WARFARE : Tuesday 29th April 2025.

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'WARFARE' this week, and this war action film is Written and Directed by Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland and is based on Mendoza's experiences during the Iraq War as a former US Navy SEAL. Alex Garland's prior feature film making credits take in his debut with 'Ex Machina' in 2014, then 'Annihilation' in 2018, 'Men' in 2022 and 'Civil War' most recently last year. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing in mid-March, was released in the USA in early April, here and in the UK from mid-April, has garnered generally favourable critical press and has so far grossed US$26M from a production budget of US$20M. In order to maintain historical accuracy, the film's material is exclusively taken from the testimonies of the platoon members, and is depicted in real time.

Here then, a platoon of Navy SEAL's embark on a dangerous surveillance mission in Ramadi, Iraq on 19th November. 2006. Under cover of the dead of night the platoon (call sign Alpha One) takes control of a house, and wakens a husband and wife and their two young children. They quickly learn from the family that the upper level is a separate apartment, that is blocked off by a brick wall which they breach to access it. 

JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controller) communications officer Ray Mendoza (D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai) coordinates air support to monitor their position while sniper and medic Elliott Miller (Cosmo Jarvis) monitors the various locals comings and goings at a market across the street, through the telescopic sight on his sniper rifle. They are performing overwatch duties in support of a US Marines operation.

Translators Farid (Nathan Altai) and Noor (Donya Hussen) learn from the family that there is another family living upstairs. They instruct them all to remain silent and in place. Ray and Elliott observe increased activity across the street. ANGLICO (Air Naval Gunfire Liaison Company) LT McDonald (Michael Gandolfini) radios for air assets while the translators advise that the enemy has broadcast a call to arms. Leading Officer in Charge Erik (Will Poulter) instructs the translators to guard the upstairs part of the building. A grenade is thrown into the sniper's room injuring Elliott's hand. A CASEVAC (Casualty Evacuation) is called to evacuate him. In preparation, the team gathers their weapons and blow Claymore mines off the top floor balcony to create a distraction. As the Bradley (Fighting Vehicle) arrives to collect Elliott, and undercover of a smoke screen, an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) explodes close by killing a translator and further wounding Elliott and Leading Petty Officer Sam (Joseph Quinn). The Bradley departs the scene of the carnage.

Having gradually come round dazed and confused by what has just moments ago transpired, the Alpha One unit retreats and regroups in the house while tending to Sam's shredded legs. Erik calls team Alpha Two to collapse into their position, but they are held up by firefights further down the street. Air support returns but due to opposing fire McDonald can only coordinate a show of force (intended to warn or to intimidate an opponent by showcasing a capability or will to act if one is provoked) by a low level jet fighter. Ray determines Sam requires a tourniquet but is unable to apply it due to his quivering hands, and so instead packs the wound with gauze and places his knee on Sam's wound, increasing Sam's agony. Ray dissociates, and so Erik takes over and applies the tourniquet. Elliott regains consciousness and screams in pain as McDonald tends to his injuries. Elliott, through his pain directs McDonald to the morphine in his bag which McDonald then administers to him and Sam, giving them some relief only.

Alpha Two make it into Alpha One's building. Their request for medical evacuation is denied for fear of another IED attack. Alpha Two leader Jake (Charles Melton) orders his communications officer, John (Finn Bennett), to impersonate the army commanding officer to approve their evacuation. Jake retrieves gear from the street before Elliott and Sam are hurriedly loaded into the two Bradleys. The team returns to the house. Believing insurgents may have infiltrated the second floor from the roof, Jake orders two other Bradleys to take out the top deck of their building. Under cover of another show of force, the Alpha One and Alpha Two men are extracted by the Bradleys and leave the neighbourhood under heavy small arms fire. The families in the house slowly emerge from their rooms and survey what remains of their home, realising the soldiers have left. The surviving insurgents cautiously gather in the street when the dust has settled and study the bloodied dismembered remains of what is left of the Iraqi translator. 

