The Best New Films To Watch This Month
It’s October, which in the world of film means scary films month- but there’s more to this month than just purely spooky horror movies. If you’re looking for thrills and watching through your fingertips moments, then Salem’s Lot and Smile 2 will give you a Halloween fix. For two of the year’s most thoughtful and engaging dramas though, Sebastian Stan’s A Different Man and Saoirse Ronan’s The Outrun are both ones to watch. Here are the best films to catch this month:
Joker: Folie a Deaux
Joaquin Phoenix returns to his Oscar-winning role of Arthur Fleck, also known as The Joker, in this sequel to the 2019 film. This time around, he’s joined by Lady Gaga who plays Harley Quinn, the Joker’s sidekick and romantic interest. The two of them are housed in Gotham City’s mental institution Arkham Asylum following Arthur’s lengthy trial, and together they plot to break free and wreak havoc on the city. Unlike the previous film, this one features song and dance musical numbers- utilising Gaga and giving things a fresher feeling. Brendan Gleeson, Zazie Beets, Catherine Keener and Steve Coogan also star.
out in theatres: 4th october
Smile 2
A sequel to the creepily unnerving horror film Smile, Smile 2 shows you just how spooky a grin can be. Naomi Scott plays the lead, Skye Riley, who’s a famous pop singer and artist planning to embark on a lengthy tour for her fans. But these plans are disrupted by a series of chilling and increasingly disturbing events that unfold as she gets ready to do so: a mysterious affliction infecting people is spreading around her as the tour gets nearer and nearer, causing them to all break out into demonic, staring smiles. Unsure what to do or what’s going on, she’s forced to reassess her past and everything she knows to survive.
out in theatres: 18th october
A Different Man
A Different Man is a thought-provoking psychological thriller film that mixes in a healthy dose of black comedy. It stars Sebastian Stan as Edward, a man suffering from a medical condition that results in physical deformities and a disfigured head. Living a life he’s desperate to escape from, Edward is given the chance to do just that when he’s offered facial surgery to give him essentially a brand new face. He accepts, and with his new features sets out to live life anew- but becomes obsessed with a stage play being performed based on his own life. He becomes increasingly fixated and envious of its lead actor, Oswald- leading him down a dark and deteriorating path.
out in theatres: 4th October
The Outrun
Oscar nominee Saoirse Ronan returns to the screen with her new film The Outrun this month, which is based on the autobiographical book of the same name by Amy Liptrot. It sees her play Rona, a young woman who leaves rehab having been admitted for substance issues and alcohol abuse, after years of a partying lifestyle. Following these self-destructive years down in London, she returns to the Orkney islands, seeking to mend and reconnect with herself. While she’ll also reconnect with both of her parents, who she has differing relationships with, her main source of renewal and comfort is becoming immersed in the Orkney Islands’ wildlife and stillness, compared to the chaotic hustle and bustle that she’s been so used to.
out now
Salem’s Lot
Horror maestro Stephen King’s novel Salem’s Lot, one of his most popular, has been adapted into a new movie version that’s set to release this month. Much like other King stories, it’s set in Maine, with a writer, Ben, (played by Lewis Pullman) returning to his hometown of Jerusalem’s Lot. He’s keen on finding new inspiration and ideas from the place where he once lived as a child- but his trip down memory lane is derailed when he finds that something is very wrong. Residents in the town are being changed, and Ben discovers that they’re all turning into vampires. As the problem gets worse and he starts fearing for his safety, Ben decides to rally together a small group of townsfolk to try to stop the vampire epidemic once and for all.
Out in theatres: 11th October