THE DOG STARS : Tuesday 1st September 2026.

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'THE DOG STARS' earlier this week, and this post-apocalyptic Sci-Fi film is Co-Produced and Directed by Ridley Scott, who I'm sure needs no introduction. Suffice to say some of his more acclaimed prior feature film making credits take in the likes of 'Alien' in 1979, 'Blade Runner' in 1982, 'Thelma & Louise' in 1992, 'Gladiator' in 2000, 'Black Hawk Down' in 2002, 'American Gangster' in 2007, 'Prometheus' in 2012, 'The Martian' in 2015, 'House of Gucci' in 2021, 'Napoleon' in 2023, and 'Gladiator II' in 2024. This film is based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Peter Heller, was released last week too in the USA, has so far recovered US$21M at the Box Office from its US$70M production budget and has generated mixed or average critical reviews. 

Set in 2035 many years after a devastating flu pandemic almost wiped out all of the human race, Hig (Jacob Elordi), a former mechanic, lives in a self contained heavily fortified compound in Erie, Colorado, with his dog named Jasper, and Bangley (Josh Brolin), a hardened former Marine turned survivalist. Hig from time to time pilots a small single prop Cesna light aircraft into an abandoned and desolate Denver to gather supplies of fuel, food and medical stores. To Bangley's chagrin, Hig also supplies a nearby Mennonite community, led by Aaron (Benedict Wong) with food and occasional mechanical repairs.

When two opportunistic teenage strangers approach uninvited (referred to affectionately as 'roaches') Bangley shoots them dead in quick succession from his distance look-out point, creating a conflict with the more sympathetic Hig. They douse the bodies with petrol and burn them. 

While out flying his plane one day with Jasper, Hig picks up a distorted radio signal originating from Grand Junction, Colorado, that suggests human life there. Hig has picked up this signal on various occasions over recent years, but always quickly lost contact.

While sleeping outside one night under the stars Hig and Jasper are awakened by a larger group trying to ambush their home. The pair fight them off until Bangley appears and finishes them off. The next morning they douse the bodies with fuel and burn them. Jasper, however dies in the attack, spurring Hig to visit Denver to bury him next to his deceased wife Melissa (Sai Bennett) at their former home. 

Heartbroken and distraught, Hig decides he must find the source of the Grand Junction radio signal, believing there to be more to life out there than the confines of their compound. Bangley, who does not approve of the journey, stays behind in Erie, seemingly bringing an end to their five years partnership. After experiencing a mechanical failure, Hig lands his Cesna in a valley bringing the plane to an abrupt halt within inches of a stand of trees. Within a few minutes there is a stampede of wild buffalo that causes minor damage to the plane while Hig takes cover under the fuselage. Dusting himslef off he spies a donkey in the distance with a bell around its neck. He follows the donkey and comes to a remote farmstead where a father and daughter, Pops (Guy Pearce) and Cima (Margaret Qualley), live. The two form an uneasy alliance with Hig, as he repairs his plane and cuts down trees to make a runway, using the donkey to pull out the tree stumps. Hig starts a romantic relationship with Cima, who asks him to stay with them.

After their farm is raided in an attack by a marauding group of roaches on horseback Hig, Cima, and Pops flee on Hig's plane. They make it to Grand Junction Regional Airport, where the radio operator hesitantly allows them to land and enter their community unarmed. Upon arrival, they feel a sense of unease. Darlene (Allison Janney), a former flight attendant who is the leader of the community, orders Cima to marry a soldier, due to her previous medical education, making her a most welcome catch. Hig, Cima and Pops escape, having discovered the community's cannibalism, as evidenced by the dismembered corpses hanging in plastic bags in a walk-in freezer through which they make their escape. As they fly away, they bomb Grand Junction with grenades from the air, which Bangley had handed to Hig when he left, as a precautionary measure in the event that he ran into any trouble.

The three fly back to Erie to check on Bangley, where they discover a major attack occurred at the compound and much of it had been wiped out. There is no sign of Bangley but there are plenty of dead roaches strewn around the place, which are already being picked on by carrion birds. Bangley is found injured but alive, and welcomes the group with fresh brewed coffee, after which nurse Cima stitches up his wounds. He then reluctantly joins them at the Mennonite (which he refers to as Mormons) community in the mountains to establish a new settlement there.

'The Dog Stars' is hardly going to go down as Ridley Scott's finest film in his fifty or so year long film making career, or his best entry into the Sci-Fi canon for that matter too, but there are some moments nonetheless when the Ridley Scott magic shines through. Such as the sweeping vistas of river valleys and looming mountain terrain, the snow capped peaks, the desolate cityscape that once was Denver, and the Grand Junction airport terminal that looks as though it was lifted straight out of 'Blade Runner'. That said there's nothing new here in the story that we haven't seen before in other post apocalyptic dystopian thrillers such as '28 Days Later', 'The Last of Us', 'I Am Legend' and countless others. The performances of Josh Brolin and Allison Janney (as brief as her screen time is) are on point, but I found Jacob Elordi and Margaret Qualley's undercooked and too sugar coated. And to cap it off there are a couple of glaring plot holes that I will not expand on here, but see if you can spot them for yourselves.

