Before the Oscars in March, be sure to see “The Substance†and “Heretic,†two films that had been whispered as contenders.
“Substance†got five nominations, including nods for Best Picture, Actress and Director.
In the horror film, she plays an aging aerobics star who gets an offer to use a drug – the substance – that would turn back the clock and make her viable in a brutal world. Never mind that she looks fantastic. This – like so many quick-fix schemes – has the potential to be a game changer.
She jumps and discovers she has on-again/off-again weeks with her younger self (played by Margaret Qualley). If she breaks the contract, bad things could happen.
A hit out of the Cannes Film Festival, Coralie Fargeat’s body-horror parable stars Demi Moore as a TV star who’s deemed too old by male producers. A mysterious service, though, offers her the ability to change into a younger twin (Margaret Qualley) — so long as she doesn’t remain so for too long. “The Substance†seems sure to go down as a classic satire of Hollywood ageism and youth obsession. (Sept. 20, in theaters)
Writer/director Coralie Fargeat doesn’t hesitate to comment on the industry’s obsession with youth. She pushes Moore’s Elisabeth Sparkle to the limit and lets her “All About Eveâ€-like younger self stretch the bounds of jealousy.
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Dennis Quaid checks in as a producer and he’s just as vile as anyone in the business. He barks orders, recognizes few boundaries and adds to the horror of Elisabeth’s transformation.
Fargeat shoots this with an eye for the absurd. She embraces bright colors, an ‘80s aesthetic and a limited palette of emotions.
Moore delivers – boy does she deliver – and appears to have fun with the transformational moments that define her character’s life.
“The Substance†is a cautionary tale that practically insists you think twice before trying to turn back time.
A 'Hugh' surprise
Like “The Substance,†“Heretic†depends on the success of its leading character. Hugh Grant stars as a middle-aged man who invites two Mormon missionaries into his home. They insist it’s against their rules but since it’s raining, they make an exception.
He says his wife is making a blueberry pie; they smell the goodness. Because he wants to lecture them about their religion, Grant does everything to keep them inside.
Each time they’re about to leave, he pulls them back and then it becomes a game of hit and run.
The distance Hugh Grant has traveled from rom-com protagonist seems likely to reach a new peak in this A24 horror thriller from “A Quiet Place†co-writers Scott Beck and Bryan Woods. Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East play a pair of proselytizing Mormon missionaries who knock on the wrong door. (Nov. 15, in theaters)
Writer/Directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods make this as innocent as possible until Grant’s motive becomes clear. Then “Heretic†turns into a visual nightmare. The two (played by Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) discover what’s cooking and realize pie was never on the menu.
The directors have three-fourths of a good film but let situations devolve until you’re ready to do whatever you can to escape. Grant relies on his past to fuel his future and gets a performance that’s every bit as surprising as Moore’s. He didn't make the cut as a Best Actor nominee (too many candidates were more likely) but he does set himself up for a juicy career as a film villain.
Watch either film at night and you’re going to have nightmares. Both rely on reality then take decisions to extremes.
