South African cinemas are deep in the Halloween spirit at the moment, with two horror movie releases this week – including the (supposedly) final entry in one of the most iconic slasher movie franchises of all time. These two thrillfests make their big screen debuts alongside a powerful true story and some much-needed escapism all the way from Japan.
Halloween Ends
After 44 years, one of the most revered horror franchise in film history reaches its conclusion as Laurie Strode faces off for the last time against the embodiment of evil, Michael Myers. In this final confrontation, there can be only one survivor. Set four years after the events of Halloween Kills, Laurie has decided to liberate herself from fear and rage, and embrace life. But when a young man is accused of killing a boy he was babysitting, it ignites a cascade of violence and terror that will force Laurie to finally confront the evil she can’t control, once and for all.
Barbarian
In Detroit for a job interview, a young woman arrives at her Airbnb late at night only to find that her rental has been mistakenly double-booked, and a strange man is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to stay the night anyway, but soon discovers that there is much more to be afraid of in the house than the other house guest. Horror thriller Barbarian stars Georgina Campbell, Bill Skarsgård and Justin Long, and comes from one of the producers of It.
Till
Horror can take many forms. Like the all too real brutality that stems from bigotry and racism. Drama Till tells the true story of Mamie Till-Mobley (Danielle Deadwyler), an American educator and Civil Rights Movement activist, who pursued justice after the lynching of her 14-year-old son, Emmett Till (Jalyn Hall), in Mississippi in 1955. Despite her heartbreak, Mamie Till’s activism began with her insisting that the casket containing her son’s body be left open to let the world see what had been done to him.
Shin Ultraman
Too much intensity and emotional heaviness in this week’s batch of new movies? You might prefer Shin Ultraman, a sci-fi superhero adventure out of Japan that reimagines the iconic character. As the threat of monstrous unidentified lifeforms known as “S-Class Species” worsens, a giant silver alien appears from beyond Earth’s atmosphere to take up the fight. Said extra-terrestrial also takes on the form of strategist Shinji Kaminaga (Takumi Saitoh), a member of the S-Class Species Suppression Protocol unit.