Highlighted Choice
The Substance
Director Coralie Fargeat's bold commentary examines the demanding standards for female beauty and the feared consequences of growing older. The veteran actress delivers a masterful performance playing Elisabeth, a mature actress reduced to starring in a fitness program on TV. Pushed out thanks to her deceitful superior her manager Harvey, she seeks out a mysterious and horrifying procedure called the Substance. This generates a youthful duplicate portrayed by Margaret Qualley, resulting in a progressively vampiric relationship between them. Friday 17 October, Paramount+
The Woman in Cabin 10
This suspenseful story stars Knightley in the role of Laura, an ace reporter who takes some time off from covering international wars to embark on an opulent ship with an ailing wealthy inheritor and philanthropist, her spouse, as well as other filthy rich guests. Yet once an enigmatic female disappears from the ship during the evening and everyone denies she ever existed, Laura's investigative instincts take over. Available now, Netflix
Presence Film
Soderbergh challenges his directorial skills in this innovative supernatural story filmed completely from the perspective of the phantom. As a family including mother Rebekah and troubled teenage daughter Chloe occupies their new suburban house, the camera – representing the ghost – tracks their movements. The daughter appears conscious of the poltergeist, and it looks like defensive toward her. Yet what is the reason? It's a fun idea that doesn't outstay its welcome, including a revelation that could catch you off guard. Saturday 11 October, 4.35pm, 10.10pm, the Sky channel
This Self-Referential Film
The iconic actor fully commits to his eccentric image in this meta comedy caper. He portrays an egotistical Hollywood actor called Nicolas Cage who takes on a $1m payday to appear at a celebration on the Spanish island for the rich superfan Javi. Recruited by the intelligence agency to spy on the suspected cartel boss, his “nouveau shamanic acting ability” comes in handy. This Saturday, prime time, on Channel 4
The Black Phone Horror
The director's claustrophobic thriller stands strong even without a sequel. Located in 1978 Denver, a series of child abductions has rendered the local kids on edge. After Finney gets captured by “the Grabber” and locked up in a cellar, he anticipates a terrible outcome. Yet the disconnected phone in the room keeps ringing, with ghostly voices giving advice, as the intuitive nightmares of his sister Gwen may be his salvation. A solid creepfest. This Saturday, 10.50pm, Film4
This Dramatic Portrait
In the struggle between spirituality and money, the winner is obvious for greed in Showalter's wonderfully garish true story of the disgraced religious broadcaster and her criminal husband. Garfield plays the corrupt Bakker, who states at the beginning, asserting religious justification for riches. Both individuals commence monetising the people's spiritual convictions. It's a spectacle of bad interior design, excessive cosmetics and insincerity, yet Chastain succeeds to depict the real-life figure with compassion. Next Tuesday, early morning, Film4
Black Bag
This week's additional entry from Steven Soderbergh is a espionage tale as sharp like the turtlenecks used by Michael Fassbender's UK spy. His assignment is with uncovering a traitor inside the organization out of five possibilities – one of whom is his own wife. Each performer excel of deadpan cool, so a delicious mental battle of deception or honesty takes place. Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela take part the intelligent intelligence fun. October 17th, 8.05am, 12.55pm, 8pm, Sky Cinema Premiere
