London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #22 Sundown & #23 Lamb

And so we reach the end of this year’s filmathon at the BFI* with two films that feel very representative of the diversity at the Film Festival (as well as some nice synchronicity to finish off).

Sundown
Dir. Michel Franco / Dur. 83 mins
Strand:- Official Competition

In A Nutshell:- As an interrupted family holiday prompts a return home, Neil fakes a lost passport in order to remain and invent a new life for himself, free from old constraints…

The Good:- I really enjoyed Michel Franco’s entry into the festival last year, New Order, so was looking forward to this one. It’s a different pace to Franco’s previous effort but no less compelling for it. I feel like, outside of Tarantino films, I haven’t really seen Tim Roth in anything for ages and I’d forgotten how good he can be. Roth plays Neil with a quiet, enigmatic style that holds the attention throughout. There’s a moment where Neil’s motivations become clearer that prompted na audible response of surprise from the audience that was quite satisfying,

The Bad:- Nothing particularly springs to mind on this one.

The Verdict:- It’s a slow burn character study of a man in crisis and Tim Roth’s performance holds the attention throughout. One to watch.


No Q&A at this screening.


Last film…

Lamb
Dir. Valdimar Jóhannsson / Dur. 106 mins
Strand:- Cult

In A Nutshell:- A grieving sheep-farming couple discovers an unusual birth from one of their ewes and raises the offspring as if it were their own. (I’m not sure a nutshell really will do justice to this one.)

The Good:- It’s as if, very consciously, the filmmakers have bolted together two very distinct films - a family drama about isolation and loss and an insane fantasy horror. The tone that this creates is strange and unsettling which is perfect for the sort of film they’re clearly aiming for. It’s also another in the recent trend of brightly lit horror films, with the horror playing out in the broad light of day for the most part (see Midsommar and others). The cast are strong in what is essentially a three-hander (plus one more, hard to really judge on performance being a product of a combination of an actor and CGI).

The Bad:- Some of the CGI in a couple of scenes is a little wonky looking which slightly undermines the effect that they were going for. Also, the ending is extremely underwhelming and anticlimactic after the brooding, menacing build up - there was a real sense of deflation in the cinema at the end.

The Verdict:- It’s an absolute mental premise and is, for most part, carried off in a stylish and thoughtful, only maybe slightly let down by a lacklustre ending.

No Q&A at this screening.

Random Synchronicity:- Without realising it, I’d booked Icelandic films as the first and last films for the fest. Also, given the relatively small nature of the Icelandic film industry, both films had an actor in common - both films featured Björn Hlynur Haraldsson in key roles.


So there we have it - another film festival done for another year. Closing thoughts next time…




* To be replaced next month by another bumper bundle of screenings at the BFI as I go to a load of Mike Leigh films with him doing Q&As, the new Edgar Wright film (again with Q&A) and an animated reconstruction of a missing Doctor Who story. Oh, plus doing a load of gigs and going to see some live comedy too. Sleeping? Sleep is for sleepy people. Let’s get a kebab and go to a disco.

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #20 7 Days & #21 Succession

Getting near to the home stretch now…

7 Days
Dir. Roshan Sethi / Dur. 86 mins
Strand:- Laugh

In A Nutshell:- After an awkward first date, Ravi and Rita find themselves locked down together when a global pandemic hits.

The Good:- It was only a matter of time before we started to see films not just made during lockdown but centred on the lockdown itself and this is a good example of what can be done in limited locations with minimal budget. Having worked together on the TV series Miracle Workers, Karan Soni and Geraldine Viswanathan have good chemistry onscreen which is definitely required as, barring a few talking heads and vocal cameos, this is largely a two-hander between the two of them. The Odd Couple-style humour is played nicely and there are some decent laughs throughout. The pair also have the chops to pull off the more dramatic moments of the film too.

The Bad:- It maybe feels a little too close for comfort to us coming out lockdowns to be reminded about it but that is a minor criticism (and one that will fade with time).

The Verdict:- It’s that rare beast for me - a romantic comedy that I actually enjoyed, thankfully because the emphasis is on the comedy of the situation.

Q&A Notes:- Director Roshan Sethi was there - he’s Karan Soni’s partner and they wrote it together while locked down. The film itself was shot over 8 days last summer in between actual lockdowns. The interviews with couples at the start and end of the film are played by members of their families, including Karan Soni’s parents. Their intention was for it to feel authentically Indian and not explain any particular terminology / cultural specifics.


When I saw this next one, it was a preview. It’s taken me so long to write about it that it’s now a review....

Succession - Season 3: Episodes 1 & 2
Dir. Mark Mylod / Dur. 57 mins & 59 mins
Strand:- Special Presentation

In A Nutshell:- Following his bombshell moment at the end of season 2, Kendall Roy gears up to go to war with his father Logan.

The Good:- This is only the second time I’ve been to a TV screening at the fest (indeed this year marks the first year that they've had a full programme of TV screenings and that's largely due to the increasing overlap between TV and film in terms fo talent and quality) and it’s a funny one to review. It’s really a screening that only makes sense if you’re already watching Succession; fortunately, I absolutely love the show and am definitely watching it so excitement was high for this one (I wasn’t the only; this was the rowdiest crowd I’ve ever experienced at the fest - whooping, clapping, cheering, hollering throughout). It didn’t disappoint - season three so far is sustaining the level of backstabbing intrigue and hilarious sweary dialogue that the first two seasons have set the bar for. It’s a credit to Jesse Armstrong and the writing team that they have managed to create a set of loathsome characters that still remain compelling to watch - not an easy tightrope to walk.

