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

The Singapore International Film Festival (SGIFF) returns for its 34th edition this year running from Thursday 30th November until Sunday 10th December, and promising an unparalleled cinematic experience filled with record-breaking firsts. This year, the festival proudly presents a diverse selection of 101 films from fifty countries, SGIFF is set to showcase the rich tapestry of international cinema, continuing its tradition of celebrating the art of storytelling through films, bringing together filmmakers, cinephiles, and audiences alike for an enriching and unforgettable cinematic journey. 

The festival opens with 'Tiger Stripes' from Malaysia, Taiwan, Singapore, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Indonesia and Qatar and is Directed by Amanda Nell Eu and tells the story of twelve year old girl Zaffan who is carefree until she starts to experience horrifying physical changes to her body.

A highlight of the Festival each year, the Asian Feature Film Competition is dedicated to uncovering exhilarating new cinematic visions by Asian Directors making their first to third feature films. This section takes in the following titles :-

* 'A Journey in Spring' - from Taiwan and Directed by Tzu-Hui Peng and Ping-Wen Wang.

* 'Critical Zone' - from Iran and Germany and Directed by Ali Ahmadzadeh.

* 'Dreaming & Dying' - from Singapore and Indonesia and Directed by Nelson Yeo.

* 'Hesitation Wound' - from Turkey, France, Romania and Spain and Directed by Selman Nacar.

* 'Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell' - from Vietnam, Singapore, France and Spain and Directed by Thien An Pham.

* 'Last Shadow at First Light' - from Singapore, Japan, Philippines, Slovenia and Indonesia and Directed by Nicole Midori Woodford.

* 'Monisme' - from Indonesia and Qatar and Directed by Riar Rizaldi.

* 'Morrison' - from Thailand and France and Directed by Phuttiphong Aroonpheng. 

* 'Snow in Midsummer' - from Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan and Directed by Keat Aun Chong.

* 'The Tenants' - from South Korea and Directed by Eun-Kyung Yoon. World Premiere screening.

* 'Tomorrow Is A Long Time' - from Singapore, Taiwan, France and Portugal and Directed by Zhi Wei Jow.

* 'Vali' - from India and Directed by Manoj Shinde. World Premiere screening.

What are the latest cinematic marvels that have resonated with festival audiences? Foreground presents six genre-driven works that have captivated the film festival circuit. This section highlights the following feature films :-

* '24 Hours with Gaspar' - from Indonesia and Directed by Yosep Anggi Noen.

* 'A Normal Family' - from South Korea and Directed by Jin-ho Hur.

* 'All of Us Strangers' - from the UK and Directed by Andrew Haigh.

* 'Art College 1994' - from China and Directed by Jian Liu.

* 'La Chimera' - from Italy, France and Switzerland and Directed by Alice Rohrwacher.

* 'Poor Things' - from the USA, UK and Ireland and Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.

For the other film strands being presented, and a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can head to the official website at : https://sgiff.com/

With seven new movie offerings hailing from all corners of the globe this week, there is sure to be something for everyone. Kicking off with a British drama that tells the story of the future for the last remaining pub in a village of Northeast England, where people are leaving the land as the mines are closed, where houses are cheap and available, thus making it an ideal location for Syrian refugees as the pub landlord befriends one of those refugees. Then we turn to a New Zealand comedy drama about a 17 year-old student who is forced to get off the fence he has actively sat on all his life to stand up for himself, his family and his future in this heartwarming story of identity. Next up is an Italian drama concerning two young boys who spend their childhoods together in a secluded alpine village roaming the surrounding peaks and valleys before their paths diverge. This is followed by an American comedy about two unpopular queer high school students who start a fight club to have sex before graduation. Up next is a Japanese creature feature set in Japan in the immediate aftermath of WWII when a new crisis emerges in the form of a giant monster. Following on from this we have an American Christmas offering about the greatest story ever told - that of the birth of JC; before closing out the week with an American animated musical comedy that is the third instalment in the franchise that has Poppy learning that Branch was once part of the boy band 'BroZone', but when one of the brothers is kidnapped, Branch and Poppy embark on a journey to reunite his two other brothers and rescue the one kidnapped.

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

'THE OLD OAK' (Rated MA15+) - is a UK, French and Belgian Co-Produced drama film Directed by Ken Loach whose previous feature film credits take in his debut in 1967 with 'Poor Cow' and which he would follow up with the likes of 'Kes' in 1969, 'Riff-Raff' in 1991, 'Carla's Song' in 1996, 'My Name Is Joe' in 1998, 'The Wind That Shakes the Barley' in 2006, 'Looking for Eric' in 2009, 'I, Daniel Blake' in 2016 and 'Sorry We Missed You' in 2019. 'The Old Oak' is Ken Loach's last film having announced his retirement at the age of 87. This film Premiered in main competition at this years Cannes Film Festival in late May, was released in the UK at the end of September, has so far grossed US$1.2M off the back of a US$3.8M production budget and has generated largely positive reviews.

Pub landlord TJ Ballantyne (Dave Turner), living in a previously thriving mining community in County Durham in North East England, struggles to hold onto his pub and keep it as the one remaining public space where people can meet in the town. Much of the younger population have since left and what was once a thriving, proud community struggles to keep old values alive. But there is growing anger, resentment, and a lack of hope. Houses are cheap and available. This makes it an ideal location for the Syrian refugees that have been accepted by Britain in recent years. Meanwhile, tensions rise when Syrian refugees are placed there, but Ballantyne strikes up a friendship with one of the refugees, Yara (Ebla Mari). 

