LFF 2019 Highlights Part 1

It is about half way through this year’s BFI London Film Festival, and some wonderful films have been shown so far. Here are some LFF 2019 highlights from the first week…

LFF 2019 Highlights – Unmissable

The Last Black Man in San Francisco

Joe Talbot’s The Last Black Man in San Francisco is a funny, moving, thought-provoking, and outstanding debut. The film is an embarrassment of riches, boasting a wonderful script, strong direction, great performances, and thematic density.  READ MORE

Marriage Story

Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story is a top-drawer drama with outstanding performances from its leads. The film is heart-wrenching, observant, and very real. With Marriage Story, Baumbach once again proves to be a shrewd observer of the human condition.  READ MORE

LFF 2019 Highlights – Best of the Rest

The Lighthouse

With his nightmarish thriller The Lighthouse, Robert Eggers proves The Witch was no fluke. The Lighthouse is a downward spiral, with a jagged, disorientating descent. READ MORE

The Report

The Report is topical, engaging, and necessary viewing. A story about the compilation and attempted publication of a lengthy report could be considered quite a dry subject matter. Nevertheless, in writer and director Scott Z. Burns’ capable hands, The Report is always interesting, occasionally tense, and at times engrossing.  READ MORE

Saint Maud

Writer-director Rose Glass’ Saint Maud is a unnerving and intense gothic thriller. The filmmaker has delivered an atmospheric and striking debut. The backdrop provides the perfect setting for this exploration of psyche, religious fervour, and obsession. READ MORE

The Personal History of David Copperfield

Armando Iannucci’s The Personal History of David Copperfield is a love letter to storytelling. The film is endearing and entertaining. A warm, amusing, and enjoyable adaptation. READ MORE

The Prince’s Voyage

Jean-François Laguionie and Xavier Picard’s The Prince’s Voyage (Le Voyage Du Prince) is an enchanting animated tale. With its bittersweet ending, the film doesn’t pander to its audience. READ MORE

The BFI London Film Festival runs from 2nd-13th October 2019. See the full programme here.

Film Review: Marriage Story

Noah Baumbach’s Marriage Story is a top-drawer drama with outstanding performances from its leads. The film is heart-wrenching, observant, and very real. 

Charlie and Nicole’s marriage has come to an end. The couple navigate divorce proceedings and custody of their son at a fraught time…

Writer-director Noah Baumbach has made a career of focusing on the relationships of people, be they romantic, familial or friendship. His latest is truly a magnificent film. Marriage Story focuses on a relationship at its end, with a separated couple coming to terms with the end of their marriage and the co-parenting of their son. 

The opening sequence is an excellent introduction to the protagonists, their past relationship, and indeed how the film will play out. Baumbach indicates how the narrative will pan out, with the couple each extolling the virtues of the other. The film remains even handed in its depiction of the two protagonists throughout. Baumbach does not attempt to paint one as the villain and one as the victim. Instead, the film ebbs and flows with Charlie seeming more sympathetic at times, and Nicole at others. 

The beauty of Marriage Story is that the emotions depicted appear wholly authentic. The film focuses on a painful and stressful time in its protagonists’ lives and these feelings bubble to the surface in a realistic manner. Baumbach runs the gambit of tears to laughter in his exploration of what happens once a couple decides to separate. The filmmaker gives no allusions of a fairytale ending. There is anger, bitterness, and sadness. Yet the love, both past and present, remains. In this way, Baumbach illustrates the very essence of complicated relationships.

Adam Driver and Scarlett Johansson deliver remarkable performances as Charlie and Nicole. They are completely convincing as a fractured couple, and in their portrayal of sadness, anger, and indeed amusement. Casting in the film deserves to be applauded, particularly in the choice of Laura Dern, Ray Liotta, and Alan Alda as divorce lawyers. Dern in particular is typically great as the firebrand lawyer.

With Marriage Story, Noah Baumbach once again proves to be a shrewd observer of the human condition. The film is intense, touching, and very impressive. This is Baumbach’s strongest film to date.

Marriage Story is being screened at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2019.

Film Review: The Report

The Report provides background and detail on a story that needs to be told. Scott Z. Burns does this in an entertaining and informative manner. 

