The Substance (2024) is a bold body-horror film that has been acclaimed for its fearless lead performances, biting social satire, and jaw-dropping practical effects. Demi Moore gives a raw, career-defining performance as Elisabeth Sparkle, a fading aerobics star fired on her 50th birthday, and Margaret Qualley shines as Sue, her younger, hyper-marketed alter ego. Sprinkle in a dash of Dennis Quaid and his unhinged, grotesque energy as a predatory Hollywood executive, and you have a new classic that tackles the cruel obsession with youth and external validation in entertainment and acts as a visceral, darkly funny warning about self-loathing and physical perfectionism.