What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 14th August 2025.

The 78th edition of the Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) takes place this year from Thursday 14th through until Wednesday 20th August. EIFF is the world’s oldest continually running film festival and, in 2024, relaunched as a brand new entity with a new board of industry leaders. Honouring 70+ years of festival history, EIFF showcases the very best filmmaking talent in a re-energised format that is rooted in a local Scottish context whilst embracing the international diversity of creative expression. EIFF’s August fixture runs in parallel to a host of creative festivals taking place in Edinburgh, including The Fringe, Edinburgh International Festival, Edinburgh International Book Festival, Edinburgh International Art Festival, Edinburgh International TV Festival, and many more, which sell millions of tickets to cultural connoisseurs from around the world. A global player celebrating the very best that cinema has to offer in a modern, energised context, the core strategy of the revitalised Festival is to embed within the wider cultural offering taking place in Edinburgh in August, embracing the sense of discovery, experimentation and cross-arts collaboration - so reads the official website.

This years Opening Night Film presentation is 'Sorry, Baby' from the UK and the USA and Directed by Eva Victor and stars Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie and Lucas Hedges. Something bad happened to Agnes, but life goes on for everyone else. When a beloved friend on the brink of a major milestone visits, Agnes starts to realise just how stuck she's been, and begins to work through how to move forward. UK Premiere. 

The Closing Night Film of the festivals Midnight Madness strand is 'The Toxic Avenger' from the USA and Directed by Macon Blair and starring Peter Dinklage, Jacob Tremblay, Kevin Bacon and Elijah Wood. A downtrodden janitor, Winston Gooze, becomes a social outcast when a freak accident at a chemical factory turns him into a mutant. However, he soon uses his newfound superhuman strength to battle slimy criminals and a corrupt CEO. UK Premiere.

The ultra-competitive The Sean Connery Prize for Feature Filmmaking Excellence presents a panorama of contemporary international film and exciting new filmmakers. The Competition comprises ten feature-length World Premieres, with the winning filmmaker awarded £50K to support their future projects. Decided by an audience vote, the winner will be announced at the end of the Festival and the award is generously supported by The Sean Connery Foundation. Those ten films are :-

* 'Best Boy' - from Canada and Directed by Jesse Noah Kline. Three adult children and their mother reunite after the death of their abusive father and engage in a strange, cruel competition that shaped their childhood. As the games play out, hidden truths emerge.

* 'Blue Film' - from the USA and Directed by Elliot Tuttle. A queer camboy agrees to spend the night with a mysterious stranger.

* 'Concessions' - from the USA and Directed by Mas Bouzidi. Oddball staff, wacky clientele and even ageing Hollywood idols cross paths at a small town US cinema on the day of its closure.

* 'In Transit' - from the USA and Directed by Jaclyn Bethany. When an enigmatic artist invites a young bartender to pose for her, a strange, confusing relationship develops that will change both women forever. Starring Jennifer Ehle and Francois Arnaud.

* 'Low Rider' - from the UK and South Africa and Directed by Campbell X. A young woman embarks on a road trip to find her estranged father, aided by a charismatic stranger on the way.

* 'Mortician' - from Canada and Directed by Abdolreza Kahani. A mild-mannered Iranian mortician in Canada forms an unexpected bond with a dissident singer in exile.

* 'Novak' - from Greece and Switzerland and Directed by Harry Lagoussis. An ostracised neuroscientist is drawn out of hiding by an activist group of idealistic young scientists fascinated by his previously discredited theories.

* 'On The Sea' - from the UK and Directed by Helen Walsh. A fishing village on the Welsh coast is the breathtakingly atmospheric setting for this rough and tender love story about a married mussel farmer who falls in love with a handsome newcomer. 

* 'Once You Shall Be One Of Those Who Lived Long Ago' - from Sweden and Directed by Alexander Ryneus and Per Bifrost. A documentary about the remaining people in Malmberget in north Sweden, a small town collapsing into the mines beneath it. As residents reflect on the once vibrant community, the town itself is slowly dismantled around them.

* 'Two Neighbours' - from the UK and USA and Directed by Ondine Vinao. This modern retelling of an Aesop fable, in which two women from different worlds collide one night at a debauched party and are faced with a bizarre offer from a charismatic stranger.

For the full line up of other feature films being showcased, documentaries, short films, World Premiere screenings and a whole lot of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : https://www.edfilmfest.org/

Turning the focus back on this weeks four new release movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, we kick start with a fantasy drama film that tells the story from childhood to adulthood, as Charles Krantz experiences the wonder of love, the heartbreak of loss, and the multitudes contained in all of us. This is followed by a sequel to an earlier 2021 film that sees this seemingly ordinary suburban dad and former assassin once again drawn into the violent world he tried to leave behind. Next up we have a biographical drama film about a wild school boy Rich Jenkins, son of a boozy miner and an English teacher who recognised his talent, Philip Burton; and closing out the week we have a story of how surviving on an isolated farm after a series of plagues and wars, a former soldier and her family make one last stand against a vicious militia that wants to take their land.

