Critical Week: The look of love

It's been a busy week for me, catching up on some awards-season movie-watching. And the Oscar nominations were announced on Thursday, with some nice surprises (Delroy Lindo, Kate Hudson) and surprising omissions (Paul Mescal, Wicked: For Good). As for the movies, I was looking forward to Francois Ozon's take on the Camus classic The Stranger, and the film certainly didn't disappoint. It's a luxuriantly gorgeous exploration of disaffection that feels eerily timely today. And Benjamin Voisin and Rebecca Marder (above) are superb. I also caught up with Cal McMau's impressive directing debut Wasteman, an intentive, involving and ultimately moving British prison movie starring the excellent David Jonsson and Tom Blyth.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
The History of Sound
H Is for Hawk
No Other Choice • Heavyweight
ALL REVIEWS >

Further off the beaten path, the doc D Is for Distance is an artful cinematic essay by a filmmaking couple exploring their son's health issues with kaleidoscopic skill. It's also a bit indulgent. From Mexico, the observant and mesmerising Copper is an idiosyncratic drama about a man and a moral dilemma. From Germany, Phantoms of July is an enjoyably deadpan comedy that connects characters in unexpected ways. And I caught up with two more documentary contenders: Come See Me in the Good Light is the rightfully acclaimed (and now Oscar-nominated) depiction of a poet's strikingly straightforward approach to mortality, while Liza: A Truly Terrific Absolutely True Story is pretty much what it says: a sparky, hugely entertaining look at the life of Liza Minnelli through her own eyes. 

Beyond movies, I attended the premiere of Ryan Murphy's new grisly, camp, compulsively watchable TV series The Beauty, and chatted with cast members Evan Peters, Ashton Kutcher, Rebeccal Hall, Anthony Ramos and Jeremy Pope at the appropriately gorgeous afterparty (see below). And there was also a live performance of Gecko's wondrous The Wedding at Sadler's Wells East.

Coming up this next week, I'll be watching Jason Momoa in The Wrecking Crew, Olivia Colman in Jimpa, Riz Ahmed in Hamlet, Milla Jovovich in Worldbreaker, James McAvoy's directing debut California Schemin', the Aussie family adventure Kangaroo and Mark Jenkins' new film Rose of Nevada. And Bafta nominations are out next Tuesday.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Rich Jack Cline (@ukcline)

Critical Week: Campfire stories

It's the week after the London Critics' Circle Film Awards, so much of my time has been spent wrapping up details and sifting through the photos (I published my annual album on Instagram - in four parts). There were only a few film screenings, and with the cold, wet weather I was happy to stay indoors. The big movie was Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy, the goofy but enjoyable fourth chapter in the saga of the London singleton so endearingly played by Renee Zellweger, this time alongside romantic foils Chiwetel Ejiofor (above) and Leo Woodall. Plus fabulous scene-stealers like Hugh Grant and Emma Thompson. 

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
The Seed of the Sacred Fig
September 5
ALL REVIEWS >

Ke Huy Quan is a terrific lead in action comedy Love Hurts, adeptly underplaying the drama while adding wit to the action sequences. The movie is silly, but watchable. Ryan Destiny is fiercely engaging in the boxing biopic The Fire Inside, which is sharper than expected thanks to director Rachel Morrison and writer Barry Jenkins, plus the terrific Brian Tyree Henry in a nuanced variation on the coach role. And Francois Ozon is back with the very French drama When Autumn Comes, which twists and turns through its gently offbeat story, layering personal drama with insinuating intrigue. I also attended the press night for the inventive political play Antigone [on strike] at the Park Theatre.

This coming week, the Avengers are back for Captain America: Brave New World, and I'll also be watching coming-of-age romcom Bonus Track, New York romance Barrio Boy, French drama Holy Cow, Palestinian refugee drama To a Land Unknown and the stage play Miss Brexit at the Omnibus in Clapham.

Critical Week: You're a superstar

It's still been relatively quiet in London, a short week following the Cannes Film Festival. But things kick off next week with Sundance Film Festival: London; I'm looking forward to this four-day burst of cinematic life at Picturehouse Central. It's a fluke of the releasing schedule that I've seen 17 films that are being released this week in the US and/or UK. These are films I've seen over the course of bout a year and a half (many screened at festivals), but they are for some reason converging now in cinemas or streaming! All of the reviews are on the website. 