The Bad:- Not a criticism as I still thoroughly enjoyed it but I do wonder how long the show can sustain the back and forth backstabbing that makes up the core of it and avoid the risk of repeating itself. Also, I am going to have to rewatch these to get all the dialogue I missed due to the rowdy crowd!

The Verdict:- If you’re already a Succession fan then this season (so far) absolutely will not disappoint. If you’re not yet one then don’t start here, crack on with season 1!

Screening Notes:- An introduction from Jesse Armstrong along with Brian Cox, Kieran Culkin, Sarah Snook, Matthew Macfadyen, Alan Ruck and J. Smith-Cameron. Brian Cox channelled his inner Logan Roy in his description of the two missing main cast members (“one’s a moron and the other’s a fucking traitor”) to the delight of the audience.

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #18 - Hit The Road & #19 - Encounter

We’re getting there now. Stay on target…

Hit The Road
Dir. Panah Panahi / Dur. 93 mins
Strand:- Official Competition

In A Nutshell:- We follow a family on a road trip for reasons that become clear as the film unfolds…

The Good:- It’s a funny and touching film helped along by performers who all bring different energy to their roles. I’ve never been the biggest fan of a lot of child actors - it’s a fine line between cute and obnoxious after all - but Rayan  Sarlak is good fun here as the noisy and slightly weird youngest child. The slow burn reveal of the reason for the family’s trip and the cost upon them as a unit works well, drawing you into their dynamic. The cinematography is incredible with a broad range of Iranian vistas throughout. Although I wasnl;t familiar with any of the music myself, the use of 70s Iranian pop music throughout almost figures as an additional member of the family on the trip and makes for moments that manage to be both funny and heart-wrenching.

The Bad:- On this one, nothing in particular springs to mind.

The Verdict:- A funny and moving road movie with some nice fantastical touches to accompany the gorgeous vistas on display.

No Q&A for this screening.



Encounter
Dir. Michael Pearce / Dur. 108 mins
Strand:- Thrill

In A Nutshell:- A father races to save his sons in what appears to be an impending invasion by microscopic alien organisms.

The Good:- It’s a tricky one to say too much about without revealing more than you should know going in but the opening sequences of the aliens arriving via meteorite and attacking people’s insides along with Riz Ahmed’s desperate race to get his sons and get them to safety do sweep you along and into the story. As seems to be the theme this year, the film featured performances by two child actors that I didn’t hate.

The Bad:- It wasn’t the film I was expecting it to be - deliberately so but that was disappointing given what I’d hoped I was going to be watching. The ending was fine but became something more pedestrian than I was hoping it would be. I also have to say that I found Riz Ahmed’s American accent to be pretty unconvincing and it was distracting me a lot of the time.

The Verdict:- This one started promisingly but turned into a more lacklustre film than I was hoping for. The premise was interesting but, for me, the execution didn't quite live up to it.

No Q&A for this screening.

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #16 - All Is Vanity & #17 - Nitram

It’s gonna be double bills all the way now, I reckon, as I keep missing days!

All Is Vanity
Dir. Marcos Mereles / Dur. 73 mins
Strand:- Dare

In A Nutshell:- A photographer, a model, a make-up artist and a runner are staying the weekend in a studio flat for a shoot. Things take a turn when one of them disappears…

The Good:- I’m going to struggle with this one as I’m afraid that, despite being on paper exactly the sort of film that I should like, it really didn't float my boat. It’s also tricky to say a lot about it without spoiling it as it’s one of those films that is best gone into without any knowledge of what it’s about.

The Bad:- For me personally, this was a perfect storm of elements coming together to create something that just didn't gel. The performances weren’t great, the characters were not especially likeable and pretty thinly drawn which combined to make them uninteresting and the elements which should have been fun and playful somehow came across as smug and pretentious. I don’t usually like to give predominantly negative reviews but I just didn't really enjoy anything about this.

The Verdict:- A complete misfire for me on every level and disappointingly so as it really is the sort of film that not should I enjoy but is probably the sort of thing I’d end up making.

Q&A Notes:- The director and some of the key cast were there. It was an entirely self-financed film filmed in  the single location over a period of about 11 days. The film was very scripted but, during filming, the actors were encouraged to improvise around the start and end of scenes to give the impression of having just dropped in mid-conversation.


Nitram
Dir. Justin Kurzel / Dur. 112 mins
Strand:- Official Competition

In A Nutshell:- Based on a true story, this tells the story of Martin Bryant and explores the build up to the 1996 Port Arthur massacre in Tasmania, Australia.

The Good:- The film adopts a low key and unsensational way to depict the story of a young man who doesn’t fit in to the world around him. It’s a tricky subject to tackle and this feels like the best approach - the film has a strong sense of unease throughout but doesn’t attempt to explain, justify or judge its subject. Credit has to go to Caleb Landry Jones for a performance that holds the attention throughout even when he is a difficult character to truly empathise with. There are many potential contributing factors for his actions but the film doesn't try and pin it down on any one of them which is to its credit. In fact, it is the gun laws that made this such an easy feat to accomplish that are the intended target of this film.

