Raindance: Get distracted

The 28th Raindance Film Festival kicked off last night with a very small gala screening of the David Bowie biopic Stardust, starring Johnny Flynn (it's not showing to the press until the end of the festival). This year's event will include some live screenings plus a lot of virtual ones. Like the recent London Film Fest, I'll be watching everything at home and writing regular updates here. Here are the first two, plus my usual report on the past week...

A Dim Valley

dir-scr Brandon Colvin; with Zach Weintraub, Whitmer Thomas 20/US 1h32 ***.

There's a loose stoner vibe to this wilderness-set comedy, a gently loping film that generates lots of smiles and a few solid laughs. While nothing much seems to be happening, the way the characters so aimlessly interact is often amusing, as they simply neglect to express what they want, either personally or professionally. It's deliberately quirky, like a joke that's funnier when you're inebriated. But it runs deep.

This Is Cristina [Ella Es Cristina]

dir-scr Gonzalo Maza; with Mariana Derderiaan, Paloma Salas 19/Chile 1h22 ****

With a series of seemingly random scenes shot in a striking monochrome, this clever Chilean comedy-drama traces the rollercoaster trajectory of a friendship between two women who seem unwilling to grow up and take responsibility for their lives. With his directing debut, gifted writer-producer Gonzalo Meza (A Fantastic Woman) cleverly weaves together a coming-of-age story that hinges on this connection. It feels crisp and light, but carries a strong kick.

NB. My anchor page for Raindance is HERE and full reviews will appear in between these daily blog entries. Much more to come...

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C R I T I C A L   W E E K

BEST OUT THIS WEEK: 

Song Without a Name 

Wolfwalkers • African Apocalypse

The Painter and the Thief

FULL REVIEWS >

I finally caught up with Sofia Coppola's On the Rocks this week, one of my favourite films of the year, a deceptively simple comedy with the perfect double act of Bill Murray and Rashida Jones. I was less excited to catch Ben Wheatley's remake of Rebecca with Armie Hammer, Lily James and Kristin Scott Thomas. It's beautifully made, but adds little to Hitchcock's iconic classic. The Secret Garden is a better remake, with a great cast and artful touches. And there were two guilty pleasures: Dylan O'Brian in the surprisingly fresh zombie romp Love and Monsters and Omari Hardwick in the horror freak-out Spell. This past week I also saw: Claes Bang in the intriguing The Burnt Orange Heresy; Jaeden Martell in the cleverly involving The True Adventures of Wolfboy; the artful British drama Philophobia; the action-packed Train to Busan sequel Peninsula; the absolutely stunning Peruvian drama Song Without a Name; the provocative Argentine drama Young Hunter; and the superbly observed doc Boys State.

Aside from Raindance films, This coming week I'll be watching the London street-cat sequel A Christmas Gift From Bob, Eva Green in Proxima, Andrea Riseborough in Luxor, the rom-com Call Me Brother, Jack Lowden in Kindred, Iranian refugee drama Love Child and the Filipino drama 2 Cool 2 Be 4 Gotten.

Critical Week: Change the system

I've been playing catch-up since the festival ended, trying to watch things I'd been putting off, which means that several of the screening links have expired (why do they so rarely tell us there's an expiry date?). Oh well, I don't have time to watch everything, especially with two more festivals incoming.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK: 
Summer of 85 • The Climb
David Byrne's American Utopia
The Secret Garden
PERHAPS AVOID:
Honest Thief
Max Winslow & House of Secrets 
FULL REVIEWS >

Two movies I watched this past week star Sacha Baron Cohen, who gives a serious Oscar-contending performance in The Trial of the Chicago 7, Aaron Sorkin's smart, all-star dramatisation of the events surrounding the 1968 Democratic Convention Riots. It's very dense but also riveting, and the film couldn't be much more timely. Baron Cohen's other movie is Borat Subsequent Moviefilm, in which he reprises his role as the bumbling Kazakh journalist. His schtick isn't as fresh this time, which is probably why it plays more like a scripted comedy. But he still manages to expose some shocking stuff.

