Pick of the Week
The Substance
The filmmaker's bold critique examines the oppressive nature of feminine aesthetics along with the perceived horrors of advancing years. Hollywood star Demi Moore presents a brilliant performance as Elisabeth, a 50-year-old celebrity forced into hosting an aerobics show on television. Forced aside due to her deceitful superior her manager Harvey, she turns to an enigmatic and gruesome procedure titled "The Substance". This generates a new version of herself portrayed by Margaret Qualley, resulting in a steadily more toxic connection between the two. This Friday, the streaming service Paramount+
The Woman in Cabin 10
This Agatha Christie-esque story features Keira Knightley as Laura, a skilled journalist who takes a break from writing about global conflict to embark on an opulent ship with a terminally ill Scandinavian billionaire and donor, her husband, plus additional extremely wealthy passengers. Yet once an enigmatic female falls into the sea overnight and all passengers claims she was never there, the reporter's sleuthing skills kick in. Streaming currently, on Netflix
Presence
Soderbergh challenges his creative boundaries in this clever paranormal narrative captured wholly through the eyes of the spirit. After a clan with Lucy Liu as Rebekah and troubled teenage daughter Chloe settles into their new suburban house, the filming device – AKA the Presence – shadows their actions. The daughter appears sensing the ghostly being, and the entity appears defensive toward her. However, the motive remains? This is an entertaining concept that avoids overstaying, including a revelation that could catch you off guard. October 11th, multiple showings, the Sky channel
This Self-Referential Film
Cage wholeheartedly adopts his unique fame via this autobiographical spoof. He acts as a self-obsessed celebrity called Nicolas Cage who agrees to a lucrative offer to attend a birthday party on the Spanish island for the rich Javi Gutierrez. Hired by government spies to spy on the potential kingpin, his unconventional method proves useful. October 11th, 9pm, the Channel 4 network
The Black Phone Horror
Scott Derrickson's contained scarefest remains effective even without a continuation. Set in 1970s Colorado, multiple kidnappings has made the youth frightened. When Finney gets captured by the kidnapper and locked up in a cellar, he dreads a terrible outcome. However, the old telephone mounted nearby keeps ringing, with spooky callers providing assistance, as the intuitive nightmares from his sibling Gwen may be his salvation. A genuinely scary movie. This Saturday, 10.50pm, on Film4
The Tammy Faye Biopic
In the conflict between faith and wealth, it's a knockout win for Mammon in this director's wonderfully garish film adaptation about the fallen TV preacher plus her lawbreaking partner. Garfield plays the greedy Jim, who states initially, claiming divine approval for wealth. The couple begin profiting from the people's Christian beliefs. It's a riot of bad interior design, overdone appearance and hypocrisy, though Chastain succeeds to present the real-life figure in a likable light. October 14th, late night, the Film4 channel
The Spy Mystery
This period's another release by the same director is a intelligence thriller as precise like the turtlenecks used by Fassbender's intelligence officer. He receives a mission with uncovering a traitor among the team out of five possibilities – one of whom is Kathryn, played by Cate Blanchett. Both actors are experts of deadpan cool, leading to a delightful mental battle of deception or honesty develops. The supporting cast join in the smart espionage amusement. October 17th, 8.05am, 12.55pm, 8pm, the Sky channel
