The Guest Review
The Plot
When David (Dan Stevens – Downton Abbey) visits the Peterson family to pass on a message from their recently deceased son and his old comrade, he’s almost instantly welcomed as part of the family and invited to stay a few days. But as people start dying, daughter Anna (Maika Monroe) starts to suspect that David might not be the charming young man everybody believes he is…
The Good
After the warm reception from Your Next it’s no surprise that Adam Wingards latest is this years opening film for Frightfest. And quite deservedly so. The Guest has enough humour, gore and shocks to kick off the five day festival that it barely give the other films a chance.
Accompanied by a fantastically fitting electro soundtrack, Dan Stevens works his way through the film with the help of his instantly appealing approach to the role. Starting off as a pleasant young man visiting his ex partners family to give them his condolences, David really does seem like the perfect house guest. However the constant glint in his eyes tells us that this probably won’t continue for too long.
As David works his way through the family gaining their trust one by one, his crazy side soon starts to come out as he tries to help each of the Petersons with the problematic people in their lives. Starting with assisting young Luke with the senior students who are bullying him before moving on to fixing Anna’s boy trouble. Each mend David makes brings a worse result than the last until finally building up to the thrilling finale.
The main highlight is undoubtedly found in the films final act. Wingard uses a ridiculously over the top setting to its extent. Although it’s absurd, its still a riot and rounds off the film with dazzling cinematography and a beautiful palette of colours. It’s clear that he has fun with the surroundings of the horror filled setting, using jump scares and keeping that brilliant soundtrack going to give the audience as much entertainment as possible.
The Bad
Apart from the slight distraction of Brendan Meyer looking like a male doppelganger of Chloe Grace Moretz, there isn’t too much to moan about with The Guest. Although it could have done with some tweaks here and there in regards to plot and characters, Stevens’ performance alone is enough to distract from these minor problems. And while it may have benefitted from a less lavish finale, with perhaps a more toned down setting for the conclusion, The Guest will surely have hooked you in well before the moment comes that you’ll just be having too much fun.
The Ugly Truth
If you liked Your Next you’re sure to like The Guest. Adam Wingard brings his winning formula of comedic timing, jumps and carnage to the screen again while finding a previously unseen side to Dan Stevens which is sure to win him more fans. Simply put, it’s a riot.
Björk Film Premiere at BFI London Film Festival 2014
The 58th BFI London Film Festival has confirmed that BJÖRK: BIOPHILIA LIVE will be presented as the Sonic Gala at this year’s Festival. Björk will attend the UK premiere with directors Peter Strickland and Nick Fenton on Thursday 9 October at the Odeon West End.
BJÖRK: BIOPHILIA LIVE is a concert film by Peter Strickland (The Duke of Burgundy, Berberian Sound Studio) and editor Nick Fenton (The Selfish Giant, Sigur Rós film Inni) and produced by Jacqui Edenbrow (Teenage, Joy Divison), that captures the human element of Björk’s multi-disciplinary multimedia project: Biophilia.
Recorded live at London’s Alexandra Palace in September 2013, the film features Björk and her band performing every song on her eighth studio album Biophilia and reworked versions of classic songs from Björk’s extraordinary catalogue using a broad variety of instruments – some digital, some traditional and some completely unclassifiable. The live performance is augmented with animation created by top designers and features science and nature archive and found footage inspired by the themes of the album, which explore the relationships between musical structures and natural phenomena – atomic, cellular and cosmic.
The infinitely creative journey presents a culmination of work that represents one of the most original musical endeavours of a generation. The film will receive a series of screenings at festivals, museums, galleries and cinemas in the UK and worldwide through Autumn 2014.
Clare Stewart, BFI London Film Festival Director, comments:
“Under the curatorship of BFI Head of Events and Production, Stuart Brown, our Sonic cinema programme in both LFF and year-round at BFI Southbank presents an exceptional selection of screenings and events that revel in the connection between music and film. Björk is a true innovator, collaborating with exceptional filmmakers and artists to produce intoxicating work at the intersection of music and film. We are delighted to be welcoming her, along with Peter Strickland and Nick Fenton, to the BFI London Film Festival’s UK premiere.”
