What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 31st January 2019.

On Saturday evening 19th January the Producers Guild of America (PGA) held their 30th annual Awards ceremony, at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills, Los Angeles, California. The official PGA website states that 'The Producers Guild of America is a non-profit trade organisation that represents, protects and promotes the interests of all members of the producing team in film, television and new media. The Producers Guild works to protect the careers of producers and improve the producing community at large by facilitating health benefits for members, encouraging the enforcement of workplace labour laws and sustainable practices, creating fair and impartial standards for the awarding of producing credits, and hosting educational opportunities for new and experienced producers alike'. 

These awards like the twenty-nine that have gone before them, honour the best film and television Producers of 2018, and as such in the film categories, the winners and grinners were :-

* The Darryl F. Zanuck Award for Outstanding Producer of a Theatrical Motion Picture : was won by 'GREEN BOOK' - Produced by Jim Burke, Charles B. Wessler, Brian Currie, Peter Farrelly, and Nick Vallelonga. The other nominations in this category were 'Black Panther', 'BlacKkKlansman', 'Bohemian Rhapsody', 'Crazy Rich Asians', 'The Favourite', 'A Quiet Place', 'Roma', 'A Star Is Born' and 'Vice'.




* The Outstanding Producers of an Animated Theatrical Motion Picture : was won by 'SPIDER-MAN : INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE' - Produced by Avi Arad, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller, Amy Pascal, and Christina Steinberg. The other nominations in this category were 'Dr, Seuss : The Grinch', 'Incredibles 2', 'Isle of Dogs' and 'Ralph Breaks the Internet'.



* The Outstanding Producers of a Documentary Theatrical Motion Picture : was awarded to 'WON'T YOU BE MY NEIGHBOUR' - Produced by Morgan Neville, Nicholas Ma, and Caryn Capotosto. The other nominations in this category were 'The Dawn Wall', 'Free Solo', 'Hal', 'Into the Okavango', 'RBG' and 'Three Identical Strangers'.





* The Outstanding Producer of a Streamed or Televised Motion Picture : was awarded to 'FAHRENHEIT 451' - Produced by Sarah Green, Ramin Bahrani, Michael B. Jordan, Alan Gasmer, Peter Jaysen, and David Coatsworth. The other nominations in this category were 'King Lear', 'My Dinner with Herve', 'Paterno' and 'Sense8'.

* The Milestone Award was presented to Toby Emerich. Described as 'the most prestigious honour, recognising an individual or team who has made historic contributions to the entertainment industry'.
* The Stanley Kramer Award was presented to Jane Fonda. Described as being awarded to 'recipients whose work dramatically illustrates provocative social issues'. 
* The Visionary Award was presented to Kenya Barris. Described as being awarded to 'Producers for their unique or uplifting contributions to our culture through inspiring storytelling or performance'. 
* The David O. Selznick Achievement Award in Theatrical Motion Pictures was presented to Kevin Feige. Described as being awarded in 'recognition of the individual's outstanding body of work in motion pictures'.

This week we bring you four latest release movies coming to an Odeon near you. Kicking off with a biographical telling of a popular political figure of the mid-'80's who had his eyes firmly set on the US Presidency, until a scandal emerges that sees his political aspirations implode. We then turn to a story of a mothers love, support and frustration of her teenage drug addicted son as he checks out of rehab unexpectedly on the eve of Christmas, and the tortuous 24 hours that follows. We then turn to a real life telling of a broken man who sought solace and recognition through a miniaturised world that he could escape into to help him overcome his challenges in the real world. And closing out the week we have a fictionalised yet based on verified facts historical biographical film that may shed some new light on the assassination of India's greatest leader.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the four latest release new movies 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 most welcome 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 outing during the coming week.

'THE FRONT RUNNER' (Rated M) - is an American biographical drama film Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Written for the screen by Jason Reitman based on the 2014 Matt Bai book 'All the Truth Is Out: The Week Politics Went Tabloid'. The film surrounds Gary Hart who is an American Politician, Diplomat, Lawyer and Author and was the front-runner for the 1988 Democratic Presidential nomination, representing the State of Colorado in the US Senate from 1975 through until 1987.

