Halloween is nearing, so it comes as no surprise that some of this month’s films aim to deliver terrifying thrills and get audiences in the mood for the holiday. And many of the exciting new movies debuting in October — spooky and otherwise — are about and made by women.
Hitting theaters on the 26th is “Suspiria,” the ambitious remake of the 1977 cult classic. The film stars Dakota Johnson as a dancer who enters an intensive company led by Tilda Swinton. Then, Jamie Lee Curtis reprises her iconic role of Laurie Strode for the latest “Halloween” movie (October 19). And, if you’re looking for some more ridiculousness in your horror, check out “Killer Kate!”(October 26), a film that blends horror aesthetics with maybe the scariest thing of all: family bonding.
October is also looking to be a month chock-full of intriguing documentaries. “Liyana”(October 10), co-directed by Amanda Kopp, is an animated work that uniquely weaves together the stories of five orphaned children in Swaziland. Later, Netflix will stream “Feminists: What Were They Thinking?” (October 12), a doc that revisits the revolutionary work of feminist activists during the ’70s, and reminds its viewers of the work yet to come. Other documentary releases include Marilyn Ness’ “Charm City” (October 17), an intense portrait of Baltimore shot over three years; Abby Epstein’s “Weed the People” (October 26), an exploration of medical marijuana in America; and Marta Prus’ “Over the Limit” (October 5), a chronicle of rhythmic gymnast Margarita Mamum’s journey to the Olympics .
Netflix’s releases this month include Maggie Gyllenhaal’s portrayal of an unhinged educator in Sara Colangelo’s “The Kindergarten Teacher”(October 12), a dark look at the boundaries that are crossed when a teacher goes to great lengths to see a student flourish. Also debuting on the streamer is Tamara Jenkins’ “Private Life” (October 5), about the relationship between middle-aged couple Rachel and Richard — played by perennial favorites Kathryn Hahn and Paul Giamatti — as they try to conceive.
Finally, Melissa McCarthy’s dramatic turn is one of the most anticipated performances of the year in “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” Based on a true story, Marielle Heller’s biopic sees McCarthy portray Lee Israel, a celebrity biographer who turns to forgery when she is unable to get her latest work published. The film opens October 19.
Here are all of the women-centric, women-directed, and women-written films debuting in October. All descriptions are from press materials unless otherwise noted.
October 3
“Moynihan” (Documentary) – Directed by Toby Perl Freilich and Joseph Dorman (Opens in NY)
Daniel Patrick Moynihan (1927-2003) did not just live in the 2oth century, he strode across it: a colossus of ideas and a man of deeds. He was a seminal public intellectual and sociologist, policy specialist, ambassador, and long-serving senator. Moynihan was a moralist in a political world where morality – the urge to do good – is often overcome by the desire to do well. A decade after his death, the first feature-length documentary about his life, captures Moynihan, the man, the thinker, and the doer as never before.
October 5
“The Hate U Give” – Written by Audrey Wells (Opens in Select Theaters; Opens Everywhere October 19)
“The Hate U Give”
Starr Carter (Amandla Stenberg) is constantly switching between two worlds: the poor, mostly black, neighborhood where she lives and the rich, mostly white prep school she attends. The uneasy balance between these worlds is shattered when Starr witnesses the fatal shooting of her childhood best friend Khalil (Algee Smith) at the hands of a police officer. Now, facing pressures from all sides of the community, Starr must find her voice and stand up for what’s right.
“Private Life” – Written and Directed by Tamara Jenkins (Also Available on Netflix)
“Private Life”
The new film from Academy Award-nominated filmmaker Tamara Jenkins, “Private Life” is the bracingly funny and moving story of Richard (Paul Giamatti) and Rachel (Kathryn Hahn), a couple in the throes of infertility who try to maintain their marriage as they descend deeper and deeper into the insular world of assisted reproduction and domestic adoption. After the emotional and economic upheaval of in vitro fertilization, they’re at the end of their middle-aged rope, but when Sadie (Kayli Carter), a recent college drop out, re-enters their life, things begin to look up.
