SPEAK NO EVIL : Tuesday 17th September 2024

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'SPEAK NO EVIL' earlier this week at my local multiplex, and this American psychological thriller film is Written for the screen and Directed by James Watkins whose previous film making efforts take in his debut in 2008 with 'Eden Lake', and which he would follow up with 'The Woman in Black' in 2012 and 'Bastille Day' in 2016. This film is a remake of the Danish film from 2022 Co-Written and Directed by Christian Tafdrup. Released in the US and here in Australia last week the film has garnered generally positive critical reviews and has so far grossed US$24M from a production budget of US$15M.

The film opens up in the Italian countryside where we are introduced to an American holidaying family Louise and Ben Dalton (Mackenzie Davis and Scoot McNairy respectively) and their eleven year old daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler). While there, they meet and become fast friends with British couple Paddy and Ciara (James McAvoy and Aisling Franciosi respectively) and their eight year old son Ant (Dan Hough). We learn that the Dalton family recently relocated to London for Ben to open an office for his Chicago based company, but at the last minute the job was shelved and he was made redundant and is now unemployed. Sometime later a postcard arrives from Paddy and Ciara inviting the Daltons to their remote farmhouse in the Devon countryside. The family decides to go, hoping the change of scenery will be good for them and for Agnes who suffers bouts of anxiety and is attached, despite her age, to a stuffed rabbit toy. 

After a long drive from London down to the West Country they finally arrive at the farmhouse after dark. The Dalton's are warmly welcomed but as they spend more time at the house, they begin to grow increasingly ill at ease by strange incidents and the passive-aggressive behaviour from their hosts that cross boundaries of what would be considered acceptable. Louise is also troubled by Paddy and Ciara's aggressive treatment of Ant whom they learn was born with a condition that left him with a smaller tongue and without the ability to speak. One evening, the adults go out for dinner, leaving Agnes and Ant in the care of a babysitter named Muhjid (Motaz Mulhees) which unnerves the Daltons. While playing hide and seek in the farmhouse with Muhjid, Ant shows Agnes a collection of watches Paddy has and a message written in a foreign language, but Agnes doesn't understand him. 

At dinner, Paddy questions Louise's vegetarianism and jokingly performs a sex act with Ciara, shocking their guests. Upon returning, Louise later that night discovers Agnes has been moved to share a bed with a drunken Paddy, Ciara and Ant. Horrified, the Dalton's steal themselves away very early the next morning, but are forced to return by Agnes who left behind her stuffed rabbit, and is having an anxiety attack in the back of the car.

Upon retrieving the toy, Paddy and Ciara who are awake by the time they return apologise for their behaviour and indirectly accuse the Daltons of judging them. The Daltons decide to stay in order to maintain the peace but the strange behaviour continues, unsettling the family. After an incident where Paddy throws a mug at Ant for repeatedly failing to keep time with a dance routine that he and Agnes had practiced, he steals a set of keys from a passed out Paddy and leads Agnes to a locked shed, with an underground bunker. Inside is a collection of luggage and the personal belongings of numerous families. Using a photo book, Ant reveals to Agnes that Paddy and Ciara are not his real parents but are serial killers who lure families to their farmhouse, rob and kill them before cutting out their children's tongue and using them to assist in luring their next victims. 

Ant shows Agnes a photo of his family depicting Ant with his tongue poking out and then motioning with his fingers a scissors action across his mouth, implying that this has happened to him and his family and that Paddy and Ciara intend to make the Daltons their next victims. Agnes fakes having her first period and manages to get Louise and Ben alone to explain the situation. Horrified, the family decides to leave, calmly so as not to arouse any suspicions and contact the Police to save Ant. 

Paddy and Ciara, realise that they have been figured out, and so puncture a tyre on the Daltons car, and hide Agnes's bunny high up in the guttering of the farmhouse to delay them, subtly mocking them as they do so. When the Daltons do finally drive off after Paddy repaired the tyre, Paddy throws Ant, who can't swim, into a pond. Ben sees this from his rear view mirror and jumps to the rescue of Ant before a gun-wielding Paddy and Ciara capture them. 