'The Dog Stars' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 3rd September 2026.

The 9th Edition of the Brussels International Film Festival (BRIFF) this year takes place from Friday 4th September through until Saturday 12th September in the Belgian capital city of Brussels. For nine days, Brussels’ most beautiful cinemas come alive with screenings, red carpets, and encounters with film teams. On the programme are highly anticipated Premieres, rare films from all over the world, gripping competitions, tributes to cinema legends, open-air screenings, and concerts. It is a festival designed as much for the general public as for passionate film lovers, and for anyone who simply dreams of experiencing cinema in a different way . . . . . so reads the official website.

This years Opening Film presentation is 'A Man of His Time' ('Notre Salut') from Belgium and France and this WWII drama film is Written and Directed by Emmanual Marre in only his second feature film offering following 'Zero Fucks Given' in 2021. In 1940, Henri Marre (Swann Arlaud) arrives in Vichy with aspirations to publish his manuscript Notre Salut (Our Salvation), which he hopes will rescue France from the Vichy regime. The film saw its World Premiere at the main competition at this Cannes Film Festival in late May where it won the Best Screenplay prize.

Through three competitions, the festival highlights outstanding works and celebrates the talent of filmmakers and their teams. By rewarding those who make contemporary cinema, it helps films reach a wider audience, broaden their visibility, and support their journey far beyond the festival itself. Those competitive sections are : International Competition showcasing powerful stories from around the world, presented as Belgian premieres; National Competition, presenting Belgian cinema in all its richness and diversity; and Director's Week focusing on Europe’s emerging talents. 

There are nine films in the International Competition exploring life choices, doubts and questions, resistance and collaboration. While some are still wondering what they want to make of the life ahead of them, others are forging their own path with strength and determination. Those nine films are as given in brief below :-

* 'Notre Salut' ('A Man of His Time') - refer above Opening Film presentation.

* 'Shame and Money' - from Germany, Kosovo, Slovenia, Albania, North Macedonia and Belgium, and Co-Written and Directed by Visar Morina. A couple in their 40's live with their extended family in rural Kosovo making a modest living on their farm. Following a familial dispute, their livelihood is lost. They are forced to move to Pristina where the pressure to provide for their family weighs heavily on the parents as they do their best to find work and a place to stay.

* 'The Meltdown' - from Chile, the USA, Spain and Mexico, and Written and Directed by Manuela Martelli. Set in Chile in 1992, staying at her grandparents’ remote hotel near an Andean ski resort, nine year old Ines befriends fifteen year old Hanna, a German skier. When Hanna vanishes without a trace, the search for her exposes hidden truths.

* 'If I Were Alive' - from Brazil and Written and Directed by Andre Novais Oliveira. The film opens in 1970's Contagem, Brazil, a town that is still growing, where a young Gilberto tries to win back Jacira. Fifty years later, the couple is in their mid-seventies and still together, sharing a quiet, affectionate life.

When Jacira is suddenly hospitalised, Gilberto faces strange, disorienting events that bend time and space.

* 'Six Months in a Pink and Blue Building' - from Mexico, Brazil and Denmark and Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Bruno Santamaria Razo. Mexico City, early 1990's. The day Bruno turns eleven years of age, his growing feelings for his best friend Vladimir clash with the sudden announcement that his father has HIV. Like in salsa songs, his family tries to sing and dance their pain away. Thirty years later Bruno films, reimagining the memory of what he could not quite perceive as a child.

* 'Rose' - from Austria and Germany and Co-Written and Directed by Markus Schleinzer. Set in the 17th Century, it follows mysterious soldier Rose (Sandra Huller), a woman disguised as a man, who appears in a secluded Protestant village. She declares herself the heir of a long-abandoned farmstead and produces a document to support her claim to the suspicious villagers.

* 'Chronicles from the Siege' - from Algeria, France and Palestine, and Written and Directed by Abdallah Alkhatib. During the siege of their city, a group of ordinary people struggle to survive amid hunger, snipers, and bombardments, while clinging to human connection, love, and small daily pleasures. Faced with impossible moral choices and deep psychological strain, their lives become inseparable from the siege itself.

* 'I'll Be Gone in June' - from Germany, Switzerland and the USA, and Written and Directed by Katherina Rivilis. In 2001, Franny, a 16-year-old exchange student from Germany, arrives in the sleepy desert town of Las Cruces, New Mexico. Far from home, Franny struggles through awkward school days, stifling heat, and restless nights until she meets Elliott, a boy whose quiet sadness mirrors her own. As America reels from 9/11, something resonates within Franny and an unexpected tenderness begins to bloom.

