A Most Wanted Man
The 2014 Edinburgh International Film Festival gets under way next week, and sees a great range of movies on the programme.
The festival will boasts some great movies from around the world, with the likes of UK, USA, German, and Asian cinema all on show.
We take a look at some of the films that we are excited to see over the next couple of weeks.
- A Most Wanted Man
If you are looking for a good thriller at the festival this year, look no further than A Most Wanted Man: an adaptation of the John le Carré novel.
The movie marks the return of Anton Corbijn to the director’s chair, while Philips Seymour Hoffman leads an impressive and all-star cast.
This is one of the Hoffman's final movies - it is a performance that has already been heavily praised - and Rachael McAdams, Robin Wright, Willem Dafoe, and Daniel Bruhl join him on the cast list.
When a half-Chechen, half-Russian, brutally tortured immigrant turns up in Hamburg's Islamic community, laying claim to his father's ill-gotten fortune, both German and US security agencies take a close interest.
As the clock ticks down and the stakes rise, the race is on to establish this most wanted man's true identity - an oppressed victim or destruction-bent extremist?
- Joe
Nicolas Cage returns to the big screen this summer as he takes on the title role in Joe.
Cage teams up with David Gordon Green for the first time, as the filmmaker moves away from comedy to tackle the most dramatic film of his career.
Joe is a big screen adaptation of the novel by Larry Brown, and sees Cage return to his indie film roots: I have to say it is a welcome return.
Cage takes on the title role as the hard-living, hot-tempered, ex-con Joe Ransom, who is just trying to dodge his instincts for trouble - until he meets a hard-luck kid, (Tye Sheridan) who awakens in him a fierce and tender-hearted protector.
This is only the third film of Sheridan's career - he appeared in Tree of Life and Mud - and he really is one of the best young acting talents. Can't wait to see him alongside Cage.
- Snowpiercer
Snowpiercer is a movie that I have been looking forward to for well over a year, but it is a film that has still not received a UK release date.
The movie is the English-speaking debut of director Joon-ho Bong, and is one of the most anticipated science fiction films - it really does look terrific.
Set in a future where a failed experiment to stop global warming creates an ice age that kills off all life on the planet except for the inhabitants of the Snowpiercer, a train that travels around the globe and is powered by a sacred perpetual-motion engine.
A class system evolves on the train, but a revolution is brewing.
Chris Evans leads an all-star cast, as Tilda Swinton, Jamie Bell, John Hurt, and Ocativa Spencer are just some of the names on board.
Hopefully, we will see Snowpiecer reach cinemas this year, but it is set to be one of the highlights of the Edinburgh festival.
- Cold In July
One of the indie movies that has been whipping up a storm so far this year has been Cold In July, and it is great to see it included in the festival line-up.
Cold In July is based on the novel by Joe R. Lansdale, and sees Jim Mickle return to the director's chair.
Michael C. Hall will take on the lead role, while Sam Shepard and Don Johnson are also on board the thriller.
How can a split-second decision change your life? While investigating noises in his house one balmy Texas night in 1989, Richard Dane puts a bullet in the brain of low-life burglar Freddy Russell.
Although he’s hailed as a small-town hero, Dane soon finds himself fearing for his family’s safety when Freddy’s ex-con father, Ben, rolls into town, hell-bent on revenge.
Cold In July was met well at the Sundance Film Festival earlier this year, and really is a film not to be missed.
- Hyena
There are a whole of British movies on the programme at Edinburgh, and it will be Hyena that will open the festival.
The festival screening will be the world premiere of the crime drama, and marks the return of Gerard Johnson to the director's chair.
Hyena is the first film for Johnson since he made his debut with Tony back in 2009, and he is on writing duties as well as being in the director's chair.
Hyena revolves around Michael Logan (Peter Ferdinando) an anti-hero for our times: a natural predator and a complex mix of high-functioning addict and corrupt police officer.
But his dark world is evolving. A recent influx of ruthless Albanian gangsters is threatening to change London's criminal landscape.
Johnson really did make people sit up and take note with the gritty Tony, and I can't wait to see what he has done with his new film.
- I Hate The Dawn
I Hate The Dawn is one of the Iranian films on the festival this year, and is the second feature film for Ali Karim.
Karim has penned the screenplay as well as being in the director's chair, and has brought together a cast that includes Mohammad Ahmadi, Alireza Alavian, and Amir Azizi.
The film follow Babak Sepehri, an independent filmmaker, is driving to a shoot with his young assistant, Amir.
A tired and agitated Amir explains his state by saying he’s working on a script that keeps him awake at night.
Curious to know the script’s contents Babak persuades Amir to go through it, thus gradually unveiling Amir’s secret...
- The Green Inferno
One of the most famous director's featuring at Edinburgh this year is Eli Roth, as he returns with his new film The Green Inferno.
The Green Inferno sees Roth mix elements of horror and thriller, and has penned the screenplay with Guillermo Amoedo.
A group of student activists travel from New York City to the Amazon to save the rainforest.
However, once they arrive in this vast green landscape, they soon discover that they are not alone - and that no good deed goes unpunished.
While Roth has done plenty of producing work in recent years, we haven't seen much of him in the director's chair: this is the first film for him since Hostel: Part II.
- Set Fire To The Stars
Elijah Wood is one of the big named actors to watch out for at the festival, as he returns with Set Fire To The Stars.
Set Fire To The Stars is a new Dylan Thomas biopic, and will see Wood take on the role of Thomas in the film.
The movie sees Andy Goddard in the director's chair, as he makes his feature film debut. Goddard is well known for his work in TV, with the likes of Downton Abbey, Law & Order: UK and Torchwood under his belt.
An aspiring poet in 1950s New York has his ordered world shaken when he embarks on a week-long retreat to save his hell-raising hero, Dylan Thomas.
The Edinburgh International Film Festival runs 19th - 29th June.
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