“Trouble” – Written and Directed by Theresa Rebeck
“Trouble”
Maggie (Anjelica Huston) and Ben (Bill Pullman) are middle-aged siblings who don’t care for one another. Although Ben, a perpetual screw-up, sold his share of their father’s estate to his sister years ago, he returns hoping to build a house and a new future. With an acquaintance (Julia Stiles) in the Bureau of Land Management ready to falsify records of the original sale, he hashes out a plan to regain the property while smoking joints with good friend Gerry (David Morse). Maggie must decide how to react as sibling rivalries renew.
“Over the Limit” (Documentary) – Directed by Marta Prus
An intimate portrait of the world’s most outstanding rhythmic gymnast Margarita Mamun, who needs to overcome mental fragility to take part in the Olympic Games.
“Venom” – Written by Kelly Marcel, Scott Rosenberg, and Jeff Pinkner
When Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) acquires the powers of a symbiote, he will have to release his alter-ego “Venom” to save his life.
“Living in the Future’s Past” (Documentary) – Directed by Susan Kucera
“Living in the Future’s Past”
What kind of future to we want to live in? Jeff Bridges presents this beautifully photographed 4K tour de force of original thinking on who we are and the life challenges we face. This film upends our way of thinking and provides original insights into our subconscious motivations, the unintended consequences, and how our fundamental nature influences our future as Humankind.
“Viking Destiny” (Also Available on VOD)
A Viking Princess is forced to flee her kingdom after being framed for the murder of her father, the King. Under the guidance of the God Odin, she travels the world gaining wisdom and building the army she needs to win back her throne.
October 10
“Liyana” (Animated Documentary) – Directed by Amanda Kopp and Aaron Kopp (Opens in NY)
“Liyana”: Intaba Creative
A Swazi girl embarks on a dangerous quest to rescue her young twin brothers. This animated African tale is born in the imaginations of five orphaned children in Swaziland who collaborate to tell a story of perseverance drawn from their darkest memories and brightest dreams. Their fictional character’s journey is interwoven with poetic and observational documentary scenes to create a genre-defying celebration of collective storytelling.
October 12
“The Kindergarten Teacher” – Written and Directed by Sara Colangelo (Also Available on Netflix)
“The Kindergarten Teacher”
Forty years old, stuck in Staten Island and married to a sweet but oblivious husband with kids that largely ignore her, Lisa Spinelli (Maggie Gyllenhaal) spends her days teaching kindergarten with growing numbness. Her one reprieve is a nighttime poetry class across the bay in Lower Manhattan. When she discovers that a five-year-old in her class may be a poetic prodigy, Lisa becomes fascinated — then obsessed — as she struggles to protect him from neglectful parents and a plagiarizing babysitter. She soon finds herself risking her career, family, and freedom to nurture his artistic promise.
“Stella’s Last Weekend” – Written and Directed by Polly Draper (Available on VOD October 23)
“Stella’s Last Weekend” is a sweet family story about brothers Jack (Nat Wolff) and Oliver (Alex Wolff), who reunite at their childhood home to put their beloved dog, Stella, to sleep. While their unconventional mother (Polly Draper) plans an extravagant party in celebration of Stella’s life, Jack and Oliver are blindsided when they discover they are both in love with the same girl.
“Bikini Moon”
“Bikini Moon”
Initially discovered when the documentary filmmakers happen upon her at a homeless center, the lively and charismatic Bikini, brought to life in a whirlwind performance by Condola Rashad (“Billions”), soon becomes entrenched in the lives of the crew as they struggle to simultaneously help Bikini stay on her feet and complete their project. A self-described “Jesus with tits,” Bikini yearns to use her master carpentry skills to build a new life for herself and the daughter that was taken away by the foster care system.
