The spooky season is upon us in beautiful Upstate New York, with temperatures dropping even faster than the leaves, and that can only mean one thing: it’s time to watch a bunch of scary movies for the next few weeks! Of course, horror movies might not be everybody’s cup of pumpkin spice latte, so thankfully, there are plenty of highly-anticipated indie releases happening all month long as well.
So whether it’s viewing a spooky classic on the big screen or seeing that limited-release arthouse picture you’ve been waiting for, be sure to mark your calendars for these six movie events happening at your favorite local Hudson Valley theaters.
The Smashing Machine
An immensely exciting flick comes right at the start of the month, with the release of The Smashing Machine, the latest film by Benny Safdie, co-director of films like Good Times, Heaven Knows What and Uncut Gems. The Smashing Machine tells the story of real life MMA legend Mark Kerr in the late 90s, as he battles his way through the early days of the UFC, while also facing his own personal demons. Obviously, one of the biggest elements of the film is Dwayne Johnson’s performance as Mark Kerr, a complete 180 from the regular output this actor has been producing over the past two decades. Johnson, while being one of the most recognizable names and faces in movies, has tended to usually steer closer to the family-friendly adventures or high-octane action movies that made him a star. With this film, the actor dives as deep as he can, not only into the psyche of the character he portrays, but also as an artist and performer in a world that might not be ready for him to head down this path. Safdie’s writing and direction give Johnson plenty of runway to impress, and his vulnerable and empathetic performance is one that will most assuredly have us talking all throughout the award season. And let’s not forget, Emily Blunt turns in yet another fantastic performance as the girlfriend of Kerr, one that might also find her on the nominations list as well.
The Smashing Machine starts October 3 at the Community Theater, Story Screen Cinema, Upstate Films Orpheum Theatre, Jacob Burns Film Center and The Moviehouse.
Anemone
Eight years ago, Daniel Day-Lewis announced that he was retiring from acting (again), and the cinephile world was set ablaze. One of the greatest living actors in film had seemingly hung up his pretending cap (again), and was going to focus on family, hobbies, and his own personal well-being. It sounded too bad to be true, and thankfully, it seems the thespian has reconsidered his retirement as he returns to the big screen in Anemone, a movie written by himself and his son, Ronan Day-Lewis, who is making his directorial debut. The story follows a man who visits his hermit brother in England in an attempt to convince him to return home to his family. Daniel Day-Lewis, as the hermit brother, brings his usual extravagant talent and presence to a film that is completely soaked in the bonds of brothers, fathers, and sons, all communicating a deep connection between the creators of this story. Sean Bean, who stars as Day-Lewis’s brother, plays a phenomenal supporting role, one that might get him just enough buzz to pull off some precursor nominations come December. And while his father’s return to acting is definitely the highlight of this moment, Ronan Day-Lewis is a wonder as a director, with a natural eye for otherworldly visuals and capturing intimate moments in small dark rooms, translating them as if they meant everything, which in this movie sometimes they do.
Anemone starts October 3 at The Moviehouse, October 10 at Jacob Burns Film Center and October 17 at Upstate Films Starr Cinema.
Evil Dead 2
Evil Dead 2, sometimes referred to with the subtitle: Dead By Dawn, is Sam Raimi’s phenomenal follow-up to his 1981 cult smash, and acts as a remake, sequel, and reimagining of all the twisted little ideas he had just a few years prior. A true star-making performance from Bruce Campbell is only one of many ridiculously splendors about the 1987 flick that make it the perfect big screen experience. The movie follows, yet again, our protagonist, Ash Williams, and his fellow Michigan State University friends, as they travel to an abandoned cabin in the middle of the woods for a romantic weekend, only to discover the cabin isn’t quite so abandoned afterall. Raimi’s usual flair for over-the-top gore and never taking himself too seriously lead to the rare type of horror-comedy where both genres seem perfectly balanced, and practically feed off each other to create a symbiosis that is at times truly mindblowing. You’ll want to turn up early from 6-8 PM before this special screening, the event features VHS and other spooky movie and artists vendors, a live drag performance to introduce the film by the beloved Glam Stroker, as well as a musical set by DJ TC the Ripper and a pop-up flash tattoo booth run by Bone Apple and Rachel Finelli.
