BFI Flare Announces 30th Anniversary Line Up - Here's Our Top Picks

Well first of all, sorry for the absence. You know how it is - life gets in the way etc, but we're happy to return with a big one - BFI Flare's 30th Anniversary announcement!

BFI Flare is easily the best film festival we have in good ol' London town, and we've been lucky to attend the festival a few times now. But of course, as the festival celebrates the big THREE-ZERO, they are bringing out the big leagues to celebrate the festival this year. Tongue Loose takes a look at the films you should be looking out for this year:

Raindance Film Festival: 1 World 100 Lonely Review

Director: Brian McGuire

Starring: Robert Murphy, Farah Mokrani, Lara Heller, Mark E. Fletcher, Mike Kaiser, & Kendall Carroll

The Messenger Review

Director: David Blair
Cast: Robert Sheehan, Lily Cole, Tamzin Merchant
Running Time: 101 minutes
Certificate: 15

Jack (Robert Sheehan) is a lost soul, tarnished by a deep depression, he is an alcoholic isolating himself from society and pushing family away - the only people he begrugedley lets in are dead people who seek him out to communicate with their loved ones which they have left behind. He discovered his gift as a child and despite wanting nothing but being left alone by the ghosts and wanting the voices to stop he finds himself desperate to create connections with someone and sees them as his only companions.

While some of his experiences are mentioned as it emerges that Jack is a well known charater in the town and has an affinity to crashing funerals and sensitive moments to pass on a message (but instead gets passed off as an insane intruder) there is one particular passing which is followed closely. It is war correspondant Mark (Jack Fox) who gets murdered outside his flat, while his fiance Sarah (Tamzin Merchant) is waiting for him. Mark is now desperate to leave Sarah with a final message and has to convince Jack to help him.

The most interesthing angle which THE MESSENGER takes is the torment of Jack, and his desperation in helping. All he wants is to help and to feel appreciated. His selfishness is nonexistant and his methods of delivering messages drives him into getting in trouble with the law and being seen as insane by the living around him.  A discussion around mental health arises as Jack is seen as depressed due to a rough childhood mothered by an alcoholic who sectioned him at a young age while that is a parallel to the story, the audience, Jack and the dead people are united in their conviction of his sixth sense.

Sadly the film has an incredibly slow start, where Jack comes across as incredibly annoying and the confusion created by the initial 30 minutes is barely saved by incredibly intense and convincing performances by seasoned bBritish actors an interesting examination of mental health and a brief yet raiting murder mystery. Appearances by David O'Hara and Joely Richardon are small almost reducing them to cameos and are not fully taken adantage of to complete the narrative. These blunders along with a baby faced Lily Cole playing not only the older sister but also the mother of a 10 year old boy, and a lack of a well tied together inestigation leaves the audience hanging and torn between wanting more and too frustrated to engage with the film.  It is only towards the end in which the film gains momentum, and Sheehan settles into his role in which it becomes engaging and interesting.

Jack is not left alone, by neither the living nor the dead and the anguish gets so intense that whether his gift is real or whether he is suffering from schizofrenia becomes almost irrelevant but it is powerful to watch and the balance between drama, horror and thriller is brilliantly executed. THE MESSENGER is surprisningly funny,worth seeing and stands out as a good contribution to British cinema this year.

THE MESSENGER is out in the UK on the 18th September.

How To Change The World Review

Director: Jerry Rothwell
Cast: Bill Darnell, David Garrick, Bobbi Hunter,
Running Time: 110 Min
Rating: 15



How to change the world is about the creation of world renowned environmentalist organisation Greenpeace. An organisation that many have heard of, but few know of its beginning. Greenpeace was in the 70s the innovator uniting of the peace movement with the environmental movement and became the beginning of the ecology movement. It has since developed a reputation for being more commercial than a passionate anarchist foundation. With such a great movemment. Where do you start? And that's what the film battles; the star. More than that, it is a documentary about friendship, archiving, money and the media as it follows a few men and women on a mission to change the world.

How to change the world uses a number of techniques to tell the story.  Its greatest achievement is never before seen footage from the early days of Greenpeace and their first voyage where they attempted to protest against the nuclear bomb testing in Amchitka and the change of direction following that to stop whale hunting. It's impressive to see how aware the original crew were about putting on a good show, they touch on the concept of images, videos and protests going viral way before the times of social medial and the vitality of the Internet. In a mixture of luck and sheer genius they capture footage and images completing the documentary.

