Top 20 films at London Film Festival 2019: Part 1
With the month of October approaching, film lovers from across the UK and the world will flood cinemas all over London for the BFI's London Film Festival. With each year bringing us exclusive screenings of some of the worlds most exciting and innovative works of cinema, it can be quite difficult to choose which films are worth the admission and which aren't. This list will comprise of some of my most anticipated releases this year, from Oscar contenders to independent cinema favourites. This will be my attempt to break down the 20 films that I am the most excited to see this year. Some honourable mentions that didn't make the cut for me were Tom Harpers The Aeronauts, Micheal Winterbottoms Greed and even A beautiful day in the neighbourhood which will probably get more Oscar buzz than most of the films here thanks to Mr Hanks.
20- Miles Davis: Birth of Cool/ My Friend Fela
Right of the bat im already technically cheating with two films at the number 20 spot. Both of these documentaries share similarities in there passion for the musical influencers that they focus on. One is Stanley Nelsons take on the legendary rockstar of jazz Miles Davis, While award winning Brazilian filmmaker Joel Zito Araújo presents the enigmatic and controversial tale of Pan African sensation Fela Kuti. The works of Davis and Kuti are considered two sides of the same coin of the afro music culture, which always lead back to the themes of political and racial injustice in their respective countries. Both these documentaries look to express the emphatic expression that music can give to their communities, as well as a treat for any music aficionado who enjoys jazz or pan African beats. Both Nelson and Araújo each have already given some gems in documentary genre and are fine creative and inspirational voices in the film world so be prepared to feel the rhythm.
19- Marriage Story
Noah Baumbach has become quite the name in hollywoods corner of nostalgic indie filmmaking with many quirky and heartfelt writing works with his wife Greta Gerwig and best friend Wes Anderson. After his Netflix exclusive film The Meyerowitz Stories had a mixed reception, his next venture seems like a return to form with his bitter sweet divorce drama Marriage Story. Staring Scarlet Johansen and Adam Driver as the dysfunctional couple, this film is being praised by critics as a contender to great american marrital dramas like Kramer vs Kramer and even Baumbachs previous works like The Squid and the Whale. Its being built up for a lot of Oscar attention and will definitely be a crowd pleaser for those who love a classic new Hollywood story of loving and learning to let go.
18- Krabi 2562
Probably the strangest film on this list, Krabi 2562 is the headline film for this years Experimenta Strand and the combination of visionary filmmakers Ben Rivers from the UK and Anocha Suwichakornpong from Thailand. This film dives into the weird and wonderful world of South Thailand tourism as it looks to deliver both beauty in the sunny location along with a haunting avant garde style of filmmaking. From the trailer it looks more eerie than it does flashy which interests me greatly. Also it will deliver some stunning visuals of the natural landscape as well as reminding me of the isolated effect of the relics of tourism like in The Florida Project. If you are a fan of the strange and kooky filmmaking of Wes Anderson with the fascination of Southeast Asia, this cannot be missed.
17- Le Mans 66
One of the clear Hollywood Oscar biopics this year is James Mangold's newest look at cars and masculine ideals in Le Mans 66 or Ford vs Ferrari as its known in America. Staring academy favourites Matt Damon and Christian Bale, in a high octane depiction of Ford motors attempt to design a race car to beat the world champions Ferrari at the 24 hour Le Mans. On the face of it, it does seem like your average run of the mill underdog story of achieving for the glory of the USA, however Mangold has delivered some impactful twists and turns in his previous works like Logan and Walk the Line. This seems like a must watch if you're a car fan, but it seems open to most audiences who are looking for a buddy, manly film with some classic Hollywood flare.
16- Knives Out
Its been a stressful few years for Rain Johnson. After a mixture of approval and backlash from his major Disney directors debut in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, a lot of critics hoped he would return to his roots with his bombastic and stylish techniques in filmmaking. That might be making its comeback with an all star cast of talent in Knives Out. A return to the classic murder mystery genre, Daniel Craig is the Kentucky born smooth talking investigator trying to piece together a murder most foul at an elderly crime-fiction novelists birthday party. Since Johnson is a expert on breathing new life to genres, it looks like an exciting addition to the festival and will be much more in the directors wheelhouse of expertise. If you're a lover of Cluedo or Agatha Christie, then give it a go and be prepared for a sharp, witty and explosive feature.
15- A Hidden Life
There are two great mysteries in the film world, what was in John Travolta's brief case and the life of American filmmaker Terrance Malick. But what he makes up for in his unexplained absences is an eye for the beauty and mysticism in the cameras eye. Malick is infamous for making stunning visuals and winding vistas, with loose, unclear narratives that border on the experimental. However his newest feature is said to be his most cohesive narrative to date, about an Austrian father pulled from his family home in the Alps to swear allegiance to the raising power of nazi Germany. This will be Malick's first attempt at portraying Nazi occupied Europe, far away from his beloved USA that is usually the staple in his movies. However by the looks of things its going to be a feast for the eyes and a gut punch to the soul. Malick's films are definitely not for the average film goer, but if your looking for something breathtaking and mind blowing this is your film.