* 'The Son and the Sea' - from the UK and Co-Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Stroma Cairns. Two best mates, Jonah and Lee, take a trip to the Northeast coast of Scotland, where Jonah hopes he’ll escape the mess he’s making of his life in London. They meet Charlie, who is profoundly deaf and visiting his twin brother. Through the darkness that meets them on this wild coast, they form a friendship that ultimately brings Jonah to discover the courage to be vulnerable and that joy can be found despite loss.

For the details of the other films in competition, plus those playing Out of Competition, and a whole lot of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.briff.be/en/

Turning the focus then back to this weeks seven hot new release movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, we begin with an historical crime drama in which a notorious Mafia hitman and a young black FBI Agent team up to investigate the murders of civil rights leaders in Mississippi in 1966. Next up is a survival thriller about two young women who find themselves in a desperate fight for their lives when a mountain rock slide leaves them stranded on a fragile plank more than 3,000 feet above the ground. Then we have a true crime documentary film that details the wild true story of Scott Scurlock, one of the most prolific bank robbers in American history. This is followed by a horror thriller that follows a friend group of graduates who go on a late night drive, but accidentally turn onto a two-lane highway which appears to go on indefinitely. Turning next to the first instalment in a two part WWII epic that in June 1940, France collapses and signs the armistice, but in the midst of the chaos, one man refuses to give up - alone against the odds, this unknown General flees to London to save what remains of freedom. And closing out the week we have two doco's - the first, an eye-opening look at how powerful figures weaponise defamation laws to silence survivors of gender-based violence in the post-#MeToo era; and the second, features a motley crew of para ice hockey skaters who fight to keep their grassroots sporting club on the rink. 

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 week ahead.

'BY ANY MEANS' (Rated MA15+) - this American historical crime film is Co-Produced and Directed by Elegance Bratton whose previous feature length films include the documentaries 'Pier Kids' in 2019 and 'Move Ya Body : The Birth of House' in 2025 and the drama film 'The Inspection' in 2022. 

Based on a true story, a young Black Special FBI Agent Wayne Strider (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) is sent into 1960's Mississippi to investigate a wave of brutal killings targeting civil rights leaders. Forced to work alongside notorious Mafia hitman turned FBI informant Greg Scarpa (Mark Wahlberg), he finds himself pulled into a deadly hunt where justice and vengeance begin to blur. When the system is broken, two men divided by everything agree on one thing, that the law has limits. They don't. Also starring Giancarlo Esposito, Josh Lucas, David Strathairn, Ethan Embry and LisaGay Hamilton. The film is released this week too in the US.

'FALL 2 : DEADPOINT' (Rated M) - is an American survival thriller film Directed by Peter and Michael Spierig, the German/Australian film making brothers whose previous Directing credits take in the debut feature with 'Undead' in 2003 which they would follow up with 'Daybreakers' in 2009, 'Predestination' in 2014, 'Jigsaw' in 2017 and 'Winchester' in 2018. This film is the sequel to 2022's 'Fall' that was Directed by Scott Mann (who serves as Co-Writer and Co-Producer on this second instalment). Here, following the death of Shiloh Hunter, in the first film, her sister Jax (Harriet Slater) agrees to a tribute proposed by Shiloh's daring friend, Luce (Arsema Thomas). The two travel to Thailand to conquer a treacherous plank walk on Mount Kwan, but a sudden rockslide leaves them trapped at a terrifying height of 3,000 feet, forcing the duo to push their limits and cooperate to stay alive. The film is released Stateside this week too.

'HOW TO ROB A BANK' (Rated M) - this American documentary film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Stephen Robert Morse and Seth Porges. The film centres on Scott Scurlock, also known as 'The Hollywood Bandit', who robbed nineteen confirmed banks in Seattle between 1992 and 1996. Featuring interviews with the Hollywood Bandits bank robbers themselves, law enforcement and characters from the Pacific Northwest, the documentary chronicles the rise of Scott Scurlock as he becomes the bank robber known as 'Hollywood', America's most successful bank robber. This film premiered on Netflix back in early June 2024, and now gets a limited release in theatres in Australia. This film is not to be confused with the American action comedy heist film of the same name Directed by David Leitch and starring Nicholas Hoult, Pete Davidson, Zoe Kravitz, John C. Reilly and Christian Slater and is due for release in mid-November this year. 

'IT ENDS' (Rated MA15+) - is an American horror thriller film Written, Directed and Edited by Alexander Ullom in his Directorial debut. A group of three recent grads - James (Phinehas Yoon), Day (Akira Jackson) and Fisher (Noah Toth) head out on a late night drive for food after being picked up by their friend Tyler (Mitchell Cole) who they haven't seen in a year, hoping to enjoy one final hangout before their paths diverge. Instead, they accidentally turn onto a never-ending, two lane hellscape surrounded by untold horrors and cosmic forces beyond their understanding. The film had its Premiere screening at the South by Southwest Festival in early March 2025, was released in the US last week, has so far grossed US$810K from a production budget of just US$80K, and has received positive critical reviews.

