What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 14th December 2017.

On Wednesday 6th December the 7th annual AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards were held at Sydney's Star Hotel and Casino. Amongst the presenters were  Gillian Armstrong, Shane Jacobson, Paul Hogan and Angourie Rice, with those in attendance including Margaret Pomeranz, Radha Mitchell, Samara Weaving, Jack Thompson, Rachel Griffiths and Jacqueline McKenzie. The winners and grinners taking out the top awards for their efforts in front of, and behind the camera are as follows :-

* Best Film Award : 'Lion' beating out 'Ali's Wedding', 'Berlin Syndrome', 'Hounds of Love' and 'Jasper Jones'.
* Best Direction : Garth Davis for 'Lion'.
* Best Lead Actor : Sunny Pawar for 'Lion'.
* Best Lead Actress : Emma Booth for 'Hounds of Love'.
* Best Supporting Actor : Dev Patel for 'Lion'.
* Best Supporting Actress : Nicole Kidman for 'Lion'.
* Best Original Screenplay : Andrew Knight and Osamah Sami for 'Ali's Wedding'.
* Best Adapted Screenplay : Luke Davis for 'Lion'.
* Best Cinematography : Greig Fraser for 'Lion'
* Awards for Best Editing, Sound, Original Music Score, Production Design and Costume Design all went to 'Lion'.
* AACTA Longford Lyell Award : Phillip Noyce.
* AACTA Trailblazer Award : Simon Baker.

Congratulations to 'Lion' for sweeping the board with twelve award wins from the twelve categories in which it was nominated. For more information on these awards, and in the television, documentary and short film categories too, go to : aacta.org

This week we have just three new release movies coming to an Odeon near you. We launch with the eighth instalment in this mega space opera Sci-Fi epic franchise that continues to go from strength to strength even after forty years and remains as fresh now as it did back in 1977; then we turn to an interweaving story of two young kids who go in search of someone dear to them, separated by fifty years; before wrapping up with an animated comedy drama of a gentle giant bull who would rather smell the roses than enter the bullring, but there are others who have different thoughts.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the three latest release films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are here cordially invited to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon experience during the week ahead.

'STAR WARS : THE LAST JEDI' (Rated M) - and so from a galaxy far far away after all the hype, the huge expectations and the eager anticipation comes the eighth instalment in the epic space opera franchise that had its beginnings forty years ago back in 1977, and shows no signs of letting up. This second film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy is Written and Directed by Rian Johnson whose other film credits are 'Brick' in 2005, 'The Brothers Bloom' in 2008, 'Looper' in 2012 and now this movie behemoth. Following hot on the heels of the J.J. Abrams seventh instalment 'Star Wars : The Force Awakens' which returned US$2.07B at the global Box Office and now stands as the third highest grossing film of all time, here many of those characters from 'The Force Awakens' return to reprise their roles including Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Andy Serkis as Supreme Leader Snoke, Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata, Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux, Anthony Daniels as C3PO, Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma with Benicio del Toro, Laura Dern and in cameo roles appearing as Storm Troopers or lending their voices are Simon Pegg, Gareth Edwards, Gary Barlow, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Prince Harry, Prince William and Justin Theroux amongst others.

This film then follows on directly from where 'The Force Awakens' left off. We join Rey on some remote distant planet island where she encounters an aged Luke for the first time. Taking her first tentative steps into the ways of the Jedi under the tutelage of her new mentor, Rey has to come to terms with her emerging powers which unsettle Luke - the like of which he has not previously encountered. With Leia, Finn and Poe, both Luke and Rey embark on an adventure that will reveal age old mysteries of the Force and reveal shocking truths about the past. Meanwhile, The Resistance prepare themselves to go into battle with the First Order. 'The Last Jedi' saw its World Premier screening in Los Angeles on 9th December and goes on general release around the world this week. Early Previews have been very positive. 'Star Wars : Episode IX' is due for release in December 2019 and will be Directed once again by J.J. Abrams following the hasty departure of Colin Trevorrow in September this year.

'WONDERSTRUCK' (Rated PG) - earlier this year we had 'Wonder Woman', then released a few weeks ago we had 'Wonder' and then last week we had 'Wonder Wheel' and now we have 'Wonderstruck' - a mystery drama fantasy film. I wonder how many movies with 'Wonder' in its title Hollywood still has in its arsenal? This offering is Directed by Todd Haynes whose previous credits include 2015's 'Carol', 2007's 'I'm Not There', 2002's 'Far From Heaven' and 1998's 'Velvet Goldmine'. Adapted from the 2011 novel of the same name by Brian Selznick who also wrote the Screenplay, and receiving its world Premier screening at this years Cannes Film Festival where it was in main competition for the Palme d'Or where it received a three minute standing ovation. It was released in the US in mid-October in limited theatres, has so far taken just US2M, and has received generally positive press. The film interweaves two distinct stories each separated by fifty years each telling the story of a young child's journey of discovery. In a 1927 New York, Rose (Millicent Simmonds) does a bolt from her fathers home to go in search of her mother and screen idol Actress Lillian Mayhew (Julianne Moore) of whom she read a captivating headline and whose life she charts in a scrapbook. In 1977 the recently orphaned Ben (Oakes Fegley) runs away from his home in Minnesota to go in search of his father whom he has never known. Also starring Michelle Williams.

'FERDINAND' (Rated G) - this computer animated comedy drama film is Produced by Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox Animation and is Directed by Carlos Saldanha whose previous credits include 2002's 'Ice Age', 2005's 'Robots', 2006's 'Ice Age : The Meltdown', 2009's 'Ice Age : Dawn of the Dinosaurs', 2011's 'Rio' and its 2014 sequel 'Rio 2'. Here he Directs this film based on the children's book 'The Story of Ferdinand' by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson about a Spanish Fighting Bull named Ferdinand (voiced by John Cena) who has grown up with an appreciation of smelling the flowers rather than going to head to head with a matador in the bullring. However, Ferdinand has grown up to be big and strong, but gentle with it, big hearted and warm natured. But, when he is mistaken for a fierce and dangerous beast, he is captured and taken off to the bullring to fight with the matadors. There he must make a decision to fight or not, or rally a misfit team of animal friends to escape his captors in order to return home to his family. Also starring the voice talents of Kate McKinnon, David Tennant and Bobby Cannavale.

With three new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, with the likes of a eagerly awaited, much hyped and highly anticipated next instalment in this hugely successful and popular Sci-Fi action adventure franchise; to a feel good movie about two young kids searching for someone special in their lives separated by fifty years; and closing out with a animated story of big friendly bull who means no harm to anyone or anything who must dig deep within himself to overcome his captors and regain his freedom. Remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephiles afterwards here at Odeon Online, and meanwhile, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-