Pick of the Week
The Substance
Coralie Fargeat's bold satire examines the oppressive nature of women's appearance along with the feared consequences of ageing. The veteran actress delivers a brilliant acting turn playing Elisabeth, a mature celebrity forced into presenting a workout series on television. Forced aside thanks to her slimy boss her manager Harvey, she turns to a secretive and horrifying procedure titled "The Substance". This creates a younger clone called Sue, leading to an increasingly parasitic dynamic among both women. This Friday, Paramount+
This Mystery Thriller
This suspenseful story features Keira Knightley as Laura, a skilled journalist who takes a hiatus from covering world issues to embark on a luxury cruise with a gravely sick Scandinavian billionaire and philanthropist, her spouse, plus additional extremely wealthy guests. But after a mysterious woman goes overboard one night and the entire crew denies she ever existed, the reporter's sleuthing skills awaken. Available now, the Netflix platform
Presence Film
Soderbergh challenges his directorial skills in this nifty ghostly tale shot entirely from the viewpoint of the phantom. When a household with Lucy Liu as Rebekah and troubled teenage daughter Chloe occupies their new suburban house, the camera – AKA the Presence – tracks their movements. Chloe seems aware of the ghostly being, and it seems protective of her. Yet what is the reason? It's a fun idea that avoids overstaying, with a twist that could catch you off guard. Saturday 11 October, afternoon and evening times, the Sky channel
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The iconic actor embraces his cult stardom via this self-referential adventure. He plays an egotistical celebrity called Nicolas Cage who accepts a million-dollar gig to attend a festive event in Mallorca for the wealthy Javi, played by Pedro Pascal. Contacted by the intelligence agency to spy on the suspected cartel boss, Cage's unconventional method proves useful. This Saturday, 9pm, Channel 4
The Black Phone
Scott Derrickson's claustrophobic thriller holds up well without requiring a sequel. Located in 1978 Denver, a series of child abductions has made the youth anxious. When Finney is taken by the kidnapper and locked up in a dungeon, he anticipates a terrible outcome. Yet the disconnected phone on the wall continues to ring, with spooky callers giving advice, while the intuitive nightmares from his sibling Gwen could save him. A solid creepfest. October 11th, nighttime, the Film4 channel
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
In the struggle between God and Mammon, the winner is obvious for Mammon in Michael Showalter's delightfully tacky biopic of the disgraced religious broadcaster plus her lawbreaking partner. The actor portrays the venal Jim, who proclaims at the beginning, asserting religious justification for riches. Both individuals set about profiting from the American public's spiritual convictions. It's a riot of poor styling, overdone appearance and bad faith, yet the lead actress manages to show Tammy Faye as a sympathetic figure. Tuesday 14 October, early morning, on Film4
Black Bag
This week's second offering by the same director is a espionage tale as tight as the polo necks sported by the actor's intelligence officer. He receives a mission with uncovering a traitor inside the organization out of five possibilities – among them is his own wife. The two stars are masters of understated style, so a delicious mental battle of fact versus fiction unfolds. Additional actors take part the intelligent intelligence fun. This Friday, multiple time slots, Sky Cinema
