What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 25th March 2021.

The 26th Critics' Choice Awards were presented on 7th March 2021, at the Barker Hangar at the Santa Monica Airport, California, together with its television awards, honouring the finest achievements of 2020 filmmaking. The ceremony saw American Actor, Singer and Producer Taye Diggs return to host for the third consecutive time. 

Better late than never, the winners of this years film awards are as shown below :-

Best Picture

* Awarded to 'NOMADLAND' beating out 'Da 5 Bloods', 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom', 'Mank', 'Minari', 'News of the World', 'One Night in Miami', 'Promising Young Woman', 'Sound of Metal' and 'The Trial of the Chicago 7'.

Best Director

* Awarded to CHLOE ZHAO for 'Nomadland', beating out Lee Isaac Chung for 'Minari', Emerald Fennell for 'Promising Young Woman', David Fincher for 'Mank', Regina King for 'One Night in Miami', Spike Lee for 'Da 5 Bloods' and Aaron Sorkin for 'The Trial of the Chicago 7'.

Best Actor

* Awarded to CHADWICK BOSEMAN for 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' beating out Ben Affleck for 'The Way Back', Riz Ahmed for 'Sound of Metal', Tom Hanks for 'News of the World', Anthony Hopkins for 'The Father', Delroy Lindo for 'Da 5 Bloods', Gary Oldman for 'Mank' and Steven Yeun for 'Minari'.

Best Actress

* Awarded to CAREY MULLIGAN for 'Promising Young Woman', beating out Viola Davis for 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom', Andra Day for 'The United States vs. Billie Holiday', Sidney Flanigan for 'Never Rarely Sometimes Always', Vanessa Kirby for 'Pieces of a Woman', Frances McDormand for 'Nomadland' and Zendaya for 'Malcolm & Marie'.

Best Supporting Actor

* Awarded to DANIEL KALUUYA for 'Judas and the Black Messiah', beating out Sacha Baron Cohen for 'The Trial of the Chicago 7', Chadwick Boseman for 'Da 5 Bloods', Bill Murray for 'On the Rocks', Leslie Odom Jr. for 'One Night in Miami' and Paul Raci for 'Sound of Metal'.

Best Supporting Actress

* Awarded to MARIA BAKALOVA for 'Borat Subsequent Moviefilm', beating out Ellen Burstyn for 'Pieces of a Woman', Glenn Close for 'Hillbilly Elegy', Olivia Colman for 'The Father', Amanda Seyfried for 'Mank' and Youn Yuh-jung for 'Minari'.

Best Young Actor/Actress

* Awarded to ALAN KIM for 'Minari' beating out Ryder Allen for 'Palmer', Ibrahima Gueye for 'The Life Ahead', Talia Ryder for 'Never Rarely Sometimes Always', Caoilinn Springall for 'The Midnight Sky' and Helena Zengel for 'News of the World'.

Best Acting Ensemble

* Awarded to 'THE TRIAL OF THE CHICAGO 7' beating out 'Da 5 Bloods', 'Judas and the Black Messiah', 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom', 'Minari' and 'One Night in Miami'.

Best Original Screenplay

* Awarded to EMERALD FENNELL for 'Promising Young Woman' beating out Lee Isaac Chung for 'Minari', Jack Fincher for 'Mank', Eliza Hittman for 'Never Rarely Sometimes Always', Darius Marder and Abraham Marder for 'Sound of Metal' and Aaron Sorkin for 'The Trial of the Chicago 7'.

Best Adapted Screenplay

* Awarded to CHLOE ZHAO for 'Nomadland' beating out Paul Greengrass and Luke Davies for 'News of the World', Kemp Powers for 'One Night in Miami', Jonathan Raymond and Kelly Reichardt for 'First Cow', Ruben Santiago-Hudson for 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' and Florian Zeller and Christopher Hampton for 'The Father'.

Best Cinematography

* Awarded to JOSHUA JAMES RICHARDS for 'Nomadland'.

Best Editing

* Awarded to ALAN BAUMGARTEN for 'The Trial of the Chicago 7' tied with MIKKEL E.G. NIELSEN  for 'Sound of Metal'.

Best Costume Design

* Awarded to ANN ROTH for 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom'.

