What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 7th August 2025

This years 73rd Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) launches on Thursday 7th August and runs through until Sunday 24th August, in Victoria's capital city Melbourne, Australia. MIFF’s 73-year history significantly contributes to Melbourne’s standing as a cultural city. With its ongoing commitment to the collective festival experience being open to all, MIFF has contributed to community and connectedness in Melbourne. Audiences come to MIFF for its bold, diverse and adventurous programming. There is delight in the shared cinema experience and in seeking to discover something new about the self or the world. MIFF is an independent not-for-profit organisation that has been continuously running since 1952, making it the premier film festival in Australia and one of the world’s oldest film festivals, alongside Cannes and Berlin. Presenting a curated global programme of innovative screen experiences and the world’s largest showcase of exceptional Australian filmmaking, MIFF is an accessible, iconic cultural event that provides transformative experiences for audiences and filmmakers alike, so reads the official website.

This years Opening Night Gala film presentation is 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You' from the USA and this drama film is Written and Directed by Mary Bronstein and starring Rose Byrne (who won the Berlinale Silver Bear for her Best Leading Performance), Conan O’Brien, Danielle Macdonald and A$AP Rocky. With her life crashing down around her, Linda (Rose Byrne) attempts to navigate her child’s mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist.

The flagship Bright Horizons Award celebrates filmmakers on the ascent, featuring an extraordinary international line-up of first and second-time filmmakers, chosen from within the Bright Horizons film competition. Awarding A$140K to the winner, it is one of the most substantial film prizes in the world.

There are ten feature films within this section, and they are as follows :-

* 'April' - from France, Italy and Georgia and Written and Directed by Dea Kulumbegashvili. Australian Premiere.

* 'First Light' - from Australia and the Philippines and Written and Directed by James J. Robinson. World Premiere.

* 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You' - from the USA and Written and Directed by Mary Bronstein. Australian Premiere.

* 'The Mysterious Gaze of the Flamingo' - from Germany, France, Belgium, Spain and Chile and Written and Directed by Diego Cespedes. Australian Premiere.

* 'A Poet' - from Germany, Colombia and Sweden and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Simon Mesa Soto. Australian Premiere.

* 'Renoir' - from Japan, the Philippines, France, Singapore and Indonesia and Written and Directed by Chie Hayakawa. Australian Premiere.

* 'The Rivals of Amziah King' - from the USA and UK and Directed by Andrew Patterson and starring Matthew McConaughey and Kurt Russell. Australian Premiere.

* 'Sound of Falling' - from Germany and Co-Written and Directed by Mascha Schilinski. Australian Premiere.

* 'Urchin' - from the UK and Written and Directed by Harris Dickinson. Australian Premiere.

* 'A Useful Ghost' - from Thailand and Written and Directed by Ratchapoom Boonbunchachoke. Australian Premiere.

For the full synopsis of the above named films in the Bright Horizons Competitive strand, plus the other feature, documentary, animated and short films being showcased at this years Melbourne International Film Festival, plus a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : https://miff.com.au/

Turning back to this weeks six hot new release movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, we kick off with a mystery horror offering of when all but one child from the same class mysteriously vanish on the same night at exactly the same time, a community is left questioning who or what is the reason for their sudden and unexplained disappearance. This is followed by a sword and sorcery offering telling the story of a young girl who rises from the ashes of tragedy to become the most feared warrior woman of all time - the She-Devil with a Sword. Then we turn to a fantasy comedy film about a mother and daughter who discover that lightning may indeed strike twice as they navigate the myriad challenges that come when two families merge. Next up we have a psychological drama thriller about how after their mother suffers a fatal overdose, two sisters fear that the foster system will separate them and decide to hide the body. And closing out the week we have a pair of doco's - the first takes eight kids on the ultimate school excursion - a road trip across Europe to seek solutions to the climate crisis; and the second reveals a superfan's intensely personal connection to this iconic rapper and that artist's profound influence, while also exploring fandom's power to forge identity and community.

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 coming week.

'WEAPONS' (Rated MA15+) - this American mystery horror film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Co-Scored by Zach Cregger, whose prior feature film making output are 'Miss March' in 2009, 'The Civil War on Drugs' in 2011 and the critically and commercially successful horror thriller 'Barbarian' in 2022. The film is released in the US from next week, and cost US$38M to produce. 

