What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 10th May 2018.

In April, the world bid a fond farewell to number of stars of the silver screen and the small screen. In brief, shown below, is my passing tribute to those stars who leave an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, and in particular the world of film and television. May you all Rest In Peace, and thanks for the memories.

*  Michael Anderson : Born 30th January 1920, died 25th April 2018, aged 98. Michael Joseph Anderson Snr. was an English Director most notably known for Directing the WWII real life drama 'The Dam Busters' in 1955, the classic 'Around the World in 80 Days' in 1956, and the Sci-Fi film 'Logan's Run' in 1976. His other films worthy of note included the 1956 version of the George Orwell classic '1984', 'The Quilter Memorandum', 'Orca', 'Millennium' and 'The New Adventures of Pinocchio' which was to be his last full length feature film in 1999. All up Anderson had 43 Directing credits to his name, twelve as Assistant Director, two Acting and two Producer credits also. He had three Award wins to his name and another nine nominations including the Best Director Academy Award and Golden Globe nods for 'Around the World in 80 Days', which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1957 as well a four other wins at that years Oscar's. At the time of his death, Anderson was the oldest living nominee for an Academy Award for Best Director, and the only surviving Director whose film won a Best Picture award in the 1950s.

* R. Lee Ermey : Born 24th March 1944, died 15th April 2018, aged 74. Ronald Lee Ermey was an American Actor, Voice Actor and a US Marine Corps Staff Sergeant and an honorary gunnery Sergeant. He joined the US Marine Corp in 1961, aged 17 training in San Diego, California before serving time in Okinawa, Japan and then in Vietnam in 1968/69 before being medically discharged in 1972. His first feature film break came in 1978 in the Vietnam War drama 'The Boys in Company C' playing a Marine drill instructor. This was followed up a year later with Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam epic 'Apocalypse Now' playing a chopper pilot as well as acting as a technical advisor given his experiences in country. The role for which he is perhaps best known was Stanley Kubrick's 1987 Vietnam opus 'Full Metal Jacket' as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman for which Ermey received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His other big screen appearances in films of note included 'Mississippi Burning', 'Toy Soldiers', 'Sommersby', 'Body Snatchers', 'On Deadly Ground', 'Murder in the First', 'Leaving Las Vegas', 'Se7en', 'Dead Man Walking', 'The Frighteners', 'The Salton Sea', 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' (2003 remake) and its 2006 prequel. Ermey also lent his voice talents to 'Starship Troopers', 'Toy Story', 'Toy Story 2' and 'Toy Story 3', 'X-Men : The Last Stand' and 'The Watch'. In the meantime there were television appearance on the likes of 'Miami Vice', 'The X-Files', 'The Simpsons', 'Family Guy', 'House', 'Law & Order : SVU' and 'Kung Fu Panda : Legends of Awesomeness', as well as numerous voice appearances on video games and television commercial endorsements. All up Ermey had 124 Acting credits to his name and he was the recipient of two award wins and another four nominations. He was a Board Member for the NRA (National Rifle Association) and Co-Founder of the Bravery Brewing Company.
* Verne Troyer : Born 1st January 1969, died 21st April 2018, aged 49. Verne Jay Troyer was an American Actor, Comedian and stuntman who's best known performance was as 'Mini-Me' in the 'Austin Powers : The Spy Who Shagged Me' second instalment in this film franchise and in the third film 'Austin Powers in Goldmember'. He garnered fame for his diminutive stature, measuring just 81cms (2 feet 8 inches) tall due to a rare genetic disorder known as cartilage-hair hypopiasia that clinically manifests itself as short limbed dwarfism. This condition made Troyer one of the world's shortest men. His big screen debut came in 1994 in 'Baby's Day Out' which was followed by regular work in the ensuing years in film and television including more notably, 'Jingle All The Way', 'Volcano', 'Men In Black', 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas', 'Mighty Joe Young', 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas', 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone', 'The Love Guru' and 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus'. Troyer had accumulated 58 Acting credits throughout his career and had picked up two award wins and four nominations.