“After Everything” – Written and Directed by Hannah Marks and Joey Power (Also Available on VOD)
When Elliot (Jeremy Allen White), a brash 23-year-old living carefree in New York City, meets the sensible Mia (Maika Monroe) and receives a damning diagnosis all in the same week, his world is turned completely upside down. But as their love blossoms amidst the chaos of his treatment, they discover that Elliot’s illness is not the real test of their relationship — it’s everything else.
“Feminists: What Were They Thinking?” (Documentary) – Directed by Johanna Demetrakas (Available on Netflix)
“Feminists: What Were They Thinking?”
In 1977, a book of photographs captured an awakening – women shedding cultural restrictions and embracing their full humanity. This documentary digs deep into the personal experiences of sexism and of liberation by revisiting those photos, those women, and those times. The film follows this ever-evolving dialogue right into the 21st century, and takes aim at our current culture, vividly revealing the need for continued change.
“I Still See You” (Also Available on VOD)
“I Still See You”
Ten years after an apocalyptic event left the world haunted by ghosts, Roni (Bella Thorne) receives a threatening message from beyond the grave. Joining forces with a mysterious classmate, Kirk (Richard Harmon), Roni descends into a shadow world that blurs the bounds of the living and the dead — and begins a desperate race against time to stop a cunning killer.
“Jane and Emma” – Directed by Chantelle Squires; Written by Melissa Leilani Larson
Two women. One white. The other black. Society mandated they be enemies. The gospel of Jesus Christ required they be friends. On the eve of the death of Joseph Smith (Brad Schmidt), his widow, Emma (Emily Goss), is on the brink of destruction. In order to stand with her friend in her darkest hour, one woman, Jane Manning (Danielle Deadwyler), will need to hear the voice of God once more. Can she hear His voice again? And if so, can she find the strength to abide it?
“Beautiful Darkness” – Written by Jennifer Schuur
A funny and irresistible story of a young girl who literally cannot see or hear her mother, even though she is living with her under the same roof. With the help of an eccentric psychiatrist, and a local, accidental hero, our heroine has to grow up, but falls in love and eventually takes hold of her future — despite not being able to see what’s right in front of her.
“The Sentence” (Documentary) (Premieres on HBO October 15)
“The Sentence”
Cindy Shank, mother of three, is serving a 15-year sentence in federal prison for her tangential involvement with a Michigan drug ring years earlier. This intimate portrait of mandatory minimum drug sentencing’s devastating consequences, captured by Cindy’s brother, follows her and her family over the course of 10 years.
“Sadie” – Written and Directed by Megan Griffiths (Opens in NY and LA)
“Sadie”
“Sadie” is the story of a 13-year-old girl (Sophia Mitri Schloss) who lives at home with her mother (Melanie Lynskey) while her father serves repeated tours in the military. Sadie is extremely attached to her father despite his prolonged absence, and when her mother begins dating a new man (John Gallagher Jr.), Sadie takes extreme measures to end the relationship and safeguard her family through the only tactics she knows — those of war.
“Kinky”
Set in the affluent community of Buckhead, Atlanta, “Kinky” follows Dr. Joyce Carmichael (Dawn Richard), a talented, yet introverted, surgeon at Sinai Hospital, who is struggling with the fact that she is still single despite all her professional successes. Joyce’s strict Christian upbringing is a constant source of internal conflict for her, and limits the men she dates. However, upon a chance encounter with handsome investor Darrin Bernard (Robert Ri’chard), Joyce immediately begins a whirlwind romance with the wealthy businessman and entrepreneur. It isn’t long before Joyce begins to explore her own sexual fantasies, and convinces Darrin to join her in S&M sex. This leads them into further and further exploration into this world, which is traditionally considered taboo in the conservative and upscale black community of Buckhead.