The Bad:- Nothing immediately springs to mind for this one.

The Verdict:- An unsettling and compelling film which treats a difficult subject with a refreshing lack of sensationalism.

No Q&A for this one.

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #14 - The Phantom Of The Open & #15 - The Odd-Job Men

Yeah, oops, skipped a few days there due to hectic real life type real life-iness so let’s double up for a few days to crack on through this, especially asd the festival’s been over for a week now!

The Phantom Of The Open
Dir. Craig Roberts / Dur. 102 mins
Strand:- Special Presentation

In A Nutshell:- Based on a true story, crane operator Maurice Flitcroft dreams big and gets himself a place in the British Open. The catch? He’s never played golf before…

The Good:- It’s a tricky line to walk - crafting a film whose main character you are meant to laugh at but not in a way that is condescending or pitying. It’s a line that, for the most part, screenwriter Simon Farnaby and star Mark Rylance manage to balance thanks to the humour of the script and Rylance’s portrayal of Flitcroft as a decent if fanciful man. Credit must go to Sally Hawkins as well for giving his wife Jean a sense of dignity and steeliness that stop her from being someone caught up in a madman’s scheme. It’s funny and heartwarming in equal measure with supporting performances that compliment the central ones perfectly.

The Bad:- It wobbles on the edge of veering into sentimentality a few times but is pulled back from that particular brink by the performances of Rylance and Hawkins.

The Verdict:- If you’re after a genuinely funny feelgood film with a distinctly British flavour (after all, we love to root for a talentless underdog) then this is definitely one for you.

Screening Notes:- No Q&A at the end as it was one of the gala screenings (in fact, it was the world premiere) but we did get intro from director Craig Roberts alongside Simon Farnaby, Mark Rylance and other cast members (plus one of Maurice Flitcroft’s sons). There isn’t ever too much said in the intro as it’s difficult to say much without spoiling the film.



The Odd-Job Men
Dir. Neus Ballús / Dur. 85 mins
Strand:- Laugh

In A Nutshell:- Blurring the line between fact and fiction, we follow a week in the life of new recruit plumber Moha as he comes to work with the soon-to-retired Pep and the less-than-thrilled-to-be-working-with-him Valero…

The Good:- It’s an enjoyable slice of life drama that follows the three plumbers as they work on the various jobs required of them throughout a working week. The cast give great performances considering that they are actual plumbers, albeit ones who've been put into fictional situations.

The Bad (Me):- Full disclosure - I hit the traditional “mid Festival slump” during this film and struggled to keep my eyes open. The “Bad” here is my inability to be fully focussed on the film - it’s a gently paced film and this was, sadly for me, the wrong film to have at this point in the fest.

The Verdict:- It’s an enjoyable view into the world of the odd-job men, held together by the three central performances.

Q&A Notes:- Definitely an unusual set up for a film - a mixture of scripted and documentary. Scripted in the sense that the director scripted out the situations they would find themselves in but documentary in that they weren't given any advance notice of what was going to happen, each situation had a genuine plumbing problem and they were left to sort it out by themselves (however, given the director present the best part of two years prepping the film with them between their day job, she had a reasonable idea of how they would react in those situations).
The director spent her time sneaking her way into various plumbing schools during the initial search for subjects and must have seen somewhere in the region of 1000 plumbers for the main roles.
The ending of the film originally took place in a hairdressers but was reshot after it became clear this wasn’t really working.

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #13 - Boiling Point

Back on track with this next one. 

Boiling Point
Dir. Philip Barantini / Dur. 92 min
Strand:- Thrill

In A Nutshell:- A struggling chef navigates an evening’s work at a busy restaurant as personal and professional problems begin to collide…

The Good:- First off, it’s a technically impressive film with the whole film unfolding in a single 90 minute take but technical gimmickry is not enough; fortunately; the film has an energy and pace thanks to the talents of its cast and the urgency of the direction that keep you gripped from start to finish. In fact, I was so swept up in it that I stopped focussing on the fact that it was just the one take. Stephen Graham is, unsurprisingly, great as chef Andy whose personal life is falling apart and beginning to impact the day to day running of his restaurant but Vinette Robinson is just as impressive as his trusted senior who is supportive but at breaking point. The supporting cast all play their parts too from those who are there for the duration to smaller roles like the patronising food hygiene officer. 

The Bad:- Honestly, not a lot springs to mind as I was genuinely swept along by this one.

The Verdict:- Definitely one of the highlights of the festival for me and another powerhouse performance from Stephen Graham.

Q&A Notes:- The director, Vinette Robinson and Ray Panthaki were on hand for the Q&A.
The film was based on an earlier short - the original plan was for the opening twenty minutes of the film to be the single shot and the rest of the film to be conventional quick cutting but that wasn’t working.
The film was rehearsed in stages with the front of house restaurant staff coming on first to get up to speed before the kitchen staff were then brought in. Shooting began in March 2020 with an original plan to shoot 8 takes over 4 nights; they managed 4 takes over 2 nights before the pandemic shut down production. The take used in the final film is Take 3.

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #12 - Titane

Ah, we’ve hit one of those films where I’m tempted to post the whole review as just a single shrug emoji...

