CineCola's 58th BFI London Film Festival top 10

As per usual, at the end of a festival, CineCola draws up their top 10 of the festival. And as per usual, we must note that this list does not include some of the films that were included in the festival and were reviewed at other festivals we attended during the year. On top of that, it must be stated that this is a list that only includes the films that we viewed and reviewed at the 58th edition of the BFI London Film Festival, it is subjective but one thing is for sure - we really liked this film, and the list is in order of preference, so check them out!

 

On top of that, we must say that there will be a video made of this list soon, so check it out when it comes out!

10 - THE WORLD OF KANAKO by Tetsuya Nakashima

The story of The World of Kanako revolves around an ultimate anti hero figure. A former cop whose life of violence is affected by a supposed mental illness but definite substance abuse. His ex wife calls him up begging him to find their sweet daughter, a desperation move given the violent event that broke up their marriage. This event leads him down an Alice in Wonderland like black hole which, as it deepens, lead him to discovering that his estranged daughter is not as innocent and a lot more like him than he thought. Tetsuya Nakashima's vision is an admirable, crazy, rollercoaster ride that is loud, fast and which a times, with its hyperstylisation and lack of fully likeable characters, feels like a direct attack on the viewer, further conveyed by drastic changes in tone, mood and atmosphere that represents the surreal insanity of both the narrative and the characters themselves.

9 - MR. KAPLAN by Alvaro Brechner

In this film from Uruguay, an old man suffers from late life crisis and along with a down and out unemployed man whose family has left him, seeks redemption by setting off on a ludicrous investigation on a german man he believes to be a former Nazi. A comedy full of humanity that, despite its wide range of laugh seeking moments from deadpan to slapstick, deals with certain themes of heavy emotional importance, such as old age and the way in which the lives of each of us is heavily affected by past events and history. Alvaro Brechner makes sure to keep the visual simple to flatter the greatly balanced screenplay and the likeable performances by the cast that also further accentuate a touching human approach that further tastefully balances the drama with the comedy in Mr Kaplan.

8 - MARC QUINN: MAKING WAVES by Gerry Fox

Many would disagree on having this entry in the number 10, as many did not even think this film was up to festival standards and belonged in an art gallery as part of an exhibition. Nevertheless, this might be the festival's greatest underrated film due to its understated nature that, with its fly on the wall tactics actually reveals a whacky and gullible side of the art world that is not often explored in films of the kind. For Making Waves, Gerry Fox also enjoyed his personal closeness and friendship to the artist and prime subject of the documentary Marc Quinn, one of the biggest names in modern art today whose fascination with just about anything is as genial as it is ludicrous. The interactions between the two men, filmmaker and artist, is also unusual and curious and reveals the intimacy shared between the two. In the end, the film flatters the art but also exposes the world around it without flattering it or even celebrating it. And that is what makes this particular documentary so interesting.

7 - 3 HEARTS by Benoit Jacquot

In short, 3 Hearts is the story of how an everyman, if not downright loser, falls with two sisters, and how a series of freak accidents and cruelty of fate gets in the way. This story of a bizarre love triangle is eccentric and lacks romanticism, resembling more a tragedy ala David Lean, a Leo McCarey melodrama or even a noir with Hitchcockian influences. This strange mix of influences is bold and daring considering the many twists and turns as well as a relentless pace that points out to inevitable disaster and self-destruction which is bound to leave some viewers feeling more angry than anything else. However, it's plain to see that through its quasi obnoxious elegance, that is what it sets out to do from the start also by flattering the imperfections and vulnerabilities of its three pivotal characters. In other words, mission accomplished.

6 - NIGHT BUS by Simon Baker

London, a constantly moving city of contrast, lively and decadent all at once. What better way to capture its essence than by following the stories of a series of characters whose lives criss cross on a night bus. Its narrative is straight forward and in real time, and despite the restrictions of the setting, a skillful camerawork both flatters and draws from the claustrophobic appeal of the bus setting. A clever screenplay and a good solid entertaining pace makes the film all the more entrancing, while shifts in atmospheres, moods and genres from dramatic to comedic are impressive in the genuine representation and realist nature of Night Bus which, in a short time, intrigues or indeed links us emotionally to the many characters that meet and even interact with strong casual magnetism.