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.

'THE LIFE OF CHUCK' (Rated M) - is an American fantasy drama film Written for the screen, Co-Produced, Directed and Edited by Mike Flanagan who made his feature film making debut with 'Absentia' in 2011, and which he would follow up with 'Oculus' in 2013, then 'Hush', 'Before I Wake' and 'Ouija : Origin of Evil' all in 2016, 'Gerald's Game' in 2017 and 'Doctor Sleep' in 2019. He also created, wrote, Produced, and served as Showrunner on the Netflix horror series 'The Haunting of Hill House' in 2018, 'The Haunting of Bly Manor' in 2020, 'Midnight Mass' in 2021, 'The Midnight Club' in 2022 and 'The Fall of the House of Usher' in 2023 also Directing and Editing some if not all episodes of each. This film is based on the novella of the same name by Stephen King, which was published in his 2020 compilation book 'If It Bleeds'. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at TIFF in early September last year, was released in the USA in mid-June, has garnered generally favourable critical reviews and has so far grossed US$11.5M. 

The film is shown in reverse chronological order with the film split into three acts, from adulthood to childhood Charles 'Chuck' Krantz (Tom Hiddleston) experiences the wonder of love (Act Three : Thanks, Chuck), the heartbreak of loss (Act Two : Buskers Forever), and the multitudes contained in all of us (Act One : I Contain Multitudes). Also starring Jacob Tremblay as seventeen year old Chuck, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Karen Gillan, Mark Hamill, Carl Lumbly, Heather Langenkamp, David Dastmalchian, Q'orianka Kilcher and Nick Offerman.

'NOBODY 2' (Rated MA15+) - this American action thriller film is Directed by Timo Tjahjanto who first burst onto the scene in 2009 as one half of The Mo Brothers with their feature length debut with 'Macabre', which they would follow up with 'Killers' in 2014, and 'Headshot' in 2016, and then in his own right 'May the Devil Take You' and 'The Night Comes for Us' both in 2018, 'May the Devil Take You Too' in 2020, 'The Big 4' in 2022 and 'The Shadow Strays' in 2024. Here then, this sequel to 2021's 'Nobody' sees suburban husband, father and workaholic assassin Hutch Mansell (Bob Odenkirk who also Co-Wrote the screenplay and Co-Produces here too) takes his wife Becca (Connie Nielsen) his teenage son Brady (Gage Munroe) and his daughter Sammy (Paisley Cadorath) on a much-needed vacation to the small tourist town of Plummerville, after thwarting a home invasion. However, he soon finds himself in the crosshairs of a corrupt theme-park operator Henry (John Ortiz), shady sheriff Abel (Colin Hanks), and Lendina (Sharon Stone) a bloodthirsty crime boss and the mastermind behind a bootlegging operation. Also starring Christopher Lloyd, RZA and Michael Ironside. The film is released in the US this week also.

'MR. BURTON' (Rated M) - is a British biographical drama film Directed by Marc Evans who made his theatrical feature film debut with 'House of America' in 1997 which he would follow up with the likes of 'Resurrection Man' in 1998, 'My Little Eye' in 2002, 'Trauma' in 2004, 'Snow Cake' in 2006 and 'Hunky Dory' in 2011. Here, in the Welsh town of Port Talbot, in 1942, Richard Jenkins (Harry Lawtey) lives as a wayward schoolboy, caught between the pressures of his struggling family, a devastating war, and his own ambitions. However, a new opportunity arises when Richard’s natural talent for drama catches the attention of his teacher, Philip Burton (Toby Jones). Taking Richard under his wing, the young man thrives thanks to Philip’s strict tutelage and the guidance of kindly landlady, Ma Smith (Leslie Manville). However, as the acting world comes within Richard’s reach, the burden of his past risks holding him back forever. Also starring Aneurin Barnard. The film was released in the UK in early April this year. 

'40 ACRES' (Rated MA15+) - this Canadian post-apocalyptic thriller film is Written and Directed by R. T. Thorne in his feature film making Directorial debut. Here, a matriarch of descendants of African American farmers and former soldier Hailey Freeman (Danielle Deadwyler) who settled in 1875 in rural Canada after the first Civil War, find themselves two hundred years later, trying to survive in a decimated future as they strive to defend their forty acre homestead in the middle of nowhere against cannibals and raiders. The film saw its premiere screening at TIFF in early September last year, was released in the US in early April this year, has so far grossed US$775K and has generated largely favourable critical reviews.

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-