14- The King
Its not a film festival in London without a historical biopic on the British monarchy. With Outlaw King getting decent reception at last years festival, Australian director David Michod will add to the list with the interpretation of medival teenage angst of Henry V in The King. Returning for his third London film festival, Tim Chalamet will portray the peoples king in what many have said is a stand out performance of the raising stars career along with co-writer and actor Joel Edgerton. Other than a few intreaguing visuals from cinematographer Adam Arkapaw, from the outset it could be a safe and average reimagining that could leave most unfulfilled and bored. It will be up to Chalamets performance to take this film to Oscar contention and beyond.
13- Portrait of a Lady on Fire
In the runnings for a foreign language Oscar already, French screenwriter and director Celine Sciamma's new passion project has already swerved a lot of heads this festival season. After her critical darling Girlhood, Portrait of a lady on fire continues the beautifully crafted tale of love breaking barriers in an LGBT romance that has already won two awards at Cannes for best screenplay and the Queer palme for LGBT representation. Sciamma is a powerful voice for women in cinema and this looks to be her next hit, set in 1770 around a female painter hired to create a portrait for the daughter of a wealthy mother in secret. The scenery and artistic direction looks to be Sciamma's best and the performances by raising French stars Adele Haenel and Noemie Merlant are a powerful and inspirational duo for this intimate tale of forbidden love.
12- And then we Danced
Another LGBT based love story with less commercial success is Levan Akin's And then we Danced. Combining the masculine intensity of Georgian dance and the personal rivalry turned romance of dancers Merab and Irakli, this looks to be an enlightening look at a seemingly unknown culture. Seeing a film set in a hostile modern anti LGBT environment is a powerful thing and this looks to combine that message with the beauty and passion of dance. The choreography looks exciting and fast paced and is a must see for any young lovers of dance and impact through the arts. I hope this gets good reception as its been quite underplayed this year and I hope it will be pushed further.
11- Shooting the Mafia
As one of the guests of honour at this years festival, Kim Longinotto has long been known as a trail blazer of European documentaries in the 20th century. Now she returns with a new advantageous insight into the history of the violence and corruption of the Sicilian mafia as photographed by Letizia Battaglia. Longinotto has always had an eye for capturing the taboo underbelly of cultures and societies worldwide. Sometimes diving into gender identity with Shinjuku Boys or the unflinching reality of foreign marriage laws in Divorce Iranian Style. With Shooting the Mafia, Longinotto balances the sinister deeds of the crime world and the daring heroics of Battaglia to expose and document the effect of these crimes on her home country. This is a must for any documentary lover or if you are looking for a powerful new perspective on the mafia world.
20- Miles Davis: Birth of Cool/ My Friend Fela
Right of the bat im already technically cheating with two films at the number 20 spot. Both of these documentaries share similarities in there passion for the musical influencers that they focus on. One is Stanley Nelsons take on the legendary rockstar of jazz Miles Davis, While award winning Brazilian filmmaker Joel Zito Araújo presents the enigmatic and controversial tale of Pan African sensation Fela Kuti. The works of Davis and Kuti are considered two sides of the same coin of the afro music culture, which always lead back to the themes of political and racial injustice in their respective countries. Both these documentaries look to express the emphatic expression that music can give to their communities, as well as a treat for any music aficionado who enjoys jazz or pan African beats. Both Nelson and Araújo each have already given some gems in documentary genre and are fine creative and inspirational voices in the film world so be prepared to feel the rhythm.
19- Marriage Story
Noah Baumbach has become quite the name in hollywoods corner of nostalgic indie filmmaking with many quirky and heartfelt writing works with his wife Greta Gerwig and best friend Wes Anderson. After his Netflix exclusive film The Meyerowitz Stories had a mixed reception, his next venture seems like a return to form with his bitter sweet divorce drama Marriage Story. Staring Scarlet Johansen and Adam Driver as the dysfunctional couple, this film is being praised by critics as a contender to great american marrital dramas like Kramer vs Kramer and even Baumbachs previous works like The Squid and the Whale. Its being built up for a lot of Oscar attention and will definitely be a crowd pleaser for those who love a classic new Hollywood story of loving and learning to let go.
18- Krabi 2562
Probably the strangest film on this list, Krabi 2562 is the headline film for this years Experimenta Strand and the combination of visionary filmmakers Ben Rivers from the UK and Anocha Suwichakornpong from Thailand. This film dives into the weird and wonderful world of South Thailand tourism as it looks to deliver both beauty in the sunny location along with a haunting avant garde style of filmmaking. From the trailer it looks more eerie than it does flashy which interests me greatly. Also it will deliver some stunning visuals of the natural landscape as well as reminding me of the isolated effect of the relics of tourism like in The Florida Project. If you are a fan of the strange and kooky filmmaking of Wes Anderson with the fascination of Southeast Asia, this cannot be missed.
