LFF: Let's get lost

The 67th London Film Festival kicked off last night with a gala screening of Emerald Fennell's Saltburn, although due to the ongoing actors strike, Fennell was the only person representing the film on the red carpet. I had a great chat with her at the after party, which stretched late into the night. It's only Day 2 and I'm already hideously sleep-deprived. But that's how festivals work, so I'll hang in there for the next 10 days catching up with this year's big festival titles. Here are highlights from the first two days...

Saltburn
dir-scr Emerald Fennell; with Barry Keoghan, Jacob Elordi 23/UK ****
With a story that echoes The Talented Mr Ripley, Emerald Fennell dives into the dark side of Britain's class structure. Wonderfully heightened, the film's deranged vibe is instantly gripping. Vicious swipes are delivered with backhanded relish by an excellent cast in stiff-upper-lip mode. Where the story goes is vivid and unnerving, simply because the storytelling is so full-on. We may have seen it before, but never quite like this.

The Killer
dir David Fincher; with Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton 23/US ***.
Steely and clinical, this stylised hitman thriller plays out in a series of carefully planned set-pieces, reflecting the approach of both Michael Fassbender's eponymous killer and director David Fincher. It looks terrific, churning skilfully through action, intrigue and pitch-black drama, each scene infused with wry wit and icy violence. Yet while the artistry is first-rate, the film lacks an emotional connection that might have pulled us in deeper.

Fingernails
dir Christos Nikou; with Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed 23/US ****
With its understated fantastical premise and a delicate, observant pace, this offbeat romance plays out in beautifully unexpected ways that will reward viewers who can be patient with its hushed tone. Working in North America, Greek filmmaker Christos Nikou is grappling with the awkward impossibility of quantifying love. Sensitive writing and directing provide insight alongside adept, nuanced performances from Jessie Buckley, Riz Ahmed and Jeremy Allen White.

The Eternal Memory
dir-scr Maite Alberdi; with Augusto Gongora, Paulina Urrutia 23/Chl ****
This documentary about the nature of memory works on several powerfully moving layers, exploring the importance of maintaining a truthful account of history through the lens of a couple grappling with the effects of dementia. The film is also a ravishing real-life love story, shot largely by the couple themselves, with extensive new and archival footage. And gifted Chilean director Maite Alberdi assembles it to beautifully offbeat human rhythms.

All full festival reviews will be linked to Shadows' LFF PAGE >

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C R I T I C A L   W E E K

Movies I watched this week included the 50-years-later sequel The Exorcist: Believer, which started well then fell apart; the somewhat undercooked relational thriller Fair Play; the witty Dutch animated adventure Oink; and Wes Anderson's witty and stylish four shorts based on Roald Dahl stories, starting with The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar. Films this coming week include Mind-Set and Cat Person. And at London Film Festival I'll be watching Bradley Cooper's Maestro, Todd Haynes' May December, Sofia Coppola's Priscilla, Andrew Haigh's All of Us Strangers, Saoirse Ronan in Foe, Annette Bening in Nyad, Austin Butler in The Bikeriders and many more.

Critical Week: Enjoy the view

London began reopening this week, and after four months of lockdown it feels like Christmas! The weather is brightening up too, although it's still chillier than it should be. Meanwhile, the movies I've been watching have been a bit further from the mainstream than previous weeks, including Ed Westwick and Louise Linton in the pitch-black rom-com Me You Madness, which is uneven but engaging. Dustin Hoffman stars in the brain-bending Italian thriller Into the Labyrinth, an over-ambitious film that looks great and has a nice Lynchian touch. And the edgy teen drama Beast Beast adopts an approach that feels fresh even as it explores familiar themes.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Gunda • True Mothers
In the Earth • The Banishing
PERHAPS AVOID:
I'm Not in Love • Sensation
ALL REVIEWS >

There were also four documentaries. Truman & Tennessee: An Intimate Conversation is like a double biopic, beautifully edited together to explore the parallel lives of two iconic writers who were close friends. Laddie: The Man Behind the Movies is a terrific trip into film history, warmly exploring the life of producer Alan Ladd Jr, who was responsible for getting a huge number of timeless classics made. And from Norway, Gunda is a wordless black-and-white look into a pig's life on a farm. It's utterly enchanting, and sharply pointed too. I also caught up with this Oscar-nominated documentary...

The Mole Agent  [El Agente Topo]

dir-scr Maite Alberdi; prd Marcela Santibanez

with Sergio Chamy, Romulo Aitken, Berta Ureta, Marta Olivares, Rubira Olivares, Petronila Abarca, Zoila Gonzalez

release Chl 21.Aug.20, US 28.Aug.20,  UK 11.Dec.20 

20/Chile 1h24 ****.

This documentary plays like a reality show, as a private investigator hires an elderly man to go undercover in a retirement home. The story unfolds with the engaging pace of a breezy adventure, as each scene is infused with witty observations. Filmmaker Maite Alberdi shoots this expertly, making it feel more like an scrappy comedy than the fly-on-the-wall doc that it actually is. But of course, there's something much more serious going on here, and Alberti's film becomes a warm exploration of age that's both entertaining and deeply moving.

After interviewing a hilarious line-up of men in their 80s and 90s, investigator Romulo hires the alert Sergio and teaches him to use spy cameras in pens and glasses and call in reports using FaceTime. His job is to make sure that the mother of Romulo's client isn't being mistreated. Once inside, Sergio settles in to his secret task, interviewing people and reporting back to Romulo. Meanwhile, sparky resident Berta befriends Sergio and makes a move. And she's not the only one. But then with 40 women and only four men, it's hardly surprising that the charming Sergio is elected king.

Alberdi hilariously plays with the format, as she drafts in a wide range of colourful characters. She even sends her film crew inside on a bogus job, so they can secretly document Sergio's mission. His reports are remarkably observant, and he even solves another mystery in the nursing home, but it's his compassion that wins us over. And his conclusion to the case is eye-opening. Alberdi's approach is so offhanded and amusing, that she catches us off-guard with the film's real agenda, exploring about how it feels to get old and live in a nursing home away from loved ones. These spirited retirees have a lot to teach us.  

PG themes • 24.Apr.21

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Even with cinemas still closed, there is no end of films to see at home, and review screeners to watch include Glenn Close in Four Good Days, Christopher Walken in Percy vs Goliath, RJ Mitte in The Oak Room, the designer doc House of Cardin, the rugby doc Steelers, the shorts collection Upon Her Lips: Pure Feels and the 15th anniversary director's cut of Another Gay Movie.