In anticipation of the upcoming whirlpool of award shows, the theatres have seen a multitude of
acclaimed movies. Perhaps the result of the interest AI has generated, or the shifting anxieties around the power struggle to claim ownership of the world’s top advertising powerhouses and the unstoppable rate that technology continues to innovate, but the outcoming films have prominently featured science, technology, engineering, and math.

One shining example is the Golden Globe-winning The Substance, featuring the formerly highest-paid actress in the world, Demi Moore. The film follows a female celebrity fading from relevance as she ages. Desperate for a solution, she takes a freak of biology, simply “the substance”, that allows her to give birth to a newer, younger, and hotter version of herself. The themes include the ethical question of science as the continually drastic search for cosmetic procedures becomes more widespread and normalized. The film asks: how far can you take it? And just because you can, should you? The film is currently showing at the AMC Hoffman Center 22 in Alexandria. It is also available for purchase on Amazon Prime Video. It is R rated.

The new Companion movie features breakout star Sophie Thatcher in a love/horror story between an android and man. How much talk has the possibility of real companion robots excited? Already there had been conventions that showed off commercial robots that were prided on their likeness to a woman, as well to a lesser extent, their chatbot feature. In this story, the audience is compelled to root for the robot as she engages in a power struggle for her own intelligence and autonomy against her oppressive control holder. The film is currently showing in theatres, including the Regal Fox in Ashburn and Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in One Loudoun. It is R rated.

written by Sandra Gad

 

Image Citation:

Nolan, Joe. “The Substance Is a Sensational Gross-out That’s Heading for the Oscars.” The Contributor, 2 Jan. 2025, thecontributor.org/the-substance-is-a-sensational-gross-out-thats-heading-for-the-oscars/.