What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 1st September 2022.

The 79th annual Venice International Film Festival launches on Wednesday 31st August and runs through until Saturday 10th September. It is one of the world's longest established film festivals and is held on the island of the Lido in the Venice Lagoon, Venice, Italy. Venice is considered one of the 'Big Five' International Film Festivals worldwide - the other four being Cannes, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance. 

This years Opening Night film is 'White Noise' from the US and UK and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Noah Baumbach and starring Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, Raffey Cassidy, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Don Cheadle, with the Closing Night film being 'The Hanging Sun' from Italy and Directed by Francesco Carrozzini and starring Charles Dance, Peter Mullan and Jessica Brown Findlay.

In the Main International Competition this year there are twenty-three titles competing for a number of prizes including the Golden Lion (awarded to the Best Film screened in competition), the Grand Jury Prize (awarded to the second Best Film), Silver Lion (awarded to the Best Director), Special Jury Prize (awarded to the third Best Film), the Volpi Cup for Best Actor and Best Actress, the Golden Osella (awarded for Best Screenplay or Best Technical Contribution) and the Marcello Mastroianni Award (presented to an emerging Actor or Actress). This year Jury President for the Main Competition is Julianne Moore. 

Included in the twenty-three titles are the following :-

* 'All the Beauty and the Bloodshed' - from the US, this documentary film is Directed and Co-Produced by Laura Poitras and examines the life and career of photographer and activist Nan Goldin and her efforts to hold Purdue Pharma, owned by the Sackler family, accountable for the opioid epidemic.

* 'The Banshees of Inisherin' - from Ireland, the US and UK and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Martin McDonagh with Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan telling the story of a conflict that arises between two friends when one of them abruptly ends their friendship, with alarming consequences for both of them.

* 'Bardo (or False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths)' - from Mexico and Co-Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. The film follows a renowned Mexican journalist and documentary filmmaker who returns home and works through an existential crisis as he grapples with his identity, familial relationships and the folly of his memories.

* 'Blonde' - from the US and written for the screen and Directed by Andrew Dominik and starring Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale and Xavier Samuel. Following a traumatic childhood, Norma Jeane Mortenson becomes an actress in the Hollywood of the 1950's and early '60's. She becomes world famous under the stage name 'Marilyn Monroe'.

* 'Bones & All' - from the US, Italy and the UK and Directed and Co-Produced by Luca Guadagnino and starring Timothee Chalamet, Taylor Russell, Mark Rylance, Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloe Sevigny. The film follows cannibalistic lovers, Maren and Lee, as they embark on a road trip across 1980's America.

* 'The Eternal Daughter' - from the US and UK and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Joanna Hogg with Tilda Swinton, Carla-Sophia Davies and Joseph Mydell. A middle-aged daughter and her elderly mother must confront long-buried secrets when they return to their former family home, a once-grand manor that has become a nearly vacant hotel brimming with mystery.

* 'Love Life' - from Japan and France and Written and Directed by Koji Fukada. The film revolves around Taeko and her husband Jiro, who decide to care for her son’s long-lost father when he reappears, deaf, ill and homeless.

* 'Monica' - from the US and Italy and Co-Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Andrea Pallaoro and starring Patricia Clarkson, Trace Lysette, Emily Browning, and Adriana Barraza and centres around a woman who returns home to care for her dying mother.

* 'Other People's Children' - from France and Written and Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski and starring Virginie Efira and tells the story of a middle-aged teacher who starts a new relationship which creates a close bond with the four year old daughter of her new partner.

* 'The Son' - from the UK, US and France and written for the screen, Directed and Co-Produced by Florian Zeller and starring Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby and Anthony Hopkins. Peter has a busy life with new partner Emma and their new baby, but all this is thrown into disarray when his ex-wife Kate turns up with their seventeen year old son, Nicholas.

* 'Tar' - from the US and Germany and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Todd Field and starring Cate Blanchett, Julian Glover and Mark Strong. Here Cate Blanchett stars as a renowned conductor and composer in the international world of classical music, Lydia Tar.

* 'The Whale' - from the US and Directed and Co-Produced by Darren Aronofsky and starring Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Samantha Morton and Ty Simpkins. A 275kg weighing middle-aged man named Charlie tries to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter. The two grew apart after Charlie abandoned his family for his gay lover, who later died. Charlie then went on to binge eat out of pain and guilt.

* 'White Noise' - from the UK and US and written for the screen, Directed and Co-Produced by Noah Baumbach with Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, Raffey Cassidy, Andre Benjamin, Alessandro Nivola, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Don Cheadle. Here, Jack Gladney, professor of Hitler studies at The-College-on-the-Hill, husband to Babette, and father to four children/stepchildren, is torn asunder by 'the Airborne Toxic Event', a cataclysmic train accident that casts chemical waste over his town.

In addition, the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement Award will this year be presented to the American screenwriter and Director Paul Schrader, and the French Actress Catherine Deneuve.

For all details on the full line up of films in and out of competition, plus a whole lot more besides, you can go to the official website at : https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2022

This week then with six new movies gracing a big screen at your local Odeon, we kick start with a dark fantasy offering about a reclusive academic, who, while on a conference in Istanbul, discovers a Djinn who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. Next up we have a prequel to a successful 2009 psychological horror film that this time around sees a young 'child', who after successfully escaping from an Estonian psychiatric facility, travels to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. This is followed by a British psychological drama about a young woman living on the fringes of society who becomes intoxicated by a stranger who overwhelms her quiet life. Then we turn to a French romantic drama about a woman who's life spirals out of control when she becomes involved in a passionate love triangle. We then have a Norwegian comedy about a small-town loner with a flair for horses and explosives, who struggles to find his place in society while coping with unrequited love for his neighbour, and we close out the week with an Aussie doco filled with fun and joy that shows kids how to move, nourish, respect and embrace their bodies.