Based on a true story of the fairly recent past and told with all the chaos and brotherhood of war retold through their memories of the event, the team of Alpha One together with joint Directors Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland have crafted an immersive, visceral and realistic retelling of the physical and emotional toll of modern warfare. The performances from the principle cast are all top notch and each one played with conviction and determination to do justice to the men who served on that fateful mission, the sound design is near perfect, and the real time film making serves to add urgency and tension to an already fraught situation. This no-holds barred, intense and authentic cinematic experience is best seen on the big screen and easily stands up there with Scott's 'Black Hawk Down', Spielberg's 'Saving Private Ryan' and Berger's 'All Quiet on the Western Front' as a must see film of the futility of war. My only gripe of this film is that there is zero backstory to Alpha One's platoon members, but I'm guessing that this was intentional on the part of the Co-Director's, who didn't want to get bogged down by leaning in to the history of the individuals, rather concentrating on the here and now and let the intense action, the emotion and the physicality of the rapidly unfolding situation do the talking. 

'Warfare' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 17th April 2025.

The 68th annual San Francisco International Film Festival this year takes place from Thursday 17th through until Sunday 27th April. Founded in 1957, the San Francisco International Film Festival (SFFILM Festival) is the longest-running film festival in the Americas. The annual event features a range of marquee premieres, international competitions, compelling documentaries, short and mid-length films, live music performances, and dazzling red carpet events. The SFFILM Festival is deeply rooted in the culture and process of film appreciation - film as an art form and as a meaningful agent for social change - and is an important showcase for the most searching and innovative films from around the globe, so reads the official website.

This years Opening Night Film is 'Rebuilding' from the USA and Written and Directed by Max Walker-Silverman, and tells the story of communal love and resilience, as uncertain and mild-mannered man Dusty (Josh O’Connor) determined to rebuild his family ranch and recapture his purpose as a cowboy. Also starring Meghann Fahy, Amy Madigan, Lilly LaTour and Kali Reis. The Closing Night Film is 'Outerlands' from the USA and is Written and Directed by Elena Oxman and is about a gig worker in San Francisco who balances multiple jobs, including dealing party drugs. When their crush asks them to watch her daughter, what starts as temporary childcare evolves into an unexpected journey of self-discovery and healing.

Presented at the Festival since its inaugural year in 1957, the Golden Gate Awards are among the most significant honours for emerging global film artists in the USA. Prizes are traditionally awarded in twelve narrative, documentary, and short film categories and include cash awards. Those films in the Narrative Feature Competition are as follows :-

* 'The Quiet Son' - from France and Written and Directed by the sister duo of Delphine and Muriel Coulin. 

* 'Xoftex' - from Germany and France and Co-Written, Co-Produced, Directed, photographed and Co-Edited by Noaz Deshe.

* '3670' - from South Korea and is Written, Executive Produced, Directed and Edited by Joonho Park.

* 'Cactus Pears' - from India, the UK and Canada and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Rohan Parashuram Kanawade.

* 'Sukkwan Island' - from France, Norway, Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and the UK and Written and Directed by Vladimir de Fontenay.

* 'All That's Left of You' - from Germany, Cyprus, Palestine, Jordan, Greece, Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and Written, Co-Produced, Directed and stars Cherein Dabis.

* 'Ricky' - from the USA and Co-Written and Directed by Rashad Frett.

* 'Surviving Earth' - from the UK and is Written and Directed by Thea Gajic.

* 'That Summer in Paris' - from France and Co-Written and Directed by Valentine Cadic.

For the synopsis of the above highlighted films, plus all the details of the other films in competition, the film sections being showcased, and a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : https://sffilm.org/

Turning back to this weeks five hottest new release movies gracing a big screen Odeon close to your home, we launch with a supernatural horror film about twin brothers who return to their hometown but are faced with a greater evil. Next up is a modern telling of war as a surveillance mission goes south for a platoon of American Navy SEAL's in insurgent territory in Iraq. Then we turn to a mystery thriller in  which a widowed mother's first date takes a terrifying turn when she's bombarded with anonymous threatening messages on her phone, leaving her questioning if her charming date is behind the harassment. This is followed by a biographical drama offering telling the story of the arrest, trial and imprisonment of an Australian journalist, who while reporting on the Arab Spring uprising becomes entangled in a deadly game of rivalries. And closing out the week we have a comedy drama about an Englishman who experiences personal and political changes after adopting a penguin during a turbulent time in Argentina's history.