Senate staffer Dan J. Jones is tasked with leading an investigation into CIA’s post-9/11 Detention and Interrogation programme. As he uncovers uncomfortable truths, some do not want his report to be published…

A story about the compilation and attempted publication of a lengthy report could be considered quite a dry subject matter. Nevertheless, in writer and director Scott Z. Burns’ capable hands, The Report is always interesting, occasionally tense, and at times engrossing. 

The narrative focuses on report author Dan Jones and the discoveries he and his team make when asked to compile a report on the CIA’s use of interrogation after 9/11. Based on real events, The Report does not necessarily reveal new information to those familiar with the well-covered story. However, what the film does is detail the story of how torture came to be used in interrogations, who approved of the techniques, and what the response was after details began to emerge. 

The protagonist is a mostly stoic figure; his methodical approach makes him a good entry point to view proceedings. Dan does lose his cool as his findings provoke a natural response, yet remains morally centred in a sea of self-interest and political manoeuvring. 

One of the highlights of The Report is how it represents Washington and these organisations which hold incredible power. Burns does not shy away from depicting the wrangling that went on behind closed doors, and the vested interests of powerful parties. Yet he is careful not to portray this simply as a cesspool with individuals fighting to cover their backs and get ahead. Credit is given to those who did stand up for what was right. The film focuses on a few senators (alongside some actual footage) to make this clear. 

Pacing in The Report is good. Burns provides a timeline on which the narrative takes place. There are flashbacks to some uncomfortable sequences, as well as the meetings that took place. This is necessary to flesh out the story; after all, the film could not have been two hours of a character reading documents in a basement. The film begins at a late point before jumping back to tell the story in a mostly chronological fashion. This opening gambit works well to create tension for the situation the protagonist finds himself in. 

Adam Driver delivers a strong performance. The cracks in his temperament come across as authentic. Annette Bening is also great as Dianne Fieldstein, while Scott Shepherd and Maura Tierney stand out among the supporting cast.

The Report is a solid investigative thriller. The film is topical, engaging, and necessary viewing. 

The Report is being screened at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2019.

BFI London Film Festival 2019 Launch

This morning saw the launch of the BFI London Film Festival 2019. In its 63rd year, the festival is screening 229 feature films, including 28 world premieres. Here are some highlights from the festival programme…

Headline Galas

The opening and closing films for the BFI London Film Festival 2019 had already been announced. The festival opens with the European premiere of Armando Iannucci’s The Personal History of David Copperfield. An adaptation of the Dickens’ classic, the film stars Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, and Hugh Laurie. Martin Scorsese‘s hotly-anticipated The Irishman closes the festival. There is an embarrassment of riches among the other headline galas, including Rian Johnson’s Knives Out, Marielle Heller’s (Can You Ever Forgive Me?) A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood, and Michael Winterbottom’s Greed, starring Steve Coogan and Isla Fisher.

Strand Galas and Special Presentations

This year, films screening as part of the Strand Galas include Robert Eggers’ (The Witch) The Lighthouse, starring Willem Dafoe and Robert Pattinson. The Dare Gala is Mirrah Folks’ debut feature Judy & Punch, a fairy tale starring Mia Wasikowska. Among the Special Presentations are Takashi Miike’s First Love, and Bombay Rose, a hand-drawn animated feature from Gitanjali Rao.

Official Competition

Among the ten features in Official Competition at the London Film Festival 2019 are Haifaa Al-Mansour’s (Wadjda) The Perfect Candidate, about a young doctor who challenges Saudi Arabia’s strict social codes. Thomas Clay’s Fanny Lye Deliver’d stars Maxine Peake and Charles Dance, and is about a woman living with her puritanical husband in 17th century Shropshire. The Documentary Competition features Rubika Shah’s White Riot, about the Rock Against Racism movement, and Lauren Greenfield The Kingmaker, which focuses on Imelda Marcos. The First Feature Competition includes Joe Talbot’s The Last Black Man in San Francisco and Shannon Murphy’s Babyteeth, a drama starring Eliza Scanlon and Ben Mendelsohn.