In the week ahead we have four new films to tease you out to your local Odeon, kicking off with the real life telling of a scandal that rocked a high ranking political figure, his acclaimed family and the Presidential system in the US in the late '60's/early '70's. We then turn to a dramedy of a mother of three young kids who is gifted a Nanny to help her sleep, rest, cope and gain back some semblance of life from the never ending demands of motherhood. This is followed up by a comedy of a recently divorced mother who goes back to College to complete her Degree having put her life on hold for the sake of her soon to be ex-husband and her College age daughter, only thing is, she ends up in the same school and in the same class as her daughter, and so begins a whole new life of rediscovery, adventure and antics. We then wrap up with a murder mystery whodunnit where the patriarch of the family is poisoned in his bed and the immediate family are all prime suspects playing out in the great tradition of that acclaimed British female mystery crime writer who has had plenty of her works committed to the big and small screen.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the four latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are here cordially invited 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 meanwhile, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.

'CHAPPAQUIDDICK' (Rated M) - this American drama film based on the real life events surrounding the 1969 Chappaquiddick Incident is Directed by John Curran whose most recent Directorial outing was the 2013 Robyn Davidson Western Australian adapted story 'Tracks' with Mia Wasikowska. Now, he Directs this account of the story which is described as 'a single-vehicle car accident that occurred on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts, on Friday, July 18, 1969. The late night accident was caused by Senator Ted Kennedy's negligence, and resulted in the death of his 28-year-old passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, who was trapped inside the vehicle'. Further it states that 'according to his testimony, Kennedy accidentally drove his car off the one-lane bridge and into a tidal channel. He swam free, left the scene, and did not report the accident to the police for ten hours; Kopechne died inside the fully submerged car. The next day, the car with Kopechne's body inside was recovered by a diver, minutes before Kennedy reported the accident to local authorities. Kennedy pleaded guilty to a charge of leaving the scene of a crash causing personal injury, and later received a two-month suspended jail sentence'. The film Premiered at TIFF last September, had its US release in early April, and goes on general release in Australia this week, having so far grossed US$17M at the Box Office and garnered generally positive Reviews along the way.

Through factual accounts, laid out in the inquest from the investigations in 1969, the film examines the mysterious events and subsequent fall out around the drowning of aspiring political strategist and Kennedy insider Mary Jo Kopechne (Kate Mara) after Ted Kennedy (Jason Clarke) drove his car off the infamous Dike Bridge on Chappaquiddick Island. The incident ultimately changed the course of presidential history, intimately exposing the long arm of political influence and power held by one of America's most celebrated families, and the vulnerability (and political implosion) of Ted Kennedy, the youngest son, in the shadow of his family's troubled and famed legacy. These events more than likely contributed to Ted Kennedy's decision not to run for President in the 1972 and 1976 campaigns. The film also stars Clancy Brown, Bruce Dern, Ed Helms and Olivia Thirlby.

'TULLY' (Rated M) - this American drama comedy offering is Directed by Jason Reitman whose previous Directing credits include 'Juno', 'Up in the Air' and 'Thank-you for Smoking' amongst others, and is Written by Diablo Cody whose previous Writing credits include 'Juno', 'Young Adult' and 'Ricky and the Flash' also amongst others. The film Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January this year, went on general release in the US last week, and here in Australia this week. This film tells the story of the mother of three young kids Marlo (Charlize Theron, who it is reported gained nearly 23 kilos for her role over a period of about fifteen weeks, and ate around the clock to keep the weight on. It took her a year and a half to take the weight off once filming concluded), who is gifted a nighttime Nanny by her brother, to help her sleep and cope with the trials and tribulations of raising a demanding young family that includes a new born. Reluctant to take advantage at first, Marlo soon gives in and forms a unique relationship with the thoughtful, caring and at times challenging young Nanny named Tully (Mackenzie Davis). The film also stars Mark Duplass as Craig (Marlo's brother) and Ron Livingstone as Drew (Marlo's husband).

