What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 2nd October 2025

The 36th edition of the Dinard British and Irish Film Festival takes place between Wednesday 1st and Sunday 5th October in the north western town of Dinard, in Brittany, France. With its international film festival, villas, sumptuous hotels and casino, Dinard is regarded as one of the most prestigious seaside resorts in all of France. Founded in 1989 by Thierry de la Fourniere, the British Film Festival introduces professionals and film buffs alike to the richness of a dynamic and original production. The Dinard British Film Festival and British film production have grown in parallel. As the number of films produced in Great Britain doubled in the early '90's, the Festival saw its reputation and attendance grow. From social chronicles to wacky comedies, British cinema is a force to be reckoned with. True to its original spirit, the Dinard Festival has become an important vector for all films wishing to conquer the European market. The event is also an opportunity for the many distributors present to discover films that will be able to find a network of theatres after the festival . . . so reads the official website.

This years Jury overseeing the Official Competition of five feature films comprises Jury President Rupert Everett ably supported by Ruby Wax and Jennifer Saunders amongst others. The Festival’s emblematic prize, the Golden Hitchcock is awarded by each year’s Jury to the best film in the selection, as well as the Hitchcock for Best Performance, the Special Jury Prize and the Audience Award to the film that viewers liked best.

Those five films are detailed in brief here :-

* 'Dragonfly' - from the UK and this drama film is Written and Directed by Paul Andrew Williams. Two troubled women form an uneasy relationship when the younger Colleen takes it upon herself to care for her elderly neighbour, Elsie. Against a backdrop of austerity, inadequate social care and fractured family relations, suspicions arise that Colleen's intentions may not be what they seem. Starring Andrea Riseborough, Brenda Blethyn and Jason Watkins.

* 'Mr. Burton' - from the UK and this biographical drama film is Directed by Marc Evans. The story of the relationship between Port Talbot schoolmaster Philip Burton and a wild young schoolboy called Richard Jenkins, the son of a wayward drunk, to become known worldwide as Richard Burton. Richard dreamed of becoming an Actor, but his ambitions were in danger of being derailed by family trouble, the pressure of war, and his own lack of discipline. Mr Burton recognised the raw talent in his pupil, becoming his tutor, strict taskmaster and eventually his adoptive father. Starring Toby Jones, Harry Lawtey and Lesley Manville.

* 'My Father's Shadow' - from the UK and Nigeria and this drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Akinola Davies Jnr. This semi-autobiographical story is set in a single day in the Nigerian megalopolis of Lagos during the 1993 electoral crisis. A father tries to guide his two young sons through the sprawling city as political unrest threatens. 

* 'The Damned' - from the UK, Iceland, Ireland, Belgium and the USA this folk horror film is Directed by Thordur Palsson. Fighting for survival at an isolated 19th-century Icelandic fishing outpost, the widow Eva and her crew are cursed after making a dramatic choice to not help a sinking ship off the coast and instead to let them perish. They face the consequences of chaos - a darkness of eerie visions and mysterious deaths which consumes them all. Starring Odessa Young, Joe Cole and Siobhan Finneran.

* 'The Thing with Feathers' - from the UK and this drama film is Written for the screen and Directed by Dylan Southern. A young father whose grip on reality crumbles after the death of his wife, as a strange presence begins to stalk him in the dark corners of the apartment he shares with his two young sons. This mysterious creature, known as 'Crow', who seems to have come to life in the pages of his illustrator's work, becomes a very real part of their lives, ultimately guiding them to the new shape the family must take. Starring Benedict Cumberbatch, David Thewlis, Richard Boxall, Henry Boxall and Eric Lampaert.

For the other film strands being showcased, plus a whole lot of other good stuff, you can go to the official website at : https://www.dinardfestivaldufilm.fr/en/

Turning the attention then back to this weeks four new movies heading your way, we kick off (quite literally) with a supernatural spots horror film in which we follow the trials of a young up-and-coming American football player training at the isolated compound of an ageing, nearly retired quarterback. This is followed by a biographical sports drama film about an MMA fighter back in the early days of the sport who reaches the peak of his career, but faces personal hardships along the way. Next up we have a supernatural horror thriller film about a woman's obsessive search for her missing sister that leads her into a terrifying mystery at the hands of an unknown evil; before closing out the week with a family friendly comedy film from the UK about a troubled young girl who begins a new life with her tough aunt and discovers a supernatural talent that might help her win the contentious local pumpkin-growing contest.

