ARGYLLE : Tuesday 6th February 2024.

I saw the M Rated 'ARGYLLE' earlier this week at my local multiplex, and this spy action comedy film is Co-Produced and Directed by Matthew Vaughn whose previous feature film Directorial credits include his debut with 'Layer Cake' in 2004, then 'Kick-Ass' in 2010, 'X-Men : First Class' in 2011, 'Kingsman : The Secret Service' in 2014, 'Kingsman : The Golden Circle' in 2017 and 'The King's Man' in 2021. The film was released last week too in the US, cost about US$200M to produce, has so far recovered just US$41M, has garnered generally negative critical reviews and is apparently the first in a trilogy of films, with a third trilogy of films coming from Vaughn's Marv Studio that will see a crossover with the 'Kingsman' franchise.

Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard), is the reclusive and introverted author of a series of best-selling espionage novels, whose idea of bliss is a night at home with her computer and her cat, Alfie (whom she adores and takes everywhere with her). She has just completed the draft of her fifth book in the hugely successful 'Argylle' series and calls her mother Ruth (Catherine O'Hara) for her opinion. Her mum read through the draft the previous night and thought is was great but the closing chapter needed more work, rather than leaving it as a cliffhanger for the sixth book in the series. Elly travel by train to visit her Mum so that they can complete the story together with a more concrete ending.

On the train journey, Elly is saved from an ambush by an actual spy, Aidan Wylde (Sam Rockwell), who explains to her that a devious organisation, known as the Division, has targeted her because her Argylle novels seem to have an uncanny knack of predicting their future. Aidan travels with a reluctant Elly to London, England in a private jet (with Elly admitting that she has a deep rooted fear of flying and it is her first time in a plane), hoping that her next chapter will reveal how to stop the Division. 

Once in London, the pair search for a Masterkey' that would help expose the Division that Elly had also referenced in her novels. After fending off a small and very well equipped army of the Division's agents, the pair decamp to a run down hotel to rest up and get refreshed. While Aidan is in the bathroom supposedly taking a shower, Elly overhears him on the phone speaking to someone about how he wants to put a bullet in her head. Elly calls her parents for help who get on the first plane bound for London, and agree to meet in a suite at The Savoy Hotel. As Ruth and Barry Conway (Bryan Cranston) arrive, Aidan reveals that they are in fact both operatives working for the Division sent to capture her, forcing him and Elly to fend them off before fleeing the scene, chased down by a group of the Division's agents. 

Escaping to France, Aidan and former CIA Deputy Director Alfred Solomon (Samuel L. Jackson) who resides in a high tech winery, reveal that Argylle is not entirely fictional and that Elly is in fact agent Rachel Kylle who was captured and brainwashed by the Division five years ago by the two people masquerading as her parents. She put her suppressed memories into her novels. With the latest Argylle novel, Elly was about to reveal the whereabouts of the Masterkey before her cover was blown.

Aidan and Rachel travel to Saudi Arabia, where they retrieve the Masterkey from Saba Al-Badr, the Keeper of Secrets (Sofia Boutella) but are soon cornered by the Division and are knocked out and brought to the Division's base. Ritter (Bryan Cranston), the Division's Director, reveals that Rachel was one of their most loyal assets, after which she offers to interrogate Aidan, subsequently shooting him in the chest. She also locates Alfred for them, but reveals that she in fact sent him the Masterkey, betraying the Division. Ritter stops the transmission and she and a surviving Aidan (after he has plugged himself with four shots of adrenalin) fight their way through the base, which turns out to be an oil tanker far out to sea, eventually killing him. Ruth, who pretended to be Rachel's mother previously, uses a mental trigger code to turn her on Aidan, until she is killed, after which Alfred finally receives the message at his French winery.

