London Film Festival 2024 Ranked
- Jack Aling
- Oct 21, 2024
- 4 min read
In October 2024, Escape Film Club attended BFI's London Film Festival to experience the most exciting upcoming independent and major releases. Here's our ranked list of every film we saw at the 2024 festival and links to our full reviews. List and reviews by Jack Aling.
24) TREADING WATER
A grounded and brooding British drama, Treading Water tackles addiction and mental health making for a tough watch but not necessarily for the right reasons.
23) FAMILIAR TOUCH
Kathleen Chalfant leads this emotional human story that isn't afraid to explore the harsh reality of living with dementia and the accompanying uncertainty on the lives it touches.
22) THE STIMMING POOL
A fascinating work of experimental docufiction that highlights the importance of using art as a form of expression.
21) NIGHTBITCH
Amy Adams gives it her all and is by far the highlight of Nightbitch but even she can't save the material she was given.
20) ON FALLING
A Portuguese warehouse picker working in Scotland, On Falling shows the long term impact of a repetitive lifestyle through an aching dose of realism.
19) ALL OF YOU
Exploring the idea of soul mates through a sensitive and dry British voice, All of You is a deeply romantic film but doesn't use its larger than life premise to explore any new ground.
18) ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT
A tale of embracing an unknown future following characters longing for connection set against a bustling Mumbai cityscape.
17) THE END
There's obvious talent in front of and behind the camera, but it all feels worthless when its messages of guilt and existential dread don't seem to lead anywhere outside of the surface level.
16) THE SURFER
The vivid colours of the Australian coast make for the setting of yet another psychedelic adventure with Nicolas Cage as he has a terrible, horrible, no good, very bad day.
15) EMILIA PÉREZ
If you know nothing about Emilia Pérez, I cannot recommend how going into this blind makes for a significantly better experience.
14) BIRD
Filmed on unpolished 16mm film that sets the stage for an authentic look at an abnormal way of life, disorder is the norm in Bailey's life.
13) LAST SWIM
Capturing the final days of adolescent freedom Last Swim is a pretty 'by the books' coming of age film with beautiful direction and mesmerising London setting.
12) BLITZ
Blitz does a great job of capturing the dread and panic of the London Blitz with uncertainty hanging in the air. But focusing on Elliott Heffernan's George helps to set this story apart.
11) THE BALCONETTES
An energetic blending of genres, The Balconettes explores identity and consent through three very different reactions to a dark bloody event.
10) QUEER
Queer adapts William S. Burroughs' complex novel with seemingly natural ease supported by a spellbinding lead performance by Daniel Craig.
9) THE ASSESSMENT
A minimal dystopian sci-fi lays the groundwork for an unsettling exploration of parenthood when a couple are assessed to see if they are suitable for raising children.
8) LA COCINA
Alonso Ruizpalacios' spectacular kitchen drama explores the balance of a stressful environment and how the weaving relationships and experiences only proceed to add fuel to the fire.
7) GRAND THEFT HAMLET
On paper, Grand Theft Hamlet is a silly and humorous spin on a work we are overfamiliar with. But as the film goes on, this documentary becomes a touching exploration of art finding its way to survive by any means necessary.
6) SATURDAY NIGHT
A comedic pressure cooker, director Jason Reitman and writer Gil Kenanthe piece together the bedlam as the camera flies around Rockefeller Center's Studio 8H.
5) THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG
Timely and fearless, The Seed of The Sacred Fig is a fascinating example of the power of cinema, using storytelling to bring worldwide attention to poignant and pressing world matters.
4) SUPER/MAN: THE CHRISTOPHER REEVE STORY
A touching tribute to the life and outstanding legacy of Christopher Reeve, Super/Man focuses more on his personal than professional life and the impact he had on the world.
3) WE LIVE IN TIME
We Live in Time consists of three key ingredients that make it destined for success: A twee British love story + Andrew Garfield + Florence Pugh. What more could you ask for?
2) THE WILD ROBOT
The Wild Robot combines stunning animation with a touching story about connection, parenthood and the power of a chosen family.
1) ANORA
Anora is every part as confident and impressive as you'd hope with striking direction and storytelling from Sean Baker and a career-defining performance from Mikey Madison.
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