'UPROAR' (Rated M) - this New Zealand comedy drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Paul Middleditch and Hamish Bennet. Set in New Zealand in 1981, when the arrival of the South African rugby team sets off nationwide protests against apartheid and racism. Josh Waaka (Julian Dennison), a quick witted 17-year-old of mixed race who has been a passive bystander all his life and who has struggled to to fit in to his all-boys private school, is inspired by the protests in his home town of Dunedin. Josh however, discovers a newfound passion for performing to find his own voice, and so with the aid of a kindly teacher Madigan (Rhys Darby), a close friend and his loving family (Minnie Driver and James Rolleston), a more confident Josh embraces his Maori heritage before taking a stand for himself, his family, and his future. 

'THE EIGHT MOUNTAINS' (Rated M) - is an Italian drama film Written for the screen and Directed by Felix van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch and is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Paolo Cognetti. The film charts the friendship between two men, Pietro (played by Luca Marinelli as an adult) and Bruno (by Alessandro Borghi as an adult) who spend their childhood together in a remote Italian Alpine village and reconnect later as adults. The films title is a reference to the concept in Buddhism and ancient Indian cosmology that the world is composed of nine mountains and eight seas, specifically eight concentric circular mountain ranges separated from one another by eight seas, with the ninth and tallest mountain, Mount Meru, at the centre. The film saw its World Premier screening at at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2022 where it won the Jury Prize, was released in its native Italy last December and only now does it get a release in Australia having so far grossed US$11M at the Box Office and generated positive reviews.

'BOTTOMS' (Rated MA15+) - this American satirical teen sex comedy film is Directed by Emma Seligman, from a screenplay she co-wrote with Rachel Sennott. Emma Seligman's made her feature film making debut with 'Shiva Baby' in 2020, and here she focuses on two girls, PJ (Rachel Sennott) and Josie (Ayo Edbiri), who start a fight club as a way to lose their virginities to cheerleaders. Their bizarre plan works. The fight club gains traction and soon the most popular girls in school are beating each other up in the name of self-defence. But PJ and Josie find themselves in over their heads and in need of a way out before their plan is exposed. It Premiered at South by Southwest in mid-March this year and was released Stateside in late August, has so far grossed US$12.3M off the back of a production budget of US$11.3M and has garnered generally favourable critical reviews. 

'GODZILLA MINUS ONE' (Rated M) - is a Japanese kaiju film Written, Directed, and with visual effects by Takashi Yamazaki. It is the 37th film in the Godzilla franchise and the 33rd film produced by Japan's Toho Studios. Here, in post war 1946 Japan and the country is at its lowest point when a new crisis emerges in the form of a giant monster, mutated by the horrific power of the Bikini Atoll nuclear tests. Starring Ryunosuke Kamiki, Minami Hamabe, Yuki Yamada, Munetaka Aoki, Hidetaka Yoshioka, Sakura Ando, and Kuranosuke Sasaki, the film was produced for US$15M, was the closing night film at this years Tokyo International Film Festival on 1st November, was released in Japan on the 3rd of this month, is released in the US and Canada this week too, and in the UK and Ireland from mid-December. The film has been critically acclaimed in its home country of Japan.

'JOURNEY TO BETHLEHEM' (Rated PG) - is an American Christmas family musical adventure film Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Adam Anders in his feature film making debut. You know the story here - a young woman carrying an unimaginable responsibility; a young man torn between love and honour; and a jealous king Herod (Antonio Banderas) who will stop at nothing to keep his crown. This live-action Christmas classic weaves melodies into new pop songs in a music-infused retelling of the timeless story of Mary (Fiona Palomo) and Joseph (Milo Manheim) and the birth of Jesus. 

'TROLLS BAND TOGETHER' (Rated G) - this American animated musical comedy film is Directed by Walt Dohrn who Co-Directed 'Trolls' in 2016 and Directed 'Trolls World Tour' in 2020. The first two films in the franchise cost a combined US$250M to produce and grossed worldwide a total US$396M and are based on the Good Luck Trolls created by the Danish woodworker Thomas Dam. A month after the events of the second film, Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick) and Branch (voiced by Justin Timberlake) have officially started a relationship. As the two grow closer, Poppy discovers that Branch was once a part of the boyband phenomenon, BroZone, with his four older brothers. When one of his brothers, Floyd (Troye Sivan), is kidnapped by wannabe pop-star siblings, Velvet (voiced by Amy Schumer) and Veneer (Andrew Rannells), Branch and the rest of the siblings must reunite to rescue him. Also starring the voice talents of Camila Cabello, Eric Andre, Kid Cudi, Daveed Diggs, RuPaul, Zooey Deschanel, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Anderson Paak. The film has so far grossed US$146M from a production budget of US$95M since its release in the US earlier this month. 

With seven 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-

SALTBURN : Tuesday 21st November 2023

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'SALTBURN' at my local independent movie theatre this week, and this psychological thriller drama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Emerald Fennell in her second feature film outing following the highly acclaimed 'Promising Young Woman' in 2020 which reaped 116 award wins and another 193 nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. This film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Telluride Film Festival in late August and was released in the US, the UK and here in Australia last week having so far generated mostly favourable reviews and grossed US$1.7M at the Box Office. 