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

'SINNERS' (Rated MA15+) - is an American period supernatural horror film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Ryan Coogler, whose former feature film output includes his big screen debut with 'Fruitvale Station' in 2013, which he would follow up with 'Creed' in 2015, 'Black Panther' in 2018 and 'Black Panther : Wakanda Forever' in 2022. The film is released this week too in the US and had a production budget of US$90M. 

Here then, set in the 1930's in the Southern United States during the height of the Jim Crow era, the film follows twin brothers Smoke and Stack (both played by Michael B. Jordan) who are attempting to leave their troubled lives behind, as they return to their hometown to start again, only to discover that an even greater evil is waiting to welcome them back. Also starring Hailee Steinfeld, Jack O'Connell, Jayme Lawson and Delroy Lindo. 

'WARFARE' (Rated MA15+) - this war action film is Written and Directed by Ray Mendoza and Alex Garland and is based on Mendoza's experiences during the Iraq War as a former US Navy SEAL. Alex Garland's prior feature film making credits take in his debut with 'Ex Machina' in 2014, then 'Annihilation' in 2018, 'Men' in 2022 and 'Civil War' most recently last year. Here then, a platoon of Navy SEAL's embark on a dangerous surveillance mission in Ramadi, Iraq in 2006, with the chaos and brotherhood of war retold through their memories of the event. Starring D'Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai as Ray Mendoza with Will Poulter, Cosmo Jarvis, Joseph Quinn, Kit Connor, Michael Gandolfini, Charles Melton, Noah Centineo, Henry Zaga and Alex Brockdorff. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing in mid-March, was released in the USA last week, here and in the UK this week, has garnered generally favourable critical press and has so far grossed US$8.5M from a production budget of US$20M.

'DROP' (Rated MA15+) - is an American mystery thriller film Directed by Christopher Landon who made his feature film Directing debut with 'Burning Palms' in 2010 and would follow this up with 'Paranormal Activity : The Marked Ones' in 2014, then 'Scouts Guide to the Zombie Apocalypse' in 2015, 'Happy Death Day' in 2017, 'Happy Death Day 2U' in 2019, 'Freaky' in 2020 and 'We Have a Ghost' in 2023. Here then, Violet (Meghann Fahy), a widowed mother, is on a date with Henry (Brandon Sklenar) when she is terrorised by a series of anonymous messages to her mobile phone. The caller instructs her to tell nobody, and follow increasingly malicious instructions, or her younger sister, Jen (Violett Beane), and her son, Toby (Jacob Robinson) will be killed, culminating with her being told to kill Henry. The film had its premiere at the SXSW in early March, was released in the US last week, has received positive reviews from critics and has so far grossed US$11M from a production budget of US$11M.

'THE CORRESPONDENT' (Rated M) - this biographical legal thriller film is Directed by Kriv Stenders whose prior feature film output includes 'The Illustrated Family Doctor' in 2005, 'Boxing Day' in 2007, 'Lucky Country' in 2009, 'Red Dog' in 2011, 'Kill Me Three Times' in 2014, 'Red Dog : True Blue' in 2016, 'Australia Day' in 2017 and 'Danger Close : The Battle of Long Tan' in 2019. This film is based on the 2017 memoir 'The First Casualty' by Peter Greste. The film is based on the real-life story of Australian foreign correspondent and journalist Peter Greste (Richard Roxburgh), who was arrested in Cairo, Egypt after being accused of spreading false news and aiding the Muslim Brotherhood. Imprisoned for seven years despite his innocence, he survives on wits alone before being released in 2015. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the Adelaide Film Festival back in September last year and is released this week here in Australia. 

'THE PENGUIN LESSONS' (Rated M) - is a comedy drama film Directed by Peter Cattaneo who made his feature film Directorial debut with 1997's 'The Full Monty' and which he would follow up with 'Lucky Break' in 2001, 'Opal Dream' in 2006, 'The Rocker' in 2008 and 'Military Wives' in 2019. This film is based on the 2015 memoir of the same name by Tom Michell. Inspired by the true story of a disillusioned Englishman, Tom Michell (Steve Coogan) who went to work in a school in Argentina in 1976. Expecting an easy ride, Tom discovers a divided nation and a class of unteachable students. However, after he rescues a penguin from an oil-slicked beach at a Uraguayan resort, his life is turned upside-down, as the penguin then kept following him and so he took it back to the school, where it became a popular pet. Also starring Jonathan Pryce as the school Headmaster. It premiered as a gala presentation at the Toronto International Film Festival in September last year, was released in the US in late March and is released in the UK, Ireland and here in Australia this week. It has so far grossed almost US$3M and has generated mixed or average reviews.

