Knives Out Announced For BFI London Film Festival

BFI London Film Festival has announced Knives Out will be this year’s film for the American Express Gala. Written and directed by Rian Johnson, the film features a huge A-list cast which includes Daniel Craig, Chris Evans, Toni Collette, Christopher Plummer, Jamie Lee Curtis, LaKeith Stanfield, Michael Shannon and a lot more. An updated version of the classic murder mystery, Johnson has returned to the director’s chair following his 2017 film Star Wars: The Last Jedi.

The writer/director says, “I’m thrilled to be screening Knives Out at the BFI London Film Festival. This film was an attempt to capture the twisty fun of an Agatha Christie whodunnit, it’s a great pleasure to be showing it in the country responsible for the genre’s golden age.”

Knives Out takes place in the home of renowned crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) who is found dead just after his 85th birthday. With all his eccentric family gathered, an inquisitive detective called Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) is mysteriously enlisted to investigate as he informs the relatives that no one can leave as they are all suspects.

Tricia Tuttle, BFI London Film Festival Director says “With Knives Out, Rian Johnson has crafted a devilishly clever and wickedly entertaining new crime caper. As with his previous work, Johnson brings immense erudition and passion for the conventions of the genre he’s working in, but always makes something entirely his own. This is impeccably designed, with writing that keeps you guessing to the final moments and his extraordinary cast are at their arch and compelling best. Knives Out is a whodunit, as sharp as the blade that killed the patriarch at the heart of the film and we are overjoyed to present the European Premiere as our principle partner, American Express’s Gala.”

The film will receive its European premiere on October 8th, with the festival taking places from 2nd – 13th October. Knives Out will be released in the UK on November 27th.

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What They Had Debuts Its First Trailer

Coming from a background of acting Elizabeth Chomko is well versed in the industry and has now shared a trailer for her first feature film which she has written and directed and stars Hilary Swank, Michael Shannon, Blythe Danner and Robert Forster.

Set during Christmas (I feel dirty using that word in July…), Nick (Shannon) a bar owner who helps his father (Forster) take care of his mother (Danner) who is has been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. His sister Bridget (Swank) comes back into town after their mother is found wandering the cold streets alone at night. As Danner continues, she loses grip and at different times thinks of herself as an expectant mother and a young lover. The film comes after Chomko was awarded the $35,000 Nicholl Fellowship from the Academy for her debut screenplay, beating 7,400 other applicants. 

 Images courtesy of Sundance Institute

Distributed by Bleeker Street, What They Had has been produced by Albert Berger and Ron Yerxa backed the project, along with Keith Kjarval (Welcome to Me), Bill Holderman (Book Club), Alex Saks (The Florida Project), Sefton Fincham (Drone), and Tyler Jackson (Vincent N Roxxy), the film is due for release in October. Check out the trailer below.

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The Shape of Water, review

A lonely woman who is employed as a cleaner at a highly secure government laboratory has her life changed after bonding with a creature. 

Guillermo del Toro has created a striking film in which he has combined the genres of fantasy, fairytale and love story all in one. Using modern society as an inspiration and being set during a cold war era, two living things bond in the most unlikely of places.

Sally Hawkins plays Eliza, who works as a cleaner at a laboratory based in Baltimore. She lives on her own above a cinema and counts her chatty neighbour Giles (an incredibly likeable Richard Jenkins) and her protective co-worker Zelda (the always wonderful Octavia Spencer) as her friends. During a routine shift a creature, referred to by Strickland (Michael Shannon) as the asset, is wheeled through in a metal tank. Eliza’s first encounter with the amphibious being is brief but immediately intriguing.

From here, the pair bond over being outcasts. They are both mute and share a love for each other’s company, Eliza is able to communicate with the creature on a level like no other human can. Her child like demeanour and love of imitating old movies gives her the perfect amount of innocence and fascination to be at complete ease with it. Hawkins has formed a character around being mute and somehow made her charming, sweet, adorable and likeable without the use of a single word. Her performance pushes the boundaries of what you’d expect from an actress of such high calibre. Shannon’s turn as the deliciously evil, mildly threatening family man gives you a villain to hate and admire. His terrifying grin and idiosyncratic love of a type of particular sweet gives him an edge of unsure malice. Despite it’s subject matter, the movie still has several moments of comedy relief including a scene involving a number of pies and another with Zelda proclaiming “Some of the best minds in the country and they still pee all over the floor in here”. The humour adds a level of realism in what is a fantasy film.

A beautiful fantasy film with a breathtaking creature and stellar performances from Sally Hawkins and Michael Shannon makes this film a contender during awards season.

4 out of 5.

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