Pick of the Week
This Satirical Thriller
Coralie Fargeat's daring satire addresses the demanding standards for feminine aesthetics along with the dreaded aspects of advancing years. Demi Moore offers a brilliant portrayal playing Elisabeth, an aging film star reduced to presenting a workout series on TV. Edged out thanks to her deceitful superior Harvey, she undergoes an enigmatic and terrifying process called the Substance. This creates a younger clone named Sue, culminating in a steadily more toxic connection between them. Friday 17 October, the streaming service Paramount+
The Woman in Cabin 10
This Agatha Christie-esque thriller includes Knightley playing Laura, a top-notch writer who opts for a hiatus from reporting on world issues to embark on a luxury cruise accompanied by an ailing Scandinavian billionaire and philanthropist, her spouse, plus additional extremely wealthy guests. Yet once an unknown lady falls into the sea overnight and all passengers denies she ever existed, Laura's investigative instincts awaken. Out now, the Netflix platform
Presence
Steven Soderbergh pushes his directorial skills with this clever paranormal narrative shot entirely through the eyes of the spirit. When a household including mother Rebekah and her distressed teen Chloe moves into their recent residence, the lens – AKA the Presence – shadows their actions. Chloe seems sensing the poltergeist, and the entity appears protective of her. However, the motive remains? The premise is enjoyable that avoids overstaying, featuring a surprise that may be unexpected. Saturday 11 October, 4.35pm, 10.10pm, Sky Cinema
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
Nicolas Cage fully commits to his cult stardom via this autobiographical spoof. He acts as a self-obsessed celebrity named Nicolas Cage who takes on a $1m payday to visit a birthday party in Mallorca for billionaire superfan Javi. Hired by the intelligence agency to spy on the suspected cartel boss, Cage's unconventional method comes in handy. October 11th, evening, on Channel 4
The Black Phone Horror
Scott Derrickson's claustrophobic thriller stands strong despite the lack of a follow-up. Taking place in 1978 Denver, multiple disappearances has made the children anxious. Once Finney gets captured by “the Grabber” and locked up in a dungeon, he dreads a terrible outcome. However, the non-functional line in the room repeatedly calls, with eerie communicators giving advice, while the intuitive nightmares from his sibling Gwen may be his salvation. A genuinely scary movie. October 11th, nighttime, the Film4 channel
The Tammy Faye Biopic
In the struggle between spirituality and money, the winner is obvious for greed in this director's brilliantly over-the-top film adaptation of the disgraced religious broadcaster and her criminal husband. Andrew Garfield portrays the venal Jim, who proclaims early on, claiming divine approval for wealth. The couple set about capitalizing on the people's spiritual convictions. It's a riot of bad interior design, overdone appearance and hypocrisy, though the lead actress achieves to depict Tammy Faye as a sympathetic figure. Next Tuesday, 1.15am, Film4
Black Bag
This period's another release by the same director presents a spy mystery as tight as the polo necks worn by the actor's intelligence officer. He is tasked to identify a traitor within their ranks from five suspects – one of whom is Kathryn, played by Cate Blanchett. The two stars are masters of understated style, leading to a delightful psychological game of fact versus fiction unfolds. Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela participate the intelligent intelligence fun. This Friday, multiple time slots, Sky Cinema
