"The Substance" is a dark modern fable that starts out blaming men for reducing women to sex objects and then cuts deeper. Fargeat saves a special rage for women who conspire in their own diminishment, trading their soul in a pulse beat for a few more shining hours as a goddess.

Margaret Qualley costars in this gory — like, really gory! — satire about beauty and aging The Substance, a corrosively vicious horror satire with a career-resuscitating turn by Demi Moore, begins with an inspired if not very kind joke: You’re looking down the Hollywood Walk of Fame as a fresh,

When it comes to upcoming horror movies, one of this year’s best may be hitting theaters this weekend, with Demi Moore ’s body horror flick The Substance causing quite a stir amongst critics since its premiere at Cannes.