Which of these are you going to watch? |
October is the month of horror, and horror fans will be crawling out of their dark dingy basements to treat themselves with the picking of the juiciest horrors on display this month.
From supernatural scares to terrorizing thrillers, horrors this month also come from many countries including Korea, Indonesia, Hollywood and Hong Kong. That gives enough titles to turn you into an insomniac for a month. Still, that doesn't mean that non-horror fans will be creeping into their blankets instead of the cinemas, as the release schedule for this month is still varied enough for those who don't like to be shocked in their seats.
So, if you are not interested in taking your date out for a good scare (you monsters), here are some other movies (with a few horror-themed ones) that you don't need to hold yourself to the edge of your seats.
Venom
Superhero season lives on in October, though not exactly a continuation of the half-destroyed Marvel Cinematic Universe, and even less optimistic from the titles that come directly from Marvel Studios. Centered on the anti-hero of the Spider-verse that is spiritually tied to the MCU in the hands of Sony and directed by "Zombieland" director Ruben Fleishcer, fans of the character may be pleased that the studio has decided to take on a darker and more matured tone for the outing of the character and having Tom Hardy as the lead (even if we are going to have to struggle to hear what he's saying again). Also rounding out the cast is Oscar nominees Michelle Williams and Woody Harrelson, together with Riz Ahmad and Reid Scott.
General Release Date: 4 October
Project Gutenberg
Living in poverty as a failed artist, Lee Man's work finally attracts the attention of an artist known as the Painter, who invites Lee into the world of counterfeiting in search of making the perfect dollar, while foiling authorities around the world. Written and directed by Felix Chong, who is best known as the writer for the "Infernal Affairs" series and directing the "Overheard" series, this would be no ordinary "Catch Me If You Can"-type chase without some thriller-level twists, being carried by acting heavyweight Aaron Kwok, and Chow Yun Fatt in a role that takes himself a little more seriously and not thick with CG-makeup.
General Release Date: 4 October
Bad Times at the El Royale
When a preacher checks into the El Royale, he and the six other guests who are checked in are about to find out that they are not all who they claim to be. Novelty hotels are becoming a new setting for some twisted premises to take place in, and one person that has had a good record of doing them is Drew Goddard. Despite him running some of the best TV series and writing some of the most sought-after franchise sequels (both good and bad), "Bad Times at the El Royale" is only his second outing on the director's chair since his ground-shifting "Cabin in the Woods". Already not sparring in the casting department with Jeff Bridges, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Nick Offerman and Chris Hemsworth as the suspicious strangers, all that's left to see is if Goddard is able to deliver another hit piece of entertainment.
General Release Date: 11 October
First Man
Based on the book of Neil Armstrong of the same name, "First Man" follows the years of the first man to set foot on the moon, leading up to the historic mission of Apollo 11. Looking to put himself back into the Oscar race, director Damien Chazelle extends his filmmaking horizons to the biopic genre after his last stint with the musical. Ryan Gosling reunites with the "La La Land" director to take the lead role as Neil Armstrong, supported by Claire Foy, Jason Clarke, Kyle Chandler, and Corey Stoll. Focused on telling a more personal story of the man, rather than the scientific achievements of mankind, Chazelle concentration on story and character has already won hearts at the Venice Film Festival. How far "First Man" will go in the Best Picture race is still further away from the moon, but this is easily the next small step for fans of Chazelle's work who has made a giant leap in his world of filmmaking.
General Release Date: 11 October
Halloween
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Set 40 years after the infamous Myer Murders, the masked serial killer is on the loose again but survivor Laurie Strode is bent on ending Myer's killing spree once and for all. Few slasher horrors are as defining as 1978's "Halloween", and after decades of sequels, the legend of Mike Myers have landed onto the most effective horror producer of the 21st century that feeds on such low-budget, high-scares; Blumhouse Productions. Planning to clean the slate of the sequels that came before, this "Halloween" is looking to extend the legacy of the original by having original director John Carpenter as a consultant, producer and even composer, and also bringing back Jamie Lee Curtis in her original role to make a rightful sequel. Directed by David Gordon Green who we know better for his character-driven works like "Joe" and "Prince Avalanche", this would be his interesting foray into the slasher genre, and may bring back some of our haunted memories if you somehow sneaked a viewing of the original when you weren't supposed to.
General Release Date: 18 October
Namaste England
Param and Jasmeet are married according to Indian tradition and live as a happily conservative couple. But when opportunities takes Jasmeet to England, the couple have to face the realities of whether their love can survive by following traditions or being free. Love can still happen, even in a month of horror. Although a sequel to 2007's "Namastey London", this time around it will be focusing on a new couple with Arjun Kapoor and Parineeti Chopra, who hasn't been seen together since 2012's "Ishaqzaae". Director Vipul Amrutlal Shah returns for this sequel with songs composed by Mannan Shaah, Badshah and Rishi Rich, including a new Tapori song sung by Amit Mishra and Kapoor. Shot in 75 idyllic locations from Amritsar to Paris, this is the perfect counter-programming to take your date on who doesn't want to close her eyes for every second of the movie.
General Release Date: 19 October
Gol dan Gincu Vol. 2
When college girls Zak and Yaya get into a fight on campus that goes viral, they are sent to do community service at a home for troubled teens. More than a decade after the first movie and a television series, series creator Rafidah Abdullah, together with novelist Nadia Khan decides to write a new college comedy for girls of the social media generation. Introducing Diana Danielle, and Ummi Nazeera as the new leads, but also bringing back familiar faces like Sharifah Amani, Zarina Zainuddin, and Sazzy Falak.
General Release Date: 25 October
Rampant
Taken as a political hostage by the Qing dynasty in China, Prince Yi Chung is called back to Korea by the Joseon crown prince and brother Yi Yung to deal with nightmarish demons that are killing people in the country. Korea has been pushing the envelope on zombie movies with "Train to Busan" (that the Americans are remaking), and now they are trying to push it further with a zombie theme set in a period piece. "Confidential Assignment" director Kim Sung-hoon is looking to establish himself as the premium Korean action director with his third outing, reuniting with his "Confidential Assignment" best man Hyun Bin to once again slaying things and taking names.
General Release Date: 25 October
Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween
Our last horror recommendation is one for the kids that doesn't always have to be stuffed with scaries and things that go bump in the night. When two boys open a manuscript from an abandoned house, they unleashed the trapped terrors of R.L Stine that set out to bring the Halloween Apocalypse. Based on the series of children's book by R. L Stine, this sequel in name is being tried by a new cast and crew, starting with Ari Sandel taking over the helm, Rob Lieber tackling the screenplay, and only having Jack Black reprising his role as the series author. So you don't need to leave your kids at home for this Halloween, unless you want to stop them from eating gummy bears until they reach adulthood.
General Release Date: 25 October
Cinema Online, 30 September 2018