2023 Critics Choice Awards: ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ is the top winner

January 15, 2023

Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Michelle Yeoh and James Hong in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (Photo by Allyson Riggs/A24)

The following is a press release from the Critics Choice Association:

On January 15, 2023, the Critics Choice Association (CCA) announced the winners of the 28th annual Critics Choice Awards live on The CW. Hosted by Chelsea Handler, the star-studded gala was held at the Fairmont Century Plaza Hotel in Los Angeles.

The full list of winners can be found below.

“Everything Everywhere All at Once” led the winners in the film categories, earning five awards including Best Picture, Best Director for Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert, Best Supporting Actor for Ke Huy Quan, Best Original Screenplay for Daniel Kwan & Daniel Scheinert, and Best Editing for Paul Rogers.

In the series categories, “Better Call Saul” took home three trophies, winning Best Drama Series, Best Actor in a Drama Series for Bob Odenkirk, and Best Supporting Actor in a Drama Series for Giancarlo Esposito. “Abbott Elementary” won two awards, Best Comedy Series and Best Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series for Sheryl Lee Ralph. “The Dropout” also scored a pair of wins, Best Limited Series, and Best Actress in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for Amanda Seyfried. “Weird: The Al Yankovic Story” won two awards as well, Best Movie Made for Television, and Best Actor in a Limited Series or Movie Made for Television for Daniel Radcliffe.

John Goodman presented the Lifetime Achievement Award to Jeff Bridges in a very special highlight of the evening, while Kate Hudson presented this year’s SeeHer Award to Janelle Monáe. The SeeHer Award honors a woman who advocates for gender equality, portrays characters with authenticity, defies stereotypes and pushes boundaries.

Critics Choice Awards are bestowed annually to honor the finest in cinematic and television achievement. Historically, they are the most accurate predictor of Academy Award nominations.

The 28th annual Critics Choice Awards show was executive-produced by Bob Bain Productions and Berlin Entertainment. The CCA is represented by Dan Black of Greenberg Traurig.

Sponsors of the Awards include Champagne Collet, Delta Air Lines, Fairmont Hotels and Resorts, FIJI Water, Milagro Tequila, Old Bridge Cellars Wines, and SeeHer. Sponsors of the Red Carpet are Sunkist and Cold Stone Creamery.

Follow the 28th annual Critics Choice Awards on Twitter and Instagram @CriticsChoice and on Facebook/CriticsChoiceAwards. Join the conversation using #CriticsChoiceAwards.

About the Critics Choice Association (CCA)
The Critics Choice Association is the largest critics organization in the United States and Canada, representing more than 600 media critics and entertainment journalists. It was established in 2019 with the formal merger of the Broadcast Film Critics Association and the Broadcast Television Journalists Association, recognizing the intersection between film, television, and streaming content. For more information, visit:
www.CriticsChoice.com.

About The CW
The CW Network, LLC is America’s fifth major broadcast network, offering 14 hours of primetime programming, Monday through Sunday. The CW is 75%-owned by Nexstar Media Group, Inc. For more information about the network and its programming, visit www.cwtv.com.

*=winner

FILM NOMINATIONS FOR THE 28TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS

BEST PICTURE
Avatar: The Way of Water
Babylon
The Banshees of Inisherin
Elvis
Everything Everywhere All at Once*
The Fabelmans
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
RRR
Tár
Top Gun: Maverick
Women Talking

BEST ACTOR
Austin Butler – Elvis
Tom Cruise – Top Gun: Maverick
Colin Farrell – The Banshees of Inisherin
Brendan Fraser – The Whale*
Paul Mescal – Aftersun
Bill Nighy – Living

BEST ACTRESS
Cate Blanchett – Tár*
Viola Davis – The Woman King
Danielle Deadwyler – Till
Margot Robbie – Babylon
Michelle Williams – The Fabelmans
Michelle Yeoh – Everything Everywhere All at Once

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR
Paul Dano – The Fabelmans
Brendan Gleeson – The Banshees of Inisherin
Judd Hirsch – The Fabelmans
Barry Keoghan – The Banshees of Inisherin
Ke Huy Quan – Everything Everywhere All at Once*
Brian Tyree Henry – Causeway

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS
Angela Bassett – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever*
Jessie Buckley – Women Talking
Kerry Condon – The Banshees of Inisherin
Jamie Lee Curtis – Everything Everywhere All at Once
Stephanie Hsu – Everything Everywhere All at Once
Janelle Monáe – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery

BEST YOUNG ACTOR/ACTRESS
Frankie Corio – Aftersun
Jalyn Hall – Till
Gabriel LaBelle – The Fabelmans*
Bella Ramsey – Catherine Called Birdy
Banks Repeta – Armageddon Time
Sadie Sink – The Whale

BEST ACTING ENSEMBLE
The Banshees of Inisherin
Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Fabelmans
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery*
The Woman King
Women Talking

BEST DIRECTOR
James Cameron – Avatar: The Way of Water
Damien Chazelle – Babylon
Todd Field – Tár
Baz Luhrmann – Elvis
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All at Once*
Martin McDonagh – The Banshees of Inisherin
Sarah Polley – Women Talking
Gina Prince-Bythewood – The Woman King
S. S. Rajamouli – RRR
Steven Spielberg – The Fabelmans

BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY
Todd Field – Tár
Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert – Everything Everywhere All at Once*
Martin McDonagh – The Banshees of Inisherin
Steven Spielberg, Tony Kushner – The Fabelmans
Charlotte Wells – Aftersun

BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY
Samuel D. Hunter – The Whale
Kazuo Ishiguro – Living
Rian Johnson – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Rebecca Lenkiewicz – She Said
Sarah Polley – Women Talking*

BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY
Russell Carpenter – Avatar: The Way of Water
Roger Deakins – Empire of Light
Florian Hoffmeister – Tár
Janusz Kaminski – The Fabelmans
Claudio Miranda – Top Gun: Maverick*
Linus Sandgren – Babylon

BEST PRODUCTION DESIGN
Hannah Beachler, Lisa K. Sessions – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Rick Carter, Karen O’Hara – The Fabelmans
Dylan Cole, Ben Procter, Vanessa Cole – Avatar: The Way of Water
Jason Kisvarday, Kelsi Ephraim – Everything Everywhere All at Once
Catherine Martin, Karen Murphy, Bev Dunn – Elvis
Florencia Martin, Anthony Carlino – Babylon*

BEST EDITING
Tom Cross – Babylon
Eddie Hamilton – Top Gun: Maverick
Stephen Rivkin, David Brenner, John Refoua, James Cameron – Avatar: The Way of Water
Paul Rogers – Everything Everywhere All at Once*
Matt Villa, Jonathan Redmond – Elvis
Monika Willi – Tár

BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Ruth E. Carter – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever*
Jenny Eagan – Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery
Shirley Kurata – Everything Everywhere All at Once
Catherine Martin – Elvis
Gersha Phillips – The Woman King
Mary Zophres – Babylon

BEST HAIR AND MAKEUP
Babylon
The Batman
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Elvis*
Everything Everywhere All at Once
The Whale

BEST VISUAL EFFECTS
Avatar: The Way of Water*
The Batman
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Everything Everywhere All at Once
RRR
Top Gun: Maverick

BEST COMEDY
The Banshees of Inisherin
Bros
Everything Everywhere All at Once
Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery*
Triangle of Sadness
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent

BEST ANIMATED FEATURE
Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio*
Marcel the Shell with Shoes On
Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
Turning Red
Wendell & Wild

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM
All Quiet on the Western Front
Argentina, 1985
Bardo, False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths
Close
Decision to Leave
RRR*

BEST SONG
Carolina – Where the Crawdads Sing
Ciao Papa – Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Hold My Hand – Top Gun: Maverick
Lift Me Up – Black Panther: Wakanda Forever
Naatu Naatu – RRR*
New Body Rhumba – White Noise

BEST SCORE
Alexandre Desplat – Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio
Michael Giacchino – The Batman
Hildur Guðnadóttir – Tár*
Hildur Guðnadóttir – Women Talking
Justin Hurwitz – Babylon
John Williams – The Fabelmans

TELEVISION NOMINATIONS FOR THE 28TH ANNUAL CRITICS CHOICE AWARDS

BEST DRAMA SERIES
Andor (Disney+)
Bad Sisters (Apple TV+)
Better Call Saul (AMC)*
The Crown (Netflix)
Euphoria (HBO)
The Good Fight (Paramount+)
House of the Dragon (HBO)
Severance (Apple TV+)
Yellowstone (Paramount Network)

BEST ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Jeff Bridges – The Old Man (FX)
Sterling K. Brown – This Is Us (NBC)
Diego Luna – Andor (Disney+)
Bob Odenkirk – Better Call Saul (AMC)*
Adam Scott – Severance (Apple TV+)
Antony Starr – The Boys (Prime Video)

BEST ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Christine Baranski – The Good Fight (Paramount+)
Sharon Horgan – Bad Sisters (Apple TV+)
Laura Linney – Ozark (Netflix)
Mandy Moore – This Is Us (NBC)
Kelly Reilly – Yellowstone (Paramount Network)
Zendaya – Euphoria (HBO)*