BEST OUT THIS BUSY WEEK:
Robot Dreams • The Beast
The Dead Don't Hurt
Big Boys • What You Wish For
A House In Jerusalem
Pandemonium • Hidden Master
The Pilgrimage of Gilbert & George
ALL REVIEWS >

Double Oscar-winners featured in two films I saw this past week. Jessica Lange is radiant in The Great Lillian Hall, a lovely drama about a fading theatre icon costarring Kathy Bates and Jesse Williams (above). And Anthony Hopkins shines in Freud's Last Session, a fictionalised meeting between the iconic psychoanalyst and author CS Lewis (Matthew Goode) that's beautifully written and packed with provocative ideas.

Offbeat films this week include Isabelle Huppert once again delightfully stealing the show in Francois Ozon's skilfully arch mystery comedy The Crime Is Mine; the warm and witty assembled family drama The Mattachine Family, starring the hugely likeable Nico Tortorella and Emily Hampshire; Richard Armitage in the often harrowing true-life WWII survival adventure The Boy in the Woods; the dark, moving British-Palestinian drama A House in Jerusalem; and the eye-opening London artists doc The Pilgrimage of Gilbert & George.

This coming week I'll be watching Will Smith in Bad Boys: Ride or Die, Jennifer Connelly in Bad Behaviour, David Duchovny in Reverse the Curse, Ciaran Hinds in Cottontail, British sci-fi drama Sky Peals, Wyoming-set fantasy Riddle of Fire, Belgian drama Here and road trip drama Summer Solstice, plus lots of movies at the Sundance Film Festival: London. 

Critical Week: Taking notes

The autumn festival season continues all over the world (London's largest fest starts next week), even as awards season has already begun, with contenders screening for voters. And yes, I need to take notes when I see so many movies in a concentrated period - tricky in the dark, but it helps to write things down even if I struggle to read my dodgy handwriting in the light later. For me, this week's movies included the comedy Mrs Harris Goes to Paris, starring a particularly radiant Lesley Manville. Yes, it's cute and sweet, but it's remarkably never silly or sentimental. A proper gem. And then there was the horror thriller Smile, which will probably top the box office this weekend thanks to horror genre fans. Anchored by a superbly committed performance from Sosie Bacon, it's unnerving, grisly and jumpy but not actually scary.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Argentina, 1985 • Flux Gourmet
Mrs Harris Goes to Paris
Girls Girls Girls • Taming the Garden
ALL REVIEWS >

Meanwhile, Francois Ozon is back with his terrific new film Peter von Kant, a skilful pastiche that's part remake and part biopic about Rainer Werner Fassbinder. Control is a contained thriller from Canada with a limited setting and small cast, and it never quite develops its high concept. From Iceland the dramatic epic Godland is gloomy and gorgeous in equal measure, packed with provocative themes. The French drama Rodeo has a kinetic sense of edgy energy, but a rather simple plot, as it follows a feisty young woman into the masculine world of trick motorbikers. And the kaleidoscopic Egyptian doc-drama Shall I Compare You to a Summer's Day? boldly explores how it feels to be a gay man in the Arab world.

Films to watch this next week include Christian Bale and Margot Robbie in Amsterdam, Sally Hawkins and Steve Coogan in The Lost King, Aubrey Plaza in Emily the Criminal, the Bronte biopic Emily, surreal comedy All Sorts, British drama Big Boys Don't Cry and the comedy Phantom Project.

Critical Week(s): Lights, camera, action!

I've rather enjoyed stepping out of my usual routine over the past month or so, with a long catch-up break visiting friends and family after two years, then two weeks of film festival capped by the all-night mayhem of this year's Oscar ceremony. Whether I'll return to my usual schedule is still up in the air, but I'm definitely re-thinking how I spend my time. For example, I was unable to attend the only press screening of Marvel's latest epic Morbius, and I was fine with that. It's the first one I've missed, and I feel that if the studio doesn't want me to see a movie, that's going to be OK from now on. This post is catching up on about two weeks of regular-release movies I watched between festival films... 

BEST NEW FILMS:
The Worst Person in the World
Poppy Field • Jump, Darling
Mothering Sunday • Down in Paris
PERHAPS AVOID:
Sonic the Hedgehog 2
ALL REVIEWS >

The most starry of these films was The Bubble, which being a Judd Apatow movie is of course far too long for what it is: a comedy about making a movie during the pandemic. It has its moments, and the cast is up for it, but tighter editing and sharper writing never go amiss. Much more fun was The Lost City, a relentlessly silly romp in the jungle with Sandra Bullock, Channing Tatum and Daniel Radcliffe. On the other hand, Sonic the Hedgehog 2 merely honed in on the most irritating things about the likeable 2020 movie, so this one feels painfully unfunny and manages to waste Jim Carrey as well.

