What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 1st February 2018.

You may have noticed that I was missing in action these past few weeks. Well, yes I was, holidaying in South-East Asia to be exact and more specifically in Laos and Thailand, but now I have returned to all things cinematic with my first update since early in January. In the meantime, though, what have I missed? In terms of cinematic offerings 'All The Money In The World', 'The Darkest Hour', 'The Shape Of Water', 'I, Tonya', 'The Post' and 'Sweet Country' to name but a few. As these are still doing the rounds on general release, watch out for my future Reviews here at Odeon Online as I catch up.

Also Awards Season continued with the Golden Globe Awards, the International AACTA Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards all occurring in my overseas absence. In summary here is an abridged list of those winners & grinners in case you missed it.

International AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards - 5th January 2018 presented by Daniel MacPherson from The Avalon, Hollywood, Los Angeles.
* 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' - Winner, Best Screenplay to Martin McDonagh, Best Film and Best Supporting Actor to Sam Rockwell.
* 'I, Tonya' - Winner, Best Actress to Margot Robbie and Best Supporting Actress to Alison Janney.
* 'The Darkest Hour' - Winner, Best Actor to Gary Oldman.
* 'Dunkirk' - Winner, Best Director to Christopher Nolan.

Golden Globe Awards - 7th January 2018 presented by Seth Meyers from the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills.
* 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' - Winner, Best Actress to Frances McDormand, Best Supporting Actor to Sam Rockwell, Best Drama Film, and Best Screenplay to Martin McDonagh.
* 'Lady Bird' - Winner, Best Musical of Comedy Film, and Best Actress to Saoirse Ronan.
* 'The Darkest Hour' - Winner, Best Actor to Gary Oldman.
* 'The Disaster Artist' - Winner, Best Actor to James Franco.
* 'I, Tonya' - Winner, Best Supporting Actress to Alison Janney.
* 'The Shape of Water' - Winner, Best Director to Guillermo del Toro and Best Original Score to Alexandre Desplat.
* 'Coco' - Winner, Best Animated Feature.
* 'In The Fade' - Winner, Best Foreign Language Film.

Screen Actors Guild Awards - 21st January 2018 presented by Kristen Bell from the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles.
* 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' - Winner, Best Actress to Frances McDormand, Best Supporting Actor to Sam Rockwell and, Outstanding Performance by a Cast.
* 'The Darkest Hour' - Winner, Best Actor to Gary Oldman.
* 'I, Tonya' - Winner, Best Supporting Actress to Alison Janney.
* 'Wonder Woman' - Winner, Best Performance by a Stunt Ensemble.
* Life Time Achievement Award - Winner, Morgan Freeman.

This week we launch with a true story based around the world of high stakes poker, and one particular lady who runs underground tournaments but ultimately gets in way deeper than she ever could have imagined, and then we turn to a 1950's London era high profile fashion designer and how his overbearing and controlling quirks, foibles and routines ultimately succumb to the love of a (perhaps not so) good woman. Next up is an LA based crime drama heist action offering of cat & mouse as the good cops go after the renegade bad dudes intent own robbing the Federal Reserve amidst explosions aplenty, a hail of bullets, close quarter combat and lots of effing and blinding; before wrapping up with a complete change of pace in the form of a documentary from the National Geographic people about one woman's efforts spanning six decades to learn more about our nearest relative from the animal kingdom.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the four 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 warmly 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.

'MOLLY'S GAME' (Rated M) - Written and Directed in his fimmmkaing debut, Aaron Sorkin, has here based his first film on the memoir 'Molly's Game: From Hollywood's Elite to Wall Street's Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker' by Molly Bloom. The Molly Bloom in question here is a former American poker entrepreneur who in April 2013 was charged with running a high-stakes poker game that originated in the Viper Room in Los Angeles and attracted wealthy individuals and business tycoons, sports figures, Hollywood celebrities including Tobey Maguire, Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio and Macauley Caulkin amongst others, and the Russian Mob. She was cleared of many charges and sentenced in 2014 to one year of probation, a $1,000 fine, and 200 hours of community service. The film Premiered at TIFF back in early September last year, and went on release in the US on Christmas Day 2017 and has received much critical acclaim for Sorkin's screenplay and the performances of its principal cast. Costing US$30M to make, the film has so far grossed US$46M, has received much positive press, and has garnered so far three wins and 33 other nominations, some which are still at the decision pending stage including the Academy Award and BAFTA nod for Best Adapted Screenplay.