Agents Argylle, Wyatt (John Cena) and Keira (Ariana DeBose) the fictional agents from her novels are seen aboard a speedboat fleeing the oil tanker before it explodes into a ball of flame, with Elly's voiceover saying that for the first time Agent Argylle was free. In the closing scene Rachel resumes her novelist persona, and publishes her final novel in the series, where at a reading, the real Argylle reveals himself, much to her shock and confusion. In a post-credit scene, set some twenty years prior, a young Argylle is seen to be ordering a drink at The King's Man pub, where he is revealed to be a Kingsman agent, with the first novel being based on his life.

I didn't hate 'Argylle' but then I also didn't love it, and it some how manages to traverse the line between 'John Wick' (creative action aplenty) and 'Get Smart' (spy comedy romp) aided by some questionable CGI effects, an overly convoluted plot with more twists and turns than you could ever hope to poke a stick at, an excessive run time of two hours twenty minutes, but is just about saved by an ensemble cast who seem to be all in on the silliness most notably Howard, Rockwell and Cavill. Mathew Vaughn here once again demonstrates his skill at the colourful over-the-top action set pieces, but there is really very little new here that we haven't already seen in his previous 'Kingsman' and 'Kick-Ass' franchises, and so Mr. Vaughn, perhaps it's time for a radical rethink of your future filmography. 

'Argylle' merits two claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 8th February 2024.

This years 74th Berlin International Film Festival (The Berlinale) launches on Thursday 15th February and runs through until Sunday 25th February. The official website reads 'the Berlinale is a unique place of artistic exploration and entertainment. It is one of the largest public film festivals in the world, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from around the globe each year. For the film industry and the media, the eleven days in February are also one of the most important events in the annual calendar and an indispensable trading forum. The festival was created for the Berlin public in 1951, at the beginning of the Cold War, as a 'showcase of the free world'. Shaped by the turbulent post-war period and the unique situation of a divided city, the Berlinale has developed into a place of intercultural exchange and a platform for the critical cinematic exploration of social issues. To this day it is considered the most political of all the major film festivals. The Berlinale brings the big stars of international cinema to Berlin and discovers new talents. It accompanies filmmakers of all disciplines on their paths into the spotlight and supports careers, projects, dreams and visions'.

The International Jury presents the following awards within its main competition strand : Golden Bear for Best Film (awarded to the film’s Producers), Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize, Silver Bear Jury Prize, Silver Bear for Best Director, Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance, Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance, Silver Bear for Best Screenplay and Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution.

This years films in Competition are as follows :-

* 'Another End' - from Italy and Directed by Pierro Messina and starring Gael Garcia Bernal and Olivia Williams. World Premiere.

* 'Architecton' - from Germany, France and the USA and Directed by Victor Kossakovsky. Documentary World Premiere.

* 'Black Tea' - from France, Mauritania, Luxembourg, Taiwan and Cote d'Ivorie and Directed by Abderrahmane Sissako. World Premiere.

* 'La Cocina' - from Mexico and the USA and Directed by Alonso Ruizpalacios and starring Rooney Mara. World Premiere. 

* 'Dahomey' - from France, Senegal and Benin and Directed by Mati Diop. Documentary World Premiere.

* 'A Different Man' - from the USA and Directed by Aaron Schimberg. 

* 'The Empire' - from France, Italy, Germany, Belgium and Portugal and Directed by Bruno Dumont and starring Camille Cottin. World Premiere.

* 'Gloria!' - from Italy and Switzerland and Directed by Margherita Vicario. World Premiere.

* 'Suspended Time' - from France and Directed by Olivier Assayas. World Premiere.

* 'From Hilde, With Love' - from Germany and Directed by Andreas Dresen. World Premiere.

* 'My Favourite Cake' - from Iran, France, Sweden and Germany and Directed by Maryam Moghaddam and Behtash Sanaeeha. World Premiere.

* 'Langue Etrangere' - from France, Germany and Belgium and Directed by Claire Burger and starring Nina Hoss. World Premiere. 

* 'Who Do I Belong To' - from Tunisia, France, Canada, Norway, Qatar and Saudi Arabia and Directed by Meryam Joobeur. World Premiere.