The films open up in 2006 with a collar, tie and blazer wearing Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) walking across the quad at Oxford University and into his ground floor dormitory as a first year freshman. He is looked upon with some disdain by many of the other jeans and T-shirt wearing students, some of which mildly abuse his attire. On his first night over dinner in the packed refectory he struggles to find a place to sit, and ends up opposite another equally displaced student Michael Gavey (Ewan Mitchell) who introduces himself as another 'Nigel Nofriends'. Oliver observes Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi), a charming, handsome, popular and clearly very well off student, who is attending Oxford with his American cousin, Farleigh Start (Archie Madekwe), and who happens to be attending the same college. 

One day just before the summer break of 2007 Oliver lends Felix his bicycle so Felix can attend a class to which he is already running ten minutes late, as Felix's own bicycle has a punctured wheel. Felix is extremely grateful. As a result of this gesture, the two become fast friends and is invited into Felix's and Farleigh's inner circle of friends, which sees Oliver turn his back on Michael. Oliver becomes increasingly obsessed with Felix. Oliver tells Felix he is an only child with an alcoholic mother and a drug dependent father, and grew up in Prescot, near Liverpool. One day he announces that his father has suddenly died. Oliver's story garners Felix's sympathy, and so he invites Oliver to spend the summer with him and Farleigh at Saltburn, his wealthy family's sprawling estate in the country. Oliver accepts, albeit reluctantly at first.

Oliver arrives at Saltburn where he is greeted by the Butler of the house, Duncan (Paul Rhys), and after a whistle stop tour of the household Felix introduces him to his father, Sir James (Richard E. Grant), his mother, Lady Elspeth (Rosamund Pike), and his sister, Venetia (Alison Oliver). Also at Saltburn is 'Poor Dear' Pamela (Carey Mulligan), Elspeth's friend, whom the family believes has now outstayed her welcome and actively encourage her to leave when she reveals that she has rented a new flat. Despite the family's initial eccentricities and over indulgent living standards, Oliver clearly relishes his time at Saltburn. Oliver begins lying to curry favour with the family so they can grow even more fond of him, firstly implying to Elspeth that Pamela made up her bizarre, tragic stories for the attention it brought her. Later in the summer, the family learns that Pamela has died, though Elspeth in nonplussed by the news.

Late one evening Oliver secretly watches Felix masterbating while taking a bath in their shared bathroom to which their bedrooms both adjoin. After Felix has brushed his teeth and bid his friend goodnight, Oliver drinks the last of the draining water from the bathtub and licks the plughole clean. Another night, he sees Venetia outside his bedroom window wearing a see through night gown. He performs oral sex on Venetia despite it being her time of the month to which Oliver retorts that its just as well he's a vampire. Farleigh observes this from his bedroom window overlooking the gardens. Farleigh tells Felix who is upset with Oliver, since a former friend of Felix's had also slept with Venetia last summer. Oliver convinces him that Farleigh was lying and that he was only comforting the moody Venetia, who he claims is interested in him. Later, Oliver overhears an argument between Felix and Farleigh over the latter milking Sir James' for financial support for his university studies. On another occasion during a party with a karaoke machine, Farleigh retaliates by tricking Oliver into performing the Pet Shop Boys song 'Rent' (whose lyrics mirror Oliver's current situation at Saltburn) to everyone. Later that night, Oliver threatens Farleigh and initiates a sexual encounter. The next morning, Farleigh is asked to leave Saltburn when he is said to have attempted to sell rare ceramic antique plates from Sir James' collection to Sotheby's. 

With Oliver's birthday approaching Elspeth and Sir James plan a fancy dress party for two hundred or so guests to celebrate. On the morning of his birthday Felix surprises Oliver with a road trip. Upon nearing their destination Oliver panics when Felix tells him that they are going to see his mother in Prescot in an attempt to mend their fractured relationship. However, it is revealed that Oliver's family lives in the upper-middle-class suburbs, his father is alive and very well, both his parents are kind and not substance abusers, and he is not an only child and in fact has two sisters. Felix is mortified by Oliver's deception, telling him to leave after the party that evening, while Oliver states that he only lied so Felix would be his friend. That evening, the party commences at Saltburn with numerous guests in attendance, including Farleigh, who threatens Oliver. Inside Saltburn's maze, Oliver attempts to reconcile with Felix, but Felix outright rejects him. The next morning, Felix is found dead in the maze.

Oliver and the Catton family mourn Felix's death, but Elspeth and Sir James try to put a brave face on the matter. Sir James cuts Farleigh off from his financial support, saying that he will not inform the Police but that is the last thing he will do for him, and forces him to leave Saltburn for good when Oliver suggests that Farleigh doing lines of coke at the party last night contributed to Felix's death. After Felix's funeral, Oliver privately breaks down as he strips down and penetrates Felix's newly dug gravesite in the driving rain. When Elspeth demands Oliver stay at Saltburn, Venetia later confronts him when Oliver barges in on her while she is taking a bath. It dawns on her that he has successfully latched himself onto her family and that Felix's death was a result. Venetia is found dead the following morning having apparently slashed her wrists in the bathtub, leaving Elspeth and Sir James in further despair. Fearing that Elspeth is growing too attached to him and becoming suspicious of his insistence on staying, Sir James opens his cheque book and asks Oliver how much does he want to leave Saltburn. Oliver responds that he can't leave Elspeth while she needs him most, but Sir James is insistent, and Oliver leaves having agreed a price. 

A number of years later and Oliver reads about the recent death of Sir James in the newspaper. Sometime shortly afterwards and Oliver is sat in a cafe typing away at his laptop when Elspeth walks in to buy a takeaway coffee. They are both surprised to see each other and Elspeth comments to Oliver how grown up he is and how pleasing it is to see him again. Oliver gives his condolences to Elspeth over the passing of her husband to which she responds that he never really recovered following the death of Felix and Venetia. She urges him to return with her her to Saltburn. 

