What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th May 2022.

The 23rd annual Jeonju International Film Festival took place recently between 28th April and 7th May in South Korea showcasing a total 217 films from fifty-seven countries. Of these 123 were international films and ninety-four were Korean films, with 143 being feature films and seventy-four being short films. Sixty-one of these saw their World Premier screening, while four had their International Premier, sixty-three their Asian Premier and forty-seven their Korean Premier. Launched in 2000 as a non-competitive film festival with partial competition, it introduces independent and experimental films to focus on the alternative course of contemporary film art.

This years Opening Night Film was 'After Yang' from the USA and Directed and Edited by Kogonada and starring Colin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith in the Asian Premier of this fiction drama. The Closing Night Film was 'Full Time' from France and Written and Directed by Eric Gravel and starring Laure Calamy in the Asian Premier of this fiction drama. 

Ten films compete in the International Competition section at JIFF, and these were as follows :-

* 'Actual People' - from the USA and Directed, Written, Co-Produced and starring Kit Zauhar in her Directorial debut this fiction drama saw its Asian Premier screening.

* 'Album for the Youth' - from Argentina is Written, Directed and Edited by Malena Solarz in her second feature film outing, this fiction drama saw its Asian Premier showcasing.

* 'Aleph' - from the USA, Croatia and Qatar is Written, Directed, Co-Produced and Edited by Iva Radivojevic in her second feature film offering, this documentary had its Asian Premier. 

* 'Geographies of Solitude' - from the USA and is Directed, Co-Produced, filmed, Co-Edited and Co-Sound Designed by Jacquelyn Mills in her second documentary film that saw its Asian Premier screening. This film won the International Grand Jury Prize with a cash prize of KRW20M.

* 'A Human Position' - from Norway and Written, Directed, Co-Produced and Edited by Anders Emblem in his second feature film outing, this fiction drama saw its International Premier. 

* 'Medusa' - from Brazil and is Written, Directed and Co-Scored by Anita Rocha Da Silveira in her second feature film offering, this fiction drama had its Asian Premier.

* 'Raydio' - from Taiwan and Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Zhan Kaidi in his feature film making debut, this fiction drama saw its International Premier.

* 'The Silence of the Mole' - from Guatemala and Written and Directed by Anais Taracena in her film making debut this documentary film had its Asian Premier screening. This film won the Special Jury Prize with a cash prize of KRW10M.

* 'Tokyo Kurds' - from Japan and is Directed by Hyuga Fumiari in his film making debut, this documentary film saw its International Premier.

* 'Unrest' - from Switzerland and Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Cyril Schaublin in his second feature film, this fiction drama had its Asian Premier showcasing. This film won the Best Picture Prize with a cash prize of KRW10M.

For the full low down on all films showcased at the 23rd JIFF, the awards, and a whole bunch more, you can visit the official website at : https://eng.jeonjufest.kr/

This week to tease you out to your local Odeon on a chilly Autumnal evening, we have five new movies that kick off with an American biographical drama that follows a boxer-turned-priest who inspired countless people during his journey from self-destruction to redemption. Next up is a Sci-Fi horror drama about a young girl who tries to understand how she mysteriously gained the power to set things on fire with her mind. This is followed by an Italian drama film of fifteen-year-old girl whose close-knit family falls apart after her father abandons them in Calabria. Then we turn to two doco's to close out the week - first from France about an eighteen-year-old woman who travels the world to meet young activists who have already helped the world with their perseverance and selflessness; and finally a music doco that explores the creative relationship and songs from two of Australia's foremost singers, songwriters and composers as they embark on a UK tour and nurture the songs that went into their last two studio albums.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new films 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 week ahead.

'FATHER STU' (Rated M) - this American biographical drama film is Written and Directed by Rosalind Ross in her Directorial debut. Mark Wahlberg Co-Produces here and stars as Father Stu, having gained 14kgs in six weeks to portray the lead character by consuming about 7,000 calories a day, and further he ploughed 'millions and millions of dollars' of his own money into the production mainly because of the shoot going over schedule and the rights to the accompanying music. The film was released in the US in mid-April, has garnered mixed reviews from critics and has so far grossed US$19M. 