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A DRAMA SERIES
Andre Braugher – The Good Fight (Paramount+)
Ismael Cruz Córdova – The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (Prime Video)
Michael Emerson – Evil (Paramount+)
Giancarlo Esposito – Better Call Saul (AMC)*
John Lithgow – The Old Man (FX)
Matt Smith – House of the Dragon (HBO)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A DRAMA SERIES
Milly Alcock – House of the Dragon (HBO)
Carol Burnett – Better Call Saul (AMC)
Jennifer Coolidge – The White Lotus (HBO)*
Julia Garner – Ozark (Netflix)
Audra McDonald – The Good Fight (Paramount+)
Rhea Seehorn – Better Call Saul (AMC)

BEST COMEDY SERIES
Abbott Elementary (ABC)*
Barry (HBO)
The Bear (FX)
Better Things (FX)
Ghosts (CBS)
Hacks (HBO Max)
Reboot (Hulu)
Reservation Dogs (FX)

BEST ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Matt Berry – What We Do in the Shadows (FX)
Bill Hader – Barry (HBO)
Keegan-Michael Key – Reboot (Hulu)
Steve Martin – Only Murders in the Building (Hulu)
Jeremy Allen White – The Bear (FX)*
D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai – Reservation Dogs (FX)

BEST ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Christina Applegate – Dead to Me (Netflix)
Quinta Brunson – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Kaley Cuoco – The Flight Attendant (HBO Max)
Renée Elise Goldsberry – Girls5eva (Peacock)
Devery Jacobs – Reservation Dogs (FX)
Jean Smart – Hacks (HBO Max)*

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A COMEDY SERIES
Brandon Scott Jones – Ghosts (CBS)
Leslie Jordan – Call Me Kat (Fox)
James Marsden – Dead to Me (Netflix)
Chris Perfetti – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Tyler James Williams – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Henry Winkler – Barry (HBO)*

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A COMEDY SERIES
Paulina Alexis – Reservation Dogs (FX)
Ayo Edebiri – The Bear (FX)
Marcia Gay Harden – Uncoupled (Netflix)
Janelle James – Abbott Elementary (ABC)
Annie Potts – Young Sheldon (CBS)
Sheryl Lee Ralph – Abbott Elementary (ABC)*

BEST LIMITED SERIES
The Dropout (Hulu)*
Gaslit (Starz)
The Girl from Plainville (Hulu)
The Offer (Paramount+)
Pam & Tommy (Hulu)
Station Eleven (HBO Max)
This Is Going to Hurt (AMC+)
Under the Banner of Heaven (FX)

BEST MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Fresh (Hulu)
Prey (Hulu)
Ray Donovan: The Movie (Showtime)
The Survivor (HBO)
Three Months (Paramount+)
Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (The Roku Channel)*

BEST ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Ben Foster – The Survivor (HBO)
Andrew Garfield – Under the Banner of Heaven (FX)
Samuel L. Jackson – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)
Daniel Radcliffe – Weird: The Al Yankovic Story (The Roku Channel)*
Sebastian Stan – Pam & Tommy (Hulu)
Ben Whishaw – This is Going to Hurt (AMC+)

BEST ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Julia Garner – Inventing Anna (Netflix)
Lily James – Pam & Tommy (Hulu)
Amber Midthunder – Prey (Hulu)
Julia Roberts – Gaslit (Starz)
Michelle Pfeiffer – The First Lady (Showtime)
Amanda Seyfried – The Dropout (Hulu)*

BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Murray Bartlett – Welcome to Chippendales (Hulu)
Domhnall Gleeson – The Patient (FX)
Matthew Goode – The Offer (Paramount+)
Paul Walter Hauser – Black Bird (Apple TV+)*
Ray Liotta – Black Bird (Apple TV+)
Shea Whigham – Gaslit (Starz)

BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS IN A LIMITED SERIES OR MOVIE MADE FOR TELEVISION
Claire Danes – Fleishman Is in Trouble (FX)
Dominique Fishback – The Last Days of Ptolemy Grey (Apple TV+)
Betty Gilpin – Gaslit (Starz)
Melanie Lynskey – Candy (Hulu)
Niecy Nash-Betts – Dahmer – Monster: The Jeffrey Dahmer Story (Netflix)*
Juno Temple – The Offer (Paramount+)

BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE SERIES
1899 (Netflix)
Borgen (Netflix)
Extraordinary Attorney Woo (Netflix)
Garcia! (HBO Max)
The Kingdom Exodus (MUBI)
Kleo (Netflix)
My Brilliant Friend (HBO)
Pachinko (Apple TV+)*
Tehran (Apple TV+)

BEST ANIMATED SERIES
Bluey (Disney+)
Bob’s Burgers (Fox)
Genndy Tartakovsky’s Primal (Adult Swim)
Harley Quinn (HBO Max)*
Star Trek: Lower Decks (Paramount+)
Undone (Prime Video)

BEST TALK SHOW
The Amber Ruffin Show (Peacock)
Full Frontal with Samantha Bee (TBS)
The Kelly Clarkson Show (NBC)
Last Week Tonight with John Oliver (HBO)*
Late Night with Seth Meyers (NBC)
Watch What Happens Live with Andy Cohen (Bravo)

BEST COMEDY SPECIAL
Fortune Feimster: Good Fortune (Netflix)
Jerrod Carmichael: Rothaniel (HBO)
Joel Kim Booster: Psychosexual (Netflix)
Nikki Glaser: Good Clean Filth (HBO)
Norm Macdonald: Nothing Special (Netflix)*
Would It Kill You to Laugh? Starring Kate Berlant & John Early (Peacock)

2023 Film Independent Spirit Awards: ‘Everything Everywhere All at Once’ is the top nominee

November 22, 2022

by Carla Hay

Ke Huy Quan, Jamie Lee Curtis and Michelle Yeoh in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (Photo by Allyson Riggs/A24)

With eight nominations, including Best Feature, A24’s dimension-traveling sci-fi/action film “Everything Everywhere All at Once” is the top contender at the 38th annual Film Independent Spirit Awards, which will take place at an in-person ceremony at Santa Monica Pier in Santa Monica, California, on March 4, 2023. The Focus Features drama “TÁR,” starring Cate Blanchett as a maestro classical music conductor facing a scandal, follows close behind, with seven nominations, including Best Feature.

The non-profit group Film Independent votes for and presents the Spirit Awards, which are for movies, which have an independent production budget of no more than $30 million, and TV shows that embody an “indepedent spirit.” IFC will have the live telecast the show, while AMC+ will offer streaming of the ceremony. The show’s host will be announced at a later date.

Nominees in the movie categories were announced by actors Taylour Paige and Raúl Castillo on November 22, 2022. Nominees in the TV categories will be announced by actor Asia Kate Dillon on December 13, 2022. This article will be updated with the TV nominees after they are announced.

Here’s what’s new for the 2023 Film Indepedent Spirit Awards, according to an announcement on the Film Independent website:

  • All acting categories are now gender-neutral. The categories for Best Lead Performance and Best Supporting Performance have a maximum of 10 nominees per category, unless there is a tie in the voting.
  • A new catgeory has been added: Best Breakthrough Performance, given to “performers making themselves known to wider audiences through noteworthy character portrayals,” according to Film Indepedent.
  • The maximum production budget for eligible films has increased from $22.5 million to $30 million.
  • The maximum production budget for the John Cassavetes Award has increased from $500,000 to $1 million.

The director, casting director and principal cast members of the MGM/United Artists Releasing drama “Women Talking” will receive the Robert Altman Award, a non-competitive prize given to one movie per year and announced in advance of the ceremony. “Women Talking” is also up for Spirit Awards in these competitive categories: Best Feature, Best Director (for Sarah Polley) and Best Screenplay (also for Polley).

Some eligible films were noticeably snubbed and didn’t get any Spirit Award nominations, such as the A24 drama “The Whale,” the Orion Pictures drama “Till” and the Netflix documentary “Descendant.” These movies have received nominations or prizes at other award shows that give prizes to movies.

FILM CATEGORIES

Best Feature

  • “Bones and All” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
  • “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
  • “Our Father, the Devil” (Resolve Media)
  • “TÁR” (Focus Features)
  • “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)

Best Director

  • Todd Field – “TÁR” (Focus Features)
  • Kogonada – “After Yang” (A24)
  • Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
  • Sarah Polley – “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
  • Halina Reijn – “Bodies Bodies Bodies” (A24)

Best Lead Performance

  • Cate Blanchett – “TÁR” (Focus Features)
  • Dale Dickey – “A Love Song” (Bleecker Street)
  • Mia Goth – “Pearl” (A24)
  • Regina Hall – “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.” (Focus Features)
  • Paul Mescal – “Aftersun” (A24)
  • Aubrey Plaza – “Emily the Criminal” (Roadside Attractions)
  • Jeremy Pope – “The Inspection” (A24)
  • Taylor Russell – “Bones and All” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
  • Andrea Riseborough – “To Leslie” (Momentum Pictures)
  • Michelle Yeoh – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)

Best Supporting Performance

  • Jamie Lee Curtis – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
  • Brian Tyree Henry – “Causeway” (A24/Apple Original Films)
  • Nina Hoss – “TÁR” (Focus Features)
  • Brian D’Arcy James – “The Cathedral” (MUBI)
  • Ke Huy Quan – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
  • Trevante Rhodes – “Bruiser” (Onyx Collective)
  • Theo Rossi – “Emily the Criminal” (Roadside Attractions)
  • Mark Rylance – “Bones and All” (MGM/United Artists Releasing)
  • Jonathan Tucker – “Palm Trees and Power Lines” (Momentum Pictures)
  • Gabrielle Union – “The Inspection” (A24)