'LIFE OF THE PARTY' (Rated M) - here we have an American comedy film Co-Written and Co-Produced by the real life married couple of Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy and Directed by Ben Falcone in his third Directorial outing with his wife after 2014's 'Tammy' and 2016's 'The Boss'. The story here surrounds long time dedicated wife Deanna (Melissa McCarthy) who is suddenly and abruptly dumped by her husband Dan (Matt Walsh), seeking a divorce. Whilst Deanna has no regrets about bringing up her daughter Maddie (Molly Gordon) and being a stay at home Mum, she does regret never finishing her Degree. So, Deanna decides to go back to College, and plunges headlong into the same school and same class as her daughter, who remains totally unconvinced that this is a good idea. Needless to say new adventures and new experiences await as Deanna gets reacquainted with all the fun, freedom, frolics and frat boys that College life can muster. Sounds like a hoot! Also starring Gillian Jacobs, Maya Rudolph, Jacki Weaver and Julie Bowen. Released in the US, UK and Australia this week.

'CROOKED HOUSE' (Rated PG) - Agatha Christie seems to be back in vogue right now, with this big screen adaptation of her 1949 novel of the same name, following on from Ken Branagh's reworking of 'Murder on the Orient Express' late last year and his reported re-adaptation of 'Death on the Nile'. This British murder mystery is Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Frenchman Gilles Paquet-Brenner. In this detective story, former Foreign Office diplomat Charles Hayward (Max Irons) has returned from Cairo to London to become a private detective. When Aristide Leonides (Gino Picciano), a wealthy and ruthless business tycoon, is poisoned in his own bed, Detective Hayward is invited to solve the crime by his former lover and before the Scotland Yard Detectives arrive on the scene and potentially expose hidden and dark family secrets. As the investigation deepens he must confront the shocking realisation that one of the key suspects is Aristede's beautiful granddaughter, his employer and former lover; and must remain focused and alert to navigate the sultry Sophia de Havilland (Stefani Martini) and the rest of her hostile family. Also starring Glenn Close, Gillian Anderson, Julian Sands, Terence Stamp and Christina Hendricks.

With four new release films out 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-

MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS : Tuesday 14th November 2017.

'MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS' which I caught earlier this week is the classic 1934 Agatha Christie murder mystery novel upon which this film is based, that has been committed to the big and small screens a number of times over the years, most notably in 1974 as Directed by Sidney Lumet and starred an ensemble cast. That film was nominated for six Academy Awards and won one - for Best Supporting Actress going to Ingrid Bergman. It was also nominated for ten BAFTA's and walked away with three for Best Supporting Actor and Actress to John Gielgud and Ingrid Bergman respectively, and Best Music. All up the film won nine awards and received a further sixteen nominations, and at the Box Office returned US$36M from its US$1.4M budget outlay. The films cast included Albert Finney as the super sleuth gentleman detective Hercule Poirot, Sean Connery, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins, Michael York, Richard Widmark, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Vanessa Redgrave and Jacqueline Bisset. In 2001 a made for television movie was released of the same name, featuring the same storyline, and the same title but set in the present day and starring Alfred Molina as Hercule Poirot, Peter Strauss and Leslie Caron. Then in 2010 the popular long running television series 'Agatha Christie's Poirot' with David Suchet as the detective aired in Season 12, Episode 3 'Murder on the Orient Express' which featured the acting talents of Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Chastain, Barbara Hershey, Toby Jones, David Morrissey, and Eileen Atkins. There has also been a BBC Radio 4 serialisation of the book and a video game adaptation over the years too.

And so now in 2017 we have this latest lavish reiteration of Christie's famed novel with Kenneth Branagh on Directing duty and starring as the hirsute Belgian detective Hercule Poirot with a ensemble cast for this production that reads like a Who's Who of British and American acting talent. The film was released in the UK on 2nd November, and in the US and Australia on 9th November. and has so far grossed US$105M off the back of a US$55M production Budget. The film has generated mixed Reviews from Critics, but all universally praise the casting and production values.

The film opens up with a scene setter in a 1934 Jerusalem at the site of The Wailing Wall where Poirot announces to a gathered crowd of onlookers who the culprit is in the theft of a valuable religious artefact. Job done, but not without a scuffle, he is ready to depart to Istanbul to travel onward to London to work on another case that needs finalising, and in between time he is to take some much needed R&R. In Istanbul, while checking out the culinary delights of a local market he happens across an old friend, and a Director of the Orient Express, Bouc (Tom Bateman) who offers the Detective a sleeper cabin on the unusually booked out Orient Express. Managing to squeeze Poirot into a shared cabin, we quickly grab glimpses of the other well to do passengers as they board, that Poirot will be sharing his journey with. The first of which is a Caroline Hubbard (Michelle Pfeiffer) a trophy ex-wife to several ex-husbands, clearly wealthy and hungry for a man, who instantly tries to chat up Poirot, but he'll have none of her advances, preferring to keep himself very much to himself, and besides, he's got a Charles Dickens book to catch up on.

