Critical Week: For your consideration

Awards season is clearly in full swing now, as buzz grows for year-end movies that have a chance of grabbing Oscar attention. It's still a bit early, but that doesn't stop the bloggers from sticking their necks out. I'll launch my annual Shadows Sweepstakes next week, trying to keep track of all the brouhaha between now and Oscar night.

In the meantime, I am trying to catch the contenders before my voting deadlines. In the past week I saw Daniel Craig's WWII thriller Defiance (great story but probably only technical awards), Gus Van Sant's emotional/political Milk (could sweep the boards in virtually every category except, ahem, actresses), Sam Mendes' Revolutionary Road (terrific acting from Kate Winslet and Leo DiCaprio), John Patrick Shanley's Doubt (nomination alerts for Meryl Streep, Philip Seymour Hoffman, Amy Adams and most notably Viola Davis).

Meanwhile, I also caught up with some documentaries (Trouble the Water and Tis Autumn), foreign gems (Lemon Tree and Moscow Belgium), so-so comedies (Four Christmases and Sex Drive) and box office clout (Twilight). But the most fun I had in the cinema was at what was easily the worse film I saw: Jason Statham's return as monosyllabic, over-muscled driver Frank Martin in Transporter 3. So incredibly stupid, and also a pure guilty pleasure.

Next up: Australia, Seven Pounds, The Reader and Bolt.

Critical Week: After the break

I took a slightly surreal break to recover from the intensity of the London Film Festival: I went to Los Angeles on holiday and only saw one movie while I was there! This is fairly unheard-of behaviour for a British film critic. Usually we indulge in as many movies as possible when we're in the USA, trying to get ahead of the lag in British release/screening schedules. And being in L.A. meant that I could have gone to press screenings out there.

But I didn't, because I was on vacation, which to me means no movies!

That said, I did watch Mamma Mia! for a third time on the flight over there, I caught up with the superb documentary Young@Heart on video at my aunt's house, and I went to the cinema with a friend to see the surprisingly decent Paul Rudd/Seann William Scott comedy Role Models.

Back in London, the holiday's over. In the last two days, I've already seen Madagascar: Escape 2 Africa (another surprise: even better than the first one), To Get to Heaven First You Have to Die (a pretty cool Tajik film that's not nearly as gloomy as the title suggests), and Defiance (the all-star WWII Nazi-resistance drama).

And tonight I have one of the year's most hotly anticipated films, Gus Van Sant's perhaps too-timely Milk, which the trailer promises features a startling performance from Sean Penn, as well as more fine work this year from Josh Brolin and James Franco. Also this week I'll catch up with James Marsden and Seth Green in Sex Drive, Reese Witherspoon and Vince Vaughn in Four Christmases, and the Belgian rom-com Moscow Belgium, among other things.

It's certainly the right weather for moviegoing. And with the awards-season buzz starting to crank up (and for-your-consideration screenings getting underway), eyes are starting to focus on February's Bafta and Oscar love-fests. Although as a member of the awards committee of the London Film Critics' Circle, I have my own awards-event madness to attend to before those events. Bring it on...

LFF16: That's all, folks!

The 52nd London Film Festival came to a close last night with the European premiere of Danny Boyle's terrific new film Slumdog Millionaire. Those braving a particularly chilly red carpet last night in Leicester Square included (l to r) Boyle, actors Freida Pinto and Anil Kapoor, co-director Loveleen Tandan, lead actor Dev Patel and writer Simon Beaufoy.

Slumdog Millionaire *****
Danny Boyle injects such a sharp blast of real-life energy to this story that we can't help but be carried away. It's easily one of the most enjoyable movies of the year, and there's some extremely dark and serious stuff going on here as well in this tale of a young guy from the slums (the superb Dev Patel) who somehow manages to become a winner on India's Who Wants to Be a Millionaire? Telling his life story through the questions he's asked on the show is extremely clever, and there are some terrific twists that come later on, leaving out hearts pounding with tension and emotion before the cast cuts loose in a closing credits Bollywood number. It's a simply wonderful movie that can't help but gather extrordinary word-of-mouth and awards buzz.

