DEATH ON THE NILE : Tuesday 8th February 2022.

I saw the Australian Premier screening of the PG Rated 'DEATH ON THE NILE' at the Open Air Cinema at Mrs. Macquarie's Point in Sydney earlier this week. This mystery thriller is Directed, Co-Produced and stars Kenneth Branagh and is based on the 1937 novel of the same name by Agatha Christie, is the follow up to Branagh's 2017 film 'Murder on the Orient Express', and is the third screen adaptation of the novel after the 1978 feature film and an episode on the TV series 'Agatha Christie's Poirot' aired in 2004. The film was originally set to be released on 20th December 2019, before being rescheduled to 9th October 2020. It was then pushed back two weeks to 23rd October and again to 18th December in response to the domestic box office during the COVID-19 pandemic. In November 2020, the film was removed from its upcoming release schedule until further notice. The next month, the film was rescheduled to 17th September 2021 and in March 2021, it was then moved to this week. Costing US$90M to produce, the film has so far generated mixed or average Reviews. 

The film opens up with black and white footage of the trenches during WWI where French and Belgian troops have just taken orders to advance on the German line in three hours time when the wind changes direction in their favour, so supposedly allowing them to make the advance undercover of a canopy of gas. The commanding officer of the French and Belgian company (sporting an impressive moustache) gives his final orders to his men saying that many of them will surely die. Then turning around is a young soldier, Poirot (a clean shaven and de-aged Kenneth Branagh) who says that the birds circling overhead change the direction of their flight when the wind changes and that he has been observing them for months, and if they are to succeed in breaching the German line they must go within the next seven or eight minutes. And so they go, and undercover of a canopy of gas they surprise and storm the German line with minimal casualties on their side, their mission a great success against all odds. Until that commanding officer steps on a trip wire which triggers a huge explosion killing him instantly and sending many of his company straight to the nearest field hospital. Sometime later a nurse Katherine (Susannah Fielding) walks up to Poirot's bedside. His head is turned away from her and as she speaks there is clearly a connection between the two. Poirot then turns his head to face her revealing deep shrapnel scars to his lower left face, upper lip and chin, and he says how can you love a man who looks like this? She cradles his hands in hers, kisses his hand, and says, 'you'll just have to grow a moustache'. 

We then fast forward to London, 1937, and as Hercule Poirot (Kenneth Branagh now sporting a full moustache) enters a music club we are greeted by Salome Otterbourne (Sophie Okonedo) a jazz singer and guitarist who is belting out a tune on stage with her band, with her niece and business manager Rosalie Otterbourne (Letitia Wright) handling her fee for the evening's entertainment. On the dance floor going all in are Simon Doyle (Armie Hammer) and his bride to be Jacqueline de Bellefort (Emma Mackey). Arriving at the door amongst a flash of photographers cameras and making a grand entrance is very wealthy business woman Linnet Ridgeway (Gal Gadot), who is a long term school friend of Jacqueline's. Jacqueline can hardly contain herself as she tells Linnet of her new found love, and then introduces her to Simon, saying that they should dance. And they do, and there is clearly a chemistry between them, that Jacqueline can see instantly. All the while Poirot is observing this. 

Six weeks later we find ourselves in a lavish hotel on the banks of the River Nile in Egypt to celebrate the wedding of Simon Doyle . . . . . and Linnet Ridgeway. Among the invited guests are Bouc (Tom Bateman) and his renowned painter mother Euphemia (Annette Bening), Linus Windlesham (Russell Brand) an aristocratic doctor and former fiance to Linnet, Marie Van Schuyler (Jennifer Saunders) Linnet's Godmother and communist convert who has given all her money away, Mrs. Bowers (Dawn French) Marie's nurse, companion and former wealthy business woman who has fallen upon very hard times, Louise Bourget (Rose Leslie) Linnet's maid, and Andrew Katchadourian (Ali Fazal) Linnet's cousin and lawyer. And of course Poirot who was coincidentally holidaying nearby and in a chance meeting with his old friend Bouc at the pyramids, is invited along to join in the celebrations. And who else should rock up just to add insult to injury, but Jacquleine. Also in the gathered line up of guests is Salome and Rosalie, as the latter is an old classmate of Linnet's.

And so after some heated discussions between Simon and Linnet about whether they should abandon their honeymoon because of the unwanted presence of Jacqueline, and Poirot intervening to have a discreet word with Jacqueline too, they all agree that the show must go on. And so Simon arranges, at his wife's expense, to hire out the paddle steamer, the S.S. Karnak, exclusively for their honeymoon and their invited guests to enjoy a leisurely cruise down the Nile taking in the sights, drinking Champagne, enjoying each others company and generally having a good ol' time. The first afternoon and evening go reasonably well as the happy couple and gathered guests all settle in and we get to know them all. 