True to the daring spirit of the Sonic programme, director Peter Strickland said
“Being offered the Sonic Gala is gleeful revenge for all those many occasions when people complained about the music I was playing!”
Nick Fenton adds
“Let’s not get too excited as it is only a concert film with some volcanoes and a few viruses; thunder and lightning; plankton and planets. Not forgetting Björk, the jellyfish, David Attenborough and the beautiful sounds of the choir Nobili. So just another Sonic Gala at the BFI London Film Festival.”
The Sonic Gala is the lead film for the Sonic programme at BFI London Film Festival. The Sonic programme features music inspired films and events to leave you dancing in the aisles. In addition to its gala and competitive sections, the Festival’s sections are: Love, Debate, Dare, Laugh, Thrill, Cult, Journey, Sonic, Family and Experimenta.
The 58th BFI London Film Festival in partnership with American Express runs from Wednesday 8 October-Sunday 19 October. The full programme for the Festival will be announced on Wednesday 3 September when the full Sonic programme will be revealed.
Benedict Cumberbatch is Jungle Book Shere Khan
Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch becomes the first official cast member of Warners Bros Jungle Book, signing on for the role of villainous Tiger Shere Khan. Acclaimed motion capture pioneer Andy Serkis is making his directing debut with the project, which will be going head to head with a rival production from animation masters Disney.
Disney had recently made their first casting announcements, setting a high benchmark with Idris Elba as their Shere Khan and Bill Murray as Baloo the bear.
No doubt Warners will be relieved to at least have found their own accomplished British badguy. It will also give fans ample opportunity to make hilarious Star Trek mash-up videos with Spock screaming Khaaaan! at a CGI tiger….
Simon Pegg & Edgar Wright Plan New Trilogy
The World’s End marked the end to a self proclaimed trilogy of films from Edgar Wright, Simon Pegg & Nick Frost. Some had speculated that this apocalyptic final chapter in the series would somehow be the final big screen collaboration for the team behind Hot Fuzz, Shaun of the Dead and Spaced. However speaking to the BBC Simon Pegg emphatically confirmed that he plans to make many more film with his best buddies.
Here’s what he had to say:
“Absolutely. Edgar and I were having a conversation the other day about it, and it has a title and everything. We’re kind of into a creative cycle now, and we’ve all got different things on, and we know we have to get those things done, but the coming together thing is without question on the table and will happen when we can do it. Because when we said the trilogy–loftily named ‘The Trilogy’–was over, it was because that group of films is over. They all kind of are related to each other, and deal with a specific idea, and are set at now–there’s a criteria to those films. The next thing we do won’t have to do that. It will just be something else. And it will happen. I mean, we made three films in ten years. Hopefully, in the next decade, we’ll make another three. I really, really love working with those guys, and I never want to not work with them.”
Check out our own chat with Simon on the red carpet for the London premiere of his latest film Hector and the search for Happiness. Simon also talks a little about his excitement for Mission impossible 5 & Star Trek 3:
Horns Trailer & New Posters
Check out the official teaser trailer and two new character posters for Daniel Radcilffe’s dark new film Horns, based on the ominous bestseller from author Joe Hill.
Official Synopsis:
From master-of-horror Alexandre Aja (The Hills Have Eyes, Piranha 3D) comes this supernatural, offbeat thriller starring beloved British actor Danielle Radcliffe (Harry Potter, Kill Your Darlings) and the talented Juno Temple (Magic Magic, Sin City: A Dame to Kill For).
Ig Perrish (Daniel Radcliffe) is accused for the violent rape and killing of his girlfriend, Merrin Williams (Juno Temple). After a hard night of drinking, Ig awakens, hungover, to find horns growing out of his head; they have the ability to drive people to confess sins and give in to selfish impulses. Ig decides to use this effective tool to discover the circumstances of his girlfriend’s death and to seek revenge by finding the true murderer.
Daniel and Juno lead an all-star cast with strong support from David Morse (The Green Mile, The Hurt Locker) and Heather Graham (The Hangover I&II, Boogie Nights).