Paddy forces Louise to transfer their savings to their account, while Ciara holds Ben and Agnes at gunpoint before preparing to kill them and cut out Agnes's tongue. A struggle ensues, as Louise slashes at Paddy's face with a box cutter she found in the farmhouse. Paddy is injured and the family and Ant flee into the house. Paddy, Ciara, and their accomplice Mike (Kris Hitchen), hunt for the family. Mike locates Ben and is able to overpower him, but Louise manages to kill Mike by planting a claw hammer firmly into his skull and save Ben before the family flees to the roof. Ciara makes her way to the roof, attacks but falls to her death. 

As the family tries to escape, Paddy emerges, holding Agnes at gunpoint. Agnes manages to inject Paddy with a syringe of ketamine which was intended for her but dropped by Paddy when Louise slashed at his face, incapacitating him. As the family go to leave, Ant approaches Paddy who acknowledges his fate by saying to Ant 'That's my boy'. An enraged Ant sits on top of Paddy's chest and repeatedly beats him to death with a brick out of revenge, while screaming for all his lungs will allow, with the Daltons looking on in horror. The Daltons and Ant leave the farmhouse. While they drive, Agnes gives her stuffed bunny to Ant, who sobs quietly.

About half way in you'll come to realise that there is something dramatically unhinged, disturbing and twisted about James McAvoy's character Paddy. Here, like in 2016's 'Split' from Writer and Director M. Night Shyamalan McAvoy gives a compelling performance that goes from affable Mr. Nice Guy to downright gonzo batshit crazy much like Jack Nicholson's character of Jack Torrance did in Stanley Kubrick's 1980 classic 'The Shining'. Having not seen the original Danish film I cannot draw comparisons, but suffice to say James Watkins has here crafted a suspenseful thriller that slowly ramps up the tension and the danger factor to a more than satisfactory conclusion that ultimately sees those fish outta water city types win the day over those morally corrupt country bumpkin serial killers. Certainly worth the price of your movie ticket.

'Speak No Evil' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 19th September 2024.

The 72nd San Sebastian International Film Festival (SSIFF) takes place this year from Friday 20th through until Saturday 28th September, in the Spanish city of San Sebastian, located in the province of Gipuzkoa in the Basque Autonomous Community. Since its creation in 1953 it has established itself as one of the fourteen 'A' category competitive festivals accredited by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations), of which it has one of the lowest budgets. It has hosted several important events of the history of cinema, including the international Premieres of 'Vertigo', Directed by Alfred Hitchcock and the European Premiere of 'Star Wars'. It was the first festival attended by Roman Polanski and has helped advance the professional careers of filmmakers such as Francis Ford Coppola, Bong Joon-ho and Pedro Almodovar.

This years Opening Film presentation is Audrey Diwan's erotic drama film 'Emmanuelle' and stars Noemie Merlant and Naomi Watts. The Closing Film is the romantic comedy drama film 'We Live in Time' Directed by John Crowley and starring Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh. 

There are sixteen feature films in Official Competition competing for the Golden Shell Award, including the following titles :-

* 'Conclave' - from the UK and USA, this psychological thriller is Directed by Edward Berger and starring Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow and Isabella Rossellini. 

* 'Emmanuelle' - from France and is an erotic drama Directed by Audrey Diwan and starring Noemie Merlant and Naomi Watts.

* 'The End' - is an European Co-Produced post-apocalyptic musical film Directed by Joshua Oppenheimer and starring Tilda Swinton, Michael Shannon, George MacKay, Tim McInnerny and Lennie James.

* 'Hard Truths' - from the UK and Spain this drama film is Written and Directed by Mike Leigh and starring Marianne Jean-Baptiste.

* 'The Last Showgirl' - from the USA and this drama is Directed by Gia Coppola and starring Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis and Dave Bautista. 

* 'I'm Nevenka' - from Spain, this drama is Co-Written and Directed by Iciar Bollain and starring Mireia Oriol.

* 'The Wailing' - from Spain, Portugal and France, this psychological horror film is Co-Written and Directed by Pedro Martin-Calero and starring Ester Exposito and Mathilde Ollivier.

* 'When Fall Is Coming' - from France and Written and Directed by Francois Ozon, this drama stars Helene Vincent and Josiane Balasko.