Soon afterwards and Elspeth becomes fatally ill. On her deathbed, looking very proud of himself, Oliver reveals that he was responsible for all the tragic events that have fallen upon Saltburn having orchestrated his initial meeting with Felix, Oliver then murdered him by poisoning the bottle of Champagne that he drank from that night in the maze. He also subtly manipulated Venetia into killing herself by placing razor blades on the side of her bath, and sent the email that resulted in Farleigh's fast exit from Saltburn. Finally, he planned his encounter with Elspeth in the cafe, with flashbacks revealing that she subsequently left all of her financial assets to Oliver, including ownership of Saltburn. Oliver then kills Elspeth by forcefully removing her life support tube. Having now taken over the Saltburn estate and the Catton fortune and seemingly dismissed the Butler, maids and footmen, Oliver dances naked around the house to 'Murder on the Dancefloor' by Sophie Ellis-Bextor. 

'Saltburn' is a slow-burn thriller about those born with not one but two silver spoons firmly planted in their mouths, and those hangers-on who aspire to such dizzy heights and those even fewer who make it - by fair means or in this case by foul. Writer and Director Emerald Fennell has here delivered us a film of modern day British aristocracy that is conflicted by the out-of-touch staid and overly quirky mannerisms of the parents versus the next generation keen to mark its place in the world, and on that note Richard E. Grant, Rosamund Pike, Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan are all expertly cast in their roles of old school versus new school. The very black and often bleak humour is rendered with a deft touch that if you blink you'll surly miss some of the zingers that come hurtling by. Barry Keoghan gives a fearless performance in every respect from the mild mannered unassuming student we first meet at Oxford University to the cold calculating murderer we see at the end who relishes in his ill gotten gains - one for the ages for sure. 

'Saltburn' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 23rd November 2023.

The 20th Edition of the Marrakesh International Film Festival this year takes place between Friday November 24th and Saturday 2nd December, in Marrakesh, Morocco. After more than twenty years, the Festival is a place of expression and discovery that takes up the challenges of diversity, exchange and enrichment. It is also an opportunity for Morocco to welcome and pay tribute to great personalities of the world of film. The event attracts a large audience, both national and international, and benefits from a strong reputation and its prestigious image. The official selection features an international competition of first and second features dedicated to the discovery of filmmakers from around the world, as well as a wide selection of films of different genres from nations worldwide. The Festival’s several sections include Galas, Special Screenings, the 11th Continent—a section dedicated to bold and innovative films—a Panorama of Moroccan Cinema and Cinema for Young Audiences. 

This 20th edition of the festival opens with Director, Co-Producer and Co-Writer  Richard Linklater’s fast-paced action comedy 'Hit Man', starring Glen Powell as an undercover Houston Police Officer who poses as a reliable hitman to arrest those trying to hire him until he tries to save a woman in need.

This years Jury for the Official Competition line-up is comprised of the American Actress and Producer Jessica Chastain, as Jury President, ably aided by the likes of the French Actress Camille Cottin; the Australian Actor and Director Joel Edgerton; the British Director, Screenwriter and Producer Joanna Hogg and the Swedish Actor Alexander Skarsgard.

During the Festival Closing & Award Ceremony, five prestigious prizes are awarded by the Jury to films selected in Competition. Those prizes are the Festival Grand Prize which awards US$50K to be shared between the Director and Producer, the Best Directing Prize, the Jury Prize, the Best Performance by a Actress, and the Best Performance by an Actor. The Official Competition, a selection of first and second feature films, reveals new talent in world cinema. Of the fourteen films in competition, ten are by first-time Directors, of whom eight are women. The films in the running for the Etoile d’Or explore a variety of cinematic genres, from modern fable, documentary, and film noir to political farce, romance and family drama. Those films in Official Competition are as follows :-

* 'Banel & Adama' - freom France, Senegal and Mali and Directed by Ramata-Toulaye Sy.

* 'Bye Bye Tiberias' - from Palestine, France, Belgium and Qatar and Directed by Lina Soualem.

* 'City of Wind' - from France, Mongolia, Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany and Qatar and Directed by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir.

* 'Disco Afrika : A Malagasy Story' - from France, Madagascar, Mauritius, Germany, South Africa and Directed by Luck Razanajaona.

* 'Dormitory' - from Turkey, Germany and France and Directed by Nehir Tuna.

* 'Excursion' - from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, France, Norway and Qatar and Directed by Una Gunjak.

* 'Hounds' - from Morocco, France, Belgium, Qatar and Saudi Arabia and Directed by Kamal Lazraq.

* 'The Mother of All Lies' - from Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar and Directed by Asmae El Moudir.

* 'The Other Son' - from Colombia, France and Argentina and Directed by Juan Sebastian Quebrada.

* 'Phantom Youth' - from Kosovo and France and Directed by Luana Bajrami.

* 'Prison in the Andes' - from Chile and Brazil and Directed by Felipe Carmona.

* 'Silent Roar' - from the UK and Directed by Johnny Barrington.

* 'Toll' - from Brazil and Portugal and Directed by Carolina Markowicz.

* 'Tuesday' - from the USA and the UK and Directed by Daina O. Pusic. 