17- Le Mans 66
One of the clear Hollywood Oscar biopics this year is James Mangold's newest look at cars and masculine ideals in Le Mans 66 or Ford vs Ferrari as its known in America. Staring academy favourites Matt Damon and Christian Bale, in a high octane depiction of Ford motors attempt to design a race car to beat the world champions Ferrari at the 24 hour Le Mans. On the face of it, it does seem like your average run of the mill underdog story of achieving for the glory of the USA, however Mangold has delivered some impactful twists and turns in his previous works like Logan and Walk the Line. This seems like a must watch if you're a car fan, but it seems open to most audiences who are looking for a buddy, manly film with some classic Hollywood flare.
16- Knives Out
Its been a stressful few years for Rain Johnson. After a mixture of approval and backlash from his major Disney directors debut in Star Wars: The Last Jedi, a lot of critics hoped he would return to his roots with his bombastic and stylish techniques in filmmaking. That might be making its comeback with an all star cast of talent in Knives Out. A return to the classic murder mystery genre, Daniel Craig is the Kentucky born smooth talking investigator trying to piece together a murder most foul at an elderly crime-fiction novelists birthday party. Since Johnson is a expert on breathing new life to genres, it looks like an exciting addition to the festival and will be much more in the directors wheelhouse of expertise. If you're a lover of Cluedo or Agatha Christie, then give it a go and be prepared for a sharp, witty and explosive feature.
15- A Hidden Life
There are two great mysteries in the film world, what was in John Travolta's brief case and the life of American filmmaker Terrance Malick. But what he makes up for in his unexplained absences is an eye for the beauty and mysticism in the cameras eye. Malick is infamous for making stunning visuals and winding vistas, with loose, unclear narratives that border on the experimental. However his newest feature is said to be his most cohesive narrative to date, about an Austrian father pulled from his family home in the Alps to swear allegiance to the raising power of nazi Germany. This will be Malick's first attempt at portraying Nazi occupied Europe, far away from his beloved USA that is usually the staple in his movies. However by the looks of things its going to be a feast for the eyes and a gut punch to the soul. Malick's films are definitely not for the average film goer, but if your looking for something breathtaking and mind blowing this is your film.
14- The King
Its not a film festival in London without a historical biopic on the British monarchy. With Outlaw King getting decent reception at last years festival, Australian director David Michod will add to the list with the interpretation of medival teenage angst of Henry V in The King. Returning for his third London film festival, Tim Chalamet will portray the peoples king in what many have said is a stand out performance of the raising stars career along with co-writer and actor Joel Edgerton. Other than a few intreaguing visuals from cinematographer Adam Arkapaw, from the outset it could be a safe and average reimagining that could leave most unfulfilled and bored. It will be up to Chalamets performance to take this film to Oscar contention and beyond.
13- Portrait of a Lady on Fire
In the runnings for a foreign language Oscar already, French screenwriter and director Celine Sciamma's new passion project has already swerved a lot of heads this festival season. After her critical darling Girlhood, Portrait of a lady on fire continues the beautifully crafted tale of love breaking barriers in an LGBT romance that has already won two awards at Cannes for best screenplay and the Queer palme for LGBT representation. Sciamma is a powerful voice for women in cinema and this looks to be her next hit, set in 1770 around a female painter hired to create a portrait for the daughter of a wealthy mother in secret. The scenery and artistic direction looks to be Sciamma's best and the performances by raising French stars Adele Haenel and Noemie Merlant are a powerful and inspirational duo for this intimate tale of forbidden love.
12- And then we Danced
Another LGBT based love story with less commercial success is Levan Akin's And then we Danced. Combining the masculine intensity of Georgian dance and the personal rivalry turned romance of dancers Merab and Irakli, this looks to be an enlightening look at a seemingly unknown culture. Seeing a film set in a hostile modern anti LGBT environment is a powerful thing and this looks to combine that message with the beauty and passion of dance. The choreography looks exciting and fast paced and is a must see for any young lovers of dance and impact through the arts. I hope this gets good reception as its been quite underplayed this year and I hope it will be pushed further.
11- Shooting the Mafia
As one of the guests of honour at this years festival, Kim Longinotto has long been known as a trail blazer of European documentaries in the 20th century. Now she returns with a new advantageous insight into the history of the violence and corruption of the Sicilian mafia as photographed by Letizia Battaglia. Longinotto has always had an eye for capturing the taboo underbelly of cultures and societies worldwide. Sometimes diving into gender identity with Shinjuku Boys or the unflinching reality of foreign marriage laws in Divorce Iranian Style. With Shooting the Mafia, Longinotto balances the sinister deeds of the crime world and the daring heroics of Battaglia to expose and document the effect of these crimes on her home country. This is a must for any documentary lover or if you are looking for a powerful new perspective on the mafia world.
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