Just as has been the case for the majority of 2020, Halloween is probably going to be a little different than we’re used to this year.
With 2020’s scariest visitor undoubtedly being the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, this means that the usual frightful festivities of Halloween parties, trick or treating and more will be out of the question, which is leaving people to turn to other forms of fun to mark the occasion.
Netflix has undoubtedly been one of the real MVP’s for many over the past few months of lockdown by constantly churning out new content to consume, and October and Halloween is certainly no different.
A bunch of new and fan-favourite horror films and shows have already landed or are coming to the streaming platform here in the UK all through this month.
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Here’s our picks for some of the best.
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The Conjuring
1st October
The Conjuring really isn’t one for the faint-hearted.
The film stars Patrick Wilson and Vera Farmiga as Ed and Lorraine Warren – paranormal investigators and authors associated with prominent cases of haunting – who come to the assistance of the Perron family after they begin to experience increasingly disturbing events in their farmhouse in Rhode Island in 1971.
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The first instalment to the franchise has already arrived to watch on Netflix now.
If you fancy immersing yourself in the full Conjuring Universe though, then get yourself down to the Scare City drive-in cinema at Event City for an experience like no other.
Corpse Bride
1st October
Tim Burton’s cult-classic Corpse Bride is one for the whole family this Halloween.
The stop-motion animated gothic romance has spawned a thousand Halloween costumes since its release in 2005, and if you love The Nightmare Before Christmas, Edward Scissorhands, and Beetlejuice, but haven’t seen this gem yet, then you need to get it on your list.
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It’s already available to stream on Netflix now.
Friday 13th
1st October
The Friday 13th franchise is undoubtedly one of the biggest names in the horror film world.
The American slasher movie follows a group of teenagers on their holiday at Crystal Lake as they encounter the infamous character of Jason Voorhees and the franchise was given new life in 2009 with a reboot of the original.
Jason was redesigned to be leaner and quicker for the new film, and with his own backstory.
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Another one that’s ready to stream on Netflix now.
Paranormal Activity 4
1st October
Paranormal Activity is a record-breaking franchise.
The first film broke records on its nationwide release in 2009 thanks to its incredible cheap production costs and unexpected popularity, and it’s now a six-part film series – including a seventh in the works – with the fourth instalment ready to stream on Netflix now.
Paranormal Activity 4 focuses on Alex Nelson and her family as they experience hauntings, capturing the paranormal happenings on webcams and mobile phones.
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Vampires vs The Bronx
2nd October
The first of Netflix’s original offerings is the comedy-horror Vampires vs The Bronx.
The film follows a group of teenagers who are forced to protect their neighbourhood in the Bronx when a gathering of vampires invades and is a perfect Halloween watch for people who love the spooky season, but like to keep their wits about them.
Ready to stream on Netflix now, it’s also scored already scored an impressive 94% on Rotten Tomatos.
The Binding
2nd October
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The Binding is another Netflix-orginal, but this one’s an Italian paranormal film.
It’s set in the stunning backdrop of rural Southern Italy, but all is not as it seems as the main character tries to fight a mysterious curse that’s trying to claim her daughter.
You can catch this on on the streaming platform now.
The Haunting of Bly Manor
9th October
The Haunting of Bly Manor is the much-talked-about Netflix original series which has just landed on the streaming platform on Friday.
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The second entry to Netflix’s The Haunting anthology, this chilling nine-part series comes from the same creator as the hit The Haunting of Hill House series Mike Flanagan, and will once again star Victoria Pedretti, but this time as tutor Dani Clayton.
Perhaps not one for those who aren’t keen on basements filled with creepy dolls.
Overlord
11th October
Overlord is the 2018 offering by acclaimed director by J.J. Abrams (Lost, Star Wars, Cloverfield).
It follows a team of American paratroopers as they drop into a Nazi-occupied village, but it doesn’t take long before they realise that there’s a more sinister experiment taking place here than they could possibly have predicted.
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Landing on Netflix today, this is one that horror fans should definitely add to their must-watch lists.
Disappearance at Clifton Hill
20th October
Disappearance at Clifton Hill is a critically-acclaimed 2019 Canadian thriller starting Tuppence Middleton.
It’s set in Niagara Falls – where a troubled young woman has inherited a motel in her hometown – and the memory of a childhood kidnapping quickly ensnares her.
You can catch this one landing on Netflix this month.
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The Possession of Hannah Grace
25th October
It’s safe to say The Possession of Hannah Grace is a classic jump-scare film.
Pretty Little Liars star Shay Mitchell is at the helm of this film playing an ex-cop working the night shift at a morgue, where the body of a young girl who died as the result of an exorcism gone wrong is under her care.
But as the trailer says, death is only the beginning.
Get ready to stream this one on Netflix from 25th October.