In addition, the Donostia Award given every year to a number of Actors and filmmakers derives its name from Donostia, the Basque name of San Sebastian, with the 2023 Donostia Award winner Javier Bardem expected to receive the award this year as the 2023 SAG-AFTRA strike prevented him from attending the 71st festival. This years awards go to the Australian Actress and Producer Cate Blanchett (as featured on the official promotional poster as above) and the Spanish film Director and Screenwriter Pedro Almodovar. 

For the full run down of those films in Official Competition, plus the other competitive strands, the full programme of films being showcased, and a whole lot of other good stuff, you can go to the official website at : https://www.sansebastianfestival.com/2024

This week then we have five new movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, kicking off with a body horror offering that follows a fading celebrity who decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself, unknowingly giving her horrifying side effects. Then we turn to a Sci-Fi thriller in which an astronaut struggles to maintain his grip on reality during a possibly fatally compromised mission to Saturn's moon, Titan; and this is followed by an Aussie family adventure film about a young girl and her adopted stray dog who try to win the Agility Course Championships at the Krumpets Dog Show in London so they can save the family farm. And closing out the week we have a pair of animated features, the first being an origin story of how once brothers-in-arms Orion Pax and D-16 become sworn enemies Optimus Prime and Megatron and finally, following a shipwreck, an intelligent robot becomes stranded on an uninhabited island, and in order to survive the harsh environment, it bonds with the island's animals and cares for an orphaned baby goose.

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 week ahead.

'THE SUBSTANCE' (Rated R18+) - this UK and French Co-Production is a body horror film Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Co-Edited by Coralie Fargeat in only her second feature film outing following her 2017 debut with 'Revenge'. This film screened in the Palme d'Or main competition at this years Cannes Film Festival, where Fargeat won the award for Best Screenplay. It is released here in Australia, the US and the UK from this week and in France from 6th November, with early reviews giving it a universal acclaim rating.

Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore), renowned for a popular TV aerobics show, faces a devastating blow on her 50th birthday as her boss fires her. Following a car crash in which she is hospitalised and amid her distress, a young nurse offers her a black market substance which promises to transform her into an enhanced version of herself. After some deliberation, Elisabeth orders the product, and a version of herself in her 20's (Margaret Qualley) is violently and quickly born from her body. What could possibly go wrong? Also starring Dennis Quaid. 

'SLINGSHOT' (Rated MA15+) - is an American Sci-Fi psychological thriller film Directed by the Swedish filmmaker Mikael Hafstrom whose prior feature film credits take in 'Derailed' in 2005, '1408' in 2007, 'Shanghai' in 2010, 'The Rite' in 2011, 'Escape Plan' in 2013, 'Outside the Wire' in 2021 and 'Stockholm Bloodbath' in 2023. This film follows an elite trio of astronauts - Captain Franks (Laurence Fishburne), John (Casey Affleck) and Nash (Tomer Capone) aboard a years-long, possibly compromised mission to Saturn's moon Titan. As the team gears up for a highly dangerous slingshot manoeuvre that will either catapult them to Titan or into deep space, it becomes increasingly difficult for one astronaut to maintain his grip on reality. Also starring Emily Beecham and David Morrissey. The film was released Stateside at the end of August, has so far grossed US$727K and has generated mixed or average reviews.

'RUNT' (Rated PG) - this Australian animal adventure family film is Directed by John Sheedy in only his second feature film offering following 2019's 'H is for Happiness'. This film, which is adapted from Craig Slivey's 2022 novel of the same name, follows the story of ten-year-old Annie Shearer (Lily LaTorre) and Runt, her stray dog, as they attempt to win the Agility Course Championship at the Krumpets Dog Show in London in order to save her parents Bryan (Jai Courtney) and Susie (Celeste Barber) farm in the outback town of Upson Downs, from drought, misery and a local landowner. Also starring Deborah Mailman and Jack Thompson.

'TRANSFORMERS ONE' (Rated PG) - is an American animated Sci-Fi action film based on Hasbro's 'Transformers' toy line. The film is Directed by Josh Cooley in only his second feature film Directorial outing following 'Toy Story 4' in 2019. This film serves as an origin story set on the planet Cybertron centring around the history of the Transformers race and the relationship between two Cybertronian workers named Orion Pax (voiced by Chris Hemsworth) and D-16 (voiced by Brian Tyree-Henry) as they go from brothers-in-arms to archenemies as Optimus Prime and Megatron respectively. Also starring the voice talents of Scarlett Johansson, Keegan-Michael Key, Steve Buscemi, Laurence Fishburne and Jon Hamm. The film is released Stateside this week too. 