'DE GAULLE PART ONE : RESISTANCE' (Rated MA15+) - is the first instalment in a two-part epic biographical drama film Co-Written and Directed by Antonin Baudry, in only his second feature film making outing following 'The Wolf's Call' in 2019, and is based on the nonfiction book 'A Certain Idea of France : The Life of Charles De Gaulle' by Julian Jackson. The film follows Charles de Gaulle (Simon Abkarian), who rose from being a French army officer, to leading the French Resistance against Nazi Germany during World War II. The formation of his government-in-exile in London, his tumultuous relationship with British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Simon Russell Beale), as well as the Resistance's operations in Africa - especially the Battle of Bir Hakeim - are featured prominently. The first part, 'Resistance' had its World Premiere out of competition at this years Cannes Film Festival in late May, followed by its release in France in early June. The second part, 'Liberte' was released in France toward the end of June. The two films have so far grossed a combined US$32.5M off the back of total production budgets of US$86.5M. 

'SILENCED' (Rated M) - is a biographical documentary film Co-Written and Directed by Selina Miles whose prior feature documentary films take in 'Martha : A Picture Story' in 2019, and 'Harley & Katya' in 2022 with 'Poster Boy : Becoming Zyzz' due for release later this year. After the #MeToo movement broke the cultural silence on gender violence, survivors swiftly found themselves facing a new kind of silencing and fear as defamation laws became weaponised against women for speaking out. International human rights lawyer Jennifer Robinson takes audiences into the courtroom and behind the headlines to reveal how the legal system is used to discredit and re-victimise survivors, with lawsuits designed to emotionally and financially ruin those who dare to speak their truth. Robinson brings unrivalled access to the women and journalists at the centre of high-profile legal battles across the globe, including Amber Heard and Brittany Higgins. The film Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in late January this year and a various other international film festivals since, including the Sydney Film Festival in mid-June, and the Melbourne International Film Festival in mid-August. It is released this week also in the USA. The film has generated critical acclaim. 

'HARD AS PUCK' (Rated M) - this Australian documentary film is Co-Written and Directed by Isaac Elliott in his feature length Directorial debut. The film follows a struggling para ice hockey club in Western Australia. With no money, no sponsors, and barely enough players, they rely on grants and sponsorships to get by. But when the enigmatic founder Dan Perrett prepares to step away, the club is thrown into turmoil. Through setbacks and personal clashes, bitter losses and hard-fought wins, Hard as Puck explores what it takes, and means, to run a local sports club with unexpected international ambitions for a place on the Australian team in its first ever appearance at the Women’s World Para Ice Hockey Championships in Slovakia. 

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 coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

MUTINY : Tuesday 25th August 2026

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'MUTINY' earlier this week at my local Multiplex, and this UK and US Co-Produced action thriller film is Directed by Jean-Francois Richet, whose previous feature film making credits take in his debut with 'Inner City' in 1995, and which he would follow up with the likes of 'Assault on Precinct 13' in 2005, 'Blood Father' in 2016, 'The Emperor of Paris' in 2018 and 'Plane' in 2023. This film was released in the US and the UK last week too, has so far recovered US$17M from its production budget of US$40M and has garnered mixed or average critical reviews. 

The film opens in Bangkok and we are introduced to Cole Reed (Jason Statham, who also Co-Produces here) who is a former English Police Officer and Commando now working for the past five years as bodyguard for billionaire shipping magnate and CEO of cargo shipping company KMG, Tibu Campallo (Ramon Tikaram). 

One evening after playing a game of chess with Tibu at his palatial Bangkok residence, Reed and Tibu go on a drive before being ambushed. Reed kills all the attackers, but Tibu dies from a stray gunshot on the backseat of his car, and with his dying words Tibu's tasks Reed with taking care of his son, Kameron (Chaneil Kular). Reed is instantly framed for Tibu's murder.

After learning that Tibu's assassins will be boarding a cargo ship named Artemis due to leave the port at midnight that same night, Reed assumes the identity of a dead assassin and secrets himself aboard the ship. Reed encounters another KMG employee named Angie Ellis (Annabelle Wallis), who was summoned to the ship last minute to replace the assassin Reed assumed the identity of. Once the ship is out to sea, Reed starts to covertly inspect the ship, discovering a container on the lower deck filled with the victims of a human trafficking operation. He explains that he will get water, food and medical supplies for the victims and tells them to wait. Angie who has heard Reed from an upper deck goes to investigate and also comes across the same container. She releases the victims and reports to the Captain of the Artemis Marko Madsen (Roland Moller). 

Reed frees the hostages and leads them to a life boat, before killing a crew member who attacks him after finding the hostages escaping. After discovering that the crew is complicit in the trafficking, Angie sends out a distress signal from the ship that is intercepted by the US Coast Guard before being shot in the shoulder and subdued. The hostages are recaptured.

Reed realises that the ship's Captain takes orders from Jaran Daniles (Simon Kluth), the person responsible for ordering Tibu's assassination, and that they had Tibu killed to delay the sale of KMG, and to have Kameron sell the company to them. Meanwhile, Reed and Angie have teamed up, with Reed extracting the bullet from Angie's shoulder down in the engine room, and dressing the wound. 