With five 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-

MEN : Tuesday 21st June 2022

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'MEN' and my local independent movie theatre this week, and this folk horror film is Written and Directed by Alex Garland whose previous two feature film making credits are 'Ex Machina' in 2014 and 'Annihilation' in 2018, although he has also written the screenplays for Danny Boyle's '28 Days Later' and 'Sunshine', plus 'Never Let Me Go' and 'Dredd', with 'The Beach' and 'The Tesseract' movies based on novels written by Garland. This film screened at the Cannes Film Festival in the Directors' Fortnight section in May, was released in the US in late May and in the UK in early June, and last week was released in Australia having so far grossed US$9.5M and garnered generally favourable critical reviews. It was also selected as opening film at 26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival in South Korea to be screened on July 7th.

Harper Marlowe (Jessie Buckley), a recent widow, takes a two week break from her haunted life in London in the remote English countryside village of Cotson after the apparent suicide of her husband James (Paapa Essiedu). Seen in flashback throughout the film, it is revealed that Harper, had become tired and overwrought with James' emotional abuse and manipulation. She made her intentions known to divorce him, leading James to threaten her with his suicide. Things boil over between the couple when he eventually strikes her when she continues to reject him. Harper locks James out of their apartment overlooking the River Thames before witnessing him fall from an upstairs balcony to his death and being impaled on a wrought iron fence.

Sometime later, Harper arrives at the house, having made the four hour car journey from London to Cotson, that she is renting, where she is met by its owner Geoffrey (Rory Kinnear). Later that day she goes for a walk in the woods and comes across an old, unused railway tunnel. A figure appears at the end of the tunnel and begins chasing her, but she manages to evade it. Reaching an open field, Harper takes a picture with her phone, inadvertently capturing a naked man standing near an abandoned building. The next day, as Harper is video chatting with her friend Riley (Gayle Rankin), she observes the man in her garden, having followed her from the previous day. Harper calls the Police, and the man is duly arrested, stark naked and determined to be a vagrant probably living in the railway tunnel. 

Afterwards, Harper visits the local fifteenth century church where she meets a young boy (Rory Kinnear) and a vicar (Rory Kinnear) who both share an uncanny likeness to Geoffrey. The boy invites her to play a game of hide and seek, but when she politely declines he calls her a fucking bitch and is promptly asked to leave by the vicar. Sharing a private moment together in reflective conversation, the vicar insinuates Harper is to blame for James' death, asking how she may have provoked him and if she even allowed him to apologise. She stands up now even more distraught and tells the vicar to promptly fuck off as she leaves.

Harper visits the local village pub later that night on Geoffrey's advice. The pub is far from busy, but the customers that are in attendance (all of whom are men) also bear that same uncanny appearance to Geoffrey. Geoffrey is also there, as is the policeman (Rory Kinnear) who arrested the naked intruder (Rory Kinnear). The policeman informs Harper that the man was released as they had no legal grounds to keep him detained as he didn't steal anything, didn't break in, and didn't hurt anyone, much to Harper's chagrin as he stalked her following their encounter in the forest.

Harper contacts Riley about the day's developments, and she agrees to drive over in the morning so Harper can continue her time away. As Harper attempts to send Riley the address, her mobile phone service is repeatedly interrupted. She observes the policeman standing in the back garden under an apple tree but as the security lights flicker on and off, he changes into one of the pub occupants, who then chases her inside the house. Harper defends herself with a kitchen knife before a window is smashed in the kitchen. Geoffrey arrives a short time later and finds that the kitchen window breaking was due to a crow flying into it, which is still alive but with broken wings. He then puts the bird out of its misery by breaking its neck. As Geoffrey goes into the garden to scare away any would-be intruders the security lights flick off and then on again and he is replaced with the naked man, who chases her again. When he tries to reach her through the letter box, Harper stabs him cleanly through the forearm. He manages to pull his arm free, the stuck knife ripping his arm and hand in two in an injury resembling the one received by James during his partial impalement on the wrought iron fence. Both the boy and the vicar appear in the house, each of them now similarly injured. The vicar attempts to rape Harper, but she stabs him in the stomach and leaves the house.

