I had the chance to see “The Substance” at a mystery screening event at my local movie theater over the summer. Since I didn’t know in advance which movie I would watch, I went with zero expectations.

By the time the credits rolled, I was ecstatic and convinced that I had watched not only the best dark thriller of 2024, but one of the best movies of the year, period. A few weeks later (and a rewatch) and I’m even more confident in that assessment.