'THE WILD ROBOT' (Rated PG) - this American animated Sci-Fi survival film based on the book series of the same name by Peter Brown, produced by DreamWorks Animation and is Written and Directed by Chris Sanders, whose previous Directing efforts take in his 2002 debut with 'Lilo & Stitch' and which he would follow up with 'How to Train Your Dragon' in 2010, 'The Croods' in 2013 and 'The Call of the Wild' in 2020. This film follows the journey of a robot—ROZZUM unit 7134, 'Roz' (voiced by Lupita Nyong'o) for short, that is shipwrecked on an uninhabited island and must learn to adapt to the harsh surroundings, gradually building relationships with the animals on the island and becoming the adoptive parent of an orphaned gosling named Brightbill (voiced by Kit Connor). Also starring the voice work of Pedro Pascal, Catherine O'Hara, Bill Nighy, Stephanie Hsu, Mark Hamill and Ving Rhames, the film is released in the US next week on 27th September and the UK on 18th October having seen its World Premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival on 8th September. 

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 coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE : Tuesday 10th September 2024

I saw the M Rated 'BEETLEJUICE BEETLEJUICE' earlier this week, and this American fantasy comedy horror film is Co-Produced and Directed by Tim Burton and is the sequel to Burton's 1988 film 'Beetlejuice' which grossed US$75M off the back of a US$15M production budget and garnered seven award wins (including the Academy Award for Best Make-Up) plus another eleven nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. In the intervening years the film's success gave rise to an animated TV series, video games and a 2018 stage musical. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing as the Opening Night film presentation at the Venice International Film Festival in late August before its worldwide release from last week. It has so far grossed US$173M off the back of a US$100M production budget and has garnered generally positive critical acclaim.

Set thirty-six years after the events of the first film, and in the present day Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) is the host of a supernatural talk show called 'Ghost House', produced by her boyfriend Rory (Justin Theroux). During the taping of a segment, she has a vision of the demon Betelgeuse, who haunted her family thirty-six years previously, in the audience. Taking a sudden break from filming Lydia learns from her stepmother Delia (Catherine O'Hara) about the death of her father Charles who died while travelling back from Brazil when his plane crashed into the sea and he was eaten by a shark. While driving back to Winter River for the funeral service, the surviving Deetz family pick up Lydia's estranged teenage daughter, Astrid (Jenna Ortega), from boarding school. Astrid is a complete non-believer in ghosts, demons and all things afterlife which her mother so sternly propagates, stating that she believes only that which she can see and in science. Following the funeral services, Rory proposes to Lydia in front of the attendees, which she reluctantly agrees to, causing Astrid to flee and meet Jeremy Frazier (Arthur Conti), who invites her over prior to the wedding at midnight on Halloween - two days hence.

Later while in the attic of their former home, Astrid discovers a box of items belonging to her father Richard (Santiago Cabrera), who disappeared two years earlier, and an ad to contact Betelgeuse. She learns that Jeremy is actually a ghost seeking her help to restore his life, at which point Astrid concedes that her mother was right all along. They enter the afterlife after he has Astrid recite an incantation from the 'Handbook for the Recently Deceased'. 

Discovering Jeremy is dead and his past as the murderer of his mother and father who was then killed by breaking his neck while falling from his own treehouse, and thereafter being trapped to within the confines of the house for the last 23 years, Lydia reluctantly calls upon Betelgeuse to help retrieve Astrid. He agrees but demands that Lydia marry him, allowing him to stay in the mortal world and evade Delores (Monica Belluci), his vengeful ex-wife who in life was a mysterious soul-sucking witch who poisoned Betelgeuse several centuries earlier during the Black Plague before he killed her with an axe in retaliation, and chopping her up into multiple pieces. Delores has returned and using a staple gun pieces herself back together. Meanwhile, Delia conducts a ceremony at Charles' grave using two live snakes she believed were no longer venemous, that bite and kill her. 

