London Film Festival
LFF Review: See for Me
The loss of a sense can be terrifying and frightening. How we respond to such a lifechanging event depends on the person, but it’s never easy. If it’s caused by an accident, it tends to trigger a fight or flight response. Either we (initially) withdraw into ourselves or immediately resolve to overcome any challenges. Today, …
LFF Review: When a Farm Goes Aflame
How much do we really know about the ones we love the most? The people closest to us. As children we naturally concentrate on what’s directly in front of us and it’s rare to think about what our parents’ lives were like before we came along. As we get older, we become more inquisitive and …
LFF Review: Brother’s Keeper
In the UK, boarding schools are often seen as the preserve of the rich. A place for the wealthy to deposit little Tarquin or Jemima while they enjoy their jet-set lifestyle. To abdicate responsibility for raising them through the power of the chequebook. In cinema, they tend to be unhappy places. Institutions where bullying is …
LFF Review: The Storms of Jeremy Thomas
When we talk about British cinema we usually focus on actors or directors. Occasionally a cinematographer or two and maybe even an editor or sound engineer, if we’re feeling generous. Although hey play a pivotal role in bringing films to fruition, it’s rare to talk about producers. One of the best is Jeremy Thomas. He’s …
LFF Review: Money Has Four Legs
Nepotism plays a huge role in film industries across the world. While having a famous mother or father might allow you to jump the queue, it can also mean that you are forever stuck in their shadow. Even with this kind of head start, making a film is hard. One of the biggest problems is …
LFF Review: Cop Secret
There’s something about the buddy movie which captures the imaginations of cinemagoers. Especially when it comes to fighting crime. We have been treated to a weird and wonderful variety of combinations over the years, which have included dogs, robots, ghosts, Pokémon and even Mel Gibson. These pairings are often wild and whacky but when they …
LFF Review: Notturno
Gianfranco Rosi is a filmmaker whose focus has squarely been on the underdog. Whether that’s migrants searching for a new home or squatters living on the fringes. The Italian documentarian has the unique accolade of winning the two highest awards at Venice and Berlin. However, it was undoubtedly his 2016 film Fire at Sea, which …
LFF Review: Identifying Features (Sin Señas Particulares)
Hundreds of people die every year trying to make the journey north across the US/Mexican border. It’s a journey which is fraught with danger and the odds of successfully avoiding the authorities and safely crossing to America are stacked against you. Indeed, hundreds of thousands of people find themselves detained by the US Border Patrol …
LFF Review: Another Round
Mads Mikkelsen is an actor who will be familiar to UK audiences. Whilst he’s appeared in a number of huge Hollywood films, including Rogue One and Doctor Strange, it’s on the small screen for his portrayal of Hannibal Lecter for which he’s most renowned. However, the Danish actor’s best work is in his domestic cinema. …
LFF Review: One Man and His Shoes
When the Chicago Bulls picked a talented young Michael Jordan in the 1984 NBA draft, little did they know what effect the titan would have on the sport. However, whilst he was undoubtedly one of the best players of his generation, the University of North Carolina graduate’s meteoric rise to fame was to a large …