While attempting to get the hell outta Dodge in her car, Harper runs over Geoffrey sending him flying over the bonnet and the roof and landing in a crumpled heap several metres behind. He gets up seemingly unhurt and in a fit of rage he throws Harper out of her car and drives away. Harper, now on foot decides to walk it as headlights are seen approaching at speed. Geoffrey has circled back around, and chases Harper down before crashing the car into a stone wall in front of the house. The naked man, approaches Harper, his ankle now severely broken which also matches James after his death. The naked man gives birth to the young boy, who in turn gives birth to the vicar, who in turn gives birth to Geoffrey, who in turn gives birth finally to James.

Both James and Harper sit on a sofa inside the house, with James still blaming Harper for his death, which she continues to reject. When Harper asks him what he wants from her, James responds that he 'wants her love', which she appears to refuse. The next morning Riley arrives at the house and is revealed to be pregnant. Shocked at the blood trail leading into the house, she notices Harper in the garden sat on some stone steps, alive and smiling.

'Men' won't be for everyone that's for sure, but for me, I found this British horror film wrapped up in the seemingly peaceful and gentile English countryside a refreshing take on the genre that these days seems all to preoccupied with zombie flicks or alien movies. The film is unsettling and hammers home the trials and tribulations that women are confronted with every day by men who have a very different view of their world and clear opinions of their place within it . . . and not in a good way either! Jessie Buckley is on top form as the fractured and haunted Harper, and Rory Kinnear who is playing so out of character, seems to relish in the numerous roles he is given here, and who really shines in all his toxic masculinity. As for Alex Garland, he has crafted a film that is at times bizarre, scary, humorous, emotional and horrific that will divide audiences just as much as it has critics, but will stay with you long after the end credits have rolled, and at least will prompt some interesting post-screening conversations. 

'Men' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 16th June 2022

The Tribeca Film Festival kicked off on Wednesday 8th June and runs through until Sunday 19th June. This years Opening Night Film is 'Halftime' - the American Netflix original documentary Directed by Amanda Micheli and charts the career of the singer, actress, dancer and businesswoman Jennifer Lopez, with a heavy focus on her performance at the Super Bowl LIV Halftime Show in 2019. The Closing Night film is 'Loudmouth' Written and Directed by Josh Alexander that documents the winding road that is American civil rights activist, Baptist Minister, talk show host and politician Al Sharpton's life story. This festival has 110 feature films from 150 filmmakers across forty countries, including eighty-eight World Premier screenings and forty-three shorts in competition from twenty-five countries. Tribeca Enterprises is a multi-platform storytelling company, founded in 2003 by the American Actor, Director and Producer Robert De Niro; the American film Producer Jane Rosenthal and the American real estate investor and philanthropist Craig Hatkoff. It provides artists with unique platforms to expand the audience for their work and broadens consumer access to experience storytelling, independent film, and media. 

Tribeca's US Narrative Competition showcases extraordinary World Premieres that will vie for the Founders Award for Best Narrative Feature, and the Awards for Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Performance. Those in competition are :-

* 'Allswell' from the US and Co-Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Ben Snyder. World Premiere.

* 'The Drop' from the US and Mexico and Co-Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Sarah Adina Smith. World Premiere.

* 'Four Samosas' from the US and Co-Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Ravi Kapoor. World Premiere.

* 'God's Time' from the US and Written and Directed by Daniel Antebi. World Premiere.

* 'Good Girl Jane' from the US and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Sarah Elizabeth Mintz. World Premiere.

* 'The Integrity of Joseph Chambers' from the US and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Robert Machoian. World Premiere.

* 'Next Exit' from the US and Directed and Written by Mali Elfman. World Premiere.

* 'Three Headed Beast' from the US and Co-Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Fernando Andres. World Premiere.

