Highlighted Choice
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat's daring satire examines the oppressive nature of female beauty as well as the feared consequences of growing older. Hollywood star Demi Moore offers an inspired acting turn as Elisabeth, a mature celebrity demoted to hosting a fitness program on the small screen. Edged out thanks to her deceitful superior her manager Harvey, she turns to an enigmatic and gruesome procedure called the Substance. This produces a younger clone portrayed by Margaret Qualley, culminating in an increasingly parasitic dynamic between them. Friday 17 October, Paramount+
This Mystery Thriller
This classic whodunit thriller stars the talented actress in the role of Laura, a skilled journalist who decides to take some time off from writing about global conflict to join a luxury cruise with a terminally ill Norwegian shipping heiress and charitable figure, her husband, plus additional affluent individuals. But after an enigmatic female goes overboard one night and the entire crew insists she wasn't real, her journalistic curiosity take over. Streaming currently, on Netflix
Presence
Steven Soderbergh tests his film-making abilities in this clever paranormal narrative shot entirely through the eyes of the spirit. When a household including mother Rebekah and her distressed teen Chloe settles into their new suburban house, the camera – AKA the Presence – tracks their movements. The daughter appears conscious of the ghostly being, and the entity appears defensive toward her. Yet what is the reason? It's a fun idea that remains concise, featuring a surprise you might not see coming. October 11th, multiple showings, the Sky channel
This Self-Referential Film
The iconic actor embraces his eccentric image in this meta comedy caper. He portrays an egotistical film star called Nicolas Cage who accepts a $1m payday to appear at a festive event in Mallorca for the rich superfan Javi. Hired by government spies to gather intel on the alleged criminal, the actor's unconventional method is put to the test. Saturday 11 October, evening, Channel 4
The Black Phone Horror
Scott Derrickson's claustrophobic thriller holds up well despite the lack of a sequel. Set in 1978 Denver, multiple kidnappings has rendered the local kids frightened. Once Finney is kidnapped by the villain and locked up in a basement, he dreads a terrible outcome. But the old telephone mounted nearby continues to ring, with eerie communicators giving advice, as the prophetic visions of his sister Gwen could save him. A genuinely scary movie. Saturday 11 October, late evening, Film4
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
In the conflict between spirituality and money, it's a knockout win for greed in Showalter's brilliantly over-the-top biopic regarding the shamed televangelist and her felon spouse. Andrew Garfield acts as the greedy Jim, who declares early on, asserting religious justification for riches. The couple begin monetising the American public's spiritual convictions. It's a spectacle of bad interior design, bad makeup and hypocrisy, yet the lead actress manages to depict the character with compassion. Tuesday 14 October, late night, the Film4 channel
Black Bag
This week's second offering from the filmmaker is a intelligence thriller as sharp like the turtlenecks worn by Fassbender's intelligence officer. He receives a mission with uncovering a traitor within their ranks from a group of five – one of whom is Kathryn, played by Cate Blanchett. Both actors excel of calm composure, so a delicious psychological game of deception or honesty develops. The supporting cast join in the intelligent intelligence fun. This Friday, various showings, Sky Cinema Premiere
