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French director Coralie Fargeat's latest horror film is bound to take the US by storm in September!
The Substance - feminist horror starring Demi Moore
I'd sure love to see Demi giving an Oscar-worthy performance!
https://variety.com/2024/film/awards...rs-1236136537/
https://variety.com/2024/film/awards...rs-1236136537/
Watching it this weekend 
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I might go see it this afternoon.
Saw this today. It was wildly entertaining and dementedly satisfying! One of the best films of the year. Demi Moore is fantastic and Margaret Qualley is great too.
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Saw this today. It was wildly entertaining and dementedly satisfying! One of the best films of the year. Demi Moore is fantastic and Margaret Qualley is great too.
My review
The Substance
I think Coralie Fargeat is a very talented filmmaker and I will definitely never miss anything she directs.
When it comes to The Substance, however, I think she should have learned the lesson that the movie's protagonist clearly failed to and realized that sometimes, less is more.
There's some truly demented ideas and very eye-catching visual style here that I definitely wish we could get more of in modern-day horror movies.
But horror movies have traditionally worked best when they kept it tight, with a relatively short running time... think of Halloween, Psycho, or Night of the Living Dead
Fargeat's latest film runs almost 2-1/2 hours, and there are times when you almost wish she'd found a way to make this work with a much tighter running time - the movie definitely has a lot of interesting ideas, but not so many that it justifies that crazy running time.
Having said that, there's a lot to like here, including some really fearless performances by Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley; the score by Raffertie and Stanislas Reydellet's production design are also top-notch.
Lastly, without giving away too much, don't be surprised if the movie scores an Oscar nomination for best makeup. It would actually be a very worthy winner, if the Academy decides to give it that recognition.
The Substance
I think Coralie Fargeat is a very talented filmmaker and I will definitely never miss anything she directs.
When it comes to The Substance, however, I think she should have learned the lesson that the movie's protagonist clearly failed to and realized that sometimes, less is more.
There's some truly demented ideas and very eye-catching visual style here that I definitely wish we could get more of in modern-day horror movies.
But horror movies have traditionally worked best when they kept it tight, with a relatively short running time... think of Halloween, Psycho, or Night of the Living Dead
Fargeat's latest film runs almost 2-1/2 hours, and there are times when you almost wish she'd found a way to make this work with a much tighter running time - the movie definitely has a lot of interesting ideas, but not so many that it justifies that crazy running time.
Having said that, there's a lot to like here, including some really fearless performances by Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley; the score by Raffertie and Stanislas Reydellet's production design are also top-notch.
Lastly, without giving away too much, don't be surprised if the movie scores an Oscar nomination for best makeup. It would actually be a very worthy winner, if the Academy decides to give it that recognition.
I really enjoyed The Substance.
The ending might have been a little too over the top and quirky, but it's still the best, most original movie of 2024 so far in my opinion.
I expect many Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Coralie Fargeat), Best Actress (Demi Moore), Best Supporting Actor (Dennis Quaid), Best Supporting Actress (Margaret Qualley), Best Cinematography, Best Makeup, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound.
The ending might have been a little too over the top and quirky, but it's still the best, most original movie of 2024 so far in my opinion.
I expect many Oscar nominations: Best Picture, Best Director (Coralie Fargeat), Best Actress (Demi Moore), Best Supporting Actor (Dennis Quaid), Best Supporting Actress (Margaret Qualley), Best Cinematography, Best Makeup, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Visual Effects, and Best Sound.
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“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!” ~ Rocky Balboa
“Let me tell you something you already know. The world ain't all sunshine and rainbows. It's a very mean and nasty place and I don't care how tough you are, it will beat you to your knees and keep you there permanently if you let it. You, me, or nobody is gonna hit as hard as life. But it ain't about how hard ya hit. It's about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward. How much you can take and keep moving forward. That's how winning is done!” ~ Rocky Balboa
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Between The Substance, Love Lies Bleeding and The First Omen, women are killing it in the body horror genre. This film feels like a singular vision that absolutely nails the tone. I fell in love with the film pretty early on with the the unique camera angles and the grotesque sound design.