* 'Wes Schlagenhauf Is Dying' from the US and Co-Written, Directed, Co-Produced and starring Parker Seaman. World Premiere. 

* 'The Year Between' from the US and Written and Directed by Alex Heller. World Premiere. 

The New-York based Festival breaks its geographical boundaries with the International Narrative Competition, welcoming filmmakers from abroad to join a global platform for contemporary world cinema. These films will compete for Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Cinematography, and Best Performance. Those in competition are :-

* 'Blaze' from Australia and Written and Directed by Del Kathryn Barton. World Premier.

* 'January' from Latvia, Lithuania, Poland and Written and Directed by Viesturs Kairiss. World Premiere.

* 'Karaoke' from Israel and Written and Directed by Moshe Rosenthal. World Premiere.

* 'A Matter Of Trust' from Denmark and Written and Directed by Anette K. Olesen. World Premiere. 

* 'My Love Affair with Marriage' from the US, Latvia and Luxembourg and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Signe Baumane. World Premiere.

* 'Pink Moon' from Italy, Netherlands and Slovenia and Directed by Floor van der Meulen. World Premiere. 

* 'Two Sisters and a Husband' from India and Co-Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Shlok Sharma. World Premiere.

* 'The Visitor' from Bolivia and Uruguay and Written and Directed by Martin Boulocq. World Premier.

* 'We Might As Well Be Dead' from Germany ad Romania and Written and Directed by Natalia Sinelnikova. International Premier.

* 'Woman on the Roof' from Poland, France and Sweden and Written and Directed by Anna Jadowska. World Premier.

For the other films in competition, the other strands playing at this years Tribeca Film Festival, plus all the details on how you can be entertained during the festival, you can visit the official website at : https://www.tribecafilm.com/festival

Turning the attention then back to this weeks three new movies coming to an Odeon near you, we kick off with a horror drama about a young woman who goes on a solo holiday to the English countryside following the death of her ex-husband, only to be confronted by various men who all share one thing in common. This is followed by a French film about a middle aged woman who is a sous-chef wanting to open her own restaurant, but when financial difficulties set in she accepts a job at a shelter for young migrants, which at first she hates, then her passion for cuisine starts to change children's lives. And closing out the week we have an American animated Sci-Fi action adventure film that is an origin story of a much loved test pilot and astronaut from four 'Toy Story' films. 

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

'MEN' (Rated MA15+) - is a folk horror film Written and Directed by Alex Garland whose previous two feature film making credits are 'Ex Machina' in 2014 and 'Annihilation' in 2018, although he has also written the screenplays for Danny Boyle's '28 Days Later' and 'Sunshine', plus 'Never Let Me Go' and 'Dredd' as well as the two aforementioned films Directed by him, with 'The Beach' and 'The Tesseract' movies based on novels written by Garland. This film was released in the UK in late May and in the US in early June, and this week is released in Australia having so far grossed US$8M and garnered generally favourable critical reviews.

Following a personal tragedy, Harper (Jessie Buckley) retreats alone to the beautiful English countryside, to the small village of Colston, hoping to find a place to heal. However, someone or something from the surrounding woods appears to be stalking her. What begins as simmering dread soon becomes a fully formed nightmare, inhabited by her darkest memories and fears. Also starring Rory Kinnear as Geoffrey and the various other 'men' that Harper encounters throughout the village, Paapa Essiedu, Gayle Rankin and Sonoya Mizuno. 

'THE KITCHEN BRIGADE' (Rated M) - this French comedy offering is Co-Written and Directed by Louis-Julien Petit whose prior Directorial efforts include 'Discount', 'Carole Matthieu' and 'Invisibles'. Here then, Cathy Marie (Audrey Lamy) is a forty-year-old headstrong sous-chef wanting to open a gastronomic restaurant. But of course nothing here goes according to her grand plan. With financial difficulties, Cathy accepts a job at a shelter for young migrants run by Lorenzo (Francois Cluzet). At first she hates the job then her passion for cuisine starts to change children's lives, while at the same time the children have a thing or two to teach Cathy. 

