What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 29th May 2025.

The 28th Brooklyn Film Festival (BFF) this year runs from Friday 30th May through until Sunday 8th June. BFF, a non-profit organisation, is an International, competitive festival. BFF's mission is to provide a public forum in Brooklyn in order to advance public interest in films and the independent production of films. To draw worldwide attention to Brooklyn as a centre for cinema. To encourage the rights of all Brooklyn residents to access and experience the power of independent filmmaking, and to promote artistic excellence and the creative freedom of artists without censure. Award-winning films from the Brooklyn Film Festival have gone on to be nominated and awarded at the British Academy Awards (BAFTAs), the American Academy Awards (Oscars), and the Canadian Screen Award.

This year there are 145 films divided into forty-two film programmes and in six categories - Feature Narrative, Documentary Feature, Short Narrative, Doc Short, Experimental and Animation. In the Feature Narrative section, the Opening Night film presentation is 'This Will Never Work' from the USA and is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Marina Tempelsman and Niccolo Aeed. This film is about a Black family coming together to have an intervention for Amanda's drinking problem. They've hired a therapist named Trevor, written emotional letters, and now they sit and wait for Amanda to arrive. But when she does, Trevor realises that the family hasn't exactly been honest with him. World Premiere screening.

The other films being showcased in the Narrative Feature section are :-

* 'Alice-Heart' - from the USA and is Written and Directed by Mike Macera. Alice-Heart is an aimless college student residing in Philadelphia. She aspires to be a successful writer but drops out of school in her last semester of senior year on a whim. Immediately cut off from her disappointed Filipino mother and dumped by her studious boyfriend, she finds that she has to pay bills on her own for the first time.

* 'The Courageous' - from Switzerland and Directed by Jasmin Gordon. In a small town on the edge of wild country, an eccentric and delinquent mother has had enough of the rules. Crushed by her mistakes and by a society that doesn’t give a damn, or a second chance, to people like her, she’ll do anything to prove to her children, and to herself, that she still is a good person.

* 'Difference & Repetition, 2020' - from the USA, Peru and Argentina and Written, Co-Produced, Directed, Co-Edited and Scored by Mav Block. In March 2020, an Argentine woman flees New York with her Peruvian husband for his family’s empty beach house outside of Lima, whereupon an unplanned pregnancy precipitates the destruction of her marriage. In the present day, she rips the moments of this narrative from their context, and reconstructs her story to reckon with her profound feeling of loneliness and the experience of time in which it has trapped her. World Premiere screening.

* 'Domestic Animals' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Scored by Juan Pablo Daranas Molina. On the brink of their thirties, five longtime friends reunite for a farewell getaway, but their idyllic retreat turns sour when they lose their beloved dogs in the woods. World Premiere showcasing.

* 'Era' - from Kosovo and Written and Directed by Parta Kelmendi. Set in Kosovo in 1990, and after a series of unfortunate events, Era and her family are forced to move from Pristina to the village of her grandmother. She will need to leave behind her friends, her boyfriend, and her life as she knows it and at the same time comply with the village rules. As she tries to adapt to her new reality the dynamics in her life change, redefining her relationship with her parents, her youth, and her future. World Premiere.

* 'Foul Evil Deeds' - from the UK and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Richard Hunter. A dark comedy showcasing the wide variety of evil behaviour human beings are capable of.

* 'I See The Demon' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Jacob Lees Johnson. After seeing a strange object floating in the sky, Lucy comes home to a surprise birthday party with all of her favourite people. She’s overjoyed, but when asked about her day, she realises she can’t remember anything about it. Her loved ones assure her it’s nothing to worry about, but as more unsettling things occur that only she seems to notice, they keep telling her to relax... enjoy the party... there’s nothing to worry about... we’ll take care of you...

* 'Intruders' - from France and Written and Directed by Reza Serkanian. Some foreign minors take refuge on the farm of a caring lady. They are looking for a home but get involved in the story of a broken family. The situation escalates when the lady mysteriously disappears. A family investigation suspects the young migrants, who are hiding something out of fear and ignorance of their rights. During a traditional initiation ceremony, secrets come to light.

* 'Mouse' - from the USA and Directed and starring by Kenny Riches. Between stealing bicycles and breaking into cars, Denny’s only social outlet is spending time with his mother who loves reading correspondence from their Japanese family overseas. Denny’s loneliness pushes him to sign up for a penpal service from a classified-ad. He begins writing letters to a woman named Tess, whom he develops feelings for, but lies to about his nonexistent wealth and success. Unbeknownst to Denny, the penpal service is a scheme Tess and her real-life boyfriend, Maury, run to take advantage of the lonely. Tess and Maury find themselves in financial trouble of their own and decide to travel to Denny to take him for all he’s worth. World Premiere.

* 'The Rabbit Hole' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Edited by Sam Jonas. Isaac, a neurotic tree-hugger, builds a god-like supercomputer in order to save the natural world. But, when the machine comes to life and his existence begins to crumble, Isaac is forced to choose between destiny and the person he loves most. World Premiere.

