Weekend Watchlist: Beer, Blood, and Haunted Houses
Get ready for the spooky season this month with Halloween-related programming and then some.
The month of October brings several highly anticipated horror series, psychological thrillers, and horrifying crime documentaries for streaming on your favorite platforms. October is also associated with Oktoberfest celebrations around the world, which you can dive right into in a gritty new period drama centered on all things beer.
Not a fan of horror? There are also a couple of comedic and fantasy adventure films kids might enjoy. Here’s a selection of films and series to check out this weekend.
NETFLIX
The Haunting of Bly Manor
Synopsis: Hired as governess for a pair of orphaned children, American Dani Clayton starts her new job at a country estate in Essex. Once there, however, she is troubled by her charges’ strange behaviour and begins to wonder if there is more going on at Bly Manor than meets the eye. This gothic supernatural drama series from the creator of “The Haunting of Hill House” is based on the 1898 horror novella The Turn of the Screw by Henry James. It stars some of the same cast members as Hill House in brand new roles. Premiering on Netflix on October 9.
American Murder: The Family Next Door
Synopsis: Using raw, firsthand footage, this documentary examines the disappearance of Shannan Watts and her children, and the terrible events that followed. The American true crime documentary film directed by Jenny Popplewell uses archival footage including social media posts and home video recordings to depict the tragic events that occurred.
Oktoberfest: Beer & Blood
Synopsis: In 1900 Munich, ambitious brewer Curt Prank uses brutal tactics on his quest to build a beer hall that will dominate the city’s lucrative Oktoberfest. This German historical mini-series features two powerful families going to the war over the beer festival.
Hubie Halloween
Synopsis: Hubie’s not the most popular guy in Salem, Massachusetts, but when Halloween turns truly spooky, this good-hearted scardey-cat sets out to keep his town safe. The American comedy horror film directed by Steven Brill is co-produced, co-written by and stars Adam Sandler.
HBO GO
Room 104 (Season 4)
Synopsis: This American television anthology series tells the tale of individuals who pass through a single room of an American motel. While the setting remains constant, each episode features a different story that explores multiple genres.
Folklore
Synopsis: Created by Singaporean director Eric Khoo, this six-episode horror anthology series features stories based on Asian superstitions and national folkloric myths, with each episode helmed by a director from a different country.
AMAZON PRIME
Mr. Robot (Season 4)
Synopsis: Mr. Robot follows Elliot, a young programmer who works as a cyber-security engineer by day and as a vigilante hacker by night. Panic strikes after Mr. Robot, a cryptic anarchist, recruits him to ruin the firm he is paid to protect. The critically-acclaimed series stars Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson and Christian Slater as Mr. Robot.
Black Box
Synopsis: After losing his wife and memory in a car accident, a single father undergoes an agonizing experimental treatment that causes him to question who he really is. Emmanuel Osei-Kuffour Jr. makes his directorial debut in this American science fiction horror film.
The Lie (2020)
Synopsis: When their teenaged daughter confesses to impulsively killing her best friend, two desperate parents attempt to cover up the horrific crime, leading them into a complicated web of lies and deception. The Blumhouse psychological horror stars Joey King (The Kissing Booth).
Terminator: Dark Fate
Synopsis: The sixth installment in the Terminator film franchise, this 2019 science fiction action film stars Linda Hamilton and Arnold Schwarzenegger as Sarah Connor and the T-800 Terminator, respectively, reuniting the actors after 23 years.
DISNEY PLUS
The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Synopsis: Siblings Edmund and Lucy, along with their cousin, Eustace, meet Prince Caspian aboard the Dawn Treader, the royal ship. Together, they face many dangers as they try to save the seven Lords of Narnia. This 2010 fantasy-adventure film based on the third novel in C.S. Lewis’s beloved fantasy series is the third and final installment of the original The Chronicles of Narnia films after The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (2005) and Prince Caspian (2008).
(Banner image from Netflix)