Finest Television Picks: 7 Essential Films This Coming Week
Highlighted Choice
This Satirical Thriller
Coralie Fargeat's daring satire addresses the demanding standards for female beauty and the dreaded aspects of advancing years. Hollywood star Demi Moore delivers a masterful performance playing Elisabeth, an aging celebrity demoted to starring in an aerobics show on the small screen. Pushed out by her slimy boss Harvey, played by Dennis Quaid, she undergoes a mysterious and horrifying process called the Substance. This produces a new version of herself called Sue, culminating in a progressively parasitic dynamic between them. Friday 17 October, Paramount Plus
The Woman in Cabin 10
This Agatha Christie-esque mystery stars Knightley playing Laura, an ace reporter who decides to take some time off from covering global conflict to board a high-end voyage with a terminally ill wealthy inheritor and charitable figure, her partner, and other filthy rich passengers. But after an enigmatic female disappears from the ship overnight and all passengers denies she ever existed, her journalistic curiosity kick in. Out now, the Netflix platform
Presence
Steven Soderbergh challenges his film-making abilities in this innovative paranormal narrative filmed completely from the perspective of the phantom. After a clan with Lucy Liu as Rebekah plus Callina Liang as Chloe occupies their recent residence, the filming device – representing the ghost – tracks their movements. The daughter appears conscious of the ghostly being, and it seems defensive toward her. However, the motive remains? It's a fun idea that remains concise, featuring a surprise you might not see coming. October 11th, afternoon and evening times, Sky Cinema
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The iconic actor wholeheartedly adopts his cult stardom in this meta comedy caper. He plays a narcissistic Hollywood actor named Nicolas Cage who takes on a $1m payday to attend a festive event on the Spanish island for billionaire superfan Javi. Contacted by government spies to investigate the potential kingpin, Cage's unconventional method is put to the test. This Saturday, 9pm, on Channel 4
The Black Phone Horror
Scott Derrickson's contained scarefest holds up well without requiring a sequel. Set in the late 70s in Denver, a series of disappearances has made the youth anxious. When Finney gets captured by “the Grabber” and imprisoned in a basement, he dreads a fatal end. But the old telephone mounted nearby repeatedly calls, with ghostly voices giving advice, while the intuitive nightmares from his sibling Gwen might rescue him. A genuinely scary movie. Saturday 11 October, nighttime, on Film4
The Tammy Faye Biopic
In the struggle between faith and wealth, it's a knockout win for Mammon in this director's wonderfully garish biopic about the fallen televangelist and her felon spouse. Andrew Garfield acts as the venal Jim, who states at the beginning, “God does not want us to be poor,”. Both individuals commence monetising the nation's spiritual convictions. It's an extravaganza of bad interior design, bad makeup and insincerity, though Jessica Chastain succeeds to present Tammy Faye in a likable light. Next Tuesday, early morning, on Film4
The Spy Mystery
This period's additional entry from the filmmaker presents a spy mystery as tight as the polo necks worn by Michael Fassbender's British agent. His assignment is to discover a double agent among the team from five suspects – among them is his own wife. Each performer are masters of deadpan cool, leading to a delightful mind game of deception or honesty develops. Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela join in the intelligent intelligence fun. October 17th, multiple time slots, Sky Cinema