STREAM IT: The Fall of the House of Usher brings a terrifying Poe classic to life
Few writers are better suited to Halloween than Edgar Allan Poe. So this Netflix series, which was created by Mike Flanagan — who’s also behind the chill-inducing The Haunting of Hill House (also based on a piece of fiction written long ago) — promises to serve up the kind of scares many of us are looking for this time of year. This terrifying tale, which focuses on multiple Poe works, notably stars Hollywood veteran Bruce Greenwood as main character Roderick Usher. Greenwood took over for Frank Langella, who was fired in April 2022 for unacceptable conduct on set, which meant that the entire series had to be re-shot. The drastic move followed an internal investigation, which was triggered by an accusation of on-set sexual harassment. Along with Greenwood, audiences will also recognize the likes of Mary McDonnell, Carla Gugino, Henry Thomas and Zach Gilford. — Raechal Shewfelt
The Fall of the House of Usher premieres Thursday, Oct. 12 on Netflix.
STREAM IT: Jamie Foxx has the notion to make a motion in the courtroom drama The Burial
Someone call Gordon Ramsay, because Jamie Foxx is absolutely cooking in Maggie Betts’s crowd-pleasing courtroom drama. Filmed before the Oscar winner’s recent health scare, the film casts Foxx as real-life lawyer Willie E. Gary, who stepped up his legal game from personal injury cases to contract law when he agreed to represent a Southern funeral home owner (Tommy Lee Jones) in a David vs. Goliath case against a major Canadian corporation. Foxx’s showmanship lends an electric charge to all of the trial scenes, where he’s well-matched opposite Jurnee Smollett’s equally savvy defense attorney. The Burial is a reminder of just how effective the courtroom genre can be when it’s executed with as much precision as Betts brings behind the camera and as much flair as Foxx brings onscreen. — Ethan Alter
The Burial is currently playing in theaters and will be available to stream Friday, Oct. 13 on Prime Video.
WATCH IT: Amber Heard has a heated encounter with the devil in new chiller In the Fire
Amber Heard may have had her Aquaman role reduced in the upcoming DC Universe sequel, but the actress is front and center throughout In the Fire, a new horror film set in 19th century Colombia. In her first leading role since her bitter courtroom drama with Johnny Depp, Heard plays a New York-trained doctor who travels to South America to treat a young boy with unsettling abilities that may have a demonic source. But even as she pushes back against local superstition, she can’t help but wonder whether this child might have the Devil inside him. Speaking at In the Fire’s world premiere at Italy’s Taormina Film Festival in June, Heard described it as “a movie about love.” But it’s also about scares, as you can see in this exclusive clip, which finds Heard’s charge defending himself against men that wish him harm. — E.A.
In the Fire premieres Friday, Oct. 13 in theaters (visit Fandango for showtimes and ticket information) and on most digital and on demand services.
WATCH IT: Legendary folk singer Joan Baez makes beautiful noise in a new documentary
Bob Dylan may have written “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts,” but Joan Baez sang the definitive version of that epic ballad. One of the leading voices of the folk-rock generation that reshaped music — and activism — in the ’60s, Baez’s career has spanned eras and genres. Now 82, the singer/songwriter candidly reflects on her life, tunes and loves — including Dylan — in the new documentary, Joan Baez: I Am a Noise. Filled with rare photographs, music and writings taken out of her personal archive, the movie is a treasure trove for any serious or casual Baez fan. Check out this exclusive clip, which finds her reflecting on her own mortality. — E.A.
Joan Baez: I Am a Noise premieres Friday, Oct. 13 in theaters; visit Fandango for showtimes and ticket information.
WATCH IT: The Matthew Shepard Story revisits the notorious 1998 hate crime
Oct. 12 marks the 25th anniversary of Matthew Shepard’s brutal murder in the small Wyoming town of Laramie. An out gay man, Shepard’s sexual orientation became part of his killers’ subsequent trial as debate raged over whether or not they could be charged with a hate crime. While both were ultimately convicted on murder charges, the case did spur a renewed fight for hate crime legislation that protected gay victims of violence, culminating in Congress passing the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act in 2007. ID’s new documentary The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime looks back on the case a quarter century later and includes testimonials from out gay celebrities whose lives were impacted by Shepard’s story. See Andrew Rannells and Adam Lambert discuss Shepard in this exclusive clip. — E.A.
