Our Top 5 of BFI London Film Festival 2017

5 - BRIGSBY BEAR

I went into this film blind and that's exactly how it should be. So, you'll get nothing from me, and like it.

Although I will say that it feels a bit like a (good) Will Ferrell movie.

100% cinema date material (or Netflix and chill, if you must). In UK cinemas 8th December.

4 - AVA

A French directorial debut that feels very nostalgic yet very current. It's a grower and just gets better and better, and I expect the director will too. Léa Mysius is one to watch.

If you're into French New Wave Cinema, 'Pierrot Le Fou' in particular, or if you're after an alternative coming of age story that's a bit daring, then look no further.

See it with a friend or by yourself. Not with your Mum. I repeat, NOT with your Mum. Streaming and/or in UK stores mid November.

3 - GOOD TIME

- That's exactly what I had. It's fast, it's clever, it's risky, it's thrilling, it's hilarious, it's Robert Patterson (not like you've seen him), it's a good time.

'Good Time' is like if 'Buffalo 66' and 'Victoria' had a baby. If you like films that dance down the line between thriller and comedy, with memorable, idiosyncratic characters, this is one of the best.

Get some drinks and see it with friends. In UK cinemas 17th November.

2 - THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER

The script is dull. The shots are weird. The performances are dry. The music is borderline insane. But... it all just works. It's the director's own cinematic language and it's very addictive. I didn't think 'The Lobster' worked so well, but this film felt closer to home and unpredictably detailed.

If a Coen Brother/Kubrick, Dark Comedy/Thriller sounds like your kind of dish, then order this now.

Go. To. The. Cinema. Out 3rd November.

1 - LEAN ON PETE

After talking for sometime about what made this film work so well, we finally managed to sum it up with one short sentence: 'you just really give a fuck.' It's hard to imagine that a story about a boy and a horse could have such an impact on you, but from the very start you just really give a fuck.

It's also very rare to see a film that's not pretending to be anything else, but it'll make you completely forget you're watching one. There is almost no filmmaker presence in this film. That might sound like a criticism, but it's not an easy task, and comes as a breath of fresh air.

Brilliant performances really carry this film, and the story suspends you from your seat for however long it wants to run for.

Fans of Terrence Mallick will enjoy the themes and simplicity of the filmmaking. It also has echoes of 'Into The Wild' with a honest and satisfying character arc.

Top drawer family film night. Out February 2018.