Just got the programme for it and I must say it's a little disappointing this year. Well last year is a hard act to follow, when they had the closing night film as "Slumdog Millionaire".
The Fantastic Mr Fox is a highlight, but there's not many other films jumping out of the page saying I have to see it. Then again I wouldn't b*y many tickets for films in the festival this year considering last year, most of the films shown at the festival had SFF screenings for free later on. And this year, there's 2 films that would have had a SFF screening first before it's showing at the LFF 2009, Paper Heart and An Education!! There's also a digital version of Toy Story 2. Don't get me wrong it's a fantastic film, but it's not new and they had a big screening for it yesterday at Odeon Leicester Square already.
The worst news is they are moving from Odeon West End to Vue West End. They will be using the 2 biggest screens in Vue West End(5 and 7), so they've said they can't guarantee Q&A's at the end of the films. And thats one of the key selling points for people p*ying to see films at the festival rather than wait for a SFF screening.
Anyway, for all the George Clooney lovers out there, he's got 3 films in the festival! I think he will practically have to live in Leicester Sq....
The new coen brothers film looks pretty good too.
I've been going to LFF for quite a few years now, but not looking forward to screenings at Vue West End..
Oh well, should be good to have a LFF thread for all discussions about the festival, films showing in the festival, Q&As, celebrity sightings etc....
London Film Festival 2009
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EthanRunt
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Re: London Film Festival 2009
Got a membership so I can priority book, alas most of this years seems like a 'greatest hits' package of the other festivals so far.
My plan is to catch Extract, I love Mike Judge, Bunny and the Bull, the clips I've seen where brilliant, and Toy Story 2 3-D, nothing else seems to be worth it, since they'll all get a solid release over the coming months anyway.
My plan is to catch Extract, I love Mike Judge, Bunny and the Bull, the clips I've seen where brilliant, and Toy Story 2 3-D, nothing else seems to be worth it, since they'll all get a solid release over the coming months anyway.
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superhero
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Re: London Film Festival 2009
Oh yeah, Toy Story 2 is in 3D! I guess thats quite fun. They must be doing a big re-release around Xmas.
I had another good read of the programme just now, I guess there are some other gems around, but just need time to read the programme carefully. There's an indonesian psycho thriller called Forbidden Door that looks interesting. And a film from India, the reviewer calls "A new slumdog millionaire?"
Still showing the big films on 2 screens in Vue West End is a very bad idea. I guess they can't afford Odeon West End... (like most of us...lol)
I had another good read of the programme just now, I guess there are some other gems around, but just need time to read the programme carefully. There's an indonesian psycho thriller called Forbidden Door that looks interesting. And a film from India, the reviewer calls "A new slumdog millionaire?"
Still showing the big films on 2 screens in Vue West End is a very bad idea. I guess they can't afford Odeon West End... (like most of us...lol)
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Beate
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Re: London Film Festival 2009
I have the week starting 19 October off and my journalist friend from Germany is coming over as every year to see as many films as possible. She always buys us a few tickets too, and I am hoping for a few more SFF or other screenings and competitions during that time - I remember at one point I saw 3 films in one day last year, only one of which was pa*d for!
Still have to have a proper look at the programme. The link is here btw: http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/
Still have to have a proper look at the programme. The link is here btw: http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/
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superhero
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Re: London Film Festival 2009
Doesn't your German journalist friend get free tickets? I guess she doesn't write for film publications....She can always try and flash her German staff pass!
The more I look at the programme the more I find the odd gem here and there.
I've definitely got about 6 films in mind at least....I could see more if I didn't have to work.
Definitely going to try get tickets to the surprise film. I went to see it last year (The Wrestler). The only problem now is it's not such a "surprise" anymore, because it's always an "oscar-worthy" film. It used to be more unpredictable when they had films like Breakdown, The long kiss goodnight and Death Becomes her mixed with The Age of innocence and Woody Allen films.
I don't think Sandra Hebron picks action/comedy films for the surprise film, unlike the old artistic director, Sheila Whitaker
The more I look at the programme the more I find the odd gem here and there.
I've definitely got about 6 films in mind at least....I could see more if I didn't have to work.
Definitely going to try get tickets to the surprise film. I went to see it last year (The Wrestler). The only problem now is it's not such a "surprise" anymore, because it's always an "oscar-worthy" film. It used to be more unpredictable when they had films like Breakdown, The long kiss goodnight and Death Becomes her mixed with The Age of innocence and Woody Allen films.
I don't think Sandra Hebron picks action/comedy films for the surprise film, unlike the old artistic director, Sheila Whitaker
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Beate
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Re: London Film Festival 2009
She does get free tickets to most things, but we obviously don't so as a thank you for letting her stay with us she always buys us a few tickets.
Member No. 1 of the "100 free films in 2020" club. 7 seen Member No. 1 of the "100 free films in 2009 - 2019" clubs. 826 seen Member No. 1 of the "104 free previews in 2008" club. 92 seen -
superhero
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Re: London Film Festival 2009
Well it's the deadline for handing the priority application forms tomorrow morning. What did other people apply for?
I just hope it won't be like last year, where I pa*d for certain films and then soon after there were free screenings with SFF...
I just hope it won't be like last year, where I pa*d for certain films and then soon after there were free screenings with SFF...
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Beate
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Re: London Film Festival 2009
LOL, that is always my dilemma. I don't want my friend to get us tickets for something we could get for free, but how the dickens are we supposed to know beforehand?
Member No. 1 of the "100 free films in 2020" club. 7 seen Member No. 1 of the "100 free films in 2009 - 2019" clubs. 826 seen Member No. 1 of the "104 free previews in 2008" club. 92 seen -
superhero
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Re: London Film Festival 2009
I think the film studios just think....If we show it in the london film festival, it's a pretty good film but needs word of mouth....so they would show it as talker screenings with SFF as well....
We shall see I guess, but it's not a good sign already considering SFF has already done/will be doing screenings for Paperheart and The Education
We shall see I guess, but it's not a good sign already considering SFF has already done/will be doing screenings for Paperheart and The Education
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EthanRunt
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Re: London Film Festival 2009
I remember catching a free screening of W just a day or so after it was shown at the LFF, so this year I'd suggest looking at release dates, e.g. A Serious Man, the new Coen film, is out in November, and as a Coen film will be wide, so not as much point as, say, Up In The Air, the new film from the Juno director, which is out in January.