Lydia agrees to the marriage, and Betelgeuse and she are transported into the afterlife train station in an attempt to stop Astrid from boarding the 'Soul Train', which transports souls into the beyond. By reciting the incantation, Astrid was tricked into swapping places with Jeremy in order for him to regain his life. She recognises one of the station's employees as her father Richard, who rescues her and Lydia while Betelgeuse sends Jeremy down into the depths of Hell.

Hunted by ghost detective and former B-movie action star Wolf Jackson (Willem Dafoe) for bringing Lydia into the afterlife, Betelgeuse agrees to help Delia find Charles if she helps him find Lydia, who along with Astrid was ushered away and returned to Winter River by Richard. At a church in the mortal world, Lydia and Astrid arrive as Rory waits at the altar, watched on patiently by the reverend Father Damien (Burn Gorman).

Betelgeuse, needless to say, hijacks the wedding, injecting Rory in the neck with a truth serum to reveal his true intentions to marry Lydia for her money. Enraged, she punches Rory, knocking him out. As Betelgeuse prepares to marry Lydia, Delores arrives to confront him, along with Wolf and his team. Using the handbook as a guide, Astrid unleashes a giant sandworm through a portal she painted on the floor into the church that eats Delores and Rory, while Betelgeuse freezes Wolf and his men to the spot where they stand.

Astrid reveals that Betelgeuse violated the rules of the handbook by bringing Lydia into the afterlife, thwarting the wedding and allowing Lydia to return him to the afterlife by blowing him up like a balloon which then explodes with the remnants floating back down to the floor before igniting in a puff of smoke and flame. Afterward, Lydia and Astrid reassure Delia of their love for her as she is escorted to the afterlife by Wolf. She soon reunites with Charles before boarding the Soul Train bound for Heaven. Sometime later, Lydia films the final segment of her last episode of 'Ghost House', opting to spend time with Astrid and travelling the world. Despite this, she continues to have nightmares about Betelgeuse, including one in which Astrid gives birth to his 'mini-me' child. 

It must be said that there is much to like about this trip down memory lane for those of us old enough to have enjoyed the 1988 original, and it's encouraging to see Director Tim Burton back on form and delivering us his trademark zany no holds barred fantastical horror comedy offering that still packs a punch. It's not entirely necessary to be familiar with the 1988 original, as this film stands firmly on its own two feet and ably fills in any backstory as it moves along to bring the viewer up to speed on what has gone before. Keaton slips back into his role of Betelgeuse like he's never been away, as do Ryder and O'Hara for the most part, ably supported by Ortega, but as for the other principle cast members they are left largely under developed and left wallowing in multiple plot twists and turns many of which prove to be dead ends. The film certainly looks the part, but with 'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' Burton has sacrificed substance in favour of style. 

'Beetlejuice Beetlejuice' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard out of a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th September 2024

The sixth Cheltenham International Film Festival takes place in the English town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire from Friday 13th through until Sunday 22nd September. The Cheltenham International Film Festival is a non-profit charity committed to celebrating the culture of cinema and the art of filmmaking. Bringing the finest independent films from across the globe to the community, by hosting live events with both emerging and acclaimed filmmakers, and actively engaging with young people from diverse backgrounds. Now in its sixth year, the festival has showcased hundreds of films—ranging from features and documentaries to shorts—while organising masterclasses, workshops, and discussions that have involved and inspired audiences in Cheltenham, so reads the official website.

This years Opening Night Film presentation is the British historical Sci-Fi romantic comedy film 'Timestalker' Written, Directed and starring Alice Lowe, and centres around Agnes (Lowe) as she falls in love with the wrong man and then gets reincarnated and falls in love with him over and over again, travelling through 1680's western Scotland, rural England in the 1790's, and 1980's Manhattan, and then an apocalyptic 22nd century. 

Cheltenham International Film Festival Best Film is open to emerging filmmakers with their first or second feature film on their C.V. The Best Film is selected by a jury made up of film professionals, media and local celebrities. This year the five films shortlisted for Best Film are as follows :-

* 'My Wonderful Stranger' - from Norway, France and Sweden this drama thriller is Directed by Johanna Pyykko. Ebba, a lonely 18-year-old who is looking after a luxurious house for a couple while they are on holiday, encounters a handsome man with a head wound at Oslo harbour. Upon learning that he is suffering from amnesia, she convinces him that they are lovers and brings him into her fantasy laden life. As he begins to regain his memory and dark facts about his past life emerge, the tables begin to turn. UK Premiere screening.