When an injury ends his amateur boxing career, Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) moves to Los Angeles to find money and fame. While scraping by as a supermarket clerk, he meets Carmen (Teresa Ruiz), a Sunday school teacher who seems immune to his bad-boy charm. Determined to win her over, the longtime agnostic starts going to church to impress her. However, a motorcycle accident leaves him wondering if he can use his second chance to help others, leading to the surprising realisation that he's meant to be a Catholic priest. Also starring Jacki Weaver, Mel Gibson and Malcolm McDowell. 

'FIRESTARTER' (Rated MA15+) - is an American Sci-Fi horror film Directed by Keith Thomas in only his second feature film making outing following 2019's 'The Vigil', is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King and is a reboot of the 1984 feature film of the same name which starred a young Drew Barrymore, Martin Sheen, George C. Scott and David Keith. Here then a couple - Andy McGee (Zac Efron) and Vicky McGee (Sydney Lemmon) desperately try to hide their daughter, Charlie (Ryan Kiera), from a shadowy federal agency that wants to harness her unprecedented gift for turning fire into a weapon of mass destruction. Her father taught her how to defuse her power, but as Charlie turns eleven years of age, the fire becomes harder and harder to control. When a mysterious operative finally tracks down the family, he attempts to capture Charlie once and for all, but she has other plans. Also starring Kurtwood Smith and Michael Greyeyes, the film is released Stateside and in Australia this week. 

'TO CHIARA' (Rated M) - is an Italian language drama film Written and Directed by Jonas Carpignano in his third feature film after 'Mediterranea' in 2015 and 'A Ciambra' in 2017. The film saw its World Premier showcasing at the July 2021 Cannes Film Festival in the Director's Fortnight section where it received positive critical acclaim. The Guerrasio family and their friends gather to celebrate Claudio (Claudio Rotolo) and Carmela's (Carmela Fumo) oldest daughter's 18th birthday. There is a healthy rivalry between the birthday girl and her 16-year-old sister Chiara (Swamy Rotolo), as they compete on the dancefloor. It is a happy occasion, and the close-knit family is in top form, until later that evening a car nearby explodes, her father flees and the next day the family patriarch is missing. Chiara decides to investigate and as she gets closer to the truth, she is forced to decide what kind of future she wants for herself.

'BIGGER THAN US' (Rated M) - this French documentary film is Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Flore Vasseur in only her second film making outing following 2017's 'Meeting Snowdon'. The film follows the journey of Melati Wijsen, who decides to go journey across the globe to meet her peers, young activists just like her, who already have managed to have a huge impact in their fields thanks to their convictions, determination and selflessness. Melati can feel that the clock is ticking and that change is too slow. She wants, she needs to understand what is preventing change. To join forces. And to come up with her new plan. The film Premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in mid-July last year, and saw a stepped release in other territories thereafter, with the US release on 1st April and now getting a limited showing in Australia from this week. 

'THIS MUCH I KNOW TO BE TRUE' (Rated M) - this music documentary film is Directed by Andrew Dominik whose previous Directorial credits include 'Chopper' in 2000, 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford' in 2007, 'Killing Them Softly' in 2012 and the Nick Cave documentary 'One More Time with Feeling' in 2016. Here he teams up with Nick Cave again to explore the creative relationship and songs from Cave and Warren Ellis' last two studio albums, 'Ghosteen' and 'Carnage'. Shot on location in London & Brighton, this document of their first ever performances of these albums, filmed in spring 2021 ahead of their UK tour, we see the two, accompanied by singers and string quartet, as they nurture each song into existence. The film features a special appearance by close friend and long-term collaborator, Marianne Faithfull, capturing the mood and spirit of the pair as they move through a new, optimistic phase.

With five new release movie offerings 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 coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-