Anne Hathaway goes for broke in The Witches, a new adaptation of Roald Dahl's classic novel. It's more gleeful than actually nasty, but still good fun. Malin Akerman stars in Friendsgiving, a chaotic holiday comedy that almost writes itself, but has some very nice touches. The Sundance hit The Climb is a terrific exploration of a long friendship between two rather dopey men, so it's very funny in between the emotional bits. The kids' fantasy Max Winslow and the House of Secrets has its moments but never quite finds anything fresh or new in the formula. David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet is a beautiful, powerful documentary that's trying to be hopeful about how we can stop destroying the planet. But it feels pretty bleak. And The Italian Boys is a collection of five thoughtful, sharply well-made shorts about men and boys trying to make sense of their inner desires.

I've got more catching up to do next week, including Elizabeth Debicki in The Burnt Orange Heresy, Jaeden Martell in The True Adventures of Wolfboy, the British drama Philophobia, the Peruvian drama Song Without a Name, the Argentine drama Young Hunter and the doc Boys State, plus some titles for both FrightFest and Raindance. 

Stage: Create the world you want

Buyer & Cellar
by Jonathan Tolins • dir Andrew Beckett
with Aaron Sidwell
Above the Stag Theatre, Vauxhall • 14.Oct–8.Nov.20

There's a lot of fun to be had at this one-man show, a fictionalised exploration of Barbra Streisand's outrageous lifestyle. It's witty and often surprisingly moving, even if the pace lags a bit over 90 minutes. And the show is also clearly aimed at Streisand's gay fans, who know about her movies but aren't quite as up to speed about her music or theatre careers. So you might be disappointed if you're expecting a deeper dive in to all things Barbra.

Alex (Sidwell) energetically bounds onto the stage to tell his elaborate story, which he notes from the top is totally made-up, to avoid any legal issues. An out-of-work actor in Los Angeles, Alex applies for a job in a surreal Malibu mansion and finds himself working on a Ye Olde English street notoriously constructed in Barbra Streisand's basement, a row of shops in which she keeps her huge collection of memorabilia. When Barbra descends for a browse in the doll collection, they roleplay as a shopper and clerk, which breaks the ice, developing into a friendship. But is this relationship any more real than the shops are?

Shifting between characters, Sidwell's performance is excellent, using his voice and physicality to create what feels like a whole cast of riotously colourful people, including Alex's cynical boyfriend, Barbra's husband James Brolin (depicted as nice but dim) and her sardonic house manager. Each is hilariously played, with snappy observations that add colour to Alex's rambling story. And Alex himself is likeable and optimistic, nicely shaded by Sidwell to add some intriguingly dark edges. The staging is simple, skilfully using lighting, sound, music and whizzy projections to shift the settings.

Sidwell delivers each anecdote superbly, even as the writing itself struggles to maintain its momentum. It helps that there are some big themes gurgling through the show, including a look at the general artifice of the lives of the rich and famous. You may be able to buy gorgeous things to fill your home, but that won't bring happiness or personal satisfaction. Even more interesting is the exploration of the impact of childhood on our adult selves, and the way each of us creates the world we want to live in using whatever resources we have. These ideas are beautifully textured in Sidwell's performance, which gives the show a haunting, must-see quality.

15.Oct.20

LFF: Make history

Well, that was a first and hopefully a last as well: the 64th BFI London Film Festival was an almost entirely virtual event, with a few in-person screenings just to keep the atmosphere alive for the lucky few who managed to get tickets. For me it was an intense two weeks of watching movies at home on my computer - but they're some of my favourites so far this year. Going through this makes me long even more for a time when things can return to normal, even if that's hard to imagine at the moment. Will the world still even exist a year from now? The signs aren't good, but there's still some hope. Here are my last two highlights, plus my best of the fest...