My top 10 films of the fest

1. Hunger - Steve McQueen's astonishing look at the 1981 IRA hunger strike.
2. Slumdog Millionaire - Danny Boyle's remarkable Indian drama.
3. The Wrestler - Darren Aronofsky's expert portrait of a has-been.
4. The Class - Laurent Cantet's riveting year in a Paris high school.
5. Of Time and the City - Terence Davies' cheeky and moving ode to Liverpool.
6. Sugar - Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck's engagingly hopeful immigration drama.
7. Waltz With Bashir - Ari Folman's involving animated documentary about war.
   
8. Frost/Nixon - Peter Morgan's bracing take on the collision between two personalities.
9. The Baader Meinhof Complex - a stunning epic drama about 1970s German terrorism.
10. Gonzo - Alex Gibney's astute and entertaining look at Hunter S Thompson.

This year's award winners

• Fipresci Award: Three Blind Mice (Matthew Newton)
• First feature (Sutherland Trophy): Tulpan (Sergey Dvortsevoy)
• Documentary (Grierson Award): Victoire Terminus (Barret and De La Tullaye)
• Satyajit Ray Award: Mid-August Lunch (Gianni di Gregorio)
• Achievement in Film Award: Ralph Fiennes
  

As I've said before, London is perhaps the least festive film festival on earth. There's no atmosphere at all unless you're in the VIP circles (which doesn't include any jobbing journalists) - it's all about the movies themselves, and crowds turn out to see big titles before they open or smaller films that will never be seen anywhere else. The festival organisers have a reputation for programming extremely good films, with very few duds, so there's plenty for fans to enjoy.

But it would be nice if there was a bit more fun on offer. Virtually every other festival on earth has public venues (cafes or bars) where people can mix with the filmmakers after the screenings, rather than having them whisked off in a labelled fleet of cars like London does. These gathering spots create a real celebratory atmosphere, which is completely lacking at the LFF, and is a bit odd since they now have such a nice space for this kind of thing at the BFI Southbank.

Here's hoping that next year the fun can be extended to the public and the press (which also needs much better facilities in which to work). But at least we know we'll have two weeks of amazing movies to sink our teeth into.

LFF15: Everybody who's anybody

The cast of the new Noel Coward comedy Easy Virtue showed up to support their film at the London Film Festival (that's Kimberly Nixon, Kris Marshall, Ben Barnes, Colin Firth, Jessica Biel and Charlotte Riley standing around director Stephan Elliott). But last night all eyes were across Leicester Square as virtually everybody who's anybody in London attended the royal world premiere of the new James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, which then had its first public screening at the LFF. In addition to the whole cast and crew, the rather random selection of stars on the red carpet included: Princes William and Harry, Mayor Boris Johnson, Elle Macpherson, Saint Bob Geldof, kilt-wearing cycling god Chris Hoy and, erm, Harrod's boss Mohammed al Fayed.

Meanwhile, here are a few notes on films from yesterday and today...

Che: Part Two ****
The second half of Steven Soderbergh's epic biopic (subtitled Guerrilla) is a more linear tale than part one, detailing Ernesto "Che" Guevara's year in Bolivia as he gathered and trained rebels in an attempt to ignite a Cuba-style revolution to overthrow the tyranical, US-backed government. Nothing much happens in the film, which follows the scruffy guerrillas through the mountain forests as they try to evade American-trained commandos and drum up support from peasants who are too terrified to trust them. It's a slow-burn movie, building tension gradually and never boiling over into big movie action scenes - most of the time we are just as impatient for something to happen as the rebels are! But it's also bracingly well-made, with strong performances and strongly relevant themes about standing up for justice in an unjust world - no matter what it costs.

The Betrayal ***
Cinematographer Ellen Kuras spent 23 years filming this documentary about a family from Laos that was caught up in and shattered by American intervention during the Vietnam War. Kuras worked with Thavisouk Phrasavath to write and direct his own story - combining family photos, newsreel footage and new scenes shot with his mother and nine siblings, who escaped from Laos and moved to New York, where their life has taken some surprisingly dark turns. It's a beautifully assembled film, perhaps a bit too earnest but also vitally important.