Titane
Dir. Julia Ducournau / Dur. 108 mins
Strand:- Special Presentation

In A Nutshell:- Alexia, a young woman with a strange obsessive relationship with cars, finds herself on the run in a precarious situation after giving in to her murderous impulses…

The Good & The Bad:- I’d seen Ducournau’s previous film Raw and enjoyed that, so was looking forward to this but it's one of those films where I’m struggling to pick it apart. Let’s try and highlight some of it. Agathe Rousselle definitely holds the attention as the messed-up and desperate Alexia accompanied by Vincent Lindon as the fire chief who she finds herself sheltering with. There were some moments of bleak humour that did get a laugh out of me and there are some oddly touching moments to the realtionship between these two broken individuals. I think that the main issue for me that I had with the film was that I just didn't understand Alexia as a character and was at a loss as to what motivated her to do what she did at various points in the film other than the fact that she is murderous and, frequently, pretty stupid. It was also hard to suspend disbelief around the disguise she subjected herself to; given that this is a film that features some pretty out there fantasy-based sequences, it feels almost silly to say this but it did have an impact on the film for me (and I guess if I was focusing on this minor aspect, I wasn’t caught up enough in what was happening to see past that).

The Verdict:- I think what I can say about this is that it's not a film that I connected to or enjoyed. It just wasn’t one that worked for me, sadly.

No Q&A at this screening.

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #11 - The French Dispatch

Time for one of the most hotly anticipated films of the festival*.

The French Dispatch
Dir. Wes Anderson / Dur. 102 mins
Strand:- Gala Presentation

In A Nutshell:- An obituary, a travel guide and three stories highlight the work of the magazine The French Dispatch on the occasion of its final issue.

The Good:- The good news is that Wes Anderson is still firing on all cylinders here in what is probably his most overtly comedic film. The episodic structure and recreation of a magazine format on screen is perfectly suited to Anderson’s style; arguably he’s been making borderline episodic films for years anyway. The cast are uniformly good, with old hands and newcomers alike slotting superbly into the Anderson style. Of the three stories presented, the one depicting Benicio Del Toro’s tortured artist prisoner is probably the best but that’s no slight on the other tales. Particular shout out to Jeffrey Wright for looking like he’s been appearing in Wes Anderson films for years, so effortlessly does he fit into the Anderson style. Anderson’s practical use of moving sets as well a selection of lovely moments where the camera across actors and physical props used to create the illusion of a freeze frame are beautiful uses of the screen.

The Bad:- If I have a minor criticism (and it is minor), it’s that the animated sequence, while funny, didn't quite work for me in terms of the style of animation. I get the necessity of that scene (from a budget point of view) but the animation just doesn’t feel quite good enough for the task. Also, if you’re not a fan of Anderson’s work, I suspect that this is unlikely to win you over (fortunately for me, I am a fan).

The Verdict:- A truly joyous romp and up there with The Grand Budapest Hotel as one of Anderson’s best. Go and watch this one.

Screening Notes:- No Q&A as such as it’s a gala presentation but we did get an introduction and a music video from Jarvis Cocker whose music can be heard as the pop star Tip-Top in the middle section of the film. There was a video introduction from Wes Anderson who is currently in Madrid filming his next film, Asteroid City, so couldn’t be there in person. The highlight though was brief appearance from the editor of The French Dispatch, Bill Murray, who came out for a few minutes and was as charming and funny as you would hope Bill Murray to be (he’s already finished his filming for Asteroid City).


*It’s worth noting that I didn't book a ticket for the new Edgar Wright film Last Night In Soho at the festival as I’m seeing it later in the month at the BFI with him doing  full Q&A.

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #9 - The Worst Person In The World & #10 Queen Of Glory

Oops, I inadvertently didn't post one yesterday so let’s double up today.

The Worst Person In The World
Dir. Joachim Trier / Dur. 127 mins
Strand:- Love

In A Nutshell:- A look at the life of Julie, a restless and indecisive medical student-cum-photographer-cum-writer…

The Good:- It’s a fun and lively film, with great performances from the three lead characters. The structure laid out at the start of a prologue, twelve chapters and an epilogue works nicely to give you a sense of how far the journey is. There’s a nice realism to the scenes where they interact with friends and family which is balanced out by a couple of scenes of high fantasy, most notably a frozen time sequence and a magic mushrooms trip. It’s very funny in places but also manages to bring in some moments of genuine emotion without feeling sentimental. It’s a testament to the writer and director that, in different hands, this has all the capability of sliding at times into slightly cliched romcom territory but they manage to deftly avoid that, largely by managing to put in some very and occasionally inappropriate moments (I doubt many other Hollywood romcoms would have a scene where two characters, trying their best not to cheat on their partners, would watch each other going for a piss. Of the main actors, it’s Renate Reinsve that anchors the film and deservedly won at Cannes for her role in this film.

The Bad:- There’s a voiceover technique which is used quite effectively throughout much of the film but seems to oddly disappear by the end. Also, the “frozen time” sequence was enjoyable enough but felt a little out of place with the rest of the film.

The Verdict:- Funny and genuinely touching in equal measures while avoiding the pitfalls of a standard romantic comedy, this is one to watch.

No Q&A for this screening.


