Top Selection
The Substance
Director Coralie Fargeat's bold critique tackles the oppressive nature of women's appearance along with the dreaded aspects of growing older. Demi Moore delivers a masterful acting turn playing Elisabeth, an aging film star reduced to starring in a fitness program on TV. Edged out thanks to her unscrupulous employer her manager Harvey, she turns to an enigmatic and gruesome process known as the Substance. This creates a younger clone portrayed by Margaret Qualley, resulting in an increasingly vampiric relationship between the two. Friday 17 October, the streaming service Paramount+
The Woman in Cabin 10
This suspenseful thriller includes Knightley playing Laura, a top-notch writer who decides to take a break from writing about global conflict to embark on a high-end voyage accompanied by an ailing wealthy inheritor and charitable figure, her spouse, and other extremely wealthy guests. Yet once a mysterious woman falls into the sea during the evening and all passengers claims she was never there, the reporter's sleuthing skills take over. Available now, on Netflix
Presence
Steven Soderbergh pushes his creative boundaries through this nifty paranormal narrative filmed completely from the perspective of the phantom. When a household with Lucy Liu as Rebekah plus Callina Liang as Chloe occupies their recent residence, the lens – AKA the Presence – shadows their actions. The teen shows signs of sensing the poltergeist, and the entity appears protective of her. Yet what is the reason? It's a fun idea that avoids overstaying, with a twist you might not see coming. Saturday 11 October, 4.35pm, 10.10pm, the Sky channel
Nicolas Cage's Meta Comedy
The iconic actor embraces his unique fame through this meta comedy caper. He plays an egotistical Hollywood actor called Nicolas Cage who accepts a $1m payday to appear at a birthday party on the Spanish island for the rich Javi, played by Pedro Pascal. Contacted by government spies to gather intel on the suspected cartel boss, Cage's “nouveau shamanic acting ability” proves useful. This Saturday, prime time, the Channel 4 network
The Black Phone
The director's locked-room horror holds up well even without a follow-up. Set in the late 70s in Denver, a series of child abductions has left the local kids frightened. When Finney is kidnapped by “the Grabber” and held captive in a basement, he anticipates a fatal end. Yet the disconnected phone mounted nearby keeps ringing, with eerie communicators providing assistance, while the prophetic visions of Gwen, his sister may be his salvation. A genuinely scary movie. This Saturday, late evening, the Film4 channel
This Dramatic Portrait
In the struggle between faith and wealth, it's a knockout win for greed in this director's wonderfully garish true story regarding the shamed religious broadcaster plus her lawbreaking partner. Garfield acts as the greedy Jim, who proclaims initially, claiming divine approval for wealth. The couple begin capitalizing on the nation's Christian beliefs. It's a riot of poor styling, excessive cosmetics and insincerity, yet Jessica Chastain manages to present the character as a sympathetic figure. Tuesday 14 October, early morning, the Film4 channel
This Espionage Thriller
The current week's second offering from the filmmaker is a spy mystery as tight as the polo necks worn by the actor's intelligence officer. He receives a mission to identify a double agent within their ranks from five suspects – among them is Kathryn, played by Cate Blanchett. Each performer are experts of deadpan cool, so a delicious mind game of fact versus fiction develops. Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela join in the intelligent intelligence fun. Friday 17 October, various showings, the Sky channel
