What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 15th August 2019.

Concluding your coverage from the 67th Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) which wraps up this coming Sunday 18th August having launched on 1st August, this years festival showcased over 260 feature length films and documentaries sourced from around the world and locally. A number of these were either Australian or World Premier screenings, which had been highlighted in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, under the title strands of Australian Films, International Films, Headliners, Animation and Night Shift.

And so in this closing segment from MIFF,  I bring you an overview of the Documentary strand described as 'truth is definitely stranger than fiction with MIFF 2019’s Documentaries, offering the best of real life. From famous and not-so-famous faces to spectacular and far-flung places, these films are inspiring, blood-boiling, educational, eye-opening, emotional, entertaining and true'. Included within this strand are the following :-
* 'AQUARELA' from Germany, USA, UK and Denmark and Directed by Victor Kossakovsky who here brings us this bombastic documentary capturing the raw power of water in all of its shocking, awe inspiring and wonderous beauty.
* 'THE BIGGEST LITTLE FARM' from the USA and Directed by John Chester - an inspirational tale of John and Molly Chester who made an impact by starting a biodiverse farm on depleted land near Los Angeles and radically rethought their environmental footprint in the process.
* 'CAPITAL IN THE 21st CENTURY' from France and New Zealand and Directed by Justin Pemberton this entertaining and enlightening film about wealth, power and inequality is especially relevant for a generation considered the first to be financially worse off than their parents.
* 'COLD CASE HAMMARSKJOLD' from Denmark and Directed by Mads Brugger tells the gripping story of  how in 1961, on his way to negotiate a ceasefire in the Congo, Swedish economist and UN Secretary-General Dag Hammersjkold died in a plane crash. But why was his corpse found with an ace of spades tucked into his collar? Brugger unearths a sinister, spiralling conspiracy that could change how we think about modern African history. It might be a truth too horrifying to believe.
* 'DARK SUNS' from Canada and Directed by Julien Elie presents an epic investigation into decades of cartel-related violence and murder in Mexico and one of the most ambitious, damning and masterful documentaries of the year.
* 'FRIEDKIN UNCUT' from Italy and Directed by Francesco Zippel bringing us right into the world of the raconteurish William Friedkin, the legendary Director responsible for classics such as 'The Exorcist', 'The French Connection', 'Sorcerer' and 'Cruising'. This time, Friedkin is in front of the camera, opening up for the first time about his career and his life.
* 'HONEYLAND' from North Macedonia and Directed by Ljubomir Stefanov and Tamara Kotevska this is a visually sumptuous look at the endangered tradition of Macedonian wild beekeeping, the tenacious woman keeping it alive and the powerful environmental message her efforts have for us all.
* 'IN MY BLOOD IT RUNS' from Australia and Directed by Maya Newell this powerful, essential portrait of Australian youth, places the plight of the Northern Territory’s Indigenous children firmly in the spotlight.
* 'LOS REYES' from Germany and Chile and Directed by Bettina Perut and Ivan Osnovikoff about Futbol and Chola, a pair of playfully inquisitive stray dogs who have become a fixture at the Los Reyes skatepark in downtown Santiago.
* 'MACHINE' from Australia and Directed by Justin Krook here takes a deep dive into the world of machines which are rapidly infiltrating everything from transport to military to healthcare – among an ever-growing list of fields – artificial intelligence is no longer merely the realm of science fiction. In a world where machines are fast becoming smarter than people, what makes humanity special? And what does our increasing reliance upon and subservience to technology mean for humankind's future?
* 'MAIDEN' from the UK and Directed by Alex Holmes charting the 1989, history making first all-female crew in the Whitbread Round the World yacht race skippered by the 24-year-old Brit Tracey Edwards.
* 'MEETING GORBACHEV' from Germany, USA and the UK and Directed by Werner Herzog and Andre Singer here Herzog presents a disarmingly personal conversation with the man who drew back the Iron Curtain, Mikhail Gorbachev, the last President of the former Soviet Union from early 1990 until late 1991.



