MUST-WATCH: Horror galore for Halloween

Guillermo del Toro's Cabinet of Curiosities, courtesy of Netflix.

By James Mackin

Posted October 31, 2022 2:38 pm.

For this Halloween edition of the MUST-WATCH Top 10, we’ve got some great spooky shows and movies for you! But in case you’re not in a horror mood, we’ve got some other fanstastic new things as well! But will horror reign supreme from the top of the list? You’ll have to keep reading to find out!

The White Lotus (Season 2)

Where to watch: Crave

Let’s start off this week with a return to an HBO smash hit!

Jon Gries and Jennifer Coolidge in the White Lotus, courtesy of HBO.

The second season of the White Lotus has premiered! In this season, we move the action from Hawaii to Italy, and returning with the show is Tanya (played by Jennifer Coolidge from Best in Show and American Pie). But we have a whole new cast of characters as well, including Harper (played by Aubrey Plaza from Emily the Criminal) who’s travelling to the resort with her newly rich husband and some of his college friends. There’s also Dominic (played by Michael Imperioli from the Sopranos), a film producer travelling with his family to discover his roots, and Quentin (played by Tom Hollander from In The Loop) a British expat hoping to relax. But just like the first season, there’s the mystery of a dead body to solve. The only difference here is there are now multiple dead bodies.

You can watch the first episode of this show on Crave now!

Run Sweetheart Run

Where to watch: Amazon Prime Video

Next up, a first date nightmare!

Run Sweetheart Run stars Ella Balinska (from the newest Charlie’s Angels movie, and the Netflix Resident Evil show) as Cherie, a single mother looking to get back into the dating game. With online dating she’s a little hesitant she could end up with a creep, but a recommendation from her boss has her setting up a date with Ethan (played by Pilou Asbæk from Game of Thrones). He seems incredibly charming, and he’s very attracted to Cherie. The date seems to go really well and she goes home with him. But that’s when everything turns, and she learns that he likes to hunt women all night long. This film also stars Clark Gregg (from Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.), Shoreh Aghdashloo (from House of Sand and Fog), and Betsy Brandt (from Breaking Bad).

You can watch this film on Amazon Prime Video now!

Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues

Where to watch: Apple TV+

Now, it’s time for a documentary looking back at one of the greatest American artists of all time!

Louis Armstrong’s Black & Blues is about Satchmo, otherwise known as jazz trumpeter and singer Louis Armstrong. One of the genre’s most popular artists, he’s nowadays most famous for his song “What a Wonderful World.” But for the first half of the 20th century, this man was the epitome of American popular music. Directed by Sacha Jenkins (the creator of Wu-Tang Clan: Of Mics and Men), this film uses interview footage and personal audio diaries to paint a portrait of what Armstrong was actually like. He was predominantly apolitical in a public sense, but to his family he frequently expressed his issues with segregation, racism, and the American government. This film showcases the real Louis Armstrong, while also paying tribute to his massive legacy.

You can watch this film on Apple TV+ now!

Prey for the Devil

Where to watch: Cinemas

Next up, let’s take a look at a new horror film!

A possessed child in Prey for the Devil, courtesy of Lionsgate.

Prey for the Devil stars Jacqueline Byers (an actress from Mississauga who starred in Salvation) as Ann, a young nun who becomes the first woman in the Catholic church to learn how to exorcise a demon. She’s given this training due to her empathy with people who have suffered demonic possessions, an experience she’s familiar with as her mother was frequently possessed by a specific demon. The demon that took over her mother frequently tried to take over Ann, but never could. Now Ann fins a young girl who is also possessed, and she believes it’s the same demon who tortured her mother. This film also stars Christian Navarro (from 13 Reasons Why), Colin Salmon (from Krypton), and Virginia Madsen (from Sideways).

You can watch this film in cinemas now!

Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities

Where to watch: Netflix

Lastly, a horror anthology perfect for Halloween!

Guillermo del Toro’s Cabinet of Curiosities is a new anthology show created by the Oscar-winning director famous for the Shape of Water, Pan’s Labyrinth, and Hellboy. This new anthology show released two episodes a day over the course of four days for a total of 8 episodes. These scary stories are told in the Gothic tradition, but are set throughout the course of history up to the modern day. While del Toro created the series, the individual stories themselves are made by various horror filmmakers such as Iranian Ana Lily Armipour (who made A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night), Canadian Vincenzo Natali (who made Cube and Splice), and Australian Jennifer Kent (who made the Babadook). These are great for a fright, perfect for a spooky Halloween night!

You can watch all 8 episodes on Netflix now, Happy Halloween!