THE LAST DUEL : Tuesday 26th October 2021.

I saw 'THE LAST DUEL' at my local independent movie theatre earlier this week, and this MA15+ Rated historical drama film is Directed by Ridley Scott; written for the screen by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon, Co-Produced by Scott, Holofcener, Affleck and Damon and based on the 2004 book 'The Last Duel : A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France' by Eric Jager. Of course Ridley Scott is no stranger to historical dramas having helmed 'The Duellists' his 1977 debut feature film, '1492 : Conquest of Paradise' in 1992, 'Gladiator' in 2000, 'Kingdom of Heaven' in 2005, 'Robin Hood' in 2010 and 'Exodus : Gods and Kings' in 2014. This film was originally scheduled to begin a limited theatrical release at Christmas 2020, before going wide in early January this year, but as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the release date was delayed to mid-October 2021. It had its World Premiere screening at the Venice Film Festival in early September, before being released in the US and UK mid this month and here in Australia last week. It has garnered generally favourable Reviews, and has so far recouped US$19M off the back of a US$100M production budget. 

The film opens up with two heavily armoured knights on horseback racing towards each other with lances raised and shields poised to take the first blow, in an arena watched on by many of Paris' nobility, and the King of France, Charles VI. It is the 28th December 1386 and there is a thin blanket of snow covering the ground. The camera then cuts away, taking us back to 1370. The events leading up to the duel are divided into three chapters, reflecting the perspectives of Jean de Carrouges, Jacques Le Gris, and Marguerite de Carrouges, respectively.

Chapter One : The truth according to Jean de Carrouges

Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) is a soldier known to be fierce and unyielding in battle, is serving at Limoges in 1370 alongside the squire Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver) - his long term friend. After seeing combat in Limoges against the wishes of the King, Le Gris thanks de Carrouges for saving his life. When Count Pierre d'Alencon (Ben Affleck) is named de Carrouges' overlord by his cousin, King Charles VI (Alex Lawther) both de Carrouges and Le Gris swear their fealty to him. Later Le Gris visits de Carrouges and informs him that d'Alencon has ordered all of his new vassals to pay their taxes to fund the war effort. de Carrouges explains he doesn't have the funds to pay and that he is broke. Le Gris agrees to ask d'Alencon, who has come to trust him as a confidant and advisor, for leniency in his case.

To restore his financial standing, de Carrouges marries Marguerite de Thibouville (Jodie Comer) and in the process receives a substantial dowry from her father Sir Robert de Thibouville (Nathaniel Parker) that includes valuable estates. He soon learns however, that one especially desirable parcel of land has already been seized by d'Alencon and given to Le Gris as a reward for Le Gris getting his finances in order. de Carrouges subsequently sues d'Alencon for the land to be given to him as it was promised to him in the dowry, but the King dismisses the lawsuit. The Count responds by appointing Le Gris to the captaincy of a fort that the de Carrouges' family had held for generations. Needless to say de Carrouges is mightily pissed off at this news and suspects Le Gris has turned d'Alencon against him.

Marguerite raises her concerns that they have no children, even after five years of marriage, but de Carrouges reassures her that whether they have children is in God's hands. While on a six month campaign in Scotland, he is knighted for bravery but returns home to be told by his wife that Le Gris raped her while she was alone in their home. Knowing that d'Alencon protects Le Gris, de Carrouges is adamant to challenge him to a duel to the death.

Chapter Two : The truth according to Jacque Le Gris

We go back to that battle at Limoges in 1370 and this time it is Le Gris who saves the life of de Carrouges in battle. In an early morning conversation with d'Alencon standing high up on his fort overlooking the French countryside, Le Gris recounts his humble early life and how he very briefly joined the church with designs on becoming a monk, but after a while decided it wasn't for him. Now however, he has earned the trust and respect of d'Alencon through his knowledge of Latin, reading and mathematics especially which has helped Le Gris to get the Counts finances in order and collecting, on his behalf, the debts owed to him by his vassels. Le Gris attempts to use his new position to help de Carrouges, but when d'Alencon showers him with gifts, as a show of gratitude, including the parcel of land promised to him as part of his wife's dowry, de Carrouges becomes envious and publicly mocks Le Gris.

When Le Gris sees Marguerite for the first time, he is instantly attracted to her and believes that she does not truly love her husband, who is illiterate and sees her only as a means for him to acquire a son and heir. Marguerite admits to her friends that Le Gris is indeed handsome but states that her husband does not trust him. While de Carrouges is away, his mother takes all the servants to help her with errands that day, leaving Marguerite alone, despite her husband advising that his wife is not be left home alone under any circumstances. Knowing this Le Gris gains entry to the household and declares his undying love for Marguerite. She insists that she is married and orders him to leave. Instead, Le Gris chases Marguerite up to her bedchamber. Le Gris then rapes her. In his mind, despite her protests and seemingly only mild objections he believes that Marguerite must love him. Before leaving, he advises her not to tell her husband, for upon hearing this news he would surely kill her, and he too will remain silent. 

Later d'Alencon tells Le Gris that de Carrouges is spreading news that he raped his wife. Le Gris, apparently shocked Marguerite perceived the incident as a rape, is advised by d'Alencon to deny, deny, deny the event. d'Alencon attempts to exert his authority to rule in favour of Le Gris, but de Carrouges has already appealed his case directly to the King and requested a duel to the death against Le Gris, who, determined to defend his honour, his name and his reputation, accepts de Carrouges' challenge.

