Sex addiction, life with a sociopath, and a family fallen apart were the hard-hitting subjects explored in the top films at this year’s BFI London Film Festival. It was, however, Lynne Ramsay’s chilling new film We Need To Talk About Kevin that took out the Best Movie gong at the awards ceremony held on Wednesday October 26.

 

The festival, which screened a total of 204 feature films from October 12-27, also awarded Best British Newcomer to Candese Reid for Junkhearts (the story of a homeless girl taken in by a troubled ex-soldier), Best First Feature went to Giorgelli for Las Acacias (a story of a truck driver and his passengers), and Best Documentary was awarded to Werner Herzog for Into the Abyss, a film about death row inmates.

 

But what were this humble reporter’s top films at the fest? Here’s a rundown of my top five London Festival films that you need to look out for in the coming months.

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5. Martha Marcy May Marlene
Winner of Best Director Award at this year’s Sundance Film Festival and the Cannes Prix de la Jeunesse, Martha Marcy May Marlene is a psychological thriller about a young woman (the surprisingly phenomenal Elizabeth Olsen) who goes through an identity crisis after escaping a rural cult. It’s out January 19. [Read Luke Ryan's review on TheVine; "It is not a perfect piece of cinema by any means, but its unique, compellingly composed and thought-provoking." Four stars.]

4. The Descendants
Remarkably more upbeat than others in this list, The Descendants is director Alexander Payne’s long-awaited follow-up to his critically acclaimed 2004 film Sideways. Here, Payne directs George Clooney as a father struggling to re-connect with his two daughters after his wife slips into a coma. Whispers abound that Clooney just may get the Best Actor gong for this one. It opens January 12.

3. Take Shelter
 In Jeff Nichols American drama, blue-collar bloke Curtis (Michael Shannon) suffers apocalyptic and nightmarish visions that go from bad to worse. Not even his wife (played by the brilliant Jessica Chastain) can shake him out of it, leading Curtis to question if he’s a paranoid schizophrenic - or if it’s everyone else who is wrong. Whether you take it on face value or as a metaphor for America, this film is profoundly absorbing and visually poetic. You can catch it now at the cinema. [Read Clem Bastow's review on TheVine; "To describe Take Shelter as overwhelming would be an understatement." Five stars.]

2. We Need To Talk About Kevin
Even with the mounting hype surrounding this film, Lynne Ramsay’s We Need To Talk About Kevin is a gripping and disturbing film that will haunt you for days and will not disappoint. Unanimously agreed that this is Tilda Swinton at her very best, the film centres on Swinton’s character Eva and cuts between her present post-traumatic state and her past family life with husband (John C. Reilly) and disturbed son (Ezra Miller). Ramsay should get some Oscar-love for her film adaptation of the popular novel, as should Swinton. This film is as terrifying as it is heartbreaking. It opens in cinemas on November 17.

1. Shame
Two of the hottest names in Hollywood right now, Michael Fassbender and Carey Mulligan star in this devastating and brutal look into the life of a sex addict as played by Fassbender. Shame reunites the Irish actor with award-winning artist and director Steve McQueen; the two previously collaborated on the critically acclaimed 2008 film Hunger, in which Fassbender portrayed Irish hunger striker Bobby Sands. The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival where Fassbender picked up the Best Actor award, and surely he’ll be a stronger contender for the same gong at the Academy Awards. Watch this film for Fassbender’s unflinching performance and McQueen’s daring exploration of edgy subject matter, but be warned this film may break your heart. It opens in Australia February 9.

Some other much talked about films were...

David Cronenberg’s A Dangerous Method, that film where Viggo Mortensen plays Sigmund Freud, and Michael Fassbender as Carl Jung gives Keira Knightley’s character Sabina Spielrein a rather thorough spanking!

Michel Hazanavicius’ charming near-silent film The Artist, on which one critic remarked “If you don’t come out of this film with a smile on your face, you don’t have a heart”.

Oscar-winning director Andrea Arnold’s Wuthering Heights featuring Skins actress Kaya Scodelario and newcomer James Howson. Despite Wuthering Heights author Emily Bronte describing Heathcliff as a “dark skinned gypsy”, “Spanish gypsy” and a “little lascar” (19th century term for Indian sailors - according to the Guardian) in the novel, this adaptation is the first time ever that a dark skinned actor has played the male lead, making this story more about race than class.

And although it was released in Australia earlier this year, Justin Kurzel’s shocking Australian crime story Snowtown had its UK premiere at the festival where it, not surprisingly, continued to receive high praise from critics and audience members alike. So wonderful to see Aussie films being so well received abroad.

And for all the wrong reasons, Madonna’s film W.E. starring Our Abbie Cornish, was hotly anticipated, if only to see whether all the negative reviews from its Venice Film Festival premiere were founded.