Sydney Film Festival My Picks

---UPDATE: Changes made after late films from Cannes have been announced---

Earlier this week the people behind the Sydney Film Festival revealed its whole program for 2016 and there are some movies to look forward to for a range of reasons.

With the festival offering multi-passes you can purchase 10, 20 or 30 tickets to use on just about any movie for the festival. This year I will be getting a 30 ticket pass so that makes 30 films that I can see. Here are the 30, these are also the 30 that I would recommend to anyone in general.

Born to be Blue (Dir. Robert Budreau)

Ethan Hawke plays music composer Chet Baker. If you weren't grabbed at Ethan Hawke i'll let you know that it's a comeback story too. It's about Chet Baker battling drug addiction while making a musical comeback as well.

Neon Bull (Dir. Gabriel Mascaro)

This is why Sydney Film Festival is just so great, where else are you gonna get a chance to watch a critically acclaimed Brazilian film. This is the directors second film and first one to reach a wider audience (even if it is only just the festival circuit).

Lo and Behold: Reveries of the Connected World (Dir. Werner Herzog)

For those who are familiar with Parks and Recreation might know Werner Herzog as the creepy guy who sold the house to Andy (Chris Pratt) and April (Aubrey Plaza) in the beginning of season 7. However for most cinephiles we know Herzog for his bold film making like Aguirre or Fitzcarraldo and his documentaries like Grizzly Man. With a reputation like so few German film makers any documentary from Herzog is a welcome one and one about the internet is even more interesting.

Certain Women (Dir. Kelly Reichardt)

With there being a shortage of female directors around it's great to see SFF bring some to the forefront by putting Certain Women in it's main competition. While Reichardt is known director among cinephiles she hasn't worked with big actors until 2010's Meek's Cutoff with Paul Dano and then Jess Eisenberg in Night Moves. This time around she has Kirsten Stewart and Laura Dern on her team. (PS if you can't make the festival why not watch Meek's Cutoff on Netflix!)

The Eyes of My Mother (Dir. Nicolas Pesce)

After 2014's A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night it seems like B&W European horror movies are picking up popularity but that doesn't mean we can expect a reduction in quality. This is Pesce's first feature and if this is as good as the critics say it was at Sundance, Pesce will have all eyes looking at him for his follow up feature.

Julieta (Dir. Pedro Almodovar)

You won't get many people argue that Pedro Almodovar isn't the best Spanish director working today and while Julieta has only come out in Spain and we haven't hear any word from Cannes yet about this film, expect great reviews. Almodovar is director who hasn't really had a peak at any point in his career so expect a great film here.

Aquarius (Dir. Kleber Mendonça Filho)

Like Julieta, Aquarius is playing at Cannes before it hits our screens here and like Julieta there is no word on this movie yet. This is the director's second feature and after the acclaim his last film got it will be interesting to see how this film propels his career. If don't know if you want to see this one, then maybe wait to see if wins anything at Cannes first.

Under the Shadow (Dir. Babak Anvari)

Like Eyes of My Mother and A Girl Walks Home Alone at Night, this is a European/Iranian horror film in Black and White, by a first time director and has great reviews. If you like horror you have plenty of picks to choose from at SFF and this is certainly one of them.

The Commune (Dir. Thomas Vinterberg)

While I wasn't a fan of Vinterberg's last film (Far From the Madding Crowd), off the the strength of his 2012 film (The Hunt) it's enough to get excited to see this. With Vinterberg's filmography so vast it's hard to predict on what to expect here.

Mustang (Deniz Gamze Ergüven)

Premiering at Cannes last year it's been a long road for this movie, especially since it was nominated for the best foreign Oscar at the last Academy awards. The film is also a great example of the Sydney Film Festival's diversity as it's female director behind the camera and proof that women can direct as well as men.

High-Rise (Dir. Ben Wheatly)

Since Wheatly's 2011 breakout hit 'Kill List', he's been a film maker many of kept their eyes upon. Since 2011 he's directed two other films, two episodes of Doctor Who and he already has a film in the bag, waiting to be released. In High-Rise Wheatly teams with Tom Hiddleston and Jeremy Irons and based off the concept this seems likes it's gonna be movie for anyone who likes off-beat stuff.

Maggie's Plan (Dir. Rebecca Miller)

Another example of SFF diversifying its line-up here with another female directed movie. Rebecca Miller has done films like The Private Lives of Pippa Lee and The Ballad of Jack and Rose. This time she works with Greta Gerwig, Julianne Moore, Ethan Hawke and Wallace Shawn.

It's Only the End of the World (Dir. Xavier Dolan)

If I had to choose one film watch while at SFF this would be the one. Dolan's 'Mommy' was my number one pick of 2015 and with a cast including Vincent Cassel, Léa Seydoux and Marion Cotillard this is a film to keep an eye out for.