'LIGHTYEAR' (Rated PG) - is an American computer-animated science fiction action-adventure film produced by Pixar Animation Studios. It is a spin-off of the 'Toy Story' film series, serving as an origin story for the fictional test pilot/astronaut character, Buzz Lightyear, who featured in the main films as a toy/action figure. It is Co-Written and Directed by Angus MacLane in his feature film making debut, although he did Co-Direct 2016's 'Finding Dory'. The film tells the story of young astronaut Buzz Lightyear (voiced by Chris Evans), who, after being marooned on a hostile planet some 4.2 million light years from Earth with his commander and crew, tries to find a way back home through space and time. To make matters worse, Emperor Zurg (James Brolin) arrives with an imposing army of ruthless robots and an agenda that poses a threat to the universe's safety. Also starring the voices of Keke Palmer, Taika Waititi, Peter Sohn and Isiah Whitlock Jnr. The film is released in the US and here in Australia this week.

With three 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-

ANNIHILATION : Friday 16th March 2018.

I saw Alex Garland's latest Directorial and Screenwriting offering 'ANNIHILATION' from the comfort of my own sofa at home on Netflix late last week having been released on this streaming service only earlier that same week. Based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Jeff VanderMeer this Sci-Fi horror film cost US$50M to make and has so far grossed US$30M in the US, Canada, UK and China where it had a theatrical release - in all other territories the film is released to subscribers of Netflix. Alex Garland is the writer of that acclaimed 1996 novel 'The Beach' made into a movie by Danny Boyle and starring Leonardo DiCaprio in 2000. He has since gone onto write the Screenplays for '28 Days Later', 'Sunshine', 'Never Let Me Go', 'Dredd' and 'Ex Machina' which was also his first Directing gig in 2015 and which received much Critical praise.

And so the film opens up with former US Army soldier Lena (Natalie Portman) and now a biologist specialising 'in the genetically programmed life cycle of a cell', being interviewed in a quarantined room surrounded by numerous hazmat suited wearing onlookers. She has recently returned from an expedition in to a constantly moving rainbow like atmospheric anomaly known as 'The Shimmer' from which she and her husband are the only survivors.

In flashback, we see Lena's Army Special Forces husband Kane (Oscar Isaac) return home without notice having been reported missing, presumed dead, on a top secret mission for a year now. He has no memory of that time during or since, and suddenly becomes very ill coughing up blood. In an ambulance together en route to hospital, government security agents intercept the ambulance and take them forcibly to 'Area X'. When Lena comes round she starts asking questions of Dr. Ventress (Jennifer Jason Leigh) a psychologist, who explains that they are in a facility bordering 'The Shimmer' an electromagnetic field that has encompassed a swamp area on the southern US coast that has been steadily growing since its emergence three years previously. The area in question has been evacuated completely.

Ventress recruits Lena onto the next expedition project into The Shimmer and explains that several military missions have ventured into it and all have been fraught with disappearances, suicides, aggressive cancers, and mental trauma, including her husbands mission. Together with Ventress and Lena, the next mission set off into The Shimmer. Accompanying the two are Anya Thorensen (Gina Rodriguez) a paramedic, Josie Radek (Tessa Thompson) a physicist, and Cass Sheppard (Tuva Novotny) a geologist and surveyor.

Once inside, their guidance systems and all telecommunications fail. Furthermore time seems to have no meaning as the team seem to forget extensive lapses in time. They reach an abandoned house partially submerged into a swamp. Josie ventures inside and is dragged below the water by an unseen force. Thrashing around in the water she is rescued by Lena. An alligator like creature emerges and confronts them all as Lena riddles it with automatic gun fire. A quick investigation by Lena seems to reveal that the alligator has been impossibly hybridised with a shark!

Moving onward with their journey deeper into The Shimmer, the Team come across an abandoned military base. In the mess hall they discover military style bedding, assault rifles and a rough map of the base with a makeshift guard duty roster. They also come across a memory card laid out on a table for those that come after. The memory card reveals evidence of Kane's expedition.

Later that night as Ventress stands guard with Lena who couldn't sleep, the perimeter fence is breached. The others wake with the commotion and venture outside to investigate. A mutated bear like creature grabs Cass in its jaws and drags her away screaming into the night. The next day the remaining four leave, and Lena breaks away to go in search of Cass. She returns later having found her dead body with her throat torn out.

