Yep, you guessed correctly, it’s a sequel to Smile, the 2022 psychological supernatural horror film from writer and director Parker Finn. In the original a therapist witnesses a patient’s suicide, while calmly smiling, and then goes through a number of increasingly disturbing experiences.
In the sequel we’re going to meet pop singer Skye Riley, played by Naomi Scott, who, would you believe it, goes through a number of increasingly disturbing experiences as she prepares to go on a world tour.
Again, a trailer you might not want to watch with wee ones or people of a nervous disposition around.
Smile 2 is released on October 18, nationwide.
Venom: The Last Dance
As the title suggests, it’s meant to be the end of the road for Venom, at least as far as this trilogy goes. Comic books being comic books and cinema being cinema don’t expect a character as thoroughly enjoyable as Venom to disappear forever though. Or even more than a couple of years.
It gets a bit complicated, but Venom is a sentient alien who lives in a host (technically a symbiote) with the stories taking place in the Spider-Man universe (in fact the alien’s first host WAS Spider-Man, at least in the comic books).
The alien now lives in journalist Eddie Brock and they’ve had all sorts of adventures, some quite violent, over the first two films (Venom (2018) and Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021). Spoiler alert: there was carnage).
Right now, for various reasons you’ll need to see the film to understand, both are being hunted on their home worlds and need to go on the run. The film has a budget of $110 million and pretty big things are expected of it, both in terms of entertainment and bringing in the bucks.
Venom: The Last Dance is released on October 25, nationwide.
Other films being released in October
Friday, October 4
White Bird - in Nazi-occupied France, a young Jewish girl is hidden away by the family of a boy she’d previously shunned.
Friday, October 18
Gracie and Pedro: Pets to the Rescue - if you know kids who’d enjoy a pampered dog and a street smart cat teaming up on a thrilling journey from Las Vegas across the desert in search of their family, then this might be the film to take them to.
Goodrich - Starring Michael Keaton, this heartfelt drama follows Andy Goodrich, whose life is thrown into chaos when his wife enters rehab, leaving him to care for their young children.