Best Production Design

* Awarded to DONALD GRAHAM BURT and JAN PASCALE for 'Mank'.

Best Hair and Make-Up

* Awarded to 'MA RAINEY'S BLACK BOTTOM'.

Best Score

* Awarded to JON BATISTE, TRENT REZNOR, and ATTICUS ROSS for 'Soul' beating out Alexandre Desplat for 'The Midnight Sky', Ludwig Goransson for 'Tenet', James Newton Howard for 'News of the World', Emile Mosseri for 'Minari' and Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for 'Mank'.

Best Visual Effects

* Awarded to 'TENET' beating out 'Greyhound', 'The Invisible Man', 'Mank', 'The Midnight Sky', 'Mulan' and 'Wonder Woman 1984'.

Best Comedy

* Awarded to 'PALM SPRINGS' beating out 'The 40-Year-Old Version', 'Borat Subsequent Moviefilm', 'The King of Staten Island', 'On the Rocks' and 'The Prom'.

Best Foreign Language Film

* Awarded to 'MINARI' being out 'Another Round', 'Collective', 'La Llorona', 'The Life Ahead' and 'Two of Us'.

For the complete run down of the 26th Critics Choice Awards including the Television category winners, grinners and also rans, you can visit the official website at : https://www.criticschoice.com/

This week there are five latest release new movies to tease you out to your local Odeon, and we kick start with an epic battle royale as a giant ape and a colossal lizard go head to head for supremacy. This is followed up by a story of a vigilante border patrol that turns fatal, with a man fleeing on horseback to Mexico, seeking forgiveness from the victim's father. Next up is a true story of a soldier who investigates a renowned Dutch artist who is accused of conspiring with the Nazis; and then there is a Russian-Jewish couple whose work dries up in the early '90's and so they immigrate to Israel to find a better life. And we close out the week with a classic tale of a mischievous rabbit who bored with life in the garden, goes to the big city, where he meets shady characters and ends up creating chaos for his whole family.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new movies 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.

'GODZILLA vs. KONG' (Rated M) - Directed by Adam Wingard this American monster film is a sequel to 2019's 'Godzilla : King of the Monsters' and 2017's 'Kong : Skull Island' and is the fourth film in Legendary Pictures MonsterVerse. The film is also the 36th film in the Godzilla franchise, the 12th film in the King Kong franchise, and the fourth Godzilla film to be completely produced by a Hollywood studio. Wingard's previous film making outings usually revolve around the horror genre and take in the likes of his 2007 debut 'Home Sick' and 'Pop Skull', 2010's 'A Horrible Way to Die', 2011's 'You're Next', 2016's 'Blair Witch' and 2017's 'Death Note'. After being delayed from a November 2020 release date due to the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic, the film is scheduled to be released in international theatres from this week, and in the US on 31st March where it will be released simultaneously in theatres and on HBO Max. The film cost in the region of US$180M to produce.

And so, here legends collide as these mythic adversaries meet in a spectacular battle for the ages, with the fate of the world hanging in the balance. Kong and his protectors undertake a perilous journey to find his true home, and with them is Jia (Kaylee Hottle), a young orphaned girl with whom he has formed a unique and powerful bond. But they unexpectedly find themselves in the path of an enraged Godzilla, cutting a swath of destruction around the world. The epic clash between these two titans, initiated by unseen forces, is only the beginning of the mystery that lies deep within the core of the Earth. Starring Alexander Skarsgard, Millie Bobby Brown, Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry, Julian Dennison, Demian Bechir and Kyle Chandler.

'NO MAN'S LAND' (Rated M) - is an American modern day Western film Directed and Co-Produced by Conor Allyn whose prior film making credits take in 'Java Heat' in 2013 with Mickey Rourke, 'Pocket Listing' in 2015 with Burt Reynolds and Rob Lowe, 'Forsaken', 'ExPatriot' and 'Walk. Ride. Rodeo'. Here, US and Mexican border vigilante Bill Greer (Frank Grillo) and his son Jackson (Jake Allyn) are on patrol when Jackson accidentally kills a Mexican immigrant boy. Bill tries to take the blame but Texas Ranger Ramirez (George Lopez) sees through the lie, spurring Jackson to flee south on horseback across the Rio Grande to become a gringo 'illegal alien' in Mexico. Chased by Texas Rangers and Mexican federal law enforcement, Jackson journeys across deserts and mountains to seek forgiveness from the dead boy's vengeful father Gustavo (Jorge A. Jimenez), as he falls in love with the land he was raised to hate. Also starring Andie MacDowell and Alex MacNicoll. The film was released Stateside at the end of January, has so far taken US$140K at the Box Office and has garnered mixed or average Reviews along the way. 