Best Breakthrough Performance

  • Frankie Corio – “Aftersun” (A24)
  • Garcija Filipovic – “Murina” (Kino Lorber)
  • Stephanie Hsu – “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24)
  • Lily McInerny – “Palm Trees and Power Lines” (Momentum Pictures)
  • Daniel Zolghardi – “Funny Pages” (A24)

Best Screenplay

  • “After Yang” (A24) – Kogonada
  • “Catherine Called Birdy” (Amazon Studios) – Lena Dunham
  • “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24) – Daniel Kwan, Daniel Scheinert
  • “TÁR” (Focus Features) – Todd Field
  • “Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) – Sarah Polley

Best First Screenplay

  • “Bodies Bodies Bodies” (A24) – Sarah DeLappe, Kristen Roupenian
  • “Emergency” (Amazon Studios) – K.D. Dávila
  • “Emily the Criminal” (Roadside Attractions) – John Patton Ford
  • “Fire Island” (Searchlight Pictures) – Joel Kim Booster
  • “Palm Trees and Power Lines” (Momentum Pictures) – Jamie Dack, Audrey Findlay

Best First Feature

  • “Aftersun” (A24) – Charlotte Wells (director), Mark Ceryak, Amy Jackson, Barry Jenkins, Adele Romanski (producers)
  • “Emily the Criminal” (Roadside Attractions) – John Patton Ford (director), Tyler Davidson, Aubrey Plaza, Drew Sykes (producers)
  • “The Inspection” (A24) – Elegance Bratton (director), Effie T. Brown, Chester Algernal Gordon (producers)
  • “Murina” (Kino Lorber) – Antoneta Alamat Kusijanović (director), Danijel Pek, Rodrigo Teixeira (producers)
  • “Palm Trees and Power Lines” (Momentum Pictures) – Jamie Dack (director), Leah Chen Baker (producer)

John Cassavetes Award (Given to the best feature made for under $1 million)

  • “The African Desperate” (MUBI) – Martine Syms (writer, director, producer), Rocket Caleshu (writer, producer), Vic Brooks (producer)
  • “A Love Song” (Bleecker Street) – Max Walker-Silverman (writer, director, producer), Jesse Hope, Dan Janvey (producers)
  • “The Cathedral” (MUBI) – Ricky D’Ambrose (writer, director), Graham Swon (producer)
  • “Holy Emy” (Utopie Films) – Araceli Lemos (writer, director), Giulia Caruso (writer, producer), Mathieu Bompoint, Ki Jin Kim, Konstantinos Vassilaros (producers)
  • “Something in the Dirt” (XYZ Films) – Justin Benson (writer, director, producer), Aaron Moorhead (director, producer), David Lawson Jr. (producer)

Best Cinematography

  • “Aftersun” (A24) – Gregory Oke
  • “Murina” (Kino Lorber) – Hélène Louvart
  • “Neptune Frost” (Kino Lorber) – Anisia Uzeyman
  • “Pearl” (A24) – Eliot Rockett
  • “TÁR” (Focus Features) – Florian Hoffmeister

Best Documentary

  • “A House Made of Splinters” (Madman Entertainment) – Simon Lereng Wilmont (director), Monica Hellström (producer)
  • “All that Breathes” (HBO) – Shaunak Sen (director, producer), Teddy Leifer, Aman Mann (producers)
  • “All the Beauty and the Bloodshed” (Neon) – Laura Poitras (director, producer), Howard Gertler, Nan Goldin, Yoni Golijov, John Lyons (producers)
  • “Midwives” (POV) – Snow Hnin Ei Hlaing (director, producer), Mila Aung-Thwin, Ulla Lehmann, Bob Moore (producers)
  • “Riotsville, U.S.A.” (IFC Films) – Sierra Pettengill (director), Sara Archambault, Jamila Wignot (producer)

Best Editing

  • “Aftersun” (A24) – Blair McClendon
  • “The Cathedral” (MUBI) – Ricky D’Ambrose
  • “Everything Everywhere All at Once” (A24) – Paul Rogers
  • “Marcel the Shell with Shoes On” (A24) – Dean Fleischer Camp, Nick Paley
  • “TÁR” (Focus Features) – Monika Willi

Best International Film

  • “Corsage” (Austria/Luxembourg/France/Belgium/Italy/England)
  • “Joyland” (Pakistan/USA)
  • “Leonor Will Never Die” (Philippines)
  • “Return to Seoul” (South Korea/France/Belgium/Romania)
  • “Saint Omer” (France)

Producers Award 

(The Producers Award, now in its 26th year, honors emerging producers who, despite highly limited resources, demonstrate the creativity, tenacity and vision required to produce quality independent films.)

  • Liz Cardenas
  • Tory Lenosky
  • David Grove Churchill Viste

Someone to Watch Award 

(The Someone to Watch Award, now in its 29th year, recognizes a talented filmmaker of singular vision who has not yet received appropriate recognition.)

  • Adamma Ebo – “Honk for Jesus. Save Your Soul.”
  • Nikyatu Jusu – “Nanny”
  • Araceli Lemos – “Holy Emy”

“The Truer Than Fiction Award” 

(The Truer Than Fiction Award, now in its 28th year, is presented to an emerging director of non-fiction features who has not yet received significant recognition.)

  • Isabel Castro – “Mija”
  • Reid Davenport – “I Didn’t See You There”
  • Rebeca Huntt – “Beba”

Robert Altman Award (Given to one film’s director, casting director and ensemble cast)

“Women Talking” (MGM/United Artists Releasing) – Sarah Polley (director), John Buchan, Jason Knight (casting directors), Shayla Brown, Jessie Buckley, Claire Foy, Kira Guloien, Kate Hallett, Judith Ivey, Rooney Mara, Sheila McCarthy, Frances McDormand, Michelle McLeod, Liv McNeil, Ben Whishaw, August Winter (ensemble cast)

Review: ‘TÁR,’ starring Cate Blanchett

October 9, 2022

by Carla Hay

Cate Blanchett in “TÁR” (Photo courtesy of Focus Features)

“TÁR”

Directed by Todd Field

Some language in German with subtitles

Culture Representation: Taking place primarily in Berlin and New York City, the dramatic film “TÁR” features a cast of predominantly white characters (with some Asians) representing the middle-class and wealthy.

Culture Clash: An internationally famous classical music conductor finds her life spiraling out of control when her past actions come back to haunt her. 

Culture Audience: TÁR” will appeal primarily to people who are fans of star Cate Blanchett, writer/director Todd Field and well-acted movies about powerful people who experience a scandalous fall from grace..

Cate Blanchett and Nina Hoss in “TÁR” (Photo courtesy of Focus Features)

Cate Blanchett’s riveting performance in writer/director Todd Field’s “TÁR” makes it a psychological minefield of a drama. It’s an absorbing portrait of someone intoxicated by her own power and facing a reckoning that’s as unwelcome to her as a nasty hangover. Blanchett’s Lydia Tár character is a classical music conductor who has reached the top of her field, which makes her public downfall such a disastrous mess. Viewers can decide for themselves if this downfall could have been diminished based on how it was handled by the movie’s central character.

“TÁR” is Field’s first movie as a writer/director/producer since his Oscar-nominated 2006 drama “Little Children,” another movie about how a woman is affected by a sex-related scandal. Whereas “Little Children” told the story of a private citizen in a suburban U.S. neighborhood, “TÁR” is about a public figure who is an internationally famous entertainer. “TÁR” had its world premiere at the 2022 Venice International Film Festival in Italy and subsequently had premieres at the 2022 Telluride Film Festival in Colorado, and the 2022 New York Film Festival in New York City.

In “TÁR,” Lydia fits every definition of a type-A personality who’s an overachiever. The movie’s opening scene takes place at The New Yorker Festival, where writer Adam Gopnik (playing a version of himself) is interviewing Lydia in a one-on-one Q&A in front of the audience. It’s a laudatory interview, where her accomplishments are listed like badges of honor: She graduated Phi Beta Kappa from Harvard University. Lydia is also a piano performance graduate of the Curtis Institute, and she has a Ph.D. in musicology from the University of Vienna, specializing in music from the Ucayali Valley in Eastern Peru.

At one time or another, she has been a conductor for all of the “Big Five” American orchestras: New York Philharmonic, Boston Symphony Orchestra, Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Philadelphia Orchestra and Cleveland Orchestra. Lydia is a rare entertainer who is an EGOT winner: someone who has won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony. She considers herself to be a New Yorker, and has a home in New York City, where she still visits on a regular basis. However, for the past seven years, Lydia has been living in Berlin, because she has been a conductor for an unnamed German orchestra.

Lydia, who describes herself as a “U-Haul lesbian,” lives with her German domestic partner Sharon Goodnow (played by Nina Hoss) and their adopted Syrian daughter Petra (played by Mila Bogojevic), who is about 6 or 7 years old. Sharon is a violinist in the German orchestra that Lydia conducts. It’s the first sign in the movie that Lydia has a tendency to blur the lines between her job and her personal life.

Lydia is a loner who doesn’t have a close circle of friends, so Sharon is Lydia’s closest confidante. Sharon knows a lot of Lydia’s secrets. However, Sharon eventually finds out that she doesn’t really know everything about Lydia. Two American men also have an influence on Lydia, and they give her advice, whether she wants to hear it or not.

Eliot Kaplan (played by Mark Strong) is an investment banker and amateur conductor, who has financed a non-profit program called the Accordion Conducting Fellowship, which is led by Lydia. The fellowship gives apprenticeships and job opportunities to aspiring female classical music conductors in this very male-dominated field. Near the beginning of the movie, Lydia tells Eliot during a lunch meeting that she’s thinking that the program recipients shouldn’t just be one gender.