Chapter Three : The truth according to Marguerite de Carrouges

Marguerite de Thibouville has entered into marriage with Jean de Carrouges and sets about helping him to restore his neglected estate to its former glory. Their marriage is soon strained by her failure to become pregnant, even after five years, and as de Carrouges leaves for Scotland, he reassures her that whether they have children is in God's hands. He also orders her not to leave their castle home and to not let anyone inside while he is away. 

de Carrouges' mother, Nicole de Buchard (Harriet Walter), takes all the servants with her on an errand for the day despite de Carrouges' order that Marguerite is not be left alone. Le Gris arrives with a servant who tricks Marguerite into letting them enter. Le Gris chases her up to her bedchamber and rapes her, with Marguerite screaming and crying for him to stop. When de Carrouges returns, Marguerite tells him what happened. He is enraged, and grabbing Marguerite by the neck demands to know if she provoked him. He then forces her to have sex with him immediately so that her last partner was not Le Gris. 

Marguerite, after praying in the chapel, is confronted by Nicole, who warns her against bringing Le Gris to trial, saying that she too was raped when she was younger and had to accept it as the way of the world so she could move on with her life, further stating that what Le Gris did to Marguerite is no different than French soldiers raping peasant women during wartime campaigns.

At Le Gris' trial in Paris, the judges interrogate Marguerite, who is now six months pregnant, six months after the rape. Is this coincidence given that she failed to conceive after more than five years of marriage they ask? She remains resolute in speaking the truth, even after being advised by the judges that should de Carrouges lose the duel she will be flayed and burned alive for bearing false witness against Le Gris, and that such a painful death can take between twenty to thirty minutes for the victim to die. The King in attendance, agrees to de Carrouges' request for a duel to the death. After the hearing Marguerite confronts de Carrouges for not informing her she would be killed if he fails, stating that their child could now grow up an orphan. When he defends himself by saying he is risking his life for her honour, she accuses him of prioritising his pride and his vanity over everything and eveyone else, including her life and that of their child's. Marguerite gives birth to their son, within just a few weeks of the duel. 

The 28th December comes around and the duel starts with de Carrouges and Le Gris jousting until both men lose their mounts and then fight hand-to-hand. de Carrouges is stabbed in the thigh but eventually manages to pin down Le Gris after he slashes him in the back of the leg with his sword. He demands that Le Gris confess or face ever lasting damnation, but Le Gris refuses and once again claims his innocence. de Carrouges stabs him through the mouth, killing him. No longer a prisoner, Marguerite is unchained and permitted to join her husband. As Le Gris' body is stripped naked and dragged away along the frozen ground by horses to be strung upside down for public display, de Carrouges and his wife depart the scene on horseback with de Carrouges soaking up the glory of his victory before the cheering crowds of Paris, while Marguerite follows quietly behind.

The final scene shows Marguerite and her no more than two year old son playing in the grounds of the family estate on a sun drenched day. An epilogue tells us that de Carrouges died fighting in the Crusades two or so years later while Marguerite continued managing the estate, living in peace for the remaining thirty years of her life and never marrying again.

This is a film that needs to be seen on the big screen and whilst the Reviews have generally been favourable, it would be disappointing for Scott and the studio that at the Box Office this historical drama has underperformed. Perhaps the reason for this, is that a story of this nature doesn't grab the hearts and minds of the younger cinema going demographic, but is instead aimed more squarely at an older 40+ demographic who are still a little ill at ease with venturing back into a movie theatre post-pandemic. Once again, here Scott has not neglected the production values which are top notch, the cinematography is first rate, the performances from the four seasoned leading players is credible, the action scenes expertly staged, and a clever script all help propel this medieval story along at a good pace. It could be seen as a forerunner to the 'Me Too' movement with themes of misogyny, patriarchy, rape and the issues faced by women in the 14th Century being not so far removed from the issues faced by women six hundred years later. My only gripe is that at a two-and-a-half-hour run time, Scott could easily have cut fifteen to twenty minutes out of this without too much detriment to the story, but nonetheless 'The Last Duel' is a well crafted historical film with a message grounded in todays world that will keep you invested right up until the brutal, bloody and bitter end. 

'The Last Duel' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 28th October 2021.

By way of an early heads up, the 68th Sydney Film Festival launches on Wednesday 3rd November and runs through until Sunday 21st November and takes place in various cinema venues around Sydney and online over nineteen days and nights, showcasing the greatest, strangest and most exciting works that cinema has to offer. The Opening Night film is 'Here Out West' that brings stories from eight talented Western Sydney writers that intertwine poignantly through themes of family and place in a groundbreaking film that reframes the Australian experience, and is Directed by Fadia Abboud, Lucy Gaffy, Julie Kalceff, Ana Kokkinos and Leah Purcell who join the creative collaboration to bring the writers' unique stories to the screen. The Closing Night film is Writer, Director and Co-Producer Wes Anderson's 'The French Dispatch' starring an ensemble cast led by Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Timothee Chalamet, Owen Wilson, Elizabeth Moss, Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Lea Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Jeffrey Wright, Liev Schreiber, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton and Saoirse Ronan amongst others. 

