Pick of the Week
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat's bold critique addresses the demanding standards for women's appearance along with the perceived horrors of ageing. The veteran actress presents an inspired acting turn in the role of Elisabeth, a mature celebrity forced into presenting a workout series on TV. Edged out due to her slimy boss her manager Harvey, she undergoes a mysterious and horrifying process known as "The Substance". This creates a younger clone portrayed by Margaret Qualley, culminating in a progressively parasitic dynamic between them. Friday 17 October, Paramount Plus
The Woman in Cabin 10
This classic whodunit thriller stars the talented actress in the role of Laura, a top-notch writer who decides to take some time off from reporting on global conflict to embark on a high-end voyage with a terminally ill Norwegian shipping heiress and charitable figure, her spouse, as well as other affluent guests. However when a mysterious woman falls into the sea one night and all passengers claims she was never there, the reporter's sleuthing skills take over. Available now, the Netflix platform
Presence Film
Steven Soderbergh tests his film-making abilities in this innovative ghostly tale filmed completely from the viewpoint of a ghost. As a family featuring mother Rebekah plus Callina Liang as Chloe settles into their new suburban house, the lens – AKA the Presence – tracks their movements. The daughter appears sensing the supernatural presence, and it looks like defensive toward her. But why? The premise is enjoyable that doesn't outstay its welcome, including a revelation that could catch you off guard. October 11th, 4.35pm, 10.10pm, Sky Cinema Premiere
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Cage wholeheartedly adopts his eccentric image in this meta comedy caper. He plays an egotistical Hollywood actor playing himself who takes on a $1m payday to attend a celebration on the Spanish island for billionaire superfan Javi. Hired by government spies to investigate the suspected cartel boss, Cage's “nouveau shamanic acting ability” proves useful. This Saturday, evening, the Channel 4 network
The Black Phone Horror
The director's claustrophobic thriller holds up well without requiring a sequel. Set in 1978 Denver, several kidnappings has left the children frightened. Once Finney is taken by the kidnapper and locked up in a basement, he anticipates the worst. However, the disconnected phone on the wall continues to ring, with spooky callers giving advice, as the prophetic visions of his sister Gwen may be his salvation. A genuinely scary movie. Saturday 11 October, nighttime, Film4
The Tammy Faye Biopic
In the conflict between spirituality and money, the winner is obvious for greed in Showalter's wonderfully garish biopic of the disgraced religious broadcaster plus her lawbreaking partner. Andrew Garfield plays the greedy Jim, who declares early on, claiming divine approval for wealth. The couple begin monetising the nation's Christian beliefs. It's a spectacle of poor styling, excessive cosmetics and bad faith, however the lead actress achieves to present the character with compassion. October 14th, 1.15am, on Film4
The Spy Mystery
The current week's second offering from Steven Soderbergh is a spy mystery as tight similar to the collars used by Michael Fassbender's UK spy. He receives a mission to discover a mole inside the organization from a group of five – including is Kathryn, played by Cate Blanchett. Each performer are masters of understated style, so a delicious mental battle of deception or honesty unfolds. Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela participate the intelligent intelligence fun. October 17th, multiple time slots, Sky Cinema