'THE LAST VERMEER' (Rated M) - this American drama film is Directed by Dan Friedkin and is based on the book published in 2008 'The Man Who Made Vermeers' by Jonathan Lopez. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Telluride Film Festival way back in August 2019, was released in the US in November 2020, and now gets a limited showing in Australia. It has so far grossed US$684K and has generated largely mixed or average Reviews. While Joseph Piller (Claes Bang), a Dutch Jew, was fighting in the Resistance during the Second World War, the witty, debonair art lover Han van Meegeren (Guy Pearce) was hosting hedonistic parties and selling Dutch art treasures to Hermann Goring and other top Nazis. Following the war, Piller becomes an investigator assigned the task of identifying and redistributing stolen art, resulting in the flamboyant van Meegeren being accused of collaboration — a crime punishable by death. But, despite mounting evidence, Piller, with the aid of his assistant Minna Holberg (Vicky Krieps), becomes increasingly convinced of Han's innocence and finds himself in the unlikely position of fighting to save his life.

'GOLDEN VOICES' (Rated M) - this Israeli romantic dramedy is Directed, Co-Written and Edited by Evgeny Ruman and tells the story of Victor and Raya Frenkel (Vladimir Friedman and Mariya Belkina) who were the golden voices of Soviet film dubbing for decades. All the western movies that reached Soviet screens were dubbed by them. In 1990, with the collapse of Soviet Union, the Frenkels decided to immigrate to Israel, just like hundreds of thousands of Soviet Jews. There's no need in Israel for Russian speaking dubbing artists, and Victor's and Raya's attempts to use their talent will cause bizarre and unexpected events during their first months in Israel, and turn the beginning of the new chapter of their life into an amusing, painful, and absurd experience. Released in Israeli cinemas in late September 2019, in the USA in early November 2020 and now on limited screens in Australia from this week, the film has so far picked up six award wins and another thirteen nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. 

'PETER RABBIT 2 : THE RUNAWAY' (Rated G) - this computer animated and live action comedy sequel to 2018's successful 'Peter Rabbit' which grossed US$351M off the back of a US$50M budget investment, is once again Directed, Co-Produced, and Co-Written for the screen by Will Gluck, and is based on the beloved characters created by Beatrix Potter at the turn of the twentieth century. Here live action characters Bea (Rose Byrne), Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson) and Percy McGregor (David Oyelowo) and the rabbits have created a makeshift family, but despite his best efforts, Peter Rabbit (voiced by James Cordon) can’t seem to shake off his mischievous reputation. Adventuring beyond the garden, Peter discovers a world where his mischief is appreciated, but when his family risks everything searching for him, Peter must figure out what kind of bunny he really wants to be. Also starring the voice talents of Margot Robbie as Flopsy, Elizabeth Debicki as Mopsy, Colin Moody as Benjamin, Lennie James, Sia, Sam Neill, Ewen Leslie and Damon Herriman. After facing numerous delays from its original February 2020 release date due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the film is finally released in Australia this week, and in the US and the UK on 14th May.

With five new release films 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 in the week ahead, at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

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

This week sees the release of 'Blair Witch', a follow up to the hugely successful and genre defining found footage horror film of 1999 which marks another remake, sequel or reboot in the ever popular horror thriller canon. And who doesn't like a good horror movie? Who doesn't like to be taken someplace else for 90 minutes or so and had the bejeezus shaken out of them with edge of your seat terror, evil and supernatural themes, only to laugh it off on your way home? So far in 2016 we have seen the likes of 'The Witch', 'Green Room', 'Lights Out', 'Don't Breathe', 'The Boy', 'The Conjuring 2 : The Enfield Poltergeist', 'The Forest' and many more to satisfy our seemingly insatiable appetite for a horror film. And before the end of the year what else do we have to look forward to and that is worth seeking out for some jump scares, suspense, nail biting terror and don't look now evil. Here are few worthy of mention : 'The Other Side of the Door', 'The Invitation', 'The Unkindness of Ravens', 'Leatherface', The Disappointments Room', 'Before I Wake', 'The Neon Demon', 'Rings', 'When The Bough Breaks', 'Morgan', and 'The Purge : Election Year'. Search them out when they come to an Odeon near you.