For all the other details on the film strands being showcased at this years festival, plus the flagship programme of the Marrakech International Film Festival, the 'In Conversation With . . . ' series gives audiences the chance to meet some of the biggest names in cinema from around the world, including in this years line-up - Simon Baker, Willem Dafoe, Mads Mikkelsen, Viggo Mortensen and Tilda Swinton. For this, and a whole lot more, you can go to the official website at : https://marrakesh-festival.com/en/home/

Turning the attention then back to this weeks four new movies due for release, we launch with an epic historical drama offering from an acclaimed Director based on the true story of a famed French military commander and political leader charting his rise to power and his relationship with his mistress and later wife. Then we have an Aussie psychological thriller about two young female backpackers, who take jobs at a remote Australian Outback hotel and bar where they become disturbed by the male customers. Next up is another psychological thriller offering about a college sophomore student who goes on a date with the older man, but she finds that in real life he doesn't live up to the man she has been flirting with over texts. And closing out the week there is an Aussie biographical music doco that explores the mysterious world of the musical genius, of brilliant musicians as well as transformational story-telling, the mystery of prodigy and the impact of music on the brain.

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.

'NAPOLEON' (Rated MA15+) - this US and UK Co-Production is an epic historical drama film Co-Produced and Directed by Ridley Scott, who I'm sure need no introduction, suffice to say he has helmed numerous critically acclaimed films over the years including his debut in 1977 with 'The Duellists' followed by the likes of 'Alien', 'Blade Runner', 'Thelma & Louise', 'Gladiator', 'Black Hawk Down', 'American Gangster', 'Prometheus', 'The Martian', 'The Last Duel' and 'The House of Gucci' most recently. This film is scheduled to be released in the US, the UK and here in Australia this week before streaming on Apple TV+ at a later date. It cost US$130M to produce. 

A look at the French military commander Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix, who also Co-Produces here) who lived from 1769 until 1821, his origins and his swift, ruthless climb to Emperor and his inevitable fall from grace, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby).

'THE ROYAL HOTEL' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian psychological thriller film Co-Written and Directed by Kitty Green, whose first feature documentary film was 'Ukraine Is Not a Brothel' in 2013 which she would follow up with another documentary 'Casting JonBenet' in 2017 and her debut feature film 'The Assistant' in 2019. This film saw its World Premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in early September and also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival the following week before its wide release in the US in early October having so far grossed US$877K and generating largely positive reviews. Here then, two young American backpackers, Hanna (Julia Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henwick), take temporary live-in jobs at The Royal Hotel, a remote Australian Outback mining town bar run by Billy (Hugo Weaving). Soon, they find themselves trapped in an unnerving situation that grows rapidly out of their control as they become increasingly agitated by the male patrons. Also starring Toby Wallace and Daniel Henshall. 

'CAT PERSON' (Rated MA15+) - this psychological thriller film is Directed by Susanna Fogel and is based on 2017 short story of the same name by Kristen Roupenian. Fogel's previous feature film credits take in her debut with 'Life Partners' in 2014 and 'The Spy Who Dumped Me' in 2018, and she is also credited with Co-Writing 2019's 'Booksmart' and 2021's 'The Addams Family 2'. Here, 20-year-old sophomore college student Margot (Emilia Jones) has a brief relationship with Robert (Nicholas Braun), an older man who frequently visits the movie theatre where she works, who she met over an online dating app. and who may just turn out to be a murderer. The film also stars Isabella Rossellini, Hope Davis and Michael Gandolfini, had its World Premiere showcasing at the Sundance Film Festival back in late January, was released Stateside in early October and has so far grossed just US$324K off the back of a US$12M production budget having garnered mixed or average reviews. 

'A MUSICAL MIND : A PORTRAIT IN PROCESS' (Rated M) - is an Australian biographical music documentary Co-Written and Directed by Scott Hicks whose previous feature film making credits take in his 1974 debut with 'The Wanderer' and which he would follow up with the likes of 'Shine' in 1996, 'Snow Falling on Cedars' in 1999, 'Hearts in Atlantis' in 2001, 'No Reservations' in 2007, 'The Boys Are Back' in 2009, 'Fallen' in 2016 and most recently 'My Name's Ben Folds - I Play Piano'. Sparked by the impending 25th anniversary of the Academy award-winning blockbuster 'Shine', this vivid theatrical film explores the power of the musical brain. Featuring exclusive, intimate footage of super-star international musicians in their private worlds, it opens an intriguing portal into the musical mind. A glimpse into the private worlds and elite musical processes of four superstar musicians - Daniel Johns, Ben Folds, Simon Tedeschi and David Helfgott whose story inspired 'Shine', brought together through their connection with the blockbuster movie 'Shine' and its Director Scott Hicks.

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-

THE MARVELS : Tuesday 14th November 2023

I saw the M Rated 'THE MARVELS' this week, and this American superhero film is based on the Marvel Comics featuring the characters Carol Danvers aka Captain Marvel, Monica Rambeau, and Kamala Khan aka Ms. Marvel. It is intended to be the sequel to the 2019 film 'Captain Marvel', a continuation of the 2022 TV mini-series 'Ms. Marvel' and the 33rd film in the MCU. The film is Co-Written and Directed by Nia DaCosta whose previous film making credits take in her debut in 2018 with 'Little Woods' and 2021's 'Candyman'. This film was originally scheduled for an early July 2022 release before being moved back to 11th November 2022, then mid-February this year then the end of July before settling on a release date of 9th November. It forms part of Phase Five of the MCU and is the third entry in this phase following 'Ant-Man and the Wasp : Quantumania' and 'Guardians of the Galaxy : Vol. 3'. The film has polarised critics with it ultimately gaining mixed or average reviews with the three female leads and Nia DaCosta's Direction seemingly the saving grace. As for the Box Office return so far, on a production budget of US$220M it has grossed US$115M and with an opening US weekend tally of US$46M which represents the lowest take of any MCU film ever. 

