Note from current Graeme, November 2024: this may be over a year past the event in question, but I wanted to finally post this to get it off the back of my mind. I wrote most of the following just after the BFI London Film Festival in 2023. Struggling to balance energy between the day job and physical exertion to combat the mental demands of said day job, I ended up not putting the final touches on it until recently and then wondered if it was even worth posting at all. But the answer is naturally yes; if it already exists then why not put it somewhere?
There are twenty films in total that I watched during the 2023 London Film Festival, from a range of countries and directors. I’ve ranked them in reverse order as follows:
20. Totem
Mexican director Lila Aviles’ previous film The Chambermaid (2018), about a maid’s experiences working in an upscale hotel, was one I liked quite a bit and was the main reason for picking her follow-up Totem as one to see at this festival. There are some interesting elements to this film and a few standout moments, though unfortunately I did not connect with it as much as Aviles’ previous one. Not bad at all, but not one that I’m likely to return to. It did, however, win an award at the Berlin Film Festival earlier in 2023 and was Mexico’s submission for Best International Feature at the Oscars.
19. Starve Acre
Another film I chose based on the director’s previous effort, this is Daniel Kokotajlo’s follow-up to Apostasy, one of my favourite films from 2017. If you have even the slightest interest in religious psychology and indoctrination, check that one out. Starve Acre is quite different; a folk horror movie starring Morfydd Clark (whose breakout role in Saint Maud was a highlight of 2020) and Matt Smith. Expect slow pacing, atmosphere, a sense of foreboding and a bit of “what was that all about?” by the end. This one didn’t quite have the same impact as the director’s previous film, but I’d still consider his name worth looking out for in future.
18. The Goldman Case
Continuing the recent trend of strong French courtroom dramas (including Saint Omer, which was a highlight of the 2022 London Film Festival, and 2023’s Palme d’Or winner Anatomy of a Fall), The Goldman Case is an entertaining chamber piece taking place almost exclusively in the courtroom itself. Those unfamiliar with the left-wing revolutionary around whom the drama revolves may find themselves a little disconnected from the story, but good pacing and writing sustains itself well enough for those who come into it blind, as I did.
17. Priscilla
Following on from 2022’s Elvis biopic courtesy of Baz Luhrmann, it’s an interesting twist of fate that we got one focusing on Priscilla Presley in 2023, albeit with a much different flavour. Don’t come into this expecting a similar experience or anything resembling Elvis fandom. Due to tension with the Elvis estate stemming from how he is portrayed in this film – which isn’t as bad as it could’ve been, but not great either – there are no Elvis songs present. The movie instead focuses on their life together from first meeting when Priscilla was just 14 up until the end of their relationship. Elvis superfans were left disappointed, though most should enjoy a strong central performance by Cailee Spaeny as Priscilla, who won Best Actress at the Venice Film Festival for her portrayal and was in brief contention for the award at this year’s Oscars.
16. Cobweb
Confusingly this wasn’t the only film released in 2023 called Cobweb – the other was a horror and directorial debut (Samuel Bodin) in July. This alternate Cobweb is a South Korean comedy/drama starring Song Kang-ho (whom most of you may know primarily from Parasite) in the lead role. Set in the 1970s and revolving around a last-minute change to the ending of a fictional film, it’s as quirky as one might expect with some laugh out loud moments.
15. Fallen Leaves
Finnish director Aki Kaurismaki’s latest deadpan comedy-drama. It wouldn’t be a true festival experience without including one of his films in your programme if given the opportunity. Fallen Leaves was the Finnish entry for Best International Feature at the 2023 Oscars and deserved to be one of the final nominees. The film may best be described as a ‘tragicomedy’, themes of loneliness and isolation playing a core part with a touch of hope strewn throughout.
14. Menus-Plaisirs – Les Troigros
A four-hour documentary about the classy French 3-star Michelin restaurant named in its title certainly won’t be to everyone’s taste, but anyone who’s a fan of previous Frederick Wiseman documentaries should like what they get here. His 2017 documentary Ex Libris, about the New York Public Library, was arguably a more accessible film (being only 3 hours and mostly in English) but this effort continues in a similar vein.
