Top Small Screen Selections: Seven Essential Motion Pictures This Week
Highlighted Choice
The Substance
The filmmaker's unflinching critique addresses the tyranny of female beauty as well as the dreaded aspects of advancing years. Demi Moore presents a brilliant performance as Elisabeth, a mature actress forced into hosting a workout series on TV. Pushed out due to her unscrupulous employer her manager Harvey, she seeks out a mysterious and gruesome procedure titled this experimental method. This generates a youthful duplicate named Sue, culminating in an increasingly vampiric relationship between them. Friday 17 October, the streaming service Paramount+
The Woman in Cabin 10 Film
This Agatha Christie-esque story features Knightley as Laura, a skilled journalist who takes some time off from covering global conflict to board an opulent ship accompanied by a terminally ill wealthy inheritor and donor, her partner, plus additional filthy rich passengers. But after an unknown lady disappears from the ship during the evening and the entire crew denies she ever existed, her journalistic curiosity awaken. Available now, Netflix
Presence
Soderbergh pushes his directorial skills in this clever supernatural story shot entirely through the eyes of the spirit. When a household with Lucy Liu as Rebekah plus Callina Liang as Chloe moves into their fresh home, the lens – representing the ghost – tracks their movements. The daughter appears conscious of the ghostly being, and it looks like protective of her. However, the motive remains? The premise is enjoyable that doesn't outstay its welcome, featuring a surprise that may be unexpected. Saturday 11 October, multiple showings, Sky Cinema Premiere
The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent
The iconic actor wholeheartedly adopts his eccentric image in this self-referential adventure. He plays a self-obsessed Hollywood actor playing himself who accepts a $1m payday to appear at a festive event at a Mediterranean location for the wealthy Javi Gutierrez. Recruited by the CIA to investigate the potential kingpin, Cage's unconventional method proves useful. October 11th, prime time, the Channel 4 network
The Black Phone Horror
Scott Derrickson's contained scarefest remains effective even without a continuation. Located in 1978 Denver, multiple child abductions has left the local kids frightened. Once Finney is taken by the kidnapper and locked up in a dungeon, he dreads the worst. Yet the non-functional line mounted nearby keeps ringing, with eerie communicators offering help, as the prescient dreams of his sister Gwen may be his salvation. An effective horror. October 11th, 10.50pm, on Film4
The Tammy Faye Biopic
In the conflict between God and Mammon, the victory is clear for materialism in Showalter's delightfully tacky true story about the fallen TV preacher and her criminal husband. The actor plays the corrupt Bakker, who declares early on, “God does not want us to be poor,”. He and Tammy Faye commence profiting from the people's Christian beliefs. It's a spectacle of poor styling, bad makeup and hypocrisy, yet Jessica Chastain manages to present the real-life figure as a sympathetic figure. Tuesday 14 October, late night, on Film4
The Spy Mystery
This week's another release by the same director presents a spy mystery as precise like the turtlenecks worn by the actor's British agent. His assignment is to identify a traitor among the team from five suspects – among them is Kathryn, played by Cate Blanchett. Each performer are experts of calm composure, resulting in an engaging psychological game of deception or honesty develops. Tom Burke, Regé-Jean Page, Naomie Harris and Marisa Abela take part the clever spy entertainment. October 17th, various showings, the Sky channel