“Bigger” – Written by Ellen Furman, Andy Weiss, George Gallo, and Brad Furman
The inspirational tale of the grandfathers of fitness as we now know it, Joe and Ben Weider (Tyler Hoechlin and Aneurin Barnard). Facing anti-Semitism and extreme poverty, the brothers beat all odds to build an empire and inspire future generations.
October 17
“Charm City” (Documentary) – Directed by Marilyn Ness (Opens in NY)
“Charm City”
On the streets of Baltimore, shooting is rampant, the murder rate is approaching an all-time high and the distrust of the police is at a fever pitch. With nerves frayed and neighborhoods in distress, dedicated community leaders, compassionate law-enforcement officers, and a progressive young city councilman try to stem the epidemic of violence. Filmed over three tumultuous years covering the lead up to, and the aftermath of, Freddie Gray’s death in police custody, “Charm City” is an intimate cinema verité portrait of those surviving in, and fighting for, the vibrant city they call home.
“Impulso” (Documentary) (One Week Only in NY)
Rocίo Molina is all of 32 years old: an avant-garde performance artist/flamenco dancer with a dash of Björk and Pina Bausch thrown in for good measure. Often onstage alone, her work grows from the flamenco tradition but she infuses it with a modern, magnetic passion: crawling through red paint (suggestive of menstrual blood or the aftermath of a violent crime) or moving to a hard-driving rock beat. At times her look is minimal, almost Japanese in its austerity; at other times her persona suggests a sexy, plump fruit, ripe and edible. In his feature debut, Emilio Belmonte captures Molina as she prepares for her biggest professional challenge yet: creating a new show for her Paris debut at the Chaillot National Theater. Through it all, she is never less than a force of nature.
October 19
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?” – Directed by Marielle Heller; Written by Nicole Holofcener and Jeff Whitty
“Can You Ever Forgive Me?”
In “Can You Ever Forgive Me?,” Melissa McCarthy stars as Lee Israel, the best-selling celebrity biographer (and cat lover) who made her living in the 1970s and ’80s profiling the likes of Katharine Hepburn, Tallulah Bankhead, Estée Lauder, and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen. When Lee found herself unable to get published because she had fallen out of step with the marketplace, she turned her art form to deception, abetted by her loyal friend Jack (Richard E. Grant).
“Galveston” – Directed by Mélanie Laurent
“Galveston”
A fading hitman (Ben Foster) knows he is living on borrowed time after a set up nearly costs him his life. Now presented with the difficulty of protecting not only himself but newly-befriended prostitute Raquel (Elle Fanning), his hometown of Galveston is the setting for retribution and a dangerously uncertain fate.
“On Her Shoulders” (Documentary) – Directed by Alexandria Bombach (Opens in NY; Opens in LA October 24)
“On Her Shoulders”
Twenty-three-year-old Nadia Murad’s life is a dizzying array of important undertakings — from giving testimony before the UN to visiting refugee camps to soul-bearing media interviews and one-on-one meetings with top government officials. With deep compassion and a formal precision and elegance that matches Nadia’s calm and steely demeanor, director Alexandria Bombach follows this strong-willed young woman, who survived the 2014 genocide of the Yazidis in Northern Iraq and escaped sexual slavery at the hands of ISIS to become a relentless beacon of hope for her people, even when at times she longs to lay aside this monumental burden and simply have an ordinary life.
“Change in the Air” – Directed by Dianne Dreyer; Written by Audra Gorman (Also Available on VOD)
A charming young woman named Wren Miller (Rachel Brosnahan) moves into a quiet neighborhood, but brings about deep secrets in her new neighbors. Along the way, their story embraces the imperfections that make humans while offering a way to set them free.
“What They Had” – Written and Directed by Elizabeth Chomko
“What They Had”
From first-time writer-director Elizabeth Chomko, “What They Had” centers on a family in crisis. Bridget (Hilary Swank) returns home to Chicago at her brother’s (Michael Shannon) urging to deal with her ailing mother (Blythe Danner) and her father’s (Robert Forster) reluctance to let go of their life together.