* 'Yurt' - from Turkey this drama film is Directed by Nehir Tuna in her feature film making debut. Set in the 1990's, we follow Ahmet, a 14-year-old from a privileged background, who is placed in a strict Islamic dormitory, a 'Yurt', to learn Muslim values. Ahmet’s sophisticated manners and attire alienate him from his peers, leading to tensions. However, his encounter with Hakan, a savvy street kid, becomes transformative. Together, they navigate the harsh environment of the dormitory, challenging its rigid masculinity and find joy and friendship outside its walls. UK Premiere.

* 'The Dreamer' - from France and Directed by Anais Tellenne in her first feature film outing. An eccentric artist finds beauty within the beast when her imposing, one-eyed caretaker becomes her muse – but their infatuation with each other manifests in very different ways.

* 'We Have Never Been Modern' - from Czechia and Slovakia this crime drama film is Directed by Matej Chlupacek. In 1930’s Czechoslovakia, the corpse of a newborn intersex child is found sitting in rubble at a newly built chemical plant. The factory director’s wife Helena sets out to solve the mystery, but as her investigation runs in parallel with her own pregnancy, her inquisitiveness places her in great danger as she links the body to a political cover up with implications for the whole community.

* 'Girls Will Be Girls' - from India and France this drama romance is Directed by Shuchi Talati in her filmmaking debut. Set in an Indian boarding school, this film explores the complex dynamic that evolves when A list head prefect Mira brings home her dashing study pal Sri. Her youthful mother Anila knows full well what is really going on, but tolerates their burgeoning relationship under her careful watch. Anila’s relationship with Sri soon turns flirtatious as she attempts to reignite a lost youth. A patriarchal society looks on with disapproval. 

For the full line up of all the films being showcased at this years Cheltenham International Film Festival, plus a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : https://cheltfilm.com/

And so turning the attention back on this weeks seven new movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we kick off with a psychological thriller about how a dream holiday turns into a living nightmare when an American couple and their daughter spend the weekend at a British family's idyllic country estate. Then we turn to a Sci-Fi thriller in which a struggling father who purchases a domestic SIM to help care for his house and family, unaware she will gain awareness and turn deadly. Next up we have fantasy comedy film in which a curious four-year-old boy who, with his magic purple crayon, has the power to create a world of his own simply by drawing it. This is followed by a New Zealand offering following a woman who learns that life is not what it seems and a man who has closed himself off from the world; before an Aussie sports drama film set in the 1970's in Western Australia in the sweat-drenched world of tent boxing and centres around one boxers struggle to break free from the cycle of loss and regret. Up next is a French historical biographical drama film depicting the love story and romance between the painter Pierre Bonnard and his wife, model, and muse Marthe; before closing out the week with an American doco charting the seventeen day road trip across the US made by Will Ferrell and his long term good friend Harper Steele.

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 week ahead.

'SPEAK NO EVIL' (Rated MA15+) - this American psychological thriller film is Written for the screen and Directed by James Watkins whose previous film making efforts take in his debut in 2008 with 'Eden Lake', and which he would follow up with 'The Woman in Black' in 2012 and 'Bastille Day' in 2016. This film is a remake of the Danish film from 2022 Co-Written and Directed by Christian Tafdrup.

A dream holiday turns into a living nightmare when American couple Ben and Louise Dalton (Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis respectively) and their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) are invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic countryside cottage of British family Paddy (James McAvoy) and his wife Clara (Aisling Franciosi). The film is released in the US this week too.

'SUBSERVIENCE' (Rated MA15+) - is a Sci-Fi thriller offering from Director S. K. Dale in only his second feature film following 'Till Death' in 2021. When his wife Maggie (Madeline Zima) becomes sick, a struggling father Nick (Michele Morrone) buys a lifelike AI gynoid (a feminine humanoid robot) named Alice (Megan Fox) to help with the housework. Things seem fine until Alice suddenly becomes self-aware and wants everything its new family has to offer, including the affection of its owner. The film is released Stateside this week too. 

'HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON' (Rated PG) - this American fantasy comedy film is Directed by Carlos Saldanha in his live action feature film debut, and is based on the 1955 children's book by Crockett Johnson. It serves as a sequel to the original book, in which the adventurous Harold can make anything come to life simply by drawing it. When Harold (Zachary Levi) grows up with his magical purple crayon and draws himself off the book's pages and into the physical world, he soon learns his trusty crayon can set off more hilarious hijinks than he thought possible. However, when the power of unlimited imagination falls into the wrong hands, it will take all of his creativity to save both the real world and his own. Also starring Lil Rel Howery, Zooey Deschanel, Jemaine Clement and Alfred Molina, it was released in the US in early August, has so far grossed US$27M off the back of a US$40M production back and has generated largely unfavourable critical reviews.

'STRANDED PEARL' (Rated CTC) - this New Zealand action adventure romance film is Directed by Ken Khan and Prashanth Gunasekaran in both their only second feature film making effort following Khan's 2008 debut with 'Love Has No Language' and Gunasekaran's 2013 'Destina'. Here, after a storm leaves Julia (Kristy Wright) stranded on an island paradise, she must learn to cooperate with the only other person there, a quiet man called Sid (Aunanda Naaido). Unbeknown to Julia, Sid is on the run from the New Zealand Police, and has closed himself off from the world.

'KID SNOW' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian sports drama film Directed by Paul Goldman who made his feature film Directing debut in 2002 with 'Australian Rules' and which he would follow up with the likes of 'All the Way' in 2003, and much more recently 'Ego : The Michael Gudinski Story' in 2023. Here, Kid Snow (Billy Howle) the down-and-out slugger with one last shot at the title on the tent boxing circuit after squandering his chance at glory in the Western Australia of the 1970's. Sunny (Phoebe Tonkin) is a single mother who walks into Kid’s life just as he’s offered a lucrative rematch with the champ who floored him ten years previously. The film saw its World Premiere at the Sydney Film Festival in early June this year. 

'BONNARD, PIERRE AND MARTHE' (Rated MA15+) - this French historical drama film is Written and Directed by Martin Provost whose previous feature film output includes 'Seraphine' in 2008, 'The Long Falling' in 2011, 'Violette' in 2013, 'The Midwife' in 2017 and 'How to Be a Good Wife' in 2020. Here, French painter, illustrator and printmaker Pierre Bonnard (Vincent Macaigne) wouldn't be the painter everyone knows if it weren't for his enigmatic wife, model and muse Marthe (Cecile de France). Indeed, the man nicknamed the 'Painter of Happiness' in his homeland portrayed his wife, a self-proclaimed aristocrat, in more than a third of his paintings. Devoted to Impressionism and abstraction, Bonnard founded the Nabis group with other artists in 1888. The film is set over four time periods - 'the early days' from when they first met in 1893, then 1914, 1918 and 1942. Pierre died in 1947 at the age of 79 and Marthe died in 1942 at the age of 72. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and was released in its native France in early January this year having so far grossed US$2.5M from a production budget of US$8.8M. 

'WILL & HARPER' (Rated M) - is an American documentary film Co-Written and Directed by Josh Greenbaum whose prior film credits include 'The Short Game' in 2013, 'Becoming Bond' in 2017, 'Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar' in 2021 and 'Strays' in 2023. When comedian, Producer and Actor Will Ferrell finds out his close friend of 30 years, writer Harper Steele, is coming out as a trans woman, the two decide to embark on a seventeen day cross-country road trip across the USA to process this new stage of their relationship in an intimate portrait of friendship and transition. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Sundance Film Festival back in late January this year, with distribution rights subsequently acquired by Netflix. It has garnered generally positive critical reviews. 

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-

THE CROW : Tuesday 3rd September 2024.

I saw the MA15+ rated 'THE CROW' at my local multiplex earlier this week, and this American gothic superhero film is Directed by Rupert Sanders who made his Directorial debut with 'Snow White and the Huntsman' in 2012 and followed this up with 'Ghost in the Shell' in 2017. This film is a reboot of 'The Crow' film series, it is the fifth film in the franchise, and is the second film, after the 1994 original film Directed by Alex Proyas, to adapt the 1989 comic book series by James O'Barr. This film adaptation saw its World Premiere in New York City on 20th August, was released in the US on 23rd August, here in Australia on 29th August, and has generated negative reviews from critics and has bombed at the Box Office, grossing so far just US$18M globally from a production budget of US$50M.

