The Swedish Director and Screenwriter Ruben Ostlund serves as Jury President this year for those films in Official Competition aided by the likes of Paul Dano, Brie Larson, Julia Ducournau and Maryam Touzani. 
This years opening film is the French 'Jeanne du Barry' Directed, Written, Co-Produced and starring Maiwenn in the title role alongside Johnny Depp as King Louis XV of France. The closing film is Pixar's computer-animated romantic comedy-drama film 'Elemental' Directed by Peter Sohn. 
* 'Asteroid City' from the US and is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Wes Anderson and features an ensemble cast including Jason Schwartzman, Scarlett Johansson, Tom Hanks, Jeffrey Wright, Tilda Swinton, Bryan Cranston, Edward Norton, Adrien Brody, Liev Schreiber, Steve Carell, Matt Dillon, Willem Dafoe, Margot Robbie and Jeff Goldblum.
* 'La Chimera' from Italy, France and Switzerland and is Written and Directed by Alice Rohrwacher and stars Josh O'Connor and Isabella Rossellini. 
* 'Monster' from Japan and is Directed and Edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda.
'FAST X' (Rated M) - is an American action film that is a direct sequel to 2021's 'F9' and the tenth instalment and the eleventh feature film in the 'Fast & Furious' franchise. Those ten films have grossed over US$6.6B at the global Box Office off the back of combined production budgets of a little over US$1.4B. It should also be noted that this franchise also includes short films, a television series, toys, video games, live shows, and theme park attractions. This film is Directed by Louis Leterrier whose previous feature film credits include 'Transporter 2' in 2005, 'The Incredible Hulk' in 2008, 'Clash of the Titans' in 2010, 'Now You See Me' in 2013 and 'The Takedown' in 2022. Leterrier replaced Director Justin Lin (who helmed five of the series films) who left within the first month of principle photography due to creative differences. This film has an estimated production budget of US$340M making it the seventh-most expensive film ever made, and is released worldwide this week. Its sequel, intended to be the main series' final instalment, is slated for a release in 2025.
Over many missions and against impossible odds, Dom Toretto (Vin Diesel) and his family have outsmarted and outdriven every foe in their path. Now, they must confront the most lethal opponent they've ever faced in the guise of Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), the son of drug lord Hernan Reyes, seeking revenge for his father's death, and who has now joined forced with Cipher (Chalize Theron). Ignited by revenge, a terrifying threat emerges from the shadows of the past to shatter Dom's world and destroy everything, and everyone, he holds dear. Also starring a who who's of acting talent including Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Jordana Brewster, Nathalie Emmanuel, John Cena, Jason Statham, Sung Kang, Daniela Melchior, Scott Eastwood, Helen Mirren, Brie Larson, Rita Moreno, Cardi B and Michael Rooker.
'MARLOWE' (Rated MA15+) - is a neo-noir crime thriller film Co-Written and Directed by Neil Jordan based on the on the 2014 novel 'The Black-Eyed Blonde' by Benjamin Black, and based on the fictional private detective character Philip Marlowe, created by Raymond Chandler who first appeared in print in the 1939 novel 'The Big Sleep'. Neil Jordan's previous film making credits take in the likes of his feature film debut with 'Angel' in 1982, then 'The Company of Wolves' in 1984, 'Mona Lisa' in 1986, 'The Crying Game' in 1992, 'Interview with the Vampire' in 1994, 'Michael Collins' in 1996, 'The End of the Affair' in 1999, 'The Brave One' in 2007 and 'Greta' in 2018. Here then, set in Los Angeles in 1939 private detective Philip Marlowe (Liam Neeson) is hired by wealthy heiress Clare Cavendish (Diane Kruger) to find her missing lover, Nico Peterson (Francois Arnaud), a prop master at Pacific Film Studios. Marlowe is wary of the supposed circumstances around Peterson's death and begins to investigate further, despite lack of interest from his friend, homicide detective Joe Green (Ian Hart). As Marlowe digs deeper into the case, he uncovers a web of lies and corruption among the city's elite. Also starring Jessica Lange, Danny Huston, Alan Cumming, Colm Meaney and Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje. The film saw its World Premiere at the San Sebastián International Film Festival in late September last year and was released in the US in mid-February having received mixed critical reviews and so far grossing US$5.4M at the Box Office.
'LIMBO' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian crime thriller is Written, Co-Produced, Directed, Edited, photographed and scored by Ivan Sen whose prior feature film directorial offerings include his debut in 2002 for 'Beneath Clouds' followed by the likes of 'Dreamland' in 2009, 'Mystery Road' in 2013, 'Goldstone' in 2016 and 'Expired' in 2022. Set in the small Australian outback town of Limbo, Travis Hurley (Simon Baker), a detective, comes to investigate a twenty-year-old unsolved homicide of an Aboriginal woman. Travis discovers a collection of unpleasant truths, highlighting the intricacies of loss and injustice faced by Aboriginal Australians. This film saw its World Premier at February's Berlin International Film Festival where it was in competition for the Golden Bear, and has generated mostly positive critical reviews.