Queen Of Glory
Dir. Nana Mensah / Dur. 78 mins
Strand:- Laugh

In A Nutshell:- Ghanaian-American Sarah’s life is thrown upside-down when she inherits a Christian bookshop after the death of her mother

The Good:- It’s a confident debut and does a good job of highlighting the pull that first generation immigrants feel between the country they’ve grown up in and the culture that their parents came from. Mensah plays the lead role herself and is a compelling lead. There are some nice moments of comedy as well as an emotional payoff to the journey that the character of Sarah goes on. 

The Bad:- Overall, it feels a little by-the-numbers; there’s no real surprise in how it all ultimately unfolds.

The Verdict:- An enjoyable comedy but with not enough truly funny moments to make it really memorable.

Q&A Notes:- The film was largely funded via Kickstarter; Nana Mensah never initially intended to play the lead role as well as writing and directing but that was the financial reality of the project. Due to the low budget nature of the film, a large number of friends and family of the cast and crew also appear in it (the next door neighbour’s daughter and mother are played by her real life daughter and mother). Mensha’s family genuinely do own a Christian bookshop which was used for the filming - filming had to take place there on Sundays as this was the day the store was closed due to them all being at church!

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #8 - Cannon Arm And The Arcade Quest

The end of day three and one of the few documentaries that I’m seeing this year (in contrast to last year which was pretty documentary heavy, largely due to pandemic-based reasons). If you’ve seen King Of Kong then you can consider this a companion piece of sorts (with some crossover…) Cannon Arm And The Arcade Quest Dir. Mads Hedegaard / Dur. 90 mins Strand:- Love In A Nutshell:- Danish arcade legend Kym Cannon Arm sets out to beat his own personal best of playing arcade game Gyruss for 49 hours straight on a single coin. His aim this time is to top 100 hours… The Good:- It’s fitting that this one sits in the “Love” strand of the festival as it’s a joyous celebration of friendship and camaraderie within a section of society that is often pushed to the fringes. The near silent Kym and his group of arcade-playing, poetry-spouting, Bach-analysing friends are there to support and cheer each other on through thick and thin. While it covers similar ground and feels thematically slightly similar to the documentary King Of Kong (in that both films chart an arcade obsessive’s quest to beat a record), there’s no Billy Mitchell-style villain of this piece; the game itself being the obstacle to be overcome.* The film also does a good job of successfully winding up the tension for Kym’s record attempt, managing to make footage of a man standing at an arcade machine for hours on end somehow epic. The Bad:- There’s a running theme about particles, quantum theory and the universe as a whole which is maybe laid on a bit thick for my tastes but it’s a minor personal quibble in an otherwise enjoyable film. The Verdict:- It’s a film that has a lot of love for its unconventional subjects and is all the better for it. One of those lovely hidden delights that the film festival is all about - it’s always a joy to find a film that you can’t wait to recommend to other people and look forward to being able to watch again. A highlight of the festival for me. Q&A Notes:- The director’s original plan was for the film to be more cinema verite but that changed when it became apparent that Kym rarely spoke, not exactly making for fascinating viewing on its own. Once he discovered the supporting group of friends though, the film came together. This is the director’s first feature length film after making predominantly short films. He has tried Gyruss but wasn’t very good at it; he prefers other games such as Galaga. * Mitchell does make a brief cameo appearance on the phone and his fate in the King Of Kong is also mentioned.

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #7 - The Rope (Eps 1 & 2)

A first for me at the film fest today - this is my first TV screening at the festival (and not the last - you’ll see…). It’s something that I’ve generally not bothered with in the past as I watch plenty of TV anyway so the focus has been film. However, they’ve expanded the number of TV screenings this year and this sounded intriguing so I thought I’d give it a go. 

The Rope (Episodes 1 & 2 of 3)  
Series Creators- Dominique Rocher, Eric Forestier / Dur. 104 mins

In A Nutshell:- At a research station in Norway looking into mysterious cosmic radio waves, a group of scientists discover a seemingly endless rope stretching out into the neighbouring woods and decide to follow it…

The Good:- It’s an intriguingly odd mystery - where does this endless rope lead to and why is it there - and, by setting it in a scientific research station, allows the creators to play around with mysticism versus rationalism, belief versus facts, etc. It’s a compelling start and I was drawn in enough with these two episodes to want to know what comes next.
The cast are solid and work well as an ensemble - there weren’t any really stand out members for me.
The setting also gives it an air that is both other-wordly and vaguely menacing which is very the tone that the series seems to be going for.

The Bad:- There’s one slightly surreal sequence in the second episode which I’m not one hundred percent convinced quite worked.
Also, we were only shown the first two episodes of this three episode mini-series and there’s no confirmed air date for it yet so it’s hard to form an overall opinion on it. Science vs mysticism was also one of the key pillars of Lost and it’s hard to know without seeing episode three if this goes down a similarly frustrating route.

The Verdict:- It’s actually a difficult one to pass judgement on and probably a good indication as to why I’ve avoided TV screenings at the fest as, without seeing the third and final episode, it’s difficult to know if the promise of the first two episodes is delivered upon. Based on those first episodes, I’m suitably intrigued and would like to see the third to know if it pays off.

Q&A Notes:- Intriguingly, the creators work together in English despite being French as their film and TV references are all based on English-language works so they find it quicker to work that way. It does then mean that they have to translate the scripts back into French again afterwards.
The director has previously worked in film before making this and found TV challenging to a level that has made him want to move back to film again for his next project.