And so based on a true story, this crime drama stars Jessica Chastain as Molly Bloom, a world class moguls skier who while qualifying for the 2002 Winter Olympic Game suffers a serious injury so ending her Olympic aspirations. Licking her rounds and instead of moving to law school as was her original plan, she moves to Los Angeles and in time she become involved in the running of underground high stakes poker games for the world of the rich and famous, where she makes plenty of money in tips. Fast forward and with her accumulated knowledge of the game of poker and the network of high profile connections made, Molly goes it alone and proves to be very successful at her new found vocation in life. When things go south for Molly in LA she heads to New York to start afresh, and there too she proves successful, attracting the interests in the Russian Mob. At this point the FBI begin sniffing around into her affairs culminating in them shutting down her operations. She enlists the help of high profile and highly priced lawyer Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba) to help clear her name, while at the same time penning her memoir. Kevin Costner, Michael Cera and Chris O'Dowd also star.

'PHANTOM THREAD' (Rated M) - this historical drama film set in the world of the 1950's London high fashion scene was Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and stars Daniel Day-Lewis in reportedly his last film role after announcing his retirement last year. Day-Lewis is Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned fashion designer famed for creating garments and dresses for members of the high society. He is controlling and obsessive in his nature and a creature of habit and routine. His business partner is his sister Cyril Woodcock (Lesley Manville) who manages his affairs, directs the day to day operations and who exerts enormous influence over his life. Until Reynolds falls for waitress Alma Elson (Vicky Krieps) and in time she moves in with him acting as his muse, assistant and lover. This angers Cyril initially, but she comes around as Alma wins her over. The couple bicker and fight almost constantly because of her perceived failings under Reynold's controlling and demanding regime, but ultimately love conquers all, and despite the differences and the challenges that lie ahead their devout love for one another will overcome the most difficult hurdles. Made for US$35M the film has so far grossed US$11M, has received high Critical praise and has garnered to date 26 award wins and another 69 nominations including six Academy Award and four BAFTA nominations yet to be announced. 

'DEN ON THIEVES' (Rated MA15+) - Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Christian Gudegast, this American action heist drama film was released Stateside in mid-January and has so far taken US$33M from its US$30M Budget outlay, and is the recipient of generally mixed Reviews. The story here follows Nick O'Brien (Gerard Butler) a hard-drinking leader of the 'Regulators', an elite unit of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Ray Merrimen (Pablo Schreiber) an ex-Marine and recently paroled leader of the 'Outlaws', a gang of former military men who use their expertise and tactical skills to evade the law. O'Brien and Merrimen have history together and its not all good, with the former investigating the latter for months and the latter holding a grudge against the former for killing one of his crew. O'Brien, Merrimen and their respective teams soon find themselves on a direct collision course in a classic and perhaps predictable game of cat & mouse as the criminals hatch a scheme for a seemingly impossible heist, on the city's Federal Reserve Bank. The film also stars O'Shea Jackson Jnr. and 50 Cent.

'JANE' (Rated Exempt) - this American Biographical Documentary film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Brett Morgan and saw its World Premiered at TIFF in September last year. Telling the story of Jane Goodall, a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. She is considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, and is best known for her 55+ year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees since she first went to Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania in 1960. She is the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, and she has worked extensively on conservation and animal welfare matters. She has served on the board of the Nonhuman Rights Project since its founding in 1996. This film, taken from over one hundred hours of never before seen footage that had been buried in the National Geographic archives for over fifty years, charts the young Jane Goodall, untrained, but steadfast in her beliefs that challenge the male dominated scientific views of the time with her chimpanzee research that ultimately revolutionises peoples understanding of the natural world in which we live. Critically acclaimed the film has so far picked up 23 award wins and another 23 nominations, and goes on release at limited screens around Australia this week.

With four new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, 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-