As the train gets underway, Poirot is introduced to Samuel Ratchett (Johnny Depp), an American businessman who looks more like a mobster than a professional purveyor of fine arts, collectables and antiquities that he claims he is new into and still learning as he goes. Ratchett is joined on the journey by his bookkeeper come lawyer come personal assistant Hector MacQueen (Josh Gad). Over a pastry in the dining car, Ratchett confides in Poirot that he has recently undertaken some dodgy deals back in Istanbul selling fake wares, and those hard done by now want pay back and are vying for his blood, and sending him threatening letters. Ratchett pleads with Poirot to act as his personal bodyguard, for a handsome fee, for the duration of the trip to ensure his safety, but Poirot politely declines. Later that night while Poirot is trying to get to sleep he is constantly disturbed by noises coming from outside his cabin in the interconnecting hallway. Later on that night when the commotion has settled down, a lightning bolt strikes the side of a snow covered peak sending an avalanche crashing down upon the advancing train, causing the engine carriage to derail, halting the journey in its tracks on a remote mountain side.

The next morning, Poirot learns that Ratchett was murdered in his bed sometime during the previous night - stabbed a dozen times in the chest. Poirot and Bouc investigate the crime scene and the murder case, with Bouc being the only non-suspect on the train, because he slept in a different carriage the night before, unlike everyone else. Initial evidence points to a suspect working alone, with Caroline Hubbard claiming that during the night there was a strange intruder present in her cabin. Several clues are left in Ratchett's cabin, including an unused pipe cleaner, a fine lace bloodstained handkerchief with the letter 'H' engraved, and a partially destroyed note linking Ratchett to the case of an abducted child Daisy Armstrong some years previously.

The Armstrong child was held for ransom, and then killed. Ratchett is identified as being John Cassetti, the murderer of the child. Grieving, Daisy's mother Sonia collapses and gives birth to a still born premature baby and dies in child birth, and shortly thereafter, her father Colonel Armstrong commits suicide. The family's housemaid Susanne, was found guilty of the murder on trumped up charges allowing Cassetti to go free, and she hanged herself while in custody, only to be determined innocent after the fact.

More evidence is uncovered during the course of the investigation, while rail workers dig out the engine carriage from the snow. Poirot and Bouc systematically interview all the other suspects gathering further insights into their individual backgrounds, possible motives, and sorting through the lies from the truth. Poirot discovers through his expert powers of deduction, that all suspects are in some way linked to the Armstrong household, the family, or the ensuing court case. Whilst interviewing Governess Mary Debenham (Daisy Ridley) who upto now has been the most aloof about Ratchett maintaining her silence, Poirot is confronted by Dr. John Arbuthnot (Leslie Odom Jnr.) who claims responsibility for the murder, and who is also the secret interracial love interest of the Governess. A scuffle breaks out, in which Arbuthnot, a trained former sniper, shoots Poirot in the arm, but who is then incapacitated by Bouc. Poirot however, can see that Arbuthnot had never intended to kill him, and was acting out of love for Mary Debenham.

By now, Poirot has amassed enough evidence, but the prime suspect still eludes him. He calls everyone together in the nearby train tunnel while the rail workers set the engine carriage back on the tracks. He has two theories. One is that there was a lone murderer who masqueraded as a Conductor, killed Ratchett and fled the scene of the crime undetected under cover of darkness. The other is much more complex and involves every passenger suspect aboard the train being linked to the Armstrong's, to Susanne and the subsequent trial in some way - giving them all a possible motive.

Poirot concludes ultimately that each and every one of them had reason for killing Ratchett and therefore in this case, unlike every one of the cases he has solved before, there is no right or wrong, it is not black and it is not white, there is no guilty nor innocent, and as such he will have to live with that imbalance. This outcome does not sit easy with the Super Sleuth, but he must accept it on this occasion and under these circumstances.

