I saw 26 films at the recent London Film Festival and 10 new
films really stood out. For whatever reason, there were fewer big films and
more small films: that’s not necessarily a criticism, but certainly an
all-too-clear observation.
There follows the first half of my 10 favourite new films that
premiered at the festival. The entire top 10 are linked by a strong personal
vision from the director about what the film should be and by delicious fusions
of genres.
Cracking entertainment from Ben Affleck: this should finally
lay to waste his lost years of Hollywood star vacuous vanity.
This true story of how the CIA got six Americans out of
Tehran during the Iranian revolution is dramatic, gripping and funny. As time
counts down to the Iranians realising that the six embassy staff escaped before
their embassy was seized, the CIA is left with nothing but bad ideas to get the
six out. The best bad idea is for CIA agent Tony Mendez (Affleck in full stoic
Eastwood mode) to set up a fake sci-fi movie and then land in Tehran on a
location scout and while there generate fake movie identities for the six.
The script keeps the fate of the six clearly front and
centre even as Affleck’s Mendez strives to set up his space opera with a known
producer with hilarious results courtesy of special effects guru John Goodman
and producer Alan Arkin (“If I’m going to make a fake movie, it’s going to be a
fake hit!”).
The final countdown, as Affleck and the six race to get out
of Iran, is utterly gripping, and drew all-too audible reactions from the
mesmerized audience.
Everything about Argo is top quality, including top work
from cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto and composer Alexandre Desplat.
The question for Argo is: what legacy will it leave? A new
generation of geek t-shirts focusing on the fictional space opera? Awards glory
for Affleck and his crew? Certainly it reminds us all that Affleck has moved on
and is a talent to watch.
Score: 9/10
Opens 7 November.
Compelling and shocking, this based-on-a-true-story indie
will detonate like a flash bomb among the chattering classes.
Streamlined and lean, Compliance goes for the jugular and
absolutely will not let go as the bizarre story escalates into surprises that
are ever-more surprising than the last surprise twist.
In brief, we are introduced to Ann Dowd’s fast food joint
manager. One Friday evening she receives a call from a man identifying himself
as a police officer stating that a member of her counter staff has stolen a
customer’s purse; he asks her to take the counter-girl to one side and question
her for him… and so the nightmare starts.
Dunkini and I were left dumbstruck and slack-jawed by what
ensues: it’s completely unbelievable – but the script is absolutely true.
The unknown leading players are simply superb, all suffering
greatly at the hands of the script’s twists and turns.
This is one of those films that you can not have an opinion
about unless you see it.
Score: 9/10
No UK release set yet.
With echoes of Black Swan as well as modern vampire greats
(Anne Rice’s operatic Interview With The Vampire and the sex and gritty reality
of Trueblood), this stylish and stylised gothic romantic tragedy surfs the wave
of vampire popularity with panache and a ‘harder’ approach.
Boy (Milo Ventimiglia from Heroes) meets beautiful woman in
bar (Josephine de la Baume); beautiful woman plays hard to get because she’s a
‘good’ vampire (she doesn’t feed on humans); nevertheless they fall for each
other, she turns him and then her wildchild sister (Roxane Mesquida strongly
echoing Mila Kunis’s turn in Black Swan) arrives to stir things up.
Chaos, madness and death ensue – but which sister has chosen
the right path for eternal living?
Compellingly shot, Kiss does attempt to have its cake and
eat it – and for the most part succeeds. Written and directed by Xan Cassavetes
(yes, John’s daughter making her feature film directorial debut), the film is
notable for its focus on women and its largely successful attempt to envelope
the audience within a vampire’s heightened senses.
It’s as hardcore as Trueblood but with a more erotic edge
(some reviewer somewhere will describe this as combining Twilight with 50
Shades of Grey, but not me!) and it certainly adds at least one new idea to vampire physiology
that goes counter to Anne Rice’s take.
Score: 9/10
No UK release date set
How do you follow up In Bruges? That was writer-director
Martin McDonagh’s task and he offers this ambitious gem in response.
It’s not as funny and shocking as In Bruges, but it
stretches him and the audience. Colin Farrell is the alcoholic Hollywood
screenwriter suffering writer’s bloc while working on his latest script, Seven
Psychopaths, which he wants to be about peace not violence. His best friend is
Sam Rockwell, who desperately wants his friend to overcome his bloc – preferably by getting
Rockwell to help him.
Rockwell earns a crust through dogknaping from the rich; his
partner in crime is Christopher Walken. When they dogknap the shih tzu
belonging to Woody Harrelson’s mob boss, only chaos and widespread murder can
ensue. Oh, and this being a McDonagh script, there’s plenty of quality
profanity and non-PC gags.
All four actors are well within their comfort zones, but
sink their teeth into McDonagh’s dialogue with gusto.
Highly recommended.
Score: 8.5/10
Opens 7 December.
Wickedly and blackly funny, splendidly violent and gory:
Sightseers made me laugh like a drain. Fresh from the buzz generated by his
previous effort, Kill List, director Ben Wheatley delivers a cult crowd pleaser
that could, with the right marketing, cross over into Hot Fuzz levels of
success.
Written by its stars, Alice Lowe and Steve Oram, the film
focuses on two strange souls Tina and Chris, now three months into their
relationship, who go on a caravanning holiday, stopping off at various British
tourist spots.
A fatal early encounter with a holiday-maker with less than
perfect manners reveals Chris’s inner demons. When Tina realises that her man
is a serial killer, she must make the choice: leave the only man who’s ever
taken any interest in her or join in his hobby…
This is a cross between Bonnie and Clyde, The Trip and Nuts
In May. I heartily recommend it to anyone with a strong stomach!
Score: 9/10
Opens 30 November.
1 comment:
Were their walk-outs during your viewing of Compliance?
When I saw it, I reckon about a quarter of the audience left before the end.
One guy shouted out "I've had enough of this f***ing s***." Another shouted "Time to leave everyone."
It is skin crawling viewing at times, but very cleverly directed, and horribly claustrophobic. I liked the periodic cutaways to the deep fat fryer.
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