“Halloween”
“Halloween”: Ryan Green/Universal Pictures
Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) comes to her final confrontation with Michael Myers, the masked figure who has haunted her since she narrowly escaped his killing spree on Halloween night four decades ago.
“Wildlife” – Written by Zoe Kazan and Paul Dano
“Wildlife”
Fourteen-year-old Joe played by newcomer Ed Oxenbould, is the only child of Jeanette (Carey Mulligan) and Jerry (Jake Gyllenhaal) — a housewife and a golf pro — in a small town in 1960s Montana. Nearby, an uncontrolled forest fire rages close to the Canadian border, and when Jerry loses his job — and his sense of purpose — he decides to join the cause of fighting the fire, leaving his wife and son to fend for themselves. Suddenly forced into the role of an adult, Joe witnesses his mother’s struggle as she tries to keep her head above water. With precise details and textures of its specific time and place, “Wildlife” commits to the viewpoint of a teenage boy observing the gradual dissolution of his parents’ marriage.
“An Evening with Beverly Luff Linn”
Lulu Danger’s (Aubrey Plaza) unsatisfying marriage takes a turn for the worse when a mysterious man from her past comes to town to perform an event called “An Evening With Beverly Luff Linn: For One Magical Night Only.”
“Caniba” (Documentary) – Directed by Verena Paravel and Lucien Castaing-Taylor
“Caniba” is a film that reflects on the discomforting significance of cannibalistic desire in human existence through the prism of one Japanese man, Issei Sagawa, and his mysterious relationship with his brother, Jun Sagawa.
October 24
“Life and Nothing More” (Opens in NY)
“Life and Nothing More”
Stressed by the mounting pressures of raising two children and fighting to get by on minimum wage, single mother Regina (Regina Williams) longs to find more to her life than constant work, while attempting to instill in 14-year-old Andrew (Andrew Bleechington) the values that she hopes will prevent him from winding up in prison like his father. Andrew yearns, too, for his absent father and a sense of purpose, driving him towards a dangerous crossroads that threatens to upend the tenuous balance Regina tirelessly endeavors to maintain.
October 26
“Shirkers” (Documentary) – Written and Directed by Sandi Tan (Opens in NY and LA) (Also Available on Netflix)
“Shirkers”
In 1992, teenager Sandi Tan shot Singapore’s first road movie with her enigmatic American mentor, Georges — who then absconded with all the footage. The 16mm film is recovered 20 years later, sending Tan, now a novelist in Los Angeles, on a personal odyssey in search of Georges’ vanishing footprints — and her own.
“Viper Club” – Directed by Maryam Keshavarz; Written by Maryam Keshavarz and Jonathan Mastro
“Viper Club”
ER nurse Helen Sterling (Susan Sarandon) struggles to free her grown son, a journalist captured by terrorists in Afghanistan. After hitting walls with the FBI and State agencies, she discovers a clandestine community of journalists, advocates, and philanthropists who might be able to help.
“Been So Long” – Directed by Tinge Krishnan (Available on Netflix)
“Been So Long”: Film Constellation/Greenacre Films/BFI/Film4
Romance, rage and revenge. “Been So Long” is a neon soaked, modern day romance set on the streets of London’s musical hot-bed of Camden. We follow Simone (Michaela Coel), a dedicated single mother who, on a rare night on the town, is charmed by a handsome yet troubled stranger, igniting old and new feelings. Set against the backdrop of an ever-changing city, “Been So Long” is a fresh take on love, life, and moving on.
