Pick of the Week
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat's bold critique addresses the demanding standards for female beauty along with the perceived horrors of ageing. Demi Moore offers a brilliant performance in the role of Elisabeth, a 50-year-old actress reduced to starring in a workout series on TV. Edged out due to her deceitful superior her manager Harvey, she turns to an enigmatic and terrifying process titled the Substance. This generates a youthful duplicate named Sue, leading to an increasingly toxic connection between them. This Friday, Paramount Plus
The Woman in Cabin 10 Film
This suspenseful mystery features Knightley playing Laura, a skilled journalist who opts for a hiatus from covering world issues to join a high-end voyage accompanied by a terminally ill Norwegian shipping heiress and charitable figure, her spouse, plus additional filthy rich individuals. However when an unknown lady falls into the sea during the evening and the entire crew insists she wasn't real, Laura's investigative instincts awaken. Out now, on Netflix
Presence Film
Soderbergh challenges his film-making abilities through this innovative paranormal narrative shot entirely from the viewpoint of the spirit. As a family including mother Rebekah and her distressed teen Chloe settles into their recent residence, the lens – AKA the Presence – follows them around. Chloe seems sensing the poltergeist, and the entity appears defensive toward her. However, the motive remains? It's a fun idea that avoids overstaying, with a twist you might not see coming. This Saturday, multiple showings, Sky Cinema Premiere
This Self-Referential Film
Nicolas Cage fully commits to his eccentric image through this self-referential adventure. He plays a self-obsessed Hollywood actor called Nicolas Cage who takes on a million-dollar gig to visit a celebration on the Spanish island for the rich Javi, played by Pedro Pascal. Recruited by government spies to investigate the suspected cartel boss, the actor's “nouveau shamanic acting ability” is put to the test. Saturday 11 October, prime time, Channel 4
The Black Phone Horror
Scott Derrickson's claustrophobic thriller remains effective even without a continuation. Located in 1970s Colorado, a series of child abductions has made the local kids anxious. After Finney is taken by the villain and locked up in a cellar, he dreads a fatal end. Yet the non-functional line mounted nearby keeps ringing, with eerie communicators providing assistance, while the prescient dreams from his sibling Gwen could save him. An effective horror. This Saturday, nighttime, on Film4
This Dramatic Portrait
In the battle between faith and wealth, it's a knockout win for greed in Michael Showalter's brilliantly over-the-top biopic of the disgraced religious broadcaster and her felon spouse. Andrew Garfield acts as the venal Jim, who declares early on, “God does not want us to be poor,”. Both individuals begin monetising the people's Christian beliefs. It's a spectacle of poor styling, overdone appearance and insincerity, though Chastain manages to present the character with compassion. Tuesday 14 October, early morning, on Film4
The Spy Mystery
This period's second offering from the filmmaker is a spy mystery as precise as the polo necks used by Fassbender's intelligence officer. His assignment is to identify a mole within their ranks from a group of five – one of whom is his own wife. Both actors are experts of calm composure, leading to a delightful mental battle of deception or honesty takes place. Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela take part the smart espionage amusement. October 17th, various showings, Sky Cinema