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.

'HIM' (Rated MA15+) - is an American supernatural psychological sports horror film that is Co-Written and Directed by Justin Tipping in only his second feature film Directing outing following 2016's 'Kicks'. He has Directed a number of TV series episodes including four episodes of 'Twenties' in 2020, three each of 'Flatbush Misdemeanours' and 'Run the World' in 2021, and four of 'Joe vs. Carole' in 2022. The film is Produced by Jordan Peele's ('Get Out', 'Us' and 'Nope') Monkeypaw Productions. The film was release in the US on 19th September, has so far grossed US$21M off the back of a US$27M production budget and has generated less than favourable critical reviews.

Cameron Cade (Tyriq Withers) is a rising quarterback who suffers a potentially career-ending injury after being attacked by an unhinged fan, and suffers a brain injury. Just when all seems lost, Cam receives a lifeline when his hero, the legendary quarterback for the San Antonio Saviors Isaiah White (Marlon Wayans), offers to train him at an isolated compound. However, as the training accelerates, Isaiah's charisma turns into something darker, sending Cam down a disorienting rabbit hole that may cost him more than he ever bargained for. Also starring Julia Fox, Tim Heidecker and Jim Jefferies.

'THE SMASHING MACHINE' (Rated M) - this American biographical sports drama film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Edited by Benny Safdie whose previous feature film Directing credits, with his brother Josh, are their debut 'Daddy Longlegs' in 2009, 'Lenny Cooke' in 2013, 'Heaven Knows What' in 2014, 'Good Time' in 2017 and 'Uncut Gems' in 2019. This film is Benny Safdie's first solo Directing feature. This powerful true story of pioneering mixed martial arts/UFC fighter Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson), who helped grow the sport’s popularity in its early days, but the fights’ brutal demands took a toll, eventually leading to painkiller addiction. The constant need to travel, since the most lucrative early matches were always in Japan, didn’t help either, and standing by his side was his devoted partner Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt), tormented by the price he pays. Also starring Ryan Bader, Bas Rutten and Oleksandr Usyk, the film had its World Premiere showcasing in the main competition of this years Venice International Film Festival in early September where it won the Silver Lion. It is released in the US this week also, cost US$40M to produce and has generated positive critical reviews.

'SHELBY OAKS' (Rated CTC) - is an American supernatural horror thriller film that is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Chris Stuckmann in his feature length Directorial debut. The film follows Mia Brennan (Camille Sullivan) as she frantically searches for her sister Riley (Sarah Durn), who ominously disappeared in the last tape of her investigative series, ‘Paranormal Paranoids’. As Mia discovers new and disturbing leads related to Riley’s disappearance, she uncovers evidence of a hidden supernatural evil dating all the way back to her and Riley’s childhood. Also starring Brendon Sexton III, Michael Beach, Robin Bartlett and Keith David. The film had its World Premiere at the Fantasia International Film Festival in late July last year, is released here in Australia this week and in the US on 24th October, has generated mixed or average reviews and cost in the region of US$2M to produce.

'GROW' (Rated PG) - this UK family comedy film is Directed by John McPhail whose feature film credits take in his debut in 2015 with 'Where Do We Go from Here?', which he would follow up with 'Anna and the Apocalypse' in 2017 and then 'Dear David' in 2023. Here, a no-nonsense farmer, Dinah Little (Golda Rosheuvel) living in the self-proclaimed 'Pumpkin Capital of the World', takes in her estranged niece Charlie (Priya-Rose Brookwell). Charlie decides to enter the local pumpkin growing competition where she and the other pumpkin growers face fierce competition, sabotage and a genetically engineered rival. As she nurtures her pumpkin 'Peter' and watches him grow, so does her bond with the townsfolk, farm and her new way of life. Also starring Nick Frost, Tim McInnerny, Jane Horrocks and Joe Wilkinson. The film was released in the UK in mid-August and is released Stateside this week too. 

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 week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-