Further afield, Jennifer Reeder's offbeat horror Night's End is witty and very clever, creating a terrific sense of gnawing fear, plus some big jolts. Francois Ozon's expertly made French drama Everything Went Fine is based on a true story about dying with dignity, but manages to avoid politics for something more engagingly personal. The Shakespeare Sisters adapt William Shakespeare's iconic romance into the present-day comedy Much Ado, making the most of a low budget and talented cast. Antony Hickling's thoughtful odyssey Down in Paris is a fascinating night of earthy soul-searching. And the British horror comedy Followers finds a new way to use video-screen imagery to create tension, even if the film feels a bit thin.

Coming up this next week, I'll be watching the blockbuster sequel Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore, Jake Gyllenhaal in Ambulance, Nicolas Cage in The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent, Dermot Mulroney in Agent Game, the French comedy Anais in Love, the Irish thriller You Are Not My Mother and the quirky biopic Aline.

Critical Week: Mommie dearest

I had two press screenings this past week, as well as two open-air events: a screening and a stage play. So it felt like another step in the right direction, especially as it was accompanied by great weather. But then new restrictions came in, so here we are. The biggest film of the past week was a streaming release, Enola Holmes. Millie Bobby Brown stars as the younger sleuthing sister of Sherlock and Mycroft (Henry Cavill and Sam Clafin, having a lot of fun), with Helena Bonham Carter (above with Brown) as their mum. It's a rambunctious franchise-launcher. And then there was Janelle Monae in the freak-out drama Antebellum, which has too little energy to be a classic but shows plenty of invention and passion. 

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Little Girl • Monsoon
PERHAPS AVOID:
Ava
FULL REVIEWS >

More independent films included 23 Walks, a gentle late-in-life romance with the reliable Alison Steadman and Dave Johns; Becky, a violent thriller about a plucky teen taking on a malevolent Kevin James; Miss Juneteeth, an extremely low-key mother-daughter drama with Nicole Beharie; and Shortcut, a decent thriller about five teens trapped in tunnels with a slimy monster. There were also three French films: Francois Ozon's Summer of 85 is a complex and intimate teen drama. Two of Us is a provocative, involving romance between two 70-year-old women. And Little Girl is a seriously gorgeous doc about a mother fighting for her 8-year-old's right to be herself.

Coming up this next week are virtual screenings of the all-star remake of The Boys in the Band, Julianne Moore in The Glorias, Sally Hawkins in Eternal Beauty, Aya Cash in Scare Me, Harry Melling in Say Your Prayers, Aunjanue Ellis in Miss Virginia, the Danish drama A Perfectly Normal Family and the Turkish horror-thriller The Antenna.

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 

LFF: Having an adventure on Day 3

The movie marathon continues, with three or four films per day during the 61st BFI London Film Festival. I know there are star-filled red carpets and lavish parties taking place somewhere, but the vast majority of working journalists never get invited to those. We shuffle from cinema to cinema all day catching what we can in a crowded schedule (usually having to select one of six or seven films screening simultaneously, and missing the rest of them completely). So far I've only missed a few things I wanted to see. Here are highlights tonight and tomorrow...

Wonderstruck
dir Todd Haynes; with Oakes Fegley, Millicent Simmonds (above) 17/US ****.
There's an intricate web of connections at the heart of this ambitious film, gradually building a expanding mystery that quietly sucks the audience in until a goosebump-inducing finale. It takes awhile to get there, but it's well worth the wait, augmented by director Todd Haynes' astonishing attention to detail in two iconic periods. And all of the central performances are powerfully moving.

A Fantastic Woman [Una Mujer Fantástica]
dir Sebastian Lelio; with Daniela Vega, Francisco Reyes 17/Chl ****.
With remarkable sensitivity, this drama by Chilean filmmaker Sebastian Lelio (Gloria) tells a vital story that carries a fiercely moving kick. Indeed, it's one of the most important films of the year, exploring a timely issue with dignity and grace: a cry for compassion in a callous world. It's also quite simply beautiful, written and directed with artistry and skilfully well-acted, most notably by Daniela Vega in the title role.