Beside the current day interviews with the founders, the film is accompanied by animation and is not only the footage which authenticates the film but added to that is that Bob Bunter who acts as a protagonist and initially got involved as a journalist to record the voyages of Greenpeace, narrates the documentary. The first person narration is in the form of Bob's journals; impeccable writing narrating a beautiful film and tells of the torment of each step they were taking to make an impact.

.
Bob couldn't be a greater human being but also protagonist in this well put together and visually enticing documentary. He is a journalist turned activist whose writing encapsulates the film and gives it not only a voice but also his actions serve as contributions and the footage takes us on a heartracing real life thriller.

How To Change The World is out in the UK on the 10th September.

Tongue loose Attends The Bechdel Test Fest Screening Of Beyond The Lights

How do you watch and write a review for a Oscar nominated film featuring Oscar nominated actors, written and directed by a Hollywood filmmaker ahead of its release? 

52 Tuesdays Review

Director: Sophie Hyde

Cast: Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Del Herbert-Jane, Beau Travis Williams, Imogen Archer, Sam Althuizen.

Ant Man Review

Director: Peyton Reed

Starring: Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Evangeline Lilly, Corey Stoll, Bobby Cannavale, Michael Peña, T.I.

Rating: 12A

Running Time: 1 hour 57 minutes.

Before we start, you should probably know that Ant-Man is suppose to suck...

Tongue Loose Attends Shiiine on Weekender Launch Party

Shiiine on Weekender will be a four day music festival taking place in November, but we got a taster when the festival took over Scale and held its launch party there this weekend. "Shiiine On Weekend Offender is a celebration of Indie and Dance from the late 80s, 90s and beyond. We bring you the artists that soundtracked the golden period in popular culture when clubbers and gig goers came together in what seemed like a glorious decade long party" 

If the launch party is anything to go by the first Shiiine on Weekender will be a great four days with brilliant music. The launch party had two rooms with live bands playing, and while I enjoyed one performance I knew I was missing out on what is surely a great one in the other room. With a line up consisting of Stereo Mcs, Northside, Space Monkeys, The Winachi Tribe, The Frank & Walters, Psyence, The Sitting Pips and James Atkin no minute passed without great music played. Some of the acts will be returning to to the four day Shiiine on Weekender in November, but there be loads more with some acts still to be announced. 

Without knowing much about each act, the music was perfect for the celebration of the best of indie and dance and we had a great time dancing the night away. Shiiine on Weekender is bound to be a great festival, with amazing acts, brilliant performances and a touch of nostalgia, tickets are available here 

British Council To Make London's BFI Flare Short Films Available in 50 Countries

If you have ever wanted to head down to London for the UK's biggest LGBT Film Festival, you will be able to get a taste of it in your own home, all thanks to British Council's new digital festival FiveFilms4Freedom.

Top 5: Things To Do In London This Month

We are going to join with the unison of "Is it February already? Blimey!" But only because we know that all the good stuff happens in February! And trust us, there are some great ones to look out for. How about a group of magical misfits for a Valentine's date for example? Check out our top five picks for going out in London this month.

Selma Review

Director: Ava DuVerney

Cast: David Oyelowo, Oprah Winfrey, Common, Tim Roth, Tom Wilkinson

Running Time: 128 Minutes

Rating: 12A

Selma tells the story of the 1965 Selma Voting Rights Movement triggered by Annie Lee Cooper's (Oprah Winfrey) attempt to vote which was a right for all people at the time but made difficult for African Americans in the area. Dr King (David Oyelowo) makes it his priority to ensure that the voting rights are enforced, with a lack of support from the president and the difficulty faced by a southern state the film tells of only one of the battles and struggles which made Dr King the icon and leader of the civil rights movement remembered today. 

It is a wise move to not attempt to even begin to tell the full story of Dr Martin Luther King Jr, instead we are given a snap shot of one of the many powerful moments of the civil rights movement. 

While everything about Selma screams Oscar, film director Ava DuVerney derails from the usual Hoover-'60s-civil rights-JFK-esque film making which are seen in any attempts of an American history film and creates a masterpiece of her own. The mise-en-scene is there but the greatest power in Selma is in its reluctance to shy away from the barbarity and extreme violence the African american community endured during their quest for enforcement of the equality prescribed to them in the law. 

