London Film Festival 2008

[SAI]

So the full programme comes out tomorrow. I'll post the details, and highlight some exciting inclusions then, but I thought it might be interesting to get any UK schmoes to chime in with what they're hoping will be included in the fest.

The big one for me is Francois Ozon's new film Ricky, which he's descirbed as a mix between Cronenberg and the Dardenne Brothers, and which stars the always excellent Sergi Lopez. I don't even know if it's finished. but Ozon does habitually debut his films at LFF, so here's hoping.

Of other higher profile films I'd like to see both The Road and Revolutionary Road included, as well as The Lovely Bones (still scheduled for a March bow here, but imdb's October 2009 date for the US release suggests this one won't be appearing.)

I'm also fervently hoping that the brilliant looking Frozen River will screen.

What I'm really looking forward to, though, is ploughing through the programme tomorrow and reading about and getting excited by movies I've not even heard of yet.

So far two titles are confirmed... the opener and closer.

Opening Film
Frost/Nixon
http://media.filmschoolrejects.com/images/frostnixon1.jpg

Closing Film
Slumdog Millionaire
http://www.mtv.com/movies/photos/c/cannes_posters_051908/slumdog_millionaire.jpg

So... predictions, hopes? See you tomorrow with the programme and my picks.

[BadCoverVersion]

Shit, I didn't even realise The Lovely Bones had been made already.

Sounds like a blast SAI...keep us posted on the programme.

[Cosimo]

um,

the wrestler

http://img77.imageshack.us/img77/2034/thewrestlerbootlegdh0.jpg

three monkeys

http://img84.imageshack.us/img84/1472/untitledra5.bmp

che

http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/4746/argentinechedeltorohe8.jpg

[Cosimo]

Of other higher profile films I'd like to see The Road



i second

[SAI]

Okay, the media seem to have had access to the full programme, but the website hasn't updated yet. I do, though, have the titles of the gala screenings.

“W.,” Oliver Stone
“Genova,” Michael Winterbottom
“Waltz With Bashir,” Ari Folman
“Quantum Of Solace,” Marc Forster
“The Other Man,” Richard Eyre
“Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” Woody Allen
“The Brothers Bloom,” Rian Johnson
“Easy Virtue,” Stephan Elliott
“Che (Part 1 & Part 2),” Stephen Soderbergh
“The Class,” Laurent Cantet
“Hunger,” Steve McQueen
“Gonzo: The Life And Work Of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson,” Alex Gibney
“The Secret Of Moonacre,” Gabor Csupo

I'll wait on most of these, galas are expensive and they are for higher profile films that will, eventually, see relatively wide releases. That said I would LOVE to catch Michael Winterbottom's Genova because he's a genius, and because it stars two of my favourite actresses; Hope Davis and Catherine Keener. I'm also tempted by Richard Eyre's The Other Man, because Eyre is one of the UK's most underrated filmmakers [previous films: Iris, Stage Beauty, Notes on a Scandal] and Laura Linney (who I saw, but didn't get to meet last year) is one of his leads this time.

[Cosimo]

“W.,” Oliver Stone
“Genova,” Michael Winterbottom
“Waltz With Bashir,” Ari Folman
“Quantum Of Solace,” Marc Forster
“The Other Man,” Richard Eyre
“Vicky Cristina Barcelona,” Woody Allen
“The Brothers Bloom,” Rian Johnson
“Easy Virtue,” Stephan Elliott
“Che (Part 1 & Part 2),” Stephen Soderbergh
“The Class,” Laurent Cantet
“Hunger,” Steve McQueen
“Gonzo: The Life And Work Of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson,” Alex Gibney
“The Secret Of Moonacre,” Gabor Csupo



aint fussed with that lineup. too much dollar for sure

i'd pay £5 to c the wrestler early. me flashy!

[SAI]

Well, it's another interesting, diverse, and frankly massive, slate of films. Here's my (entirely personal) picks, the full programme can be found here (http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/). The italicised text is the short description for each film from the LFF website. All dates are in OCTOBER.

