Pick of the Week
The Substance Film
Coralie Fargeat's bold satire tackles the oppressive nature of female beauty and the dreaded aspects of advancing years. Demi Moore delivers a brilliant portrayal playing Elisabeth, a mature actress demoted to hosting a workout series on the small screen. Edged out due to her deceitful superior her manager Harvey, she undergoes an enigmatic and terrifying procedure known as the Substance. This generates a youthful duplicate portrayed by Margaret Qualley, resulting in a steadily more toxic connection between them. Friday 17 October, Paramount+
This Mystery Thriller
This Agatha Christie-esque mystery includes Knightley in the role of Laura, a top-notch writer who takes some time off from writing about global conflict to join a high-end voyage with an ailing Scandinavian billionaire and charitable figure, her husband, and other affluent guests. However when an unknown lady falls into the sea overnight and all passengers denies she ever existed, her journalistic curiosity kick in. Out now, Netflix
Presence Film
Steven Soderbergh pushes his creative boundaries through this innovative ghostly tale shot entirely from the viewpoint of a ghost. When a household including mother Rebekah and her distressed teen Chloe moves into their new suburban house, the filming device – as the unseen entity – shadows their actions. The teen shows signs of sensing the supernatural presence, and it looks like defensive toward her. Yet what is the reason? This is an entertaining concept that doesn't outstay its welcome, with a twist you might not see coming. Saturday 11 October, multiple showings, Sky Cinema
Nicolas Cage's Meta Comedy
Cage embraces his eccentric image through this self-referential adventure. He acts as an egotistical celebrity playing himself who agrees to a lucrative offer to appear at a birthday party at a Mediterranean location for the wealthy Javi Gutierrez. Recruited by the intelligence agency to investigate the suspected cartel boss, his unconventional method is put to the test. October 11th, prime time, Channel 4
The Black Phone Horror
The director's claustrophobic thriller stands strong despite the lack of a continuation. Set in the late 70s in Denver, a series of kidnappings has made the youth anxious. Once Finney is taken by the villain and imprisoned in a basement, he anticipates the worst. However, the non-functional line mounted nearby repeatedly calls, with eerie communicators giving advice, while the prescient dreams from his sibling Gwen might rescue him. An effective horror. October 11th, nighttime, on Film4
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
In the struggle between God and Mammon, the victory is clear for greed in this director's delightfully tacky biopic of the disgraced religious broadcaster and her felon spouse. Andrew Garfield plays the corrupt Bakker, who declares early on, “God does not want us to be poor,”. He and Tammy Faye commence monetising the American public's Christian beliefs. It's an extravaganza of tacky decor, excessive cosmetics and hypocrisy, however Chastain manages to depict Tammy Faye in a likable light. October 14th, 1.15am, Film4
Black Bag
This week's another release by the same director is a espionage tale as sharp similar to the collars sported by the actor's intelligence officer. His assignment is to identify a double agent inside the organization from five suspects – one of whom is Kathryn, played by Cate Blanchett. The two stars excel of deadpan cool, leading to a delightful mental battle of deception or honesty takes place. Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela join in the clever spy entertainment. October 17th, various showings, the Sky channel
