Ten October cinema treats
October is notorious for its spooky releases, just in time for Halloween. For horror buffs, it’s a feast; for scaredy cats, it’s a fasting. But this month, Popcorn Podcast has selected a mix of the best movies to see in October that will satisfy everyone, not just the horror-hungry.
Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington in Amsterdam
Amsterdam (October 6)
David O Russell’s period dramedy about three friends caught in a wartime mystery boasts an impressive ensemble cast, featuring Christian Bale, Margot Robbie, John David Washington, Anya Taylor-Joy, Taylor Swift, Rami Malek and Robert De Niro. The American Hustle director has faced heavy backlash for returning to the director’s chair after a six-year filmmaking hiatus (his last was John Krasinski-starring short film Past Forward) after admitting to sexual misconduct toward his niece in 2011, alongside a multitude of on-set horror stories revealed by actors over the years.
Don’t Worry Darling (October 6)
Booksmart director Olivia Wilde and screenwriter Katie Silberman reunite for this Harry Styles and Florence Pugh-led psychological thriller. Set in the 1950s, a housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community starts to worry that his glamorous company could be hiding dark secrets.
Don’t Worry Darling is another film that has not been without its controversies (from Styles allegedly spitting on Chris Pine to how and why Shia LaBeouf left the project). The rumour mill has been working overtime, but one thing is for certain: Wilde offers us a wild ride behind a film camera and in front of an interview one.
Listen to Popcorn Podcast’s review of Don’t Worry Darling now
The Stranger (October 6)
Melbourne-born actor (Everest) and director (Acute Misfortune) Thomas M Wright brings us an intense crime-thriller based on the true story of one of the largest undercover operations in Australia. Two men (Joel Edgerton and Sean Harris) befriend each other on a plane. One (Harris) is a suspect in an unsolved missing person’s case; the other (Edgerton) is an undercover operative on his trail.
The Australian film was nominated for the Un Certain Regard Award at the Cannes Film Festival. Before releasing globally on Netflix October 19, the The Stranger seeks an audience on the big screen.
Wog Boys Forever (October 6)
More than a decade after Wog Boy 2: Kings of Mykonos, Steve 'Wog Boy' Karamitsis (Nick Giannopoulos) and his best mate Frank (Vince Colosimo) are back to show the world that "where there's a Wog, there's always a way!” In Frank Lotito’s comedy, Brianna Beagle-Thorpe (Sarah Roberts), the Minister for Immigration, hatches a plan to exact revenge on Steve for destroying her late mother Raelene's political career.
Co-starring comedy group sensation Sooshi Mango, this sequel promises a barrel of laughs – no matter your ethnic background.
Halloween Ends (October 13)
David Gordon Green closes the saga of Michael Myers and Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) with this final instalment of the Halloween franchise.
Set four years after the events of Halloween Kills, Myers hasn’t been seen since his last brutal rampage and Laurie lives with her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak), choosing to liberate herself from fear and rage. But when a young man is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, Laurie is forced to confront the evil she can't control, once and for all. The horrifying conclusion closes the slasher franchise, which began in 1978 with John Carpenter’s Halloween.
Check out Popcorn Podcast’s interviews with Andi Matichak and Kyle Richards now
Black Adam (October 20)
Based on the DC Comics, this adventurous adaptation introduces us to the superhero Black Adam (played by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson). Nearly 5000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods, antihero Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.
Spanish director Jaume Collet-Serra is no stranger to working with Johnson, having directed him in 2021’s comedy-adventure Jungle Cruise.
Decision To Leave (October 20)
Award-winning director Park Chan-wook’s (The Handmaiden, Oldboy) Palme d’Or nominee follows a detective (Park Hae-il) who’s investigating a man's death in the mountains when he meets the dead man's mysterious wife (Tang Wei) and begins to develop feelings for her — even though she is a prime suspect. The crime-drama is South Korea’s Oscar submission for the 2023 Academy Awards. A must-watch for all cinephiles… if you aren’t afraid of some harmless subtitles.
Bros (October 27)
On the lighter side, romantic comedy Bros tells the story of two men with commitment problems who attempt a relationship. The film is co-written by and stars Billy Eichner (of Billy on the Street fame), and marks a milestone for the comedian (and the world) as Eichner is the first openly gay man to co-write and star in his own major studio film. Featuring Brothers & Sisters actor Luke Macfarlane, the rom-com packs in the love and the laughs for a joyful watch.
Join Popcorn Podcast and Billy Eichner on the red carpet at the Sydney premiere of Bros
Sissy (October 27)
Black-humoured horror Sissy stains a hen’s weekend blood-red. When Cecilia (Aisha Dee), a wellness influencer, runs into her old high school bestie Emma (Hannah Barlow) after a decade, Emma invites ‘Sissy’ to her hen's weekend away. Stuck in a remote cabin with her high school bully, revenge quickly becomes the InstaStory of the day for all involved.
After opening South By South West's 2022 Midnighters Program, Hannah Barlow’s second directorial feature film stunned fans of the slasher genre. You might find yourself shielding your eyes in front of the big screen when you face this Australian horror-comedy.
Popcorn Podcast chats to Sissy co-writer and co-director Hannah Barlow
The Woman King (October 27)
This historical epic is inspired by true events about the all-female army that defended West Africa’s Kingdom of Dahomey in the 18th and 19th centuries. Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood (the acclaimed Love & Basketball) and starring Academy Award-winner Viola Davis, Lashana Lynch (No Time to Die) and series actor Thuso Mbedu (The Underground Railroad), the action-packed drama wowed critics at its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival on September 9.
Early reactions suggest the film will dominate at the box office and this incarnation of fierce female-powered action belongs on the biggest screen you can find.