The film opens up on some desolate planet with the Kree excavating an ancient tomb from far beneath the planets surface. Dar-Benn (Zawe Ashton) a warrior revolutionary and newly appointed leader of the Kree, orders one of her henchmen to smash open the tomb, so revealing one of the all powerful Quantum Bands which she immediately straps to her wrist, whilst searching among the rubble for the second, but it is nowhere to be found. In the next scene we cut to the bedroom of Kamala Khan, aka Ms. Marvel (Iman Vellani) in New Jersey where she is avidly drawing scenes of her imaginary escapades with Captain Marvel, whom she idolises. As it turns out Kamala is wearing the second Quantum Band that was gifted to her by her grandmother, but she has no idea of the significance of the bracelet. Meanwhile, Dar-Benn harnesses the power of the Band to tear open a jump point in space. The resulting anomaly is discovered by S.W.O.R.D. (Sentient Weapon Observation and Response Division).

Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), now residing at the S.A.B.E.R. (Strategic Aerospace Biophysics and Exolinguistic Response) space station, hosts peace talks between the Kree and the Skrulls. Monica Rambeau (Teyonah Parris) investigates a jump point anomaly near S.A.B.E.R. while Carol Danvers, aka Captain Marvel (Brie Larson) investigates the source of the anomaly, where Dar-Benn discovered the Quantum Band. When Rambeau comes into contact with the anomaly, she, Danvers, and Kamala switch places via teleportation. The switching causes the three to fight each others' Kree enemies, leaving Kamala's parents house all but destroyed in their wake. 

In a flash back scene we see Captain Marvel defying the influence of the Supreme Intelligence (an artificial intelligence that is the ruler of the Kree) and destroys it, which leads to a Kree civil war, the desolation of their home planet of Hala, and the results of that conflict rendering the planet barren as it loses its air, water, and sunlight. 

After the three women return to their original places, Fury and Rambeau visit Kamala on Earth at her parents house. As Kamala shows off her powers, she switches places with Danvers. When Danvers flies away having been reintroduced to Rambeau for the first time in years, she switches places with Kamala in mid-air, causing Kamala to plummet to the ground helplessly only to be saved by Rambeau in her first, and somewhat uneasy attempt at flight. Back safely on the ground the group surmises that their light-based powers are linked through quantum entanglement, and that they swap places when the three use their powers simultaneously. 

The three join up at a Skrull refugee colony on the planet Tarnax and meet with Emperor Dro'ge (Gary Lewis) where talks of resettlement have dissolved. Dar-Benn rips open another jump point, which sucks the atmosphere of Tarnax into Hala to try and restore its air, and rapidly destroys the colony in the process. After a hasty effort to evacuate the Skrull, Danvers, Rambeau, and Kamala form a team informally referred to by Kamala as 'the Marvels'. Danvers informs the others of the legend that the Quantum Bands had been used to create the jump point transportation network; the three became entangled due to their mutual contact with its energy when Dar-Benn disrupted it. Dar-Benn's continued rupturing of jump points is causing further instability to the network and endangering the order of the universe.

Dar-Benn reaches the planet Aladna where water covers 97% of its surface. The Marvels have also arrived in advance and are greeted in a fanfare of song and dance as Danvers is considered royalty. There she meets with Prince Yan (Park Seo-joon) where she relays the impending threat of Dar-Benn's arrival. Following an intense battle between the Kree and the Marvels supported by Prince Yan's finest soldiers, Dar-Benn successfully wrests the second Quantum Band from Kamala's wrist and then tears open a jump point to draw the ocean water into Hala. 

Dar-Benn's final plan is to seize Earth's sun to restore that of Hala. The Marvels follow Dar-Benn to her space ship where another fight breaks out, which ultimately sees the Kree leader pinned under falling masonry and feigning death. Captain Marvel removes the heavy lump of stone and metal, at which point Dar-Benn jumps up and uses the power of both bangles to tear open another hole in space. The act destroys Dar-Benn but sees the two Quantum Bands returned to the Marvels. However, is also leaves behind a rupture into the multiverse. After Kamala reclaims the Bands, she and Danvers use their combined powers to energise Rambeau, allowing her to close the hole from the other side, but leaving her stranded there in the process. Danvers flies into Hala's sun and uses her power to restore it. Some months later and Kamala is next seen seeking out other heroes to form a new group, starting with Kate Bishop (Hailee Steinfeld) - the champion archer.

In a mid-credits sequence, Rambeau comes around in a clinic bed in a parallel universe where she is greeted by an alternate version of her mother, Maria (Lashana Lynch), and the mutant scientist Hank McCoy, aka Beast. Maria has no knowledge of who Rambeau is, and the closing frame sees 'Maria' in her Binary suit.

'The Marvels' is an OK film - its not great but its not that bad either. There's a lot going on in this film with ties back to a number of previous MCU cinematic and television offerings, and much of the plot here doesn't add up to the sum of its parts, including the undercooked villain of the piece in Dar-Benn. That said, Nia DaCosta's Directing is on point and the chemistry between the three leads, and in particular Iman Vellani as Ms. Marvel saves the movie from the depths of despair. There are also some genuine laugh out moments, particularly with a newly 'hatched' litter of Flerkens, and the film doesn't take itself too seriously. Whilst the media buzz surrounding this film has been largely less that flattering and the Box Office take underwhelming - the film moves along at a good pace and its swift duration of 105 minutes makes for a welcome change in the MCU canon of over inflated run times.