Manifesto
dir-scr Julian Rosefeldt; with Cate Blanchett 16/Ger 1h35 **.
Enormous ideas swirl around this experimental essay in which Cate Blanchett plays 12 distinctly different characters who launch into iconic philosophical rants about art and humanity. There are so many highfalutin words that the movie becomes a bit of a mumbly blur, but it's strikingly shot with sharply created settings that add witty touches all the way through. And filmmaker Julian Rosefeldt's point seems to be that of this arguing is pointless.

Beach Rats 
dir-scr Eliza Hittman; with Harris Dickinson, Madeline Weinstein 17/US ****
Despite a couple of slightly clanking plot points, there's the lovely aura of Gus Van Sant hovering around this loose, introspective teen drama. It's so finely observed that it can't help but draw the viewer deep into the story of a young man struggling to make sense of his identity while surrounded by his lifelong friends. The point of view is so strong that the other characters barely exist... FULL REVIEW >

The Double Lover [L'Amant Double]
dir-scr Francois Ozon; with Marine Vacth, Jeremie Renier 17/Fr ***.
Chameleon-like filmmaker Francois Ozon sets out this movie in the style of Almodovar doing a Hitchcock homage. And the double-layered approach is perfect for a sly, twisty plot adapted from a Joyce Carol Oates novel. Sexy and playful, the film spins around dualities, warping reality to present a story that keeps us both gripped and entertained.

A Moment in the Reeds
dir-scr Mikko Makela; with Janne Puustinen, Boodi Kabbani 17/Fin ****
Earthy and gentle, this drama runs to the quiet rhythms of rural Finland. Writer-director Mikko Makela relishes the natural elements of life in a natural setting, as two young men from very different backgrounds get to know each other without many distractions. Their conversations are profound and revealing, underscored with humour and a lovely sense of mutual understanding that's grounded and complex.

Critical Week: A question of trust

One of the more anticipated films screened to London press this week was Francois Ozon's Cannes entry L'Amant Double (The Double Lover), a slinky Hitchcockian thriller featuring lots of mirrored identities. It's a lot of fun. Also from France, Joachim Lafosse's After Love is a strikingly unsentimental drama about a a family going through a divorce, anchored by riveting performances from Berenice Bejo and Cedric Kahn.

More mainstream fare included Charlize Theron in the rather mindless action thriller Atomic Blonde, which is skilfully made but could have used either a more coherent plot, stronger characters or just a lot more silliness. Mark Strong and Jamie Bell anchor 6 Days, a forensic recreation of the Iranian embassy siege in London that's fascinating as it builds to a ripping final act, but never quite cracks the surface. Everything, Everything is a sappy teen romance that plays out pretty much as expected, but is elevated by actors Amandla Stenberg and Nick Robinson. And Goon: The Last of the Enforcers is a sequel to the surprise comedy hit starring Sean William Scott as hockey player in Canada. Despite a terrific supporting cast, this follow-up completely misses the mark.

Perhaps the biggest movie this week was Al Gore's follow-up An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power, which traces the decade since his Oscar-winning climate change documentary. It's very well put together, and lucidly highlights the issues, but the biggest surprise is that it has a lot of positive things to say about what people and nations are doing to show respect to the planet and give hope for future generations.

Among other things, this coming week's press screenings include Idris Elba in The Dark Tower, Scarlett Johansson in Rough Night, Sally Potter's festival hit The Party, the coming-of-age British road trip Moon Dogs, and this year's episode, Sharknado 5: Global Swarming.

Venezia 73: Staring out at day 3

Frankly, it isn't easy to spend all day in a cinema when the weather is this spectacular - and when you can see the beach from the press workroom. But this is life at the 73rd Venice Film Festival: watch movies and write about them, and if time allows gawk at the stars in press conferences or on the red carpet. Here on the Lido there are two other urgent requirements: finding food and wifi, neither of which is remotely easy. Here are more recent films (and that's Amy Adams again, above) ...

Nocturnal Animals
dir-scr Tom Ford; with Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal 16/US ***.
For his second film as writer-director, Tom Ford takes on an ambitious, three-sided story that's a romantic drama, violent thriller and darkly internal odyssey. Of course it all looks gorgeous, designed and edited to perfection. And it's packed with terrific moments that hit us right between the eyes with intensity and emotion. But some elements outshine the others, which throws things somewhat off the balance.