Twelve films are selected for the Official Competition, which celebrates 'courageous, audacious and cutting-edge' cinema with an AU$60K cash prize. Sydney Film Festival also presents seven other cash awards over the course of the festival. Those films in Official Competition are :-

* 'Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn' - from Romania, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic and Croatia in Romanian with English subtitles this film is Directed and Written by Radu Jude. The film won the Golden Bear at this year Berlin International Film Festival in June, and is about a school teacher who faces a very public scandal after a personal sex tape goes viral.

* 'Drive My Car' - from Japan and Co-Written and Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi this film won three awards at this years Cannes Film Festival including Best Screenplay and the FIPRESCI (the International Federation of Film Critics) Prize, and tells the story of a stage Actor and Director who seemingly is happily married to his playwright wife. Then one day she disappears.

* 'The Drovers Wife : The Legend of Molly Johnson' - from Australia and Directed, Written, Co-Produced and starring Leah Purcell in this period Western about a determined mother protecting her children – a searing reimagining of Henry Lawson’s classic with an Indigenous female viewpoint.

* 'Flee' - from Denmark, France, Sweden and Norway and Directed and Co-Written by Jonas Poher Rasmussen this documentary fuses animation and archival material to tell the story of a gay Afghan refugee in Denmark who kept his painful past a secret for two decades. This film was awarded the Grand Jury Prize : Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival in January this year.

* 'The Hand of God' - from Italy and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Paolo Sorrentino this deeply personal film is an exquisite reflection on family, sport, love, desire, tragedy and cinema against the backdrop of 1980's Naples. This film won the Grand Jury Prize, at the Venice International Film Festival in September.

* 'Limbo' - from the UK and Directed by Ben Sharrock this film centres on four asylum seekers who are staying on a remote island in Scotland, and taking cultural awareness classes, while awaiting the processing of their refugee claims. The film has won eight awards and a further fifteen nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. 

* 'Memoria' - from Colombia, Thailand, UK, Mexico, France, Germany, Qatar, and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Apichatpong Weerasethakul this film tells the story of a woman from Scotland (Tilda Swinton), while traveling in Colombia, begins to notice strange sounds. Soon she begins to think about their appearance. The Director won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival this year. 

* 'Petite Maman' - from France and Directed and Written by Celine Sciamma about an eight-year-old girl, who has just lost her beloved grandmother and is helping her parents clean out her mother's childhood home. One day, her mother leaves suddenly, and the young girl meets a girl her age as she's building a tree house in the woods.

* 'Quo Vadis, Aida?' - is an international co-production Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Jasmila Zbanic that here sees a UN translator in Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina attempting to save her family as conflict rages around them in 1995. The film has thus far collected twenty award wins and a further eighteen nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. 

* 'The Story of My Wife' - from Hungary, Germany, Italy and France this romantic drama film is Directed and Written by Ildiko Enyedi and tells the story of a sea Captain who makes a bet in a cafe with a friend, to marry the first woman who enters the place. Starring Lea Seydoux and Gijs Naber.

* 'There is No Evil' - from Germany, the Czech Republic and Iran, this film is Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Mohammad Rasoulof, here four stories that are variations on the crucial themes of moral strength and the death penalty that ask to what extent individual freedoms can be expressed under a despotic regime. This film has so far won fifteen awards and another nine nominations including the Golden Bear for Best Film at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival. 

* 'Undine' - is a German and French romantic fantasy drama production Directed and Written by Christian Petzold that here tells the story of Undine, who works as a historian lecturing on Berlin's urban development, and when the man she loves leaves her, an ancient myth catches up with her that tells her she must kill her former lover and return to the water. Starring Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski the film has collected eight award wins and another sixteen nominations including the FIPRESCI Prize and the Silver Bear for Paula Beer for Best Actress at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2020.

For the complete programme of films and events and other goings-on at this years Sydney Film Festival, you can go to the official website at : https://www.sff.org.au

Turning attention back to this weeks four new releases coming to your local Odeon, we launch with the twelfth instalment in this classic horror franchise, and a direct sequel to 2018's film which was a direct sequel to the very first instalment back in 1978 that sees that this nightmare isn't over as unstoppable killer Michael Myers escapes from Laurie Strode's burning trap to continue his ritual bloodbath, but this time the masked slayer has the people of Haddonfield to contend with who are intent on ending his reign of blood soaked terror. Next up is another horror offering (it's that time of year after all!) set in small-town Oregon where a teacher and her brother, the local sheriff, discover that a young student is harbouring a dangerous secret with frightening consequences. Next up is a black and white film set in the 1920's that follows the unexpected reunion of two high school friends, whose renewed acquaintance ignites a mutual obsession that threatens both of their carefully constructed lives. And closing out the week we have an animated feature about an awkward middle-schooler and Ron, his new walking, talking, digitally-connected robot device. Ron's malfunctions set against the social media age launch them on a journey to learn about the true meaning of friendship.

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 or 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.

'HALLOWEEN KILLS' (Rated MA15+) - is the twelfth film in this franchise and a direct sequel to 2018's 'Halloween' which served as a direct sequel to John Carpenter's classic 1978 'Halloween' set forty years after Michael Myers killing spree. 2018's film was made for US$10M and returned a handsome US$256M at the global Box Office, making this instalment a no brainer. Like its predecessor, this film is again Co-Written and Directed by David Gordon Green, who shares a writing credit with Danny McBride and Scott Teems. 'Halloween Kills' saw its World Premiere screening at the Venice International Film Festival on 8th September, following a year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was released in movie theatres in the US two weeks ago on 15th October. The film has so far grossed US$92M off the back of a US$20M production budget and has generated mixed reviews from Critics. 