FILMS

Galas and Special Screenings
The Brothers Bloom 27th/28th
A fresh and warm hearted take on the con man movie, with fast and funny dialogue and impeccable performances.
Rian Johnson's first film; Brick was one of my favourites of that year, I'll be seeing Bloom, but it's not a festival must for me because it will see a wide release.

Frost/Nixon 15th/18th
Peter Morgan's electrifying depiction of the historic encounter between Richard Nixon and jet-setting television personality David Frost.
Screenwriter Morgan has pedigree from Stephen Frears' The Deal and The Queen and this film retains the acclaimed stage cast, but can Ron Howard make this static sounding story cinematic?

Genova 22nd/26th
http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/sites/bfi.org.uk.lff/files/images/genova_05.jpg
After tragedy strikes, a man and his two daughters move to Italy to begin life anew in this moving and beautifully observed story of family relations.
A new film by Michael Winterbottom is always deserving of attention and this one, shot in his usual guerilla style, sounds like a more mainstream effort, a ghost story perhaps. It also has a stellar cast, featuring Colin Firth, Catherine Keener and Hope Davis. I'm going to go to the gala for this one if possible, because it's likely that Winterbottom will turn up, and possibly his stars as well.

Hunger 19th/20th
A bold and powerful interpretation of the highly emotive events surrounding the 1981 IRA Hunger Strike.
The Cannes hit gets a British premiere, ahead of a Halloween release date. I'll wait.

The Other Man 17th/19th
A sophisticated drama capturing the subtle nuances of love, betrayal and forgiveness.
A second teaming for Kinsey co-stars Laura Linney and Liam Neeson, under the much underrated eye of director Richard Eyre.

Slumdog Millionaire 30th
The fascinating story of a young man from the Mumbai slums whose success on India's 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' reveals his true desire.
UK premiere for Danny Boyle's latest, already a hit at a few other fests.

W. 23rd/24th
Oliver Stone's take on the story of the one time black sheep of the Bush family and his rise to become leader of the Free World
Stone's surefire controversy magnet looks like being a good deal of fun, but this premiere is close to the November 7th release date, so I'm holding off.

Waltz With Bashir 24th/27th
Provocative and visually inventive, this animated documentary is a potent study of the futility of war.
A particular favourite, from this years Cannes, of critic Mark Kermode, who I have huge respect for, but again I'll wait for the iminent general release.


Film On The Square
Frozen River 23rd/24th
http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/sites/bfi.org.uk.lff/files/images/frozen_river_04.jpg
Sundance Grand Jury Prize winner, set in wintry upstate New York, where a single Mom finds herself on the wrong side of the law.
I've been wanting to see this one since seeing a trailer for it a little while back, it looks like an intriguing drama with a fantastic performance by Melissa Leo (who I enjoyed in both 21 Grams and The Three Burials of Melquiades Estrada)

The Good, The Bad, and The Wierd 30th
The three main characters in Kim Jee-Woon’s homage to Sergio Leone are interchangeably good, bad and weird amid the virtually non-stop action in 1930s Manchuria.
Kim Jee-woon is certainly a genre hopper, of his others I liked A Bittersweet Life and was left cold by A Tale of Two Sisters, but this looks like fun, and stars Song Kang-ho and Lee Byung-hun (soon to be seen in GI Joe) are always good value.

Hamlet 2 26th/28th
Irreverent comedy co-written by the creator of South Park, featuring Steve Coogan as a failed actor turned drama teacher.
The title of this one still makes me giggle, as does the prospect of seeing Rock Me Sexy Jesus on the big screen.

Incendiary 18th/19th
Topical and moving drama about the impact of a bomb attack on a London football stadium
The subject matter is interesting and topical, the cast (Michelle Williams, Ewan McGregor) is solid. The question mark is if Bridget Jones Diary director Sharon Maguire can do drama.

Rachel Getting Married 16th/17th
A gloriously fluid and refreshingly unconventional story of family ties and sibling rivalries.
The screenwriting debut of Sidney Lumet's daughter Jenny and the return to fiction films of Jonathan Demme, after four years away. This is picking up good notices at other fests, and whispers of an Oscar nod for Anne Hathaway.