The other man who plays an influential role in Lydia’s life is her mentor Andris Davis (played by Julian Glover), who was her predecessor at the German orchestra that Lydia currently conducts. Andris was the one who recommended her for the job, although it’s made clear throughout the movie that Lydia’s talent is so highly respected and sought-after, she probably didn’t need to a recommendation to get the job. What started out as a temporary job for Lydia to be the guest conductor position at this German orchestra turned out to be a long-term, permanent position.

If viewers believe the narrative that Lydia tells people, one of the reasons why she and Sharon decided to settle in Berlin was to be closer to Sharon’s family members who live in the area. But as the story unfolds, it becomes pretty obvious that Lydia might have had a reason to avoid living in New York full-time. It turns out that Lydia has a “stalker” who lives in New York City.

Lydia’s French assistant Francesca Lentini (played by Noémie Merlant) knows who this “stalker” is, because this person has been sending obsessive and threatening email messages to Lydia. Francesca has permission to access these messages, because Francesca screens Lydia’s mail. Francesca is an aspiring conductor who greatly admires Lydia and considers Lydia to be her mentor.

Over time, based on the way that Francesca acts and what she says, Francesca seems to assume that she will be Lydia’s first choice if any big job opportunity comes along that Lydia can help Francesca get. Lydia expects unwavering loyalty from Francesca, but Francesca expects the same loyalty in return. There’s some sexual tension between Lydia and Francesca that will make viewers speculate if or when the relationship between Lydia and Francesca ever became sexually intimate.

Just like a lot of hard-driving, ambitious and accomplished people, Lydia is a perfectionist who is just as hard on herself as she is on other people. A very telling scene is when she is a guest teacher in a classical music class at the prestigious Juilliard School in New York City. The students seem very intimidated by Lydia’s reputation for being merciless in her criticism, but she’s also full of praise for anyone who meets or exceeds her high standards.

During this class session, Lydia singles out a student named Max (played by Zethphan Smith-Gneist) and asks him, “What are you actually conducting?” Max is so nervous in her presence, one of Max’s legs is literally shaking as Max talks to her. However, Max isn’t so afraid of Lydia that Max won’t challenge some of the things that she lectures to the students.

For example, Lydia tells the students any great conductor or musician can find something to relate to in the music of classical icons Johann Sebastian Bach or Ludwig van Beethoven. Max disagrees and tells Lydia and the rest of the people in the room: “As a BIPOC [black, indigenous, or person of color], pan-gender person, it’s impossible to take Bach seriously.”

Lydia tells Max that she doesn’t know what BIPOC and pan-gender means, and her attitude is that she doesn’t care to know. She treats Max dismissively, like an ignorant young person whose opinions matter very little to her, because she’s the more experienced, older person. Finally, a fed-up Max gets tired of feeling belittled by Lydia, and Max walks out of the class. Before leaving the room, Max tells Lydia, “You’re a fucking bitch.”

In response, a stone-faced Lydia calls Max a “robot.” Throughout the movie, Lydia mentions that she dislikes it when people act like robots. During her lunch with Eliot, she says, “There’s no glory for a robot. Do your own thing.” Ironically, when Lydia’s world starts to come crashing down on her, she represses her emotions and turns to rigid routines (such as rigorous jogging and boxing) to cope, and thereby acts very much like a “robot,” in an attempt to tune out her troubles.

Lydia is under enormous career pressure when things start to fall apart for her. The German orchestra is preparing for a Deutsche Grammophon live recording date of Mahler’s Symphony No. 5, which will be a major accomplishment in her career. In addition, Lydia is working on writing an original classical piece. However, she seems to be having writer’s block, and she doesn’t really want to admit this problem to anyone.

While in Berlin, Lydia meets a Russian cellist Olga Metkina (played by Sophie Kauer), who is 18 or 19 years old. Olga acts like a star-struck fan with Lydia, who is flattered. Lydia also seems to be sexually attracted to Olga. Meanwhile, Olga seems to be aware of this attraction and makes it clear that she’s eager for any opportunity to work with Lydia.

“TÁR” is fascinating to watch for how it unpeels the layers of Lydia’s contradictory character that is capable of hiding a web of lies and secrets. Lydia can be charismatic and funny, but she can also be ruthless and cruel. She is a workaholic who doesn’t spend a lot of quality time with her daughter Petra, but Lydia quietly threatens the girl at Petra’s school who has been bullying Petra.

Lydia claims to be open to collaboration and hearing different ideas, but when anyone dares to question her ideas or decisions, she gets revenge in passive-aggressive ways. An elderly orchestra member named Sebastian Brix (played by Allan Corduner) finds out the hard way how vindictive Lydia can be. What happens to Sebastian sets off a certain chain events that will accelerate the scandal that could lead to Lydia’s downfall.

In telling the story of this complex person, Field also uses haunting flashback techniques that resemble a fever dream, where Lydia remembers things related to the scandal that threatens to end her career. Lydia also sometimes wakes up in the middle of the night to random sounds, such as a metronome that seems to have started on its own. It further fuels the sense that Lydia is being haunted. How much of it is her own doing? As the tension builds and things get worse for Lydia, the movie’s cinematography (played by Florian Hoffmeister) and the music (by Hildur Guðnadóttir) become more foreboding, creating a sense that the proverbial walls are closing in on her.

The character of Lydia is so well-written and embodied with such realism by Blanchett, people who don’t know anything about the world of classical music might mistake “TÁR” for being a biopic based on a real person. All of the other cast members play their parts well, but the movie would not be as effective without Blanchett’s masterful performance. (Field has said in interviews that he wrote the “TÁR” role only for Blanchett.) It’s the type of virtuoso, top-notch performance that would make Lydia Tár very proud.

Focus Features released “TÁR” in select U.S. cinemas on October 7, 2022, with an expansion to more U.S. cinemas on October 28, 2022.

Review: ‘Tar,’ starring Timothy Bottoms, Aaron Wolf, Graham Greene, Tiffany Shepis and Max Perlich

October 2, 2020

by Carla Hay

Tiffany Shepis in “Tar” (Photo courtesy of 1091 Pictures)

“Tar”

Directed by Aaron Wolf

Culture Representation: Taking place in Los Angeles, the horror flick “Tar” has a predominantly white cast of characters (with one Native American and one Latina) representing the middle-class.

Culture Clash: Some office workers are trapped in a building that’s being terrorized by a tar monster. 

Culture Audience: “Tar” will appeal primarily to people looking for a very lowbrow movie that delivers gory thrills with plenty of laughs because it’s not meant to be taken too seriously.

Aaron Wolf in “Tar” (Photo courtesy of 1091 Pictures)

When it comes down to it, there are two kinds of horror movies in this world: The ones that take themselves seriously and want to really scare people to the bone. And the ones that don’t take themselves seriously and have plenty of comedic moments so that people can laugh along with the scares. “Tar” definitely falls into the latter category. Just keep your expectations very low, because this movie is not aspiring to be a horror masterpiece.

“Tar” has a “trapped in a building” concept that can only work if the characters have enough appeal for viewers to be willing to tolerate their personalities for as long as the movie’s running time. Fortunately, the performances from the “Tar” cast members are good enough to keep viewers interested in what happens to the characters in the movie. Directed by Aaron Wolf (who co-wrote the “Tar” screenplay with Timothy Nutall), “Tar” features Wolf in the role of the lead character: Zach Greenwood, who’s in his 30s and who’s been working in his family’s Greenwood Repair business in Los Angeles for the past 10 years.

The business is in an office building that’s right next to the La Brea Tar Pits. On a sidewalk near the office building, a homeless man (played by Graham Greene) displays a sign saying that he will tell a story to anyone for spare change. The story he tells has to do with the history of the La Brea Tar Pits and the legend that 40,000 years ago, mysterious and deadly creatures lived underground and in the tar.

According to this folklore, people have been killed or have disappeared in the tar for thousands of years. And it usually happens when there is construction around the tar pits that disrupt the creatures down below. There’s one tar creature that’s been named as the most fearsome of all: Machi Manitu, also known as Man of the Tar. It’s a creature that stands about 8 or 9 feet tall and has lived for an untold number of years, according to the legend. You know where all this is going in the movie, of course.

One of Zach’s co-workers named Ben (played by Sandy Danto) is so fascinated by this story that he never gets tired of hearing it every time he pays the homeless man to retell the story. On one particular day, Ben wants to heard the story twice in a row, but Zach, who happens to be walking down the street, literally has to lead Ben away so Ben can get back to work.

And by the way, there’s been some construction going on in the area. One night, one of the construction workers gets killed early on in the movie. He’s at the construction area alone when a mysterious force attacks him. At the murder scene, some mysterious tar is left oozing around his body.

Zach’s father Barry Greenwood (played by Timothy Bottoms) is Zach’s boss. And the business was started by Barry’s late father Alfred (played by Max Perlich), who is shown in flashback scenes with a teenage Barry (played by Liam Grace). Zach is only in the family business because it was the wish of his late mother. (Her cause of death is not mentioned in the movie.)

Zach has been getting bored and restless in the job, and he’s starting to wonder if he could’ve done something better with his life. When he starts making these kinds of comments to Barry, his father reminds him that this was the best job that college-educated Zach could get, since he wasn’t getting better offers anywhere else.

