What's new in Odeon's this week - Thursday 27th August 2015.

A few weeks ago I reported on a certain well subscribed movie magazine available here in Australia and other parts of the world, that had released its 'Top 300 Greatest Movies of all Time' and what a list it was too. More recently that same magazine (which will still remain nameless) has issued its 'Top 100 Greatest Characters of all Time' which I took great delight in musing over. Of those characters I have seen 95 of them upon the big screen and seen 186 of the films those characters have appeared in, bearing in mind that some of those characters appear in multiple films of the same franchise ('Star Wars', 'The Hobbit', 'LOTR', 'Batman', 'Mission:Impossible' etc) and there are several characters listed from those same films (Han Solo/Yoda, Bilbo Baggins/Gandalf, The Terminator/Sarah Connor etc.) All that said there are also some notable exclusions that are conspicuous by their absence - Max Rockatansky, Jason Bourne, John Rambo, Freddy Kruger, Michael Myers and Jason Vorhees to name but a few that have enjoyed huge Box Office success, a place in popular culture, and have been going strong for years! As voted by the readership I guess you have to draw the line somewhere and just how many can you squeeze into 'The Top 100' . . . well, one hundred I guess!

Turning attention then to this week we have seven new films gracing your big screen multiplexes in the week ahead that offer mostly adult fare from just about every genre. First up there is a horror chiller thriller from a multi-talented and multi-tasking Aussie guy who just keeps surprising us all; then a rock & roll redemption offering that gives another A-Lister the chance to belt out a tune on her favourite axe; a much acclaimed Aussie love story that ended in tragedy but lives on in page, stage and now screen; a reboot of the screwball comedies of the 60's & 70's by a guy who was in & around the screwball comedies of the 60's & 70's; a comedy horror thriller that made an Aussie icon out of an outback manic serial killer; a doco from New York about a disconnected New York family experiencing New York for the first time in their teenage lives; and finally an aspiring DJ spinning the decks looking for the big time.

When you have returned from you movie of choice and open up this, your favourite movie Blog, drop a Comment, an observation and your own critique in the Comments section below this or any other Post, or alternatively leave a message via e-mail - it will be good to hear your views and opinions. Enjoy your film.

THE GIFT (Rated M) - He's a talented New South Welshman, and Aussie Joel Edgerton has Written, Produced, Directed and Stars in his latest offering 'The Gift' coming to our screens in the week ahead. Released about a month ago Stateside and made for just US$5M it has so far grossed US$34M and is already garnering much critical praise for Edgerton's writing and his Directorial prowess - and this is his debut at the latter.

The story surrounds Simon (Jason Bateman) and his wife Robyn (Rebecca Hall) starting a new life with new jobs, hew home, new neighbourhood and all the newness that goes with it. While out shopping one day for home furnishings they bump into Gordo (Joel Edgerton) an old school mate from way back in the day who is just a little creepy and is clearly harbouring some angst. A series of unintentional encounters with Gordo and the arrival of several mystery gifts at Simon & Robyn's doorstep prove troubling and unsettling all leading to the reveal of a big secret between Gordo and Simon that has remained hidden for 20 or so years. This leads Robyn to question Simon about past events, his association with Gordo, and what does she really know about her husband, and what exactly is he keeping from her. With events spiralling out of control and their relationship becoming more & more strained as a result of Gordo's unwelcome intervention, where will this all end, and how?

RICKI AND THE FLASH (Rated PG) - this comedy drama has some impressive credits behind it - Jonathan Demme in the Directors chair, Diablo Cody on Writing duties, and Meryl Streep, Kevin Kline and Rick Springfield on Acting detail. Here Meryl Streep is Ricki Rendazzo an ageing wannabe rock star who abandoned her family with aspirations to make it big in Rock & Roll. Needless to say she never did and now plays a regular stint in her own small time band in a small town bar. She gets a chance to reconcile and redeem herself with her family and her ex-husband Pete (Kevin Kline) and their grown children, but after all this time can those wounds be healed, and can she turn her back on her band, what she loves, and her guitarist boyfriend Greg (Rick Springfield). Thinking Meryl Streep as an ageing Rock Star I can't help thinking Tom Cruise as Stacee Jacks in 'Rock of Ages'! One for Meryl Streep die hards methinks - although this is not the first time she has sung out on the big screen.