'THE BLUE CAFTAN' (Rated M) - a Moroccan Arabic-language drama film Co-Written and Directed by Maryam Touzani in only her second feature film making outing following 'Adam' in 2019. Halim (Saleh Bakri) and Mina (Lubna Azabal) run a traditional caftan store in Sale, one of Morocco's oldest medinas. In order to keep up with demanding customers, they hire a talented young man Youssef (Ayoub Missioui) as an apprentice. Mina slowly realises just how much her husband is moved by his presence. The film had its World Premier showing at the May 2022 Cannes Film Festival in the Un Certain Regard section, has collected nine wins and another twelve nominations from around the awards and festival circuit, and has garnered widespread critical acclaim.
'JOHN FARNHAM : FINDING THE VOICE' (Rated M) - this Australian music documentary film is Directed by Poppy Stockwell in her second film making offering following 'Scrum' in 2015. This film tells the untold story of an Australian music icon. In this first authorised biopic, we follow John Farnham’s life from the quiet suburbs of Melbourne to 1960's pop fame, through incredible highs and lows, and ultimately to record-breaking success as ‘Australia’s Voice’. John Farnham was 38 years old when 'Whispering Jack' was released. Nobody ever questioned that Farnham could sing, but the challenge to find his artistic voice and become Australia’s most trusted and beloved performer took half a lifetime. 'Whispering Jack' remains the highest-selling Australian album of all time, and this powerful documentary tracks the personal and public journey that has made Farnham Australia’s greatest and most beloved musical artist. The film also features commentary by Olivia Newton-John, Jimmy Barnes, Robbie Williams, Celine Dion, Richard Marx, Darryl Braithwaite, Glenn and Gaynor Wheatley, James and Robert Farnham plus many more.
Those twenty-one films in official competition for the prestigious Palme d'Or award are as given below :-
* 'About Dry Grasses' from Turkey and is Co-Written and Directed by Nuri Bilge Ceylan.
* 'Anatomy of a Fall' from France and is Co-Written and Directed by Justine Triet.
* 'Banel & Adama' from Senegal and is Written and Directed by Ramata-Toulaye Sy in her feature film making debut.
* 'Black Flies' from the US and is Directed by Jean-Stephane Sauvaire and stars Sean Penn, Ty Sheridan Katherine Waterston, Michael Pitt and Mike Tyson.
* 'A Brighter Tomorrow' from Italy and France and is Co-Written, Co-Produced, Directed and stars Nanni Moretti.
* 'Club Zero' from the UK, France, Austria and Denmark and is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Jessica Hausner and stars Mia Wasikowska and Sidse Babett Knudsen.
* 'Fallen Leaves' from Finland and Written and Directed by Aki Kaurismaki.
* 'Firebrand' from the UK and Directed by Karim Ainouz and stars Alicia Vikander, Jude Law, Sam Riley, Eddie Marsan and Simon Russell Beale.
* 'Four Daughters' from Tunisia and Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Kaouther Ben Hania.
* 'Homecoming' from France and Co-Written and Directed by Catherine Corsini.
* 'Kidnapped' from Italy and Co-Written and Directed by Marco Bellocchio.
* 'Last Summer' from France and Co-Written and Directed by Catherine Breillat.
* 'May December' from the US and Directed by Todd Haynes and starring Natalie Portman, Julianne Moore and Charles Melton.
* 'The Old Oak' from the UK, France and Belgium and is Directed by Ken Loach and stars Dave Turner and Ebla Mari.
* 'Perfect Days' from Japan and Germany and is Directed by Wim Wenders and stars Koji Yakusho.
* 'The Pot-au-Feu' from France and Written and Directed by Tran Anh Hung and stars Juliette Binochet and Benoit Magimel.
* 'Youth (Spring)' from China and Directed by Wang Bing.
* 'The Zone of Interest' from the UK, Poland and the US and is Written and Directed by Jonathan Glazer.
For the full low down on those films competing for the Palme d'Or plus the other films in competition in the Un Certain Regard and Camera d'Or sections and the other strands featuring at this years Cannes Film Festival, you can visit the official website at : https://www.festival.cannes.com/en/
This week then, to tease you out on a very cool late Autumn evening to your local Odeon, we have five new cinematic release coming your way. We launch with the eleventh film in this hugely successful fast paced action franchise that sees this former criminal and professional street racer and his family being targeted by the vengeful son of a drug baron who was killed at the end of 'Fast Five'. Next up we have a neo-noir crime thriller set in 1939 LA that has a seasoned Private Detective becoming embroiled in an investigation with a wealthy family in Bay City, California after a beautiful blonde hires him to find her former lover. This is followed by an Aussie crime thriller that sees a jaded detective placed in charge of looking into a twenty-year-old outback cold case murder. Then we turn to a Moroccan drama offering in which a middle-aged tailor and his wife find their relationship upended by the arrival of a handsome new apprentice; before closing out the week with an Aussie biopic charting the life and times of an icon of the Australian music scene.
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 coming week.
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 week ahead.
-Steve, at Odeon Online-
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