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #6 - The Good Boss

The first of three screenings on day three of the festival.

The Good Boss
Dir. Fernando León de Aranoa / Dur. 120 mins

In A Nutshell:- In the running for an award, company boss Blanco espouses the values of ‘Hard Work, Balance, Loyalty’; his actions, however, tell a different story…

The Good:- Javier Bardem is always good value and he is on fine form here as the head of industrial scales company Basculas Blanco. It’s a slow burn of a film but, as it progresses, things begin to spiral out of control for Blanco, partly of his own doing and partly because his interventions make things worse, but in a way that doesn't feel too obvious or cliched. There are some nice moments of comedy between the security guard Roman and the protesting disgruntled employee, Jose, who sets up home outside the factory. The escalation of the relationship between Lilian and Blanco leads to some satisfying and squirmy twists and turns in an unexpected way. It also avoids going the traditional route as it heads to the climax which feels consistent for the character of Blanco’s behaviours throughout the film.

The Bad:- Not really a criticism of the film but more a note on the BFI’s classification of films. It’s pretty hard to try and pigeonhole films into genre groupings so I don’t envy the programmers having to try in order to give some sort of sense of the film you’re going to get. This film was in the “Laugh” strand (“Laugh” and “Cult” being , unsurprisingly, the strands that the majority of my choices come from) and it is , by and large, a comedy but it does open with and contain some quite brutal scenes so I wasn’t quite sure what I was getting.

The Verdict:- Bardem has great fun playing a man who is incapable of seeing how his own dreadful behaviour is at odds with his publicly stated image and largely the cause of his own problems. The measured pacing makes for a slow burn spiral of things going wrong and leads to an ending that eschews the traditional resolution.

No Q&A for this one.

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #4 (& 5) - The Hand Of God (Plus The Film That Never Was…)

Day two of the festival and a slight wrinkle in plans. Film number two of the day was supposed to be All My Friends Hate Me, a British dark comedy, screened at the Prince Charles Cinema. After being let in and sat in our seats for around 40 minutes, the announcement that no one wanted to make or hear came:- due to technical issues, they weren’t able to screen the film. I felt absolutely gutted for the filmmakers as a large number of the cast and crew as well as friends were all there for this screening. 

Still, the day got off to a much better start with this…

The Hand Of God
Dir. Paolo Sorrentino / Dur. 130 min

In A Nutshell:- A semi-autobiographical coming-of-age tale detailing the formative teenage experiences of Maradona-obsessed teen Fabietto.

The Good:- So much about this one ticks the good column - the cast are uniformly excellent but particular shout-outs to Filippo Scotti as the wide-eyed Fabietto viewing everything going on around him; Toni Servillo and Teresa Saponangelo as his parents with a complex love and Luisa Ranieri as his tortured but compelling Aunt Patrizia. It’s a film that’s not afraid to tackle thorny subjects but manages to do so with a sense of humour. Particular joy is derived early on in the film from the savage yet loving way in which Fabietto’s extended family ruthlessly pull each other apart, including Dora Ramona as the formidable and foul-mouthed Signora Gentile. It’s also gorgeously shot with Sorrentino’s clear love for his native Naples shining throughout the film. The film takes a surprising turn partway through, setting up a more sombre second half but still managing to maintain a thread of that earlier throughout.

The Bad:- The only note that I wasn’t entirely sure about is that there is a character with learning difficulties in the film and it feels a little like the character is played too broadly and as a figure to be laughed at but that was the only note for me which didn't quite ring true.

Verdict:- It’s a film with a huge amount of heart which manages to touch on some difficult and even taboo subjects but does so while still maintaining an enjoyable sense of humour about it. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Q&A Notes:- Sorrentino, Scotti, Saponangelo and Ranieri were all in attendance along with the film’s producer and DOP. Sorrentino, when asked about his choice if using autobiographical elements, stated that his choices were either therapy or filmmaking and the smart man chooses filmmaking as you get paid for it instead of vice versa.
Michael Caine once claimed that Sorrentino was like John Huston as a director; you only got direction when you were doing something wrong. No dissent from the actors…

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #3 - The Feast

Last film of the first day (yes, it is going to take much longer than the Festival itself to cover them all at this rate) and we’ve had comedy, anime and now horror.

The Feast
Dir. ​​Lee Haven Jones / Dur. 93 mins
Strand:- Cult

In A Nutshell:- As an MPs family prepares for an evening with guests in their remote Welsh cottage, the newly arrived help Cadi seems to have an agenda of her own…

The Good:- It’s great to see filmmakers championing a part of the UK that is often overlooked and fascinating to see a film shot entirely in the Welsh language; I have to admit that it’s the first time I;ve ever seen a film in Welsh - there’s something unique about watching a film clearly set in the UK but which I needed subtitles to understand. The countryside setting gives it a cinematic look and the opening scenes effectively build the mystery of what’s going on and draw you in. The cast were, for the most part, strong; in particular Annes Elwy as Cadi who has to build a character out of barely any dialogue.