HOLDING THE MAN (Rated MA15+) - this film is based on the 1995 published memoir of the same name that was subsequently made into a very successful stage play in 2006 and now in 2015 has had the big screen treatment courtesy of Neil Armfield as Director. This film tells the true story of Australian Actor, Writer and Activist Timothy Conigrave (Ryan Corr) and his love over a fifteen year span for Australian Rules Football player John Caleo (Craig Scott). The two met at Melbourne's Xavier College in the mid-70's and the film follows the book exploring how their love for each other flourished despite their separation, disapproval, intimidation and in time their death from HIV - Caleo in early 1992 and Conigrave in late 1994. Also starring Guy Pearce, Anthony LaPaglia, Kerry Fox and Sarah Snook this is sure to pull at your heart strings and bring on the water works - pack your Kleenex!

SHE'S FUNNY THAT WAY (Rated M) - American Director, Writer, Producer, Actor, and Critic Peter Bogdanovich is still going strong at 76 and this week releases his attempt to resurrect the screwball comedies that many of us grew up with in the '60's & '70's. Here he has amassed Imogen Poots as Isabella Beatty an escort turned Broadway actress who gets it on with Theatre Director Owen Wilson as Arnold Albertson despite the fact that his wife Kathryn Hahn as Delta Simmons is starring in his new play. She meanwhile is getting it on with playwright Josh (Will Forte) who is also dating her therapist Jane Claremont (Jennifer Anniston) whose mother Vivian (Joanna Lumley) is in rehab in Tuscany and Actor Seth Gilbert (Rhys Iffans) is secretly in love with Delta - his co-star in the new play. Complicated, confused - you should be, and it's gonna get worse before it unravels at the end  - see what you make of it!

STALKHER (MA15+) - It's hardly surprising that John Jarrett would sign up to a move called 'StalkHer' given his pedigree with 'Wolf Creek', but here he is not slicing & dicing, slashing and crashing his way through unsuspecting victims as Mick Taylor, but instead here he is Jack working in the same hospital as Emily where she is a nurse and the subject of his obsession. He secretly stalks her but things come to a head when he decides to forcibly break into her home and take what he wants by force. But, little does he know that Emily is more. much more, than he bargained for and as the tables are turned and the hunter becomes the hunted. What then does the night hold in store, and who will survive? This comedic horror thriller is Directed by John Jarrett and Kaarin Fairfax who also star as Jack and Emily respectively.

THE WOLFPACK (Rated M) - This is a true-life Documentary with a quirky difference Directed and Produced by Crystal Moselle who happened by chance upon a group of six odd looking brothers and their one sister while walking down First Avenue, in Manhattan. What could possibly be strange about walking down the street in New York I hear you ask - well, this motley looking band of brothers and a sister certainly grabbed her attention dressed as the Reservoir Dogs, and so she befriended them and then made a movie about their closeted lives. Growing up and locked up inside their Lower East Side apartment in Manhattan and home schooled for fourteen years the siblings learned everything they knew about the outside world through watching films. The Angulo family were confined to their four bedroom dwelling on the 16th floor of their apartment block, and owning the only key the father, Oscar, prohibited the children and their mother from venturing outside except on very special occasions that were closely monitored. In January 2010, 15 year old Makunda, ventured outside and took a walk on the wild side against her fathers wishes, after which they all decided it was time to go exploring. Intriguing, thought provoking and award winning, this won the Sundance Film Festival Grand Jury US Documentary Prize when it aired in January this year.

WE ARE YOUR FRIENDS (Rated MA15+) - Directed by Max Joseph, this film stars Zac Efron as Cole Carter - a 23 year old aspiring Hollywood DJ in the electronic dance music scene looking to hit the big time and move into music production. while partying hard by night, mixing the tunes by day, and working on that one tune that is gonna be a global dance sensation! Luck comes aknocking in the form of James Reed (Wes Bentley) a DJ already reasonably well established and so Reed takes Cole under his wing and becomes his mentor. Needless to say the path to success does not always run smoothly and as Cole gets the hots for Reed's girlfriend Sophie (Emily Ratajkowski) putting at risk everything he has so far worked for, his new found friendship and the success he so desperately craves.

Big choice then this week with some comedy, drama, music, horror, thrills, chills and doco offerings to tease you at the end of Winter. Check out a film, enjoy the experience and share your thoughts (even if you didn't!).

See you at the Odeon!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-