What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 15th December 2016.

Awards Season is upon us, and with it the AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards were held at Sydney's Star Casino on Wednesday 7th December. Attended by a who's who of Australian and overseas film and television talent including Mel Gibson, George Miller, Geoffrey Rush, Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen it is fair to say that the glitterati, the glamourati, and the paparazzi were out in force.

'Hacksaw Ridge' swept the board picking up nine award wins in the following categories : Best Film, Best Direction (Mel Gibson), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography (Simon Duggan), Best Editing (John Gilbert), Best Sound, Best Production Design (Barry Robison), Best Lead Actor (Andrew Garfield) and Best Supporting Actor (Hugo Weaving). 'The Daughter' fared well too, picking up three award wins for Best Lead Actress (Odessa Young), Best Supporting Actress (Miranda Otto) and Best Adapted Screenplay. 'Tanna' picked up the award for Best Original Music Score, and 'Girl Asleep' for Best Costume Design. Best Feature Length Documentary went to 'Chasing Asylum' (Eva Orner).

This week then there is just one new release coming to a cinema near you, and it's expected to be BIG! Which would explain why no other movies wanted to go up against it in the week ahead. This is the first of three spin-off stand-alone films from a place far far away whose journey first began almost forty years ago and has grown into a worldwide phenomenon that sees no signs of letting up. From early reaction to this films Premier release last week, it seems that the force is strong with this one!

When you have sat through this weeks latest release film as Previewed below, or any others out on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed between these Blog Post pages, remember that we invite your own feedback, review, critique and observations of your moving going experience by leaving a Comment below this, or any other Post. As always, we'd love to receive your valid, wholesome, relevant thoughts. Meanwhile, enjoy your next cinema visit.

'ROGUE ONE : A STAR WARS STORY' (Rated M) - and so from a galaxy far far away comes the first Star Wars spin off in this highly anticipated, eagerly awaited, much hyped 'Rogue One' offering. Produced by LucasFilm, Distributed by Disney, Directed by Gareth Edwards and costing US$200M, this film stands alone in the Star Wars universe set just before the events that unfolded in the first film in this hugely successful and popular franchise 'A New Hope'. That initial film released in 1977 set in motion a behemoth that would become part of our popular culture, spawning so far seven feature films, this spin-off, numerous animated television series, books, toys and merchandise. The value of the franchise is estimated at somewhere north of US$31B, the films to date have garnered 27 Academy Award nominations and last years 'The Force Awakens' is the third highest grossing film of all time raking in US$2.1B at the global Box Office. Production of 'Star Wars : Episode VIII' is ongoing with Writer/Director Rian Johnson at the helm and due in cinemas in December 2017. It has been reported, but remains unconfirmed, that the title of the next instalment will be 'Star Wars : Forces of Destiny'.

The premise for the 'Rogue One' set up comes from the opening crawl of 'A New Hope' which states amongst other things that ' . . . Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the Death Star . . . ' From these brief introductory words, Screenwriters Tony Gilroy and Chris Weitz have moulded this story of the Rebel Alliance who recruit Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) to join a mission to steal the design schemes for the Galactic Empire's new superweapon, 'The Death Star' - the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction. The band of unlikely heroes thrown together for this include Forest Whittaker as Saw Gerrera, a veteran of The Clone Wars; Diego Luna as Cassian Andor; Mads Mikkelsen as Galen Erso, father to Jyn; Riz Ahmed as Bodhi Rook; Donnie Yen as warrior Chirrut Imre; Alan Tudyk as droid K-2SO; Jiang Wen as freelance assassin Baze Malbus; and Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic the Director of Advanced Weapons Research for the Imperial Military; with James Earl Jones reprising his voice work for Darth Vader. Since the film Premiered in Hollywood on 10th December, there has been overwhelming support for the film and audiences have responded very positively, setting high expectations for a very strong Box Office return. A second spin off film charting the early life of Hans Solo is slated for a mid-2018 release, with a third understood to surround Boba Fett scheduled for sometime in 2020.

That's it for this week, pending a mega-haul of new movies being released in time to capitalise upon the Christmas and New Year holiday film going season. If you catch 'Rogue One : A Star Wars Story' remember to share your thoughts with us here afterwards. In the meantime, I'll see you in the week ahead, at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 17th December 2015.