Raging Bull (Dir. Martin Scorsese)

So why am I now watching a 36 year old film? Well I haven't seen Raging Bull and if the Sight and Sound poll means anything, you would know that this is one of the all-time greats. I don't know if I will ever get the chance to see this again on the big screen anytime soon so I'll be seeing this one.

The Lure (Dir. Agnieszka Smoczynska)

What is The Lure you ask? A Polish movie about mermaids and it's also a musical. A Polish-mermaid-musical if you will. The Lure is a movie for anyone who like obsucre films and something you probably won't forget for a while.

Ten Years (An anthology film)

Hugely controversial in China, only playing in couple of cinemas in it's homeland but making plenty of money, the award winning Ten Years seems like a movie we should all see for two reasons. A - to really annoy the Chinese government and B - A thought provoking look into the future of China.

A War (Dir. Tobias Lindholm)

This Danish film was nominated for last years Best Foreign Film, a category that was one of the strongest of the year so it seems like this a movie worth checking out.

Letters From War (Dir. Ivo Ferreira)

This is one the films i'm seeing because it fills in time between other movies and it was nominated for the Golden Bear at this years Berlin Film Festival.

Demolition (Dir. Jean-Marc Vallée)

While I haven't heard the best things about this movie I have heard that Jake Gyllenhaal does hold the movie together and being a Gyllenhaal fan that was enough for me to choose this movie.

Paterson (Dir. Jim Jarmusch)

A film about a bus driver from Paterson, New Jersey, who is also a bus driver and directed by Jim Jarmusch isn't a hard one to sell to any Jarmusch fan. If it happens that you are reading this and not a fan, don't worry. Adam Driver is the lead actor here.

Apprentice (Dir. Boo Junfeng)

Appearing at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard competition before it hits SFF, I was interested in this film based on its trailer and apparently part of it was film in Sydney. If the reviews don't hold up in Cannes I will probably change this film to see something else but they would have to be pretty bad.

Captain Fantastic (Dir. Matt Ross)

At the end of the year this could be the film with 'Captain' in the title that we all remember. With Viggo Mortensen in the lead we know we can expect a great performance. After premiering at Sundance in January, Cannes placed the film in their Un Certain Regard competition, citing that they have confidence in the film.

Fire at Sea (Dir. Gianfranco Rosi)

Rosi is one of the few directors to have won more than one of the big three film festivals (Berlin, Cannes and Venice) and one of the fewer to win any of them with documentaries. He won the Golden Bear at Berlin with this documentary and after last years Tehran Taxi winning the award, I'm looking forward to see what new film Berlin gives us this year.

Personal Shopper (Dir. Olivier Assayas)

After Twilight, Kirsten Stewart has been becoming less of major star and more of a great actress. With films like Clouds of Sils Maria, Cafe Society, Still Alice and Certain Women, Stewart might be an actress with a golden man in her hands soon.

Everybody Wants Some!! (Dir. Richard Linklater)

The spiritual follow-up of both Boyhood and Dazed and Confused. Enough said.

The Handmaiden (Dir. Park Chan-Wook)

Chan-Wook is known for 2003's Oldboy and his filmography has always remained similar in tone. This erotic thriller is not to be missed and it's sure to shock whoever see it.

Sing Street (Dir. John Carney)

This Irish musical looks like a light hearted film that anyone can enjoy. From the trailer it looks similar to We Are the Best!, an underrated Swedish film which you should check out.

Gimme Danger (Dir. Jim Jarmusch)

While I wasn't a huge fan of the two musical related documentaries nominated at the Oscars last year, neither of them had the great Jim Jarmusch at the helm. Here Jarmusch will go into detail about The Stooges.

Swiss Army Man (Dir. Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert)

If you haven't seen the trailer for this yet, do so. Ok now that you've seen the trailer you will know that some people will love it and some people will hate it and the only way to know who you are is watch the movie. So that's why i'm picking this movie.

Toni Erdmann (Dir. Maren Ade)

This critically acclaimed, almost three hour German comedy may seem outlandish but at a closer look it appears to be a film with great laughs and a big heart that breaks through the language barrier to make it an essential film. It was also the critics favorite at Cannes to win the Palme d'Or.

So those are my picks but it's too many here are my top five picks (in no particular order)

It's Only the End of the World (Xavier Dolan)

Julieta (Pedro Almodovar)

Everybody Wants Some!! (Richard Linklater)

Under the Shadow/ The Eyes of My Mother (Babak Anvari/Nicolas Pesce)

High Rise (Ben Wheatly)

So if still don't know what to watch, ask me and if you do know, what are you watching?

#SFF