Set minutes after the events of the last film, here Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) left masked killer Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle) locked-in and surely burning to death in Laurie's basement. Laurie is rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, believing she finally killed her lifelong tormentor. But when Michael manages to free himself as a result of the fire brigade arriving on the scene in record time, his ritual bloodbath resumes, starting off with the very firefighters who were dispatched to save the house. As Laurie fights her pain and prepares to defend herself against him, she inspires all of Haddonfield to rise up against the unstoppable monster. The Strode women join a group of other survivors of Michael's first rampage who decide to take matters into their own hands, forming a vigilante mob that sets out to hunt Michael down, once and for all. Also starring Will Patton and Anthony Michael Hall. The third and final instalment 'Halloween Ends' is set for release on 14th October 2022. 

'ANTLERS' (Rated MA15+) - this supernatural horror film is Directed by Scott Cooper whose previous film making credits take in his debut feature 'Crazy Heart' in 2009 with Jeff Bridges whose performance won his the Best Actor Award at the Oscars, then 'Out of the Furnace' in 2013 with Christian Bale, 'Black Mass' in 2015 with Johnny Depp and 'Hostiles' in 2017 with Christian Bale again. Based on Nick Antosca's short story 'The Quiet Boy', the screenplay was Co-Written by him and Cooper and the film is Co-Produced by Guillermo del Toro and David S. Goyer. The film was previously set for a release date of mid-April 2020 but was removed from the release calendar due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was subsequently rescheduled to mid-February this year before being removed from the release calendar again, and now it finally arrives this week in the US and Australia. Here then Julia Meadows (Keri Russell), a school teacher in a small town in Oregon, and her brother, Paul (Jesse Plemons), the local Sheriff, become concerned about one of her students, a young boy named Lucas Weaver (Jeremy T. Thomas) who is secretly keeping a supernatural creature inside his house. Also starring Graham Greene, Scott Haze, Rory Cochrane and Amy Madigan. The film has garnered mixed or average reviews. 

'PASSING' (Rated PG) - is a black and white drama film Written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by English Actress Rebecca Hall in her film making debut. This film is based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Nella Larsen, and the title of the film and the book refers to African-Americans whose skin colour was/is light enough to be perceived as 'white', the practice of which is referred to as 'passing'. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Sundance Film Festival back in January this year, gets a limited release in the US and Australia this week before streaming on Netflix from 10th November. Here then, mixed-race childhood friends reunite in middle class adulthood and become increasingly involved with one another's lives and insecurities. While Irene (Tessa Thompson) identifies as African-American and is married to a black doctor, Brian (Andre Holland), Clare (Ruth Negga) 'passes' as white and has married a prejudiced, but wealthy white man, John (Alexander Skarsgard). Also starring Bill Camp, the film has garnered universal Critical acclaim.

'RON'S GONE WRONG' (Rated PG) - Directed by Jean-Philippe Vine and Sarah Smith this computer animated Sci-Fi comedy film and is the first film from London based animation studios Locksmith Animation. The film saw its World Premier screening at the BFI London Film Festival in early October, went on release in the UK on the 15th of this month, followed by the US one week later and now this week is on release in Australia. Here, this is the story of Barney (voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer), a socially awkward middle-schooler and Ron (voiced by Zach Galifianakis), his new walking, talking, digitally-connected device, which is supposed to be his 'Best Friend out of the Box.' Ron's hilarious malfunctions eventually draws the attention of a shady executive who wants to protect his company's stock price at all costs, while set against the backdrop of the social media age, which launches the pair into an action-packed journey in which boy and robot come to terms with the wonderful messiness of true friendship. Also starring the voice talents of Olivia Colman, Ed Helms, Justice Smith, Rob Delaney and Kylie Cantrall, the film has generated mostly positive Reviews.

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 at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THE SUICIDE SQUAD : Tuesday 19th October 2021.

I finally got around to seeing 'THE SUICIDE SQUAD' on the big screen now that cinema's have reopened across greater Sydney in the past ten days or so, following almost four months of COVID-19 forced lockdown. Written and Directed by James Gunn, this standalone sequel to 2016's 'Suicide Squad' (Directed by David Ayer) is the tenth film in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe). Gunn's previous film making offerings include his directorial debut in 2006 'Slither', 'Super' in 2010, 'Guardians of the Galaxy' in 2014 and 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2' in 2017, with 'Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3' currently filming and due in 2023. 'The Suicide Squad' was released in the UK in late July, and in the US in early August while streaming on HBO Max for a month starting the same day. It has generated positive critical reviews, although has been a Box Office let down recouping just US$168M so far from its production budget outlay of US$185M.

Here then, A.R.G.U.S. Director (Advanced Research Group Uniting Super-Humans) Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) assembles two Task Force X teams, known as the Suicide Squad that consist Belle Reve penitentiary inmates (a high security metahuman prison), who reluctantly agree to carry out missions for Waller in exchange for having ten years shaved off their sentences, while at the same time having explosive devices injected into their necks which Waller can activate at any given time should the need arise. The teams are sent to the island nation of Corto Maltese, located off the South American coast, after its government is overthrown in a military led coup by an anti-American regime. They are tasked with destroying the Nazi-era laboratory, Jotunheim, which holds a secretive experiment known as 'Project Starfish' as well as conducting clandestine experiments on human subjects, led for the past thirty years by lead scientist Gaius Grieves aka The Thinker (Peter Capaldi). 