Here Hugh Jackman portrays Gary Hart, the former senator of Colorado, who becomes the front-runner for the Democratic Presidential nomination in 1987. Hart's intelligence, charisma and idealism prove popular with young voters, leaving him with a seemingly clear path to the White House. All that however, comes tumbling down when allegations of an extramarital affair with journalist Donna Rice (Sara Paxton) surface in the media and are published by the Miami Herald. Trying to clear his name and his reputation, Hart attempts to address the scandal publicly that threatens to short circuit his campaign and his private life. Also starring Vera Farmiga as Oletha Hart with J.K.Simmons and Alfred Molina. The film Premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in August, was released in the US in early November, has so far taken under US$3M at the Box Office and has received mixed Reviews.

'BEN IS BACK' (Rated M) - Written and Directed by Peter Hedges this American drama film saw its Premier screening at TIFF back in late September, went on release Stateside in early December, cost US$13M to make, has so far grossed US$7M and has received generally positive press. Starring the Writer/Director's son Lucas Hedges as nineteen year old Ben Burns who returns to the family suburban home unexpectedly on Christmas Eve, having spent the last few months in a drug rehabilitation centre. Ben's Mum, Holly (Julia Roberts) is naturally relieved and welcoming but wary of her son's drug addiction, and why he is out of rehab sooner than expected. Over the next turbulent day or so, new truths come to the surface, and a mother's undying love for her child is tested as Holly does everything in her power to keep Ben clean and out of trouble. Also starring Courtney B. Vance and Kathryn Newton.

'WELCOME TO MARWEN' (Rated M) - Directed and Co-Written by Robert Zemeckis, whose esteemed film career takes in such notable credits as the 'Back to the Future' trilogy, 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit', 'Death Becomes Her', 'Forrest Gump', 'Contact', 'Cast Away', 'The Polar Express', 'Beowulf', 'Flight' and 'Allied' more recently, you would think that with such a pedigree, that this film would be a sure fire hit! Not so, unfortunately for Mr. Zemeckis! Made for somewhere approaching US$50M, the film was released in the US just before Christmas and has so far taken about US$13M, has received mixed or average Reviews at best - although the motion capture visuals have received some praise, and has already been written up as a Box Office bomb. That said, the film is based on the more recent and real life of Mark Hogancamp who in April 2000 was attacked outside a bar by five men who beat him nearly to death after he told them he was a cross-dresser. After nine days in a coma and forty days in hospital, Hogancamp was discharged with brain damage that left him with little memory of his previous life. Unable to afford therapy, he created his own memory by building a one-sixth scale World War II-era model Belgian town in his yard and populating it with dolls representing himself, his friends, and even his attackers. By piecing together aspects from his old and new life, Mark meticulously creates a wondrous town he calls Marwen, where he can heal and be heroic. As he builds an astonishing art installation, through his fantasy world, he draws strength to triumph in the real one. Starring Steve Carell as Mark Hogancamp, with Leslie Mann, Diane Kruger, Janelle Monae and Gwendoline Christie.

'THE GANDHI MURDER' (Rated MA15+) - based on verified facts this historical telling of the events that led to the assassination of Mahatma Gandhi on 30th January 1948, is released to coincide with the 71st anniversary of his death at the hands of the Hindu right-wing nationalist, Nathuram Vinayak Godse. Directed by Karim Traidia and Pankaj Sehgal, this film is based on the changing political landscape around the world immediately after India's independence and partition. It is set in a violent India, against the backdrop of a non-violent Gandhi, and hard-line fanatic mindsets beginning to establish itself in a country divided on the basis of religion. The film charts three senior Police Officers spread far and wide across India, who, well aware of the intelligence that Gandhi's life in under threat, must make key decisions that would eventually either save 'The Father of India' or the country. Starring Om Puri (in one of his last screen roles before his death at the age of 66 in 2017), Stephen Lang, Vinnie Jones and Jesus Sans as Mahatma Gandi.

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 cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-