Ammonite

dir-scr Francis Lee; with Kate Winslet, Saoirse Ronan 20/UK ****

With a remarkable attention to detail, this beautifully observed drama recounts an unexpected relationship that crosses various boundaries in 19th century England. Writer-director Francis Lee takes an elemental approach, underscoring a low-key narrative with passion, earth and grit. At its core, this may be a moving love story, but it also carries with it a range of ideas that are strongly resonant nearly two centuries later... FULL REVIEW >

Lovers Rock

dir Steve McQueen; with Amarah-Jae St Aubyn, Micheal Ward 20/UK ****

Bristling with energy and colour, this 1980-set drama unfolds to the beats of the eponymous musical genre. Without a pushy narrative, this is pure cinematic bliss, a blast of happiness in a safe space away from the racism and riots in the streets. Steve McQueen, with cowriter Courttia Newland and ace cinematographer Shabier Kirchner, skilfully depicts one Saturday night, and into Sunday morning, when the world belongs to hopeful youth... FULL REVIEW >

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M Y   B E S T   O F   T H E   F E S T

1. 
   Mangrove
2. Nomadland
3. After Love
4. One Night in Miami...
5. Notturno
6. Never Gonna Snow Again
7. The Salt in Our Waters
8. Time
9. Ammonite
10. The Reason I Jump

Special mention: Lovers Rock, Another Round, Possessor, Limbo, African Apocalypse, David Byrne's American Utopia, The Painter and the Thief, Supernova, I Am Samuel, Wolfwalkers. 

ALL REVIEWS >

NB. My anchor page for the LFF is HERE and full reviews are all linked there, with winners of the audience awards to come soon.

LFF: Get a grip

So we're in the final days of the very odd 64th London Film Festival, which has had in-person events right through its run, not that I've witnessed anything firsthand. There have been quite a few great films - I'll list my favourites tomorrow, along with the award winners and comments on the closing film, Francis Lee's Ammonite. The only big-name movie I've missed at the festival is Pixar's Soul, which the press was blocked from watching (except for major outlets Disney likes). Here are four more highlights for Saturday...

The Human Voice

dir-scr Pedro Almodovar; with Tilda Swinton, Agustin Almodovar 20/Sp ****.

Based on the Jean Cocteau play, this is Pedro Almodovar's first English-language film, and it's a remarkable bit of surrealism with a sustained emotional intensity. It's also as sumptuously designed as you'd expect, with lashings of primary red and a fiercely dedicated performance from Tilda Swinton. Boldly conceived and directed, this is a remarkable exploration of the messiness of romantic emotion and how reality fades away when there's passion involved... FULL REVIEW >

Possessor

dir-scr Brandon Cronenberg; with Christopher Abbott, Andrea Riseborough 20/Can ****

Echoing the work of his father David, writer-director Brandon Cronenberg weaves intriguing themes into a compelling horror movie that's both sexy and hyper-grisly. Ideas of identity and free will swirl through each scene, punctuated with wildly inventive visual touches that disorient the audience, keeping us on our toes. The film's unsettling tone and pulsing pace are darkly riveting, and the inventiveness of the premise makes it impossible to predict... FULL REVIEW >

New Order [Nuevo Orden]

dir-scr Michel Franco; with Naian Gonzalez Norvind, Diego Boneta 20/Mex ***

A dryly vicious satire, this Mexican drama opens with a wealthy crowd holding a lavish party while the city around them burns. And where it goes is deeply unnerving. Filmmaker Michel Franco deliberately shocks the audience by placing a horrific uprising in a major Western capital. What happens is familiar from news stories about places like Syria or Bosnia, so seeing it in a more familiar location is indeed chilling.

African Apocalypse

dir Rob Lemkin; with Femi Nylander, Amina Weira 20/UK ****

Activist Femi Nylander delves into his Nigerian heritage, exploring the real-life inspiration for a literary icon while learning history they don't teach in school. The focus is on the route taken by the English and French as they conquered Africa's interior village by village. It's a fascinating travelog tracing a line from the present into the past. And it adds firsthand accounts to events mainly known only through fiction.

NB. My anchor page for the LFF is HERE and full reviews will appear in between these daily blog entries. They're coming.