DuVerney's creates a beautiful film which oozes power, passion and lights a fire in the audience. She tells a historic tale, a political complexity and while still remaining relevant to the state of affairs in the US today.

Selma closes in on one moment in American history spanning over only a few months, it throws us into a time where Dr King had already made several progresses in the US and moving from one issue to another. He had made a name for himself, and the celebrity treatment he received is portrayed in the film along with his marital problems and the corruption of American government including some bold statements are made about the presidency of the time. 

The Academy has received a lot of criticism this year due to David Oyelowo missing a nomination for best actor in a leading role, hold your rocks when I say this; he's not that great. The problem with the Academy Awards is not that the lead of the civil rights film of the year is missing a nomination, but the problem lies in the assumption that he should have one. Oyelowo is a fine actor, and his deliverance of great Dr King speeches is powerful, but it is greatly thanks to the words.. Selma should be celebrated for its ensemble cast consisting of Carmen Ejogo, Common, Tessa Thompson, Wendell Pierce and more. A great group of actors and actresses representing both the supporters and the opposer of a man who became the voice and leader of the civil rights movement. 

Selma is out in UK cinemas on the 6th of February. 

Foxcatcher Review

Director: Bennett Miller
Cast: Steve Carell, Channing Tatum, Mark Ruffalo, Sienna Miller
Running Time: 134 minutes
Rating: 15

Music Monday: Kele (With Brolin) at Oval Space, London.

If there is one act that you could see again and again and never be bored of them, that one act would be Kele Okereke.

Guest Blogger: Fatty Went To Rehab

Each week Tongue Loose will have a different blogger talking about things on their mind...Please give a warm welcome to our first - Fatty Went To Rehab. 

What We Do In The Shadows Review

Director: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi
Starring: Jemaine Clement, Taika Waititi, Jonathan Brugh, Jackie van Beek
Running time: 87 minutes
Rating: 15

Get On Up Review

Director: Tate Taylor
Cast: Chadwick Boseman, Nelsan Ellis, Octavia Spencer, Viola Davis, Dan Aykroyd, Keith Robinson
Running Time: 139 minutes
Rating: 12A

One Direction - Four Review

Label: Columbia and SyCo Records
Producers: Julian Bunetta, Pär Westerlund and John Ryan
Tracks: 12 (16 with deluxe edition)

The Drop Review

Director: Michaël R. Roskam
Cast: Tom Hardy, James Gandolfini, Noomi Rapace
Running Time: 106 Minutes
Rating: 15

Glass Caves - Alive Review

Label: Tri-Tone 

Producer: Richard Turvey 

Twisted Loaf's Half Baked Review

The comedic duo Twisted Loaf were a success at Fringe this year with their 60 minute collection of bizarre, outrageous, uncomfortable and intimate sketches. Their sold out shows have now come to London for only a few days and Tongue Loose were there on opening night to witness the madness.

Firstly, there is no way to describe this comedic show - it's different. Twisted Loaf are so wonderfully weird and unafraid, as an audience member you're almost convinced they wouldn't care if you find it funny and laughed, but they will undoubtedly get a reaction.

The first ten minutes are painfully awkward and so incredibly dragged out but Half Baked isn't about the cheap jokes or the easy sketches, that becomes obvious when you've endured 5 minutes of a silent opening bit involving nothing but half of the duo awkwardly making an entrance and bringing discomfort to the whole audience with her silence, occasional bows and nods.

After that - Toasted Loaf intertwine their best talents from the theatre world and play on their musical, dance and knowledge of accents while mocking any other English class with spot on impersonations. The duo play off each other brilliantly and there's an apparent appreciation for each other's talents.

While it's all very awkward and uncomfortable with its various 'what is going on?' moments, the audience managed to laugh but it also highlights the fact that Half Baked is targeting a white English middle class audience and will go down a treat with its very specific white English middle class feminist comedy.

The success of Twisted Loaf is wonderful to see, and it's exciting that such an outrageous and out of the box female led comedy show has made it to a great venue in London. Half Baked is only on tonight and tomorrow at 9 pm and you can get your tickets here.