The Good the Bad the Weird ***
From Korea, this unhinged, high-energy tribute to the Western is great fun to watch even as its raucous pace wears us out. The story centres on 1930s three bandits (see the title for clues) who cross paths during an epic train robbery and then chase each other into the wilds of Manchuria while battling Asian gangs and the occupying Japanese army. The story races at full speed from the start, with mind-bogglingly complicated battles and outrageous stuntwork, plus lots of slapstick humour and plenty of surprising twists and turns. It's utterly mad, but thoroughly entertaining.

LFF14: Serious acting

Ralph Fiennes was on hand at the London Film Festival to collect the Variety UK Achievement in Film Award here. I'm not completely sure what this awards means, but it looks like a very nice chunk of glass.

Meanwhile, out on the red carpet last night were Colin Firth, Jessica Biehl and Ben Barnes for the premiere of their Noel Coward film Easy Virtue; Dougray Scott with filmmaker Richard Jobson for New Town Killers; and Charlie Kaufman for Synecdoche, New York.

Here are a few notes on films in the festival yesterday and today...

Quantum of Solace ****
Yes, the new James Bond film will get its first public screening tonight at the LFF, just after its massive premiere on the other side of Leicester Square (the film opens in the UK on Friday). It's a direct sequel to Casino Royale, picking up the story immediately as Bond seeks answers and revenge after the death of his girlfriend. In other words, it's a much more internalised 007 movie than we're used to - centred more on the drama going on in Bond's head than a megalomaniac (in this case Mathieu Amalric) trying to take over the world. And the action is once again bone-crunchingly rough, sofuccing on stunt work rather than gadgets. This is the kind of action film I love - as it appeals to the heart as well as the gut. But fans who like more mindless action may be annoyed.

Not Quite Hollywood ****
This documentary about Australian exploitation cinema (or "Ozploitation!") is raucous good fun, trawling through nearly 40 years of unhinged movies that gleefully trample all over every concept of good taste. It's loaded with pristine clips from all of these films, plus interviews with filmmakers, actors and big-name fans. From ocker comedies to gross-out horror to marauding road gangs (like Mad Max), this film chronicles an important movement in world cinema that's still influencing what we see now. And it's also fast, crazed and hysterically good fun.

The Beaches of Agnes ****
From the ridiculous to the sublime, this documentary by French filmmaker-photographer Agnes Varda traces her life and work with ironic set pieces, telling film clips, witty dramatic recreations and lots of stories about her encounters with her famous friends over the years. What emerges is a lovely exploration of life, looking back from age 80 and constantly cycling back to the love of her life (filmmaker Jacques Demy) and their children. And it's all linked by scenes shot on various beaches - in her childhood Belgium, France, Hollywood and even a makeshift sandbar on a street in Paris.

The Market ****
British director Ben Hopkins travels to the eastern border of Turkey to tell an engaging story of a man trying to get the most out of the free market system without losing his soul to greed and unethical behaviour. It's a warm combination of family drama and road movie, packed with comedy and emotion, and beautifully filmed and acted. There are also, of course, incredibly relevant themes running right through it, all handled with a deft light touch.

LFF13: Offbeat rhythms

It was another busy night on the red carpet in Leicester Square on Monday, with the charge led by Rachel Weisz for The Brothers Bloom, accompanied by writer-director Rian Johnson. Also out were Alex Gibney (Gonzo) and the Dardenne brothers (The Silence of Lorna). The festival is beginning to wind down in its final few days, although the pace hasn't slowed down at all.

Highlights from yesterday and today...

Synecdoche, New York ****
Charlie Kaufman moves into the director's seat with this bizarre comedy-drama, which is so surreal that it makes his earlier films (like Being John Malkovich or Adaptation) seem gritty and earthy by comparison. But Philip Seymour Hoffman is so good in the central role that we go with it, and he's surrounded by terrific actresses, including Catherine Keener (again!), the wonderful Samantha Morton, Dianne Wiest and a surprising Emily Watson. What emerges is a sublime and provocative examination of human pride and the fear of death. It's like Woody Allen meets David Lynch - you'll laugh and sigh and have your brain tickled, but you'll have no idea what it's about.