The Bad:- Sadly, there was a lot I didn’t enjoy about this one. The pacing begins to really drag to the extent that you begin to care less about what’s going on. When the moments come that are meant to be shocking, there’s a cheapness to the make-up and effects work on display that sadly undermines them. It’s unclear whether these moments are meant to be horror-comedy (in which case they;re not quite funny enough) or genuine horror (in which case they’re too laughable). The film also hints at a backstory for the enigmatic Cadi to do with a certain region nearby which is then left unexplored; deliberately so, it would seem, but rather than keeping the character mysterious, it feels like they’ve left something out so, for me, just felt unsatisfying. I also felt it was unclear as to Cadi’s motivation for targeting this family specifically.

The Verdict:- A misfire for me - I see what they were trying to do with the film but it just didn't come together in a way that I found satisfying.

Q&A Notes:- The film was shot over 18 days in a rented house called, ironically enough, Life House. The filmmakers aim was to make something that was uniquely Welsh and definitely from a Welsh perspective but also that would have global appeal.

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #2 - Belle

The second film of the first day of the fest.

Belle
Dir. Mamoru Hosoda / Dur. 121 mins
Strand:- Official Competition

In A Nutshell:- Withdrawn teenage Suzu, still impacted by the death of her mother years earlier, reinvents herself as successful singer Bell in the online world of U where she is drawn to the mysterious and destructive Dragon…

The Good:- Utilising elements of both Cocteau and Disney’s Beauty And The Beast (with nice nods throughout the film to the look and feel of both) but spinning something different out of it, there’s an emotional depth to this that (for me) was not as present in Hosada’s previous effort Mirai (which I watched at the 2018 fest). The animation itself is gorgeous with the use of traditional 2D animation and CGI animation to differentiate between the real world and the online world of U working really well. Bell’s design has a real Disney feel to it while Dragon evokes the style of Cartoon Saloon films such as Song Of The Sea or Wolfwalkers (see Q&A notes); a design choice which visually highlights that you can be anything in the world of U. There are some nice touches of humour throughout, including some nice jabs at online sponsorship, and one extremely funny scene between two characters confessing their feelings for each other which has beautiful comic timing. The reveal of who Dragon is and the element of jeopardy it introduces leads to some powerful and genuinely nerve-wracking moments.

The Bad:- It’s maybe a little long at two hours for the story that it’s trying to tell but that really is a minor criticism.

The Verdict:- It’s a gorgeous and heartfelt tale with a conscious mix of 2D and CGI animation that actually works (rather than the usual glaring blend) and a spin on Beauty And The Beast that goes in surprising directions with an emotionally satisfying ending.

Q&A Notes:- This was the first in person visit to the Film Fest for Mamoru Hosada, having been unable to make it in 2018 when Mirai was screened. The Beauty And The Beast influence was a very conscious one; Disney’s version being the film that cemented his decision to enter into the world of animation in the first place and he’d always wanted to put his own spin on it with a chance to animate his won version of the Beast.
The look and feel of Bell and Dragon being influenced by Disney and Cartoon Saloon respectively was also a deliberate one as Hosada collaborated with animators from both companies on the film (his collaboration with Cartoon Saloon came about as the result of the pandemic and being on a Zoom with them which lead to them working together).

London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 #1 - Cop Secret

Time to kick off the review-athon proper-like with the first film of the festival… 

Cop Secret
Dir. Hannes Thór Halldórsson / Dur. 98 min
Strand:- Laugh

In A Nutshell:- Top Rekjavik cop Bussi is threatened in more ways than one by the need to team up with up-and-coming ex-model-turned-cop Hördur in Iceland’s first action cop buddy spoof comedy.

The Good:- Clearly parodying the 80s/90s Hollywood buddy action movie but clearly made with buckets of affection, Cop Secret nails the tone from the start with epic sweeping shots and a pounding score reminiscent of not just 80s blockbuster action films but also its small screen equivalents like Miami Vice. The opening chase sequence pulls off a great reveal gag, setting the tone for the rest of the film. It makes good use of its low budget to give the impression of being a much bigger budget action film, with particular credit to the music and editing for achieving the feel of something much more expensive than it is. Aside from the main performers (who make the right decision of largely playing it seriously; at least, seriously in the context of 80s/90s action film acting - the exception being main villain Rikki Ferrari who is played with the bizarre over the top energy of many a 90s action film villain e.g. Dennis Hopper in Speed), there are nice comedic turns from the supporting cast, in particular the victimised henchman who keeps pointing out the flaws in the villainous plotting going on around him.

The Bad:- The only “bad” thing is that this film was made for the Icelandic market without really imagining that it would travel much further so a lot of the gags are targeted at having specific knowledge of Iceland (such as the idea of having separate jurisdictions for Reykjavik and Gardabaer as they’re ridiculously close to each other). It’s not really a criticism, though; more a shame that there’s a level of humour that I was kissing out on and it’s a credit to the filmmakers that this doesn’t really detract from the overall enjoyment of the film.

The Verdict:- This was a great way to kick off the festival - a fun but affectionate spoof of action films much in the same vein as Hot Fuzz (cited as an inspiration by the director). 

Venue Notes:- My first time in the main screen at the BFI for the best part of 20 months and it was good to be back. I was briefly genuinely annoyed that they seemed to have refitted the cinema with much smaller seats which struck me as an insane idea during a pandemic until I realised that I’ve put on around 2.5 stone since the first lockdown started. Sigh….

