Pick of the Week
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat's bold commentary tackles the oppressive nature of feminine aesthetics as well as the dreaded aspects of ageing. The veteran actress presents an inspired performance as Elisabeth, an aging celebrity reduced to hosting a fitness program on TV. Pushed out by her unscrupulous employer Harvey, she seeks out a mysterious and terrifying procedure titled this experimental method. This creates a youthful duplicate portrayed by Margaret Qualley, resulting in an increasingly toxic connection between them. Friday 17 October, Paramount Plus
The Woman in Cabin 10
This suspenseful mystery features Knightley in the role of Laura, a top-notch writer who takes a break from writing about world issues to board an opulent ship accompanied by an ailing Scandinavian billionaire and donor, her spouse, and other filthy rich guests. However when an unknown lady disappears from the ship during the evening and the entire crew denies she ever existed, the reporter's sleuthing skills awaken. Streaming currently, the Netflix platform
Presence
Steven Soderbergh tests his directorial skills through this clever supernatural story captured wholly through the eyes of the phantom. When a household including mother Rebekah plus Callina Liang as Chloe moves into their new suburban house, the camera – representing the ghost – follows them around. The teen shows signs of aware of the poltergeist, and the entity appears protective of her. Yet what is the reason? It's a fun idea that doesn't outstay its welcome, with a twist that may be unexpected. October 11th, multiple showings, Sky Cinema Premiere
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Cage fully commits to his cult stardom through this autobiographical spoof. He plays a narcissistic Hollywood actor playing himself who agrees to a lucrative offer to visit a celebration on the Spanish island for the wealthy superfan Javi. Recruited by government spies to investigate the potential kingpin, his “nouveau shamanic acting ability” is put to the test. This Saturday, prime time, the Channel 4 network
This Creepy Thriller
The director's claustrophobic thriller stands strong despite the lack of a continuation. Taking place in the late 70s in Denver, multiple disappearances has made the youth anxious. After Finney is kidnapped by the villain and held captive in a cellar, he fears a terrible outcome. Yet the disconnected phone mounted nearby keeps ringing, with spooky callers offering help, and the prophetic visions from his sibling Gwen could save him. An effective horror. Saturday 11 October, 10.50pm, Film4
This Dramatic Portrait
In the battle between God and Mammon, the victory is clear for greed in Michael Showalter's brilliantly over-the-top true story about the fallen TV preacher and her criminal husband. Andrew Garfield plays the venal Jim, who states at the beginning, “God does not want us to be poor,”. He and Tammy Faye commence monetising the American public's spiritual convictions. It's a spectacle of bad interior design, bad makeup and bad faith, yet the lead actress achieves to show Tammy Faye with compassion. October 14th, early morning, the Film4 channel
This Espionage Thriller
This week's additional entry from the filmmaker is a espionage tale as precise like the turtlenecks used by Fassbender's UK spy. His assignment is to identify a mole within their ranks out of five possibilities – among them is his spouse. Both actors excel of understated style, so a delicious psychological game of truth or lie takes place. Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela join in the intelligent intelligence fun. October 17th, 8.05am, 12.55pm, 8pm, the Sky channel
