Whether talking about Alfred Hitchcock, or Charlie Chaplin, Britain is the proud home of many eclectic and talented directors and actors. With such a rich history in cinema and film, Britain has produced some of the greatest pieces of the seventh art to exist today.
And with the BAFTAs coming up next February, and with one of the most diverse lists of nominees we have seen in recent years, it will definitely be interesting to see which one wins the BAFTA for the Outstanding British Film.
Without further ado, here are the nominees:
1 'American Honey'
'American Honey' is a journey of self discovery. A coming of age film that has all the lightheartedness of a brick to the face. In an epic road trip, Star, our young protagonist is a downtrodden young teen looking to spread her wings and find her own way in life, and escape her previous one. Filmed over 56 days in several American states. One of the more incredible aspects of this film is it's ability to portray the wide open atmospheres of the American countryside but convey a series of claustrophobia and panic that our protagonist also feels.
Although 'American Honey' presents a pretty damn good cultural commentary on socioeconomic difference and problems that many youth face. Too often does the whiff of young adult angst leak out from between the crumbling brick and mortar of attempted existentialism. But while that prolific stink is definitely there, especially in the ending, it somehow adds to the experience that is American Honey.
American Honey is a joint collaboration between American and Britain, with British director Andrea Arnold taking the helm. It has won several awards, such as Atlanta Film Critics Society Awards for Best Ensemble, British Independent Film Awards for Best British Independent Film, Best British Independent Film, Best Actress and Outstanding Achievement in Craft for cinematography, Andrea Arnold was also awarded the Jury Prize and 'American Honey' was nominated for the Palme d'Or.
2 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them'
While the latest in the film in the 'Harry Potter' universe is almost certainly the most well known of the nominees for the Outstanding British Film award.
'Fantastic Beasts' is easily the most visually attractive film on the list. The winning combination of the stunning special effects of the magical world being fiercely juxtaposed against the bleak backdrop of 'nomaj' New York and the Creedy household could almost suggest themes such as class distinction and unhealthy repression, but somehow the message falls short in light of all the weird and wacky magical animals that divert our attention in moments of slapstick humour.
'Fantastic Beasts' has previously won Editor's Award by the Evening Standard British Film Awards and has been nominated for several more.
3 'I, Daniel Blake'
Ahhhh, the other side of the spectrum. The latest work from "retired" director Ken Loach, is almost a polar opposite to 'Fantastic Beasts'. If 'Fantastic Beasts' uses a magical world filled with hope and wonder to prepare you for darker, slightly more realistic thematic concepts, then 'I, Daniel Blake' is a serial killer waiting for you on a dark night with a hypodermic needle of reality and rohypnol.
But... well... it's also brilliant.
Its a rage against a system that covers itself in bureaucracy and red tape whilst people starve and suffer everyday. The silent outcry Daniel has to be recognized as a human being by a faceless government. Here, Loach speaks out for the exploited working class with a masterpiece of social realism. Whether it be Dave Johns' understated acting, or the subdued visual tones of the film, Loach manages to capture something truly magical in this sad tale of Daniel Blake.
'I, Daniel Blake' has already taken award ceremonies by storm, winning the Palme d'Or at Cannes, along with the Palm DogManitarian Award and Prize of the Ecumenical Jury.
4 'Denial'
'Denial' is a British-American film directed by Mick Jackson and written by David Hare, and it tells the incredible story of the quasi-famous Deborah E. Lipstadt, an American historian reputed for having to fight a legal battle to prove the Holocaust actually occurred, after she drew the ire of the infamous Holocaust denier David Irving after taking him to pieces in her book 'Denying the Holocaust'. It's a refreshing change to watch a courtroom drama that doesn't descend into melodrama with a dramatic flourish to cap off the defendant or prosecutor's point, although it is a guilty pleasure.
Timothy Spall was nominated for Best Supporting Actor by the AARP Movies for Grownups Awards.
5 'Notes on Blindness'
The next film on this list is 'Notes on Blindness', a pretty heart stirring documentary about a man named John Hull, whom, after decades of clear vision, starts to become blind. Directed by Pete Middleton and James Spinney, this documentary brings to life the dramatized version of John's loss of sight as he audiotapes his changing experience that forms the basis for the book Touching the Rock. Using the same technique of 'The Arbor' the actors mimed real life audio from John's experiences, including that of John and his friends and family.
Winning the award for Best Documentary in British Independent Film Award and being nominated for many others, this documentary certainly stands a chance of taking home that BAFTA.
6 'Under the Shadow'
The final nominee for the Outstanding British film award is 'Under The Shadow'. 'Under The Shadow' is kind of a genre defying film. Kind of. Set in Tehran during the War of the Cities, the film is based around a mother and a daughter after the father had been conscripted to work as a doctor for the military. As the war intensifies, more and more people around them begin to leave, until only Shideh, the mother, and Dorsa, the daughter, are left. This is where things get weird. From here on, the film presents itself less of a drama surrounding war torn Tehran, and changes to supernatural and psychological horror. As Dorsa begins acting stranger and stranger, Shideh becomes convinced that a djinn is haunting them.
The real beauty of the film is the imperceptibility that Babak Anvari, the director, moves the story from the realities and impracticalities of war to pure unadulterated horror, and it becomes supremely difficult to tell the difference between the sleep depravation and the truths of war.