The start of October brought several notable premieres at once — from the new Resident Evil and the return of Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman in *Practical Magic 2*, alongside a Netflix crime drama about the Unabomber and a film adaptation of a popular novel The Love Hypothesis. We’ve put together seven fresh picks for the weekend — a horror film, a romance, a comedy, a fantasy and a cartoon. The availability of individual streaming releases may vary depending on the country.
Resident Evil — if you’re in the mood for a truly gripping horror film
A fresh start Resident Evil It was released on 18 September and has already become the most successful opening in the history of the film franchise: in its opening weekend, the film grossed $60 million in the US and $108.3 million worldwide. It was directed by Zack Kragger, best known for «Barbarian» and «Weapons».
This time, the plot does not follow the stories of Leon, Jill or any other familiar characters from the games. The protagonist, Brian, played by Austin Abrams, works as a medical courier and, over the course of a single night, finds himself caught up in a rapidly escalating nightmare. Sony describes the film as an entirely new story set in the Resident Evil universe.
This is an option for the evening, if you fancy it monsters, suspense, black humour and great horror films, rather than just another film adaptation of a game.
Practical Magic 2 — for a magical autumn evening
Almost three decades after the original film, the Owens sisters are back. In Practical Magic 2 Sandra Bullock Sally is back in the role, whilst Nicole Kidman plays Gillian. The film was released internationally in September.
In the story, the Owens family once again finds itself confronted by dark, hereditary magic and a curse that threatens the entire family. Bullock and Kidman are joined by Joey King, Lee Pace, Maisie Williams and other actors. Susanna Bir is directing.
This is probably the best option in the selection for a cosy autumn viewing session: a touch of romance, family drama, witchy aesthetics and nostalgia for 1990s films.
The Unabomber — a crime drama based on real events
On 25 September, Netflix released The Unabomber — a drama about Teda Kaczyńska, who went from being a talented Harvard student to becoming one of America’s most notorious terrorists. Jacob Tremblay plays the young Kaczynski, Russell Crowe plays Professor Henry Murray, and Shailene Woodley plays the FBI agent involved in the search for him.
The story unfolds across two timelines. One traces Kaczyński’s upbringing and his involvement in controversial psychological experiments at Harvard, whilst the other follows the FBI investigation, which is gradually closing in on him.
In the first week ‘The Unabomber’ topped Netflix’s English-language film chart with 16.4 million views, so it’s one of the platform’s most talked-about new features at the moment.
The Hypothesis of Love — a light-hearted romantic read for the evening
For those who, after hearing some difficult news, fancy something as light-hearted as possible, there is The Hypothesis of Love — the film adaptation of Ali Hazelwood’s bestseller, which is now available on Prime Video.
Lily Reinhart plays Olive, a postgraduate student who impulsively kisses one of the faculty’s strictest lecturers — Adam Carlsen, played by Tom Bateman. The accidental kiss turns into an agreement to pretend to be in a relationship, but, predictably, things start to go beyond the scope of the experiment.
This is a classic fake dating rom-com With its university setting, the chemistry between the characters and a minimum of complex plot twists — it’s exactly the sort of thing you can switch on late at night and just relax to.
*Coyote vs Acme* — a film that nearly disappeared forever
Coyote vs Acme well worth watching, if only for its unusual backstory. After years of uncertainty, the film has finally reached audiences, and has been available for home viewing since 29 September. On Rotten Tomatoes, it currently has 96% positive reviews from critics and 94% from audiences.
The plot is very much in the spirit of Looney Tunes: Wile E. Coyote decides to take ACME to court, as its endless rockets, traps, magnets and explosives have failed to help him catch the Road Runner for decades. His lawyer is played by Will Forte, whilst ACME’s in-house solicitor is played by John Cena.
This isn’t just a children’s comedy, but an ironic satire on corporations, court cases and Hollywood itself, mixed with the classic animated chaos of Looney Tunes.
The Secret Worlds of the Magic Tree — a family fantasy film starring Andrew Garfield
The Secret Worlds of the Magic Tree It isn’t an autumn cinema release, but the film was released on home video on 22 September, so now is a good time to add it to your family viewing list.
Claire Foy and Andrew Garfield play the parents of three children who move to the English countryside. There, the children discover a huge magical tree, at the top of which passages to fantastical worlds open up. The film also stars Nicola Coughlan, Jessica Hanning and Nonso Anozie.
This is a good choice when you need a beautiful fantasy adventure without being overly gloomy — especially for watching together with children.
This weekend’s cartoon — Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie
For children — Paw Patrol: The Dino Movie, which became available for home viewing on 29 September following its August cinema release. It runs for just 1 hour 28 minutes, and its Rotten Tomatoes audience rating stands at 95% at the time of writing.
This time, the Paw Patrol team finds themselves on a mysterious tropical island inhabited by dinosaurs. Mayor Hamdinger starts extracting resources and accidentally awakens a huge volcano, after which the heroes have to save the whole island.
For adults, it’s unlikely to be the main release of the weekend, but For families with young children, this is the safest choice from the selection.
What to choose to suit your mood
For maximum voltage — Resident Evil. If you fancy a detective story based on real events — UNABOMBER. It’s perfect for a date or a relaxed evening The Love Hypothesis, and for a mystical autumn evening — Practical Magic 2. Coyote vs. Acme It’s worth watching for the humour and the absurdity, and The Magic Faraway Tree and PAW Patrol: The Dino Movie are still good options for family viewing.