“A Bread Factory” (Opens in NY and LA)
“A Bread Factory”
Forty years ago, Dorothea (Tyne Daly) and Greta (Elisabeth Henry) moved to the town of Checkford and bought an abandoned bread factory that they transformed into an arts space. It’s where civic groups and immigrant communities can meet, where there are after-school programs for children. Now a celebrity couple — performance artists from China — have come to Checkford. They’ve constructed a huge building, the FEEL Institute, down the street. Dorothea and Greta learn about a new proposal to give all the funding from the school system for their children’s arts programs to the FEEL Institute. Without this funding, the Bread Factory would not survive. They quickly rally the community to save their space. The commercial forces behind the FEEL Institute fight also, bringing a young movie star to town to help make their case. The school board meeting turns into a circus where the fate of the Bread Factory hangs in the balance.
“Suspiria” (Opens in Select Theaters; Opens Nationwide November 2)
“Suspira”
A darkness swirls at the center of a world-renowned dance company, one that will engulf the troupe’s artistic director (Tilda Swinton), an ambitious young dancer (Dakota Johnson), and a grieving psychotherapist (Lutz Ebersdorf). Some will succumb to the nightmare. Others will finally wake up.
“Weed the People” (Documentary) – Directed by Abby Epstein
This documentary covers the controversial topic of medical marijuana, detailing the anti-cancer properties of cannabis oil and the lack of action by the government to support both scientific research in the area, and downgrade the status of marijuana as a Schedule 1 drug.
“Killer Kate!” (Also Available on VOD)
Estranged sisters Kate (Alexandra Feld) and Angie (Danielle Burgess) haven’t spoken since Angie went to college and left Kate to care for their ailing father. In a show of reconciliation, several years after moving out, Angie invites Kate to her bachelorette party held at a remote house booked on a home-sharing app. The women are unaware that by booking this house, they’re walking into a trap set in motion by a disturbed family of amateur killers who are out for blood to right a cosmic wrong. They soon become unwitting participants in a savage and often ridiculous life-or-death struggle that pits family against family, and past against present.
“Burning” – Written by Jungmi Oh and Chang-dong Lee
“Burning”
“Burning” tells the story of three individuals and a mysterious incident they experience. Jong-su (Ah-In Yoo) bumps into an old friend, Hae-mi (Jong-seo Jeon), on a part-time delivery job. Hae-mi asks Jong-su to take care of her cat while she leaves on a trip to Africa. When she returns, Hae-mi introduces Jong-su to Ben (Steven Yeun), a man she met while traveling. One day, Ben and Hae-mi pay Jong-su a visit, and Ben reveals his secret interests to Jong-su.
“Border” – Written by Isabella Eklöf, Ali Abbasi, and John Ajvide Lindqvist
Customs officer Tina (Eva Melander) is known for her extraordinary sense of smell. It’s almost as if she can sniff out the guilt on anyone hiding something. But when Vore (Eero Milonoff), a suspicious-looking man, walks past her, her abilities are challenged for the first time ever. Tina can sense Vore is hiding something she can’t identify. Even worse, she feels a strange attraction to him. As Tina develops a special bond with Vore and discovers his true identity, she also realizes the truth about herself. Tina, like Vore, does not belong to this world. Her entire existence has been one big lie and now she has to choose: keep living the lie or embrace Vore’s terrifying revelations.
“Indivisible” – Written by Cheryl McKay, David G. Evans, and Peter White
“Indivisible” is based on the extraordinary true story of Army Chaplain Darren Turner (Justin Bruening) and his wife Heather (Sarah Drew). With a strong, faith-filled marriage, the Turners are ready to follow their calling: serving God, family, and country. Fresh from seminary and basic training, Chaplain Turner and his family arrive at Fort Stewart. Yet before the Turners can even unpack their new house, Darren is deployed to Iraq. Heather is left taking care of their three young children alone — as well as serving the families of the other deployed soldiers. Despite a desire to stay connected with their loved ones, the harsh realities of war take a daily toll over the course of the Battalion’s extended deployment. Meanwhile back home, babies are born, kids keep growing, and nerves are frayed with every late-night knock on the door. With deeply etched battle scars, the soldiers’ long-awaited homecoming is much different than any of their families anticipated.