The Team of four continue their journey toward the lighthouse, which was the location of where The Shimmer first manifested itself following a meteor hit. Josie and Anya want to turn back, but are reluctantly persuaded by Lena to keep going given how far they've come, the unexplained lapses in time they have experienced, and following the coastline back to Area X is their best and safest option. They come across an abandoned overgrown town filled with human shaped plants. Josie has a theory that The Shimmer is acting on all organisms like a prism refracts light. Each of the Team realise that they are changing both physically and mentally too, causing them to fear and mistrust one another.

Later that night, Anya attacks the other three and binds them all to chairs. She has discovered that Kane is Lena's husband and accuses them of conspiring to kill Cass. At that Anya hears Cass's screams for help outside the house and goes to investigate. The creature that killed Cass enters the house having mimicked Cass's final screams,  attacks and kills Anya, before turning attention on Lena still bound to a chair. Josie breaks free and fires several shots at close range into the creatures head.

Ventress leaves for the lighthouse alone having revealed that she is dying of cancer and has nothing to lose, leaving Josie and Lena to ponder turning back. Out in the gardens Josie goes walkabout out of sight of Lena. As Lena rounds a corner there is no sign of Josie - seemingly mutated into a human shaped plant. Lena continues the onward journey to the coast and the lighthouse hoping to find some answers to The Shimmer there.

Lena finds the lighthouse and enters. Inside she finds an incinerated corpse, a camcorder, and hole in the side wall of the lighthouse going below ground. She switches on the camcorder pointing at the burned out husk of a human being, to reveal footage of Kane raving on about the effects that The Shimmer has had on him and urging the viewer to find his wife before he blows himself up in ball of white flame with a phosphorus grenade. At that point a duplicate of Kane walks into view on the small screen.

Lena goes down the rabbit hole which opens up into a dark cavernous space. Inside is Ventress who looks at her blankly and exclaims that extraterrestrial forces are at work that will eventually engulf the world. At that Ventress disintegrates into a glowing orb of cosmic light that absorbs a droplet of blood from a cut on Lena's face. The entity that was Ventress forms into a humanoid being that begins to mimic every movement by Lena. She quickly scrambles back up the narrow corridor and out into the lighthouse interior to be greeted by the humanoid. It will not let her leave reproducing exactly every movement, every motion. Lena however, has an ace up her sleeve, and retrieving a phosphorus grenade from Kane's satchel places the grenade in the humanoids hands before fleeing. The creature explodes in a ball of white flame which quickly ignites the lighthouse setting it and the other alien constructs in the vicinity ablaze. At this point The Shimmer fades away.

As Lena's questioning comes to an end, she is reunited with her husband who has made a miraculous recovery since The Shimmer disappeared. They embrace and Lena whispers in his ear if he is the real Kane, to which he responds with an 'I don't think so'. He in turn asks her is she is the real Lena, to which she does not respond.

'Annihilation' has received generally positive Reviews so far, but has also been described as too complex and too intellectual for your typical movie going audience to really grasp. Sure the film is well paced, looks good, is intelligent, thought provoking, and has all the elements of a modern horror film - body horror, monsters, unexplained phenomenon, mimicking aliens, technological disruption, societal breakdown, mistrust and of course death most foul. And the strong and convincing principle cast of five intelligent and accomplished female protagonists in this era of 'Time'sUp' and '#MeToo' should have Hollywood chomping at the bit for its stance on female equality in the mainstream movies. But, despite all of this I was a little underwhelmed by the film, and perhaps a second viewing would make me think differently. The plot is fairly predictable, the two monsters that get screen time are not that far removed from the giant croc as seen in 1999's 'Lake Placid' and the giant boar terrorising the Australian outback in 1984's 'Razorback', and the final big reveal (if you can call it that!) is open ended and ambiguous, leaving the viewer to draw their own conclusions and debate after the credits have rolled. And, I certainly didn't find this as graphic, scary and trippy as some Reviewers seem to have. Garland wrote the Screenplay for this film long before VanderMeer had completed his two follow up novels in the series known as 'The Southern Reach trilogy' where each instalment provides a varying account of a different person's journey into 'Area X' and 'The Shimmer'. Certainly worth a look and keep an open mind.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-