Expect four hours that cover a full day in the life of this upper-class restaurant, from collecting early morning ingredients at the local market through conversing with numerous guests enjoying luxury lunch and dinner menus. Wiseman essentially lets his subjects form the film’s content, placing the camera in one spot to let us watch and listen unobtrusively in scenes that often last 15-20 minutes. Whether you take to Wiseman’s fly-on-the-wall style of documentary filmmaking may depend on how interesting the subject itself sounds to you, but I often love to sit back and let myself be swept up in this kind of experience.
13. Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget
An entertaining sequel to the 2000 stop motion classic; one for kids to enjoy on Netflix while adults snigger at the references. I didn’t catch up with the original before seeing this, so it’s been a few years since I last watched Chicken Run and I’m unable to compare them fairly with each other, but this sequel ticks all the right boxes. Plus, a new Aardman film is always worth checking out regardless. “This time, they’re breaking in” is the premise with inspiration taken from heist stories in contrast to the original’s Great Escape-inspired setup.
12. The Zone of Interest
A headline-making film since its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2023, Jonathan Glazer’s The Zone of Interest was unique in its portrayal of the Holocaust; a subject that has been covered almost to the point of cinematic fatigue. What makes it special is its perspective of a Nazi family – seemingly wholesome on the outside, while atrocities are being committed literally next door as if it is normal. Because in this context it was normal – a necessary evil, one might say, for the kind of pure society they wanted. Rarely has the contrast between everyday mundanity and gruesome evil felt so striking. A stark reminder that wholesome appearances can be deceiving, and crucially, ‘family values’ are easily manipulated as the false idol for a thriving society. Have we learned from this recent history yet…?
11. Ferrari
Michael Mann was a surprise visitor to the festival with what turned out to be the annual surprise film, starring Adam Driver and Penelope Cruz in the lead roles. Many will come to this film expecting it to be all about cars, and to an extent they’ll get their fill in some good driving scenes, particularly the superbly executed tension-filled set piece that serves as its climax. But more so this story is about Enzo Ferrari himself, the man behind the car, during the summer of 1957 – one that would prove pivotal both in his personal life and for the future of Ferrari as a car racing brand.
10. Copa 71
If you don’t know anything about the first unofficial women’s World Cup in 1971, rest assured that is the case for most people, including myself before hearing about this documentary. The film sets out the context around this while covering the tournament itself, talking to former players and painting a picture of what women’s football (or ‘soccer’) could’ve been had it been embraced earlier. Officially, the first women’s World Cup happened twenty years later in 1991, but there’s far more behind this story. Check this one out if you ever get the opportunity.
9. Foe
A curious science fiction film set in the near future, starring Paul Mescal and Saoirse Ronan as a couple living on a farm in a world seemingly ravaged by climate change. Their isolated life is interrupted by Terrance, played by Aaron Pierre, who turns up to enlist Junior (Mescal) on a mission to space that appears vital for humanity’s future. What follows is an enthralling three-person chamber piece in which relationships are tested; the ultimate destination is rather unsettling. It’s available on Amazon Prime right now and is worth checking out if that sounds intriguing to you.
8. The Book of Clarence
If you’ve ever thought, it’s been too long since we had a good gospel-inspired comedy in the vein of Monty Python’s Life of Brian, I have good news; The Book of Clarence fits the bill. Director Jeymes Samuel’s debut feature The Harder They Fall, an exclusively Black Western, was the memorable opening night film of the 2021 London Film Festival and this follow-up similarly shook up the festival two years later. LaKeith Stanfield plays the title role, who opens the film in a chaotic chariot race that sets the tone for what’s to come in what’s best described as ‘Gospel-adjacent with creative liberties’ rather than a faithful retelling of this historical period. This is a film that runs along often at breakneck pace and is honestly hard to sum up in a short synopsis. Some may find it disorganised; others will find it genius. I found myself more in the latter camp.