Upon arrival at the next train stop, Poirot presents the evidence of a killer acting alone to the Yugoslavian Police, who accept his story, leaving the passengers to continue their onward journey, each wrestling with their conscience. As the Detective leaves the train, a messenger alerts him that he is required urgently in Egypt, as there has been a murder on the Nile. Poirot accepts the case, forgoing his much needed R&R, as the Orient Express departs the station, and he jumps into a waiting car.

The film also stars Judi Dench, Willem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi, Penelope Cruz, Olivia Colman and Lucy Boynton amongst others in supporting roles offering minimal dialogue that belittle their acting credentials leaving them to wallow in the background. There is no doubt that Branagh has cast an impressive line up of A-List Actors who bring a gravitas to the proceedings and no doubt a pulling power into movie theatres the world over. The production values are high and the era has been recreated faithfully with its costumes and set designs, and the CGI adds to the depth of this period piece whodunit with its stunning vistas. But, is that enough to carry off this film? Despite such an ensemble cast, I couldn't help feeling that our amassed group of fine acting talent were left wanting to do more with their characters, but instead are largely sidelined with very little dialogue of note. Branagh meanwhile, chews up every scene and with his enormous well kempt moustache arriving fifteen seconds in the room before he does, he puts together the pieces of this murder jigsaw puzzle with relative ease it seems whilst telling everybody that he is the greatest Detective the world has ever seen. And, when the ending comes and the big reveal, it's all a bit of an anti-climax really, that sees Poirot going back on his principles that have served him so well throughout his career to date - first time for everything I guess, including his Oscar worthy facial fuzz extraordinaire. A classic story that looks good on the screen and has a lot going for it, but ultimately are period piece whodunits still a drawcard for the modern audience . . . . only you can answer that one!

Depending on the success of this film, Branagh has indicted his willingness to adapt further Christie novels involving the master of investigative deduction, Hercule Poirot, and judging by the closing scenes of this film it looks as though 'Death on the Nile' could be up next.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 9th November 2017.

The 7th AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards takes place in Sydney on 6th December this year, with the who's who from the world of cinema and television, in front and behind the camera all vying for awards recognition. The official list of nominees was announced last week, and in terms of the film industry, in competition for the major prizes are :-

* BEST FILM : 'Ali's Wedding', 'Lion', 'Berlin Syndrome', 'Jasper Jones' and 'Hounds of Love'.
* BEST DIRECTION : 'Jeffrey Walker for 'Ali's Wedding', Garth Davis for 'Lion', Cate Shortland for 'Berlin Syndrome' and Ben Young for 'Hounds of Love'.
* BEST LEAD ACTOR : Osamah Sami for 'Ali's Wedding', Sunny Pawar for 'Lion', Stephen Curry for 'Hounds of Love' and Ewen Leslie for 'The Butterfly Tree'.
* BEST LEAD ACTRESS : Helana Sawires for 'Ali's Wedding', Teresa Palmer for 'Berlin Syndrome',  Emma Booth for 'Hounds of Love' and Sara West for 'Don't Tell'.
* BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR : Don Hany for 'Ali's Wedding', Dev Patel for 'Lion', Hugo Weaving for 'Jasper Jones' and Jack Thompson for 'Don't Tell'.
* BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS : Frances Duca for 'Ali's Wedding', Nicole Kidman for 'Lion', Susie Porter for 'Hounds of Love' and Jacqueline McKenzie for 'Don't Tell'.
* BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY : 'Ali's Wedding', 'Hounds of Love', 'The Butterfly Tree' and 'The Death and Life of Otto Bloom'.
* BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY : 'Lion', 'Berlin Syndrome', 'Jasper Jones' and 'Don't Tell'.
* BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY : Greig Fraser for 'Lion', Michael McDermott for 'Hounds of Love', Stefan Duscio for 'Jungle' and Geoffrey Hall for 'Red Dog : True Blue'.
* BEST VISUAL EFFECTS OR ANIMATION : 'Deepwater Horizon', 'Doctor Strange', 'The Lego Batman Movie' and 'Game of Thrones : The Spoils of War'.
You can go to the official website at : aacta.org for the full run down on this years nominees in every category, and more.