5 - MOOMINS ON THE RIVIERA by Xavier Picard

Tove Jonsson's lovable critturs come to life on the big screen in Xavier Picard's Moomins on the Riviera. The adorableness of the animation, hand drawn and for that reason standing out among the hoardes of 3d animation features that are starting to worryingly look the same, is conveyed by an impressive sense of humour that allows the film to be just as enjoyable to children as it would be to adults. The narrative adds to the fun with its essential randomness...if we were to narrow it down one in particular, we could say that these hippo like creatures named Moomins and their friends set out off from their peaceful and quiet little island to check out the exciting vibes of high society on the riviera, only to gradually discover it less impressive than they had initially through. The film's fun and funny appeal is tastefully completed by a vaudevillian vibe that takes us back to the days of early slapstick, while the gags in themselves are impressive and creative. Moomins on the Riviera is simply an impressive and creative piece of family cinema.

4 - THE NARROW FRAME OF MIDNIGHT by Tala Hadid

A film about the unpredictable journey of life and the stubbornness and vulnerability of humanity. Tala Hadid's film The Narrow Frame of Midnight is a medidative and interactive experience, enhanced by a wonderful fluid camerawork and shifts in rhythm, where the narrative leaves some grey areas in order to actively involve the audience to fill in the gaps of a film with a story where the chance and randomness of life is greatly represented. The story revolves around a young girl who is first kidnapped by two criminals, then rescued by an Iraqi/Moroccan writer, then left at the house of a French teacher. All this shows in an amazingly hypnotic way that life is not just a succession of casualty, but also a journey of missed opportunities, gained opportunities and constantly requiring bravery and constant evolution of the mind.

3 - X + Y by Morgan Matthews

The mathematics of love are explored through the love of mathematics of a young man, who undergoes a coming of age experience after he is handpicked and shortlisted as a member of the British Squad at the International Mathematics Olympiads. But this is far from being a simple film about a math prodigy or boy genius, which has been seen in cinema time and time again. X + Y by Morgan Matthews, in fact his fiction film directorial debut after a celebrated career in documentary, is a deep examination of love which looks at the different emotionally intense facets of its pivotal thematic subject - the need to give love, the need to have it, the inability to understand it and so on. Wonderfully shot with moments of creative artistic visual delight that even allows us to experience things from the viewpoint of the central character, who suffers from Asperger syndrome, this film is never sympathetic of its character and struggles but rather tries to represent them and understand them in order to make for a much deeper and more genuine portrayal of familiar emotions and elements.

2 - 6 DESIRES: DH LAWRENCE AND SARDINIA by Mark Cousins

Mark Cousins strengthens his reputation as one of the most inspiring travel themed essay documentarians in the world at this moments in time. With 6 Desires, he has also come to a great fulfilmment of a unique stylistic approach that is bound to influence hoards of filmmakers out of the niche and loyal audience that his films enjoy - much like the velvet underground did in music back in the day. With this latest work, he interacts with famed and celebrated writer DH Lawrence, whose travels through Sardinia in 1921 were the subject of an obscure and widely unknown book that he wrote with his wife. This sets mark on a travel and a discover of the writer, of himself, of the settings and is driven by an infectuous and meditative trail of consciousness that also flatters the the theme of travelling and the delight of discoveries of made on travels.

1 - WHIPLASH by Damien Chazelle

The talent and the master. A jazz drummer with great potential enrols in a highly regarded music conservatory and is picked as a member of a mentor's band, a mentor with a reputation for being particularly demanding if not downright bullying. The music is great, the cinematography is precise and the performance by JK Simmons as the mentor, at once malignant and appealing, as well as Miles Teller as the Rocky like cinderella story central subject are amazing and amplify the emotional intensity of the story. Whiplash, is a film of bravado and confidence all around, the type that should be idenitfyable with all great jazz musicians, that kind that are forever to be remembered and loved. It also seems to be an ultimate embodiment of many genres and influences - including jazz music itself - thaty have left a heavy mark on American filmmaking. By the end, the intensity and excitement of the film, will have the audience on the edge of their seat, ready to jump up on their feet with hysteria with the film's final powerful and unforgettable sequence.