The Substance

For my money, one of the best things you can do this season is to run to see the French director Coralie Fargeat’s The Substance while it is still playing on the big screen.

Falls into the category of films that men like to claim as feminist.

Extraordinary... This is daring and stylish.

The Substance wields its power not with the precision of a scalpel but a jackhammer.

This is a film unlike any other you will see right now. It will not be to everyone's taste. For this reviewer, who craves originality, it is a winner.

The last 20 or so minutes of this movie — the best part — is wall-to-wall, nonstop blood and gore, mostly done with those old-school practical effects fans like me prefer. The delightful yuck factor made me forgive the film’s numerous problems.

Operating under the guise of a feminist film that has something profound to say, this ambitious, grotesque, and undeniably provocative film is maddeningly smug and indulgent in a way that leads to self-sabotage.

An inventive horror story that tackles the ageism, sexism, and the unattainable beauty standards in today’s society. Demi Moore in sensational. [Full Review in Spanish]

Fargeat’s idea is in danger of being better than the execution, but there is more merit the film than there is to be disgusted by.

A cleverly crafted film that places gore in the middle of fame and beauty, without the lack of wit and sarcasm, to effectively challenge society's obsession with youth.