After killing most of the crew in a hail of bullets and close quarter knife play, Reed fights with Marko and kills him by shooting him through the head with a harpoon gun. The Coast Guard arrive at the ship's coordinates after Captain Adam Spencer (Adrian Lester) deduced that something wasn't quite right with the intelligence he was being given by the Artemis' Captain, and having his own men research the Artemis crew, and Cole Reed. 

They surround Reed, believing he is responsible for Tibu's death but are stopped by Angie, who lies that Reed died on the ship and that his body was thrown overboard. Angie leaves to return to her six year old daughter in the US while Reed, no longer on the run due to being declared dead, returns to Thailand in a motorboat to find and kill Daniles.

At Tibu's funeral, Reed confronts Kameron, who claims he was used by Daniles and the human traffickers and that they attempted to pressure him into selling KMG to them. Reed reprimands Kameron, saying that he should have informed him of his situation, and that Kameron will have to live with the knowledge for the rest of his life that his carelessness caused his father's death. Reed leaves to find Daniles.

Later, at night Reed intercepts a car with Daniles inside, crashes into it sending it flipping end over end before coming to rest right side up. He kills the driver, and interrogates Daniles. Daniles reveals that Tibu's death gave the company to Kameron, and that he planned on having Kameron sell KMG to him so he could inherit the company's wealth and assets. Daniles attempts to bribe Reed in exchange for having his life spared, saying 'what do you want' but Reed smashes his head into the car and shoots him dead with a bullet to the head, and avenging Tibu just as he responded 'vengeance' before walking away.

With 'Mutiny' you know exactly what you're in for the moment you purchase your movie ticket. Jason Statham does what he does best with his fists and his legs and the available hardware at his disposal, and on that level the action sequences and the close quarter combat scenes don't disappoint. That said, this film doesn't offer us anything new that we haven't already seen before, and is best summed up as 'Die Hard on a Cargo Ship', offering up mindless, albeit serviceable B-movie style entertainment, while proving that the Stath still has what it takes in the butt kicking creative kills department. You can easily however, save yourself the price of your cinema ticket and wait a few weeks to catch this film on your streaming service of choice. 

'Mutiny' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 27th August 2026

The 83rd Venice International Film Festival this years takes place from Wednesday 2nd September through until Saturday 12th September. It will run on the Lido di Venezia, in Italy, and is officially recognised by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Association). The aim of the Festival is to raise awareness and promote international cinema in all its forms as art, entertainment and as an industry, in a spirit of freedom and dialogue. One section is devoted to enhance the restoration works on classic films as a contribution towards a better understanding of the history of cinema . . . so reads the official website.

This years Opening Night Film presentation is 'Ink' that is Co-Produced and Directed by Danny Boyle, and is adapted by James Graham from his own 2017 stage play. This biographical docudrama is set in 1969, as rising media tycoon Rupert Murdoch (Guy Pearce) acquires the daily newspaper 'The Sun', and his partnership with editor Larry Lamb (Jack O'Connell) turns the paper into Britain's most influential tabloid. Also starring Claire Foy. World Premiere. The Closing Night Film is 'God Laughs' which is Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Giovanni Veronesi. Set in 17th-Century Tuscany, it follows Friar Leopold of Casamacchia (Pierfrancesco Favino), who preaches the Gospel with joy and portrays a God close to humanity who can laugh. However, his popular message attracts hostility from the Church. Pope Innocent X (Carlo Cecchi) assigns Cardinal Maculani to investigate, sparking a clash between faith and power. World Premiere.

American Actress, Producer and Director Maggie Gyllenhaal will serve as Jury President for the Main Competition, of which there are twenty-one films all competing for the prestigious Golden Lion. Among the line-up are the following titles :-

* 'Bucking Fastard' - from Ireland and the USA this drama film is Written and Directed by Werner Herzog. Sisters Jean (Kate Mara) and Joan Holbrooke (Rooney Mara), in search of an imaginary land where true love is possible, start digging a tunnel through a mountain range. Also starring Orlando Bloom and Domhnall Gleeson. World Premiere.

* 'Bunker' - from France and Spain and Written and Directed by Florian Zeller. This psychological thriller film centres around an architect's marriage which is put to the test after he accepts a project to build a bunker for a billionaire. Starring Penelope Cruz, Javier Bardem, Stephen Graham, Paul Dano, Patrick Schwarzenegger, and Mark Gatiss. World Premiere.

* 'Company' - from the USA, Canada, Romania, Italy and the UAE, this mystery film is Co-Written, Co-Produced, Directed and stars Casey Affleck. Set on a winter night in 1975, the film sees a mysterious woman who arrives uninvited at a holiday gathering and tell the story of Tom, an aging hermit who rescues a stranded Actress during a Colorado blizzard more than 20 years earlier. To pass the night, the Actress recounts an older tale of a farming couple who take in a troubled young drifter as a series of grisly murders spreads fear across the frontier. Starring Nick Nolte, Ben Mendelsohn, Scoot McNairy, Adelaide Clemens, Emily Alyn Lind and Caylee Cowan. World Premiere.

