Top Selection
The Substance
Director Coralie Fargeat's daring commentary tackles the tyranny of female beauty and the perceived horrors of ageing. Demi Moore delivers an inspired performance playing Elisabeth, a 50-year-old celebrity demoted to presenting a fitness program on the small screen. Pushed out thanks to her deceitful superior her manager Harvey, she turns to a secretive and terrifying process titled "The Substance". This creates a new version of herself portrayed by Margaret Qualley, leading to a steadily more vampiric relationship between the two. This Friday, the streaming service Paramount+
The Woman in Cabin 10 Film
This Agatha Christie-esque mystery includes Keira Knightley playing Laura, an ace reporter who opts for a hiatus from writing about global conflict to embark on an opulent ship accompanied by a gravely sick wealthy inheritor and charitable figure, her husband, and other extremely wealthy passengers. Yet once an unknown lady falls into the sea one night and everyone claims she was never there, the reporter's sleuthing skills kick in. Available now, Netflix
Presence Film
The acclaimed director pushes his creative boundaries through this innovative paranormal narrative captured wholly through the eyes of a ghost. After a clan with Lucy Liu as Rebekah plus Callina Liang as Chloe settles into their new suburban house, the lens – as the unseen entity – tracks their movements. The daughter appears conscious of the poltergeist, and the entity appears guarding her. However, the motive remains? It's a fun idea that avoids overstaying, featuring a surprise that could catch you off guard. October 11th, 4.35pm, 10.10pm, Sky Cinema
Nicolas Cage's Meta Comedy
Nicolas Cage wholeheartedly adopts his unique fame through this self-referential adventure. He acts as an egotistical film star playing himself who agrees to a lucrative offer to visit a festive event in Mallorca for billionaire Javi Gutierrez. Hired by the CIA to spy on the potential kingpin, the actor's unconventional method is put to the test. Saturday 11 October, 9pm, the Channel 4 network
The Black Phone Horror
Scott Derrickson's claustrophobic thriller remains effective without requiring a follow-up. Located in 1970s Colorado, a series of disappearances has left the youth on edge. When Finney is taken by “the Grabber” and locked up in a basement, he fears the worst. Yet the old telephone in the room continues to ring, with eerie communicators offering help, and the prophetic visions of Gwen, his sister could save him. A solid creepfest. October 11th, 10.50pm, Film4
This Dramatic Portrait
In the conflict between faith and wealth, it's a knockout win for greed in Michael Showalter's brilliantly over-the-top biopic regarding the shamed religious broadcaster and her criminal husband. Andrew Garfield acts as the corrupt Bakker, who states initially, “God does not want us to be poor,”. Both individuals begin profiting from the nation's spiritual convictions. It's an extravaganza of bad interior design, bad makeup and insincerity, yet the lead actress succeeds to present Tammy Faye with compassion. Tuesday 14 October, 1.15am, the Film4 channel
Black Bag
This period's another release from Steven Soderbergh presents a intelligence thriller as tight as the polo necks worn by Fassbender's intelligence officer. His assignment is to discover a mole among the team out of five possibilities – one of whom is his own wife. Both actors are masters of understated style, so a delicious psychological game of truth or lie takes place. Additional actors take part the intelligent intelligence fun. Friday 17 October, multiple time slots, the Sky channel
