What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 30th March 2023.

The 47th Hong Kong International Film Festival kicks off on Thursday 30th March and runs through until Monday 10th April. As one of the oldest film festivals in Asia, the global reputation of the HKIFF was built on the pioneering work of programming Asian films and its retrospectives when Asian and Hong Kong cinema were not well known to the international community. Built on a solid reputation for programming, the HKIFF became the model for many subsequent film festivals around the region. Today, the HKIFF has grown to be Hong Kong’s largest cultural event and is one of Asia’s most reputable platforms for filmmakers, film professionals and filmgoers from all over the world to launch new work and experience outstanding films. Screening over 280 titles from fifty countries the HKIFF reaches an audience of over 600,000, with 4,500 business executives attending the Hong Kong International Film and TV Market.

This years Opening Night films are the Asian Premier of 'Mad Fate' from Hong Kong and Directed by Soi Cheang and the World Premier of 'Elegies' also from Hong Kong and Directed by Ann Hui. The Closing Night film is the World Premier of 'Vital Sign' from Director Cheuk Wan-chi.

Ten films make up the Gala Presentation, these being :

* 'Aftersun' from the UK and USA and Directed by Charlotte Wells.

* 'All the Beauty and the Bloodshed' from the US and Directed by Laura Poitras.

* 'The Beasts' from Spain and France and Directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen.

* 'Corsage' from Austria, Luxembourg, Germany and France and Directed by Marie Kreutzer.

* 'The Eight Mountains' from Italy, Belgium and France and Directed by Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch.

* 'Plan 75' from Japan, France, the Philippines and Qatar and Directed by Hayakawa Chie.

* 'Saint Omer' from France and Directed by Alice Diop.

* 'Stars at Noon' from France and Directed by Claire Denis.

* 'Subtraction' from Iran and France and Directed by Mani Haghighi.

* 'World War III' from Iran and Directed by Houman Seyedi.

For the details of the Firebird Awards for the Young Cinema Competition (Chinese language); Young Cinema Competition (World); Documentary Competition; and the Short Film Competition, plus all the other film strands being showcased at this years HKIFF, you can go to the official website at : https://www.hkiff.org.hk/

Turning attention back to this weeks four new cinematic offerings coming your way, we kick off with a South Korean comedy crime drama about a young woman who decides to give up her newborn child to a church for adoption but discovers that there is an active group which steals these children for sale. Next up is a Sci-Fi comedy drama that tells the story of the host of a failing children's science show who tries to fulfil his childhood dream of becoming an astronaut by building a rocket ship in his garage, and a series of bizarre events that occur that cause him to question his own reality. Next up we have a Biblical drama retelling of the story of after being called on by the Lord, Abraham's faith is tested on his three day journey to sacrifice his son; before closing out the week with a French animated feature set in an ancient Greek port city where the wrath of Poseidon threatens its populace, but a young, adventurous mouse and the cat who adopted her help the aged Jason and his Argonauts in their quest to save the city.

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

'BROKER' (Rated M) - this South Korean drama film is Written, Directed and Edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda whose previous Directorial credits take in the likes of 'Nobody Knows' in 2004, 'Still Walking' in 2008, 'After the Storm' in 2016, 'Shoplifters' in 2018 and 'The Truth' in 2019. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it screened in late May last year and won the Ecumenical Jury Award and the Best Actor Award for Song Kang-ho. It went on release in its native South Korea in early June, has so far grossed US$18M and has generated largely positive Critical reviews. The film has collected ten award wins and another twenty-seven nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit.

Sang-hyeon (Song Kang-ho) is the owner of a hand laundry and volunteers at the nearby church, where his friend Dong-soo (Gang Dong-won) works. The two run an illegal business together, Sang-hyeon occasionally steals babies from the church's baby box (a place where people (typically mothers) can bring babies, usually newborn, and abandon them anonymously in a safe place to be found and cared for) with Dong-soo, who deletes the church's surveillance footage that shows a baby was left there. They sell the babies on the adoption black market. But when a young mother So-young (Lee Ji-eun) comes back after having abandoned her baby, she discovers them and decides to go with them on a road trip to interview the baby's potential parents. Meanwhile, two detectives, Soo-jin (Bae Doona) and Lee (Lee Joo-young), are on their case and on their trail. 

'LINOLEUM' (Rated M) - is an American Sci-Fi comedy drama film Written and Directed by Colin West in only his third feature film outing following his debut in 2012 with 'So It Was with Us' and 'Double Walker' in 2012 with seven short films in between. Here, Cameron Edwin (Jim Gaffigan), the host of a failing TV science show for children, has always had aspirations of being an astronaut. When a mysterious satellite coincidentally falls from space and lands in his backyard, his midlife crisis manifests into a plan to rebuild the machine into a rocket. As surreal events start to unfold around him, he slowly comes to the realisation that there's more to his life story than he once thought. Also starring Rhea Seehorn, Katelyn Nacon and Tony Shalhoub. The film was released in the US towards the end of February and has so far grossed just US$65K, but has generated mostly positive critical reviews.

'HIS ONLY SON' (Rated PG) - Written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by David Helling in his feature film debut, this US Biblical drama offering chronicles one of the most controversial moments in all of scripture - when the Lord God (Daniel da Silva) gave Abraham (Nicolas Mouawad) the ultimate test by commanding him to sacrifice his only son, Isaac (Edaan Moskowitz), on the mountain of Moriah. Answering age-old questions as to why the Lord would require such a sacrifice, His Only Son profoundly explores mankind's relationship to God. This film is released Stateside too this week.

'ARGONUTS' (Rated G) - is a French animated adventure comedy film Written and Directed by David Alaux, Eric Tosti and Jean-Francois Tosti. In Yolcos, a beautiful and prosperous port city of ancient Greece, the population is threatened by the wrath of Poseidon (voiced by Paul Borne). A young mouse named Pattie (Kaycie Chase) and the orange cat who adopted her, Chickos (Emmanuel Curtil) will help old Jason (Michel Tureau) and his Argonauts to save the city by facing numerous mythical creatures and colourful adventures along the way. The film was released in its native France at the end of January, in the UK in mid-February and various other European nations up to now having so far grossed US$9.2M.

With four 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-