The best binge-worthy releases from the top two streaming platforms available!
By Tom McLean
THE HAUNTING OF BLY MANOR (NETFLIX)
A follow-up to Netflix’s The Haunting of Hill House (2018), this series is an ideal Halloween binge watch. Based on Henry James’ famous supernatural novella The Turn of the Screw, The Haunting of Bly Manor offers a foreboding glimpse into the psychological nature of the paranormal. Victoria Pedretti stars as Dani Clayton, a young governess hired to care for two children after the deaths of their parents. Unfortunately for our plucky protagonist, a series of spectral shenanigans has her fighting for both the safety of her two young wards and her own sanity. Peppered with scares that will have you jumping out of your seat, this unconventional horror delivers a slightly more introspective take on the traditional ghost story.
Release date: 9th October
THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7 (NETFLIX)
Originally scheduled for cinematic release, this politically-charged drama was craftily snatched up by Netflix for their October line-up. Boasting an all-star cast including Sacha Baron Cohen, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Michael Keaton, this riveting historical film chronicles the real-life events surrounding the Chicago Seven, a group of anti-Vietnam War protestors who were taken to court over trumped-up federal charges. An exploration of the 1960s counterculture movement’s tense twilight years, expect legal thrills and zany characters tied together with director Aaron Sorkin’s trademark quick-fire dialogue.
Release date: 16th October
REBECCA (NETFLIX)
A delve into the murky trappings of perfectionism and nostalgia, Rebecca is the latest, most polished adaption of the lauded eponymous novel. Set against a glamorous 1930s backdrop, a chance meeting in Monte Carlo leads to a whirlwind romance between a naïve young traveller (Lily James) and an aristocratic widower, Maxim de Winter (Armie Hammer). Upon the couple’s marriage and return to Maxim’s country home, their period of courtship quickly devolves into a psychological battle of personal identity thanks to the machinations of Maxim’s housekeeper (Kristin Scott Thomas). Infatuated with Maxim’s previous wife Rebecca, the deranged domestic will stop at nothing to oust the newest lady of the house. A suspenseful and elegantly filmed must-watch.
Release date: 21st October
SOORARAI POOTRU (PRIME)
Loosely based on the life of G. R. Gopinath, founder of Air Deccan and retired Captain of the Indian Armed Forces, Soorarai Pootru is a fast-paced and exciting biopic, brimming with action and intrigue. The film follows protagonist Nedumaaran Rajangam (Suriya) as he navigates an intense military career before attempting to establish his own airline company. Chronicling the character’s various trials and tribulations, Nedumaaran challenges adversity with fierce resolve across a lifetime chequered with violence.
Release date: 30th October