The first team is led by Waller's subordinate Colonel Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) and comprises Brian Durlin aka Savant (Michael Rooker), George 'Digger' Harkness aka Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney), Cory Pitzner aka T.D.K. (The Detachable Kid) (Nathan Fillion), Gunter Braun aka Javelin (Flula Borg), Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Richard 'Dick' Hertz aka Blackguard (Pete Davidson), Mongal (Mayling Ng) and Weasel (Sean Gunn). They are almost entirely wiped out by the Corto Maltese military upon landing, with only Harley Quinn and Rick Flag escaping the fray. This distraction allows the other team to enter the country undetected, from a beach on the other side of the island. The second team is led by assassin Robert DuBois aka Bloodsport (Idris Elba), who accepted the mission in order to prevent his daughter Tyla (Storm Reid) from being incarcerated at Belle Reve, and consists of Christopher Smith aka Peacemaker (John Cena), King Shark (voiced by Sylvester Stallone), Abner Krill aka Polka-Dot Man (David Dastmalchian), and Cleo Cazo aka Ratcatcher 2 (Daniela Melchior). 

After Flag is deemed to be still alive albeit being held captive, Bloodsport and his team systematically kill all those guarding the campsite only to discover that Flag is sat relaxing and enjoying a cold beer with the leader of a group of rebel soldiers fighting the resistance against the new regime Sol Soria (Alice Braga). Despite all of Soria's foot soldiers and resistance fighters being killed off, she agrees to assist them. 

Harley Quinn survives the attack on the first team and is taken captive by the Corto Maltese government, after killing the new President Silvio Luna (Juan Diago Botto) with whom she had a one night stand during which she learned from him of the new regime's plans to use Project Starfish against other nations, most notably America, Russia and China. Mateo Suarez (Joaquin Cosio) the Major General of Corto Maltese interrogates Quinn by having her strung up and goaded with an electric cattle prod to the stomach. In the Corto Maltese capital, the second team captures the Thinker, the lead scientist in charge of Project Starfish, in a bar and is ushered out the back door by Ratcatcher 2 and Polka-Dot Man just as the military arrive and detain Bloodsport, Peacemaker and Flag. Needless to say it doesn't end well for the three military guards escorting their three new prisoners in the back of an armoured vehicle or the two upfront in the driver and passenger seats. Ratcatcher 2, Polka-Dot Man, King Shark, the Thinker and Milton (an Associate of Task Force X) arrive in a beat up old Toyota bus to retrieve Bloodsport, Peacemaker and Flag.

Meanwhile, Quinn using the power of her thighs strangles her interrogator and using the dexterity of her foot retrieves the padlock key from the now dead interrogator, turns herself upside down, inserts the key into the padlock and turns the key so unlocking it and freeing herself. She then goes on a killing spree wiping out every guard who happens to be in her path either in a hail of bullets, or using the golden javelin bequeathed to her by Javelin just before he died on the beach a couple of nights ago, or by breaking necks from some accurately landed high kicks or savage punches. You never should underestimate the wrath of a woman scorned! 

And so Harley successfully escapes and joins the others, who use the Thinker to gain access to Jotunheim. As the Squad rigs up the facility with explosives, Flag and Ratcatcher 2 enter the laboratory with the Thinker, where they witness the fruits of all of his clandestine human experiments. He tells them that Project Starfish is Starro the Conqueror, a giant alien starfish that is able to create thousands of smaller versions of itself to kill people and take control of their minds and bodies. Starro was brought to Earth by the US government, who have been secretly funding experiments on him in Corto Maltese for the past thirty years and using thousands of its citizens as test subjects. Upon learning this, Flag decides to leak a hard drive containing evidence of this news but is killed by Peacemaker who is under secret orders from Waller to cover up the US's involvement in the experiments, and the existence of Starro.

Meanwhile, a skirmish between the Squad and the Corto Maltese military lead by Major General Suarez results in Polka-Dot Man accidentally setting off the explosives prematurely. As the facility slowly begins to implode and fall apart, Peacemaker catches up with Ratcatcher 2 and is poised ready to kill her for knowing the truth about Starro, but Bloodsport shoots him instead and takes the drive, so sparing Ratcatcher 2. 

Starro escapes from the now destroyed laboratory, kills the Thinker and the majority of the military personnel on the ground, and begins taking control of the island's population by releasing thousands of smaller starfish which latch onto the faces of the victims, so suffocating them almost immediately before taking control of their minds and bodies at which point they are revived - zombie like. Waller tells the Squad that their mission is complete now that Jotunheim is destroyed, but Bloodsport chooses to ignore her and leads his teammates in battling Starro, while Waller is knocked out by one of her subordinates using a golf club across the back of the head, back at Task Force X HQ to prevent her from executing the squad. 

During the battle, Polka-Dot Man is killed, Harley pierces a hole in Starro's eye using the javelin, and Ratcatcher 2 summons the city's rats to chew the alien to death from the inside. With the military diverted, Soria takes control of the government by gunning down all of the corrupt officials and pledges democratic elections. Bloodsport forces Waller to release him, Harley Quinn, Ratcatcher 2 and King Shark from their imprisonment, and to swear not to go after his daughter Tyla, in exchange for keeping the contents of the drive confidential to which she has little choice but to agree. The remaining Squad is airlifted out of Corto Maltese.