Evil Dead 2 screens October 17 at Story Screen Cinema.
Frankenstein
Guillermo del Toro is no stranger to monsters. The director’s previous works continuously return to the idea of the similarities and differences between good and evil, right and wrong, man and monster. His latest film is a reimagining of one of the greatest stories ever told on this subject, and one that he has been promising to make for nearly three decades, Frankenstein. The story of a mad scientist creating life from the parts of dead people is one that we all know very well, whether we read the original 1818 novel by Mary Shelley, saw one of the many adaptations, or simply watched Gene Wilder and Pete Boyle tap dance to “Puttin’ on the Ritz” in black and white. What is truly exciting about del Toro’s take is that he has been making variations on this movie for almost as long as he has been working as a director in Hollywood, and he uses those experiences to give all of his characters an emotional core that is highlighted much more aggressively than previous incarnations. Oscar Isaac is wickedly confident and cruel as Dr. Victor Frankenstein, a man consumed with life and death and his own eternal name. Jacob Elordi switches from heartthrob to devil with towering capability, delivering a performance as Frankenstein’s Monster that could easily be considered the high note of the film as a whole. The rest of the pieces that make up this exquisite monstrosity all work in tandem to create a fully realized world and tell a story that somehow feels strange and fresh, even though we all know how it ends.
Frankenstein starts October 24 at Jacob Burns Film Center.
Bugonia
Director Yorgos Lanthimos simultaneously sets his sights on conspiracy theorists and the powerful elite in the explosively funny and upsettingly topical Bugonia, which ironically gets a very suitable Halloween release date this year. Teaming up again with Emma Stone and Jesse Plemons, whom he had both worked with on last year’s Kinds of Kindness, as well as several other films with Stone, Lanthimos’s usual irreverent and strange humor is plastered all over this sci-fi thriller. The movie follows a pair of men who become convinced that the CEO of a major corporation is in fact an alien bent on destroying Earth, so they decide to kidnap and expose her. Emma Stone creates yet another captivating character that pushes the actress beyond even her role in 2023’s Poor Things, which won her a second Academy Award for Best Actress. While it seems like another nomination is on the horizon for Stone, it’s Jesse Plemons who really steals the show this time around, delivering a performance that at times seems written specifically for him to play and also unbelievable that it even exists. Plemons’s awkwardness and ability to switch gears between adorably shy and unnervingly aggressive give the movie a viciousness that sometimes isn’t present but can be felt in every scene.
Bugonia starts October 31 at Upstate Films Starr Cinema and The Moviehouse.
Halloween Triple Feature at Community Theater
The recently reopened Community Theater in Catskill continues to absolutely kill it in new and repertory programming, and their planned triple feature for Halloween Night is no exception. The night kicks off with a double feature of the original Frankenstein from 1931 and Bride of Frankenstein from 1935, complete with a special clipshow created by the awesome folks over at Sleepover Trading Co. After a brief intermission, the lights will dim yet again for a truly special treat: 1985’s Demons on the big screen! If you are unfamiliar with Demons, that’s understandable, as the Lamberto Bava-directed Italian horror film is a bit of a gnarly deep cut to the general horror enthusiast, but that’s sort of what makes it so much fun to watch with a crowd on the big screen. For starters, the film, which was produced and co-written by legendary horror maestro Dario Argento, takes place almost entirely in a movie theater, as a group of friends attend a sneak preview of a mysterious picture, only to discover that demons and zombies were also apparently invited. This gives the experience of watching the film a very meta and fun undertone, and if you mix that with the gross-out horror and reactions from people in the audience that have never seen the movie, you got yourself a pretty dang good Halloween night.
The Halloween Triple Feature screens October 31 at the Community Theater.
JH