5 Films to Watch at the Glasgow Film Festival

Chris Tilly
Movies
Movies

The Glasgow Film Festival kicks off tomorrow, featuring more than 310 screenings and events revolving around films from 38 different countries. Fandom will be in attendance to rate and review some of the flicks, with the following five titles we can’t wait to see.

Free Fire

The new film from Ben Wheatley is action-heavy, revolving around a shoot-up in a warehouse in 1978 Boston. Cillian Murphy and Michael Smiley play a pair of Provisional IRA members endeavouring to buy a cache of weapons. But the deal quickly goes bad, guns are drawn, and an epic shoot-out ensues. The star-studded cast includes Brie Larson, Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copley and Jack Reynor.

Mindhorn

Julian Barratt plays Richard Thorncroft, an actor who found a modicum of fame as TV sleuth ‘Mindhorn‘ in the 1980s. He’s forced to return to the role in the present day when a crazed criminal insists that the fictional character is his nemesis. Thorncroft, therefore, journeys back to the Isle of Man where they shot the show, and endeavours to get in touch with his inner hero.

Personal Shopper

This acclaimed psychological horror stars Kristen Stewart as Maureen, a personal shopper to the stars whose life starts to crumble following the death of her twin brother. He was killed by the same congenital heart condition that she herself suffers from, and when Maureen starts trying to contact his spirit, proceedings quickly turn spooky and dark.

Celtic Soul

Jay Baruchel – of Goon, Knocked Up and How to Train Your Dragon fame – heads to Ireland to trace his maternal roots before setting off to Glasgow to watch his beloved Celtic in this heartwarming and hilarious documentary for those seeking a little local flavour at the fest.

A Cure For Wellness

Another psychological horror, this one also has elements of satire. Written and directed by Gore Verbinski, the Pirates of the Caribbean helmer harnesses his visual flair to inject a sense of unease into this story of a sinister spa. When a young company executive is sent to bring back the firm’s CEO from the remote Swiss Alps-set sanatorium, he finds himself drawn deeper and deeper into the increasingly strange goings-on. Dane DeHaan, Jason Isaacs and Mia Goth star. Screens as part of Glasgow FrightFest.

The Glasgow Film Festival runs from February 15-26, with details/tickets available here, while you can head to the FrightFest site to find out more about the scares in store.

Chris Tilly
Freelance writer. At this point my life is a combination of 1980s horror movies, Crystal Palace football matches, and episodes of I'm Alan Partridge. The first series. When he was in the travel tavern. Not the one after.