* 'The Snare' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Merlin Camozzi. Eighteen year old Dani lives on the edge of lower-middle class America - working fast food, caring for her younger brother, and ignoring letters from her incarcerated father. Her one shot at escape is a scholarship to a state school. But when she’s caught with a few MDMA tabs bought from twenty year old Marty - a small-time dealer to whom she feels deeply drawn, the future she’s worked for begins to collapse. The Police offer her a deal - help them catch someone bigger, and they’ll forget the drugs. Dani agrees, keeping the deal secret from everyone, including Marty. 

* 'Stationed at Home' - from the USA and Written and Directed by Daniel V. Masciari. On a clear and frigid Christmas Eve in 1998, in a small, forgotten city, a solitary taxi driver on the graveyard shift breathlessly awaits the sight of the International Space Station. As the hours count down, a parade of offbeat misfits derail his plans, propelling the story to its exhilarating climax. US Premiere.

* 'Violent Butterflies' - from Mexico and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Adolfo Davila. A graffiti artist and the singer of a punk band, meet in an atmosphere of profound social crisis and discontent. Their idealist and revolutionary minds seek a world of justice and they are willing to fight for it. Music and street art, unite them and serve as their weapons. Naive and innocent, they are unaware of the power of impunity and injustice until they fall victims to Police brutality. US Premiere screening.

* 'White Flash' - from the Netherlands and Co-Written and Directed by Laura Hermanides. This is the story of Aagje, Toon and their forty-two year old son Rick, who suffers from psychotic episodes, depression and severe headaches. We follow their journey in the last six weeks leading up to the death of Rick. A journey proving that letting someone so close to us go, is the most extreme expression of love. US Premiere.

For the full synopsis of the other films featured in all sections of this years Brooklyn Film Festival, plus a whole lot of other good stuff, you can go to the official website at : https://www.brooklynfilmfestival.org/

This week there are just three new movie offerings to tempt you out to your local Odeon, starting off with a story of one of the richest men in Europe, his family and the family business which he bequeaths to his only daughter which soon attracts the unwanted attention of assassins and terrorists alike. This is followed by an Aussie horror film in which a brother and sister witness a terrifying ritual at the secluded home of their new foster mother; before closing out the week with a French romantic drama film in which a local rebellious teenager falls for his schoolmate but gang violence leads him down a darker destructive path.

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.

'THE PHOENICIAN SCHEME' (Rated M) - is a US and German Co-Produced espionage black comedy film Produced, Written and Directed by Wes Anderson from a story he conceived with Roman Coppola. Anderson's previous feature film credits take in the likes of his debut in 1996 with 'Bottle Rocket', and which he would follow up with other offerings including 'The Royal Tenenbaums' in 2001, 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' in 2004, 'Fantastic Mr. Fox' in 2009, 'The Grand Budapest Hotel' in 2014, 'Isle of Dogs' in 2018, 'The French Dispatch' in 2021, and 'Asteroid City' in 2023. This film Premiered in the main competition at this years Cannes Film Festival in mid-May and is released in the USA and here in Australia this week.

Wealthy businessman and derring-do multi-millionaire Zsa-zsa Korda (Benicio del Toro) who has survived six plane crashes and fathered nine sons, appoints his only daughter, a nun, Sister Liesl (Mia Threapleton) as sole heir to his estate. With tutor Bjorn Lund (Michael Cera), they embark on a quest to secure the future of Korda’s business ventures, and as Korda embarks on a new enterprise, they soon become the target of scheming tycoons, foreign terrorists and determined assassins. Also starring a cast of notable A-listers including Tom Hanks, Scarlett Johansson, Rupert Friend, Richard Ayoade, Bryan Cranston, Riz Ahmed, Mathieu Amalric, Jeffrey Wright, Hope Davis, Benedict Cumberbatch, Bill Murray, Willem Dafoe, F. Murray Abraham and Charlotte Gainsbourg. 

'BRING HER BACK' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian horror film is Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou and Co-Written by Danny Philippou, whose debut feature film was the critically acclaimed and commercially successful 'Talk to Me' in 2023. The brothers are known together online as RackaRacka, and are Australian twin filmmakers, YouTubers, and stunt performers, and are known for their horror comedy YouTube videos. Here then, following the death of their father, a brother Andy (Billy Barratt) and sister Catherine (Mischa Heywood) are introduced to their new sibling Oliver (Jonah Wren Phillips) by their foster mother Laura (Sally Hawkins), only to learn that she has a terrifying secret at their new secluded home. This film is released Stateside too this week. 

'BEATING HEARTS' (Rated MA15+) - is a French and Belgian Co-Produced romantic drama film that is Co-Written and Directed by the French Actor and occasional film maker Gilles Lellouche, and is based on the 1997 novel 'Jackie Loves Johnser OK?' by Irishman Neville Thompson. Here, seventeen year old Clotaire (Malik Frikah) falls for his schoolmate the fifteen year old Jackie (Mallory Wanecque), charmed by her fearless spirit and sharp wit. As first love blossoms between the two, and they grow into adults (Francois Civil as the 27 year old Clotaire, and Adele Exarchopoulos as the 25 year old Jackie) gang violence entices him into a darker path and destroys everything when he is charged with a crime he didn't commit. The film had its World Premiere in main competition at the Cannes Film Festival in late May 2024, where it received mostly negative reviews from critics. It was released in cinemas in mid-October last year in its native France and only now is it released here in Australia having so far grossed US$36M from a production budget of US$40M.

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, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-