Barry also likes to remind Zach how hard Barry’s father worked to start the business and how they are enjoying the privileges of all that hard work. Essentially, Zach and Barry have a tension-filled relationship because Zach thinks Barry doesn’t understand him and is too demanding, while Barry thinks Zach can be whiny and ungrateful. Zach has probably been thinking about quitting the job, but Barry likes to point out that Zach doesn’t have very many options.

Amid this family squabbling, Zach and Barry have a more pressing issue: The family business is being evicted from the office building because the building’s greedy and uncaring owner Sebastian Sterling (played by Stewart Stone) has sold the property to a company that wants to tear down the building in about a month. Sebastian gave the building tenants only two weeks’ notice to move out of the building. Greenwood Repair has to temporarily close until the company can find new office space.

Most of “Tar” takes place on the very last day that the tenants have to move out of the building. Sebastian stops by to talk to Barry and Zach and remind them that if their business hasn’t cleared out by 6 a.m. the next day, he has a right to sue them, according to the lease that they signed. The movie pokes fun at Sebastian, because he’s the type of corporate shark that people love to hate.

Zach, Barry and their remaining two employees aren’t even close to finishing, so they expect to keep packing for the rest of the night. In addition to goofball Ben (who brings most of the comic relief in the movie), the Greenwood company’s other remaining employee is Marigold (played by Tiffany Shepis), who’s into tarot card readings and astrology. Marigold tells Ben that now that she’s out of a job, she’s thinking of starting her own tarot business.

Barry and Zach try to remain positive about their eviction from the building, but the stress of moving frays their nerves, and they start bickering again. Zach gets some relief from the stress when his understanding and supportive girlfriend Rose (played by Emily Peachey) surprises him with a visit. She brings him some food and offers to help pack boxes. Rose and Max also have some lovers’ time alone in a locked office, but they’re interrupted by Barry before they can finish what they started.

A company on the same floor is also one of the last to move out of the office building. The other company is a small financial firm called Diana Dunder Accounting, whose namesake does not look or dress like a typical accountant. Diana Dunder (played Nicole Alexandra Shipley) looks like a model, and her tight blouse is cut so low that her ample cleavage is practically bursting out. Her company’s packing boxes are labeled “DD Accounting,” and it’s the movie’s cheeky way of saying that “DD” could describe her bra size. Diana has a loyal assistant named Carmenia (played by Dani Fernandez), whom Diana promises she will reward with a promotion when they move to a new office space.

Ben has a crush on Diana (who is single), but he’s somewhat reluctant to ask her out on a date because he thinks that she’s way out of his league. When Diana comes over to the Greenwood Repair office to borrow some bubble wrap, all Ben can do is awkwardly ogle at Diana. As day turns into night, there seems to be only seven people left in the building: Zach, Barry, Ben, Marigold, Rose, Diana and Carmenia.

Suddenly, all the electricity in the building goes out. It’s happened before on other days, and the electricity eventually returned, so the people who are left packing up boxes in the building don’t really panic. They just use flashlights. But then, Ben, Marigold and Diana see some creepy shadows in their offices. 

Diana is a little freaked out, so Marigold invites her to hang out for a while in the Greenwood Repair reception area. Carmenia is nowhere in sight at that moment. Ben takes the opportunity to flirt with the slightly frightened Diana. Ben tells Diana that if he ends up saving her life, she has to make out with him. Diana laughs and agrees to this deal because she doesn’t think there’s any chance that she’s in danger or any chance that Ben would be capable of saving her anyway.

One of the worst things about low-budget horror flicks is that the acting is often terrible. Fortunately, the cast members of “Tar” get the job done in a way that it looks like they’re having fun and they have genuine chemistry together, even in scenes where some of the characters end up having conflicts. And they handle the comedic scenes well-enough that it isn’t cringeworthy. This movie’s sense of humor makes it enjoyable because a lowbrow movie such as “Tar” should not try to put on fake airs that it’s trying to appeal to film snobs.

As for the Machi Manitu creature, director Wolf made the wise decision not to show the creature in full view until the second half of the movie. It helps build viewer suspense to see what the creature looks like. The monster is grotesque and fairly unique-looking, so the movie gets some points for at least trying to have some originality in how this monster is portrayed. Machi Manitu is played by two people: pro wrestler Othello (whose real name Donald Edwards) and Simon Carmody, who’s also the film editor for “Tar.”

The visual effects are adequate for this low-budget movie, and the scenes where someone gets killed are what viewers might expect. It’s already revealed from the beginning of the film that at least one of the characters has survived, because the movie cuts back and forth to this character (who has a bloody neck injury and whose forehead has tar stains) telling what happened on that deadly night. Fortunately, “Tar” moves along at a good pace, and it’s more entertaining to watch than a pretentious horror movie that tries to be “deep” but is actually very dull.

The biggest flaws in “Tar” are in some of the continuity shots and editing, which could have been smoother. One action scene in particular, when the one of the characters kicks down a door on the monster, looks very unrealistic and could have been filmed a lot better. Machi Manitu can shape shift into tar, which is one of the reasons why it’s hard to kill it.

As for why these trapped people in the building don’t call 911, that’s explained in the movie. Rose tries to call 911,  but her phone suddenly dies. It’s implied that there’s a power outage in the area, so cell phone towers aren’t working. And viewers can assume that the offices’ land line phones might already be disconnected because of the evictions and planned demolition of the building.

If people are willing to overlook a plot hole at the end of the film (when it’s not made clear what happened to the dead bodies), “Tar” delivers exactly what it appears to be: It’s a low-budget horror flick that mostly succeeds in blending deliberately tacky horror with an impish sense of humor. It’s the equivalent of a someone telling a silly “knock knock” joke that you’ve heard many times before, but the way that they tell the joke is so unapologetically cheesy, you can’t help but laugh. 

1091 Pictures released “Tar” in select U.S. cinemas on October 2, 2020. The movie’s release on digital and VOD is on October 20, 2020.

Halloween 2020: Horror movies and supernatural thrillers in theaters on All Hallows’ Eve

October 1, 2020

by Carla Hay

There are numerous horror movies available to watch on TV, computers or mobile devices, but for Halloween 2020, there are some horror flicks and supernatural thrillers that will be released in theaters in October. Horror and supernatural movies released before October 2020 that should still be in theaters during the Halloween season include “Rent-A-Pal” (not rated); “Ten Minutes to Midnight” (not rated); and “Shortcut” (not rated).

Here are the movies that have an October 2020 release in theaters:

Information in this article is about U.S. releases.

“12 Hour Shift”

Hospital nurse Mandy (played by Angela Bettis) is having a very bad day at work, where’s she’s doing a 12-hour shift. She’s been illegally selling organs of dead people, and now one of those sales has gone horribly wrong because she’s been paid for a stolen kidney that is now missing. Mandy has to find another kidney before some thugs come after her and her ditzy cousin Regina (played by Chloe Farnworth), Mandy’s partner in crime who lost the kidney. “12 Hour Shift,” written and directed by Brea Grant, has a dark comedic tone and cast that includes David Arquette, Mick Foley, Nikea Gamby-Turner and Kit Williamson. The movie, which is rated R, opens in select theaters and on VOD on October 2, 2020.

“The Call” (2020)

Taking place in 1987, some teenage friends play a prank that goes too far at the home of sinister married couple Edith Cranston (played by Lin Shaye) and Edward Cranston (played by Tobin Bell). The teens then find themselves back at the home, where Edward tells them that they can inherit $100,000 if they make a phone call and can stay on the line for 60 seconds. Directed by Timothy Woodward Jr., “The Call” has a cast that includes Chester Rushing, Erin Sanders and Judd Lormand. The movie, which is rated R, will be released in select theaters on October 2, 2020.

“Come Play”

 Oliver (played by Azhy Robertson) is a lonely young boy who is overly attached to his cell phone and computer tablet. These devices become portals for a mysterious creature to enter the world, and Oliver’s parents (played Gillian Jacobs and John Gallagher Jr.) must fight to save their son from this monster. Written and directed by Jacob Chase, “Come Play” (which is rated PG-13) is due out in theaters on October 30, 2020.

“The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw”

Set in 1973 on the outskirts of a remote Protestant village, a young woman named Audrey Earnshaw (played by Jessica Reynolds) and her mother Agatha (played by Catherine Walker) are accused of witchcraft. Mysterious deaths and plagues have been happening in the area, but Audrey and Agatha’s farm remains mysteriously unaffected. Written and directed by Thomas Robert Lee, “The Curse of Audrey Earnshaw” has a cast that also includes Jared Abrahamson, Hannah Emily Anderson, Geraldine O’Rawe, Don McKellar and Sean McGinley. The movie, which is unrated, arrives in select theaters on October 2, 2020, and on digital and VOD on October 6, 2020.

“Do Not Reply”

A young woman named Chelsea (played by Amanda Arcuri) connects with a man named Brad (played by Jackson Rathbone) over social media. When they meet in person at a Halloween party, he kidnaps her and brings her to his home, where he’s been keeping other abducted women. Written and directed by Walt Woltosz and his son Daniel Woltosz, “Do Not Reply” has a cast that includes Kerri Medders, Elise Luthman, Ashlee Füss, Ivon Millan and Thom Gossom Jr. The movie, which is rated R, is set for release in select theaters and on VOD on October 2, 2020.