LFF: Light the way

The strangest London Film Festival in memory is heading into its final weekend, and I still have yet to have any physical evidence that anything has actually taken place - no printed programme, press badge, not even a single in-person screening. But I've watched a lot of amazing films over the past couple of weeks (two of the best so far are below). I did get out of the house again yesterday for a theatre press night, which was good fun (watch for that review once this LFF blog ends on Sunday). In the meantime, here are four more highlights...

Nomadland

dir-scr Chloe Zhao; with Frances McDormand, David Strathairn 20/US *****

A hybrid between drama and fly-on-the-wall doc, this astonishing film takes a journey through an unseen segment of US society, chronicling the thousands of Baby Boomers whose lives have been irrevocably changed by the 2008 Great Recession. Almost everyone on-screen is playing themselves. Filmmaker Chloe Zhao, Frances McDormand and gifted cinematographer Joshua James Richards create a powerful portrait of a vast community on the move around the American West.

Another Round

dir Thomas Vinterberg; with Mads Mikkelsen, Thomas Bo Larsen 20/Den ****

With his usually realistic approach, filmmaker Thomas Vinterberg takes a deep dive into Denmark's heavy drinking culture. Even with the high-concept premise, the film is beautifully character-based, centring on four middle-aged men on a frankly ridiculous quest to prove that humans achieve optimal performance with alcohol in their system. So as warning signs begin to appear, the shift from warm comedy to dark drama is astute, complex and provocative... FULL REVIEW >

Limbo

dir-scr Ben Sharrock; with Amir El-Masry, Vikash Bhai 20/UK ****

An offbeat approach to storytelling sets this film apart as it recounts the experiences of a refugee. Writer-director Ben Sharrock sees the narrative through a cheeky, artful eye, catching tiny absurdities and deeper resonance. With snappy production design, bleak landscapes and expectant faces, this is a wonderfully human approach to an important topic. And it worms its way under the skin, surprising us with laugh-out-loud humour and strong emotions.

Notturno

dir-scr Gianfranco Rosi; with Ali Ali, Mohamas Ali Monajed 20/It ****.

Shot over three years in Syria, Kurdistan, Iraq and Lebanon, this masterful documentary by the gifted Gianfranco Rosi immediately reminds us of the intensely personal stories behind headlines about war. This film digs deeply beneath the news to recount the human impact of political and religious violence. Shot by Rosi like a particularly beautiful narrative feature, it has elements of family drama, adventure and heart-stopping thriller woven into it.

NB. My anchor page for the LFF is HERE and full reviews will appear in between these daily blog entries. The backlog will start shrinking soon.

LFF: How did I get here?

I got to take a break last night from the London Film Festival and head down to the Archlight cinema next to the Battersea Power Station to watch the short film Cognition, which was partly filmed here. It was my first real trip away from my home since the festival began more than a week ago, and it was a relief to do something completely different. I have a theatre press night tonight, so another chance to get out. Meanwhile, the festival films are still screening through the online portal, keeping me busy. Here are a couple of highlights, plus my usual weekly roundup below...

David Byrne's American Utopia

dir Spike Lee; with David Byrne, Chris Giarmo 20/US ****

A filmed version of David Byrne's triumphant 2019 Broadway show, this is a musical and visual extravaganza photographed and edited with precision. Director Spike Lee brings the audience right on-stage to become a part of the performance, drawing out the show's striking exploration of the highs and lows of US society. The film will thrill Byrne's fans, and should also spur newcomers to take a dive into his catalog.

After Love

dir-scr Aleem Khan; with Joanna Scanlan, Nathalie Richard 20/UK ****.

Written and directed with sensitivity by Aleem Khan in his feature debut, this British drama approaches weighty themes with a remarkably light touch. It's a tender, internalised story that pulls the audience in deeply without the need for much in the way of dialog or exposition, skilfully revealing a complex story through observations and reactions. And it compassionately speaks to major cultural issues without ever pushing a message.

