Pick of the Week
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat's bold commentary tackles the tyranny of female beauty as well as the feared consequences of advancing years. Demi Moore presents a masterful acting turn as Elisabeth, an aging actress forced into hosting an aerobics show on television. Edged out thanks to her unscrupulous employer her manager Harvey, she seeks out a mysterious and terrifying procedure titled this experimental method. This produces a youthful duplicate named Sue, culminating in a steadily more parasitic dynamic among both women. This Friday, Paramount Plus
This Mystery Thriller
This Agatha Christie-esque mystery stars Keira Knightley in the role of Laura, a skilled journalist who takes a break from writing about international wars to join a luxury cruise alongside a terminally ill Scandinavian billionaire and philanthropist, her spouse, plus additional affluent passengers. Yet once an unknown lady falls into the sea overnight and all passengers claims she was never there, the reporter's sleuthing skills take over. Streaming currently, the Netflix platform
Presence
Steven Soderbergh pushes his creative boundaries with this nifty ghostly tale filmed completely through the eyes of the phantom. When a household featuring mother Rebekah and troubled teenage daughter Chloe settles into their recent residence, the filming device – as the unseen entity – tracks their movements. The teen shows signs of conscious of the poltergeist, and it seems protective of her. But why? It's a fun idea that remains concise, featuring a surprise that may be unexpected. This Saturday, afternoon and evening times, Sky Cinema Premiere
This Self-Referential Film
Nicolas Cage wholeheartedly adopts his eccentric image through this meta comedy caper. He acts as a narcissistic celebrity called Nicolas Cage who accepts a lucrative offer to appear at a celebration at a Mediterranean location for the wealthy superfan Javi. Contacted by the CIA to gather intel on the alleged criminal, Cage's unique performing skills is put to the test. October 11th, 9pm, the Channel 4 network
The Black Phone Horror
Derrickson's claustrophobic thriller holds up well without requiring a follow-up. Taking place in 1970s Colorado, multiple kidnappings has rendered the local kids anxious. Once Finney gets captured by “the Grabber” and held captive in a dungeon, he fears a terrible outcome. But the old telephone on the wall continues to ring, with ghostly voices providing assistance, while the intuitive nightmares of his sister Gwen may be his salvation. A genuinely scary movie. This Saturday, nighttime, Film4
The Tammy Faye Biopic
In the conflict between God and Mammon, the winner is obvious for greed in Michael Showalter's wonderfully garish true story of the disgraced religious broadcaster and her felon spouse. Garfield plays the venal Jim, who proclaims early on, “God does not want us to be poor,”. He and Tammy Faye set about capitalizing on the nation's spiritual convictions. It's an extravaganza of tacky decor, overdone appearance and bad faith, however the lead actress succeeds to depict the character with compassion. Next Tuesday, early morning, the Film4 channel
The Spy Mystery
This week's second offering from the filmmaker presents a spy mystery as sharp as the polo necks worn by Michael Fassbender's UK spy. He is tasked to identify a mole among the team from five suspects – one of whom is his spouse. The two stars are masters of calm composure, resulting in an engaging psychological game of fact versus fiction takes place. The supporting cast join in the clever spy entertainment. Friday 17 October, 8.05am, 12.55pm, 8pm, Sky Cinema Premiere
