What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 30th October 2025.

The 48th Denver Film Festival this year runs from Friday 31st October through until Sunday 9th November. Founded in 1978, the Denver Film Festival was one of the first film festivals in the country. Now, in its 48th year, the Festival is an annual celebration of cinema that takes place in the vibrant city of Denver, Colorado, USA. As one of the region’s premier film events, the Festival showcases an exceptional lineup of thought-provoking, innovative, and diverse films from around the world. With a history spanning over four decades, the Denver Film Festival has established itself as a destination for film enthusiasts, industry professionals, and cultural explorers alike. It provides a platform for emerging filmmakers to showcase their work, while also featuring acclaimed films from established Directors. In addition to the outstanding film screenings, the Denver Film Festival presents a range of Red Carpet presentations, special events, including filmmaker Q&A sessions, panel discussions, workshops, receptions, and industry networking opportunities . . . . . so reads the official website. 

This years Opening Night Presentation is 'Wake Up Dead Man : A Knives Out Mystery' Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Rian Johnson and is the third film in the 'Knives Out' series. Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) returns for his darkest case yet when a murder in a small upstate New York church challenges faith, reason, and everything in between. With an ensemble cast including Josh O’Connor, Glenn Close, Josh Brolin, Mila Kunis, Jeremy Renner, Kerry Washington, Andrew Scott, Cailee Spaeny, Daryl McCormack, and Thomas Haden Church, the film weaves suspense with sharp humour and gothic overtones. 

The six films in Competition for the Krzysztof Kieslowski Award for Best Feature Film are as detailed below :-

* 'Left-Handed Girl' - from Taiwan and Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Shih-Ching Tsou. Single mother Shu-Fen returns to Taipei with her two daughters to open a stall at a vibrant night market. Each must readapt to the city’s rhythm while keeping the family together. But when her traditional grandfather forbids his youngest, left-handed granddaughter from using her ‘devil hand’, buried generational secrets begin to unravel.
* 'The Love That Remains' - from Iceland, Sweden, Denmark and France and Written, Directed and photographed by Hlynur Palmason. Across the changing seasons, artist Anna and her husband Magnus navigate the aftermath of separation while raising three children. Playful, tender moments slip into surreal ruptures as their home life teeters between routine and unraveling. 

* 'My Father's Shadow' - from Nigeria, the UK and Ireland and Co-Written and Directed by Akinola Davies Jnr. During the upheaval of Nigeria’s 1993 election crisis, two young brothers spend a day in Lagos with their estranged father, experiencing the city’s vastness for the first time. 

* 'The President's Cake' - from Iraq, the USA and Qatar and Written and Directed by Hasan Hadi. While people across 1990's Iraq struggle to survive war and food shortages, the President orders every school in the country to prepare a cake for his birthday. Despite her efforts to escape notice, nine-year-old Lamia is chosen by her classmates and must summon her wits and imagination to find the impossible ingredients. 

* 'Sirat' - from Spain and France and Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Olivier Laxe. In the Moroccan desert, a middle-aged father searches for his missing daughter, only to stumble into a nomadic rave community on the edge of collapse.

* 'Sound of Falling' - from Germany and Co-Written and Directed by Mascha Schilinski. Four girls, Alma, Erika, Angelika, and Lenka, each spend their youth on the same farm in northern Germany. As the home evolves over a century, echoes of the past linger in its walls, and though separated by time, their lives begin to mirror one another.

For the details of the five films in the American Independent Competition, and the eleven films in the Maysles Brothers Award for Best Documentary, plus a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : https://www.denverfilm.org

Turning the attention then back to this weeks seven new release movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, we launch with an absurdist black comedy offering centering on two conspiracy-obsessed men and the CEO of a major company who they kidnap, after becoming convinced that she's an alien who wants to destroy our little blue and green planet. Next up we have a thriller about a close-knit family who is caught in the turmoil of a controversial rising movement known as 'The Change'. Then we turn to dark comedy body horror film about society's obsession with youth and good looks, as a once beloved actress challenges a beauty firm CEO. Following on we have a Aussie doco about intrepid explorer Richard Harris, key in the Thai cave rescue, who risks all diving New Zealand's potentially deepest cave system. Up next is a supernatural comedy film about a well-meaning but inept angel, who swaps the lives of a struggling gig worker and a wealthy venture capitalist. This is followed by a musical drama offering about a political prisoner who shares a cell with a window dresser convicted of public indecency, and the two form an unlikely bond. And closing out the week we have another Aussie doco about Italian women in 1940's Australia who faced family separation, yet they persevered alone, later helping rebuild post-WWII lives and influencing Australian culture in fashion, business, and leadership.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the seven 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.

'BUGONIA' (Rated MA15+) - this absurdist black comedy film is Co-Produced and Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos who made his feature film Directorial debut with 'My Best Friend' in 2001 and would make his English language debut with 'The Lobster' in 2015 which he would follow up with 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer' in 2017, 'The Favourite' in 2018, 'Poor Things' in 2023 and 'Kinds of Kindness' in 2024. This film is an English-language remake of the 2003 South Korean film 'Save the Green Planet!' Written and Directed by Jang Joon-hwan. It had its World Premiere in the main competition of this years Venice International Film Festival at the end of August and was released in the US last week, has so far grossed US$2M on a production budget of about US$50M, and has garnered generally positive critical reviews.

