10 Movies to Watch This Weekend: October 16–18

Weekend viewing ranges from gothic horror and alien science fiction to fantasy, action, documentary and romance. The following ten films are available across streaming services, video on demand and digital platforms for Australian viewers to check.

The wider cinema line-up also includes genre releases such as Street Fighter and Whalefall, along with a new adaptation of Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility. At home, these ten options offer plenty of variety.

1. Dracula

• Available on: Paramount Plus
• Genre: Horror
• Running time: 2h 9m
• Director: Luc Besson
• Cast: Christoph Waltz, Caleb Landry Jones, Zoe Bleu

Luc Besson’s Dracula, also known as Dracula: A Love Tale, retells the Bram Stoker story through Vlad the Impaler, played by Caleb Landry Jones. After losing Elisabeta, the soldier is cursed with immortality and becomes Dracula. Centuries later, he believes he has found Elisabeta’s reincarnation, while a vampire-hunting priest, played by Christoph Waltz, pursues him.

2. Buddy

• Available on: VOD
• Genre: Horror
• Running time: 1h 35m
• Director: Casper Kelly
• Cast: Cristin Milioti, Keegan Michael Key, Delaney Quinn

Buddy turns a children’s television concept into unsettling horror. The show It’s Buddy! features a plush orange unicorn, voiced by Keegan Michael Key, who leads children through songs and dances. Behind the cheerful surface, Buddy demands obedience and perfection, pushing the young characters to find a way back to the real world.

The film earned $5.3 million during the weekend of August 28 and then increased that figure to $5.7 million over the Labor Day weekend. That performance was notable for a horror film made on a $3 million budget.

3. Hope

• Available on: VOD
• Genre: Science fiction
• Running time: 2h 36m
• Director: Na Hong-jin
• Cast: Jung Ho-yeon, Hwang Jung-Min, Michael Fassbender

After premiering at Cannes, South Korean science-fiction film Hope became one of the year’s most divisive releases. A police chief and rookie officer investigate a mutilation at an animal farm just as an alien presence arrives. Its trailers suggest a large-scale action film, but the story changes direction in its second half, making spoilers especially damaging.

4. Practical Magic 2

• Available on: VOD
• Genre: Fantasy
• Running time: 2h 10m
• Director: Susanne Bier
• Cast: Nicole Kidman, Sandra Bullock, Lee Pace

Set 25 years after the first film, Practical Magic 2 follows sisters Sally and Gillian Owens as they try to protect a new generation from their family curse. Their efforts are complicated when Kylie Owens’ boyfriend falls into a coma after declaring his love for her. The sequel also introduces Sally’s daughters, Kylie and Antonia, as they confront dark abilities and seek a way to end the curse.

5. Runner

• Available on: VOD
• Genre: Action
• Running time: 1h 38m
• Director: Scott Waugh
• Cast: Alan Ritchson, Owen Wilson, Rodrigo Santoro

Runner stars Alan Ritchson as Hank, a former Navy SEAL living in Australia and working as a courier for both legal and illegal goods. His latest assignment is to transport Owen Wilson’s Ben Bishop, an organ courier, from Hawaii to Brisbane within three hours so that a life-saving transplant can go ahead.

6. The Death of Robin Hood

• Available on: HBO Max
• Genre: Action
• Running time: 2h 2m
• Director: Michael Sarnoski
• Cast: Hugh Jackman, Jodie Comer, Bill Skarsgard

This version of the English legend presents Robin Hood as an ageing thief and killer rather than a straightforward hero. Hugh Jackman plays a remorseful outlaw haunted by the damage he has caused. His past catches up with him when a man seeking revenge begins the hunt.

7. Masterplan

• Available on: Prime Video
• Genre: Action
• Running time: 1h 47m
• Director: Thomas Vincent
• Cast: Stanley Tucci, Simona Tabasco, Victor Balmondo

Stanley Tucci leads Masterplan as Roger, a legendary thief who leaves retirement behind for one final job: stealing the Mona Lisa. It is a direct choice for viewers after a heist film built around an experienced criminal and an ambitious target.

8. The Disciple: A Wu-Tang Fable

• Available on: Netflix
• Genre: Documentary
• Running time: 1h 45m
• Director: Joanna Natasegara
• Cast: Tarik Azzougargh, RZA and members of the Wu-Tang Clan

This music documentary follows Moroccan rapper and producer Tarik Azzougargh. He began as a Wu-Tang Clan fan and later became one of RZA’s major collaborators, giving the film a personal route into the group’s influence and his own career.

9. Sacrifice

• Available on: Netflix
• Genre: Black comedy
• Running time: 1h 43m
• Director: Romain Gavras
• Cast: Chris Evans, Anya Taylor-Joy, Salma Hayek

Sacrifice centres on a fading film star, played by Chris Evans, who attends an environmental fundraiser on a remote Greek island. The event takes a dangerous turn when an eco-terrorist group takes him prisoner. Anya Taylor-Joy, Vincent Cassel and Charli XCX also feature in the ensemble.

10. Love of Your Life

• Available on: Prime Video
• Genre: Romance
• Running time: 1h 46m
• Director: Rachel Morrison
• Cast: Margaret Qualley, Aaron Pierre, Gabriel Basso

Maya, played by Margaret Qualley, is an ER nurse who feels settled at 26 when she meets the person she believes is the love of her life. Five years later, her partner dies. Grief sends her travelling around the world as she tries to avoid confronting the loss.

More to watch

For more entertainment and gaming coverage, browse the Arcade Blog or explore arcade videos. If a film night inspires a games-room upgrade, the arcade machine buying guide can help you choose the right setup, including compact bartop arcades.