Here’s what’s coming to Australian streaming services in October
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02.10.2020

Here’s what’s coming to Australian streaming services in October

'The Invisible Man'
Words by Kate Streader

Our top picks from Netflix, Stan, Disney+ and Amazon Prime Video.

Another month has come and gone and we’re inching ever closer to the end of a year that we’ll all be glad to forget. But for us Victorians, restrictions are still in place for a bit longer so, we’ve put together a list of all the exciting new films, documentaries and series hitting all the major streaming services this month to keep you entertained. Including adaptations of classic novels, films whose cinema runs were cut short due to COVID-19, brand-new original series and much more, here are our top picks of shows and movies that everyone will be talking about in October.

Netflix

Song Exploder

Based on the podcast of the same name, Song Exploder seeks out a range of critically-acclaimed musicians to find out how one of their popular songs came to be. Featuring the likes of Alicia Keys, Ty Dolla $ign, R.E.M. and Lin-Manuel Miranda, the docuseries digs to the crux of the creative process through in-depth interviews, raw recordings and archival footage. Whether you’re a music-lover or a music-maker, this promises to be an insightful look at various songwriting approaches.

It comes to Netflix on Friday October 2.

Social Distance

2020 has been a universally tough year, but this eight-part anthology looks at the resilience and power of the human spirit amidst these isolating and uncertain times. Set in the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, Social Distance highlights tales of connection and adaptation throughout this unique period in history, documenting the emotional experiences that have come with social distancing, lockdowns and travel bans. From the team behind Orange Is The New BlackSocial Distance captures eight unique lockdown experiences in what looks to be an uplifting series.

It comes to Neflix on Thursday October 15. 

David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet

“This film is my witness statement and my vision for the future,” declares Sir David Attenborough in the trailer for his latest film, A Life on Our Planet. Over the course of his incredible life and career, Attenborough has visited every continent on Earth, getting up close and personal with the various inhabitants of this planet. Now, he turns his attention on humans and the devastating climate crisis our modern way of life is causing. Produced by award-winning wildlife filmmakers Silverback Films and global environmental organisation WWF, this documentary surveys the critical state of the world and what needs to be done to avoid absolute destruction.

It comes to Neflix on Sunday October 4. 

Amazon Prime Video

Welcome to the Blumhouse

You may not know Blumhouse Productions by name, but you’re likely acquainted with the production company’s slate of popular horror films which includes the likes of Paranormal ActivityThe Purgethe GiftGet OutHalloweenHappy Death Day and more. Amazon Studios has teamed up with Blumhouse Productions founder Jason Blum to deliver a collection of four unsettling suspense films under the umbrella Welcome to the Blumhouse. Premiering on Tuesday October 6 with The Lie, the collection will unfold across October featuring incredible casts and spine-tingling stories each centred around family and love as destructive or redemptive forces.

It premieres on Prime Video on Tuesday October 6. 

Bombshell

Starring Charlize Theron, Margot Robbie and Nicole Kidman, Bombshell is based on the real-life scandal and explosive story of the women who exposed the toxic culture of sexual harassment they endured working under television news titan Roger Ailes at Fox News. Set in 2016, the film details the downfall of Ailes (John Lithgow) after Fox & Friends co-host Gretchen Carlson (Kidman) filed a lawsuit against her boss which prompted the network’s then-biggest name, Megyn Kelly (Theron) to come forward with her own accounts of the Fox News CEO’s inappropriate behaviour.

It comes to Prime Video on Thursday October 15.

The Invisible Man

After escaping an abusive relationship with a wealthy and brilliant scientist, Cecilia (Elisabeth Moss) learns of his suicide and discovers he has left her a generous share of his fortune. But, following a series of strange coincidences which turns deadly, her grip on reality begins to slip as she becomes convinced she is being hunted by an invisible man. Based on the H. G. Wells novel of the same name, this gripping thriller serves as a poignant metaphor for the insidious, permeating effects of domestic violence.

It comes to Prime Video on Saturday October 17. 

Stan

Brave New World

Based on Aldous Huxley’s 1932 novel of the same name, Brave New World imagines a utopian society 200 years into the future in which peace has been achieved through the prohibitions of monogamy, privacy, money, family and history. The nine-part series follows two New Londoners who are curious about life outside their society and embark on a journey to the Savage Lands where they find themselves tangled in a rebellion which threatens to disrupt the harmonious lifestyle of their New World society.

It comes to Stan on Friday October 16. 

The Good Lord Bird

Set in Kansas in the late 1850s, The Good Lord Bird follows an enslaved boy nicknamed Onion (Joshua Caleb Johnson) who joins a crew of motley soldiers lead by John Brown (Ethan Hawke) on a mission to abolish slavery. Based on James McBride’s award-winning 2013 novel of the same name, the seven-part limited series weaves humour, drama and history in its depiction of the anti-slavery revolution that helped spark the Civil War.

It premieres on Stan on Sunday October 4.

The Comedy Store

The Comedy Store chronicles the evolution of comedy that came out of L.A.’s legendary entertainment hub and the series’ namesake, The Comedy Store. Featuring interviews and never before seen footage with the likes of Richard Pryor, David Letterman, Chris Rock, Woopi Goldberg, Jim Carrey and many more comedy legends, this five-part docuseries pays homage to the iconic Sunset Strip comedy club and the incredible careers it helped launch over the years.

It comes to Stan on Sunday October 4. 

Disney+

Star Wars: The Mandalorian (season two)

It’s the moment that we’ve all been waiting for. Season two of The Mandalorian drops this month and sees the return of the series’ titular bounty hunter in what promises to be another action-packed adventure. The second instalment of the Star Wars prequel follows the Mandalorian and the Child as they continue their dangerous journey through the galaxy after the collapse of the Galactic Empire. Exactly what you can expect from season two is still shrouded in mystery, so you’ll have to tune in to find out what happens.

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