Frantz
dir Francois Ozon; with Pierre Niney, Paula Beer 16/Fr ****.
French filmmaker Francois Ozon tackles another genre with this historical drama, which has shades of Haneke in its multi-layered story of forgiveness and redemption. Shot in black and white with moments of blossoming colour, the film harks back to period war dramas due to the visual style and the way the story evolves. But of course, Ozon puts his own subtle spin on everything. And the result is darkly moving.

Summertime [L'Estate Addosso]
dir Gabriele Muccino; with Brando Pacitto, Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz 16/It ***
Bright and energetic, this Italian-American drama is packed with likeable characters and perceptive observations. But it's somewhat cursory in the way it approaches both the characters and story, full of picturesque montages with beautiful people in gorgeous locations. And while the core message is strong, the plotting feels rather random.

The Last Things [Le Ultime Cose]
dir-scr Irene Dionisio; with Fabrizio Falco, Roberto De Francesco 16/It ***
While this gentle Italian drama taps nicely into the zeitgeist, it seems to focus more on situation than the people who are caught up in it. The characters each have a journey to follow, and writer-director Irene Dionisio observes them without ever quite getting under their skin. Still, there are some strong moral dilemmas that pull the audience in. And the way it highlights a culture of desperation is haunting.

Coming up: Jude Law in The Young Pope, Dakota Fanning in Brimstone, James Franco's In Dubious Battle...

Flare 3: Sleep like a baby

The British Film Institute's 29th Flare: London LGBT Film Festival continues at the Southbank with a terrific range of screenings and events every day - and lots of filmmakers in attendance to both offer Q&As at screenings and mix with the audiences at parties and events around the venue. Here are some more highlights...

Tiger Orange
dir Wade Gasque; with Mark Strano, Frankie Valenti (pictured above) 14/US ****
An unusually strong script confronts some darkly resonant issues in a simple story about two brothers working out who they are both together and as individuals. The low budget may make it look simplistic, but the characters have an unusual complexity, and the themes are provocative and important... FULL REVIEW >

The New Girlfriend
dir Francois Ozon; with Romain Duris, Anais Demoustier 14/Fr ****.
Based on the Ruth Rendell novel, this slick, sexy film plays cleverly with genders to tell a remarkably entertaining story. A terrific cast makes the characters not only surprising but also thoroughly resonant. And writer-director Ozon juggles the plot and themes so effortlessly that it can't help but worm its way under the skin.

Dear White People
dir Justin Simien; with Tyler James Williams, Tessa Thompson 14/US ****
Almost too clever for its own good, this knowing comedy-drama plays with cliches using by placing parody within pastiche. Set in an American university, this sharply played film is populated by people trying to both fit into and rebel against racial, economic and sexuality stereotypes. It may be somewhat overpacked, but it's fiendishly clever and very funny.

Dressed as a Girl
dir-scr Colin Rothbart; with Jonny Woo, Scottee, Holestar 15/UK ***.
Focussing on a few shining stars from the London drag scene, this documentary is packed with telling observations as performers reveal the real person under the wigs and sequins. It's entertaining and enlightening, but the film is also rather fragmented, never quite building up a sense of momentum to bring new fans into the scene. (World premiere)