The Silence of Lorna 27th/29th
A characteristically compassionate but probing study of responsibility, betrayal and guilt from the Dardenne brothers.
I've only seen one of the Dardenne's films, but based on The Child I really ought to see more.

Synecdoche New York 28th/29th
http://www.iwatchstuff.com/2008/02/04/synecdoche-new-york-hoffman.jpg
A singularly imaginative and dazzlingly complex story of creativity and the drive to find meaning in art and life.
Three words: Jenifer. Jason. Leigh. Please God let her show up to the gala screening. If she does I may make a complete fool of myself, but it'll be worth it.

Three Monkeys 26th/27th
A magnificently intense, brooding tale of family brought low by a twisted chain of deceits, distinguished by Ceylan's extraordinarily painterly digital imagery
After suffering the painfully tedious and frankly offensive Climates I'd rather walk around Leicester Square in shoes filled with broken glass than see another of Nuri Bilge Ceylan's films, but since it's on La Motta's wish list I thought I should confirm that it's showing.

Well, that's the more mainstream stuff, I'll have a few more leftfield selections, from the festival's other sections, in the next post.

[Cosimo]

After suffering the painfully tedious and frankly offensive Climates I'd rather walk around Leicester Square in shoes filled with broken glass than see another of Nuri Bilge Ceylan's films, but since it's on La Motta's wish list I thought I should confirm that it's showing.



offensive?

to each their own i guess

i think ceylan is a brilliant filmmaker

his long shots which could be described as quiet are true to life
uzak is his best film

[SAI]

Here are the rest of my personal picks for LFF

New British Cinema
Better Things 17th/22nd
A restrained and beautifully articulated character study of the realities of life and love in rural England.
A feature debut from an award winning short film maker. The screenshots and plot summary suggest a beautifully filmed, if raw, kitchen sink drama. Much will hinge on how the unknown cast do.

Bronson 17th/24th
Brave and challenging portrait of notorious lifer and the UK's 'most violent prisoner' Charles Bronson.
Having Danish director Nicolas Winding Refn (the Pusher trilogy) behind the camera should, at least, ensure that this biopic isn't going to be some watered down PG-13 telling of Charles Bronson's story. In the lead role Tom Hardy is completely unrecognisable.

Helen 26th
http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/sites/bfi.org.uk.lff/files/images/helen_01.jpg
Naturalism and a strong visual approach combine in this sensitively drawn study of a young woman poised on the brink of adulthood.
Another feature debut with a cast of non-actors and an intriguing plot summary.


French Revolutions
Parc 16th/18th
Inventive French adaptation of John Cheever's suburbian-dystopia novel Bullet Park.
I don't know what to expect from this really, but the plot summary promises something dark and difficult, something intense and impactful, without giving anything away.

A Simple Heart 17th
Sandrine Bonnaire is at her best as a servant in a nineteenth-century household, in a spare, evocative adaptation of Flaubert's classic story.
I've enjoyed Sandrine Bonnaire in all the (sadly few) films I've seen her in so far, and this Flaubert adaptation sounds like a good showcase for her talents.

La Vie d'Artiste 20th/22nd
http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/sites/bfi.org.uk.lff/files/images/la_vie_d_artiste_01.jpg
A writer, an actor and a would-be chanteuse pursue elusive glory in Marc Fitoussi's brittle comedy about artistic disappointment.
French comedies are a bit of an acquired taste, but I often enjoy them and the lovely Sandrine Kiberlain is, as far as I've seen so far, both a fine actress and a charming comedienne.


Cinema Europa
Blind Loves 19th/21st
A touching, inventive and often very funny portrait of the way people live and love without sight.
This film about four people, of various ages, and different standings in society, all of them blind from birth, looking for love sounds like it will be one of the festival's most touching. Apparently it has not been made clear whether the film is a complete fiction or a re-creation of real events.

The Candidate 23rd/24th
A defence attorney is thrown into a world of blackmail, murder and deception. A stylish and breathtaking Copenhagen-set noir thriller.
I love Neo-noir and this Danish contribution to the genre seems to have a distinctive look and a compelling story to go along with its solid cast.

