What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th June 2025

The 27th annual Provincetown International Film Festival (PIFF) this year runs from Wednesday 11th June through to Sunday 15th June, and is dedicated to showcasing new achievements in independent film and honouring the work of emerging as well as acclaimed Directors, Producers, and Actors. PIFF is committed to serving communities who are often outside of the mainstream, in the margins, or otherwise underserved, but have a voice critical to the evolution of artistic expression. Founded in 1999, and now celebrating its 27th anniversary, PIFF has permanently established itself as the largest cultural event in lower Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA and Provincetown’s premier cultural event, attracting 10,000 plus film-goers, movie buffs, and arts patrons. This five-day festival showcases over eighty American and international independent narrative, documentary, and animated features and shorts as well as panel discussions and special events.

This years Opening Night Film presentation is 'Strange Journey : The Story of Rocky Horror'. 'The Rocky Horror Picture Show' is given a compelling and entertaining treatment by creator Richard O’Brien’s son, Director Linus O’Brien, who brings unique access and insights to this definitive history of this cult phenomenon. At its heart, the 1975 classic is a movie about conservative values versus transgression, an evergreen topic that is arguably a large reason for its continued relevance and popularity. Featuring interviews with a host of the film’s iconic original cast and crew members, including Lou Adler, Tim Curry, Barry Bostwick, and Susan Sarandon. The Closing Night Film is 'Spiritus : No Business Like Dough Business'. Highlighting the rich history of one of the oldest and beloved family-run businesses in Provincetown - Spiritus Pizza is a local gem and iconic late-night gathering spot. Since its founding in 1971, and through the ensuing decades, Spiritus has remained a vibrant epicentre of activity, resilience, and deeply-rooted history in Provincetown, as well as a slice of pizza heaven! US Premiere.

In the Narratives section of the festival, the following films are being showcased :-

* 'Cactus Pears' - from Canada, India and the UK and Directed by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade in his feature debut.

* 'Dreaming of Lions' - from Brazil, Portugal and Spain and Directed by Paolo Marinou-Blanco. North American Premiere.

* 'Dreams (Sex Love)' - from Norway and Directed by Dag Johan Haugererud. This is the final instalment of the Director's trilogy 'Sex-Love-Dreams'.

* 'East of Wall' - from the USA and Directed by Kate Beecroft in her feature debut. Starring Scoot McNairy and Jennifer Ehle.

* 'Familiar Touch' - from the USA and Directed by Sarah Friedland in her feature debut.

* 'Honey Don't' - from the USA and the UK and Directed by Ethan Coen, and starring Margaret Qualley, Chris Evans, Aubrey Plaza, Billy Eichner and Charlie Day.

* 'Jimmy' - from France, Turkey and the USA and Directed by Yashaddai Owens.

* 'Messy' - from the USA and Directed and starring Alexi Wasser in her Directorial debut.

* 'Oh, Hi!' - from the USA and Directed by Sophie Brooks and starring Logan Lerman, Molly Gordon and Geraldine Viswanathan.

* 'Operation Taco Gary's' - from the USA and Directed by Michael Kvamme, and starring Dustin Milligan, Doug Jones, Simon Rex, Jason Biggs and Brenda Song.

* 'Plainclothes' - from the USA and Directed by Carmen Emmi in her Directing debut, and starring Tom Blythe, Russell Tovey and Christian Cooke.

* 'Ponyboi' - from the USA and Directed by Esteban Arango, and starring River Gallo, Dylan O'Brien and Murray Bartlett.

* 'Queens of the Dead' - from the USA and Directed by Tina Romero.

* 'Queerpanorama' - from China, Hong Kong and the USA and Directed by Jun Li.

* 'Sauna' - from Denmark and Directed by Mathias Broe.

* 'Sisters' - from the USA and Directed by and starring Susie Yankou.

* 'Sorry, Baby' - from the USA and Directed by and starring Eva Victor in her Directorial debut with Naomi Ackie and Lucas Hedges.

* 'The Baltimorons' - from the USA and Directed by Jay Duplass in his solo feature Directing debut.

* 'Twinless' - from the USA and Directed by and starring James Sweeney with Dylan O'Brien.

* 'Two Women' - from Canada and Directed by Chloe Robichaud.