Q&A Notes:- The film’s director, Hannes Thór Halldórsson, is a professional goalkeeper and played in goal against England in this year’s Euros*. In fact, he had to juggle the filming schedule around his football commitments, often leaving the shoot to practice and then racing back to carry on filming. That’s a level of dedication to filmmaking that you have to admire. 
As mentioned above, there are a lot of Icelandic in-jokes. Former comedian Jón Gnarr once served as Mayor of Reykjavik; in the film, he portrays the Prime Minister**. Similarly, a number of Icelandic personalities appear as themselves throughout the film.
The budget for the film was apparently 0.003% that of the latest Fast & Furious film.

*Look, I know the square root of naff all about football but even I was amused by this fact.


**I guess the UK equivalent would be a former columnist and TV personality/ pus-filled-sack of moral ineptitude becoming the Prime Minister of the UK. Actually, never mind, that wouldn’t be funny.

BFI London Film Festival (LFF) 2021 - Back Once Again With The Film Behaviour

Oh, hi there. Yes, this was once a blog that was updated on a (relatively) regular basis. What happened this year, you ask? Well, leaving aside that whole global pandemic thing (mainly because that didn't seem to impact frequency a hell of lot last year), I’ve mainly spent my time pursuing my new obsession of getting into stand up* and, as of writing, have passed the 60 gig mark (giving it some welly / colossal waste of time - delete as to your view on the merits of the life of an aspiring stand up**). There’s probably a set of posts in that at some point (I’ve mined everything else on here, after all) but, for now, it’s time to return to one of the stalwart seasons of posts round this here titchy corner of the internet. Yes, it’s time for…


The London Film Festival 2021

Hurrah! And maybe even woop woop! (I’m a fairly even tempered / borderline stoic type so choose your own expression of glee.)


In Actual Cinemas
Yep, last year I forewent the few in-person screenings that were running and stuck solely to the small screen but I have gone full pelt back into it again this year. In fact, this week will not only be a ludicrous number of trips to the cinema across 12 days but will also be the first time I’ve set foot inside a cinema since March 2020. Am I nervous? A little - I’m both double-jabbed and have already had COVID so am relatively unlikely to catch it (not impossible though) and have spent time in small poorly ventilated areas with other people while attending open mic gigs (a likely cause of me catching COVID) but there’s still a small psychological hesitancy about it. Maybe I should take it easy as we are still in the midst of a pandemic but the BFI is mandating mask wearing during screenings and has installed new aircon in its own screens so I’m relatively happy that the most is being done.

Not Just Film
I tend to eschew the TV screenings in favour of the film ones as it is a film festival after all (and I can be snobbish like that sometimes) but I have made a major exception this year - I’m booked in to see the first two episodes of the new series of Succession and am very much looking forward to it. As for the rest of the list, I was tempted to give you the lot now but I think I’ll hold off and let them be a surprise as they arrive. I’m only watching a couple of the major releases - as per usual, I’ve gone with my gut instinct and tried to pick the stuff that sounds interesting, odd or quirky in the main as this technique has served me well in the past.

On Reviewing
A note about the reviews here - in general, I’m trying these days to only review stuff that I enjoy (as there is more than enough negativity, well, everywhere really) but I am going to post reviews of all the films I'm watching and chances are that there will be some that I don’t like. In every case, I’m going to try and say something positive about the film regardless and always remember that these reviews are just my opinion anyway - you may well enjoy what I do not.

Just The LFF?
Will this blog thingy carry on past the Film Fest? Ah, who can say? Let’s face it, there’s plenty of people punting their ill-informed opinions out into the internet on a daily basis so one more won’t be missed if it quietly vanishes again. At the very least, this exercise in mental muscle flexing will see out the fest so that the two of you who look at these posts can get your annual fix.

Alright then, let’s go stare at the screen and then type about that staring (with added listening too)...

* Huh, I guess all those aimless witterings about comedy and dissections of my comedy archeology really were building up to something after all. Who knew?

** Ten months in and it still feels somewhat surreal to refer to myself as a stand up or comedian but that is what I am now. Mad.

Hiatus

(For the benefit of the five of you that regularly look at this anyway…)

This has been a place to exercise the old grey matter and force it into putting something down on the page - the mental equivalent of a Joe Wicks workout, I guess (Lockdown 1 callback for you there). I had a good run of almost daily updating for a while there but, in the last few months, getting posts out has been a little like squeezing accountability from a Tory Prime Minister (SATIRE).

That isn’t to say that I haven’t been engaged mentally - I took part in and completed NaNoWriMo as I mentioned on here before and, as I haven’t mentioned on here before, I now seem to be trying my hand at being a stand up comedian (when I write it down like that, it still seems a little bit insane). I’m sure I’ll update on that in due course but it’s all a bit new at the moment.

You would think that, given that I mostly talk about stuff I’ve watched / read on here and I’m watching / reading more than I ever have, it would be boom time for this here blog thingy. For some reason, it doesn’t seem to be working like that, though. Posting is feeling like a slog so time to take a break.

So, instead of this just sort of fizzling and fading into the background, I’ll put a little full stop on it for now and come back with a fresh paragraph another time. Could be in a day, could be in six years judging by previous breaks in service. Who knows? Anyway, that’ll do for the minute and I’ll leave you with my new sign off below...