Demi Moore kills it in the role, watching he rev up an egg beater like a chainsaw and have the yolk splash in her face like blood was an Evil Dead inspired treat.
Very fun, very grotesque and just the right amount of humour. Like everyone else is saying, the last 20 or so minutes of the film is a wild ride.
Cronenberg would be proud. Long live the new flesh.
Demi Moore kills it in the role, watching he rev up an egg beater like a chainsaw and have the yolk splash in her face like blood was an Evil Dead inspired treat.
Very fun, very grotesque and just the right amount of humour. Like everyone else is saying, the last 20 or so minutes of the film is a wild ride.
Cronenberg would be proud. Long live the new flesh.
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Suspect's Reviews
"A laugh can be a very powerful thing. Why, sometimes in life, it's the only weapon we have."
Suspect's Reviews
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One of the best I've sat through at the cinema this year so far, and one of the best body horror films perhaps ever. Can easily go toe to toe with any Cronenberg film. Simple premise, well written and directed by Coralie Fargeat. Easily the best performance Demi Moore has done for decades, if not her entire career, Margeret Qualley continues to impress, while Dennis Quaid is perfectly repellant in this Nightmare on Hollywood Blvd.
My main issue would be that the final act goes on too long and takes away a bit from what for the most part is pretty brilliant... but in a way that kind of fits with the narrative of the story about balance, about the cost of when things go out of balance there is that negative effect, but perhaps that was more accidental than intentional? For a film to generate such a visceral reaction from so many speaks for itself in how effective and affecting this is. Might be a while before can bring myself to sit through this again, but that doesn't take away from how good this movie is.
My main issue would be that the final act goes on too long and takes away a bit from what for the most part is pretty brilliant... but in a way that kind of fits with the narrative of the story about balance, about the cost of when things go out of balance there is that negative effect, but perhaps that was more accidental than intentional? For a film to generate such a visceral reaction from so many speaks for itself in how effective and affecting this is. Might be a while before can bring myself to sit through this again, but that doesn't take away from how good this movie is.
Last edited by Taz; 1 week ago at 01:05 PM.
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My review
The Substance
I think Coralie Fargeat is a very talented filmmaker and I will definitely never miss anything she directs.
When it comes to The Substance, however, I think she should have learned the lesson that the movie's protagonist clearly failed to and realized that sometimes, less is more.
There's some truly demented ideas and very eye-catching visual style here that I definitely wish we could get more of in modern-day horror movies.
But horror movies have traditionally worked best when they kept it tight, with a relatively short running time... think of Halloween, Psycho, or Night of the Living Dead
Fargeat's latest film runs almost 2-1/2 hours, and there are times when you almost wish she'd found a way to make this work with a much tighter running time - the movie definitely has a lot of interesting ideas, but not so many that it justifies that crazy running time.
Having said that, there's a lot to like here, including some really fearless performances by Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley; the score by Raffertie and Stanislas Reydellet's production design are also top-notch.
Lastly, without giving away too much, don't be surprised if the movie scores an Oscar nomination for best makeup. It would actually be a very worthy winner, if the Academy decides to give it that recognition.
The Substance
I think Coralie Fargeat is a very talented filmmaker and I will definitely never miss anything she directs.
When it comes to The Substance, however, I think she should have learned the lesson that the movie's protagonist clearly failed to and realized that sometimes, less is more.
There's some truly demented ideas and very eye-catching visual style here that I definitely wish we could get more of in modern-day horror movies.
But horror movies have traditionally worked best when they kept it tight, with a relatively short running time... think of Halloween, Psycho, or Night of the Living Dead
Fargeat's latest film runs almost 2-1/2 hours, and there are times when you almost wish she'd found a way to make this work with a much tighter running time - the movie definitely has a lot of interesting ideas, but not so many that it justifies that crazy running time.
Having said that, there's a lot to like here, including some really fearless performances by Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley; the score by Raffertie and Stanislas Reydellet's production design are also top-notch.
Lastly, without giving away too much, don't be surprised if the movie scores an Oscar nomination for best makeup. It would actually be a very worthy winner, if the Academy decides to give it that recognition.