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C R I T I C A L   W E E K

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Over the Moon • Time
The Other Lamb • I Am Greta
Martin Eden • Herself 
PERHAPS AVOID:
Honest Thief • War With Grandpa 
FULL REVIEWS >

This week has been mainly about the LFF, so I've only seen four films that aren't part of that: Liam Neeson as good as ever in the tediously cliched action thriller Honest Thief; Paul Bettany in a superbly textured role in the powerful but a little too pushy topical drama Uncle Frank; the Faustian horror thriller Nocturne; and Andrew Scott and Jeremy Irvine in the lavishly produced half-hour sci-fi epic Cognition. I should have watched more, but there just wasn't enough time.

There's an enormous list of releases slated for next week that I need to watch, so we'll see how many of these I can get through, including: Colin Firth and Julie Walters in a new version of The Secret Garden, Malin Akerman in the comedy Friendsgiving, Jamie Dornan in the thriller Synchronic, the cycling drama The Climb, the fantasy adventure Max Winslow and the House of Secrets, the Train to Busan sequel Peninsula, and the short film compilation The Italian Boys.

LFF: Hold on tight

It's only Wednesday, but it's already been a busy week so far at the London Film Festival - I haven't had time for the online discussion and interview events, as I've been busy watching films and writing about them. I'm also heading out into town for a couple of non-LFF live events today and tomorrow. Meanwhile, the latest batch of festival films has been unusually strong, telling pungent stories from all over the world. Here are three more highlights, from three continents...

Rose: A Love Story

dir Jennifer Sheridan; with Matt Stokoe, Sophie Rundle 20/UK ****

There's unnerving horror at the centre of this offbeat British drama, which quietly builds a freaky mystery. Writer Matt Stokoe and director Jennifer Sheridan dribble clues carefully into the narrative, keeping the audience off-balance from the start while allowing us to work things out. The film's intense atmospherics are powerfully gripping, finding complex emotions in a story that's properly terrifying, even if it takes us awhile to realise why.

The Intruder

dir-scr Natalia Meta; with Erica Rivas, Nahuel Perez Biscayart 20/Arg ****

Inventively mixing real-life humour with some seriously unsettling horror, Argentine writer-editor Natalie Meta boldly spins a bizarre story about a woman on the brink. It's not an easy film to stick with, as it continually wrongfoots the audience (and the central character) about what's actually happening here. But it's made with such a hypnotic tone that it's impossible to turn away, especially as things get progressively freakier.

The Salt in Our Waters

dir-scr Rezwan Shahriar Sumit; with Titas Zia, Tasnova Tamanna 20/Ban ****

Skilfully shot in picturesque locations, this earthy drama from Bangladesh explores a mix of culture, politics, religion, art and commerce in a rural community. The push and pull between an educated interloper and the traditional locals is beautifully played, with a refreshingly understated script and offhanded performances.

NB. My anchor page for the LFF is HERE and full reviews will appear in between these daily blog entries. That's the plan anyway.

LFF: Smile for the camera

Well, this is the point, about halfway in, when attending the BFI London Film Festival begins to feel exhausting. That backlog of reviews is growing, new films keep opening outside the festival, and real life responsibilities start slipping. And there's another movie to watch! At least normally I'm running around town chasing screenings and interviews - this year I'm just sheltering at home from the rain. But when the movies are as good as these, you don't mind much...

One Night in Miami...

dir Regina King; with Kingsley Ben-Adir, Eli Goree 20/US ****.

Based on the stage play that fictionalises a real friendshiop between four Civil Rights icons at the peak of their powers, this film is beautifully expanded by playwright Kemp Powers. It's also skilfully directed by Regina King, who has a terrific eye for finding issue-based resonance within the characters. She never pushes things too forcefully, drawing out moving observations about the transformative power of politics, music and art... FULL REVIEW >

Cicada

dir Matthew Fifer, Kieran Mulcare; with Matthew Fifer, Sheldon D Brown 20/US ****

Based on real events, this gentle drama is beautifully observed by actor-filmmaker Matt Fifer. Shot in a loose documentary style with dialog that feels improvised, the film's natural rhythms are powerfully engaging. Set in the balmy New York summer of 2013, the story has an intimate tone that's both confessional and nostalgic. It's a sensitive story about two men in their mid-20s coming to terms with their sexuality as well as past traumas.