* 'Pepe' - from the Dominican Republic, Namibia, Germany and France and Directed by Nelson Carlos De Los Santos Arias. World Premiere.

* 'Shambhala' - from Nepal, France, Norway, Hong Kong, China, Turkey, Taiwan, USA and Qatar and Directed by Min Bahadur Bham. World Premiere.

* 'Small Things Like These' - from Ireland and Belgium and Directed by Tim Mielants and starring Cillian Murphy and Emily Watson. World Premiere and the Opening Night Film. 

* 'Dying' - from Germany and Directed by Matthias Glasner. World Premiere.

* 'The Devil's Bath' - from Austria and Germany and Directed by Veronika Franz and Severin Fiala. World Premiere.

* 'Sons' - from Denmark and Sweden and Directed by Gustav Moller and starring Sidse Babette Knudsen. World Premiere.

* 'A Traveller's Needs' - from South Korea and Directed by Hong Sangsoo and starring Isabelle Huppert. World Premiere.

For the full synopsis of the aforementioned films in competition, plus all the other competitive strands and the Honorary Golden Bear Award which this year is being presented to the US Director, Producer and Screenwriter Martin Scorsese for his lifetime achievement, you can visit the official website at : https://www.berlinale.de/

This week there are just three new cinematic releases to tempt you out to a cool air conditioned movie theatre to stave off the heat of an Aussie summer, and we kick off with a sequel to a 2020 Australian thriller, that this time sees five women participate in a hiking retreat but only four come out the other side, with this returning Federal Agent heading into the mountains hoping to find his informant still alive. This is followed by a National Theatre production that tells the story of the England soccer team, and how with the worst track record for penalties in the world, their manager knows he needs to open his mind and face up to the years of hurt, to take his team and country back to the promised land. And closing out the week we have for two nights only a 65th anniversary concert tour of one of Britain's most iconic musicians. 

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

'FORCE OF NATURE : THE DRY 2' (Rated M) - is an Australian mystery thriller film Written for the screen and Directed by Robert Connolly, and is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Jane Harper. This film is a sequel to 2020 film 'The Dry' which first introduced the world to detective Aaron Falk played by Eric Bana who reprises his role here and also acts as Co-Producer. Robert Connolly's previous feature film making credits take in his debut in 2002 with 'The Bank' which he would follow up with 'Three Dollars' in 2005, 'Balibo' in 2009, 'The Turning' in 2013, 'Paper Planes' in 2015, and 'The Dry' in 2020. 

Here, five women take part in a corporate hiking retreat deep in the Victorian mountain ranges, one of the five is a whistle-blower and she disappears. When only four of those women return with each telling a different story, Detectives Aaron Falk (Eric Bana) and Carmen Cooper (Jacqueline McKenzie) must find out what really happened before time runs out and the hope of finding her alive becomes more remote. Also starring Deborra Lee-Furness, Anna Torv, Robin McLeavy and Richard Roxburgh. 

'DEAR ENGLAND' (Rated E) - this English National Theatre Live film is Written by James Graham and Directed by Rupert Goold and centres on England football Manager Gareth Southgate (played by Joseph Fiennes), the pressures of elite sport, and the role of the national men's football team in the national psyche. The play explores how Southgate helped to change notions of masculinity on the England team, in the run-up to, and aftermath of, three tournaments - its unexpected run to the semifinals at the 2018 World Cup in Russia; its disappointing defeat in the 2020 European Championship final at Wembley Stadium and its quarterfinal exit from the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The title of the play comes from the open letter Southgate wrote to England fans in 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'Dear England' saw its World Premiere at the National Theatre in London, where it ran from 20th June to 11th August 2023, before transferring to to the Prince Edward Theatre in London's West End for a limited fourteen-week run from 9th October 2023 until 13th January 2024.