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Tommy Fury vs Darren Till press conference descends into foul-mouthed chaos
Danny Jones
The first press conference ahead of Tommy Fury vs Darren Till was held on Tuesday evening and it didn’t take long for the whole thing to descend into absolute bedlam.
Having only been confirmed on Sunday, Fury vs Till will be a homecoming bout for the Wythenshawe-born fighter who is set to headline the first-ever boxing match at Manchester’s Co-op Live arena.
With the date set for 18 January, the pre-fight build-up and media frenzy are growing fast and things have already come to ahead in just the first meeting between the two fighters in London this week.
Clearly sharing plenty of bad blood already, while Tommy and Till were engaging in the usual fighting talk, the family patriarch, John Fury, decided to interject and it was at this point that things boiled over.
‼️ Tommy Fury vs Darren Till press conference descends into chaos as Till tells John Fury: "Shut up, you haven't been seen since Oleksandr Usyk battered Tyson."
As you can see, amidst the various insults being thrown around regarding intelligence, boxing ability, Tommy’s older brother Tyson being “battered by [Oleksandr] Usyk”, ‘Big John’ then launches a bottle of water across the table at Till, sparking a hot-tempered on-stage skirmish.
The lengthy exchange features as many expletives as you could imagine, with 31-year-old Darren Till also threatening that he will “bladder” both Tommy and his more established heavyweight sibling Tyson, labelling the entire Fury family “shithouses” as they walk out of the London press conference.
A mixed martial artist by trade who has competed at both welterweight and middleweight in the UFC, Till assured that even if the boxing match isn’t going his way on the night, he will kick [him] square in [the] face”, adding that he’s a “proper fighter” and that Tommy, on the other hand, has no power.
YouTube turned musician and occasional boxer, KSI – the founder of the Misfits promotion who is putting on the event and who Fury beat back in October last year – can also be heard whooping from centre stage and shouting, “Get your tickets!”
Even after the mini-brawl is separated, the foul-mouthed back and forth continues for some time. You can see another angle here:
Press conference aftermath 🤯@darrentill2 was going IN on the Fury’s 😳
This isn’t the first time things have boiled over at a Fury press conference; in fact, it’s not even the first time John Fury, 59, has found himself in the very eye of the storm.
Meanwhile, the youngest Fury son is preparing first his first fight in over a year, having nearly joined this year’s I’m a Celeb lineup instead.
Tickets for the now highly-anticipated boxing match at Co-op Live, just the second combat sports event to have been held at the arena, are on sale now – you can grab yours HERE. It’s going to be a feisty one.
Festive Grinch-themed cafes to pop up inside Greater Manchester Primark stores
Emily Sergeant
Festive Grinch-themed cafes are popping up inside two of Primark’s biggest Greater Manchester stores in the run-up to Christmas.
As the temperatures turn colder by the day, the nights draw in, and the most wonderful time of the year nears closer and closer, it won’t be long before it’s time to snuggle up in our comfies and pop on the first Christmas film of the year – and for some of us, there’s a good chance that first film of choice will be The Grinch.
Whether you prefer the 2000 fantasy comedy starring Jim Carey, or the 2018 animated reboot with Benedict Cumberbatch, it’s undoubtedly a real family favourite.
To celebrate everyone’s favourite grumpy green grouch, Primark has teamed up with Dr. Seuss once again on a Grinch-tastic collaboration.
Shoppers can now head to their nearest Primark store to find the largest-ever Grinch collection, with something for the whole family, as well as great gifting options said to be “ideal for getting into the anti-Christmas spirit”.
There’s Grinch pyjamas and slippers for both adults and kids, a Grinch ‘Onesie’ that’s sure to make people green with envy, Grinch drinks cups and mugs, a selection of loungewear and Christmas jumpers for festive dressing, and so much more, as well as whole host of Grinch-inspired outfits and toys for your four-legged friends too.
As part of Primark’s aim to offer affordable choices for everyone, prices for the Grinch collection start at just £1 for accessories, and go up to £24 for adult clothing.
If the return of the Grinch collection wasn’t exciting enough as it is, the all-new Grinch cafes – which are popping up in Primark on Market Street in Manchester city centre, as well as Primark in Trafford Palazzo – are bound to be hit with fans of the furry character.
There’s everything from green waffles and themed milkshakes, to festive toasties, hot drinks, and more on the menu.
With Greater Manchester Grinch cafes set to be open until the end of December, Sarah Jackson – who is the Director of Licensing at Primark, said: “We’re so excited to roll out our amazing cafe experience across a number of our UK locations, bringing a sprinkle of mischief to our customers this festive season.
“Whether you’re stopping in for a sweet treat or stocking up on pyjamas and gifts for the whole family, we have everything you need to make it a truly unforgettable Grinch-mas.”