Finest Television Picks: Seven Essential Movies This Week
Pick of the Week
The Substance
Director Coralie Fargeat's bold critique addresses the tyranny of female beauty and the dreaded aspects of growing older. Hollywood star Demi Moore presents a brilliant performance as Elisabeth, a mature actress demoted to presenting an aerobics show on television. Forced aside thanks to her deceitful superior Harvey, played by Dennis Quaid, she undergoes a secretive and gruesome process titled the Substance. This creates a new version of herself named Sue, resulting in a progressively vampiric relationship between them. This Friday, Paramount+
The Woman in Cabin 10
This Agatha Christie-esque story features Knightley playing Laura, a skilled journalist who takes a break from writing about global conflict to embark on a high-end voyage with a gravely sick Norwegian shipping heiress and charitable figure, her husband, as well as other extremely wealthy individuals. But after a mysterious woman falls into the sea overnight and all passengers insists she wasn't real, her journalistic curiosity kick in. Available now, on Netflix
Presence
Steven Soderbergh pushes his film-making abilities through this clever supernatural story captured wholly through the eyes of the phantom. As a family with Lucy Liu as Rebekah and her distressed teen Chloe occupies their fresh home, the camera – AKA the Presence – shadows their actions. Chloe seems sensing the supernatural presence, and it looks like defensive toward her. However, the motive remains? The premise is enjoyable that avoids overstaying, with a twist you might not see coming. Saturday 11 October, 4.35pm, 10.10pm, the Sky channel
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The iconic actor fully commits to his cult stardom via this meta comedy caper. He portrays an egotistical celebrity called Nicolas Cage who takes on a $1m payday to visit a birthday party on the Spanish island for the wealthy Javi, played by Pedro Pascal. Hired by the intelligence agency to gather intel on the potential kingpin, Cage's unconventional method proves useful. October 11th, 9pm, the Channel 4 network
This Creepy Thriller
The director's locked-room horror holds up well despite the lack of a continuation. Located in 1970s Colorado, a series of child abductions has rendered the children anxious. After Finney gets captured by the kidnapper and imprisoned in a dungeon, he dreads the worst. But the old telephone in the room repeatedly calls, with ghostly voices providing assistance, as the prophetic visions from his sibling Gwen could save him. A genuinely scary movie. Saturday 11 October, late evening, Film4
The Eyes of Tammy Faye
In the conflict between spirituality and money, the winner is obvious for Mammon in this director's delightfully tacky true story about the fallen religious broadcaster and her felon spouse. The actor acts as the greedy Jim, who proclaims initially, “God does not want us to be poor,”. Both individuals set about monetising the people's spiritual convictions. It's an extravaganza of poor styling, excessive cosmetics and hypocrisy, though the lead actress succeeds to depict the character in a likable light. Next Tuesday, early morning, on Film4
Black Bag
The current week's second offering by the same director delivers a spy mystery as sharp as the polo necks sported by Michael Fassbender's British agent. He receives a mission to discover a double agent inside the organization out of five possibilities – among them is Kathryn, played by Cate Blanchett. The two stars are experts of calm composure, leading to a delightful mind game of fact versus fiction takes place. Additional actors take part the smart espionage amusement. October 17th, various showings, Sky Cinema Premiere