Strands

The eleven thematic programme strands are back once more at the London Film Festival 2019. The Love strand includes La Belle Époque, Nicolas Bedos’ drama about an illustrator who uses technology to replay the past, and Ga-young Jeong’s Heart. The Debate strand is particularly strong this year with Citizen K (Alex Gibney‘s documentary on Mikhail Khodorkovsky), Chinonye Chukwu’s Sundance winner Clemency, Terrence Malick’s A Hidden Life, and Scott Z Burns’ The Report, starring Adam Driver. Comedies in the Laugh strand includes Billie Piper’s directorial debut Rare Beasts, whilst Wash Westmoreland’s Earthquake Bird in the Thrill strand stars Alicia Vikander in an 1980s Tokyo-set thriller. Cannes winner The Invisible Life of Eurídice Gusmão is among the films in the Journey category.

The Dare strand features animated coming-of-age tale I Lost My Body and Václav Marhoul’s The Painted Bird, about a Jewish boy on a journey home during wartime. The Cult strand includes Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala’s The Lodge and Lorcan Finnegan’s Vivarium, with Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots. Also in this category is Richard Stanley’s Color Out of Space, a HP Lovecraft adaptation starring Nicolas Cage and Joely Richardson. The Experimenta strand includes Brad Butler and Noorafshan Mizra’s Ruptures, whilst Create includes Midge Costin’s documentary Making Waves: The Art of Cinematic Sound. Two highlights of the Family strand are Edmunds Jansons’ Jacob, Mimmi and the Talking Dogs and Lorenzo Mattotti’s The Bears’ Famous Invasion. Finally, classics that are showing as part of the Treasures programme include David Lynch’s The Elephant Man and Roger Corman’s The Masque of the Red Death, starring Vincent Price.

The BFI London Film Festival 2019 runs from 2nd-13th October. The full programme can be viewed here.

Previews: Rambo: Last Blood Trailer, Ad Astra, More!

An abundance of film-related goodness in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including the Rambo: Last Blood trailer, Ad Astra, Marriage Story, and more…

Rambo: Last Blood Trailer

Here is the latest Rambo: Last Blood trailer. Sylvester Stallone returns as iconic action hero John Rambo. The film, purportedly the last in the series which began in 1982, sees Rambo confront his past and exact revenge on one final mission. Directed by Adrian Grunberg, Rambo: Last Blood will be released in UK cinemas on 19th September 2019.

Ad Astra Trailer

Above is the new trailer for Ad Astra. Starring Brad Pitt, Tommy Lee Jones, and Ruth Negga, the film is about an astronaut who is sent to the outer edges of the solar system. The film’s success may be the bellwether for the direction that Disney takes 20th Century Fox, after some box office failures. Ad Astra will hit UK screens on 18th September 2019.

Marriage Story Poster

The first poster and teaser trailers for Noah Baumbach‘s Marriage Story are here. The film is about the breakup of a marriage and the impact on family. Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver lead the cast, which includes Laura Dern, Alan Alda, and Ray Liotta. Marriage Story will be released in selected cinemas and on Netflix this Autumn.

Underwater Trailer

Underwater is a new disaster movie about a group of underwater researchers who must scramble to safety after an earthquake hits their subterranean station. The cast is lead by Kristen Stewart, and also includes T.J. Miller and Vincent Cassel. Underwater is scheduled for release in UK cinemas on 10th January 2020.

Stardust First Look

Here is the very first image from the upcoming Stardust. The film is about a young David Bowie, who is about to embark on his first road trip to America. Johnny Flynn stars as Bowie, and is joined by Jena Malone and Marc Maron. Stardust does not yet have a release date.

Film Review: The Dead Don’t Die

Jim Jarmusch’s zombie comedy The Dead Don’t Die is not quite as satisfying as the package suggests. Nevertheless, there is still plenty to enjoy. 

Cliff is police chief of the small town of Centerville. When strange occurrences take place, Cliff and his officers try to figure out how to protect the town and its residents…

Written and directed by Jim Jarmusch, The Dead Don’t Die is probably the most star-studded zombie film ever made. From the main roles to minor characters, the film is populated with well-known faces. On the surface, the offering is most enticing. A zombie film with a focus on comedy, combined with the filmmaker’s offbeat appeal. 

The narrative begins well. The film introduces main characters and supporting characters, as well as the locale, in an interesting fashion. The humour is pretty effective as the narrative unfolds. The camaraderie between Cliff and Ronnie in particular a joy to watch. There is some on the nose social commentary, yet this is not unexpected.

