Top 20 films at London Film Festival 2019: Part 2
10- Hope Gap
Alongside Marriage Story in the witty divorce drama genre, we have William Nicholson's Hope Gap. With a charming dysfunctional duo of Bill Nighy and Annette Bening, we see a young web designer played by Josh O'conner returning to his parents home on the coast as he hopes to fix their breaking marriage. Nicholson gets the most out of these actors with a punctuated and scintillating script, as well as taking advantage of the cold bitter British coastal weather for the narrative. Having this in comparison to Marriage Story's claustrophobic cityscapes is intriguing so if you cant get any tickets for that, then Hope Gap is a great second option.
9- The Peanut Butter Falcon
And so we witness the return of the Hollywood castaway, now indie film fest darling Shia LaBeouf. Starring in the headlining film of the Love strand, Peanut Butter Falcon is less focused on romantic love, but rather on the brotherly love that breaks the barriers of mental illness. The film follows Zak (Zack Gottsagen, a young adult with Downs Syndrome, as he dreams to become a professional wrestler and one day leaves the watch of his carers when he runs into downtrodden fisherman Tyler (Shia LaBeouf). Together they escape their past and look to achieve their dreams together. This is the acting debut of Gottsagen who is a shining star for actors with disabilities. His performance will definitely draw lots of attention to representation of disabled people in films and the direction of debut writer and director Micheal Schwartz and Tyler Nilson looks to help support that argument. If you are in the mood for a Huckleberry Finn adventure with some heartwarming performances then give it a go.
8- Monos
Beyond a doubt the most exciting looking film up for competition this year, Monos gives us a Lord of the Flies meets Apocalypse Now epic taking place in the Latin American mountain tops. Alejandro Landes has already been praised as the next voice in South American filmmaking from his Hollywood peers like Del Toro and Inarritu. Judging my the trailer, this film will not be for the faint of heart as it involves sex, drugs and combining the unforgiving power of nature and humanity. This reflective look at the current violence occurring in Landes's home of Columbia is an eye opener of thrilling proportions, as well as a surprise to any Hannah Montana fans with the return of child actor grown up Moises Arias. This is a treat for anyone looking for a tense and visually stunning portrayal of a coming of age story in a war ridden world.
7- Waiting for the Barbarians
After last years official competition runner up Birds of Passage received incredible reception, Columbian sensation Ciro Guerra returns with his first English speaking film Waiting for the Barbarians. Based of the award winning novel of the same name, Guerra continues to be a voice for the oppression on indigenous cultures and communities, this time in a fictional land and from the perspectives of the conquering force. We see Mark Rylance return to a lead role along with a surprise casting of Johnny Depp and the unnerving colonel. Guerra has been on an incredible streak with his previous projects, but this will be the toughest challenge for the provocative filmmaker. Be ready for an adaptation that takes the deserts of Laurence of Arabia to an entirely new level.
6- The Two Popes
We all love films about the odd couple, but now Fernando Meirelles takes the sub-genre all the way to the Vatican with The Two Popes. For the roles of the two great Poniffs of Benedict and Francis will be portrayed by the UK's own acting sovereigns, Anthony Hopkins and Johnathon Pryce. The meeting of the Catholic Churches most divisive leaders, the film takes a deep dive into the ideologies of both the progressive Francis and the traditional Benedict. This meeting of the minds can seemingly only be done with the gravitas of Hopkins and Pryce, and are an exciting pair for what will be an interesting set of debates. Anthony McCarten will be in the hot seat as the lead writer, so it will be up to his script combining with these acting giants to deliver a film worthy of the holy city that its based in. This film is a must see for any catholic follower looking for an honest and rich visual portrayal of the two icons of the 21st century Vatican. Although if you are a fan of discussions on compassion, pride and faith done by theatre legends, this would keep you just as entertained.
