It is a reality universally acknowledged that the Academy does not take horror films all that severely. Even when they provide a few coveted nomination slots to horror films through the Oscars, scary and bizarre films hardly take residence the large prize, which is irritating, to say the least; the horror style is in a fairly good place as of this writing, and there are such a lot of nice administrators with imaginative and prescient and magnificence working inside it who create genuinely phenomenal and critically acclaimed work. Despite the fact that Coralie Fargeat’s bravura, bloody, and bonkers horror film “The Substance” did win a single statue on the 2025 Oscars ceremony, it nonetheless did not get any wins within the so-called “above-the-line” classes — however now that it is a hit on HBO Max (based on FlixPatrol‘s charts), you may examine the matter for your self.
Produced by the streaming service Mubi, which enabled a theatrical run for “The Substance” and served because the movie’s unique streaming residence for a while, the film focuses on Demi Moore’s fading star Elisabeth Sparkle, who makes a cope with the proverbial satan to acquire newfound youth and wonder utilizing the titular “substance.” Clearly, there are a ton of guidelines concerned, and much more clearly, Elisabeth breaks them, main to 1 gory catastrophe after one other. So what else do you want to find out about “The Substance,” and in a world the place the Academy really values the horror style, what ought to it have received on the 97th Academy Awards?
The Substance is gross, over-the-top, and shockingly profound
The “substance” that Elisabeth Sparkle takes in “The Substance” is straight up evil, nevertheless it additionally permits Elisabeth to spend every week at a time (in idea) within the physique of a youthful, “extra lovely” lady recognized solely as Sue (a ridiculously well-cast and deployed Margaret Qualley). This is the issue, and I am certain you may see the place I am going with this: Despite the fact that Elisabeth is meant to hook whichever physique is at the moment not in use as much as IVs and maintain it on ice, so to talk, till she switches again after the prescribed week, she will get excessive on her personal provide as Sue and step by step stops switching again into Elisabeth’s physique. As Elisabeth’s physique falls into disrepair from lack of use, we see it quickly age each time Elisabeth reinhabits her “unique” physique, resulting in a really insane and extremely unsettling climax the place Sue and Elisabeth merge right into a horrifying creature known as “the monstrous Elisasue.” To say all hell breaks unfastened is … an understatement.
On paper, this feels like pretty simple physique horror, however because of writer-director Coralie Fargeat’s strategy and sharply-formed message, it is something however in observe. Amidst the entire eye-poppingly gross scenes in “The Substance,” probably the most placing is a scene the place Elisabeth, in Demi Moore’s physique, will get prepared for a date solely to assault her personal face and hair when she does not really feel like she’ll probably meet the person’s expectations (or her personal). “The Substance” tells its story in a grotesque and heightened means, however its message is profound: Girls face unimaginable bodily requirements, and it will possibly drive them to a degree of no return.
Sadly, The Substance went largely missed on the 2025 Academy Awards
Despite the fact that “The Substance” racked up a genuinely spectacular variety of Academy Award nominations for a horror film — particularly such an audacious one — on the finish of the day, it solely took residence an Oscar for make-up and hairstyling. Although that was genuinely-earned based mostly on the aforementioned monstrous Elisasue’s look alone, I am not the primary and will not be the final to say that Demi Moore actually, actually deserved an Oscar for her main position.
After an extremely aggressive awards season, Sean Baker’s screwball intercourse employee drama “Anora” ended up anointed because the Oscars darling, taking residence Finest Image (a class the place “The Substance” was nominated however by no means had an actual likelihood to win) in addition to Finest Actress, the class the place the “Anora” ingenue Mikey Madison triumphed over business veteran Moore. Moore, for her half, received the Golden Globe (although she and Madison competed in several style classes there between drama for Moore and comedy for Madison) and the Display Actors Guild Award for greatest actress. Nonetheless, a comeback narrative for Moore, who was advised all through her profession that she’d by no means be a severe actress solely to ultimately earn an Academy Award nomination for probably the most delightfully weird films in current historical past, remained simply out of attain.
You possibly can determine for your self whether or not or not Moore deserved an Oscar for “The Substance,” as a result of it is streaming on HBO Max now and is only one of a number of nice initiatives you need to take a look at on the streamer this week.