56th BFI London Film Festival – Best Of The Festival

With just over 2 weeks until 56th BFI London Film Festival (October 10th) tomorrow the tickets for the film festival going on sale to the general public. With London Film Festival one of major festivals on the film calender the world will be focused on London not to Team GB this time but to show our love for UK’s main film festival and why here in UK we love our film. With tickets for some screenings bound to sell as fast as Usain Bolt on leisurely jog here at The People’s Movies have decided to try help your choosing as there’s over 200 films on offer it can be a daunting as well time consuming.
Below are 7 films not in any particular order, films chosen on recent buzz,excitement levels reviews from screenings at other film festivals such Toronto, Cannes, Sundance, Berlin. Off course you may not agree with our choices so we would love to hear what your choices are leaving your thoughts in the comments box under the post. Over the new couple of weeks we’ll try bring you more choices as we read more about what’s on offer.
Argo (Dir.Ben Affleck)
Though I’m not a massive fan of his previous directed films, I do appreciate that Ben Affleck’s talents do lie behind the camera lens instead of front of it. Argo made it’s premier at this month’s Toronto film festival and his latest film does look a riveting, exciting and what we really love about this one is it’s based on a story of a totally made up film, a sci-fi film called Argo!. Affleck also stretches his acting muscles in this one as CIA exfiltration agent Tony Mendez who devises a plan to rescue 6 American diplomats who are sheltering in the Canadian Embassy during the Iranian revolution in Tehran. They plan to disguise his rescue team as a film crew for fictional film Argo.From the buzz of the early reviews this film could bring Ben Affleck his best chance of Oscar Glory.
Seven Pyschopaths(Dir.Martin McDonagh)
I’ll it and bow my head in shame I have not seen Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges though I have seen last years politically incorrect farce The Guard which I loved.Seven Psychopaths sees the Irish film maker team up with Colin Farrell once again who in a rare part can actually be a character which is actually Irish! Guaranteed laughs, full of wise cracks, inventive script writing and some of the over the top crazy characters making this one essential viewing especially to see Christopher Walken be genuinely funny are trait we don’t see the veteran actor get a chance shine in. Seven Psychopaths tells the tale of washed out screen writer (Farell) who gets dragged into dognapping thanks to his friends (Walken & Sam Rockwell) when the kidnapped the wrong Shih Tzu who happens to belong to long crime boss (Woody Harrellson).
Hyde Park on Hudson (Dir.Roger Mitchell)
We love Bill Murray probably more than some of his fellow actors who have worked with him. We’ve known years Murray’s knack for comedy films some great, others good but the past few years we’ve seen a totally different side to the actor moving into Arthouse, independent more serious roles and his latest playing former American president Teddy Roosevlt could see him or at least the film some Oscar nominations. Hyde Park on Hudson is set during the first visot of British Monarchy( King George VI and Queen Elizabeth ) on American soil back in 1939, at the president’s New York upstate home. The visit was to strengthen the allegiance between Britain and USA with the World War 2 looming however the weekend does delve into the risqué affair Roosevelt had with his cousin Margaret Stuckley (Laura Linney).
Beasts Of Southern Wild (Dir.Benh Zeitlin)
This is the American Independent film that virtually every critic who has seen it since it’s debut away back at Sundance festival. A visually amazing story a vision of life in the Southern Delta, poverty stricken land in a film consisting of non actors whose performances put some of Hollywood’s so called finest to shame. One performance that’s getting people talking is it’s young female lead Quvenzhané Wallis who plays 6 year old Hushpuppy who uses her imagination, wit and charm in lands devastated by floods. It won the hearts of Sundance and Cannes festival when it comes to London it will won the hearts of those who watch this fantastic film, another potential Oscar winner.
End Of Watch (Dir.David Ayers)
It surprised the critics when it made it’s appearance at Toronto Film Festival David Ayer a director renowned for hard hitting Police films which you wouldn’t call box office hits however with End Of Watch it does look like things are about to change. End Of Watch is a gritty Police drama-thriller some critics are calling a love letter to police films, giving the the dreaded ‘found footage’ using it selectively to create a in your face gripping film. Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pena play LA cops Taylor and Zavala also great friends, with Taylor a film student who affixes small cameras to himself to record their routines for a film on the police. Whilst on duty they cross local drug traffickers and the pair find themselves drawn something too big for them to handle on their own.
John Dies At The End (Dir.Don Coscarelli)
It may not look like one that stands out but John Who Dies At The End since it’s 2011 appearance at Toronto Film Festival has been catching people’s eye and critics a like. This film has the potential to become a cult classic and those reviews that this film has had do back it up but also this film has a great cast as well as been a film directed by 2 already cult films Phantasm and Bubba Ho-Tep,Don Coscarelli.John Dies At The End a story about a pair of college drop out who create a psychotropic drug called ‘soy sauce’ a drug that could save mankind but a drug that opens up time/space sending the duo into psychotic chaotic alternate world full of monsters, conspiracy theories
Rust And Bone (Dir.Jacques Audiard)
Cannes and Palm D’or is enough we needed to get us interested in this film along with the fact the film is directed by A Prophet director Jacques Audiard. Rust And Bone is a compelling love story starring Marion Cottillard Matthias Schoenaerts and tells the story of an unlikely relationship between a couple whose relationship blossom thanks to an unlikely accident.Thanks to the trailer below which highlights the beautiful cinematography, heartfelt powerful performances from it’s lead pair, we’re looking at once again another potential Oscar nomination.
The 56th BFI London Film Festival runs from 10-21 October, with public tickets available for purchase on Monday 24 September here.
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