Do I Sound Gay?
dir David Thorpe; with David Thorpe, Susan Sankin 14/US ****
In the style of Morgan Spurlock, filmmaker Thorpe puts himself at the centre of a documentary about an intriguing issue everyone's aware of but nobody talks about: why gay men have distinct vocal patterns. Or do they? It's a fascinating topic, especially as Thorpe delves deeper into bigger issues about identity and equality. So in the end the film is both witty and surprisingly empowering. (Centrepiece film)

~~~~~~~ ~~ ~~~ ~~~~
CRITICAL WEEK

I had a few days out of circulation this week, but still managed to catch a few press screenings, including the Will Ferrell/Kevin Hart comedy Get Hard, which is funnier than it looks; the Anthony Hopkins thriller Kidnapping Freddy Heineken, which is oddly low-key and hard to engage with; the French drama Samba with Omar Sy and Charlotte Gainsbourg, which is long but sharply pointed and beautifully played; the scruffy French black The King of Escape, which is odd enough to be engaging; the Swedish coming-of-age drama Something Must Break, which is honest and original; and the documentary Altman, a wonderful film-by-film love letter to the iconic director.

Next week's films, in addition to those I'll catch at Flare, include Vin Diesel and Paul Walker in Fast & Furious 7, Keanu Reeves in John Wick, the Kiwi drama The Dark Horse, the German horror The Treatment and the Cannon studios doc Electric Boogaloo.

LFF 5: Dangerous blonde

At the 56th BFI London Film Festival last night, two quartets were joined by their directors for Leicester Square premieres. First there was the quartet from Quartet (below): Tom Courtenay, Maggie Smith, Pauline Collins and Bill Connelly with the film's director Dustin Hoffman. Then the Sapphires from The Sapphires (far below) appeared: Deborah Mailman, Shari Sebbens, Miranda Tapsell and Jessica Mauboy with Chris O'Dowd, who plays their manager. Tonight's guests include Argo's Ben Affleck, John Goodman and Bryan Cranston. Some more highlights...


In the House
dir Francois Ozon; with Fabrice Luchini, Ernst Umhauer 12/Fr **** 
Ozon playfully takes on the nature of storytelling in this black comedy about an unusual teacher-student relationship. Sharply written and directed, the film is a bundle of provocations, forcing us to think about the way we see, or imagine, the people around us. Luchini stars as a teacher who is bewildered by a student (Umhauer, above) who writes unusually riveting stories about a classmate's family. But are these stories true? Or is the student manipulating the teacher and his wife (Kristin Scott Thomas)? Ozon unveils the story expertly, with sure-handed direction that glides smoothly through the convolutions of the plot, keeping a tight focus on the characters. Yes, it's twisty and surprising, but we are held firmly in his grip all the way through.

I, Anna
dir Barnaby Southcombe; with Charlotte Rampling, Gabriel Byrne 12/UK ***
Rampling gets yet another terrific character in this dark British mystery-drama, which reveals its secrets very slowly as it goes along. Yes, this gets a bit annoying, since it's merely a filmmaker's conceit to manipulate the audience. But Rampling is so watchable that we go with it. She plays a woman trying to get her life back on track as a mature single woman, attending speed-dating while helping her daughter (Hayley Atwell) care for her granddaughter. And when she meets Bernie (Byrne) she has no idea that he's a cop watching her as part of a murder investigation. Annoyingly, the whole movie is a bit of a cheat, only holding together because the filmmaker lies to us at every opportunity, then pulls the rug out. Although we can see all of this coming. But Rampling never puts a foot wrong, and Byrne has a haunted quality that keeps us gripped.


No
dir Pablo Larrain; with Gael Garcia Bernal, Alfredo Castro 12/Chl ****.
Here's another fiendishly clever drama from Chilean filmmaker Larrain that continually subverts our expectations. Like Tony Manero and Post-Mortem, the film uses structure and genre-styles to throw us off its scent, entertaining us while giving us another haunting lesson from Chilean history. Here, it's 1988 and Chile is getting ready for a referendum to ratify Pinochet for another 10 years of rule - a simple yes or no vote. On the yes side of the right-wing establishment is an ad agency boss (Castro), while his top employee (Garcia Bernal) heads up the no campaign seeking freedom of expression and an end to human rights violations. Obviously, "no" doesn't have a chance of winning, but they take advantage of their 15 minutes of nightly television. The film is shot like a 1980s video diary that's been locked away somewhere for all these years, mixing real TV footage seamlessly with the comedy and drama in the script. It's smart, hilarious and utterly unmissable. Not to mention eerily timely.

Dead Europe
dir Tony Krawitz; with Ewen Leslie, Marton Csokas 12/Aus ***
An intensely dark, foreboding tone is the best thing about this perplexing thriller. While playing around intriguingly with issues of race, religion and sexuality, the film gets under our skin even though we are never quite sure what's actually going on. Kind of like the central character himself. That would be Isaac (Leslie), son of a Greek immigrant in Melbourne who travels to the home country against his parents' wishes. There he is caught up in his family's past, including a curse on them all, and his search for the truth takes him from Athens to Paris to Budapest. The film has a fable-like quality, playing with how guilt passes from generation to generation, although it remains enigmatic to the end, playing on the sinister overtones and leaving us a bit shaken.

Kelly + Victor
dir-scr Kieran Evans; with Antonia Campbell-Hughes, Julian Morris 12/UK ***
Based on Niall Griffiths' 2002 novel, this story of violent sexual obsession is too deliberately dark for us to sympathise with the central couple. But it's well-shot and nicely played by both actors. And its cautionary message, while rather heavy-handed, does leave us thinking... REVIEW >