Highlighted Choice
The Substance Film
Coralie Fargeat's bold satire addresses the demanding standards for feminine aesthetics along with the perceived horrors of growing older. Demi Moore offers a masterful portrayal as Elisabeth, an aging celebrity demoted to hosting a workout series on television. Pushed out thanks to her slimy boss Harvey, played by Dennis Quaid, she turns to a mysterious and terrifying treatment called "The Substance". This produces a new version of herself called Sue, leading to a steadily more parasitic dynamic among both women. This Friday, Paramount Plus
This Mystery Thriller
This Agatha Christie-esque mystery includes Keira Knightley playing Laura, an ace reporter who opts for a hiatus from reporting on international wars to embark on an opulent ship with a gravely sick Scandinavian billionaire and charitable figure, her husband, as well as other filthy rich guests. However when a mysterious woman disappears from the ship one night and the entire crew claims she was never there, the reporter's sleuthing skills kick in. Available now, the Netflix platform
Presence
Steven Soderbergh challenges his creative boundaries with this innovative paranormal narrative shot entirely through the eyes of a ghost. As a family featuring mother Rebekah and troubled teenage daughter Chloe settles into their recent residence, the filming device – as the unseen entity – shadows their actions. The teen shows signs of conscious of the poltergeist, and it looks like defensive toward her. However, the motive remains? This is an entertaining concept that avoids overstaying, with a twist you might not see coming. October 11th, afternoon and evening times, the Sky channel
This Self-Referential Film
Cage embraces his cult stardom through this self-referential adventure. He acts as an egotistical Hollywood actor called Nicolas Cage who agrees to a $1m payday to appear at a festive event on the Spanish island for the wealthy Javi, played by Pedro Pascal. Hired by the intelligence agency to gather intel on the suspected cartel boss, his “nouveau shamanic acting ability” comes in handy. October 11th, prime time, on Channel 4
The Black Phone Horror
The director's locked-room horror holds up well without requiring a follow-up. Located in 1978 Denver, several kidnappings has made the local kids on edge. When Finney is taken by the kidnapper and imprisoned in a cellar, he dreads a terrible outcome. Yet the non-functional line mounted nearby continues to ring, with ghostly voices providing assistance, while the prescient dreams of Gwen, his sister may be his salvation. An effective horror. Saturday 11 October, late evening, the Film4 channel
This Dramatic Portrait
In the struggle between faith and wealth, it's a knockout win for greed in Michael Showalter's wonderfully garish film adaptation of the disgraced televangelist plus her lawbreaking partner. The actor portrays the venal Jim, who declares initially, claiming divine approval for wealth. The couple begin monetising the nation's religious faith. It's a spectacle of poor styling, overdone appearance and insincerity, yet Chastain achieves to depict the real-life figure as a sympathetic figure. October 14th, 1.15am, Film4
This Espionage Thriller
This period's second offering from Steven Soderbergh is a spy mystery as tight like the turtlenecks worn by the actor's UK spy. He is tasked with uncovering a traitor among the team from five suspects – among them is his own wife. The two stars are masters of calm composure, so a delicious mental battle of deception or honesty takes place. Additional actors take part the intelligent intelligence fun. This Friday, multiple time slots, Sky Cinema Premiere
