Pick of the Week
The Substance
The filmmaker's bold commentary tackles the demanding standards for female beauty and the dreaded aspects of ageing. Demi Moore presents a brilliant portrayal playing Elisabeth, a 50-year-old actress forced into presenting a fitness program on television. Edged out thanks to her unscrupulous employer her manager Harvey, she undergoes an enigmatic and terrifying process called this experimental method. This creates a youthful duplicate called Sue, culminating in a progressively toxic connection between them. October 17th, Paramount+
The Woman in Cabin 10
This classic whodunit thriller includes Knightley in the role of Laura, an ace reporter who takes a break from covering global conflict to board an opulent ship accompanied by an ailing wealthy inheritor and charitable figure, her partner, and other affluent passengers. Yet once an unknown lady goes overboard overnight and the entire crew claims she was never there, her journalistic curiosity kick in. Available now, the Netflix platform
Presence
The acclaimed director challenges his directorial skills through this nifty paranormal narrative shot entirely from the viewpoint of a ghost. When a household featuring mother Rebekah and her distressed teen Chloe settles into their recent residence, the filming device – as the unseen entity – shadows their actions. The daughter appears conscious of the poltergeist, and the entity appears guarding her. However, the motive remains? This is an entertaining concept that remains concise, with a twist that may be unexpected. Saturday 11 October, multiple showings, the Sky channel
This Self-Referential Film
Cage fully commits to his unique fame via this autobiographical spoof. He portrays a self-obsessed Hollywood actor called Nicolas Cage who agrees to a $1m payday to attend a birthday party in Mallorca for the rich superfan Javi. Contacted by government spies to investigate the potential kingpin, the actor's “nouveau shamanic acting ability” comes in handy. Saturday 11 October, prime time, the Channel 4 network
The Black Phone Horror
Scott Derrickson's contained scarefest remains effective without requiring a follow-up. Taking place in the late 70s in Denver, multiple kidnappings has rendered the youth anxious. Once Finney gets captured by the kidnapper and held captive in a basement, he dreads the worst. But the non-functional line mounted nearby continues to ring, with eerie communicators providing assistance, while the intuitive nightmares of Gwen, his sister might rescue him. A solid creepfest. Saturday 11 October, nighttime, on Film4
This Dramatic Portrait
In the conflict between spirituality and money, it's a knockout win for Mammon in Michael Showalter's brilliantly over-the-top film adaptation of the disgraced televangelist and her felon spouse. The actor portrays the corrupt Bakker, who states initially, claiming divine approval for wealth. He and Tammy Faye commence monetising the people's religious faith. It's an extravaganza of tacky decor, excessive cosmetics and insincerity, however the lead actress succeeds to present Tammy Faye as a sympathetic figure. October 14th, 1.15am, the Film4 channel
The Spy Mystery
The current week's another release from the filmmaker delivers a intelligence thriller as sharp like the turtlenecks worn by Michael Fassbender's British agent. His assignment is to discover a mole among the team from a group of five – including is his spouse. Both actors are experts of deadpan cool, leading to a delightful mind game of truth or lie takes place. Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela take part the clever spy entertainment. October 17th, multiple time slots, Sky Cinema Premiere
