Top Selection
The Substance
The filmmaker's bold commentary addresses the oppressive nature of female beauty as well as the feared consequences of advancing years. Demi Moore presents a masterful acting turn in the role of Elisabeth, an aging film star reduced to starring in a workout series on TV. Pushed out thanks to her unscrupulous employer Harvey, played by Dennis Quaid, she undergoes an enigmatic and terrifying treatment titled this experimental method. This creates a youthful duplicate named Sue, leading to an increasingly parasitic dynamic between the two. This Friday, Paramount Plus
This Mystery Thriller
This classic whodunit story includes Knightley as Laura, a skilled journalist who opts for a break from covering international wars to join an opulent ship with an ailing Scandinavian billionaire and donor, her spouse, plus additional extremely wealthy individuals. Yet once an enigmatic female goes overboard overnight and all passengers insists she wasn't real, her journalistic curiosity awaken. Streaming currently, on Netflix
Presence
Soderbergh challenges his directorial skills with this innovative supernatural story shot entirely from the perspective of the phantom. As a family featuring mother Rebekah and troubled teenage daughter Chloe settles into their fresh home, the camera – AKA the Presence – tracks their movements. The teen shows signs of conscious of the supernatural presence, and it seems protective of her. But why? It's a fun idea that avoids overstaying, with a twist you might not see coming. This Saturday, afternoon and evening times, Sky Cinema Premiere
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The iconic actor embraces his unique fame via this meta comedy caper. He plays an egotistical film star called Nicolas Cage who agrees to a lucrative offer to attend a celebration at a Mediterranean location for billionaire Javi, played by Pedro Pascal. Hired by government spies to investigate the alleged criminal, his unconventional method proves useful. This Saturday, prime time, the Channel 4 network
The Black Phone Horror
The director's contained scarefest holds up well even without a sequel. Set in the late 70s in Denver, a series of kidnappings has made the local kids anxious. After Finney is taken by “the Grabber” and locked up in a cellar, he fears a fatal end. However, the old telephone mounted nearby repeatedly calls, with ghostly voices providing assistance, while the intuitive nightmares from his sibling Gwen may be his salvation. A genuinely scary movie. October 11th, late evening, on Film4
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
In the conflict between spirituality and money, it's a knockout win for Mammon in Showalter's delightfully tacky true story regarding the shamed religious broadcaster and her criminal husband. Garfield portrays the venal Jim, who declares at the beginning, “God does not want us to be poor,”. The couple commence profiting from the American public's religious faith. It's a spectacle of bad interior design, overdone appearance and hypocrisy, yet Jessica Chastain achieves to show Tammy Faye with compassion. Next Tuesday, 1.15am, the Film4 channel
Black Bag
This week's additional entry from Steven Soderbergh is a intelligence thriller as precise as the polo necks worn by Michael Fassbender's UK spy. He is tasked to identify a double agent among the team from a group of five – including is his own wife. Both actors are masters of deadpan cool, leading to a delightful psychological game of truth or lie takes place. Additional actors take part the clever spy entertainment. Friday 17 October, various showings, Sky Cinema
