Demi Moore’s Acclaimed ‘The Subsctance’ is Returning to Theaters for Oscar Season Push

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As the Academy Awards draw near in March, there’s another chance to catch the contemporary body horror film “The Substance,” featuring Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley on the big screen. The Golden Globes have acknowledged Demi Moore’s exceptional performance by awarding her Best Actress in a Musical or Comedy, but now the question remains: Will the Oscars offer similar recognition to this captivating film?

As a passionate moviegoer, I’m thrilled to share that the captivating tale of an actress grappling with rejuvenation in her craft is coming back to our screens on January 17. This time around, it’s aiming for a second chance at glory, hoping to secure a nomination for the prestigious 2025 Oscars.

Under Coralie Fargeat’s direction, the movie delves into ideas of age and worth in an exceptionally visually appealing manner. In an effort to boost the unorthodox film’s chances at this year’s Academy Awards, MUBI Studio is re-releasing The Substance in over 350 U.S. theaters this week. This second chance will give audiences who missed it during its initial theater run the opportunity to watch the highly praised movie on the big screen.

Initially, the genre film was premiered in cinemas back in September 2024, generating $16 million within the U.S. and $79 million globally at the box office. At present, you can stream it on MUBI’s platform from home or rent it through other services. However, the intense body horror experience is best enjoyed on the big screen.

Horror or… Something Else?

The debate over horror films receiving recognition at the Oscars is nothing new, as they often get overlooked for categories like Best Picture and Best Performance each year. Given this pattern, fans are either apprehensive or optimistic that “The Substance” and its performances will not follow suit, possibly marking a change in trend. However, director Fargeat holds a different perspective about her unsettling film.

In the case of the movie titled “The Substance“, while it does focus on the theme of body horror, one might question whether it should be strictly classified as a horror film. However, the director, Fargeat, prefers to label it as a “genre film” instead of a horror movie. She explains that it belongs to a category of stories which aren’t confined by reality.

The director, having personally grappled with anxiety about aging in the film industry as a woman, is unlikely to face disagreement when it comes to scriptwriting. However, if the movie is categorized as a horror film by fans or the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS), there’s little room for alteration.

Instead of asking whether “The Substance” should be labeled as a horror film, we might consider if the broader definition of the horror genre could be revised to better reflect its versatility and deserving recognition. This debate will become clearer when the Oscar nominees are announced on January 19th.

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2025-01-13 23:35