Turning to this weeks current release movies coming to a big screen somewhere near you, we have an all star cast in this lavish remake of a classic whodunnit 1930's novel set aboard a train, that sees this fourth screen adaptation of this famed story; then we have a BioPic about an inner city riot of fifty years ago that went down as one of the worst in American history; then another BioPic about an intrepid amateur explorer who gets lost in the remote South American jungle and his struggles too survive; followed by another BioPic about a man and the two women in his life who together create the first female Superheroine (that we know and love to this day) almost eighty years ago; before wrapping up with a tale of man who thinks little of himself and his journey of discovery to realise that he is worth a whole lot more.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are here invited 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 experience during the coming week.

'MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS' (Rated M) - the classic 1934 Agatha Christie murder mystery novel upon which this film is based has been committed to the big and small screens a number of times over the years, most notably in 1974 as Directed by Sidney Lumet and starred an ensemble cast. That film was nominated for six Academy Awards and won one - for Best Supporting Actress going to Ingrid Bergman. It was also nominated for ten BAFTA's and walked away with three  for Best Supporting Actor and Actress to John Gielgud and Ingrid Bergman respectively, and Best Music. All up the film won nine awards and received a further sixteen nominations, and at the Box Office returned US$36M from its US$1.4M budget outlay. The films cast included Albert Finney as the super sleuth gentleman detective Hercule Poirot, Sean Connnery, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins, Michael York, Richard Widmark, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Vanessa Redgrave and Jacqueline Bisset. In 2001 a made for television movie was released of the same name, featuring the same storyline, and the same title but set in the present day and starring Alfred Molina as Hercule Poirot, Peter Strauss and Leslie Caron. Then in 2010 the popular long running television series 'Agatha Christie's Poirot' with David Suchet as the detective aired in Season 12, Episode 3 'Murder on the Orient Express' which featured the acting talents of Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Chastain, Barbara Hershey, Toby Jones, David Morrissey, and Eileen Atkins. There has also been a BBC Radio 4 serialisation of the book and a video game adaptation over the years too.

And so now in 2017 we have this latest lavish reiteration of Christie's famed novel with Kenneth Branagh on Directing duty and starring as the hirsute Belgian detective Hercule Poirot with a ensemble cast for this production that takes in Johnny Depp, Willem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi, Josh Gad, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Olivia Coleman and Lucy Boynton amongst others. The film was released in the UK last week, and goes on wide release in the US and Australia this week. The storyline, as if you need reminding, is that set sometime in the 1930's famed detective Hercule Poirot is taking a well deserved rest in between super sleuthing on the Orient Express train. While on board he meets an interesting array of international and multi-cultural characters, one of whom is Samuel Ratchett (Johnny Depp) who pleads with Poirot to act as his personal bodyguard while travelling on the train for fear of his life. Poirot cordially declines the invitation, and the next morning winds up dead - stabbed to death. When the train is caught in a snow blizzard and the journey is halted, Poirot goes into unexpected investigative mode as the clues begin to mount up, everyone is a suspect and time is running out before the killer potentially strikes again.

'DETROIT' (Rated MA15+) - this historical biographical crime drama film is Directed and Co-Produced by Kathryn Bigelow and Written by Mark Boal with whom the Director collaborated on two of her previous films - 2008's 'The Hurt Locker' and 2012's 'Zero Dark Thirty'. The film is based on the 1967 Detroit Riot (aka The 12th Street Riot) and research tells us that this was one of 159 race related riots that swept across the USA throughout the 'Long Hot Summer of 1967'. This riot was a violent public disorder that turned into a civil disturbance in Detroit, Michigan. It began in the early hours of Sunday July 23, 1967. The catalyst to the event was a police raid of an unlicensed, after-hours bar just north of the corner of 12th Street and Virginia Park Avenue, on the city's Near West Side. Police confrontations with customers and observers on the street evolved into one of the deadliest and most destructive riots in the history of the United States, lasting five days. To help bring an end to the disturbance, Governor George W. Romney ordered the Michigan Army National Guard into Detroit, and President Lyndon B. Johnson mobilised both the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. The result was 43 dead, 1,189 injured, over 7,200 arrests, and more than 2,000 buildings trashed. Furthermore, The Algiers Motel Incident occurred in Detroit, during the night of July 25–26, 1967 during the racially fuelled 12th Street Riot. At the Algiers Motel, approximately one mile east of where the riots began, three teenage civilians, all black, were beaten and killed by police. Nine others, comprising two white females and seven black males were badly beaten and humiliated by members of a riot task force composed of the Detroit Police Department, the Michigan State Police, and the Michigan Army National Guard. The incident occurred after reports were received that snipers, a gunman, or group of gunmen had been seen at or near the motel. This is the foundation of the film, starring John Boyega, Will Poulter, Jack Reynor, Anthony Mackie and John Krasinski. The film opened in the US back in late July, cost US$34M to make and has so far recovered US$22M and has received generally positive Reviews, and there is even early Oscar buzz around the film.