'The Marvels' 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 16th November 2023

The 68th Cork International Film Festival runs this year from Thursday 9th through until Sunday 26th November. Established in 1956, the festival presents Ireland’s most exciting, diverse, and ambitious annual film festival, connecting and stimulating audiences and artists through a carefully curated selection of the best films, to create a unique shared cultural experience, rooted in Cork, open to the world. It is Ireland’s first and largest film festival and one of Cork’s most significant and popular annual cultural events. Cork International Film Festival is a local, national and international celebration of cinema, running annually in venues and online in November. Award-winning films from the international film festival circuit, new discoveries and cinema classics are selected to be premiered in cinemas in Cork and screened online via the Festival Digital Platform, available to viewers nationwide. 

This years Opening Night Gala presentation is 'Poor Things' Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Margaret Qualley, Jerrod Carmichael and Ramy Youssef and tells the incredible story about the fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter, a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter. The Closing Night film is 'The Holdovers' Directed by Alexander Payne and starring Paul Giamatti, Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa about a curmudgeonly instructor at a New England prep school who remains on campus during the Christmas break in the 1970's to babysit a handful of students with nowhere to go.

The Festival presents twelve awards, including the CIFF Best New Irish Feature Award, Spirit of the Festival Award, Award for Cinematic Documentary, and two Audience Awards (for features and shorts). Its awards for Grand Prix Irish Short, Grand Prix International Short and Grand Prix Documentary Short Award are Academy Award qualifying, ensuring that the winners in Cork automatically join the Oscars long-list.

Those films competing for the Best New Irish Feature Award are :-

* 'So This Is Christmas' - Directed by Ken Wardrop this film illuminates the challenges often unseen beyond the toys, trees and tinsel, where characters in a small Irish village reflect on their difficult relationships with Christmas.

* 'One Night in Millstreet' - Directed by Andrew Gallimore. The St. Patrick’s weekend of 1995 witnessed an extraordinary thing, a world championship boxing match deep in the countryside of County Cork, between Super Middleweight Champion, Chris Eubank, and the hungry challenger from Cabra, Steve Collins. World Premiere.

* 'All You Need Is Death' - Directed by Paul Duane. Young couple Anna and Aleks collect folk ballads, the rarer the better, and the more money they can sell them for. Following a tip from a fellow collector, they secretly record a song so ancient that it is in a forgotten dialect. But once they begin to translate the song, they discover the terrifying reason why it was never meant to be passed on.

* 'Prospect House' - Directed by Paul Mercier. A group of protesters film a period re-enactment in a dilapidated 18th century house in a last ditch effort to save it from demolition.

* 'The Days of Trees' - Directed by Alan Gilsenan. An intimate beautifully wrought and deftly handled meditation on trauma, offering hope and insight.

The Spirit of the Festival Award comprises the following films :-

* 'The Girls Are Alright' - from Spain and Directed, Written, Co-Produced and starring Itsaso Arana. Four actresses and a writer spending a week in a secluded country house rehearsing a period play, chatting, and getting artistic inspiration from their own lives.

* 'Embryo Larva Butterfly - from Greece and Directed and Written by Kyros Papavassiliou. Penelope and Isidoro navigate their relationship in a world where time is non-linear, and past, present and future skip back and forth arbitrarily every time they wake.

* 'Animal' - from Greece, France and Poland and Directed by Sofia Exarchou. The team of dancers, singers and entertainers in an all inclusive tourist resort prepare for the upcoming season and we slowly get to know all the characters, including Kaila, natural leader of the group. As the summer heats up the make-up and facades begin to melt.

* 'Excursion' - from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, France, Norway and Directed by Una Gunjak. Iman is an ordinary teenage girl from Sarajevo that falls for an older boy and, in order to protect their half-imaginary relationship, comes up with a little white lie that spirals out of control.

* 'Negu Hurbilak' - from Spain and Directed by Colectivo Negu. At the end of the Basque conflict in 2011, when the ETA announces their ceasefire, a young woman goes on the run to escape political persecution, hoping to cross the border. She arrives at a quiet border village, Zubieta - a place where time appears to stand still, and she waits, as all the while the weight of her situation hangs around her.

* 'Camping du Lac' - from Belgium and France and Directed and starring Eleonore Saintagnan. Following her car breakdown in the middle of France, Eleonore has to make a stop at the mostly abandoned campsite with mobile homes and a view of a lovely lake. During her stay encounters interesting characters and searches for the mysterious lake monster.

For the full details of the other awards being presented; the remaining documentary, feature and short film strands being showcased; and a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can go the official website at : https://corkfilmfest.org/

So turning the attention then back to this weeks six new movies gracing a big screen Odeon close to home, we kick off with an offering from a second time Director about a young Oxford University student who becomes infatuated with his aristocratic schoolmate and his wealthy but eccentric family. This is followed by a prelude to a hugely popular and successful film franchise that sees a young Coriolanus Snow mentoring and developing feelings for the female District 12 tribute during the 10th fight to the death for the teenage tributes from each of the twelve Districts. Next up we have slasher horror film that following a Black Friday riot which ends in tragedy, a mysterious Thanksgiving-inspired killer goes on a murderous rampage in Plymouth, Massachusetts - the birthplace of the infamous holiday. Then we turn to a French full-bodied RomCom that tells the story of a fifty year old divorced bear-with-a-sorehead who runs a small rural wine shop, and despite numerous obstacles, finds true love in unexpected quarters thanks to a woman with her own set of issues. Moving on we have a Danish/Swedish documentary in which the filmmakers examine both humanity's obsession with the camera's image and its social consequences, from the first camera to the 45 billion existing worldwide today; before closing out the week with an Aussie doco that takes us into the world of this prominent Australian artist and peels back the layers of his intimate journey.