The narrative builds towards the inevitable. Yet it also offers potential heroes in the ramshackle group of individuals in the small town. The film actually is less interesting with the increase of undead presence, oddly enough for a zombie film. Jarmusch chooses not to follow an obvious route however. Instead, The Dead Don’t Die offers a few unexpected moments before reaching its conclusion. 

The only issue with The Dead Don’t Die is that the second half feels like it has run out of steam. The jokes do not land as well, with a second fourth wall-breaking joke feeling flat. Whilst more gore was definitely not a requirement, some of the characters are completely underused. 

Several previous Jarmusch collaborators appear. Adam Driver and Bill Murray are as good value as ever, work well with Chlöe Sevigny. Tilda Swinton is great, while Caleb Landry Jones, Danny Glover, and Steve Buscemi are on good form. Production values are good, particularly makeup. 

The Dead Don’t Die is only a little disappointing given how much promise the film had. The film is still an enjoyable watch. 

Previews: The Dead Don’t Die Trailer, MIDSommAR, More!

Plenty of hotly-anticipated movies in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including The Dead Don’t Die trailer, Midsommar, Rocketman, and more…

The Dead Don’t Die Trailer

Here is the new The Dead Don’t Die trailer. The film, written and directed by Jim Jarmusch (Only Lovers Left Alive), is about a small town that becomes overrun with zombies. The comedy horror stars Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Chloë Sevigny, Danny Glover, and Tilda Swinton. The Dead Don’t Die hits UK screens on 12th July 2019.

Rocketman Featurette

Here is a new featurette on the costumes for the upcoming Rocketman. The film, a biopic of the early career of Elton John, stars Taron Egerton, Richard Madden, and Jamie Bell. Directed by Dexter Fletcher, Rocketman is out in UK cinemas on 22nd May 2019.

Spider-Man: Far From Home Trailer

Warning: this trailer contains spoilers for Avengers: Endgame. The sequel to 2017’s Spider-Man: Homecoming, Spider-Man: Far From Home takes place after the events of Endgame. Tom Holland, Marisa Tomei, and Zendaya return, and they are joined by Jake Gyllenhaal and Samuel L. Jackson. Spider-Man: Far From Home is set for release on 2nd July 2019.

Midsommar Trailer

Filmmaker Ari Aster follows up last year’s critically acclaimed horror Hereditary with Midsommar. The film is about an American couple who join friends at a festival in a remote Swedish village. Midsommar stars Florence Pugh, Will Poulter, and Jack Reynor. The film will be released in UK cinemas on 5th July 2019.

Crawl Trailer

Above is the trailer for Crawl. The horror thriller is about a young woman who goes looking for her missing father during a massive hurricane. Those with a fear of alligators should look away now. Alexandre Aja directs the film, with Sam Raimi producing. Starring Kaya Scodelario, Crawl is set for release this summer.

Film Review: The Man Who Killed Don Quixote

Terry Gilliam’s long-awaited The Man Who Killed Don Quixote features all the hallmarks we have come to expect from the filmmaker. The film is imperfect but endearing.

Director Toby is having trouble filming an adaption of Cervantes’ Don Quixote. He gets inspiration from his student film adaptation, which sets him off on quite the adventure…

Several years after the project was first conceived, Terry Gilliam finally delivers his Don Quixote. Gilliam jokes about the arduous production in the opening titles; a hint of the tongue-in-cheek humour that is to follow. The Man Who Killed Don Quixote first appears as if it will be a film within a film, but the filmmaker has something more to offer than this standard meta structure. 

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote combines adventure, fantasy and comedy in a style Gilliam fans have become accustomed to. The filmmaker takes his trademark eccentric approach to proceedings, creating a film which is amusing and adventurous, with a healthy dose of wonder. Like its source material, the film plays on the idea of fantasy and allusion, with protagonist Toby fighting against the fancy, before succumbing. The film feels like an ode to make-believe; underlining the importance of imagination.

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote seems like a typical Gilliam film thanks to the inventiveness, but also the shortcomings. The film offers some attention-grabbing ideas, but some of these run out of steam. The two-hour plus run time is occasionally felt. The third act recovers some of the slack, with a wonderful setting for the climactic scenes to take place in.