'JUNGLE' (Rated M) - here we have a biographical jungle survival drama film Directed by Aussie Greg McLean whose previous credits include 'Wolf Creek', 'Wolf Creek 2', 'Rogue' and the recently released 'The Belko Experiment'. The film is based on the book 'Jungle : A Harrowing True Story of Survival' by Yossi Ghinsberg an Israeli adventurer, author, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and motivational speaker now living in Australia. Ghinsberg is most known for his survival story when he was stranded in an uncharted part of the Bolivian Amazon jungle for three weeks in 1981. Teaming up with some unknowns that Yossi (here portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe) meets in La Paz, Bolivia to begin a trek into the heart of the Amazon rainforest in search for an alleged lost Indian tribe. Their journey turns into a nightmare as the darkest elements of human nature and the deadliest threats of the untamed jungle force them to fight for survival. Also starring Alex Russell, Thomas Kretschmann, Joel Jackson and Yasmin Kassim the film Premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival back in August and now goes on limited release.

'BRAD'S STATUS' (Rated M) - Directed, Written, Co-Produced and also starring Mike White, this film tells the story of Brad Sloan (Ben Stiller) a middle aged guy living in a comfortable Californian home, with a comfortable job, and a loving comfortable wife Melanie (Jenna Fischer). His reality does not, however, quite match up with his career expectations and his life goals when he graduated from College back in the day. He keeps reminding himself of what might have been and he often compares himself to his four College buddies who have gone on to be successful, well paid career professionals. When Brad takes his teenage son Troy (Austin Abrams) on a tour of New England Colleges, he is forced to reconnect with his former College buddies, one of whom especially he is seeking to leverage a favour from - a teacher at Harvard, Craig Fisher (Michael Sheen). The experiences with his friends and his road trip with his son, compel Brad to re-evaluate the choices he made in life and whether or not he is in fact the failure he thinks he is, or he is the most successful in the group. Also starring Luke Wilson, Jermaine Clement and Mike White as Brad's three other College friends. The film Premiered at TIFF in early September, went on general release across the US the following week, has so far grossed just US$3M, and has received generally positive Reviews.

'PROFESSOR MARSTON AND THE WONDER WOMEN' (Rated MA15+) - here this historical biographical drama film Written and Directed by Angela Robinson takes us back to the very creation of the female Amazonian superheroine 'Wonder Woman' in the early '40's. Make no mistake about the title though - this is no extension of the DC Extended Universe, but an insight into what inspired and motivated the creator of this hugely successful comic character, William Moulton Marston (played here by Luke Evans). A Harvard psychologist and inventor Dr. Marston is working with his wife Elizabeth Marston (Rebecca Hall) on the invention of the lie detector. When William hires a new Assistant Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote) to complete work on the lie detector, in time Olive falls for both William and Elizabeth, and eventually moves in with them, breaking off her engagement in the process. With two inspirational women in his life, he creates one of the most loved comic book characters of all time, although the road to fame and fortune is not without its challenges along the way. The film Premiered at TIFF in early November, was released Stateside in mid-October, has so far taken just US$1.5M and has garnered generally favourable Reviews noting in particular the performances from the three principle leads.

With five new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, taking in a remake of a classic 1930's whodunnit; a historical retelling on an inner city Riot; another historical BioPic about a guy lost in the jungle; and another historical BioPic of the man who created the first female Superheroine; and a journey of self awareness and discovery for a man and his son. Remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephiles afterwards here at Odeon Online, and meanwhile, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-