By John Corrado

New releases for the week of October 27th, 2023.

Theatrical Releases:

Five Nights at Freddy’s (Wide Release): This film adaptation of the popular video game series stars Josh Hutcherson as a night security guard that gets hired at a haunted pizzeria famous for its creepy animatronics. Reviews are pretty underwhelming (I haven’t seen it yet so can’t comment), but this PG-13 horror flick from Blumhouse should do pretty well in theatres around Halloween, especially with its built-in fanbase. I’ll probably check it out at some point.

The Killer (Limited Release): David Fincher’s latest is receiving a limited run in theatres before hitting Netflix on November 10th. It’s an entertaining, precisely crafted assassin thriller, that feels stripped down to the basics with an episodic structure. It might seem like minor Fincher, but is infused with style and laced with dark humour, as Michael Fassbender keeps us fully engaged with his calmly intense performance as the titular contract killer. Technicals are solid across the board, including some exceptional sound design. In select theatres, including TIFF Bell Lightbox. (Full Review)

Suzume (Limited Release): This latest epic anime fantasy drama from Japanese filmmaker Makoto Shinkai (Your Name, Weathering With You) is back in theatres. It follows Suzume (Nanoka Hara), a teen girl who meets the mysterious Souta (Hokuto Matsumura), a “closer” whose job is to close doors that appear in abandoned places, which give access to different dimensions. They must remain closed to keep a giant worm from entering our timeline and causing destruction. This is an imaginative, at times surreal film (there is mischievous talking cat and an anthropomorphic wooden chair), but grounded in something moving about accepting fate. Like Shinkai’s previous works, the animation is often striking, and the story hits both humorous moments and more dramatic beats.

More Releases: Freelance (Wide), After Death (Limited), The Delinquents (TIFF Bell Lightbox), Anatomy of a Fall (TIFF Bell Lightbox)

Streaming Releases:

Fellow Travelers (Paramount+): This new limited series focuses on the relationship between Hawkins Fuller (Matt Bomer) and Tim Laughlin (Jonathan Bailey), two closeted gay men who both work in Washington, D.C. during the McCarthy era. It’s a sprawling, absorbing mini-series that spans decades and remains consistently engaging across its eight episodes, mixing Red Scare political intrigue, themes of internalized homophobia, and some genuinely steamy sex scenes. It’s grounded in a passionate love story, sensitively performed by Bomer and Bailey. Premieres on Paramount+ today, before airing on Showtime on October 29th, with new episodes weekly. (Full Review)

When Evil Lurks (Shudder): One of the “scary ones” from this year’s Midnight Madness crop at TIFF, When Evil Lurks is a tense, entertaining, and well-crafted demonic possession horror flick from Argentina. Directed by Demián Rugna, the film follows two brothers trying to escape a demonic force that they accidentally unleash in their rural village. It delivers in terms of grossness, jump scares and creepy kids, with some stellar practical effects. I enjoyed this one when I saw it at Midnight Madness, and it’s a solid choice for at-home Halloween viewing.

More Releases: Pain Hustlers (Netflix), The Exorcist: Believer (Digital)