* 'A Good Little Soldier' - from France and this drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Stephanie Brize. The film follows Carla (Alba Rohrwacher), a 43-year-old high-performing Executive newly recruited as HR Manager of a major insurer, tasked with rebuilding its brand in a corporate environment where vulnerability is not an asset. Also starring Vincent Lindon. World Premiere.

* 'Ink' - refer above under Opening Night Film presentation.

* 'Look Back' - from Japan, this coming-of-age drama film is Written for the screen, Directed and Edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda. The overly confident and popular student Fujino (Natsuki Deguchi) and the shut-in with severe social anxiety Kyomoto (Aju Makita) couldn’t be more different, but a love of drawing manga brings these two small-town girls together. World Premiere.

* 'Mr. Nelson, Did You Kill People?' - from Japan, the USA, Thailand and Vietnam, this war drama film is Written, Directed, photographed and Edited by Shinya Tsukamoto. Allen Nelson (Rodney Hicks) grew up in New York, joined the Marines at age eighteen to escape poverty, and served in Vietnam in 1966. Traumatised, he became homeless before Veteran Affairs treatment. He dedicated his life to anti-war advocacy, giving 1,200+ lectures in Japan. Also starring Geoffrey Rush, Mark Merphy and Tatyana Ali. World Premiere. 

* 'Primetime' - from the USA and this thriller film is Directed by Lance Oppenheim. The film follows the production of the reality television series 'To Catch a Predator', which in 2006 featured host Chris Hansen (Robert Pattinson) confronting child sexual predators who would arrive at a sting house and typically get arrested as a result. Also starring Merritt Weaver, Skyler Gisondo, Phoebe Bridgers, Bokeem Woodbine, Anna Faris, Tony Revolori and Alex Winter. World Premiere.

* 'Wild Horse Nine' from the UK, the USA and Chile, and this black comedy film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Martin McDonagh. Shortly before the 1973 Chilean coup, CIA officers Chris (John Malkovich) and Lee (Sam Rockwell) are dispatched from Santiago to Easter Island by their bureau chief, MJ (Steve Buscemi). Amongst the Island's iconic statues, and as the longtime partners wrestle with their dark pasts and present conspiracies, Chris's newfound bond with a pair of rebellious students threatens to send everyone’s trip to this remote paradise sideways. Also starring Tom Waits and Parker Posey. World Premiere.

In addition, American Actress Ellen Burstyn and American Actor, Producer and Director George Clooney will receive the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement during the festival. Italian Director and Producer Luca Guadagnino is the recipient of the Cartier Glory to the Filmmaker Award dedicated to a personality who has made a particularly original contribution to the contemporary film industry. Italian Actress Serena Rossi is the recipient of the Campari Passion for Film Award created to honour the talent, dedication, and bold artistic vision of those who transform passion into a driving creative force.

For the details of the other feature films being showcased in the Main Competition, plus the other competitive strands, and non-competitive sections being screened, together with a whole lot of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.labiennale.org

Turning the attention then back to this weeks major haul of ten new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we kick off with a post-apocalyptic Sci-Fi in which survivors of a deadly pandemic traverse a post-apocalyptic landscape to find the origin of a mysterious radio transmission. Then we turn to an erotic comedy thriller where a fresh faced unmotivated twenty-something lands an exciting job for a renowned artist, icon and provocateur where his fantasies come true as she taps him to become her sexual muse. Next up is a drama offering whereby the estranged sons of a reclusive novelist are called to meet him after he becomes convinced he is about to die. Following on we have British gangster film that is the seventh film in the series that sees our protagonist battle ruthless mercenaries throughout Ibiza as he avenges his friend's death. Up next is a Norwegian drama offering that is part of a trilogy of films in which a woman's infatuation with her French teacher ignites tensions within her family; before turning to a French comedy where a man plans to spend a peaceful summer in his in-laws' home, but upon his arrival, a conflict erupts between his fiancee's family and the villa's caretaker couple. This is followed by a South Korean animated drama film where a bullied girl transfers schools hoping for peace, but her past trauma isolates her until she discovers a series of secret letters hidden around the school. And closing out the week we have a trio of Aussie doco's - the first of which traces Lisa Jones Engel's (primatologist turned animal welfare advocate) journey questioning the justification of harming animals and humans for science. Second up we have a struggling Director who documents his journey making a 'mockbuster' in six days, descending into the chaotic world of low-budget filmmaking; and third and finally we have a  cinematic portrait of Italian Australian pop icon Tina Arena, unravelling five extraordinary decades devoted to music.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the ten 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 DOG STARS' (Rated MA15+) - is a post-apocalyptic Sci-Fi film that is Co-Produced and Directed by Ridley Scott, who I'm sure needs no introduction. Suffice to say some of his more acclaimed prior feature film making credits take in the likes of 'Alien' in 1979, 'Blade Runner' in 1982, 'Thelma & Louise' in 1992, 'Gladiator' in 2000, 'Black Hawk Down' in 2002, 'American Gangster' in 2007, 'Prometheus' in 2012, 'The Martian' in 2015, 'House of Gucci' in 2021, 'Napoleon' in 2023, and 'Gladiator II' in 2024. This film is based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Peter Heller, and is released this week too in the US.

