Talking Entertainment: Halloween Screenings, Plus Next Hunger Games Plays in November

Say goodbye to to the variety of foreign TV formats available on Chinese satelite channels. Much-loved formats like China’s Got Talent and The Voice have been deemed vulgar by regulators, says The Hollywood Reporter, and channels will be restricted to one format per year. This is expected to lower TV viewership as audiences switch to tablets and laptops to watch their favorite shows.

And with the stick comes the carrot. As we mentioned last week, Gravity will be released on November 20, after fears it would be barred by regulators, and now, suddenly, Hunger Games: Catching Fire has also been approved for a release the day after, November 21. While this is great news for film audiences, Imax is now in a bind as they have to figure out how to juggle the back-to-back releases on their screens.

Halloween celebrations are kicking off around town tonight. For movie buffs, here's a selection of spooky film nights from our So Big It's Scary list of Halloween events. There' s no better time of year to excuse a B-movie viewing or two in costume.Go get your cult fix.

Freaky Film Nights

Army of Darkness Munch on popcorn and grip your seat with this terrifying third instalment of the Evil Dead series. English with Chinese subtitles. Free. Oct 28, 9pm. Dada

Beijing Riviera Halloween Family Dinner and Movie Night This Halloween party features a parade and trick-or-treating around the compound from 5-6.30pm. There’s also a buffet dinner from 6-9pm (free-flow soft drinks and beer included) and a movie screening at 6.30pm. Registration is required by October 30, as there’s a maximum capacity of 200 people. RMB 188 per adult, RMB 94 per child (ages 4-12). Oct 31, 5-10pm. Beijing Riviera Garden

Badass Halloween Down drink specials along with a double screening of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining and A Clockwork Orange. Free. Oct 31, 8pm. Au Goulot

Scream Queens Dress up scary and groove to dark, horror disco complemented by rare VHS '80s-horror VJing. Más is bringing back their infamous santa sangre, a delicious dark rum and port cocktail that is oh-so-bloody. Free. Oct 31, 6pm. Más

Savage Religions Watch Savage Religions, a film with "twisted pitch-black humor," followed by performances by White+, My Own Private Alaska (M.O.P.A.), and Li Jianhong & Vavabond. RMB 60, RMB 50 (advance). Oct 31, 8.30pm. School

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Photo: screencrush.com