For the full synopsis of the above highlighted films, plus the details of the film strands being screened, the in-person conversations being held with Ari Aster, Eva Victor, Murray Bartlett and River Gallo, the awards being presented, plus a whole lot of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : https://www.provincetownfilm.org/festival/

This week then we have four new movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, kicking off with a survival horror film about a surfer who must escape after being abducted by a serial killer intent on feeding her to sharks. Then we have a RomCom about a NYC matchmaker's lucrative business gets complicated as she finds herself torn between the perfect match and her imperfect ex. Next up is a live action remake of a successful animated film from 2010 that sees the friendship between Hiccup, an inventive Viking, and Toothless, a Night Fury dragon, becoming the key to both species forging a new future together; before closing out the week with an Aussie doco about an Australian musician who guides us through his musical career and his wildlife sanctuary in Sumatra, where rescued trafficked animals are nursed back to health by conservationists.

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.

'DANGEROUS ANIMALS' (Rated MA15+) - this American and Australian Co-Produced survival horror film is Directed by Sean Byrne who made his feature debut in 2009 with 'The Loved Ones' and then 'The Devil's Candy' in 2015, with this his third feature film offering. This film saw its premiere screening at the Directors' Fortnight section of this years Cannes Film Festival in mid-May, was released in the US last week and this week in Australia having garnered generally positive critical reviews.

The film follows a savvy and free-spirited surfer, Zephyr (Hassie Harrison), who must escape after being abducted by a shark obsessed serial killer, Tucker (Jai Courtney) and held captive on his boat, where she must figure out how to escape before he carries out a ritualistic feeding to the sharks circling below.

'MATERIALISTS' (Rated M) - is an American RomCom Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Celine Song whose only previous feature film was 2023's critically acclaimed and commercially successful 'Past Lives'. Here, a young, ambitious New York City matchmaker Lucy (Dakota Johnson) finds herself torn between the perfect match in Harry Castillo (Pedro Pascal) and her imperfect ex., John (Chris Evans). Also starring John Magaro and Sawyer Spielberg. The film is released Stateside this week too. 

'HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON' (Rated PG) - this American fantasy film is Written, Co-Produced, and Directed by Dean DeBlois, and is a live-action remake of the 2010 animated film 'How to Train Your Dragon' that was produced by DreamWorks Animation, and is loosely based on the 2003 novel of the same name by Cressida Cowell. Dean DeBlois previous feature film making credits are his debut with 'Lilo & Stitch' in 2002, 'How to Train Your Dragon' in 2010, 'How to Train Your Dragon 2' in 2014 and 'How to Train Your Dragon : The Hidden World' in 2019. On the rugged isle of Berk, where Vikings and dragons have been sworn enemies for generations, Hiccup Horrendous Haddock III (Mason Thames), the inventive yet overlooked son of Chief Stoick the Vast (Gerard Butler), defies centuries of traditional dragon-fighting practice when he befriends Toothless, a feared Night Fury dragon. Their unlikely bond reveals the true nature of dragons, challenging the very foundations of Viking society. Also starring Nick Frost, Nico Parker and Julian Dennison, the film is released in the US this week also, having seen its World Premiere screening in Las Vegas in early April. It has already been announced that a live action remake of 'How to Train Your Dragon 2' is set for release on 11th June 2027. 

'ELLIS PARK' (Rated M) - is an Australian documentary Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Justin Kurzel whose prior feature film making credits take in 'Snowtown' in 2011, 'Macbeth' in 2015, 'Assassin's Creed' in 2016, 'True History of the Kelly Gang' in 2019, 'Nitram' in 2021 and 'The Order' in 2024. Australian musician Warren Ellis takes us on a guided tour through his world and one very special animal sanctuary. A key member of iconic bands 'The Dirty Three' and 'Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds', multi-instrumentalist Ellis has cut a brilliant and unorthodox figure in the music industry for over thirty years. Far from the international concert halls in which he has played, a very different passion project came into being during the dark times of the COVID-19 pandemic - a wildlife sanctuary in the forests of Sumatra. Co-founded by Ellis and spearheaded by the indomitable Femke den Haas, whose dedicated team of conservationists rescues trafficked and mistreated animals and then devotes years to nursing them back to health. The film follows its subject from his childhood home in Ballarat to his first, long-awaited visit to the park that bears his name. Along the way, it delves into Ellis’s expansive love of music and artistic history, illuminating the parallel evolutions in his multifaceted creative practice and commitment to the conservation cause.

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-