Cloud 9 16th/17th
http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/sites/bfi.org.uk.lff/files/images/cloud_9_02.jpg
A brave and truthful portrayal of love in later life.
Sexuality often seems to be off limits in cinema if the characters concerned are over 50. Here Andreas Dresen documents an extra marital affair between a married woman in her 60's and a man in his 70's.

Everybody Dies But Me 22nd/23rd
An unusual and authentic insight into the world of Russian teenagers as three young girls prepare for the school disco.
A debut from a 24 year old director. I like coming of age movies, there's an inherent drama to them, and this sounds like, if not a radically different take on the genre, certainly an interesting one. It also happens to have the best title of any film at the festival.

A Game For Girls 16th/18th
A clever and fresh take on the crime movie, a neat and nasty film noir.
I loved the last high school set noir I saw; Rian Johnson's Brick, and this Italian film sounds like a cross between that and the underrated Pretty Persuasion. Definitely one of my must sees.

Hooked 18th/21st
A car accident leads to a game of emotional cat-and-mouse when a street prostitute seeks revenge against two secret lovers.
I don't think I've ever seen a Romanian film, and the plot summary for this noirish thriller makes it sound like it will be a tense and riveting 80 minutes.

Revanche 28th/29th
http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/sites/bfi.org.uk.lff/files/images/revanche_04.jpg
A bungled robbery leads to a search for revenge in this masterful and intelligently crafted drama.
Revenge movies are another particular favourite of mine and this Austrian example looks to be strikingly shot and has a storyline that suggests a strong thriller.


World Cinema
Afterschool 25th/27th
A dark tale from within the American prep school that brims with vitality and originality.
This sounds like an edgy and interesting high school movie. It sounds like it will deal in similar themes to Gus Van Sant's Elephant, hopefully without being the powerfully tedious thing that film was.

Night and Day 28th/29th
Shot mostly in Paris, Hong Sang-Soo’s droll movie chronicles the emotional/sexual drift of a Korean émigré who misses his wife but finds himself falling for a much younger woman.
Hong Sang-soo is a director whose films I've been meaning to check out for a long time and this Paris set romantic drama, which has apparently earnt comparisons to Eric Rohmer, seems like as good a place as any to start.

[Cosimo]

why didn't they get the wrestler??!!

*me break down and cry on floor*

i would have paid!! i would have jumped the trains to save money for it though. equilibrium and all

[SAI]

October is a pretty big month for movie fans near London, as well as LFF we get Raindance, a very good independent fest. Last year I saw Once and Exhibit A there, both of which made my Top 10 of 2007.
and, as I've covered in some detail, we've got LFF, where this year I'll be seeing 5 films, more than I've ever done before.

I got my college timetable today so, though I haven't bought my tickets yet, I've been able to finalise my timetable for both fests, so if any schmoes are in London on these days, whether or not you're going to these flicks, and would like to hook up for a drink and a chat, drop me a PM

Raindance (Programme (http://www.raindance.co.uk/site/index.php?aid=2818))
October 9th
17:00 - L...Like Love
19:00 - The Daisy Chain

[SAI]

I knew my LFF programme would end up changing, but not this much. Three of my five films were sold out (on day ONE of ticketing). But I think I've ended up with a less starry, but more excting and more varied, slate of films this way.

All dates are in October

18th
16:15 Parc
21:00 Hooked

22nd
18:15 Everybody Dies But Me

24th
13:00 W.
15:30 Frozen River

[Cosimo]

looks like i'll be helping out this year :(
over the last month the doll monies was keeping me in the style i grew accustomed to (golf stoned with fuck ups, video games etc) but i gots to do what i gots to do!
looking for a job is a job in itself

http://img411.imageshack.us/img411/1892/bumblebeemanjp8.jpg

will report back on the films i'm forced to watch

[soad]

Saw Frost/Nixon today. It was quite okay. I wasn't bored but didn't see anything new either. Classical directing by Howard. Langella and Sheen might get noms from Academy. Langella had a thing with his voice, but Sheen was quite good at being this cool talkshow host and then being completely baffled in front of the president.