'CLIFF RICHARD : THE BLUE SAPPHIRE TOUR' (Rated G) - for a very limited time in cinema's the British music icon Cliff Richard, now 83 years of age, is celebrating his 65th anniversary as of one of Britain’s all-time greatest hit makers. Cliff Richard’s anticipated Blue Sapphire Tour is set to dazzle the silver screen in this two-date only cinema event, recorded from London’s Hammersmith Eventim Apollo, and Directed by Brian Klein. Across his illustrious and unrivalled eight-decade career spanning stage and screen, Sir Cliff Richard has become a British icon and cultural treasure, amassing many gold and platinum records, well over 250 million records sales worldwide, fourteen number-one singles, a colossal 96 Top 20 hits, seven number-one albums and a string of Brit and Ivor Novello awards to his name. Sir Cliff will be bringing a selection from his huge catalogue of hits back to the stage for this monumental celebration in cinemas nationwide, including 'Move It', 'Wired for Sound', 'Saviours Day' and 'The Young Ones'. This special presentation also includes bonus footage exclusive to cinemas.

With three 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, and after ten years of writing my Blog, and 1,400 posts, I'm taking a break from writing my Reviews and Previews of the latest release movies. But fear not, I'll be back, in a few months when I'll take off again with all the latest at your big screen Odeon. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

ANATOMY OF A FALL : Tuesday 30th January 2024.

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'ANATOMY OF A FALL' this week and this French court room drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Justine Triet whose prior feature film credits take in her debut in 2013 with 'Age of Panic' which she followed up with 'In Bed with Victoria' in 2016, and 'Sibyl' in 2019. This film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Cannes Film Festival towards the end of May last year where it won the Palme d'Or and the Palm Dog Award and also competed for the Queer Palm. It continued to win awards, including the National Board of Review Award for Best International Film and two Golden Globes Awards, for Best Screenplay and Best Foreign Language Film among its total haul of sixty-four award wins and a further 178 nominations from around the awards and festival circuit. So far the film has generated US$24M at the Box Office from a production budget of close to US$7M and has garnered widespread critical acclaim.

For the past two years or so Sandra Voyter (Sandra Huller), her husband Samuel Maleski (Samuel Theis), and their eleven-year-old son Daniel (Milo Machado Graner) have lived a secluded life in a remote town in the French Alps, near Grenoble. Sandra is German, Samuel is French and they lived a happy contented life in London, England up to two years ago when they moved into the chalet even though it needed some renovating, and because it was markedly cheaper than remaining in London. Sandra is a writer of several novels and also does translations to maintain her cash flow. Samuel used to work in marketing but is now a failed writer, and spends his time maintaining and upgrading their house. Daniel is almost completely blind having suffered a car accident at four years of age which nearly severed his optic nerve. Sandra is attempting to be interviewed by a student, but Samuel is playing music at such a loud volume while working on the house in the room above, that Sandra is forced to reschedule the interview to another date. 

Daniel takes his guide dog, Snoop, out for a walk in the snow, and when he returns he finds his father lying dead in the snow directly below his attic window - three story's below, having seemingly suffered from a blunt instrument blow to the head. He screams out for his mother who initially doesn't hear him because her husbands loud music is still playing on a loop through the speakers. 

After the Police and Ambulance have removed the body and asked all the initial questions of Sandra, while talking with an old friend, lawyer Vincent Renzi (Swann Arlaud), she says the fall must have been accidental. Vincent says that the court will not believe that, and she tells him about Samuel's attempt to overdose on aspirin six months earlier, after having come off antidepressants suddenly. Vincent notes a bruise on her arm, which she tells him resulted from bumping into their kitchen countertop, which she had a habit of doing quite regularly. 

Daniel tells the Police investigation that his parents were having a calm talk when he left the house but gives conflicting accounts of exactly where he was standing, and this is deemed important because of the very loud music that Samuel was playing at the time he left to walk Snoop. This, combined with an autopsy revealing Samuel's head wound occurring before his body hit the ground, three blood spatter marks on the side wall of the shed below, and an audio recording Samuel made of a fight he and Sandra had the day before he died, all leads to an indictment.

