October brings plenty of exciting new titles to the big and small screens, with Halloween season bringing its share of thrills, chills, and supernatural scares. From new takes on beloved horror stories and monstrous creatures to long-awaited franchise returns, here are our top screen picks for October:
1. Other Mommy
Kick off Halloween season with this frightening tale based on Josh Malerman’s novel “Incidents Around the House.” This horror film stars Jessica Chastain as a caring and doting mother… or so we think. When her eight-year-old daughter encounters a sinister entity that looks exactly like her own mother (and she starts calling “Other Mommy”), it begins to threaten her and her family as it tries to make itself at home.
In theaters October 7.
2. Carrie (Season 1)
Ready for more scares? Fans of Stephen King’s classic horror novel have a new adaptation to sink their teeth into with Carrie, this time as a series from horror maestro Mike Flanagan (The Haunting on Hill House). The series brings the story into modern times and follows Carrie as she navigates a bullying scandal that goes viral on social media, just as her mysterious telekinetic powers begin to emerge.
Streaming on Prime Video October 7.
3. Street Fighter
Fans of the long-running video game series Street Fighter finally have a new film adaptation to enjoy (or hate). The cast playing beloved characters from the franchise includes Noah Centineo, 50 Cent, Jason Momoa, and professional wrestlers Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes. Set in the ’90s, the film follows Chun-Li as she recruits fighters Ryu and Ken to join a tournament to determine the world’s greatest martial artist.
In theaters October 14.
4. GodzillaFilm Festival
Celebrating over 70 years of the popular movie monster, the Godzilla Film Festival, presented by Go Asia Entertainment, will screen five Godzilla films from legendary Toho Studios on the big screen here in the Philippines, most of them for the first time ever. Watch Godzilla stomp his way into screenings that include 1964’s Mothra vs. Godzilla, 1989’s Godzilla vs. Biollante, and 2016’s Shin Godzilla
In select SM Cinemas from October 14 to 21.
5. LOL: Last One Laughing Philippines (Season 2)
Bigger laughs, tougher challenges, and a clash of comedy icons and rising stars await in the new season of LOL: Last One Laughing Philippines, hosted by Vice Ganda. Ten new comedians from different backgrounds and comedy styles face off in the ultimate comedy competition, where the goal is to make your opponents laugh while trying not to laugh yourself. Competitors this season include Long Mejia, Epy Quizon, Candy Pangilinan, Ethel Booba, Pooh, Donna Cariaga, Chariz Solomon, Esnyr, James Caraan, and Charuth.
Streaming on Prime Video October 30.
October is packed with goodies from film and television. If you’re looking for more scares outside of Other Mommy and Carrie, catch the claustrophobia-inducing Whalefall on October 14 and DC’s horror-comic book film Clayface on October 21. Other buzzy films coming out this month include The Social Network spiritual sequel The Social Reckoning (October 7), a wide release of Cinemalaya favorite 2 Valid IDs (October 14), and a new adaptation of Jane Austen’s classic Sense and Sensibility (October 28).
Music fans will be well fed this October with the SB19 concert coming to screens on October 2 while a music documentary about Blackpink’s Lisa comes out October 12.
Over on streaming and TV, a new adaptation of East of Eden starring Florence Pugh debuts on Netflix October 1st, and the final chapter of the WandaVision trilogy – titled VisionQuest – premieres on October 14th on Disney Plus. Whether you’re looking to get into the Halloween spirit with a few good scares, catch up with fan-favorite characters, or discover something new to watch, October has plenty in store. With monsters, mayhem, laughs, and plenty of surprises along the way, there’s no shortage of reasons to make time for a movie night or a cozy binge. So grab some snacks, get comfortable, and enjoy the show!
Photo Credits: Universal Pictures