7. The Mission
Does the name John Allen Chau ring a bell? Whether it does or not, this documentary is likely to touch a nerve regardless of what perspective you approach it from. Chau was a Christian missionary who took his evangelistic calling seriously. He met his untimely demise in 2018 by breaking international law to make contact (I.e. spread the gospel message) with the protected Sentinelese tribe on North Sentinel Island.
You have multiple perspectives presented in this film ranging from “how admirable and brave he was to do this” to “he was clearly a misguided idiot, as are others still devoted to these two-thousand-year-old myths”. It serves as a fascinating portrait of this young man’s life and there are ideas presented that can spark further critical conversation around the lengths some will go to for belief.
6. The Bikeriders
A 1960s set biker film following the rise of a fictional Midwestern motorcycle club; if that sounds good to you, you’re already halfway to loving this movie. It captures the period and vibes of a biker club from that time wonderfully. Austin Butler, Tom Hardy and Michael Shannon all have memorable roles, while Jodie Comer is the story’s narrator and main character, presenting an interesting perspective on an otherwise male dominated environment. A theme of cultural change sweeps through the film as it observes how the best intentions cannot control the overall direction once a new generation takes hold.
5. Saltburn
Opening night film Saltburn was a blast and probably one of the best picks in recent years for the kick-off movie. I still haven’t seen Emerald Fennell’s directorial debut Promising Young Woman (2020), though it gained Oscar nominations including Best Picture and Best Director. Fennell also won in 2021 for Best Original Screenplay, and that writing talent shines again in this darkly humorous follow-up starring Barry Keoghan, whose deadpan comedic talent shines in the lead role. Richard E. Grant and Rosamund Pike are also highlights. Even by the end of the festival, this was easily one of the memorable takeaways from 2023.
4. The Royal Hotel
Julia Garner and Jessica Henwick star as a couple of backpackers who take casual work at a bar in the Australian outback and find more drama that they had expected, in this smart psychological thriller from director Kitty Green. This easily gets into my top ten of the year overall thanks to a combination of strong performances (including a few suitably creepy ones from the men), skilled direction, and an underlying sense of tension that builds beautifully.
The film’s unpredictability also goes a long way. There are elements here that in a lesser movie would produce more expected processes and outcomes. That this story takes recognisable situations and still catches you off guard is massively impressive. Absolutely one of the best surprises of the year.
3. Killers of the Flower Moon
It’s an epic three-hour long Western/ crime drama directed by Martin Scorsese. Is that not enough to sell you already? Well, how about this – imagine Scorsese’s classic gangster crime dramas, but set in the West during the early 1920s. White Americans eager for control over an oil-rich land are the natural gangsters, as the Osage Nation try to navigate a new shared reality with them. It’s also the first Scorsese feature in which regulars Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro appear together (having only previously worked together on a short). Special mention goes to Lily Gladstone, who deservedly got a Best Actress nomination and came close to winning for this performance.
2. The Killer
The Killer was the best surprise of the festival – as big a surprise as a new David Fincher movie can be, which is to say, it shouldn’t be surprising at all to say this was one of my favourites of the year. A typically slick opening credits roll precedes a great understated performance by Michael Fassbender playing a contract killer in the lead role, with an entertaining turn from Tilda Swinton in a supporting role. If you’re familiar with previous Fincher movies (Seven, Fight Club, Zodiac to name a few), you’ll be happy to know this is a return to form for the director, who expertly mixes style and substance.
1. Poor Things
When it became apparent Poor Things may be among my top picks of the festival (as it was for visitors to Venice Film Festival, where it won the Golden Lion) I knew I’d be faced with a problem. How to best describe this film in a way that accurately sells it? There are some, of course, for whom it will be too quirky – though if you’re already familiar with the Yorgos Lanthimos style you’ll be halfway there.
For Poor Things, Lanthimos re-teamed with Emma Stone following their success together in The Favourite (2018). Here she gives arguably her best performance (for which she deservedly won a second Best Actress Oscar), playing a woman who starts out highly naïve and whom we watch mature on a journey of discovery that involves… you know what, you should discover that for yourself. Just be prepared for occasionally explicit content.