It's easy to see where Director James Gunn filtered away a production budget of US$185M, and it's equally as easy to see why this film has yet to recoup that initial investment. 'The Suicide Squad' is a silly film full of largely one dimensional characters that we have very little investment in by way of back story apart from one or two glib sentences in passing from the main characters; there is plenty of cussing and swearing; the humour seems aimed mostly at fifteen year old boys; there is lots of blood and gore; and the action sequences are so over the top that it really does remind you that you're watching a comic book adaptation after all. As for the giant alien starfish, Starro, well that reminded of the giant Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from the 1984 'Ghostbusters' film, just a little more menacing. On the positive side, Gunn's absurdist direction shines through in this no holds barred, fast paced, ultra violent, piece of nonsense that doesn't take it self too seriously, has moments of sardonic humour, and is visually everything you would expect from a movie such as this. Worth watching on a big cinema screen just for the spectacle of the action sequences which Gunn delivers with aplomb and of which there are plenty to satisfy the most die hard fans of the genre. The film also stars Taika Waititi as Ratcatcher, the father of Ratcatcher 2 who is dead but is seen in memory flashbacks by his daughter. Also, remain in your seat for the post-credits sequence.

'The Suicide Squad' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 21st October 2021.

The 26th Busan International Film Festival in South Korea opened on 6th October and closed on 15th October. For this 26th edition 223 films from seventy countries were officially invited to the festival, which was attended by 76,072 people over the course of the ten days of the event. This years Opening Night film was the South Korean feature 'Heaven : To the Land of Happiness' Written and Directed by Im Sang-soo in which two gentlemen meet by chance and decide to go on an adventure together, with their journey becoming a quest for happiness. The Closing Night film was 'Anita' from China and Directed by Longmond Leung in this biopic of Canto pop idol, singer, actress and media-magnet Anita Mui, who died at the age of 40 in 2003. 

As for the awards presented at this years festival, the following were the happy winners and grinners within the main sections :-

New Currents - the main competition section at BIFF, which showcases the works by emerging Asian Directors, had eleven entries, and was won jointly by 'The Apartment with Two Women' from South Korea and Directed and Written by Kim Se-in; 'Farewell, My Hometown' from China and Directed and Written by Wang Er Zhou; and 'Seire' from South Korea and Written and Directed by Park Kang. 

A Window on Asian Cinema - in which seven films are selected to compete for the Kim Jiseok award, with the award being jointly presented to 'Gensan Punch' from the Philippines and Directed by Brillante Mendoza; and 'The Rapist' from India and Directed and Written by Aparna Sen. 

Korean Cinema Today - Vision Section saw twelve selections showcased as World Premiere screenings, from which four films were chosen as joint award winners. These being 'Chorokbam' Directed by Yoon Seo-jin; 'Hot in Day, Cold at Night' Directed by Park Song-yeol; 'A Lonely Island in the Distant Sea' Directed by Kim Miyoung and 'Through My Midwinter' Directed by Oh Seong-ho. 

Flash Forward - features the films that have already won awards or become a hot topic at other film festivals. This section saw nine entries and was won by 'Mass' from the US and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Fran Kranz. 

In addition, the following awards were also presented to : Kwon Daham as Actor of the Year for 'Through My Midwinter'; to Lim Ji-ho as Actress of the Year for 'The Apartment with Two Women'; the FIPRESCI Award was presented to 'Seire' and Director Park Kang; and the new Watcha Award was presented to 'Through My Midwinter' and 'The Apartment with Two Women' by Oh Seong-ho and Kim See-in respectively. 

For further details on all the sections, and the awards presented at the 26th Busan International Film Festival, you can visit the official website at : https://www.biff.kr

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or 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 LAST DUEL' (Rated MA15+) - this historical drama film is Directed by Ridley Scott; written for the screen by Nicole Holofcener, Ben Affleck, and Matt Damon, Co-Produced by Scott, Holofcener, Affleck and Damon and based on the 2004 book 'The Last Duel : A True Story of Trial by Combat in Medieval France' by Eric Jager. Of course Ridley Scott is no stranger to historical dramas have helmed 'The Duellists' his 1977 debut feature film, '1492 : Conquest of Paradise' in 1992, 'Gladiator' in 2000, 'Kingdom of Heaven' in 2005, 'Robin Hood' in 2010 and 'Exodus : Gods and Kings' in 2014. This film was originally scheduled to begin a limited theatrical release at Christmas 2020, before going wide in early January this year, but as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the release date was delayed to mid-October 2021. It had its World Premiere at the Venice Film Festival in early September, before being release in the US and UK last week and here in Australia this week. It has garnered generally favourable Reviews.

Based on actual events, the film unravels long-held assumptions about France's last sanctioned duel between Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) and Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), two friends turned bitter rivals. Carrouges is a respected knight known for his bravery and skill on the battlefield. Le Gris is a Norman squire whose intelligence and eloquence make him one of the most admired nobles in court. Here then it is 1386 in the midst of the Hundred Years War, when Carrouges' wife, Marguerite (Jodie Comer), is viciously assaulted by Le Gris, a charge he denies, but she refuses to stay silent, stepping forward to accuse her attacker, an act of bravery and defiance that puts her life in jeopardy. It is the last legally sanctioned duel in France's history. The ensuing trial by combat, a gruelling duel to the death, places the fate of all three in God's hands. Also starring Ben Affleck, Alex Lawther, Marton Csokas and Harriet Walter.

