For people who are willing to go out of their way to support independent and non-IP films, 2024 has been a rather great year for original storytelling. Spooky season has been giving horror fans plenty to be excited about, with anticipated sequels like Terrifier 3 and Smile 2, but it’s the originality of The Substance that has made it one of the most talked about horror films of the year. Even the comedy genre has had some rather memorable titles released over the last few months, with the Aubrey Plaza indie darling My Old Ass making quite a splash despite its more limited release. Looking at these two films of completely different genres, it’d be pretty easy to shrug them off as just that. Taking a closer look at both, however, these are two movies that have more in common than they would seem.

The narrative of both films is driven by the age-old question: what would happen if someone had the chance to interact with their younger self? With their different approaches, both of them also carry slightly similar messages, but deliver them in extraordinarily different ways. With both films sharing such similar ideas, viewers have understandably begun to compare the two. Not only are their shared themes and stories incredibly effective in their unique ways, but they’ve also set a certain standard for the kinds of movies that audiences should be directing more of their attention to.

The Substance Is a Body Horror Attack on Beauty Standards

Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley Spin a Jekyll & Hyde Story of Self-Hatred

With its disturbingly haunting visuals, combined with its clever satire and social commentary, The Substance has been receiving all the praise it deserves from hard-core horror fans. Directed by Coralie Fargeat, the film stars Demi Moore as Elisabeth Sparkles, a once highly-celebrated actress whose last remaining bit of relevancy is fizzled out after being unceremoniously fired as the host of her long-running aerobics TV show by a misogynistic producer (Dennis Quaid). In an act of desperation, she turns to a black-market drug sold by an unknown dealer (voiced by Yann Bean) to produce a younger and “better” version of herself. This younger version comes in the form of Margaret Qualley as “Sue”, who begins to build a TV career of her own and gain Elisabeth’s past level of success. When the dependent balance between the two is broken due to Sue’s selfish indulgence, Elisabeth begins to break down as chaos erupts.

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It’s almost impossible to put into words the kind of insanely wild ride that The Substance produces, not just in its story, but with its unforgettable imagery and impressive prosthetic makeup effects; it’s the message, however, that’s perhaps the biggest thing that audiences have been taking away from it. It’s a cautionary tale about the dangers of clinging to the past as well as the standards of beauty caused by ageism in both society and the entertainment industry. Sue is the embodiment of Elisabeth’s self-hatred and is everything she wishes she still was, which, of course, leads to her ultimate downfall. It’s a film that uses grotesque body horror and a mean-spirited tone to tell its audience that aging isn’t something to be ashamed of, that they shouldn’t adhere to the ridiculous beauty standards that society holds against them as they age and that doing so can lead to negligent self-destructive tendencies. As memorable as its message is, for anyone looking for a more uplifting take on what The Substance has to offer, My Old Ass is sure to do the trick.

My Old Ass Unites Past and Future in a Bittersweet Coming-of-Age Dramedy

Its Story Tells Its Audience To Love Themselves and the Moment

While The Substance is about a woman who loses herself trying to gain back time, My Old Ass tells a story about a woman discovering herself as she realizes it’s the one thing she can never get back. After taking hallucinogenic mushrooms with her friends in the forest, 18-year-old Elliott (played by Maisey Stella) has an encounter with her 39-year-old self (played by Aubrey Plaza) but initially isn’t all too pleased to see how her future life hasn’t lived up to her expectations. She manages to make further contact with her future self via her cell phone, who gives her bits of advice in the weeks leading up to her departure to college. During that time, she’s forced to contemplate her future while also bracing herself to say goodbye to her past. Having been an open lesbian her entire young life, she also begins to contemplate her sexuality as she develops strong and unavoidable feelings for a boy named Chad (Percy Hynes White), whom her future self has warned her to stay away from.

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Writer/director Meghan Park approaches the idea of one’s past self meeting their future self in a completely different fashion, and in doing so, makes its message much more effective and relatable. With a more bittersweet and heartwarming take on the concept, both the young and older Elliott grow tremendously as people and learn from one another what it truly means to live their lives. As her relationship with Chad blossoms and she prepares to say goodbye to her family, she learns to be grateful for the present and not dwell on the lost comforts of the past or the inevitable hardships of the future. These developments in the story are what drive its message of not just how important it is to live in and appreciate the moment, but also the importance of loving oneself.

As impressive as The Substance can be on almost every level, My Old Ass has one major important factor that sets it apart even more than its genre and tone do: its heart. Unlike Elisabeth Sparkles/Sue, Elliott and her older self live a life surrounded by friends and family who help her understand the importance of gratitude. While The Substance punishes its protagonist for her desperate attempt to cling to the past, My Old Ass instead rewards her for learning to be appreciative of the present. As fun, as it is to draw the undeniable comparisons in their stories and contrasts in how they deliver their message, the similarities that can be found between the two aren’t exactly the main things that audiences should be paying attention to.

My Old Ass and The Substance Are Everything Modern Cinema Deserves To Be

While They Carry Certain Similarities, Both Films Are Refreshingly Original Stories With Meaningful Messages

• Both The Substance and My Old Ass are still currently playing in theaters and are set to be released on Blu-ray and streaming later in the year.

Even though modern audiences may complain that no original films are being made, this couldn’t be further from the truth. There are plenty of original films being made, and many more that studios want to make; the problem, however, is that audiences aren’t willing to pay to see them. Both The Substance and My Old Ass aren’t just getting the attention that they deserve because of their similarities or because of the casting of big names like Aubrey Plaza and Demi Moore, but because of their refreshing originality. As easy as it has been to compare the stories and themes, especially given how closely they were released, they can’t be any more different from one another in genre or tone, which shows the variety of original ideas that audiences should support and appreciate more.

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With everything that they execute so flawlessly, it’s quite an impressive feat that both films are only the second full-length features to be made by their respective directors. As different as they are in tone, genre, and spirit, both films offer something incredibly meaningful to say that is sure to stick with their audiences long after the credits roll. For anyone looking for a double feature, The Substance, and My Old Ass are the most unexpected yet perfect pairing for the ages.

• 

  A fading celebrity decides to use a black-market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself.

  Director

  Coralie Fargeat

  Release Date

  September 20, 2024

  Cast

  Demi Moore , Margaret Qualley , Dennis Quaid , Gore Abrams , Hugo Diego Garcia , Olivier Raynal , Tiffany Hofstetter , Tom Morton , Jiselle Burkhalter , Axel Baille , Oscar Lesage , Matthew Géczy , Philip Schurer

  Writers

  Coralie Fargeat

  Runtime

  140 Minutes

  Studio(s)

  Working Title Films , A Good Story

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• 

  My Old Ass

  Elliott Labrant, who has been advised by her future self not to fall in love, is sure she can do so after being given the advice. That is, until she meets the boy her older self warned her about.

  Director

  Megan Park

  Release Date

  January 20, 2024

  Cast

  Maisy Stella , Percy Hynes White , Maddie Ziegler , Seth Isaac Johnson , Kerrice Brooks , Aubrey Plaza

  Writers

  Megan Park

  Runtime

  88 Minutes

  Studio(s)

  Indian Paintbrush , LuckyChap Entertainment , Scythia Films

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