* 'MEMORY - THE ORIGINS OF ALIEN' from the USA and Directed by Alexandre O Philippe asks us why forty years after the release of Ridley Scott’s Science Fiction horror classic 'Alien', why are we still so captivated by this game-changing film?
* 'MIDNIGHT FAMILY' from Mexico and Directed by Luke Lorentzen who joins a family of unregistered paramedics cruising Mexico City’s streets in this frenetic eye-opener.
* 'NOTHING FANCY : DIANA KENNEDY' from Mexico and the USA and Directed by Elizabeth Carroll charting the life and times of nonagenarian Mexican chef and activist Diana Kennedy for whom cooking is more than a mere profession: it’s an act of revolutionary culinary anthropology.
* 'ONE CHILD NATION' from China and the USA and Directed by Jialing Zhang and Nanfu Wang comes the winner of this year’s Sundance Film Festival Documentary Grand Jury Prize, which lays bare China’s population-shaping policy, the accompanying propaganda and the multi-generational impact that’s still being felt today.
* 'OVER THE RAINBOW' from the USA and Directed by Jeffrey Peixoto who takes a unique and arresting examination of Scientology, straight from the mouths of those within and those escaping the church.
* 'THE REST' from Germany and Directed by Ai Weiwei offers up this affecting, insightful and highly topical documentary with the voices, faces and bodies caught in Europe’s refugee crisis.
* 'SCHEME BIRDS' from Scotland and Sweden and Directed by Ellen Fiske and Ellinor Hallin who bring us this winner of Best Documentary at the Tribeca Film Festival, this is an utterly unforgettable work of cinema verite, a penetrating and compassionate account of teenage life at Scotland’s forgotten margins.
* 'UNTOUCHABLE' from the USA and Directed by Ursula Macfarlane with the catalyst that launched the #MeToo movement into the global consciousness, the fall of Hollywood producing titan Harvey Weinstein is told through the testimony of the women he allegedly targeted in this powerful and damning documentary film.
* 'WATSON' from the USA and Directed by Lesley Chilcott brings us this story of how for fifty years, Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd co-founder Captain Paul Watson has been fighting to save the world’s oceans, and here Producer-turned-Director Lesley Chilcott documents with the same passion as her subject. The film’s stunning underwater footage is extraordinary, showing just what Paul Watson is desperately trying to protect.
* 'WHAT YOU GONNA DO WHEN THE WORLD'S ON FIRE?' from the USA, France and Italy and Directed by Roberto Minervini this breakout hit of the Venice Film Festival – where it took home four awards, is an exquisite portrait of life in New Orleans and the people making their way on the black side of America’s race divide.

For the other Documentary films featured in this strand, plus all the other films being showcased during the festival, together with all the latest news and views, festival information, and special screenings you can visit the official website at : https://www.miff.com.au/

This week there are just two latest release movies coming to an Odeon near you. We kick off with a throw back to the Hollywood era of yesteryear when the Golden Age was in decline heralding in a new era of film making auteurs, independent studios and experimental cinema. Here we chart the fortunes of a now struggling TV star and his stunt double as they negotiate their way around a Hollywood that they barely recognise anymore in the hope of restoring this star's status. And to close this weeks new releases we have a sequel to a canine tale that tells the story of a dog that is reincarnated multiple times but always remains true to its original owner and a promise it made to that owner in its dying moments to always look out for his granddaughter.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it either of the two 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.

'ONCE UPON A TIME IN . . . HOLLYWOOD' (Rated MA15+) - here amidst much fanfare and pre-release hype is the long awaited eagerly anticipated ninth film by Director, Writer and Co-Producer Quentin Tarantino who I'm sure needs no further introduction. This comedy drama film saw its world Premier screening at the Cannes Film Festival back in late May where it was in competition for the prestigious Palme d'Or, saw its general release in the US on 26th July and this week is released in Australia and the UK. On a production budget of about US$90M the film has so far grossed US$110M and has garnered largely positive Reviews. The film stars an ensemble cast that takes in Leonardo DiCaprio, Brad Pitt, Margot Robbie, Luke Perry, Al Pacino, Bruce Dern, Dakota Fanning, Emile Hirsch, Timothy Olyphant, Damian Lewis, Damon Herriman, Scoot McNairy, Rummer Willis, Kurt Russell, Zoe Bell, Michael Madsen, James Remar and Quentin himself.

It is 1969, Los Angeles, at the hey day of hippie Hollywood where everything is changing, including the film industry's Golden Age. As the former TV star of a popular Western series Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio) and his longtime stunt double Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) make their way around an industry they hardly recognise anymore and are struggling to find any meaningful work that will restore Dalton's star status. Then, as luck would have it, all that might just about change as next door to Dalton's house move in a pair of new neighbours - Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) and her new husband Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha).

'A DOGS JOURNEY' - (Rated PG) - this American comedy drama offering is here Directed by Gail Mancuso who has traditionally worked on numerous television series over the years as Director, including 'Modern Family', '30 Rock', 'Scrubs', 'Rules of Engagement', 'Two and a Half Men', 'Becker', 'Friends' and 'Roseanne'. Here she brings us the follow up to 2017's 'A Dog's Purpose' which was Directed by Lasse Hallstrom and made for US$22M and grossed US$205M globally. Bailey (voiced once more by Josh Gad) is an elderly St. Bernard/Australian Shepherd mix and is living the good life on the Michigan farm of his owner Ethan (Dennis Quaid) and Ethan's wife Hannah (Marg Helgenberger). He even has a new playmate: Ethan and Hannah's granddaughter, Clarity June 'CJ' (Emma Volk as the infant; Abby Ryder Fortson as the young, and Kathryn Prescott as the young adult). The problem is that CJ's mother, Gloria (Betty Gilpin), decides to take CJ away. Soon afterwards Ethan finds a sizeable lump in Bailey's stomach which results in him being put down. As Bailey's soul prepares to leave this life for a new one, he makes a promise to Ethan to find CJ and protect her at any cost. So begins Bailey's adventure through multiple lives filled with love, friendship and devotion as he, CJ, and CJ's best friend Trent (Henry Lau) experience joy and heartbreak, music and laughter, and a few good belly rubs together. The film was released Stateside in mid-May and has so far grossed US$67M.

With just two new release movies 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-