The Matthew Shepard Story: An American Hate Crime premieres Monday, Oct. 9 at 9 p.m. on ID.
WATCH IT: Taylor Swift is entering her cinematic era
Perhaps the most intensely hyped and eagerly awaited movie event of 2023, with more than $100 million in ticket presales, Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour captures on the big screen the biggest concert tour of the year, by one of music’s biggest and most unstoppable superstars. Filmed over three three-plus-hour shows from the singer-songwriter’s historic six-night August run at Los Angeles’s 70,000-seat SoFi Stadium, the 168-minute concert film, which will screen in some IMAX theaters, will be the next best thing for fans who were unable to score Eras concert tickets — as well as a treat for Swifties who want to relive the onstage magic all over again. — Lyndsey Parker
Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour premieres exclusively in AMC theaters on Friday, Oct. 13; visit Fandango for showtimes and ticket information.
WATCH IT: Strays has talking dogs starring in 2023’s most deliriously foul-mouthed R-rated comedy
Joy Ride and No Hard Feelings got the lion’s share of attention for Hollywood’s (sadly unsuccessful) attempt to resurrect the R-rated comedy this summer. But the coarsest, lewdest, most foul-mouthed dialogue (and we mean these all as compliments) came from neither Stephanie Hsu and friends or Jennifer Lawrence, but from a gang of talking dogs voiced by Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Randall Park and Isla Fisher. How proudly vulgar is Strays? The plot revolves around Ferrell’s abandoned mutt attempting to take revenge on his god-awful ex-owner (Will Forte) by going all homeward bound… to bite his d*** off. If that sounds like a good time (it is), you’ll love Strays. The laugher lands on Blu-ray and DVD will all kinds of bonus features. — Kevin Polowy
Strays releases Tuesday, Oct. 10 on Blu-ray and DVD on Amazon.
STREAM IT: Brie Larson provides Lessons in Chemistry
Based on the New York Times bestselling novel, by Bonnie Garmus, Lessons in Chemistry is the story of Elizabth Zott, a chemist in 1960s California, who finds herself starring in a TV show about cooking. In both positions, she’s caught in a gender-biased world that wants women to stay in their supposed lane: cleaning house, raising children and keeping their husbands happy — something she declines. Oscar-winning actress Brie Larson stars and produces. The series was created, produced and written by Lee Eisenberg, one of the team behind Freeform’s 2023 hit Jury Duty. — R.S.
Lessons in Chemistry premieres Friday, Oct. 13 on Apple TV+.
STREAM IT: Cheers everyone! Frasier Crane is back in business in Beantown
The doctor is in… again. Kelsey Grammar resurrects his tossed salad and scrambled eggs-eating psychiatrist for a reboot of the beloved ’90s Cheers spinoff. This time, Frasier Crane is back in Boston trying to figure out what the next act of his life is going to look like without his father and brother close by. And you can bet that search will likely involve a trip back to a certain bar where everybody knows his name. — E.A.
Frasier premieres Thursday, Oct. 12 on Paramount+.
WATCH IT: Transformers: Rise of the Beasts keeps breathing new life into alien bot-clashing franchise
“The Best Transformers Movie Yet,” reads an expectedly hyperbolic pull quote on this week’s 4K Ultra HD release of Transformers: Rise of the Beasts. We wouldn’t go that far — that would still be Travis Knight’s 2018 prequel Bumblebee. But hey, it’s a good sign that the Transformers movies do seem to be getting better all of the sudden, and director Stephen Caple Jr. and stars Anthony Ramos and Dominique Fishback certainly inject the ’90s-set seventh film in the series with some serious heart (not to mention an amazing old school hip-hop soundtrack). Keep making prequels, maybe? Special features include featurettes and deleted scenes. — K.P.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts releases Tuesday, Oct. 10 on 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray on Amazon.
