Echo Chamber - LFF 23 - Day Three
Hopefully you're ready for more @EchoChamberFP coverage of the 67th BFI London Film Festival (4th to 15th October 2023)!!!!
We're now in 'Day 3', and we have a selection from the 'Official Competition', the 'Gala', the 'Laugh', and the 'Special Presentations' strands!
'The Royal Hotel' is directed by Kitty Green which he co-wrote with Oscar Redding. Americans Hanna (Julia Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henwick) are best friends backpacking in Australia. After they run out of money, Liv, looking for an adventure, convinces Hanna to take a temporary live-in job behind the bar of a pub called 'The Royal Hotel' in a remote Outback mining town. Bar owner Billy (Hugo Weaving) and a host of locals give the girls a riotous introduction to Down Under drinking culture but soon Hanna and Liv find themselves trapped in an unnerving situation that grows rapidly out of their control.
'May December' is directed by Todd Haynes and written by Samy Burch. From the outside, Gracie (Julianne Moore) and Joe (Charles Melton) are the perfect suburban couple. That is, if you don’t take into account the fact that their relationship was a tabloid sensation 20 years ago. When Elizabeth (Natalie Portman), an actor, arrives at their home to research for a role in a film based on Gracie, it becomes clear that the couple’s relationship isn’t as strong as they’d like to believe. As the truth begins to unspool, and Elizabeth immerses herself in her role, it becomes clear that she’s not the only one acting. What is the truth to Gracie and Joe’s relationship? And is Elizabeth’s presence complicating things even further?
'Shortcomings' is directed by Randall Park and written by Adrian Tomine, who adapted it from his comic book. Ben (Justin H. Min), a struggling filmmaker, lives in Berkeley, California, with his girlfriend, Miko (Ally Maki), who works for a local Asian American film festival. When he’s not managing an arthouse movie theater as his day job, Ben spends his time obsessing over unavailable blonde women, watching Criterion Collection DVDs, and eating in diners with his best friend Alice (Sherry Cola), a queer grad student with a serial dating habit. When Miko moves to New York for an internship, Ben is left to his own devices, and begins to explore what he thinks he might want.
'Hit Man' is directed by Richard Linklater which he co-wrote with Glen Powell, and based on Skip Hollandsworth magazine article. Gary Johnson (Glen Powell) is the most sought-after professional killer in New Orleans. To his clients, he is like something out of a movie: the mysterious gun for hire. But if you pay him to rub out a cheating spouse or an abusive boss, you'd better watch your back he works for the cops. When he breaks protocol to help a desperate woman (Adria Arjona) trying to flee an abusive husband (Evan Holtzman), he finds himself becoming one of his false personas, falling for the woman and flirting with turning into a criminal himself.
Today we have:
The Royal Hotel - Poster
The Royal Hotel
Watch Review: Here.
50th Telluride Film Festival: 1st September 2023
BFI London Film Festival
Film Strand: Official Competition
Friday, 6th 2023 at 18:10pm
BFI Southbank
Sunday, 8th 2023 at 15:20pm
Prince Charles Cinema
Director: Kitty Green
Cast: Julia Garner, Jessica Henwick, Toby Wallace, Hugo Weaving, Ursula Yovich, Daniel Henshall, James Frecheville, Herbert Nordrum, Barbara Lowing, Bree Bain
Credit: See-Saw Films, Screen Australia, South Australian Film Corporation, Screen NSW, HanWay Films, Cross City Films, Alma Margo, Transmission Films, Neon
Genre: Thriller
Running Time: 91 min
Cert: 18
Trailer: Here.
Website: Here.
May December - Poster
May December
Watch Review: Here.
76th Cannes Film Festival: 20th May 2023
BFI London Film Festival
Film Strand: Galas
Friday, 6th 2023 at 18:00pm
Royal Festival Hall
Saturday, 7th 2023 at 10:30pm
Royal Festival Hall
Wednesday, 11th 2023 at 12:15pm
Royal Festival Hall
Director: Todd Haynes
Cast: Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore, Charles Melton, D. W. Moffett, Piper Curda, Elizabeth Yu, Gabriel Chung, Cory Michael Smith, Lawrence Arancio
Credit: Gloria Sanchez Productions, Killer Films, MountainA, Taylor & Dodge, Project Infinity, Sky Cinema, Netflix
Genre: Drama
Running Time: 113 min
Cert: 18
Trailer: Here.
Website: Here.
Shortcomings - Scene
Shortcomings
Watch Review: Here.
2023 Sundance Film Festival: 21st January 2023
BFI London Film Festival
Film Strand: Laugh
Thursday, 5th 2023 at 20:45pm
Vue West End
Saturday, 7th 2023 at 16:00pm
Prince Charles Cinema
Saturday, 14th 2023 at 12:15pm
Curzon Soho Cinema
Director: Randall Park
Cast: Justin H. Min, Sherry Cola, Ally Maki, Tavi Gevinson, Debby Ryan, Sonoya Mizuno, Timothy Simons, Jacob Batalon, Scott Seiss, Mike Cabellon, David Niu, Ronny Chieng, Stephanie Hsu, Randall Park
Credit: Topic Studios, Tango Entertainment, Imminent Collision, Roadside Attractions, Picture Films, Sony Pictures Classics
Genre: Comedy, Drama, Romance
Running Time: 92 min
Cert: 18
Trailer: Here.
Website: Here.
Facebook: Here.
Hit Man - Image
Hit Man
Watch Review: Here.
80th Venice International Film Festival: 5th September 2023
BFI London Film Festival
Film Strand: Special Presentations
Friday, 6th 2023 at 21:00pm
Royal Festival Hall
Wednesday, 11th 2023 at 15:15pm
BFI Southbank
Sunday, 15th 2023 at 20:50pm
Prince Charles Cinema
Ticket Info: Here.
Director: Richard Linklater
Cast: Glen Powell, Adria Arjona, Austin Amelio, Retta, Sanjay Rao, Evan Holtzman, Molly Bernard, Mike Markoff
Credit: BarnStorm Productions, Aggregate Films, Detour Filmproduction, AGC Studios, Netflix
Genre: Action, Comedy
Running Time: 113 min
Cert: 15
Website: Here.
67th BFI London Film Festival - logo
67th BFI London Film Festival
The BFI London Film Festival is in its '67th' year, and runs from 4 to 15 October 2023 at venues in London, around the UK and on BFI Player.
brimming with the world’s best new films, series and immersive storytelling
#LFF Trailer: Here.
Information
Festival Information: Here.
Gala Programme: Here.
Special Presentations Programme: Here.
LFF Awards Programme: Here.
Thematic strands Programme: Here.
Short Film Programme: Here.
Ticket Info: Here.
Website: Here.
X: @BFI
Facebook: Here.
Instagram: @britishfilminstitute
YouTube: Here.
TikTok: Here.
*(Music)
'Wake Up' by Arcade Fire - 2004