Clockwise from top: We live in time. Smile 2; That’s a great pumpkin, Charlie Brown. And it shrinks. Photo illustration: Vulture. Photo: Everett Collection (Peter Mountain/A24, Barbara Nicke/Paramount Pictures), Apple TV+
Sigh, the summer blockbusters are long gone and it’s time to consider the dreaded fall release calendar. All these new indie movies and award nominees are meant to piss us all off with constantly changing dates. What does it mean that Anora is now in limited theaters when it seems like everyone with Letterboxd has already seen it? That means it’s tough to keep to a schedule . This week, We Live in Time is set for wide release so we can all enjoy Florence Pugh and Andrew Garfield’s relationship, which is more of a romance drama than a rom-com. Here are the rest of this week’s picks!
If you’ve ever seen the internet go wild about Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh, this movie is why. The two will star as Tobias and Almut, who are brought together after Almut accidentally hits Tobias with his car. The gooey, bittersweet drama progresses their love story in a non-linear way, as the two face highs and devastating lows.
➼ During the promotion of this movie, branded tissues were distributed in advance, so please be careful.
“Smile 2” tells the story of a demon who takes the place of a serial killer trapped inside a concert and sticks his claws into a pop star (played by Naomi Scott) who is trying to make a comeback. If you ask me, I’d rather go to a trap concert than a Smile 2 concert. Given that the latter pop star encounters a parasitic demonic entity that transmits death and smiles to others. But you guys love a good scare.
Bill Lawrence’s drama about therapy trying to establish better relationship boundaries is a reminder that Harrison Ford is a national treasure that must be protected at all costs. You don’t know if you’ve lived until you see Ford sing “Your Love” in the outfield in the first episode of this season. —Jen Cheney
➼ In an unusual move for the streamer, Shrinking has already been renewed for a third season.
➼ Currently showing in theaters. Read the rest of our review of Ebiri here and our interview with star Cate Blanchett here.
Anna Kendrick’s directorial debut is based on a real killer’s mission on a ’70s dating game show. Women aren’t even safe on TV game shows for fun. Kendrick plays contestant Cheryl Bradshaw on the show, and Daniel Zovatto plays Rodney Alcala, a serial killer who competes in a dating game in the midst of a series of murders in California.
David Tennant and Aidan Turner, in suits with extra-large collars, were rapaciously shouting to a crackerjack cast of character actors about the high-stakes drama of the world of British independent television in the 1980s. Everyone speaks extremely fast, and any jarring modern resonance with aspiring media moguls is drowned out in the fluorescent glow of ’80s TV lighting. —Kathryn VanAlendonk
One of the best things about the holiday season is the Peanuts specials. It’s been about four years since I moved from cable to Apple TV+, and I’m a little depressed. However, if you want to keep tradition alive, Apple TV+ is removing It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown from behind a paywall this weekend. This means you can watch for free for two days (October 19th and 20th). we are serious. This isn’t a situation where Lucy pulls the soccer ball out from under her.
➼ Simon Abrams wrote that It’s the Great Pumpkin “is a work of immortality because it features some of the best dialogue,” and while that’s very true, he Where did they rank this on their list of the best Peanuts specials?
Photo: Roxana Hadadi
After being released in theaters last month, filmmaker Tarsem Singh’s The Fall has gotten a chance to be released in theaters again, so go see if it’s “not as bad as advertised.” Click here to read the full interview with Mr. Singh.
➼ Someone must have lit a black flame candle because the witches from Hocus Pocus are back in theaters.
Director Fede Álvarez’s biggest hit in the alien movies is plenty of fun for a quick horror movie night. Ripley doesn’t appear, but there are plenty of facehuggers as the group of friends investigate an abandoned spaceship (always a great idea in these movies) and reap the consequences.
Available for rent on Amazon and Apple TV
➼ From Ti West’s latest X-movie offering, MaXXXine on Max, to Colm McCarthy’s interpretation of the mythical figure Bugman on digital platforms, there’s more horror to enjoy this weekend.
Want to know more? Read on for our picks for the weekend of October 11th.