Never Gonna Snow Again

dir Malgorzata Szumowska; with Alec Utgoff, Maja Ostaszewska 20/Pol ****.

Polish filmmaker Malgorzata Szumowska takes another deep dive into her nation's psyche. Like a meditative balm, the film cuts through the noise of modern life to give its characters peace at the hands of a gifted stranger. A parable about yearning to return to simpler times, the film is expertly written, directed and played by a gifted ensemble. And it cuts through the surface with wit, emotion and brutal honesty... FULL REVIEW >

If It Were Love

dir Patric Chiha; with Gisele Vienne, Philip Berlin 20/Fr ****

Much more than a concert film, this kinetic documentary captures Gisele Vienne's dance piece Crowd as it tours around France celebrating youthful energy and the body, connection and abandon. In addition to the elaborate interaction on-stage, filmmaker Patric Chiha is also exploring how these performers relate behind the scenes, skilfully finding the points where their characters blur with who they really are.

NB. My anchor page for the LFF is HERE and full reviews will appear in between these daily blog entries. Well, it'll happen eventually.

LFF: Stay safe

There was an actual red carpet premiere at the London Film Festival last night for the lucky few who managed to get tickets to the socially distanced screening: that's writer-director Harry Macqueen and actor Colin Firth (briefly removing his mask) presenting their British drama Supernova. It's looking increasingly like I won't get to attend a single in-person event at this year's festival, but at least most of the films are screening on the press portal. Better get back to watching them! Here are a few highlights for Monday...

Supernova

dir-scr Harry Macqueen; with Colin Firth, Stanley Tucci 20/UK ****

Beautifully photographed by Dick Pope, this British drama unfolds as a travelogue both through the countryside and within a long-term relationship. It may have a few big topics at its centre, but it's a sensitive, intimate film brought to life in deeply felt performances from Colin Firth and Stanley Tucci. Writer-director Harry Macqueen lets the story unfold in a refreshingly open-handed way, with added moments of unfiltered emotion... FULL REVIEW >

200 Meters

dir-scr Ameen Nayfeh; with Ali Suliman, Anna Unterberger 20/Pal ***.

There's an everyday authenticity to this Palestinian drama, about a family divided by a series of degrading obstacles. In its specific story, the film reflects difficulties of normal life in this part of the world. Both the family drama and a harrowing road trip are thoroughly engaging, even if plot points and issues are sometimes over-egged. With his first feature, filmmaker Ameen Nayfeh clearly has a lot to say... FULL REVIEW >

Genus, Pan

dir-scr Lav Diaz; with Don Melvin Boongaling, Nanding Josef 20/Ph ***.

At two and a half hours, this is almost a short for Filipino auteur Lav Diaz. Shot in his usual silvery monochrome in extended busy takes, this is an insidiously vicious allegory about primal behaviour with a deliberately circuitous story structure. And it isn't particularly hopeful, either. So perhaps it's intentional that it's difficult to sympathise with characters who try but fail to be human to each other... FULL REVIEW >

NB. My anchor page for the LFF is HERE and full reviews will appear in between these daily blog entries. I'll get there eventually.

LFF: Face your fears

I deliberately took it a bit slowly today at the virtual London Film Festival, watching only one festival film. Although I've still been staring at the computer screen, because I used the time to write up some reviews. I also needed to watch a couple of non-festival films for work purposes, leading to more writing - it's a never-ending circle! Anyway, here are some more LFF highlights... 

WolfWalkers

dir Tomm Moore, Ross Stewart; voices Honor Kneafsey, Eva Whittaker 20/Ire ****

With beautiful storybook-style animation, this Irish animated adventure harks back to a magical time. Children will love the tale's darker edges, as it never shies away from enjoyably yucky realities or political tensions between Ireland and its interloping British rulers. So even if the line between good and evil is a bit too clear-cut, the characters are hugely engaging, and the story takes several surprising twists and turns... FULL REVIEW >

Siberia

dir Abel Ferrara; with Willem Dafoe, Dounia Sichov 20/It 1h31 ***.