'MALIGNANT' (Rated R18+) - is an American supernatural horror film Directed, Co-Produced and based on an original story by Australian film maker James Wan, whose previous directorial outings include 'Saw' in 2004, 'Insidious' in 2010, 'The Conjuring' and 'Insidious : Chapter 2' in 2013, 'Furious 7' in 2015, 'The Conjuring 2' in 2016 and 'Aquaman' in 2018. Originally slated for a mid-August 2020 release, the film was pulled from the schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was subsequently released in France on 1st September, then the US on 10th September, having so far grossed US$30M off the back of a US$40M production budget, and so far generating mixed or average Reviews. Here then, Madison (Annabelle Wallis) is paralysed by shocking visions of grisly murders, and her torment worsens as she discovers that these waking dreams are in fact terrifying realities as she decides to find and save the victims. Also starring Mckenna Grace as the young Madison, with Maddie Hasson, George Young, Michole Briana White, and Jacqueline McKenzie also starring.

'THE MAN WHO SOLD HIS SKIN' (Rated MA15+) - this international co-produced drama film is Directed and Written by Kaouther Ben Hania, and was nominated as the Tunisian entry for the Best International Feature film at this years Academy Awards and has garnered positive Critical acclaim. Sam Ali (Yahya Mahayni), a young sensitive and impulsive Syrian, left his country for Lebanon to escape the war. To be able to travel to Europe and live with the love of his life, he accepts to have his back tattooed by one of by the World's most controversial contemporary artists. Turning his own body into a prestigious piece of art, Sam will however, come to realise that his decision might actually mean anything but freedom. Also starring Dea Liane, Monica Bellucci and Koen De Bouw. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Venice International Film Festival in early September 2020, where Yahya Mahayni won the Best Actor Award.

'LOVE YOU LIKE THAT' (Rated M) - this Aussie RomCom is Directed, Written and Co-Produced by first time feature film maker Eric C. Nash. The mysterious appearance of a young woman washed up naked and unconscious on the beach of the coastal town of Seafront Sands, turns the sleepy town into a tailspin. Is she a mermaid, why does she have amnesia, what is going on with her craving for coffee? The young woman has a profound effect on everyone she comes into contact with and as the people of Seafront Sands are celebrating the Town’s Holiday event, they are buzzing, and excitement is in the air. Little do they know, the arrival of a mysterious woman will make them all believe that true love is just a day away. Starring Mitchell Hope, Allira Jaques, John Jarratt and Chris Haywood. 

'BECOMING COUSTEAU' (Rated M) - is an American documentary film Directed and Co-Produced by Liz Garbus whose numerous documentaries, and feature films include her debut in 1998 with 'The Farm : Angola, USA', 'Bobby Fischer Against the World' in 2011, 'Love, Marilyn' in 2012, 'What Happened, Miss Simone?' in 2015, 'Lost Girls' in 2020, and 'All In : The Fight for Democracy' also in 2020. This film saw its World Premier showcasing at the Telluride Film Festival on 2nd September this year, had its International Premier at TIFF the following week and is released in the US and in selected cinema's in Australia this week having generated largely favourable Reviews. The film takes a deep dive into the life, passions, achievements and tragedies surrounding the famous explorer and environmentalist Jacques Cousteau, featuring an archive of newly restored footage. It focuses on the inventor-explorer-environmentalist-filmmaker revolution - giving mankind the resources to explore the ocean with the Aqua Lung, calling attention to ocean pollution, and his longtime collaboration with the National Geographic Society.

With five 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 at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

'SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS' : Tuesday 12th October 2021

Finally, Greater Sydney has come out of three months+ of COVID-19 enforced lockdown on Monday 11th October, and with it movie theatres have reopened. As such, a whole slew of films released elsewhere in Australia and across the world are now available for the avid moviegoer to play catch-up on some of those more recent cinematic releases. The first film that I saw post-lockdown at my local multiplex earlier this week is 'SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS' - the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Destin Daniel Cretton, whose previous film making credits take in 'Short Term 12' with Brie Larson and Rami Malek in 2013, 'The Glass Castle' in 2017 with Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson and 'Just Mercy' in 2019 with Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson. This film has so far grossed worldwide US$404M off the back of a circa US$180M production budget and has generated positive Critical acclaim. 

And so the film opens up setting the scene for how the ten rings came about. It seems that one thousand years ago (plus or minus a few years) Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung) discovers the mystical ten rings which grant the owner of said rings immortality and other worldly powers. He forms the Ten Rings organisation, over throwing kingdoms and toppling governments throughout history to accumulate wealth and power. Fast forward to 1996, and Wenwu searches for Ta Lo, a village that exists in a different dimension and reportedly harbours mythical creatures. He travels through a magical thick bamboo forest to the village entrance but is stopped by guardian Ying Li (Fala Chen). After an initial (sort of) fight between the pair, the two fall in love, and Wenwu foregoes the Ten Rings for a life of normalcy with his new wife and children Shang-Chi (Jayden Zhang) and Xialing (Elodie Fong). When Shang-Chi is seven years old, Li is murdered by Wenwu's enemies, the Iron Gang. Wenwu goes in search of the Iron Gang with the young Shang-Chi and massacres them all except for the leader who was not present at the time. Wenwu then resumes leadership of his organisation again. He makes Shang-Chi undergo brutal martial arts training, but does not allow Xialing to train so she teaches herself in secret, having observed Shang-Chi's training techniques and replicating them, only better! When Shang-Chi is fourteen (Arnold Sun), Wenwu sends him to assassinate the Iron Gang's leader. After fulfilling his mission, a disheartened Shang-Chi runs away to San Francisco and takes on the name of 'Shaun'.