“Don’t Look Back” (2020)

After a young woman named Caitlin Kramer (played by Courtney Bell) and several other people witness a man being murdered and don’t step in soon enough to help him, the bystander witnesses are mysteriously killed, one by one. Is it a coincidence or something else? And will Caitlin survive what might be revenge serial killings? “Don’t Look Back,” directed by “Final Destination” writer Jeffrey Reddick, has a cast that also includes Bryan Batt, Will Stout, Skyler Hart, Jeremy Holm, Jaqueline Fleming, Amanda Grace Benitez, Damon Lipari, Han Soto, Dean J. West and Stephen Twardokus. The movie, which is unrated, is set for release in select theaters and on VOD on October 16, 2020.

“The Empty Man”

When a girl goes missing, a former cop encounters a secretive group that’s trying to conjure up an evil spirit called the Empty Man. This movie is based on “The Empty Man” graphic novel series. “The Empty Man” written and directed by David Prior, has a cast that also includes James Badge Dale, Stephen Root, Joel Courtney and Marin Ireland. The movie, which is rated R, is set for release in theaters on October 23, 2020.

“Halloween Party”

A college student named Grace (played by Amy Groening) investigates the mysterious murder of her best friend after they set off a sinister Halloween-themed computer meme.  Grace gets assistance from a fellow student/computer whiz named Spencer (played by Jason Daley), and they find out that their college has a terrible secret. Written and directed by Jay Dahl, “Halloween Party” also stars Bradley Bailey, Scott Bailey, Zach Faye and Lisa Hackett. The movie, which is unrated, arrives in select theaters and on VOD on October 2, 2020.

“Love and Monsters”

In this movie, a Monsterpocalypse has devastated the world and forced humans to live underground to hide from the giant monsters that have taken over the world. Seven years after this invasion, Joel Dawson (played by Dylan O’Brien) reconnects over the radio with Aimee (Jessica Henwick), his girlfriend from high school, who is 80 miles away. When Joel falls in love with Aimee again, he decides to risk it all to go above-ground to reunite with her. Directed by Michael Matthews, “Love and Monsters” has a cast that includes Michael Rooker and Ariana Greenblatt. The movie, which is rated PG-13, arrives in theaters, on digital and on VOD on October 16, 2020.

“Possessor Uncut”

In “Possessor Uncut,” an elite, corporate assassin named Tasya Vos (played by Andrea Riseborough) uses brain-implant technology to take over other people’s bodies and murder her intended targets. But then she becomes trapped inside a mind that can destroy her. Written and directed by Brandon Cronenberg, “Possessor Uncut” has a cast that includes Jennifer Jason Leigh, Christopher Abbott, Sean Bean, Rossif Sutherland and Tuppence Middleton. The movie, which is unrated, is due in theaters on October 2, 2020.

“Save Yourselves!”

The horror/sci-fi comedy “Save Yourselves!” centers on a New York City hipster couple in their 30s named Su (played by Sunita Mani) and Jack (played by John Reynolds), who decide to go on a weeklong getaway at a remote cabin and “unplug” from all technology. During their retreat, they find out that the world is being invaded by deadly fuzzy creatures that Su and Jack call “poofs,” which have reached their remote area of the woods. Written and directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson, “Save Yourselves!” has a cast that includes Ben Sinclair, John Early and the voice of Amy Sedaris. The movie, which is rated R, is due out in theaters on October 2, 2020, and on digital and VOD on October 6, 2020.

“Spell”

Marquis T. Woods (played by Omari Hardwick) is a successful corporate attorney who travels by private plane with his wife and two teenage children to his West Virginia hometown in the Appalachian area to attend the funeral of his late father. But when the plane crashes, Marquis wakes up to find that he is being held captive by a crazy voodoo priestess named Eloise (played by Loretta Devine), who uses body parts for her rituals. Directed by Mark Tonderai, “Spell” has a cast that also includes Lorraine Burroughs, Hannah Gonera, Kalifa Burton, John Beasley, Steve Mululu and Tumisho Masha. The movie, which is rated R, is set for release in select theaters and on digital and VOD on October 30, 2020.

“Spontaneous”

In this horror/sci-fi comedy, Mara (played by Katherine Langford) and Dylan (played by Charlie Plummer) are two students in high school who fall in love with each other, even though their world is experiencing a mysterious plague where people are spontaneously exploding. Written and directed by Brian Duffield, “Spontaneous” has a cast that includes Piper Perabo, Ron Huebel, Hayley Law and Yvonne Orji. The movie, which is rated R, is set for release in theaters on October 2, 2020, and on VOD on October 6, 2020.

“Synchronic”

New Orleans paramedics and best friends Steve (played by Anthony Mackie) and Dennis (played by Jamie Dornan) are on the scene of some gruesome accidents that are being blamed on a mysterious new party drug. But after Dennis’s oldest daughter disappears, Steve finds out the horrifying truth. Directed by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead and written by Benson, “Synchronic” has a cast that includes Katie Asleton and Ally Ioannides. The movie, which is rated R, is set for release in theaters on October 23, 2020.

“Tar”

For 40,000 years, creatures have been living under the La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Barry Greenwood (played by Timothy Bottoms) and his son Zach (played by Aaron Wolff) have had to shut down their office business because of city construction on the land. But the construction triggers a nightmarish reaction from a creature down below, and the humans above have to fight for survival. Directed by Wolff, who co-wrote the movie with Timothy Nutall, “Tar” has a cast that includes Graham Greene, Tiffany Shepis and Max Perlich. The movie, which is rated PG-13, is set for release in select theaters on October 2, 2020, and on digital and VOD on October 20, 2020.

“The Wolf of Snow Hollow”

A small-town sheriff has to solve a series of murders that happen only when there’s a fool moon. He doesn’t believe in werewolves, and he’s also having problems at home with his wife and rebellious teen daughter. Jim Cummings is the writer and star of “The Wolf of Snow Hollow,” whose cast also includes Riki Lindhome, Robert Forster, Jimmy Tatro and Chloe East. The movie, which is rated R, is set for release in select theaters and on digital and VOD on October 9, 2020.

SPECIAL RE-RELEASES

“The Addams Family” (2019)

Directed by Conrad Vernon and Greg Tiernan, “The Addams Family” is the animated version of Charles Addams’ comic-strip that ran in the New Yorker from 1938 to 1988. The comic strip , which is about a spooky clan that has a hard time fitting into a “normal” world, would go on to spawn a live-action TV series in the 1960s, an animated TV series in the 1970s and live-action films in the 1990s. The all-star voice cast of “The Addams Family” animated film includes Oscar Isaac as patriarch Gomez Addams; Charlize Theron as matriarch Morticia Addams; Chloë Grace Moretz as daughter Wednesday Addams; Finn Wolfhard as son Pugsley Addams; Nick Kroll as Uncle Fester, Gomez’s brother; Snoop Dogg as Cousin Itt, Gomez’s cousin; Bette Midler as Grandmama, Gomez and Fester’s mother; and Allison Janney as reality TV host Margaux Needler, the story’s villain. “The Addams Family” is rated PG-13.  Cinépolis will show the movie on October 23, 2020. The screenings for Alamo Drafthouse locations will vary by location, and audience members are encouraged to wear costumes.

“Annabelle”

The 2014 film “Annabelle” is an origin story of the evil doll Annabelle from “The Conjuring” movies. In the movie, a loving husband has given Annabelle as a gift to his pregnant wife. And all hell breaks loose. Directed by John Leonetti, “Annabelle” has a cast that includes Annabelle Wallis, Alfre Woodard, Ward Horton, Tony Amendola, Eric Ladin and Brian Howe. “Annabelle,” which is rated R, will have screenings at AMC Theaters on October 9, 2020. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“Annabelle: Creation”

In this 2017 prequel to “Annabelle,” a dollmaker and his wife, who are grieving over the death of their young daughter, welcome a nun and several girls from a shuttered orphanage into their home. Little does this couple know that a doll named Annabelle will unleash some deadly terror on the people in the home. Directed by David F. Sandberg, “Annabelle: Creation” has a cast that includes Anthony LaPaglia, Miranda Otto, Stephanie Sigman and Talitha Bateman. “Annabelle: Creation,” which is rated R, will have screenings at AMC Theaters on October 2, 2020. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“Beetlejuice”

Tim Burton’s classic 1988 horror comedy tells the story of deceased young couple Adam and Barbara Maitland (played by Alec Baldwin and Geena Davis), who haunt their former home and try unsuccessfully to scare away the house’s new residents: Charles and Delia Deetz (played by Jeffrey Jones and Catherine O’Hara) and their moody teenage daughter Lydia (Winona Ryder). In desperation, the Maitlands conjur up the obnoxious ghost Betelgeuse (played by Michael Keaton) to enlist his help in terrifying the Deetz family into moving out of the house. “Beetlejuice” (which is rated PG) will have screenings at several movie-theater chains. Cinemark will show “Beetlejuice” on October 2, 2020, while Cinépolis will show the movie on October 9, 2020. The screenings for Alamo Drafthouse locations will vary by location.

“Casper”

Based on the beloved ghost character from Harvey Comics, this 1995 live-action/animated movie tells the story how a greedy heiress, an after-life therapist and the therapist’s daughter find some ghosts in an old mansion. Casper is a friendly ghost, but the same can’t be said for Casper’s ghost uncles Stretch, Fatso and Stinkie. Directed by Brad Silberling, the movie’s cast includes Christina Ricci, Bill Pullman, Cathy Moriarty, Eric Idle and Amy Brenneman, as well as the voices of Malachi Pearson, Joe Nipote, Joe Alaskey and Brad Garrett. Alamo Drafthouse locations will show “Casper,” which is rated PG, with screening information varying by location. Audience members are encouraged to wear costumes.