A provocative, often baffling collision of ideas and feelings, this bonkers film is impossible to watch at face value, as filmmaker Abel Ferrara takes a dreamlike dive into the psyche of a grizzled man played by frequent collaborator Willem Dafoe. The settings have a fable-like quality, with imagery that seems to come directly from the subconscious. It's a gorgeously assembled existential odyssey that's alternately funny, horrific and unnervingly thoughtful... FULL REVIEW >

Wildfire

dir-scr Cathy Brady; with Nora-Jane Noone, Nika McGuigan 20/UK **.

Almost terrifyingly current, this drama set in Northern Ireland tells a story set against the fragile peace that has held since the 1998 Good Friday agreement, which the UK government is currently violating with its Brexit plans. The tone of this film is very gloomy, which matches the grim themes. But because it's so relentlessly bleak, writer-director Cathy Brady never achieves the catharsis the story seems to be seeking... FULL REVIEW >

Time 

dir Garrett Bradley; with Sibil Fox Richardson, Robert Richardson 20/US ****

Using a collage of black and white images, both new and from grainy home video, this artful, astute documentary explores America's thriving mass-incarceration industry, which disproportionately targets mainly poor people from ethnic communities. Filmmaker Garrett Bradley has a terrific eye for imagery and storytelling rhythms, drawing the audience deeply into the story. She packs so much into 81 minutes that this film feels like an urgent epic... FULL REVIEW >

NB. My anchor page for the LFF is HERE and full reviews will appear in between these daily blog entries. Yes, there's a backlog.

LFF: Lose yourself

It's been an intense three days at the London FIlm Festival with four films each, and today's outrageous journey took me from the UK to the US, Ireland and the Philippines. It feels a bit like cinematic whiplash, but it's also exhilarating to see some of the best films of the year - both the crowd-pleasers and more challenging things that rarely travel beyond festivals. Here are three more highlights...

Mogul Mowgli

dir Bassam Tariq; with Riz Ahmed, Alyy Khan 20/UK ***

Shot in an edgy documentary style, this is an intimate drama that often feels claustrophobic with its tight Academy-ratio framing and pointed plotting. An exploration of identity and legacy, the film has a hallucinatory style that plays on internalised feelings rather than plot details. This makes it feel a bit thin, but the central turn from Riz Ahmed has a razor-sharp energy that gives the film a bristly emotional punch.

The Reason I Jump 

dir Jerry Rothwell; with David Mitchell, Elizabeth Vosseller 20/UK ****

This documentary is based on the book by Japanese 13-year-old Naoki Higashida, describing how it feels to be autistic and unable to speak. Filmmaker Jerry Rothwell illustrates this by travelling around the world to visit parents and children who are dealing with autism in a proactive way. The film is beautifully shot and edited, using colours, shapes and textures to offer the viewer a new sense of perspective... FULL REVIEW >

I Am Samuel

dir Pete Murimi; with Samuel, Alex, Redon, Rebecca 20/Ken ****

Filmed over the course of five years, this is an astonishingly brave documentary about a gay man in Nairobi. Homosexuality isn't illegal in Kenya, but "unnatural" sex is a felony. And vicious public attitudes are even more dangerous. But Samuel knows that it's important for him to tell his story, and filmmaker Pete Murimi has made a remarkably intimate film that eloquently pleads with for compassion and understanding.

NB. My anchor page for the LFF is HERE and full reviews will appear in between these daily blog entries. That's the plan anyway.

LFF: Find your family

As the London Film Festival continues, I enjoyed attending one of the live virtual screenings last night, at which the filmmaker and lead actor of Days (see below) offered an engaging Q&A. Otherwise, it's been more about watching one movie after another on my computer, without much sense that a festival is happening. But there have been some great films already, and we're only three days in. Here are four more highlights - full reviews will be up this weekend...

Herself

dir Phyllida Lloyd; with Clare Dunne, Harriet Walter 20/Ire ***.