5- The Personal Life of David Copperfield
Into the top 5 and we reach the opening film at this years festival, usually given to a real titan of the British film industry. This year we have Armando Iannucci's Dickens adaptation of The Personal Life of David Copperfield. Iannucci has always been one of the best at satire and showing the progressive side of history with his previous works The Death of Stalin and The Thick of It. Now in the setting of Victorian London, he hopes to tackle the social injustice of the industrial era through the eyes of Copperfield, played by Dev Patel. After his emotional performance a few years ago with Lion, Patel looks to be in touch with his witty comic timing while being up against the powerhouse of actors such as Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie and Iannucci's favourite swearing machine, Peter Capaldi. There is already a lot of mixed thoughts from previous screenings that it might not live up to the rest of his work, however Iannucci has remained consistent in his clever and bitting social commentary that has entertained most of the film audience. Give it a go if you're looking for a humorous and colourful Dickens story retold.
4- Ema
With Guerra and Landes both appearing with new films, it seems that Latin American filmmaking is taking over this year, And none proves this more than the 21st centuries master of South American filmmaking Pablo Larrain. Chile's Meastro of film, Larrain as become senonamous both in his home country with The Club, No and has even attempted english speaking Hollywood films with Jackie. However his latest anarchic picture looks to give a new femme fatale flare with a standout performance by Mariana Di Girolamo as a mother looking to get her son back after being put into adoption. The film looks to blend contemporary urban Chile with the street dancing choreography that gives the film a taste of explosive passion and intoxication. Ema looks to introduce a new powerful character study that Larrain is excited to showcase, combining dubious and volatile means with Ema's magnetism and fierce personality to deliver a lively story that will appeal to any lover of female empowerment.
3- The Irishman
Its was nearly 40 years ago when Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull was the closing film for the London Film Festival, now he is back with is favourite actors and the genre that made him famous with this years closing film, The Irishman. This film not only marks the return of Scorsese New York gangster filmmaking, but also the return of the infamous Joe Pesci and the first time Robert De Niro and Al Pacino will be acting alongside each other under Scorsese's direction. This could go either way for Scorsese and Netflix as the story revolves around the death of the 60's labour leader Jimmy Hoffa and 'The Irishman' Frank Sheeran who revealed the thrilling, true story to the world. Thanks to visual de-aging effects, De Niro and Pesci can show their youth on screen once again, even in their old age, to deliver stunning performances that will leave their audience hanging on every word. Its been a while since Scorsese has returned to this gritty underbelly of New York crime dramas. However if his filmography has proved anything, its that he practically perfected this genre of filmmaking for the world to enjoy.
2- Jojo Rabbit
He's become the oceanic icon of heartfelt satire and quirky comedy, but now Taika Waititi looks to his toughest challenge yet, portraying a caricature of the fuhrer himself. His coming of age childhood comedy Jojo Rabbit takes place in the uncomfortable time of 1940s Germany with a young boy in the Hitler Youth, along with his imaginary Hitler played by Waititi himself. The film looks like a Downfall meets Moonrise Kingdom scenario with Waititi's iconic sense of humour and heartfelt care. This looks to be Waititi's first run for the Oscars this year with Hollywood stars Scarlet Johansen, Sam Rockwell and Rebel Wilson being involved, but only time will tell if it follows in the footsteps of other anti facist comedies such as Life is Beautiful. This film looks to be a must for any lover of comedy and satire, since it won the peoples choice awards at Toronto film festival and will definitely be a firm favourite among the average film goer.
1- The Lighthouse
Its hard to believe that Robert Eggers is only on his second feature film when it feels like he's become a veteran of filmmaking. Now with more backing from producers and a duo powerhouse actors in Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, Eggers looks to deliver the greatest lovecraftian horror since Carpenters In the Mouth of Madness. The Lighthouse continues Eggers love of New England horror stories with this tale of a timber man (Pattinson) and a crusty sailor (Dafoe) isolated on an island with dreary weather, rancid water and visions of mermaids and tentacles. Along with his previous film The Witch, Eggers continues his use of historically accurate dialogue and newonces, this time in 1890s Nova Scotia and being shot in stylistic monochrome. With how much Eggers first film shocked its audience, i'm incredibly excited to see how much he pushes the boundaries of horror filmmaking this time. Its a solid recommendation to any fan of the occult and anyone in need of a good scare.