“Coco”

In the Oscar-winning animated 2017 film “Coco,” a Mexican boy named Miguel, who is an aspiring musician, travels to the Land of the Dead to learn more about being like his idol Ernesto de la Cruz. “Coco” (directed by Lee Unkrich) has a voice cast that includes Anthony Gonzalez, Gael García Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Alanna Ubach, Renée Victor, Ana Ofelia Murguía and Edward James Olmos. “Coco,” which is rated PG, will have screenings at multiple movie-theater chains. AMC Theaters and Cinépolis will show “Coco” on October 9, 2020.

“The Conjuring”

Based on a true story, the 2013 film “The Conjuring” shows how paranormal investigators/married couple Ed and Lorraine Warren (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) were called in 1971 to help a family who have moved to Harrisville, Rhode Island, in a farmhouse that is possessed by an evil spirit. Directed by James Wan, “The Conjuring” has a cast that includes Lili Taylor and Ron Livingston. “The Conjuring,” which is rated R, will have screenings at AMC Theaters on October 23, 2020. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“The Conjuring 2”

In the 2016 film “The Conjuring 2” (the sequel to “The Conjuring”), it’s 1977, and paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren (played by Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga) go to London to help a single mother who is raising four children in a haunted house. Directed by James Wan, the movie’s cast includes Frances O’Connor, Madison Wolfe, Simon McBurney and Franka Potente. “The Conjuring 2,” which is rated R, will have screenings at AMC Theaters on October 30, 2020. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“The Craft”

In this 1996 film, four teenage girls in high school find out that they have the power to practice witchcraft. Directed by Andrew Fleming (who co-wrote the screenplay with Peter Filardi), “The Craft” has a cast that includes Robin Tunney, Fairuza Balk, Neve Campbell, Rachel True, Skeet Ulrich, Christine Taylor and Breckin Meyer. The Alamo Drafthouse theater chain is showing “The Craft” (which is rated R), with the dates varying by location. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“The Curse of La Llorona”

The 2019 film “The Curse of LaLorona” is based on the Mexican folklore of La Llorona, the ghostly weeping woman who drowned her children and then committed suicide. In 1970s Los Angeles, La Llorona is stalking a troubled widowed mother who is being investigated by social workers. Directed by Michael Chaves, the movie’s cast includes stars Linda Cardellini, Raymond Cruz, Patricia Velasquez and Marisol Ramirez, Sean Patrick Thomas, Jaynee-Lynne Kinchen and Roman Christou. “The Curse of La Llorona,” which is rated R, will have screenings at AMC Theaters on October 23, 2020. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“The Exorcist”

The 1973 classic “The Exorcist,” directed by William Friedkin, is often ranked as the scariest horror movie of all time. In the story, Chris MacNeil (played by Ellen Burstyn) is distraught when she sees her 12-year-old daughter Regan (played by Linda Blair) begin to act strangely, such as speaking in tongues. When Regan starts levitating, Chris is convinced that Regan might be possessed by the devil. Chris asks a local priest named Father Damien (played by Jason Miller) for help. He then requests to perform an exorcism, and the Catholic Church sends an exorcism expert Father Lankester Merrin (played by Max von Sydow) to assist in the exorcism. “The Exorcist,” which is rated R, received 10 Oscar nominations (including Best Picture), and ended up winning two Oscars: Best Original Screenplay and Best Sound Mixing. The Cinépolis theater chain is showing “The Exorcist” (which is rated R) on October 23, 2020. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“Frankenstein” (2011 National Theatre stage production)

In 2011, Fathom Events released a screening of the U.K.’s “Frankenstein” National Theatre stage production, starring Jonny Lee Miller as Dr. Frankenstein and Benedict Cumberbatch as Frankenstein’s Creature. Directed by Danny Boyle, this special screening (which is not rated) is getting a re-release in select U.S. cinemas on October 28, 2020. More information and ticket purchases are available here.

“Friday the 13th” (1980)

The horror legend of Jason Vorhees began with 1980’s original “Friday the 13th” film (directed by Sean S. Cunningham), a classic slasher flick where a serial killer is on the loose and murdering teenagers at Camp Crystal Lake. According to local folklore, Jason Vorhees was a boy who drowned in the lake due to bullying. Did he really die? And is he out for revenge? The movie’s cast includes Kevin Baker, Betsy Palmer, Jeannine Taylor, Robbi Morgan, Harry Crosby and Adrienne King. The 40th anniversary of the release of “Friday the 13th,” which is rated R, will be celebrated with a restored and remastered release in select theaters on October 4, October 6 and October 7, 2020. The screenings will include a featurettes called “Secrets Galore Behind the Gore,” with commentary by special-effects and makeup artist Tom Savini, who worked on the movie. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“Ghost”

The pottery-making scene in the blockbuster film “Ghost” has been widely parodied, but this 1990 film remains a fan favorite for romantic supernatural movies. “Ghost” tells the story of banker Sam Wheat (played by Patrick Swayze) and potter Molly Jensen (played by Demi Moore), a live-in couple who are deeply in love. Sam is tragically murdered, and Molly believes his spirit is contacting her, with the help of a sassy psychic named Oda Mae Brown (played by Whoopi Goldberg, in an Oscar-winning performance). The 30th anniversary of “Ghost” will be celebrated with Turner Classic Movies commentary in select theaters on October 24 and October 25, 2020. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“Ghostbusters” (1984)

The original 1984 “Ghostbusters” movie is considered a horror-comedy classic. Directed by Ivan Reitman, the movie tells the story of three paranormal investigators (played by Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Harold Ramis), their first recruit (Ernie Hudson), their socialite client (played by Sigourney Weaver), her neighbor (played by Rick Moranis), and how they stumble upon ghosts and demons in New York City. The Alamo Drafthouse theater chain is showing “Ghostbusters” (which is rated PG), with the dates varying by location. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“Halloween” (1978)

John Carpenter’s “Halloween” is considered one of the most influential horror movies of all time, and certainly one of the top films representing the “slasher” subgenre of horror flicks. The mask-wearing, knife-wielding, mute serial killer Michael Myers has become a much-parodied and imitated horror icon, but at the time that “Halloween” was released, many of the terror-inducing elements of this movie were considered groundbreaking. The slow-burn suspense of “Halloween,” which spawned numerous inferior sequels, can be fully appreciated on the big screen, considering that most modern “slasher” movies follow a formula of someone getting killed every 15 to 20 minutes. Jamie Lee Curtis, as teenage babysitter Laurie Strode, made her movie debut in “Halloween,” one of many horror films in which she’s had a starring role, including the 2018 movie sequel of the same name. Donald Pleasence also stars in the original “Halloween” as Myers’ psychiatric doctor, who doggedly tries to find his patient after Myers escapes from a psychiatric institution. The Cinépolis theater chain will have a screening of the original 1978 “Halloween” (which is rated R) on October 30, 2020. More information and ticket purchases are available here.

“Hocus Pocus”

The supernatural comedy film “Hocus Pocus,” directed by Kenny Ortega, tells the story of three ancient sister witches (played by Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Najimy) who are accidentally conjured up by a teenage boy (played by Omri Katz) after he and his family move from Los Angeles to Salem, Massachusetts. “Hocus Pocus,” which is rated PG, will have screenings at several movie-theater chains. AMC Theaters, Cinemark and Cinépolis will show “Hocus Pocus” on October 2, 2020. The screenings for Alamo Drafthouse locations will vary by location.

“The House With a Clock in Its Walls”

Based on the children’s novel written by John Bellairs, the 2018 movie “The House with a Clock in Its Walls” tells the story of an orphaned 10-year-old boy who goes to live with his uncle in a creepy hold house and finds out that the town in inhabited by witches and warlocks. Directed by Eli Roth, the movie’s cast includes Cate Blanchett, Jack Black, Owen Vaccaro, Kyle MacLachlan, Colleen Camp, Renée Elise Goldsberry, Vanessa Anne Williams and Sunny Suljic. The Cinépolis theater chain will have a screening of “The House With a Clock in Its Walls” (which is rated PG-13) on October 30, 2020. More information and ticket purchases are available here.

“It”

Based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, the 2017 blockbuster “It” (also known as “It Chapter One”) is a story that features one of horror entertainment’s most terrifying clowns. When children begin to disappear in the town of Derry, Maine, a group of 13-year-old misfit kids who call themselves the Losers Club are faced with their biggest fears when they square off against an evil clown named Pennywise (played by Bill Skarsgård), whose history of murder and violence dates back for centuries. The movie’s cast include Jaeden Martell as Bill Denbrough; Jeremy Ray Taylor as Ben Hanscom; Sophia Lillis as Beverly Marsh; Finn Wolfhard as Richie Tozier; Wyatt Oleff as Stanley Uris; Chosen Jacobs as Mike Hanlon; Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie Kaspbrak and Nicholas Hamilton as Henry Bowers. “It” author King has a cameo in the movie. The Cinépolis theater chain will have a screening of “It” (which is rated R) on October 2, 2020. More information and ticket purchases are available here.

