BFI London Film Festival picks: 5-1

The 56th BFI London Film Festival is finally upon us, kickstarting tonight with Tim Burton's Frankenweenie! Following Part 1 of my Top Ten picks of the Festival, here is what I feel are the big dog films to look out for over the next 11 days. Enjoy, and get involved.

5. Crossfire Hurricane

Directed by Brett Morgan
Starring: The Rolling Stones

Receiving its world premiere at the Festival is Crossfire Hurricane, Brett Morgan's 50^th anniversary documentary on legendary rock stars The Rolling Stones. You don't need to be a Stones nut, just a music lover. If you are a fan mind, you should know they're going to be hitting the red carpet for the screening.
 

4. The Sapphires

Directed by Wayne Blair
Starring: Chris O'Dowd, Deborah Mailman, Jessica Mauboy

Here we have what I predict will be one of the more underrated showings at the festival, but one whose very appearance will raise its profile enough so as to make a dent at the box office upon its release. Australian film The Sapphires is about the rise of a Supremes-esque Aborigines girl group mentored by Chris O'Dowd's Dave, who entertain US troops during Vietnam. From the clips that have been released, this is gonna charm even the most hard-centred folk.

3. Argo
Directed by Ben Affleck
Starring: Ben Affleck, John Goodman, Bryan Cranston

With just two films, Ben Affleck has carved himself out as a director whose films  warrant getting  excited about. With The Town a step forward after the also-brilliant Gone Baby Gone, here's hoping he can make it third time a winner with Argo, a feature already being mentioned alongside the word Oscar. The plot seems to merge political thriller with satire in an attempted serious manner - a strange one for sure. But I'm pretty excited to see how Affleck pulls this one together, for if the credible male cast are placed into the story successfully, this has the makings of a modern classic.

2. Sightseers

Directed by Ben Wheatley
Starring: Steve Oram, Alice Lowe, Tony Way

Ben Wheatley's follow-up to the deranged Kill List promises to be equally as deranged, albeit with a bucketful of laughs put in for good measure. If the early festival appearances and reviews throughout the past year are anything to go by, Sightseers could be the film of 2012. The fact it is showing at the LFF enhances this, not to mention it's backing by BFI Film Fund - best of luck getting a seat for this one.

1. Seven Psychopaths

Directed by Martin McDonagh
Starring: Colin Farrell, Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell

Top of my personal list of films to get excited about at the festival was always going to be Martin McDonagh's long-overdue follow-up to the hugely revered In Bruges. Re-casting Colin Farrell, this time as Marty, the film boasts the cast to beat: Christopher Walken, Sam Rockwell, Woody Harrelson, to name but a few. And the trailer further proves what was already known: this is destined to be just as revered and quoted as his debut. What’s it all about? A struggling screenwriter becomes embroiled in the LA criminal underworld when his friends kidnap a gangster’s beloved Shih Tzu. If the Coen Brother-esque plot doesn’t get you enticed, chances are nothing will.