Set after a devastating flu pandemic that has almost wiped out all of humanity, the film centres on Hig (Jacob Elordi), a former civilian pilot, and Bangley (Josh Brolin), a hardened former Marine and military survivalist who has carved out an efficient but isolated homestead in a brutal post-apocalyptic world. When a mysterious radio transmission spurs Hig to venture into the unknown they must confront external threats in search of the hope and humanity he still believes exists, and a better life beyond where they currently live. Also starring Margaret Qualley, Guy Pearce, Benedict Wong and Allison Janney. 

'I WANT YOUR SEX' (Rated MA15+) - this American erotic comedy thriller film is Co-Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Co-Edited by Gregg Araki who made his feature film making debut in 1987 with 'Three Bewildered People in the Night' and which he would follow up with his Teenage Apocalypse trilogy of films being 'Totally F***ed Up' in 1993, 'The Doom Generation' in 1995 and 'Nowhere' in 1997, then 'Mysterious Skin' in 2004, 'Smiley Face' in 2007, 'Kaboom' in 2010 and 'White Bird in a Blizzard' in 2014. Here, when fresh-faced Elliot (Cooper Hoffman) lands an exciting job for renowned artist, icon and provocateur Erika Tracy (Olivia Wilde), his fantasies come true as Erika taps him to become her sexual muse. But Elliot soon finds himself out of his depth as Erika takes him on a journey more profound than he ever could have imagined, into a world of sex, obsession, power, betrayal and murder. Also starring Mason Gooding, Daveed Diggs, Johnny Knoxville, Charli XCX and Chase Sui Wonders. The film had its Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in late January this year, was released in the US at the end of July, has so far grossed US$1.5M at the Box Office and has garnered generally favourable critical reviews.

'& SONS' (Rated M) - is a US, UK and Canadian Co-Produced drama film that is Co-Produced, Directed and Co-Edited by Pablo Trapero, was written for the screen by Sarah Polley and is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by David Gilbert. Andrew, or A.N. Dyer (Bill Nighy), as he is known to the world, is a famous novelist whose first novel became an instant classic and created a cult following around its elusive author. One morning, Dyer wakes up convinced he must mend the broken relationships in his life and summons his sons to be with him. It has been almost twenty years since an incident tore apart the family. When the sons arrive, each burdened with their own struggles, Andrew reveals something so astonishing it couldn’t possibly be true, or could it? For two decades, Andrew hasn’t written a word, or left his home. In that time, he fathered a child outside his marriage, lost his long-suffering wife, and grew estranged from his two older sons. The death of an old friend jolts him into confronting his mortality, compounded by his alcoholism. Summoning all his children for what may be the first and last time, Andrew draws Richard (Johnny Flynn) and Jamie (George MacKay) back into the family fold, their resentment still raw. Expecting a bid for forgiveness, they instead hear a revelation about their half brother Andy Jr. (Noah Jupe) that rewrites everything they thought they knew about their family. Also starring Imelda Staunton, Dominic West and Arthur Conti. The film premiered at TIFF in early September last year, and was released Stateside last week. 

'RISE OF THE FOOTSOLDIER : RETRIBUTION' (Rated CTC) - this British gangster film franchise is Written and Directed by Julian Gilbey, Will Gilbey, Ricci Harnett, Zackary Adler, Andrew Loveday and Nick Nevern. The franchise and its first two films are based on true events featured in the autobiography of Inter City Firm hooligan turned gangster Carlton Leach before later films focus on the lives of drug dealers Pat Tate (Craig Fairbrass) and Tony Tucker (Terry Stone) who were gunned down in 1995. The first film 'Rise of the Footsoldier' in 2007 and is based on the autobiography of Leach who had risen from a football hooligan to becoming a bouncer, hired muscle and later part of the Essex firm of the 1990's and his involvement with Pat Tate and Tony Tucker. The sequel 'Rise of the Footsoldier Part II : Reign of the General' was released in 2015, with 'Rise of the Footsoldier : The Pat Tate Story' in 2017, 'Rise of the Footsoldier : Marbella' in 2019 and 'Rise of the Footsoldier Origins' in 2021 are prequels to the original and do not feature Carlton Leach, but are loosely based upon the lives of Tucker and Tate. 'Rise of the Footsoldier : Vengeance' was released in 2023. This next instalment in the franchise is Co-Written and Directed by Nick Nevern and has Pat Tate (Craig Fairbrass) travelling to Ibiza, Spain to seek revenge and track down criminals who murdered his friend. During his journey, Tate is caught in a deadly conflict involving arms traffickers, mercenaries and the CIA. The film is released in the US this week too.