Intensely personal, this Irish drama quickly gets under the skin as it centres on a woman who has been a victim of horrific domestic violence finds an inventive solution to her precarious situation. It's an intriguing mix of the happy and bittersweet, plus a few downright awful moments, beautifully directed by Phyllida Lloyd to catch internal feelings and earthy realism. And actor-cowriter Clare Dunne is terrific in the central role.

Relic

dir Natalie Erika James; with Emily Mortimer, Robyn Nevin 20/Aus ***.

Overloading the creepy atmosphere from the start, filmmaker Natalie Erika James unnerves the audience with the usual cinematic freakery. Although the film's murky imagery and achingly slow pace may challenge some viewers, it immediately becomes clear that there's something more profound going on here, as decay in the family house has a bigger metaphorical meaning. This may be somewhat obvious, but it plays out with a beautiful darkness.

180º Rule

dir-scr Farnoosh Samadi; with Sahar Dolatshahi, Pejman Jamshidi 20/Irn ***.

This drama vividly highlights the lack of power women have in Iranian culture. It's a gripping story, beautifully well-told to explore the issues without preaching, even though it's precisely clear what is so drastically wrong. With her first feature, writer-director Farnoosh Samadi skilfully explores a situation in which a seemingly easy decision becomes bleakly momentous. It's somewhat melodramatic in its approach, but the film carries a strong wallop.

Days

dir-scr Tsai Ming-liang; with Lee Kang-sheng, Anong Houngheuangsy 20/Tai ****

Opening with long static shots of a man staring at the rain and sleeping in a bath, there's a sense that veteran filmmaker Tsai Ming-liang is indulging in cinematic imagery, with movement only in the faintest ripples. This style continues throughout this essentially wordless film, but both movement and a narrative emerge from the stillness. This is a gloriously filmed meditation on human connection, but it does demand patience.

NB. My anchor page for the LFF is HERE and full reviews will appear in between these daily blog entries. That's the plan anyway.

LFF: Tell your story

Aside from watching everything online, another major difference in this year's London Film Festival is that there isn't that usual nagging feeling that somewhere else in the city there are parties and filmmakers and actors hanging out having fun without you. This year everyone's joining in from home, aside from a precious few actual screenings. Here are two more highlights, plus this week's non-festival roundup...

Shirley

dir Josephine Decker; with Elisabeth Moss, Michael Stuhlbarg 20/US **.

A fictional story involving iconic author Shirley Jackson is told with inventive style by director Josephine Decker, who infuses the screen with imagery and sounds that play on Jackson's work, using wildly colourful flourishes and nods to murky horror tropes. The actors are superb as people who become twisted around each other. But the story never quite clicks into gear, so it's only the creepy tension that keeps us watching.

The Painter and the Thief

dir Benjamin Ree; with Barbora Kysilkova, Karl-Bertil Nordland 20/Nor ****

Playing out as a fascinating dramatic narrative, this documentary unfolds its story using found footage, surveillance cameras and remarkably intimate fly-on-the-wall sequences. Filmmaker Benjamin Ree is following the extraordinary story of an unexpected friendship, two people who shouldn't be able to see each other with such remarkable clarity. Perhaps they recognise that they're both survivors of difficult situations. And in many ways they're still struggling to get through.

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C R I T I C A L   W E E K

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Black Box • Kajillionaire
Song Lang • Yes 
PERHAPS AVOID:
The War With Grandpa 
FULL REVIEWS >

In between the festival films, I managed to watch the amusing but badly underpowered slapstick comedy The War With Grandpa, the guilty pleasure twisty sci-fi thriller Black Box, the provocative black comedy Yes, the warm midlife crisis comedy From the Vine, the scruffy road movie Making Tracks, the bonkers Turkish parable The Antenna, the meandering French odyssey The Wanderings of Ivan, and the moving Vietnamese drama Song Lang.

And this coming week I need to fit these in around LFF screenings: Paul Bettany in Uncle Frank, the horror films Evil Eye and Nocturne, the mystery Don't Look Back, and a doc called JR "Bob" Dobbs and the Church of the SubGenius.