Two conspiracy-obsessed young men Teddy (Jesse Plemons) and his cousin Don (Aidan Delbis) kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major pharmaceutical company, Michelle Fuller (Emma Stone), convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth. Also starring Alicia Silverstone and Stavros Halkias. 

'ANNIVERSARY' (Rated CTC) - is an American thriller film Directed by Jan Komasa whose previous big screen output includes 'Suicide Room' in 2011, 'Warsaw 44' in 2014, 'Corpus Christi' in 2019, 'The Hater' in 2020 and 'Good Boy' in 2025. When Ellen (Diane Lane) and Paul's (Kyle Chandler) son Josh (Dylan O'Brien) introduces his new girlfriend one lovely afternoon at their 25th anniversary party, no one suspects that it is the beginning of the end for this happy family. The new girlfriend is Liz (Phoebe Dynevor), Ellen's former student expelled from the university some years before for her radical views. Also starring Zoey Deutch, Mckenna Grace, Daryl McCormack and Madeline Brewer. The film is released this week too in the US.

'SHELL' (Rated MA15+) - this American black comedy body horror film is Co-Produced and Directed by Max Minghella in only his second Directorial outing following 'Teen Spirit' in 2016, although he has acted in numerous films and TV series including perhaps his most noteworthy role as Nick Blaine in 'The Handmaids Tale'. Desperate to reclaim her career, once-beloved actress Samantha Lake (Elisabeth Moss) gets drawn into the glamorous world of wellness mogul Zoe Shannon (Kate Hudson) the CEO os wellness company Shell, only to uncover a monstrous truth beneath the seemingly flawless surface. The film had its World Premiere at TIFF in mid-September 2024, was released in the USA in early October this year, and has generated mixed or average reviews.

'DEEPER' (Rated M) - is an Australian action adventure documentary film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Jennifer Peedom whose previous credits include the BAFTA nominated doco's 'Sherpa' in 2015, 'Mountain' in 2017 and 'River' in in 2021. Here, she follows Richard 'Harry' Harris, one of the heroes of the Thai cave rescue, as he attempts to enter a cold, dark and mysterious cave system in New Zealand - one that has the potential to be the deepest dived cave in the world. There’s no question that this is the highest stakes dive he has ever attempted. Underground, underwater, with a finite amount of gas to breathe, it’s a dangerous game to play, and as he pushes limits underground with limited air, he questions his motivations and impact on loved ones. 

'GOOD FORTUNE' (Rated M) - this American supernatural comedy film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and stars Aziz Ansari in his feature film making debut. A well-meaning but rather inept budget guardian angel named Gabriel (Keanu Reeves) meddles in the lives of a struggling gig worker Arj (Aziz Ansari) and a wealthy venture capitalist Jeff (Seth Rogen). The film premiered at TIFF in early September, was released in the US two weeks ago, has so far grossed US$13M off the back of a US$30M production budget, and has generated largely favourable reviews. 

'KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN' (Rated M) - is an American musical drama film written for the screen and Directed by Bill Condon and is based on the 1976 novel of the same name by the Argentinian author Manuel Puig. It is the second big screen adaptation following the critically acclaimed and multi-award winning 1985 film which was Directed by Hector Babenco and starred William Hurt, Raul Julia and Sonia Braga. Bill Condon's previous feature film making credits include his debut with 'Sister, Sister' in 1987 and then 'Gods and Monsters' in 1998, 'Kinsey' in 2004, 'Dreamgirls' in 2006, 'The Twilight Saga : Breaking Dawn - Parts 1 and 2' in 2011 and 2012, 'The Fifth Estate' in 2013, 'Beauty and the Beast' in 2017, and 'The Good Liar' in 2019. Here then, Valentin Arregui (Diago Luna), a political prisoner, shares a cell with Molina (Tonatiuh), a window dresser convicted of public indecency. The two form an unlikely bond as Molina recounts the plot of a Hollywood musical starring his favourite silver screen diva, Ingrid Luna (Jennifer Lopez). The film saw its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in late January this year, and was released Stateside in mid-October having so far grossed US$2M from a production budget of US$30M and has garnered generally positive critical reviews.

'SIGNORINELLA : LITTLE MISS' (Rated PG) - this Australian documentary is Written, Produced and Directed by Jason David McFadden, Angelo Pricolo and Shannon Swan and celebrates the indomitable women who did everything from harvesting cane fields when the men were rounded up and placed in internment camps during WWII, to back-breaking factory work, founding restaurant and fashion empires, radio stations and representing their communities in parliament. These people include game-changing fashionistas Carla Zampatti and Mariana Hardwick, revered foodie Olimpia Bortolotto, NSW politician Franca Arena and Young Talent Time-turned internationally treasured pop singer Tina Arena, who share their stories of hardship, resilience and triumph. Through personal narratives and historical insights, this documentary is a tribute to the power of determination, creativity, and the enduring spirit of women who dared to dream, and who helped shape the Italian-Australian community.

With seven 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-