The Bikeriders (116 mins)
UK release date: December 1
Rating: The 67th London Film Festival concludes this weekend with the world premiere of the Chicken Run sequel, Chicken Run: Dawn Of The Nugget. I have already seen it and can confirm that Aardman has struck gold once again. Among the films that have already been unveiled, I particularly enjoyed The Bikeriders. Set in late-1960s Chicago, this absorbing drama follows a motorbike club called The Vandals. Notable performances come from Jodie Comer, Tom Hardy, and Austin Butler. Writer-director Jeff Nichols deserves special praise for his work on this film, as he did with his previous picture, Loving. While race is not a central theme in this fictional story, it is a violent tale inspired by the striking black-and-white images of bikers from a 1968 book by Danny Lyon. The film features a captivating soundtrack of 1960s music.
Saltburn (127 mins)
Release date: November 17
Rating: The opening film of the festival, Saltburn, was enjoyable, but not quite as much as anticipated. Written and directed by Emerald Fennell, it stars Barry Keoghan as Oxford undergraduate Oliver Quick, who becomes infatuated with a wealthy fellow student. Fennell satirizes her own privileged upbringing, creating amusing moments when Oliver visits the Catton family home. While initially a tragi-comedy of manners, the film takes a darker turn, blending elements of psycho-sexual thriller and drawing inspiration from iconic films such as Brideshead Revisited and The Talented Mr Ripley.
The Holdovers (133 mins)
Release date: January 19
Rating: Alexander Payne’s film, The Holdovers, is set in a boys’ boarding school in 1970 New England. During the Christmas holidays, classics teacher Mr Hunham is left to supervise the “holdovers,” those students who can’t go home. The film explores the relationship between Mr Hunham, a reluctant student named Angus, and Mary, the African-American school cook. Despite the potentially somber premise, Payne infuses the film with comedy, presenting a poignant story with muted colors and a grainy texture reminiscent of its time period.
The Miracle Club (12A, 90 mins)
Verdict: Marvel at Dame Maggie
Rating: Dame Maggie Smith surprises in this comedy, The Miracle Club, as she performs as a backing singer. While the film is a patchy comedy filled with Irish Catholic clichés, the star-studded cast, including Kathy Bates, Laura Linney, and Agnes O’Casey, elevates the story. The film follows four working-class women who embark on a trip to Lourdes in 1967. The only outsider is Linney’s character, Chrissie, who left Ireland in disgrace and returns to redeem herself.
Sumotherhood (15, 97 mins)
Verdict: Saved by the cameras
Rating: Adam Deacon’s comedy, Sumotherhood, fails to deliver humor as it follows two East London layabouts who turn to crime. The film does feature notable cameos from Jennifer Saunders, Ed Sheeran, and Jeremy Corbyn, but their appearances cannot save this otherwise unfunny film. Even in his portrayal of himself, Corbyn’s acting is weak.
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