It has become a cliche to say that a horror film is extreme or unlike anything you’ve ever seen. Too often, the degree to which something is gory or out there is exaggerated, resulting in some level of audience disappointment. Well, I’m here to tell you that The Substance warrants those kinds of brash comments. A body horror satire with terrific performances, it’s as out there as it gets. No matter what you’ve heard, you’re not read for this flick, and I mean that as a major compliment, too.

The Substance goes hard. It does so in service of a metaphor that wouldn’t jive with subtlety, that’s for sure. Women in Hollywood, the aging process, sexism, it’s all in here, done in a savagely satirical manner. Plus, again, this is a very graphic body horror epic, at nearly two and a half hours long. Is it going to be for everyone? No. Was it very much up my alley? You better believe it. This is one of the most darkly enjoyable experiences of the year.

Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) used to be a star. An award-winning actress, Elisabeth was seen as a beauty queen and among the biggest celebrities in the world. Now, as she hits her 50th birthday, she’s the host of a popular aerobics show. It’s been successful, but clearly not fulfilling, though when her boss Harvey (Dennis Quaid) lets her go, in the hopes of finding a younger model, she’s devastated. After an accident, the fading celebrity is told about The Substance, a black-market drug which utilizes a cell-replicating agent that temporarily creates a younger, better version of you. Without much hesitation, she signs up and takes her first dose.

One gory transformation later and a younger version of herself emerges, literally from her body. Dubbed Sue (Margaret Qualley), she immediately auditions and gets the aerobics show. Containing all of Elisabeth’s youthful beauty and star power, she’s an instant icon. The only catch is, both bodies need an equal week out and about, with the other hidden away, naked and being fed through a tube. Failure to abide by that has consequences, which Sue finds out about one night. Thus begins a battle of bodies, with some incredible and shocking body horror to come. The fun is in the surprises, too, as you’ll never see the third act coming.

Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley have never been better. They’re both emotionally and physically naked here, working in concert with each other. While they’re not identical, the way that they evoke each other is wonderful. Moore especially goes all-out in a de-glam type performance that will blow you away. The role calls for someone of her ilk and she absolutely knocks it out of the park. Watching Moore be this free and this bold is exhilarating. As for Qualley, it’s a whole new side of her, which I found very exciting. She’s leaning in to the elements that are preying upon Moore, making for a really interesting dichotomy. Dennis Quaid is having a lot of fun playing a monster of a studio executive. He’s evoking you know who and doing it in a way that brings out the right amount of cringe. Moore and Qualley are the stars, but in addition to Quaid, the supporting cast include Gore Abrams, Hugo Diego Garcia, Oscar Lesage, and a few others. Don’t get it twisted though, this is the Moore and Qualley show, plain and simple.

Filmmaker Coralie Fargeat writes and directs this picture fearlessly. No one else is making feminist body horror, so kudos to her for not just conceiving of the idea, but executing it so well. First and foremost, opting to cast separate actresses is not a welcome old-school move, but exactly what the film needed. The Substance would have missed its own point by not having someone like Moore and someone like Qualley sharing the role. CGI-ing either one of them simply would not have worked. Fargeat hammers the points home without a ton of subtlety, but that’s the point. This is how the world treats Elisabeth, of course. The script never forgets that, while Fargeat’s direction leans in. Plus, she has a wonderful handle on gore, going harder than you’ll ever expect. If you’re not covering your eyes at some point, she’s not doing her job.

Fair warning, The Substance is graphic. Now, it’s a feature, not a bug, but this is going to be too much for some. There’s substantial nudity, which you eventually become numb to, but it’s also incredibly gory. Throw in a wild ending that utilizes some incredibly gnarly makeup (among other things) and this could prove tough for a more demure audience member. The feminist satire take on celebrity and body horror worked for me in a big way, but I’m also very fond of horror. Your mileage may vary.

To that end, this film will be an interesting test of Academy tastes. If this were a simple film about an aging actress, I do think Demi Moore would have a great chance at a Best Actress nomination. The thing is, Oscar doesn’t usually go for body horror. Now, the metaphor and satire on display may well resonate with voters more so than another movie of its ilk. Still, this seems like a big ask for them, though I’d love to see it happen.

The Substance is a rare mix of acting showcase and body horror. Unsurprisingly, I loved it. Moore and Qualley are phenomenal, Fargeat’s filmmaking is first-rate, and the surprises in the back half are just delightfully unhinged. I truly can’t wait for more people to see this one. It shocked folks just last week at the Toronto International Film Festival. Now, as it heads from TIFF to theaters, you all should check this one out. It’s not to be missed!

SCORE: ★★★1/2

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3.5/5 stars

Depicting the prosaic concerns of two adult children in a single-parent family in Hong Kong during the Covid-19 pandemic, Lo’s bittersweet film is a character-driven drama that is heavy on feelings. It is thoughtful and endearing, and prefers minor developments to major dramatic conflict.