Over the last couple of weeks I have referenced the AACTA Awards held at Sydney's Star Casino, first up on 30th November and then the second ceremony on 9th December recognising all that is best in the Australian film and television scene. Those that picked up Awards on 30th November have been mentioned before and last week Cate Blanchett's success with the Longford Lyell Award. This week I'll wrap things up with the winners & grinners in the principle categories, although of course these don't detract from those recipients previously honoured. Picking up the AACTA Award for Best Film was 'Mad Max : Fury Road' and Best Direction to  George Miller for 'Mad Max : Fury Road'.  Best Lead Actor is Michael Caton in 'Last Cab to Darwin' and Best Lead Actress being Kate Winslet for 'The Dressmaker'. Picking up the Best Supporting Actor Award was Hugo Weaving for 'The Dressmaker' and Best Supporting Actress went to Judy Davis, for 'The Dressmaker'.  Finally, rounding out the Awards was The People's Choice Award which went to . . . surprise, surprise, 'The Dressmaker'. In the final analysis those multiple winners were 'Mad Max : Fury Road' picking up eight Awards, 'The Dressmaker' five, and 'Last Cab to Darwin' two. Well done, and congratulations to all. You can see more at : www.aacta.org

This week, one week outside of Christmas, perhaps the most highly anticipated, eagerly awaited and much hyped film of the year, if not the last three years, is about to hit our cinema screens at an Odeon very near you. You know the one I'm talking about as it hardly needs any introduction and is already well established in our cinematic history, our popular culture, and our movie going psyche. This week it is the only release, which is hardly surpassing as no Studio, no Producer and no Director would want to go head to head on the same release date as this proven epic space opera that has already lasted 38 years so far . . . and counting!

With this in mind, see the extended Preview below, and when at one minute past midnight on 17th December, if you are amongst the world's first to see this latest instalment, drop your mates here at Odeon Online a note in the Comments section below this or any other Post, and share your views and opinions, thoughts and observations about the movie you've seen. Enjoy your film.

'STAR WARS : Episode VII - THE FORCE AWAKENS' (Rated M) - In 1977 a young George Lucas who already had a number of successful films under this belt, created a story that has become ingrained in popular culture, and has spawned an entire industry around successive stories, movies, books, television series, radio broadcasts, merchandise, video games and theme park attractions. That initial film was of course 'Star Wars' which later became 'Star Wars : Episode IV - A New Hope' with the original trilogy taking in successive films in 1980 and 1983. Then in 1999, the franchise was resurrected with an prequel trilogy kicking off with 'Star Wars : Episode I - The Phantom Menace' with two further instalments in 2002 and 2005. Those initial six films have grossed US$4.39B including the animated feature in 2008 'The Clone Wars' and  each film has either been nominated for, or won, at The Academy Awards. Then in 2012 The Walt Disney Company purchased Lucasfilm for in excess of US$4B and made it known that there would be a further three films in the franchise commencing with 'The Force Awakens', that opens at an Odeon near you this week.

So, history lesson over, this next instalment is upon us, finally, after a massive media campaign that kicked off as soon as Disney announced its plans for the sequel trilogy and Director J.J.Abrams came on board having jumped ship from that other 'Star' franchise - 'Star Trek' after two outings. With a budget of US$200M this film is expected to be a Box Office sensation, and that would be hardly surprising given the publicity, advertising, promotion, anticipation, expectation and frenzy from the world over since the first teaser trailer was released early this year. 

This film is set about thirty years after the final film in the original franchise - 'Star Wars : Episode VI - The Return of the Jedi' and sees a number of our favoured characters returning from back then including Han Solo, Princess Leia, Luke Skywalker, C3PO, R2D2 and Chewbacca. At this time the Rebel Alliance has become the Resistance and the Galactic Empire has become the First Order and follows newly established characters Finn (a redeemed First Order Stormtrooper who is in possession of Luke and Anakin's light sabre), Rey (a planet Jakku scavenger), and Poe (a highly regarded and accomplished Resistance X-Wing fighter pilot) as they meet new friends and fight old enemies. Starring such names as Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Lupita Nyong'o, Andy Serkis, Domhnall Gleeson, Max von Sydow and Simon Pegg, as well of course as Ford, Fisher, Hamill, Daniels and Baker. Can't hardly wait!

With just one new release this week, there is really no contest in terms of what you're going to see, unless of course you have been living under a rock for the last three years, or hail from a galaxy far far away! If you check out this must see film of the year, or another of those currently on general release, be sure to let us know your thoughts of your movie experience this week. 

See you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-