For the week ahead we have six new films coming to your local movie theatre. We kick off with a true sequel to a hugely successful and influential horror film from 1999 that set the benchmark by which many others have been judged, and sees a bunch of intrepid campers venture off into the woods in search for the sister who went missing in that original film. You just know it ain't gonna end well, because, if you go down into the woods today . . . ! We then move to a more sedate and comedic sequel to two previous films in this successful franchise featuring a hapless girl struggling with life, love and loss but all comes good when she falls pregnant - but whose the Dad? Then slowing down the pace is a journey of discovery as father and young son spend a weekend together where they are confronted unexpectedly by a number of life's challenges that might just save them both and draw them closer together. Next up is an outback Aussie RomCom featuring a stunt ute driving duo, a B&S Ball, lots of alcohol and the course of true love; before moving to a veteran film maker and his authorised documentary charting the rise and rise of one of the greatest bands of the 60's whose legacy is still profound today. And then we wrap up with an live action feature remake of an animated feature from the house of the mouse about a young lad and his somewhat unusual big best mate.

There you have it! Six teasing films offering damn scary horror, Romantic Comedies, drama, a Doco and a live action remake of an earlier animated feature. When you have sat through your filmed entertainment of choice in the coming week, feel free to leave your own critique by way of a Comment below this or any other Post, and share your thoughts with your fellow readers. We'd love to hear from you and in the meantime, enjoy your film!

'BLAIR WITCH' (Rated MA15+) - in 1999 'The Blair Witch Project' was released to critical acclaim and huge commercial success, although the film divided audiences. Nonetheless, it laid the foundation for a raft of 'found footage' films that have since followed and continue to be released particularly in the horror genre. That 1999 film was made for a mere US$60K by Daniel Myrick and Eduardo Sanchez and such was its interest that it took US$249M in the final analysis making it one of the most successful independent films of all time. Needless to say it spawned a follow up in 2000 - 'Book of Shadows : Blair Witch 2' which cost US$15M and made back US$50M and fared less well critically too. Now in 2016 comes a direct sequel to that first film set 20 years after the events of 'The Blair Witch Project' (which was based on the footage found in 1994, with this film being set in 2014), this time Directed by Adam Wingard, and touted as one of the scariest films ever made - I guess you'll just have to decide!

This time around we see the family connection maintained to the first film as James Donahue (James Allen McCune) brother of the filmmaker Heather who disappeared with her friends in the Black Hills, near Burkitsville, Maryland never to be seen since, believes his sister is still alive having seen a dodgy looking YouTube clip that indicates this to be the case. He enlists the support of two long standing friends, Peter Jones (Brandon Scott) and Lisa Arlington (Callie Hernandez) and Talia (Valerie Curry) a budding film student. They connect with the two local residents who found the original footage, Lane (Wes Robinson) and Ashley (Corbin Reid) who also tag along to help in the search for Heather. Needless to say whilst venturing into the Black Hills woods things begin to go bump in the night, and worse, as evil supernatural goings on manifest themselves, leading the campers to become increasingly convinced in the legend of the Blair Witch, and fearful for their own lives.

'BRIDGET JONES BABY' (Rated M) - in 2001 the romantic comedy film 'Bridget Jones Diary' based on the Helen Fielding book of the same name made US$282M from its US$25M budget outlay and garnered its lead female star Renee Zellweger an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. It made a sequel inevitable, and as such 'Bridget Jones : The Edge of Reason' was released in 2004 which brought in US$263M off its US$40M budget. Once again Directed by Sharon Maguire who Directed the first instalment too, but not the second, this film sees Bridget (Renee Zellweger) now in her early 40's struggling with life's trials and tribulations and still smarting from her recent break up with the love of her life Mark Darcy (Colin Firth). Then out of nowhere comes Jack Qwant (Patrick Dempsey) like an American knight in shining armour and sweeps Bridget off her feet. After a one night stand with both men, Bridget soon discovers she is pregnant - but who is the father, Mark or Jack? Also starring Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent, and Gemma Jones.