Che: Part One ****
Steven Soderbergh's ambitious biopic of Ernesto "Che" Guevara features a terrific performance from Benicio Del Toro as the doctor-turned revolutionary, a journey documented here in Part One (which is subtitled The Argentine). It's a very well-made film, cross-cutting between Guevara's trip to New York in 1964, where he was interviewed by a TV journalist and spoke to the UN, and his role in the Cuban revolution of the late 1950s, with a series of skirmishes in the jungle on the way to Havana. It's bold and relevant and thoroughly engaging. I'm seeing Part Two on Wednesday, and I think it's wise to split them!

Lion's Den ****
This prison drama from Argentine is so realistic that it's not always easy to watch. It picks up after a horrific crime, when woman (Martina Gusman) is arrested for her possible role in a violent murder and discovers she's pregnant. Setting a film in the maternity wing of a prison is especially clever, as it brings hope into a hopeless place. And the film is assembled as a journey that's utterly gripping from start to finish.

The Brothers Bloom ***
Thoroughly entertaining, this film is a bit too wilfully quirky for its own good, combining genres and time periods in extremely odd ways. But the central characters are hugely engaging: con artist brothers Adrien Brody and Mark Ruffalo, plus their eccentric mark Rachel Weisz and their silent partner-in-crime Rinko Kikuchi. Being a wacky con-man romp, we know there will be a lot of twists and turns in the story, and writer-director Rian Johnson (Brick) certain doesn't disappoint us there. Although we're never quite sure if this is a comedy or a tragedy, so it's difficult to get in sync with the film's peculiar rhythm.

LFF12: Surprise!

The surprise film last night was Darren Aronofsky's Venice-winning The Wrestler, which was one of the films on a short list of possible titles being batted around by us critics. Even though I'd already seen the film, I was happy to watch it again, because it's a real gem. Also, at the end of the screening, Aronofsky and his star Mickey Rourke (who should win the Oscar for this, frankly) took the stage for a long and hilariously raucous Q&A session. Rourke was relaxed and too-cool in his snakeskin jeans, and the banter between the two men was terrific.

Here are some highlights from yesterday and today...

The Secret of Moonacre **
The tone of this fantasy adventure is eerily unsteady, veering from silly slapstick to earnest tragedy and never quite settling down at all. And the plot - about a girl (played by The Golden Compass' Dakota Blue Richards) who discovers that she holds the key to ending a generations-old family feud and saving the planet - is just a bit too wacky for its own good. The production design is also a problem, with sets and costumes that are both overwrought and underaged. At least most of the cast is good.

Hamlet 2 ***
Steve Coogan plays a high school drama teacher in Tucson who writes an ambitious and potentially offensive musical sequel to Shakespeare's classic. The first half of the film is resolutely unfunny, with Coogan overplaying every broad gag to the point where you couldn't laugh if you wanted to. Then something happens: Catherine Keener cuts loose, Amy Poehler shows up, and it gets very funny indeed. By the time his cast is performing the stage production's show-stopper Rock Me, Sexy Jesus, we want to stand up and sing along.

The Wrestler *****
Darren Aronofsky switches styles completely for this doc-style drama about a professional wrestler who's still struggling in the ring two decades after his hey day in the 1980s. Mickey Rourke's astonishing central performance gives the film both a lively sense of humour and a surprising amount of heart - he's a force of nature on screen, and is absolutely superb here. His interaction with Marisa Tomei (as his stripper semi-girlfriend) and Evan Rachel Wood (as his estranged daughter) is simply wonderful. In a fair world this film would be up for every Oscar out there.

Easy Virtue ***
This British class comedy, based on the Noel Coward play, has enough sparky humour to keep us entertained, plus terrific supporting performances from Kristin Scott Thomas and Colin Firth. The central roles are a bit trickier, but Jessica Biehl and Ben Barnes keep them lively and often very funny, if not terribly complicated. And even though the bitterness and passion never boil over like we hope they will, it's still great fun, and has a nice message about how life experiences change us.