Seventeen children from Justine Gandy's (Julia Garner) class all leave their homes in Maybrook and disappear at exactly 2:17 AM. Though only one child Alex Lilly (Cary Christopher) from the class didn't vanish, Justine herself counts as one of two people from the classroom who didn't, and so the community is left questioning who or what is behind their disappearance. Justine needless to say becomes the #1 suspect. Also starring Josh Brolin, Alden Ehrenreich, Benedict Wong and Amy Madigan. 

'RED SONJA' (Rated MA15+) - is an American sword and sorcery film Directed by M. J. Bassett whose previous feature film making credits take in her debut in 2002 with 'Deathwatch' followed by the likes of 'Wilderness' in 2006, 'Solomon Kane' in 2009, 'Silent Hill : Revelation' in 2012, 'Inside Man : Most Wanted' in 2019, 'Rogue' in 2020 and 'Endangered Species' in 2021. This film is a reworking of the 1985 film of the same name that starred Brigitte Nielsen (then Mrs. Sylvester Stallone) in the title role. Here then, captured, chained and forced to fight for survival, barbarian huntress Red Sonja (Matilda Lutz) must battle her way through the blood-soaked pits of a tyrant's empire while rallying an army of outcasts to reclaim her freedom and take down Dragan the Magnificent (Robert Sheehan) and his ruthless bride, Dark Annisia (Wallis Day). The film is released in the US on 15th August. 

'FREAKIER FRIDAY' (Rated PG) - this fantasy comedy film is Directed by Nisha Ganatra who saw her feature film Directorial debut with 1999's 'Chutney Popcorn' which she would follow up with 'Fast Food High' in 2003, 'Cake' in 2005, 'Late Night' in 2019 and 'The High Note' in 2020. This film is a sequel to the 2003 film 'Freaky Friday' which grossed US$161M off the back of a US$26M production budget, and is the seventh film in the franchise which began in 1976 with 'Freaky Friday' and starred Jodie Foster and Barbara Harris in the two lead roles in which a mother and her daughter switch their bodies, and they get a taste of each other's lives. Here then, 22 years after Tess Coleman (Jamie Lee Curtis, who also Co-Produces here) and Anna (Lindsay Lohan) endured an identity crisis, Anna now has a daughter and a soon-to-be stepdaughter. As they navigate the challenges that come when two families merge, Tess and Anna discover that lightning might strike twice. The film is released Stateside on 8th August.

'WHAT WE HIDE' (Rated CTC) - is an American psychological drama thriller film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Dan Kay in only his second feature film outing following 'Way Off Broadway' in 2001. After their mother suffers a fatal overdose, two sisters Spider (Mckenna Grace) and Jessie (Jojo Regina) fear that the foster system will separate them, and decide to hide the body. But with the local sheriff asking questions and their mum's drug dealer lurking, their future becomes uncertain, as their lie may be discovered and they must decide how far they are willing to go to keep their secret. Also starring Dacre Montgomery, Forrest Goodluck and Jesse Williams. The film gets a limited released in the US at the end of this month. 

'FUTURE COUNCIL' (Rated PG) - this Netherlands and Australian documentary film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Damon Gameau whose previous feature length doco's are 'That Sugar Film' in 2014 and '2040' in 2019. As millions of children around the world become increasingly frustrated by the dire lack of action to protect the planet and their future, with their only avenue to express these concerns has been protesting on the streets. And so Damon Gameau invites eight passionate, curious, and very funny children on an epic adventure across Europe in a school bus powered by biofuel. Their mission is to better understand the planet’s predicament, explore solutions and, most importantly, take the conversation from the streets, into the boardrooms of some of the world’s most influential companies. This inspiring and rollicking journey results in the children forming a Future Council to advise and collaborate with the world's most powerful companies. It is a coming-of-age journey that dares to imagine a brighter future.

'STANS' (Rated M) - this American documentary film is Co-Produced and Directed by Steven Leckart in his feature length debut. Released in 2000, and now twenty-five years following on from hip-hop icon Eminem’s song 'Stan', about an obsessed fan who takes his admiration for the rapper too far, the landscape of fandom has completely changed. Flipping the music documentary format on its head, Stans follows not just Eminem’s artistic trajectory, but that of his most loyal superfans, with the film offering an entertaining and vibrant look at the modern nature of fandom and how social media has irrevocably changed the relationship between artists and their audience. The film is released worldwide this week at select movie theatres for a limited time only screening.

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 week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-