Pick of the Week
The Substance Film
Coralie Fargeat's unflinching commentary addresses the demanding standards for female beauty as well as the feared consequences of growing older. Hollywood star Demi Moore offers a masterful acting turn playing Elisabeth, a 50-year-old actress forced into hosting an aerobics show on TV. Forced aside due to her slimy boss Harvey, played by Dennis Quaid, she turns to an enigmatic and gruesome procedure known as "The Substance". This creates a new version of herself named Sue, resulting in a progressively vampiric relationship among both women. Friday 17 October, Paramount+
The Woman in Cabin 10
This suspenseful thriller stars Keira Knightley as Laura, an ace reporter who takes a break from covering world issues to join a luxury cruise with an ailing wealthy inheritor and charitable figure, her husband, and other affluent passengers. Yet once an unknown lady goes overboard one night and the entire crew denies she ever existed, the reporter's sleuthing skills awaken. Out now, on Netflix
Presence Film
Soderbergh pushes his film-making abilities in this nifty supernatural story filmed completely through the eyes of a ghost. When a household with Lucy Liu as Rebekah and troubled teenage daughter Chloe moves into their recent residence, the lens – AKA the Presence – shadows their actions. Chloe seems aware of the supernatural presence, and it looks like protective of her. However, the motive remains? It's a fun idea that avoids overstaying, featuring a surprise you might not see coming. October 11th, afternoon and evening times, Sky Cinema
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The iconic actor wholeheartedly adopts his cult stardom via this meta comedy caper. He acts as a self-obsessed celebrity named Nicolas Cage who agrees to a million-dollar gig to visit a birthday party in Mallorca for billionaire Javi Gutierrez. Hired by government spies to investigate the alleged criminal, his “nouveau shamanic acting ability” proves useful. Saturday 11 October, prime time, the Channel 4 network
The Black Phone
The director's claustrophobic thriller remains effective without requiring a follow-up. Set in 1978 Denver, multiple child abductions has rendered the children frightened. Once Finney is taken by the kidnapper and held captive in a basement, he dreads the worst. However, the non-functional line mounted nearby keeps ringing, with ghostly voices offering help, as the prophetic visions from his sibling Gwen might rescue him. A solid creepfest. This Saturday, late evening, 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 regarding the shamed televangelist and her criminal husband. The actor portrays the venal Jim, who proclaims early on, “God does not want us to be poor,”. He and Tammy Faye commence capitalizing on the nation's spiritual convictions. It's a spectacle of tacky decor, bad makeup and hypocrisy, yet Chastain achieves to depict the character in a likable light. October 14th, 1.15am, on Film4
This Espionage Thriller
The current week's additional entry from the filmmaker presents a intelligence thriller as tight as the polo necks worn by the actor's British agent. He is tasked with uncovering a double agent among the team from a group of five – including is his own wife. The two stars are experts of deadpan cool, so a delicious mental battle of deception or honesty develops. Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela take part the clever spy entertainment. October 17th, multiple time slots, Sky Cinema