The film begins with an old photo as its protagonist, Mei-chen (Gladys Li Ching-kwan in her most complete performance yet), explains in a voice-over that it is the first and last time she was pictured in a family portrait alongside her father, who left the household before she turned one and never returned.

All her life she has regretted not having had the opportunity to get to know her father, although she faces more immediate problems in the present.

Mei-chen, who is inexperienced in romance, has just started using a dating app at the urging of her happy-go-lucky cousin (Amy Tang Lai-ying), but her first date produces not a match but an awkward trip to a love motel, followed by plenty of unanswered texts and even more question marks in her head.

Sean “Diddy” Combs was arrested Monday in New York amid a federal sex-trafficking probe, officials said.

No details were immediately available about the charges against the hip-hop mogul and entrepreneur. A grand jury had been impaneled to investigate allegations.

Late Monday, the U.S. attorney for the Southern District of New York issued a brief statement saying Combs was arrested “based on a sealed indictment filed by the SDNY. We expect to move to unseal the indictment in the morning and will have more to say at that time.”

Sources said Combs was arrested without incident at around 8:30 p.m. at a New York hotel, where he had been staying.

Law enforcement sources told The Times earlier this year that Combs was the subject of a sweeping inquiry into sex-trafficking allegations that resulted in a federal raid in March at his estates in Los Angeles and Miami.

In civil lawsuits, four women have accused Combs of rape, assault and other abuses, dating back three decades. One of the allegations involved a minor. The claims sent shock waves through the music industry and put Combs’ entertainment empire in jeopardy.

Combs has strongly denied any wrongdoing, and on Monday his attorney criticized prosecutors.

“We are disappointed with the decision to pursue what we believe is an unjust prosecution of Mr. Combs by the U.S. Attorney’s Office,” Combs’ attorney Marc Agnifilo said in a statement. “Sean ‘Diddy’ Combs is a music icon, self-made entrepreneur, loving family man, and proven philanthropist who has spent the last 30 years building an empire, adoring his children, and working to uplift the Black community.”

The attorney said Combs was “an imperfect person but he is not a criminal. To his credit Mr. Combs has been nothing but cooperative with this investigation and he voluntarily relocated to New York last week in anticipation of these charges. Please reserve your judgment until you have all the facts. These are the acts of an innocent man with nothing to hide, and he looks forward to clearing his name in court.”

Homeland Security Investigations agents conducted searches on March 25 at mansions owned by the Bad Boy Entertainment co-founder as part of the federal inquiry into sex-trafficking allegations, law enforcement sources said.

The 17,000-square-foot mansion in Holmby Hills where Combs debuted his LP “The Love Album: Off the Grid” was flooded with agents, who served a search warrant and gathered evidence on behalf of an investigation being run by prosecutors in the Southern District of New York, according to law enforcement officials familiar with the inquiry.

Combs’ legal troubles have been building for months.

Last week, Dawn Richard, the former Danity Kane and Diddy-Dirty Money member and solo artist, sued Combs in New York, alleging sexual assault, harassment and inhumane treatment.

She alleged in the complaint that Combs groped her without her consent, falsely imprisoned her and deprived her and her bandmates of basic needs, and that “submission to his depraved demands was necessary for career advancement.”

Richard’s attorney, Lisa Bloom, said in a statement to The Times that “given Sean Combs’ brutal beating of his girlfriend caught on video and the eight people who have now accused him of abuse in court filings, including my brave client Dawn Richard, this arrest seems long overdue. It’s a big, moving day for victims, but an arrest is only the beginning. May justice be delivered to Mr. Combs. We implore other accusers to come forward in solidarity and join us in this fight.”

His former girlfriend, Casandra Ventura, the singer known as Cassie, accused him of rape and repeated physical assaults and said he forced her to have sex with male prostitutes in front of him. Combs quickly settled a lawsuit Ventura brought against him last year. Months later, a 2016 video published by CNN showed Combs chasing, kicking and dragging Ventura at an L.A. hotel.

Another accuser, Joi Dickerson-Neal, said in a lawsuit that Combs drugged and raped her in 1991, recording the attack and then distributing the footage without her consent.

Liza Gardner filed a third suit in which she alleged Combs and R&B singer Aaron Hall sexually assaulted her. Hall could not be reached for comment.

Another lawsuit alleges that Combs and former Bad Boy label President Harve Pierre gang-raped and sex-trafficked a 17-year-old girl. Pierre said in a statement that the allegations were “disgusting,” “false” and a “desperate attempt for financial gain.”

After the filing of the fourth suit, Combs wrote on Instagram: “Enough is enough…. Sickening allegations have been made against me by individuals looking for a quick payday. Let me be absolutely clear: I did not do any of the awful things being alleged. I will fight for my name, my family and for the truth.”

In the spring, producer Rodney “Lil Rod” Jones filed a federal lawsuit against Combs accusing him of sexually harassing and threatening him for more than a year.

Times staff writer Alexandra Del Rosario contributed to this report.