London film festival

Every year the London Film Festival comes around I look at the program and check out all the big premiers and weird indie moves on offer. I usually try to go to one or two, the big movies usually sold out but a hidden gem in there catches the eye.
This year I was lucky enough to get tickets to two of the big premiers, The Harder They Fall and Last Night in Soho along with  an indie movie with the intriguing title Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon.   On a Wednesday  evening I headed off to the South Bank and walked into a unexpected situation. I arrived at the entrance surrounded by people in suits, tuxedos and dresses while I'm in my jeans and cardigan. We're ushered down the red carpet, stars of the movie being interviewed for TV on a platform on one side, others being interviewed by the press on the other. As I walked towards the entrance I turned round to realise Idris Elba had his back to us while he spoke to  a journalist.
Once in the theater we could watch all the coming and going down the red carpet and it felt surreal that a real Hollywood movie premier was happening just outside. Later all the stars, including Idris, Director Jeymes Samuel, Producer Jay-Z, Regina King and Jonathan Majors were on stage to talk about the film.

What followed was one of the freshest takes on the western I'd seen in a long time.  The usual western tropes were there with wide sweeping vistas,  saloon bars and a revenge narrative but given unique twists. Male and female characters were given equal precedence and all drawn from real black men and women who were alive during the time period.  The action was stylish, if a little over the top, but never felt unrealistic and the soundtrack weaved elements of reggae and hip-hop into a traditional western themes.  The fact is was Jeymes Samuels first feature film made is all the more impressive and I can't wait to see it again when its on Netflix next month. 

Next came the premier for Last Night in Soho, the new film from "Shaun of the Dead" and "Baby Driver" director Edgar Wright. The even was scaled back from the previous premier but I still got to walk the red carpet again and see Edgar doing some press interviews. Knowing what I was in for I decided to wear a jacket for this one so did didn't feel so out of place. The film itself was a mix of time-travel fantasy, horror and coming of age drama, all put together amazingly. Without giving any spoilers the way the film shifted time periods and constantly kept the viewer wondering what they were watching and what was going to happen next was a joy and might be one of the best films I'd seen this year. 
Finally I got to see Mona Lisa and the Blood Moon, a weird and wonderful take on superheros I guess. No premier and no red carper this time,  just a screening at the Prince Charles in Leicester Square. The film is essentially the story of a young girl with strange powers who breaks out of a mental institution and goes on a journey through New Orleans and meeting the strange characters who inhabit it. While I wouldn't say this was groundbreaking in anyway it was interesting, funny in parts, emotional in others with performances from actors you wouldn't expect. Ed Skrien was particularly  unrecognisable  in his role. 
So that's my journey through the London Film Festival. It was great to see some major movies and a little indie weirdness and I look forward to doing it again next year. ​