'THE CONFIRMATION' (Rated PG) - Written and in his Director debut Bob Nelson has crafted a simply told yet pragmatic story here about an eight year old lad Anthony (Jaeden Lieberher) who is just a little reluctant about spending a weekend with his father Walt (Clive Owen) - an alcoholic  down at heel, underworked carpenter while his Mum Bonnie (Maria Bello) spends a weekend away at a Catholic Retreat with her new husband Kyle (Matthew Modine). Walt is equally reluctant about spending the weekend with Anthony also, especially when a series of mishaps and misadventures befall them including the breakdown of Walt's truck, getting locked out of his house by the landlord, and getting his tool box nicked - which he needs for an upcoming job. What occurs over the weekend is a journey of discovery for them both as Walt attempts to hold on to his pride with his dignity intact, and Anthony attempts to prop up his Dad without showing him up, all the while attempting to recover a precious tool box. Robert Forster and Tim Blake Nelson also star. Released in the US in mid-March, this has seen a limited release only, but could well be worth searching out if slow burning morality tales are for you.

'SPIN OUT' (Rated M) - Directed by Marc Gracie and Tim Ferguson, this Aussie RomCom is staged over one day in remote outback country in the lead up to an annual B&S Ball (Bachelors & Spinsters) as two long term friends Billy (Xavier Samuel) and Lucy (Morgan Griffin) who also just happen to be ute stunt driver partners come to the realisation that they are in lurve. Things go awry for the daredevil stunt duo when Billy pushes the routine too far, causing Lucy to declare their partnership null & void, and I'm getting outta Dodge and heading for the bright lights big city. This leaves Billy with just one night to rescue Lucy's heart and prove to her that she is the one for him and how they were meant to be together, all against the backdrop of drunken antics, bare butts, lots of beer swilling locals, and all the shenanigans of an Aussie rural B&S Ball - hilarity ensues!

'THE BEATLES : EIGHT DAYS A WEEK - THE TOURING YEARS' (Rated M) - The Beatles were bigger than Jesus so John Lennon once claimed! This archive footage documentary is Directed by Ron Howard with the full approval of Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, and Yoko Ono and Olivia Harrison and traces the four likely lads from Liverpool rise to fame from 1962 through until 1966 during which time they staged some 250 concerts, including their 1965 US tour that took in sixteen concerts in 16 days including the ground breaking and history making Shea Stadium gig that played in front of 55,000 fans (a record number at that time). Charting their stellar rise to fame from humble beginnings in Liverpool's Cavern Club through to their final full concert in 1966 in San Francisco at Candlestick Park on August 29th, this film explores the inner workings of the band, the personalities that clicked at just the right time, and their musical talent that made them what they were . . . and still are today!

'PETE'S DRAGON' (Rated PG) - in the pantheon of Disney movies spanning many decades the 1977 animated feature of this remake would hardly stand up amongst the more classic 'The Jungle Book' or 'Beauty and the Beast' or 'Snow White' or 'Bambi' or 'The Lion King' or 'Aladdin'  either, but here in 2016 that fairly average film is getting a live action makeover for a whole new audience for the young, and the young at heart. Made for US$65M the film was Directed by David Lowery and has so far grossed US$103M and has met with positive Reviews. There is little similarity here with the original animated feature, but the action kicks off in 1977 with a five year old lad Pete (Oakes Fegley) on a road trip with his parents, when the car flips off the road and the parents are killed, leaving the boy to escape a pack of wolves into the nearby woods somewhere in the Pacific Northwest. Pete is rescued by a big furry green dragon that he calls Elliot. Fast forward six years and Pete still lives in the woods with his best mate Elliot. But, their peaceful secluded existence is about to be put in danger when the local townsfolk discover Pete, and try to bring him back to their civilised world. Also starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Karl Urban, Wes Bentley and Robert Redford.

With six more films to choose from this coming week together with those already Reviewed and Previewed at this humble Blog, what's not to like? Get out amongst it and catch a great movie at your local multiplex or independent picture house, and I'll look forward to seeing you at the Odeon sometime soon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-