What to watch this weekend: 'Venom 2,' Netflix's 'Diana: The Musical,' 'The Addams Family 2'
Happy October, everyone! The spooky season is upon us and if you need something to watch between shopping for Halloween costumes and imbibing pumpkin spice lattes, there are of plenty fall movies left to see with theaters open and new films still streaming at home.
This busy weekend, Tom Hardy is still possessed by a very weird alien in a superhero sequel, Michael Gandolfini takes on his late father James' signature role in a prequel to "The Sopranos," Jake Gyllenhaal is a stressed-out 911 call operator in a Netflix action thriller, and Amazon brings back "Welcome to the Blumhouse" for more diverse horror tales courtesy of scare-meister Jason Blum.
Here's a guide to new movies that'll satisfy every cinematic taste:
'The Guilty,: Jake Gyllenhaal talks vaccine mandates and riding shotgun for Michael Bay
If you need a superhero fix: 'Venom: Let There Be Carnage'
The odd-couple bromance is real between San Francisco journalist Eddie Brock and the chicken-loving, rave-attending alien symbiote living inside him that gives Eddie crazy "lethal protector" abilities. A serial killer (an over-the-top Woody Harrelson) also transforms into a gooey, snarling beast from another planet in the gonzo comic-book sequel but the best stuff is Hardy doing a masterful job of acting silly for 90 minutes as both Eddie and his growly onboard passenger hilariously working out their issues.
Where to watch: In theaters
If you live and die for 'The Sopranos': 'The Many Saints of Newark'
Fans of the HBO mobster saga will see a lot of familiar (if younger) faces in this prequel movie, set in 1970s New Jersey and featuring Michael Gandolfini (the late James Gandolfini's son) as a teenage Tony Soprano. However, this one works even for those who aren't diehards and just dig gangster films, as Dickie Moltisanti (a standout Alessandro Nivola) – Tony's idol – goes to war with his crime family's newest rival (Leslie Odom Jr.).
Where to watch: In theaters and on HBO Max
'The Many Saints of Newark': Here's how Tony Soprano fits into the movie prequel
If you like your cartoons creepy and kooky: 'The Addams Family 2'
While the 2019 reinvention of the iconic TV-show clan was a solidly clever outing, the animated comedy sequel is a disappointing followup. Gomez (voiced by Oscar Isaac) and Morticia (Charlize Theron) take the family on a bonding road trip complete with weird monstrous shenanigans, daughter Wednesday (Chloe Grace Moretz) digs into why she feels so out of place and Lurch sings "I Will Survive."
Where to watch: In theaters and on Apple TV, Vudu, Google Play
If you appreciate the truly bizarre: 'Titane'
The winner of this year's Palme d'Or at Cannes, Julia Ducournau's thriller is definitely an experience. Alexia (Agathe Rousselle) is a car show dancer and serial killer with a steel plate in her head who goes on the run, disguising herself as a long-ago kidnapped boy and falling in with an aging firefighter (Vincent Lindon). Oh yeah, she also gets pregnant via automobile in this expertly crafted film that's absolutely bonkers but not without heart.
Where to watch: In theaters
If you think 'The Crown' needs more tunes: 'Diana: The Musical'
Streaming before it hits Broadway next month, a filmed production of the showy royal extravaganza follows Princess Diana (played by Jeanna de Waal) from her marriage to Prince Charles to their divorce with plenty of mediocre pop-rock songs in between. It's a "fairy tale from hell," as one of the lyrics goes, as Diana deals with press and the constant presence of Charles' "friend" Camilla in a musical that's more soapy than respectful.
Where to watch: Netflix
If you feel like being tense for 90 minutes straight: 'The Guilty'
Gyllenhaal is outstanding as a 911 dispatch operator in a downward emotional spiral in Antoine Fuqua's white-knuckle thriller. Joe (Gyllenhaal) is an LAPD detective demoted to desk duty who takes a call from a woman in desperate need of help, and over the course of his shift (and beyond), Joe stays on the phone with various characters through the reveal of an overarching mystery with a gut-punching twist.
Where to watch: Netflix
If you're all about old people fighting evil: 'Bingo Hell'
Part of the "Welcome to the Blumhouse" series, director Gigi Saul Guerrero's horror-comedy take on gentrification focuses on the fictional town of Oak Springs. Much of the place has gone hipster, angering feisty Lupita (Adriana Barraza) and her senior citizen pals. Their beloved bingo hall is the next thing to get sold off, unfortunately bringing in a whole host of other problems courtesy of its creepy new owner (Richard Brake).
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
If you dig socially conscious horror and/or vampires: 'Black as Night'
When her drug addict mom dies under mysterious circumstances, a New Orleans teen (Asjha Cooper) rounds up her friends and spends the summer hunting vampires who seem to be creating an army out of the disenfranchised. Keith David also gets a chance to shine in director Maritte Lee Go's solid "Blumhouse" chiller, which intriguingly weaves a bloodsucking mythos out of the darker aspects of Black American history.
Where to watch: Amazon Prime
If you want a new twist on the haunted-house flick: 'No One Gets Out Alive'
An immigrant's life turns terrifying in this timely horror film. A young Mexican woman (Cristina Rodlo) trying to make it in America moves into a Cleveland boarding house where she hears odd female cries and sees ghostly visions. With nowhere else to turn, she pokes around to learn what's going on as the slow-burn narrative dives deliciously into blood-soaked craziness – and a definite sense of satisfaction.
Where to watch: Netflix
If you love Westerns with a little something extra: 'Old Henry'
Tim Blake Nelson, one of those actors who makes everything better, plays the quiet title Oklahoma farmer in this 1906-set action film. Henry and his headstrong son (Gavin Lewis) take in a wounded stranger (Scott Haze), a man with a load of cash and a posse on his trail claiming to be lawmen. When the inevitable shootout comes, Henry's got some surprise skills and secrets revealed in an unexpectedly gripping Western.
Where to watch: In theaters
If you're not sick of the pandemic yet: 'Stop and Go'
Life during COVID-19 lockdown gets the "Booksmart" treatment in this comedy written by and starring Whitney Call and Mallory Everton (Everton also co-directs). They play two sisters who mask up, grab the hand sanitizer and hop in the car to break their grandma out when there's a coronavirus outbreak at her nursing home. The film cleverly marries road-trip movie misadventures with our collective experience quarantining.
Where to watch: In theaters and on Apple TV, Vudu, Google Play