Alongside Marriage Story in the witty divorce drama genre, we have William Nicholson's Hope Gap. With a charming dysfunctional duo of Bill Nighy and Annette Bening, we see a young web designer played by Josh O'conner returning to his parents home on the coast as he hopes to fix their breaking marriage. Nicholson gets the most out of these actors with a punctuated and scintillating script, as well as taking advantage of the cold bitter British coastal weather for the narrative. Having this in comparison to Marriage Story's claustrophobic cityscapes is intriguing so if you cant get any tickets for that, then Hope Gap is a great second option.
9- The Peanut Butter Falcon
And so we witness the return of the Hollywood castaway, now indie film fest darling Shia LaBeouf. Starring in the headlining film of the Love strand, Peanut Butter Falcon is less focused on romantic love, but rather on the brotherly love that breaks the barriers of mental illness. The film follows Zak (Zack Gottsagen, a young adult with Downs Syndrome, as he dreams to become a professional wrestler and one day leaves the watch of his carers when he runs into downtrodden fisherman Tyler (Shia LaBeouf). Together they escape their past and look to achieve their dreams together. This is the acting debut of Gottsagen who is a shining star for actors with disabilities. His performance will definitely draw lots of attention to representation of disabled people in films and the direction of debut writer and director Micheal Schwartz and Tyler Nilson looks to help support that argument. If you are in the mood for a Huckleberry Finn adventure with some heartwarming performances then give it a go.
8- Monos
Beyond a doubt the most exciting looking film up for competition this year, Monos gives us a Lord of the Flies meets Apocalypse Now epic taking place in the Latin American mountain tops. Alejandro Landes has already been praised as the next voice in South American filmmaking from his Hollywood peers like Del Toro and Inarritu. Judging my the trailer, this film will not be for the faint of heart as it involves sex, drugs and combining the unforgiving power of nature and humanity. This reflective look at the current violence occurring in Landes's home of Columbia is an eye opener of thrilling proportions, as well as a surprise to any Hannah Montana fans with the return of child actor grown up Moises Arias. This is a treat for anyone looking for a tense and visually stunning portrayal of a coming of age story in a war ridden world.
7- Waiting for the Barbarians
After last years official competition runner up Birds of Passage received incredible reception, Columbian sensation Ciro Guerra returns with his first English speaking film Waiting for the Barbarians. Based of the award winning novel of the same name, Guerra continues to be a voice for the oppression on indigenous cultures and communities, this time in a fictional land and from the perspectives of the conquering force. We see Mark Rylance return to a lead role along with a surprise casting of Johnny Depp and the unnerving colonel. Guerra has been on an incredible streak with his previous projects, but this will be the toughest challenge for the provocative filmmaker. Be ready for an adaptation that takes the deserts of Laurence of Arabia to an entirely new level.
6- The Two Popes
We all love films about the odd couple, but now Fernando Meirelles takes the sub-genre all the way to the Vatican with The Two Popes. For the roles of the two great Poniffs of Benedict and Francis will be portrayed by the UK's own acting sovereigns, Anthony Hopkins and Johnathon Pryce. The meeting of the Catholic Churches most divisive leaders, the film takes a deep dive into the ideologies of both the progressive Francis and the traditional Benedict. This meeting of the minds can seemingly only be done with the gravitas of Hopkins and Pryce, and are an exciting pair for what will be an interesting set of debates. Anthony McCarten will be in the hot seat as the lead writer, so it will be up to his script combining with these acting giants to deliver a film worthy of the holy city that its based in. This film is a must see for any catholic follower looking for an honest and rich visual portrayal of the two icons of the 21st century Vatican. Although if you are a fan of discussions on compassion, pride and faith done by theatre legends, this would keep you just as entertained.