The film opens with Shelly (FKA Twigs) receiving a video-text from her friend Zadie (Isabella Wei) that incriminates Vincent Roeg (Danny Huston), a crime lord posing as a musical aristocrat. Choosing to save the video, despite knowing that possessing it would mean her death, Shelly attempts to go into hiding but is pursued soon afterwards by Roeg's henchmen. They call off their pursuit when Shelly is arrested for drug possession. Meanwhile Eric (Bill Skarsgard), an addict with a far from ideal childhood, struggles to maintain a grip on his life, suffers nightmares at a rehab centre, and is relentlessly picked on by other patients and staff alike. Zadie is captured and interrogated by Roeg. He reveals that, centuries ago, he had made a pact with the Devil to send innocent souls to Hell in exchange for eternal life. He forces Zadie to kill herself by whispering incantations in her ear. 

Shelly, a musician suffering similar issues to Eric is sent to the same rehab centre where Eric is housed. The two quickly form a firm bond. When Marian (Laura Birn), Roeg's right-hand woman, suddenly appears at the institution, Shelly panics and convinces Eric to help her escape. Breaking through a laundry window and over razor wire, they take refuge in the vacant home of one of Shelly's friends who is away indefinitely in Antigua, and the two soon fall in love and attempt to live a carefree life together, but are soon found by Roeg's men and suffocated to death. 

Eric wakes in a purgatory-like disused rail yard where Kronos (Sami Bouajila), a spirit guide, explains that Eric will have to kill Roeg and all of his associates in order to be reunited with Shelly. Revived and possessing the ability to rapidly self-heal from injuries, Eric visits Sophia (Josette Simon), Shelly's mother, who accompanied Marian to the rehab centre. Sophia reveals that she made a deal with Roeg - wealth in exchange for Shelly's soul. After Eric leaves, Roeg visits Sophia to ask about Eric and then forces her to jump off the roof to her death when dissatisfied with her answers. Eric proceeds to hunt down and kill several of Roeg's men, and afterwards finds Shelly's phone with the incriminating video revealing that Roeg had previously forced Shelly to kill a woman, having whispered incantations into her ear. 

Suddenly doubting his love for Shelly, Eric loses his ability to heal and is again killed. Returned to the afterlife, Eric makes a deal with Kronos to take Shelly's place in Hell in exchange for another chance to kill Roeg. Kronos grants Eric his wish saying that he will forever be banished to the depths of Hell, that his blood will run black, but that his superhuman strength and his ability to self-heal will be returned. 

Roeg learns of Eric's supernatural abilities and orders Marian to lure him to them in order to seize Eric's powers. Eric tracks Marian to an opera house, brutally killing all of Roeg's henchmen with a Samurai sword to reach her, but not before being riddled with more bullets than you could possibly count, which of course he is immune to. Marian reluctantly states Roeg's location at his country estate before Eric decapitates her. 

Eric drives to Roeg's estate where a fight breaks out between them both with Roeg managing to subdue Eric and attempts to steal his powers before Eric is able to transport them both to the afterlife, where he quickly finishes Roeg who is then pulled down into the abyss of Hell, and saves Shelly's soul. After Shelly rises to the surface the lovers share a brief reunion, before Shelly is revived on the night of their deaths and mourns for Eric after Kronos, disguised as a medic, tells her that he gave his life for her. Eric willingly accepts his fate, content in his belief that their souls will one day be reunited.

Much has been written about this turkey of a movie that really we didn't need when we have the cult classic 1994 version featuring Brandon Lee who so tragically died during the films production. Here Director Rupert Sanders has opted for style over substance with this gothic revenge thriller and a slow paced hardly convincing love story that is heavy on the imagery and the visceral action sequences particularly in the third act, but light on in terms of plot points. Bill Skarsgard gives his all as the tortured lost soul hell bent on avenging the death of his beloved girlfriend and who is pumped so full of lead its a wonder he could walk and dispense with all those nasty followers of Roeg in such a violent bloodfest, but all the other characters are largely one dimensional. For those of us familiar with the original film, don't bother having your judgement clouded by this unnecessary reboot, and for those of us who aren't don't waste your money on the price of a cinema ticket when you can stream it in a couple of months for a lot less. 

'The Crow' warrants two claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-