London Film Fest: Swab the decks!

It's been another long day traipsing around Leicester Square watching movies and grabbing coffee in between screenings at the 63rd London Film Festival. I've been attending press and industry screenings, which are running alongside the public screenings (we don't get the cast and crew Q&As, just the movies). The new system for these screenings has eliminated some queuing and created some, as critics generally need to get to cinemas early to grab their preferred seats. Since I like to sit down front (I like the screen as big as possible), I can generally skip the lines and get there a little later. But they've been fuller than usual over the weekend, so timing can be tricky. The worst are the 8.00am or 8.30am screenings, which are a nightmare to get to in London rush hour, especially after watching four films the day before and sitting up writing until 2am. But there are only eight days to go. Here are Saturday highlights...

The Lighthouse
dir Robert Eggers; with Willem Dafoe, Robert Pattinson 19/US ***.
After The Witch, Robert Eggers takes on another set of legends with this seafaring shanty of a movie. Spectacularly shot in square-ratio black and white, the film brings some superbly freaky ideas into its claustrophobic and increasingly crazed story. Not all of it connects with viewers and, as it gets more manic, the movie does turn repetitive. But the mythical quality of the acting and filmmaking makes it utterly unforgettable... FULL REVIEW >

The Report
dir-scr Scott Z Burns; with Adam Driver, Annette Bening 19/US ****.
There's an unnerving urgency to this political thriller that not only makes it riveting to watch but adds a potent kick. Tracing the six-year Senate investigation into the CIA's use of torture following 9/11, writer-director Scott Z Burns builds maximum suspense out of people in suits shuffling papers in windowless rooms. Most importantly, the script's journalistic integrity cuts through liberal or conservative ideology: it's about the importance of the truth... FULL REVIEW >

By the Grace of God [Grace a Dieu]
dir-scr Francois Ozon; with Melvil Poupaud, Denis Menochet 19/Fr ****
Filmmaker Francois Ozon shifts gears again for this epic fact-based drama. Taking an almost documentary approach with earthy characters and situations, the film barely pauses to catch breath over its long running time. Focussing on now-adult victims of childhood abuse from a priest, the film is timely, urgent and powerfully moving as, like its central characters, it seeks to "lift the burden of silence"... FULL REVIEW >

Babyteeth
dir Shannon Murphy; with Eliza Scanlen, Toby Wallace 19/Aus ***.
Strikingly well-acted, and directed by Shannon Murphy with a quirky attention to detail, this unusual comedy-drama has particularly vivid characters and a story that's easy to engage with. Although it cuts rather close to the edge of melodrama in the way the narrative contrives to push people together and apart. Based on a play, its dialog is vivid enough to provoke all kinds of unexpected emotions while delivering the obvious message.

This Is Not Berlin [Esto No Es Berlin]
dir Hari Sama; with Xabiani Ponce de Leon, Jose Antonio Toledano 19/Mex ****
There's a loose adolescent energy to this drama set in mid-1980s Mexico City. At its centre, this may be a coming-of-age story, but it's also quietly exploring the nation's class system, art scene and deep-rooted macho culture in ways that transcend the period. Actor-filmmaker Hari Sama cleverly avoids making anything obvious, leaving the movie scruffy around the edges while provoking the viewer to look inward... FULL REVIEW >

Links:
Shadows LONDON FILM FEST homepage (full reviews will be linked here) 
Official LONDON FILM FEST site