5- The Personal Life of David Copperfield
Into the top 5 and we reach the opening film at this years festival, usually given to a real titan of the British film industry. This year we have Armando Iannucci's Dickens adaptation of The Personal Life of David Copperfield. Iannucci has always been one of the best at satire and showing the progressive side of history with his previous works The Death of Stalin and The Thick of It. Now in the setting of Victorian London, he hopes to tackle the social injustice of the industrial era through the eyes of Copperfield, played by Dev Patel. After his emotional performance a few years ago with Lion, Patel looks to be in touch with his witty comic timing while being up against the powerhouse of actors such as Tilda Swinton, Hugh Laurie and Iannucci's favourite swearing machine, Peter Capaldi. There is already a lot of mixed thoughts from previous screenings that it might not live up to the rest of his work, however Iannucci has remained consistent in his clever and bitting social commentary that has entertained most of the film audience. Give it a go if you're looking for a humorous and colourful Dickens story retold.
4- Ema
With Guerra and Landes both appearing with new films, it seems that Latin American filmmaking is taking over this year, And none proves this more than the 21st centuries master of South American filmmaking Pablo Larrain. Chile's Meastro of film, Larrain as become senonamous both in his home country with The Club, No and has even attempted english speaking Hollywood films with Jackie. However his latest anarchic picture looks to give a new femme fatale flare with a standout performance by Mariana Di Girolamo as a mother looking to get her son back after being put into adoption. The film looks to blend contemporary urban Chile with the street dancing choreography that gives the film a taste of explosive passion and intoxication. Ema looks to introduce a new powerful character study that Larrain is excited to showcase, combining dubious and volatile means with Ema's magnetism and fierce personality to deliver a lively story that will appeal to any lover of female empowerment.
3- The Irishman
Its was nearly 40 years ago when Martin Scorsese's Raging Bull was the closing film for the London Film Festival, now he is back with is favourite actors and the genre that made him famous with this years closing film, The Irishman. This film not only marks the return of Scorsese New York gangster filmmaking, but also the return of the infamous Joe Pesci and the first time Robert De Niro and Al Pacino will be acting alongside each other under Scorsese's direction. This could go either way for Scorsese and Netflix as the story revolves around the death of the 60's labour leader Jimmy Hoffa and 'The Irishman' Frank Sheeran who revealed the thrilling, true story to the world. Thanks to visual de-aging effects, De Niro and Pesci can show their youth on screen once again, even in their old age, to deliver stunning performances that will leave their audience hanging on every word. Its been a while since Scorsese has returned to this gritty underbelly of New York crime dramas. However if his filmography has proved anything, its that he practically perfected this genre of filmmaking for the world to enjoy.
2- Jojo Rabbit
He's become the oceanic icon of heartfelt satire and quirky comedy, but now Taika Waititi looks to his toughest challenge yet, portraying a caricature of the fuhrer himself. His coming of age childhood comedy Jojo Rabbit takes place in the uncomfortable time of 1940s Germany with a young boy in the Hitler Youth, along with his imaginary Hitler played by Waititi himself. The film looks like a Downfall meets Moonrise Kingdom scenario with Waititi's iconic sense of humour and heartfelt care. This looks to be Waititi's first run for the Oscars this year with Hollywood stars Scarlet Johansen, Sam Rockwell and Rebel Wilson being involved, but only time will tell if it follows in the footsteps of other anti facist comedies such as Life is Beautiful. This film looks to be a must for any lover of comedy and satire, since it won the peoples choice awards at Toronto film festival and will definitely be a firm favourite among the average film goer.
1- The Lighthouse
Its hard to believe that Robert Eggers is only on his second feature film when it feels like he's become a veteran of filmmaking. Now with more backing from producers and a duo powerhouse actors in Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe, Eggers looks to deliver the greatest lovecraftian horror since Carpenters In the Mouth of Madness. The Lighthouse continues Eggers love of New England horror stories with this tale of a timber man (Pattinson) and a crusty sailor (Dafoe) isolated on an island with dreary weather, rancid water and visions of mermaids and tentacles. Along with his previous film The Witch, Eggers continues his use of historically accurate dialogue and newonces, this time in 1890s Nova Scotia and being shot in stylistic monochrome. With how much Eggers first film shocked its audience, i'm incredibly excited to see how much he pushes the boundaries of horror filmmaking this time. Its a solid recommendation to any fan of the occult and anyone in need of a good scare.
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