“It Chapter Two”

In this sequel to the 2017 horror blockbuster “It,” the members of the Losers Club once again join forces in their quest to get the evil clown Pennywise (played by Bill Skarsgård) out of their lives. It’s now 27 years since the Losers Club last saw Pennywise as 13-year-olds in their hometown of Derry, Maine. Pennywise is back, and the adult members of the Losers Club reunite to do battle against him. The cast of “It Chapter Two” includes Jessica Chastain as the adult Beverly, James McAvoy as the adult Bill, Bill Hader as the adult Richie, Isaiah Mustafa as the adult Mike, Jay Ryan as the adult Ben, James Ransone as the adult Eddie, and Andy Bean as the adult Stanley. Reprising their roles as the original members of the Losers Club are Jaeden Martell as Bill, Wyatt Oleff as Stanley, Jack Dylan Grazer as Eddie, Finn Wolfhard as Richie, Sophia Lillis as Beverly, Chosen Jacobs as Mike, and Jeremy Ray Taylor as Ben. Bill Skarsgård returns in the role of Pennywise. The Cinépolis theater chain will have a screening of “It Chapter Two” (which is rated R) on October 2, 2020, with tickets available here.

“Jack-O” (RiffTrax version)

RiffTrax comedy stars Mike Nelson, Kevin Murphy and Bill Corbett give their running commentary during the 1995 campy horror flick “Jack-O.” In this R-rated movie (directed by Steve Latshaw), Jack the Pumpkin man is an evil warlock who rises from the grave to seek revenge on the Kelly family, who are descendants of the man who buried Jack years ago. The movie’s cast includes Linnea Quigley, Maddisen K. Krown, Gary Doles and Ryan Latshaw. The RiffTrax version of “Jack-O” is set for select theaters on October 21, 2020. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“Lights Out”

In the 2016 film “Lights Out,” a young woman named Rebecca and her kid brother Martin experience a terrifying evil spirit when the lights go out. They begin to suspect that it has something to do with their mother. Directed by David F. Sandberg (in his feature-film debut), the movie’s cast includes Teresa Palmer, Gabriel Bateman, Billy Burke, Alexander DiPersia and Maria Bello. “Lights Out,” which is rated PG-13, will have screenings at AMC Theaters on October 9, 2020. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“The Lost Boys”

This 1987 comedic horror film is about a group of teenagers who discover that a gang of teenage vampires has invaded the California beach city where they live. Directed by Joel Schumacher, “The Lost Boys” has a cast that includes Corey Haim, Corey Feldman, Jason Patric, Kiefer Sutherland, Jamie Gertz, Dianne Wiest and Edward Hermann. Alamo Drafthouse locations will have various screenings of “The Lost Boys,” which is rated R. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“Memories of Murder”

Originally released in 2003, Oscar-winning director Bong Joon Ho’s “Memories of Murder,” which is based on true events, follows the hunt for a serial rapist and murderer who has been targeting a small province in 1980s South Korea. Three detectives are at the center of trying to solve the case: Park Doo-man (played by Song Kang-ho), the leader of the trio; Cho Yong-koo (played by Park Kim Roi-ha), his aggressive cop partner; and Seo Tae-yoon (Kim Sang-kyung), the youngest of the trio. (In real life, the killer was caught in 2019.) The rerelease of “Memories of Murder,” which is rated R, arrives in select theaters on October 19 and October 20, 2020. These screenings will include an exclusive prerecorded conversation with filmmakers Bong Joo Ho and Edgar Wright, the director of “Shaun of the Dead” and “Baby Driver.” More information and ticket purchases can be found here. The VOD release of “Memories of Murder” is on October 27, 2020.

“The Nightmare Before Christmas”

The 1993 animated musical “The Nightmare Before Christmas”—produced and conceived by Tim Burton and directed by Henry Selick—tells the story of Jack Skellington, the King of Halloween Town, who accidentally goes through a portal to Christmas Town.  When he returns to Halloween Town to celebrate Christmas and share  his knowledge about Christmas, chaos ensues. Danny Elfman, who wrote the film’s songs and score, provided the singing voice of Jack. The voice cast also includes Chris Sarandon, Catherine O’Hara, William Hickey, Ken Page, Paul Reubens, Glenn Shadix, and Ed Ivory. “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” which is rated PG, will have screenings at several movie-theater chains. AMC Theaters and Cinépolis will show “The Nightmare Before Christmas” on October 16, 2020. Alamo Drafthouse locations will have a costume element for their screenings of the movie, which vary by location.

“The Nun”

In this 2018 prequel in “The Conjuring”/'”Annabelle” universe, “The Nun” tells the story of a Catholic priest sent by the Vatican to investigate a nun’s suicide in Romania. Directed by Corin Hardy, the movie’s cast includes Demian Bichir, Taissa Farmiga, Jonas Bloquet, Charlotte Hope, Ingrid Bisu and Bonnie Aarons. “The Nun,” which is rated R, will have screenings at AMC Theaters on October 2, 2020. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“Poltergeist” (1982)

In the original 1982 “Poltergeist” movie, the Freeling family, which has three underage kids, has moved into a new house, where strange things starts happening and the youngest child mysteriously disappears. Directed by Tobe Hooper, “Poltergeist” has a cast that includes Craig T. Nelson, JoBeth Williams, Dominique Dunne, Heather O’Rourke, Oliver Robins and Zelda Rubinstein. The 2015 “Poltergeist” remake flopped with critics and audiences, unlike the original “Poltergeist.” The 1982 “Poltergeist” film, which is rated PG, will have screenings at AMC Theaters on October 16, 2020. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“Psycho” (1960)

The most influential film ever directed by Alfred Hitchcock is 1960’s “Psycho,” a horror masterpiece that is considered the “grandfather” of slasher movies. In the beginning of the movie, embezzler Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh) is on the run from the law with stolen cash, when she checks into the creepy and isolated Bates Motel, whose caretaker is Norman Bates (played by Anthony Perkins). What happened to Marion in her motel room’s shower became one of the most iconic horror scenes in movie history. It isn’t long before Marion’s sister Lila Crane (played by Vera Miles) goes looking for Marion, and she also ends up at the Bates Motel, where Lila discovers how dangerous the Bates Motel really is. “Psycho” spawned the 1983 sequel “Psycho II” (starring Perkins and Miles) and director Gus Van Sant’s 1998 “Psycho” remake, both of which got mixed-to-negative reviews. The “Bates Motel” TV series, which was on the air from 2013 to 2017, was the origin story of a teenage Norman Bates. The 60th anniversary of “Psycho” will be celebrated with an uncut version of the movie (and Turner Classic Movies commentary) in select theaters on October 11 and October 12, 2020. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“Scream”

This 1996 classic film features a masked serial killer on the loose with an ultimate target: high schooler Sidney Prescott (played by Neve Campbell). The psycho also likes to call his victims before he murders them. Directed by Wes Craven, “Scream” has a cast that includes, Courteney Cox, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard, Rose McGowan, Skeet Ulrich and Drew Barrymore. Alamo Drafthouse locations will have various screenings of “Scream,” which is rated R. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“Shaun of the Dead”

The 2004 horror comedy “Shaun of the Dead” shows what happens when two best friends (played by Simon Pegg and Nick Frost) try to survive during a zombie apocalypse in England. Directed by Edgar Wright (who co-wrote the screenplay with Pegg), the movie’s cast includes Kate Ashfield, Lucy Davis, Dylan Moran, Bill Nighy and Penelope Wilton. Alamo Drafthouse locations will have various screenings of “Shaun of the Dead,” which is rated R. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“The Shining”

“The Shining” is director Stanley Kubrick’s version of the Stephen King novel, which tells the story of an aspiring writer named Jack Torrance (played by Jack Nicholson), who takes a job as a live-in caretaker of the historic Overlook Hotel in Colorado’s Rocky Mountain area during the hotel’s off-season. He moves there with his wife Wendy Torrance (played by Shelley Duvall) and kindergarten-aged son Danny Torrance (played by Danny Lloyd), who shows signs of having psychic abilities. The hotel cook Dick Hallorann (played by Scatman Crothers) notices Danny’s unusual abilities, which Dick calls “the shining.” When Danny’s visions become more menacing and Jack starts descending into madness, it’s only a matter of time before all hell breaks loose. The 40th anniversary of the release of “The Shining,” which is rated R, will be celebrated with Turner Classic Movies commentary in select theaters on October 17, October 20 and October 22, 2020. More information and ticket purchases from can be found here. In addition, the Cinépolis theater chain will have a screening of “The Shining” on October 16, 2020, with tickets available here.

“Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight”

The 1995 film “Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight” features a serial killed named The Collector who’s on a murderous rampage. Directed by Ernest Dickerson, the movie’s cast includes Billy Zane, William Sadler, Jada Pinkett, Brenda Bakke, C.C.H. Pounder, Dick Miller and Thomas Haden Church. Alamo Drafthouse locations will have screenings of “Tales From the Crypt: Demon Knight,” which is rated R. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” (1974)

The original 1974 film “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” introduced horror audiences to the chainsaw-wielding serial killer Leatherface. In the movie, a group of unlucky young people end up being targeted by cannibals. Directed by Tobe Hooper (who co-wrote the screenplay with Kim Henkel), “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre” cast includes Marilyn Burns, Paul A. Partain, Edwin Neal, Jim Siedow and Gunnar Hansen. Alamo Drafthouse locations will have screenings of the 1974 version of “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre,” which is rated R. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

“The Thing” (1982)

In the original 1982 version of “The Thing,” which is rated R, 12 researchers at a remote Antarctic research station discover a deadly alien that had been buried in the snow for over 100,000 years. Directed by John Carpenter, the movie’s cast includes Kurt Russell R.J. MacReady, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith David, Richard Dysart, Charles Hallahan, Peter Maloney, Richard Masur, Donald Moffat, Joel Polis and Thomas G. Waites. Alamo Drafthouse locations will have screenings of the 1982 version of “The Thing,” which is rated R. More information and ticket purchases can be found here.

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