And so we fast fast forward to the present day and Shaun (Simu Liu) is working as a hotel valet car parking attendant with his best friend Katy (Awkwafina), who knows nothing of his past life. Travelling on a bus together, the pair are attacked by members of the Ten Rings organisation, with Razor Fist (Florian Munteanu) who has a machete blade for his right hand, stealing a pendant that Li gave to Shang-Chi when he was a young boy that gives him access to Ta Lo. Wenwu anonymously provides Shang-Chi with the location of Xialing in Macau and, fearing that the Ten Rings will go after Xialing's matching pendant from Li, Shang-Chi decides to go in search of her. Katy, not wanting to be left out and having survived the vicious attack on the bus, imposes herself on Shang-Chi, who reveals his past to her on the flight over to Macau. They find Xialing (Meng'er Zhang) at an underground fight club in Macau, which she formed after escaping from Wenwu. The Ten Rings attack the fight club with Wenwu arriving to capture Shang-Chi, Xialing and Katy. Wenwu takes his daughters pendant.

The three are helicoptered into the Ten Rings compound, where Wenwu uses the pendants to reveal a magical water map leading to Ta Lo. Wenwu explains that he has heard his wife, Li, calling to him and believes she has been held captive in Ta Lo behind a vast sealed gate. He plans to destroy the village by burning it to the ground, unless they agree to release her. When Shang-Chi and Xialing object saying that he must accept that their mother and his wife is dead, he imprisons them with Katy. In an ante-room to the cell where they are locked up, the three meet former actor Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) who previously took on the guise of the Mandarin and was abducted by the Ten Rings for impersonating Wenwu, now becoming a 'court jester' or Shakespearean fool for Wenwu. They also meet his hundun (a legendary faceless furry animal the size of a wombat with wings from Ta Lo) that Slattery has named Morris, who offers to guide them back to his village.

The group escapes in Razor Fist's souped up 4WD and drive through the bamboo forest with the trees rapidly closing in behind them en route to Ta Lo. They drive through a portal hidden within a water fall which sees them exit in a separate dimension and into Ta Lo, with a myriad of Chinese mythological creatures all around them. There they meet Ying Nan (Michelle Yeoh), Li's sister, and aunt to Shnag-Chi and Xialing. Nan explains the history of Ta Lo, saying that thousands of years ago, the village was attacked by the soul-eating Dweller-in-Darkness and its guardians, but was saved by a Chinese dragon called the Great Protector who helped seal the Dark Gate to the Dweller's world. Nan further states that the Dweller-in-Darkness has been influencing Wenwu to believe Li is still alive so that he will open the Dark Gate. Shang-Chi, Xialing, and Katy join the villagers in training and preparing for Wenwu's imminent arrival, using weapons they have fashioned from dragon scales. 

Wenwu and the Ten Rings heavies arrive and attack the villagers. Wenwu overpowers Shang-Chi and forces him into the nearby lake where he slowly sinks to the bottom unconscious. Wenwu then attacks the Gate with the rings. This gives some of the Dweller's guardians the chance to escape, and through the onslaught the Ten Rings heavies, now abandoned by Wenwu, join forces with the villagers to fight them off. Shang-Chi is revived by the Great Protector, which flies out of the lake to battle the marauding guardians. Wenwu and Shang-Chi come head to head once again and Shang-Chi gains the upper hand, but chooses to spare Wenwu. The Dweller-in-Darkness bursts out of the weakened Gate and attacks Shang-Chi. Wenwu saves Shang-Chi, bequeathing him the rings before being killed by the Dweller-in-Darkness. Shang-Chi, the Great Protector, Xialing, and Katy battle and kill the Dweller-in-Darkness. Afterwards, Shang-Chi and Katy return to San Francisco where they are summoned by the sorcerer Wong (Benedict Wong) to the Sanctum Sanctorum, with more divulged in the mid-credits scene. 

With nods to 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' in some of the fight sequences, the return of Trevor Slattery apologising for the misstep of the racial stereotypes of his impersonation of The Mandarin in 'Iron Man 3', and the reference to the Sanctum Sanctorum in the final mid-credits scene, together with the well crafted action set pieces, the usual dose of MCU humour, emotion and a smattering of pathos all make for an enjoyable Asian-centric addition to the MCU canon. The performances by Leung especially as the antagonist with heart is the stand out role for me, with Liu, Zhang and Awkwafina all giving solid enough performances but still clearly finding their way, which will undoubtedly come in subsequent Shang-Chi instalments, and cross-over films within the ever expanding MCU. And in the Director's chair, Cretton here makes effective use of flashbacks to move the story arc forward in a way that most other Marvel films have not, while keeping this origin story grounded and relatable. The ending when it comes however, feels protracted and over the top with too heavy a reliance on CGI dragons, mythical creatures, and a battle in which not a drop of blood is shed and everyone who dies does so off screen. The film does not reach the dizzy heights that 'Black Panther' did in 2018, but nonetheless, as your first visit to the cinema post-lockdown you could do a lot worse. 

'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-