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"Public booking for this year&amp;#039;s London Film Festival opens at 9.30am today (September 24), with tickets being made available for opening film Frankenweenie, closer Great Expectations, and the rest of the festival programme including Sundance hit Beasts of the Southern Wild, Martin McDonagh&amp;#039;s In Bruges follow-up Seven Psychopaths, and early Oscar contenders Hyde Park on Hudson and Argo.  Digital Spy counts down the top ten films to catch at this year&amp;#039;s festival.  10. Song for Marion Who&amp;#039;s involved: Paul Andrew Williams, Gemma Arterton, Christopher Eccleston, Terence Stamp What&amp;#039;s it about: Pensioner Arthur joins a local choir after his wife is diagnosed with a terminal illness. Why it matters: London to Brighton director Paul Andrew Williams seems like an unlikely choice to make this comedy-drama, but he&amp;#039;s assembled a stellar cast and a Weinstein Company push Stateside means it&amp;#039;s likely to get wide exposure.  9. Hyde Park on Hudson Who&amp;#039;s involved: Roger Michell, Bill Murray, Laura Linney, Olivia Williams What&amp;#039;s it about: As the King and Queen of England visit his estate in New York, Franklin D Roosevelt grows closer to the woman who would become his mistress. Why it matters: The strong quartet of Brit and Yank actors speaks for itself, while the combination of a pre-WW2 setting and a focus on the monarchy makes this a decent bet for early Oscar buzz.  8. Rust and Bone Who&amp;#039;s involved: Jacques Audiard, Marion Cotillard, Matthias Schoenaerts, Armand Verdure What&amp;#039;s it about: An unemployed man leaves Belgium for France, where he falls for a killer whale trainer. Why it matters: A critical hit when it debuted at Cannes back in May, Marion Cotillard is already being tipped for an Oscar nomination and Matthias Schoenaerts could soon be a Hollywood leading man based on his sensitive turn as Ali.  7. Sightseers Who&amp;#039;s involved: Ben Wheatley, Steve Oram, Alice Lowe What&amp;#039;s it about: A young couple&amp;#039;s idyllic weekend in Yorkshire takes an unexpectedly dark turn. Why it matters: Wheatley&amp;#039;s instant cult hit Kill List made a visceral impact in autumn of last year, and his latest outing&amp;#039;s shaping up as a slightly lighter affair with his signature blend of surreal brutality and pitch-black wit firmly intact.  6. Beasts of the Southern Wild Who&amp;#039;s involved: Benh Zeitlin, Quvenzhane Wallis, Dwight Henry, Levy Easterly What&amp;#039;s it about: A father and daughter fight to survive as a flood hits their bayou community. Why it matters: Generating huge buzz at Sundance and Cannes, Benh Zeitlin&amp;#039;s directorial debut promises a blend of heartstring-tugging emotion and escapist fantasy. The film already has a pair of high-profile fans in Oprah Winfrey and Barack Obama.  5. Frankenweenie Who&amp;#039;s involved: Tim Burton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O&amp;#039;Hara, Martin Short What&amp;#039;s it about: A young boy brings his dog Sparky back to life through a science experiment. Why it matters: The London Film Festival opener is always a must-see, and Frankenweenie marks a return to Tim Burton&amp;#039;s roots in animation. Intriguingly, there is no Johnny Depp or Helena Bonham Carter among the voice cast.  4. End of Watch Who&amp;#039;s involved: David Ayer, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Pe\u00F1a, Anna Kendrick What&amp;#039;s it about: A young pair of rookie cops are marked for death by a violent cartel following a raid. Why it matters: Ayer&amp;#039;s helming track record is patchy, but Gyllenhaal and Pe\u00F1a are an intriguing central combo and his stripped-down, intimate visual approach promises to bring a fresh edge to the well-worn buddy cop genre.  3. Seven Psychopaths Who&amp;#039;s involved: Martin McDonagh, Colin Farrell, Sam Rockwell, Christopher Walken What&amp;#039;s it about: A struggling screenwriter goes on the run with his two shady best friends after they kidnap a mobster&amp;#039;s dog. Why it matters: McDonagh made a staggeringly assured debut with 2008&amp;#039;s blackly comic, unexpectedly wrenching In Bruges, and his larger-scale second collaboration with Farrell should deliver a similar blend of razor-sharp writing and character-driven thrills.       2. Great Expectations Who&amp;#039;s involved: Mike Newell, Helena Bonham Carter, Jeremy Irvine, Ralph Fiennes What&amp;#039;s it about: A new adaptation of Charles Dickens&amp;#039;s classic tale, this centres on a young orphan who becomes a gentleman. Why it matters: An all-star cast and a prized slot as the closing night film, Great Expectations represents the best of British both behind and in front of the camera. An early Oscar contender, perhaps? 1. Argo Who&amp;#039;s involved: Ben Affleck, Bryan Cranston, John Goodman, Alan Arkin What&amp;#039;s it about: The CIA conducts a risky attempt to free six American diplomats during the Iranian revolution. Why it matters: Having received strong buzz from its world premiere in Toronto, Affleck&amp;#039;s third outing as director promises an intriguing, genuinely unique blend of political thriller and Hollywood satire, while its supporting cast is second to none.   &amp;gt; Buy: Book tickets for this year&amp;#039;s festival The 56th London Film Festival runs from Wednesday, October 10 to Sunday, October 21. Watch Digital Spy interview several key festival filmmakers, including Song For Marion&amp;#039;s Paul Andrew Williams, below:  "^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
<http://www.digitalspy.com/movies/bfi-london-film-festival/news/a405503/argo-frankenweenie-more-top-10-bfi-london-film-festival-2012-picks/>