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.

'SALTBURN' (Rated MA15+) - is a psychological thriller drama film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Emerald Fennel in her second feature film outing following the highly acclaimed 'Promising Young Woman' in 2020 which reaped 116 award wins and another 193 nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. This film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Telluride Film Festival in late August and is set for release in the US, the UK and here in Australia from this week having so far generated mostly favourable reviews. 

Struggling to find his place at Oxford University, student Oliver Quick (Barry Keoghan) finds himself drawn into the world of the charming and aristocratic Felix Catton (Jacob Elordi), who invites him to Saltburn, his eccentric family's sprawling estate, for a Summer never to be forgotten. Also starring Rosamund Pike as Elsbeth Catton and Richard E. Grant as Sir James Catton - Felix's mother and father respectively, and Alison Oliver, Archie Madekwe, Carey Mulligan and Paul Thys. 

'THE HUNGER GAMES : THE BALLAD OF SONGBIRDS & SNAKES' (Rated M) - this American dystopian science fiction action film Directed by Francis Lawrence, is based on the 2020 novel 'The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes' by Suzanne Collins, serves as a prequel to 2012 film 'The Hunger Games' and is the fifth instalment in 'The Hunger Games' film series. Francis Lawrence Directed the last three films in the franchise with 'Catching Fire' in 2013 and 'Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2' in 2014 and 2015 respectively. Those first four films in the series grossed close to US$3B at the global Box Office off the back of combined production budgets of US$493M making this eventual prequel a no brainer. Set 64 years before the events of the first film, we here follow the events that eventually lead a young Coriolanus Snow (Tom Blythe) on the path to becoming the tyrannical leader of Panem (played by Donald Sutherland in the original films), including his relationship with the Hunger Games tribute Lucy Gray Baird (Rachel Zegler) from the impoverished District 12 during the year of the 10th Hunger Games. Uniting their instincts for showmanship and political savvy, they race against time to ultimately reveal who's a songbird and who's a snake. Also starring Peter Dinklage, Jason Schwartzman and Viola Davis, the film is released in the US this week also, having cost US$100M to produce.

'THANKSGIVING' (Rated R18+) - is an American slasher horror film Directed by Eli Roth, and based on a story and the mock trailer that Roth created for the 'Grindhouse' film Directed by Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino in 2007. Roth who is no stranger to the genre also Directed such other features including his debut with 'Cabin Fever' in 2002 then 'Hostel' and 'Hostel : Part II' in 2005 and 2007 respectively, 'Knock Knock' in 2015, 'Death Wish' in 2018, and the documentary 'Fin' in 2021. Here then, after a Black Friday riot ends in tragedy, a mysterious serial killer, known only as 'John Carver', comes to Plymouth, Massachusetts, with the intention of creating a Thanksgiving carving board out of the town's inhabitants. The films stars Patrick Dempsey, Addison Rae, Milo Manheim and Gina Gershon and is released in the US this week too.

'LA DEGUSTATION' (Rated M) - aka 'The Tasting' is a French comedy romantic drama film Written and Directed by Ivan Calberac whose previous feature film making credits take in his debut in 2002 with 'Irene', then 'Cheating Love' in 2006, 'Alternate Weeks (and Half the Vacation)' in 2009, 'The Student and Mr. Henri' in 2015 and 'Venice is not in Italy' in 2019. Jacques Dennemont (Bernard Campen) is divorced and runs a small wine shop, on the verge of bankruptcy. Hortense Le Bris (Isabelle Carre), determined not to end up single and an old maid walks into his store one day and decides to sign up for a tastings workshop. This film was released in its native France at the end of August 2022, and only now does it get a release in Australia having so far grossed US$2.2M at the Box Office. 

'FANTASTIC MACHINE' (Rated M) - is a Danish and Swedish documentary film Written, Produced and Directed by Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck that charts the history of the first camera to forty-five billion (and counting) cameras worldwide today. Here the film makers explore, explain and expose how our unchecked obsession with image has grown to change our human behaviour. From Camera Obscura and the Lumieres Brothers all the way to Youtube and the world of social media, the film chronicles how we went from capturing the image of a backyard to a multi-billion- euro content industry in just 200 years. After doing the rounds across the worldwide festivals circuit and collecting three award wins (including Berlin and Sundance) plus another eight nominations, the films goes on limited release here in Australia this week. 

'BROMLEY : LIGHT AFTER DARK' (Rated M) - this Australian documentary film is Directed by Sean McDonald in his Directorial debut. David Bromley found that art appeased the voices in his head and helped him find beauty in the world. So he made the life-changing decision to commit his whole being to something meaningful. This feature doco takes us into the world of this prominent Australian artist. With intimate access, we peel away the layers of anxiety, phobias and suicide survival, whilst embracing the humour, energy, and love that is ever-present in the Bromley world. The Director has here documented David and his wife Yuge for over five years, leading to this incredibly intimate and unique documentary on one of Australia’s most prolific and iconic artists.

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-