'OSLO STORIES TRILOGY : DREAMS (SEX LOVE)' (Rated PG) - is a Norwegian drama film Written and Directed by Dag Johan Haugerud. In between 'Sex' (2024) and 'Love' (2024), it is the second part of a trilogy by Haugerud that deals with the complexity of human relationships, sexuality and social norms. The film follows Johanne's (Ella Overbye) infatuation with her French teacher Johanna (Selome Emnetu), which ignites tensions within her family, as her mother and grandmother confront their own unfulfilled dreams and desires. This film was released in its native Norway in October 2024, and was selected for the Main Competition at the 2025 Berlin International Film Festival, where it had its International Premiere in mid-February and won the Golden Bear. The film has generated positive critical reviews. 

'THE PARTY'S OVER' (Rated M) - this French and Belgian Co-Produced comedy film is Co-Written and Directed by Antony Cordier whose prior feature film credits are 'Cold Showers' in 2005, 'Happy Few' in 2010, and 'Gaspard at the Wedding' in 2017. Mehdi (Sami Outalbali) had planned to spend a quiet summer in his in-laws' sumptuous home. But as soon as he arrives, a conflict breaks out between his girlfriend's family and the villa's overworked live in caretaker couple over a financial dispute. As Mehdi comes from a modest background, he thinks he can lead the negotiations between the two parties and bring everyone back to their senses. But things start to escalate completely out of control as ego, class privilege, and polished manners collapse into chaos. Also starring Laurent Lafitte, Elodie Bouchez, Ramzy Bedia, Laure Calamy and Noee Abita. The film had its World Premiere in the Directors Fortnight section of the 2025 Cannes Film Festival before its general release in France in late September last year, and only now is it released here in Australia.

'YOUR LETTER' (Rated PG) - is a South Korean animated drama film Directed by Kim Yong-hwan and is based on Korean comic of the same name written and illustrated by Hyeon A. Cho. After summer vacation, Sori Lee (voiced by Lee Su-hyun) transfers to a new school and finds an anonymous letter in her desk drawer with an introduction to the school and a clue to finding the next letter. 'If you want to keep reading, find my second letter!' While following the clues in the letters and searching all over the school like on a treasure hunt, Sori keeps running into a same-aged student named Dong-soon (Kim Min-ju). Sori and Dong-soon quickly become friends as they search for the letters together. As she finds one letter after another, the special connection continues, and Sori’s curiosity grows for the mysterious sender. The film Premiered at the Ottawa International Animation Festival in late September 2024, was released in its native South Korea in October last year and only now does it get a limited release here in Australia from this week, having been released Stateside on 17th August. It has so far grossed US$1.4M.

'SENTIENT' (Rated M) - is an Australian documentary film Co-Written and Directed by Tony Jones, the Australian TV news and political journalist, radio and television presenter, and writer. The film investigates laboratory research on animals and follows Dr. Lisa Jones Engel, a primatologist turned animal welfare advocate, as it questions whether harming animals and ourselves in the name of science is justified. The film Premiered in the World Cinema Documentary Competition at this year Sundance Film Festival in January.

'MOCKBUSTER' (Rated M) - this Australian documentary film is Co-Written and Directed by Anthony Frith. Here, Australian filmmaker Anthony Frith is contracted to American mockbuster film production studio and distributor The Asylum, known for their 2013 film 'Sharknado'. He has to Direct a film called 'The Land That Time Forgot', a 'lost-world dinosaur epic' set in his hometown of Adelaide, South Australia, on a shoestring budget, and to be completed in six days. 'Mockbuster' is a behind-the-scenes documentary showing Frith's progress through the making of the film. 'Mockbuster' had its World Premiere at the 2025 Adelaide Film Festival in late October last year, as did 'The Land That Time Forgot'. The film is a 'double-feature' Directorial debut for Anthony Frith. 

'TINA ARENA : UNRAVEL ME' (Rated M) - is an Australian documentary film Directed by Adrian Russell-Wills whose previous doco's are 'Boxing for Palm Island' in 2010, '88' in 2014, 'Black Divaz' in 2018 and 'Kindred' in 2023. Marking fifty years in the music industry, this film is an intimate cinematic portrait of one of Australia’s most enduring artists, tracing a career shaped by reinvention, resilience and an unmistakable voice. Tina Arena has been in the music business for fifty years, and after twenty-five albums, she’s had enough eras to make other pop stars envious. Born in suburban Melbourne to Sicilian parents, Filippina Arena became Australia’s darling in 1976, aged eight, on Channel Ten’s prime-time variety show 'Young Talent Time'. Behind Tina, the power balladeer and queer icon, this film unravels her vulnerable yet tenacious private self in candid, dryly funny conversation. Also appearing in new and archival interviews are Tina’s two sisters; her mentor Johnny Young; and collaborators and admirers including Celine Dion, Marc Anthony, Ronan Keating and Jessica Mauboy. In bringing herself undone, Tina movingly shows how music has made and mended her. 

With ten 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-