Pick of the Week
The Substance
The filmmaker's bold critique addresses the tyranny of female beauty and the perceived horrors of advancing years. Demi Moore offers a masterful portrayal in the role of Elisabeth, an aging celebrity demoted to hosting a workout series on TV. Edged out by her deceitful superior Harvey, she turns to a mysterious and gruesome procedure titled "The Substance". This generates a younger clone called Sue, resulting in an increasingly parasitic dynamic among both women. October 17th, Paramount Plus
The Woman in Cabin 10 Film
This Agatha Christie-esque story stars the talented actress playing Laura, an ace reporter who decides to take a hiatus from writing about global conflict to embark on a luxury cruise alongside an ailing wealthy inheritor and donor, her husband, and other extremely wealthy guests. However when an enigmatic female disappears from the ship during the evening and all passengers denies she ever existed, the reporter's sleuthing skills awaken. Streaming currently, Netflix
This Supernatural Story
Steven Soderbergh tests his directorial skills in this clever ghostly tale filmed completely through the eyes of the spirit. As a family including mother Rebekah and troubled teenage daughter Chloe occupies their recent residence, the filming device – as the unseen entity – tracks their movements. The daughter appears sensing the supernatural presence, and the entity appears defensive toward her. Yet what is the reason? It's a fun idea that remains concise, including a revelation you might not see coming. October 11th, multiple showings, the Sky channel
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The iconic actor wholeheartedly adopts his eccentric image through this self-referential adventure. He plays a self-obsessed celebrity called Nicolas Cage who agrees to a million-dollar gig to appear at a festive event in Mallorca for billionaire Javi, played by Pedro Pascal. Recruited by government spies to gather intel on the potential kingpin, Cage's unique performing skills proves useful. October 11th, 9pm, the Channel 4 network
The Black Phone Horror
Scott Derrickson's claustrophobic thriller holds up well even without a continuation. Set in 1970s Colorado, several kidnappings has left the local kids frightened. Once Finney is taken by “the Grabber” and held captive in a basement, he anticipates the worst. But the non-functional line in the room keeps ringing, with eerie communicators providing assistance, as the prophetic visions of his sister Gwen may be his salvation. A genuinely scary movie. October 11th, late evening, on Film4
This Dramatic Portrait
In the battle between God and Mammon, the winner is obvious for greed in this director's delightfully tacky true story regarding the shamed TV preacher and her felon spouse. The actor portrays the corrupt Bakker, who states early on, “God does not want us to be poor,”. Both individuals begin monetising the people's spiritual convictions. It's a spectacle of bad interior design, overdone appearance and bad faith, yet Jessica Chastain succeeds to present Tammy Faye as a sympathetic figure. Next Tuesday, 1.15am, Film4
The Spy Mystery
This week's additional entry by the same director delivers a intelligence thriller as sharp as the polo necks sported by Fassbender's UK spy. He is tasked to identify a double agent among the team from a group of five – one of whom is Kathryn, played by Cate Blanchett. The two stars are masters of calm composure, resulting in an engaging mental battle of fact versus fiction unfolds. Additional actors participate the clever spy entertainment. October 17th, multiple time slots, the Sky channel