WATCH IT: Yoshiki makes history as classical musical Royal-ty
Japanese rock legend Yoshiki is one of the hardest-working men show business — helming the visual kei supergroup the Last Rockstars, making his directorial debut with the all-star concert documentary Under the Sky and releasing a new single with his groundbreaking metal group X Japan. But on top of all that, the multi-faceted, multi-instrumentalist is also embarking on his “Requiem” tour to celebrate the anniversary of his Yoshiki Classical album, which went to No. 1 on the iTunes Classical charts in 10 countries a decade ago. On Oct. 13, he’ll be joined by Ellie Goulding and St. Vincent for a live-stream from London’s Royal Albert Hall, followed by dates at New York’s Carnegie Hall and Los Angele’s Dolby Theater. This tour will mark the first time a Japanese artist has headlined all of these historic venues, and the L.A. concert will take place on the same Hollywood Boulevard block as Grauman’s Chinese Theatre, where last month Yoshiki became the first Japanese artist to be honored with a hand- and footprint ceremony since the movie palace’s tradition began in 1927. — L.P.
Yoshiki Classical 10th Anniversary World Tour With Orchestra 2023 “Requiem” streams live from Royal Albert Hall Friday, Oct. 13 at 2:30 p.m. ET /11:30 a.m. PT via On Air.
STREAM IT: The Boogeyman will have you shaking in your socks on digital
How effective were the jump-scares in The Boogeyman? Director Rob Savage had to re-edit the film after test audiences were taking too long to recover from one especially shocking moment, missing vital plot information in the scene immediately after it. The film is scary and heavy, as those haunted are all reeling from deaths in their life, and features another impressive turn from Yellowjackets breakout Sophie Thatcher. Already available on digital, the film hits Blu-ray this week with extras including dark featurettes and lighthearted outtakes. — K.P.
The Boogeyman releases on Blu-ray Tuesday, Oct. 10 on Amazon.
HEAR IT: Troye Sivan will give you a ‘Rush’
The hotly anticipated third full studio album by Troye Sivan is an euphoric celebration of club culture and — as the Australian indie-pop wunderkind and The Idol actor has described in a statement — of “sex, dance, sweat, community, queerness, love and friendship.” Collaborating with hitmakers whose credits include Taylor Swift, Katy Perry, Sam Smith, Dua Lipa, Britney Spears, Charli XCX, Beyoncé and Khalid, Sivan has created a collection of pure pop bangers, led by this year’s Song of the Summer contender “Rush.” — L.P.
Something to Give Each Other by Troye Sivan is available Friday, Oct. 13 to download/stream on Apple Music.
COLLECT IT: The Noble Collection’s new line of premium Minecraft collectibles are bricktastic
Love Minecraft? Thanks to The Noble Collection, you’ll be able to find a premium collectible for every biome. The company is premiering its latest line at New York Comic Con, where products are available on-site from Oct. 12-13, before they go on sale online and at select retailers on Oct. 14. Choose between a sparkling replica of a Diamond Sword, an illuminating Torch or Potion Bottle, two different light-up ores and a handsome chess set that pits Overworld Heroes against and army of Mobs. Better yet, collect ’em all! — E.A.
The Noble Collection’s Minecraft line are available Saturday, Oct. 14 at the official site and select retailers.
SMELL IT: These home fragrances smell like your favorite Disney villains… except better
Just in time for Halloween, Pura is offering a collection of four fun scents inspired by Disney baddies. There’s Cruella De Vil’s Crimson Cranberry; Ember Berry to represent Hercules’s Hades; Maleficent’s Bergamot Mist; and Nectarine Haze for Scar from The Lion King. And they all sound lovely. For instance, the scent based on the beloved (despised?) 101 Dalmatians character Cruella, promises to evoke her “obsession with luxury and opulence as frozen cranberry and florals blend with smoky notes of incense, patchouli and creamy cashmere woods.” The woman is really into her fur coat. — R.S.
Pura’s Disney Villains fragrance collection is available now at the company’s website.
HEAR IT: Jonny Pierce marches to the brave beat of his own Drums
One of the greatest songwriters of his generation, over the years the Drums’s Jonny Pierce has chronicled his fraught coming-out journey and channeled all of his long-held pain into a string of increasingly confessional, near-perfect jangle-pop records. Now, having achieved bona fide queer icon status, the 41-year-old Pierce is unveiling his most self-reflective, brave and important album yet, Jonny, in which he opens up more than ever before about growing up in a cult-like religious community in small-town upstate New York and being raised by strict, unsupportive Pentecostal-preacher parents. The album will surely resonate with many other young, disenfranchised “Jonnys” out there. — L.P.
Jonny by the Drums is available Friday, Oct. 13 to download/stream on Apple Music.