The film features some characters, sets and props that feel archetypical Gilliam. The locations are marvellous, and allow viewers to get lost in this world. Costumes are also great. Roque Baños’ score is ever so fitting. Adam Driver delivers is great as Toby. However it is Johnathan Pryce who steals the show, delivering an enchanting performance. 

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote has its flaws, but these do not detract from the overall enjoyment of the film.

The Man Who Killed Don Quixote is being screened at the BFI London Film Festival in October 2018.

Previews: Mission: Impossible – Fallout Featurette, More!

Plenty in this week’s preview of coming attractions, including the new Mission: Impossible – Fallout featurette, plus Mortal Engines, Mile 22, and more…

Mission: Impossible – Fallout Featurette

Here is the brand new Mission: Impossible – Fallout featurette. Producer and star Tom Cruise and director Christopher McQuarrie discuss the upcoming film, the sixth in the franchise. What is interesting about the series is that rather than starting off strong, and getting progressively weaker, the films have got better generally (Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol is a particular highlight). Mission: Impossible – Fallout will hit UK screens on 25th July 2018.

Mile 22 Trailer

Here is the latest trailer for Mile 22. The action thriller is about an American intelligence officer who must smuggle an informant out of the country. The film stars Mark Wahlberg, Ronda Rousey, John Malkovich, and Iko Uwais. Directed by Peter Berg, Mile 22 is coming soon to UK cinemas.

Black KkKlansman Poster

Above is the latest poster for Spike Lee’s Black KkKlansman. The film is based on the true story of first African-American detective on the Colorado Springs Police Department, who infiltrates the Ku Klux Klan. The film stars John David Washington and Adam Driver. Black KkKlansman is out at UK cinemas on 24th August 2018.

The House with a Clock in its Walls Trailer

The House with a Clock in its Walls is a new fantasy adventure from director Eli Roth. The film is about a young boy who goes to live with his mysterious uncle in a peculiar house. The film stars Jack Black and Cate Blanchett. The House with a Clock in its Walls will be released in cinemas on 21st September 2018.

Mortal Engines Featurette

Here is a new look at the upcoming Mortal Engines. The film is directed by Christian Rivers, and co-written and produced by Peter Jackson. Set in a post-apocalyptic world, the film is about giant cities that roam the Earth, enveloping smaller towns. Starring Hugo Weaving, Mortal Instruments will hit UK screens on 14th December 2018.

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Film Review: Logan Lucky

Steven Soderbergh’s Logan Lucky is a very entertaining heist comedy. The directing, writing, acting, and overall energy make for a most enjoyable watch.

Having lost his construction job, and with his wealthy ex-wife wanting to relocate with his daughter, Jimmy Logan is down on his luck. His brother Clyde believes in a family curse, but Jimmy wants to prove everyone wrong with an audacious heist…

Directed by Steven Soderbergh and written by Rebecca Blunt (believed to be an alias for the real writer), Logan Lucky is a crowd pleaser of a film. The caper is littered with amusing set ups, characters, and dialogue.

The central plot of Logan Lucky is not particularly original. There are definite parallels with Soderbergh’s earlier Ocean’s Eleven. Although there are some smart manoeuvres, these are never groundbreaking. Nevertheless, this does not detract from the overall enjoyment, as Soderbergh’s latest has so much going for it. The characters are well drawn; the protagonists are very quickly established without laboursome character development. Supporting characters are amusing, and go well beyond serving their narrative purposes.

Soderbergh’s film is set in the South West of the United States, and this setting plays a prominent role. Along with a notable soundtrack song, the film depicts a region not often portrayed in Hollywood films. Soderbergh strikes a good balance between creating a fun tone and having characters which appear authentic. The film’s working class protagonists are certainly ones to root for, even if their actions fall foul of the law.

Channing Tatum delivers a convincing performance as Jimmy. He is ably assisted by Adam Driver’s Clyde. Daniel Craig seems to be having a lot of fun as Joe Bang, whilst Riley Keough is great as Mellie. Farrah Mackenzie shines as young Sadie.

Logan Lucky is just the sort of fun caper that the Summer season needs. A welcome return for Steven Soderbergh.