Highlighted Choice
This Satirical Thriller
Coralie Fargeat's bold commentary addresses the oppressive nature of feminine aesthetics along with the feared consequences of ageing. The veteran actress delivers an inspired acting turn as Elisabeth, a 50-year-old celebrity forced into starring in a fitness program on TV. Pushed out thanks to her unscrupulous employer Harvey, played by Dennis Quaid, she seeks out a mysterious and terrifying process called "The Substance". This creates a youthful duplicate named Sue, resulting in a steadily more vampiric relationship among both women. This Friday, Paramount Plus
The Woman in Cabin 10
This Agatha Christie-esque story includes the talented actress playing Laura, a skilled journalist who opts for a hiatus from writing about international wars to board a high-end voyage alongside a gravely sick wealthy inheritor and philanthropist, her husband, and other extremely wealthy guests. Yet once a mysterious woman disappears from the ship one night and all passengers claims she was never there, her journalistic curiosity kick in. Available now, on Netflix
Presence
Soderbergh challenges his film-making abilities in this clever paranormal narrative filmed completely from the viewpoint of the spirit. After a clan with Lucy Liu as Rebekah and her distressed teen Chloe occupies their recent residence, the filming device – as the unseen entity – follows them around. The teen shows signs of sensing the poltergeist, and it looks like protective of her. But why? It's a fun idea that avoids overstaying, with a twist that could catch you off guard. This Saturday, 4.35pm, 10.10pm, the Sky channel
Nicolas Cage's Meta Comedy
Cage embraces his unique fame via this meta comedy caper. He portrays a self-obsessed celebrity named Nicolas Cage who agrees to a $1m payday to attend a birthday party on the Spanish island for the rich Javi Gutierrez. Recruited by the CIA to spy on the suspected cartel boss, his “nouveau shamanic acting ability” proves useful. This Saturday, prime time, on Channel 4
The Black Phone
The director's locked-room horror remains effective without requiring a sequel. Taking place in the late 70s in Denver, multiple kidnappings has left the children anxious. After Finney is kidnapped by “the Grabber” and held captive in a dungeon, he dreads a terrible outcome. However, the disconnected phone mounted nearby continues to ring, with ghostly voices providing assistance, while the prophetic visions from his sibling Gwen may be his salvation. A genuinely scary movie. This Saturday, 10.50pm, the Film4 channel
The Tammy Faye Biopic
In the conflict between spirituality and money, the victory is clear for Mammon in Michael Showalter's wonderfully garish biopic of the disgraced televangelist and her criminal husband. Andrew Garfield acts as the greedy Jim, who proclaims at the beginning, “God does not want us to be poor,”. Both individuals set about monetising the American public's spiritual convictions. It's a riot of poor styling, excessive cosmetics and hypocrisy, yet the lead actress manages to present the character as a sympathetic figure. Next Tuesday, 1.15am, Film4
The Spy Mystery
The current week's additional entry from Steven Soderbergh presents a spy mystery as sharp similar to the collars used by Fassbender's British agent. He is tasked to identify a traitor inside the organization from a group of five – including is his own wife. The two stars are masters of understated style, resulting in an engaging mind game of deception or honesty unfolds. Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela join in the smart espionage amusement. Friday 17 October, multiple time slots, the Sky channel