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

'THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING' (Rated M) - is a dark fantasy film Co-Written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by George Miller whose previous feature film making credits include his 1979 debut with 'Mad Max', then 'Mad Max 2', 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome', 'The Witches of Eastwick', 'Lorenzo's Oil', 'Babe : Pig in the City', 'Happy Feet' and 'Happy Feet Two', with 'Mad Max : Fury Road' his most recent offering before this one, and with the 'Mad Max' spin-off 'Furiosa' currently filming and due for a 2024 release. This film is based on the 1994 short story by A.S.Byatt titled 'The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye'. It saw its World Premiere showcasing at this years Cannes Film Festival in late May, was released in the US on 26th August, cost US$60M to produce, has so far earned back US$3.2M and garnered mixed reviews from critics.

A lonely scholar, Dr. Alithea Bonnie (Tilda Swinton), who is suffering from hallucinations of demonic beings, purchases an old lamp at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and accidentally unleashes a Djinn (Idris Elba) that was trapped within it. Djinn offers to grant Alithea three wishes if they are her heart’s desire, but Alithea argues that because she's a scholar of story and mythology, she knows all the cautionary tales of wishes gone wrong, and accuses Djinn of being a trickster. Djinn proceeds to tell her the stories of how he ended up trapped in the lamp three times, with the final one moving Alithea to the point where she wishes for Djinn to have sex with her. Afterwards, Djinn and Alithea move to London together, but Djinn slowly becomes weak due to spending too much time outside the lamp, so Alithea is forced to trap him again, though every three months he is released to spend time with her.

'ORPHAN : FIRST KILL' (Rated MA15+) - this psychological horror film is Directed by William Brent Bell whose other films from the same genre take in his debut offering 'Stay Alive' in 2006 and then 'The Devil Inside' in 2012, 'Wer' in 2013, 'The Boy' in 2016, 'Brahms : The Boy II' in 2020 and 'Separation' in 2021. This film serves as a prequel to the 2009 film 'Orphan' which was Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and took US$79M off the back of a US$20M production budget. Here, after orchestrating a brilliant escape from an Estonian psychiatric facility, Leena Klammer (Isabelle Fuhrman) a thirty-one year old murderous sociopath who looks like a nine year old child due to a medical condition, travels to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. Yet, an unexpected twist arises that pits her against a mother, Tricia Albright (Julia Stiles) who will protect her family from the murderous 'child' at any cost. Also starring Rossif Sutherland and Hiro Kanagawa, the film has so far grossed US$6.5M since its opening Stateside in mid-August and has garnered mixed or average Reviews. 

'TRUE THINGS' (Rated MA15+) - is a British psychological drama film based on the 2011 novel 'True Things about Me' by Deborah Kay Davies, and is Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Harry Wootliff in only her second feature film making outing following 2018's 'Only You'. Kate (Ruth Wilson) is sleepwalking through life when a chance sexual encounter with a charismatic stranger Blond (Tom Burke) awakens her. High on infatuation she finds herself inexplicably drawn to this mysterious man. Hoping he will provide the escape she so desperately desires, she embarks on an emotionally dangerous journey that slowly begins to consume her. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Venice Film Festival back in September last year, was released in the UK in early April this year, and has generated largely positive critical reviews. Also starring Hayley Squires. 

'BOTH SIDES OF THE BLADE' (Rated MA15+) - is a French romantic drama film based on the 2018 novel 'Un tournant de la vie' by Christine Angot who with Claire Denis Co-Wrote the screenplay while Denis also Directs here. Her previous film making credits take in her debut in 1988 with 'Chocolat' and then 'Trouble Every Day' in 2001, 'The Intruder' in 2004, 'White Material' in 2009, 'Bastards' in 2013, 'Let the Sunshine In' in 2017 and 'High Life' in 2018. Sara (Juliette Binoche) and her husband Jean (Vincent Lindon) return home from vacation to a wintry Paris, where Sara works as a radio presenter. Jean, is a former professional rugby player with a prison record. One day, Sara glimpses her estranged ex-boyfriend Francois (Gregoire Colin) on the street, flooding her with emotion. Francois, who was also once a close friend to Jean, is opening a sports agency to recruit young rugby players and contacts Jean to work with him as a talent scout. The re-entrance of Francois into their lives threatens the relationship Sara and Jean have had for ten years. The film had its World Premiere showcasing in mid-February this year at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Bear, while Denis received the Silver Bear for Best Director. This film is released in its native France this week too having received generally favourable reviews. 

'EVERYBODY HATES JOHAN' (Rated M) - this Norwegian comedy film is Directed by Hallvar Witzo in his feature film making debut although he has also Directed several short films and numerous episodes of local television series in the meantime. This film is about about Johan Grande (Pal Sverre Hagan), a loner with a penchant for horses and explosives who was never accepted as part of his local community, his nevertheless somewhat adventurous life, and his long-lasting battle to win over the love of his life, Solvor (Ingrid Bolso Berdal) who he accidentally blew up a bit in his teens. 

'EMBRACE : KIDS' (Rated G) - is an Australian documentary film Written, Produced and Directed by Taryn Brumfitt in her second documentary feature film following 2016's 'Embrace : The Documentary'. This film brings together a vibrant collection of stories from young people and famous friends alike, who share their experiences about body image, bullying, gender identity, advocacy, representation and more. It aims to improve the body image of young people across Australia and the world. Aimed at an audience of 9-14 year olds, but equally engaging for adolescents, teachers, and parents, this film inspires, educates, and advocates for a world where we are not held back by the perceptions and misconceptions we have about the way we look. Instead, young people are encouraged to figure out what makes them unique and special, and use that as a spark for change.

With six 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-