During the trial, Sandra's defence team states that Samuel fell from the attic window and hit his head on a shed below before falling to the ground, while the prosecution's (Antoine Reinartz) theory is that Sandra hit him with a blunt instrument and pushed him from the third-floor balcony. During a courtroom argument with Samuel's psychiatrist, who insists Samuel had no suicidal intent, she speaks of her bitterness towards her husband.

The jury and the courtroom then hears the full recorded fight which lasts about ten minutes, in which Samuel accuses her of plagiarism, infidelity, and exercising way to much control over his life. The lengthy argument turns physically violent, but it remains unclear as to who is hitting whom. The prosecution claims that all the violence was coming from Sandra. She says that she had thrown a glass at a wall and slapped Samuel's face, and that the bruises on her arms were due to Samuel grabbing her, and that the rest of the violence heard was Samuel slapping his own face repeatedly. 

Sandra afterwards admits to having had a brief affair with a woman the year before Samuel's death. The prosecution states that Samuel's playing loud music suggested jealousy over Sandra's flirting with the interviewer, leading to a physical altercation where the prosecution claims Sandra killed him. The prosecutor also notes her pattern of writing her personal conflicts into her books and how murdering Samuel could mirror a character's thoughts from her most recent story. Sandra replies sternly that one audio recording does not remotely represent the nature of their marriage, nor do the words of a character in one of her novels reflect her own impulses.

Daniel, who has been present in the courtroom throughout the whole trial, is growing increasingly disturbed by the testimonies that have unfolded. Whilst the trial was due to close on Friday, Daniel insists on testifying once more before closing arguments the following Monday, and the judge lays strict ground rules to prevent anyone, including his mother, from influencing Daniel's testimony over the weekend, including bringing in a court monitor, Marge (Jehnny Beth), and demanding that all conversations must be held in French, despite Sandra's difficulties with the language.

Later that evening as Sandra is preparing a meal for the three of them, Daniel asks Marge to tell his mother to leave their house for the weekend so there will only be Marge to watch over him and Snoop. After hearing Sandra's testimony about Samuel's aspirin overdose, Daniel has remembered that Snoop became sick at that time and now suspects that Snoop had eaten some of Samuel's vomit, so that weekend he deliberately feeds Snoop eight or ten aspirin and finds it has the same effect, which lines up with his mothers testimony. On Monday morning on the witness stand in front of the jury but an empty courtroom, Daniel says that if his mother did this, he cannot understand it, but if his father did it, he can. He testifies that when he and Samuel were driving Snoop to the vet, his father spoke to him about the need to be prepared that those he loves will die and to know that his life will go on, which Daniel now sees as his fathers own suicidal tendencies.

Sandra is acquitted following Daniel's testimony. When she comes home later that evening after a celebration dinner with her defence team and Vincent, Daniel tells her he was afraid of her homecoming and she says that she was too, which leads to a warm embrace. As Sandra heads off to bed, she lingers at a photo of her and Samuel before falling asleep with Snoop by her side.

'Anatomy of a Fall' is all at once a whodunnit (did he fall or was he pushed?), a character study into the dynamics of family relationships, and a court room drama all wrapped up in a complex and emotional tale that keeps the viewer gripped and enthralled from the get go. Sandra Huller gives a performance that is worthy of all the accolades she has thus far won for her role and those for which she has been nominated, and Director Justine Triet here weaves a story that is believable, relatable, naturalistic and nuanced that will keep you guessing right up until the end credits role, and still keep you questioning when the lights go up. The deliberate ambiguous nature of this film are all left open for interpretation, and that serves for a compelling story masterfully realised and well worth the price of your ticket . . . and don't be put off by the 150 minute run time, because it flies by. My only criticism of the film is in the performance of young Milo Machado Graner whose role as Daniel seems forced at times and a little beyond his reach.

'Anatomy of a Fall' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-