LFF1: Get the party started

The celebrities are returning to that Leicester Square red carpet every night over the next 15 days for the 54th London Film Festival, and it kicked off tonight with the glitzy opening film, Never Let Me Go. Director Mark Romanek, writer Alex Garland and novelist Kazuo Ishiguro were accompanied by cast members Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield and Keira Knightly, who had performed for the press earlier in the day.

Of course, as the festival continues, I still have to see normal releases as well, so my viewing schedule is both hectic and eclectic over the next three weeks, with an average of three films a day. I'll be running red carpet photos here every day as well as notes on the films of the day and previews of tomorrow's films. Here's one from tonight and one showing tomorrow to get us going...

Never Let Me Go

dir Mark Romanek; with Carey Mulligan, Andrew Garfield 10/UK ****

Based on the Kazuo Ishiguro novel, this haunting drama may be set in a parallel reality, but what it has to say about human hopes and societal ambition is deeply relevant. It's also beautifully directed and acted... MORE >

Let Me In

dir Matt Reeves; with Kodi Smit-McPhee, Chloe Grace Moretz 10/US ****

While there was no way this would recapture the magic of the 2008 original Let the Right One In, this remake is a decent film in its own right. Moody and atmospheric, the film subverts expectations by mixing darkly introspective drama with full-on horror... MORE >