The S.S. Karnak cruises up to the Temple of Abu Simbel and all passengers alight to view the temple of King Ramesses II and his wife Nefertari from both the outside and within. While the passengers are on shore, Jacqueline boards the Karnak and surprises Simon and Linnet (and not in a good way) upon their return, with her presence.  

Later that evening Simon and Linnet reveal to Poirot that they have made the decision to return home the next day (as was Poirot's earlier suggestion) to get away from Jacqueline and to get on with the lives peacefully, quietly and in private. However, tomorrow never comes, as later that night after most of the guests, including Linnet, have retired for the night, Jacqueline shoots Simon in the knee with a .22 hand gun, after the pair got into a fierce argument. Poirot is busy sleeping through all this commotion - the effects of being on a moving boat and a glass of Champagne knocking him out. Linus Windlesham attends to Simon, while Mrs. Bower attends to Jacqueline and sedates her. The next morning Louise Bourget is delivering breakfast to Linnet, only to find her stone cold dead in her bed with a single bullet wound to the temple. Poirot is woken by the screaming of Louise and goes off to investigate.

What follows over the next 24 hours or so is Poirot's murder investigation into the death of Linnet. Everyone is a suspect and everyone had a motive it seems. Poirot methodically interviews each of the guests in turn and either rules them out or keeps them on his list of prime suspects. In the meantime it is revealed that Bouc and Rosalie are in love, much to his mothers chagrin and disapproval. But it turns out that Poirot was hired by Euphemia to get the full low down on Rosalie and to establish her character and suitability to be the wife of her son. Poirot comes clean in front of Euphemia, Bouc, Rosalie and Salome that his findings of Rosalie are that she is honest, forthright, responsible and trustworthy and should be considered a keeper, but still Euphemia will have none of it, and Rosalie is so angered by Poirot that she calls him all the names under the sun. She storms off and Poirot gives chase. Catching up on the deck, Rosalie notices a body caught up in the paddle of the steamer. Stopping the boat, and retrieving the corpse it is revealed to be that of Louise, who had her throat slit before being thrown overboard, using a very sharp blade - like a surgeon's scalpel, like those belonging to Windlesham. 

With the body count rising, Poirot continues with his interviews, coming down to the final one, that of Bouc, which he conducts in the presence of Simon. Poirot and Bouc go back a long way and are trusted friends, but Poirot has his suspicions about Bouc. In their discussions, just as Bouc is about to reveal a potentially important piece of evidence, he is shot by a single bullet through the throat from behind and up high. He dies instantly where he sat. Poirot gives chase to the unknown assailant and manages to dodge several gun shots aimed directly at him, but is unable to catch the shooter. 

Later that evening with the remaining guests becoming increasingly agitated that Poirot has as yet drawn a blank and with a seemingly ever increasing body count, Poirot locks them all inside the bar saying that that murderer is in the room and he will now reveal who the murderer, or murderers, are. And in a shocking twist, he does, and nails it, leaving five corpses to be stretchered off the boat at the end!

In the closing scene, we fast forward six weeks, and we are back in London at the music club where Poirot first saw Salome play. She is singing, but there are no guests dancing, there is no party atmosphere, and in fact the host passes by Poirot, who is facing away from the camera looking toward the stage, saying that the place is about to close. Poirot turns around revealing his clean shaven face, with the old scars to his upper lip, his chin and his lower left face clearly evident. 

For me 'Death on the Nile' was a bit of a let down. It's certainly lacks the air of mystery and suspense that Branagh's 'Murder on the Orient Express' delivered, despite Branagh's return as the super sleuth detective extraordinaire Hercule Poirot and his once again assembling of an all star cast, however, this film is a notch above the 1978 film in which Peter Ustinov portrayed Poirot, but without much sense of the location in which the story is set. Branagh is clearly having a lot of fun playing Poirot for the second time around, and giving us a glimpse of his own backstory and how his famous moustache came to be. Who knows where he'll take the character if a third film ever gets made. As for the rest of the ensemble crew they are all mostly one dimensional cardboard cut outs most of whom have the motive for seeing off Linnet, but who tread water while flailing around in the Nile like their lives depended on it. The film certainly looks the part, with the Director not scrimping on the production design, CGI wizardry or the sense of place that it offers up, but this film is a film of two distinct halves. The first set on dry land where we are introduced, albeit briefly, to the main characters, and the second on the Nile, leading up to the murders, the hurried suspect interviews and then the rush to the finish line in explaining his suspicions and the ultimate big reveal, which offers up a real surprise. As a final comment I would like to know what happened between 'Murder on the Orient Express' and this film, as Poirot's closing remarks at the end of Orient Express as he is called to his next case he says 'it seems there has been a death on the Nile', yet in between time he has ventured to London, taken on a case for Euphemia and holidayed in Egypt? Continuity be damned!

'Death on the Nile' merits two claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

CRISIS : Tuesday 30th March 2021.

'CRISIS', which I saw at my local multiplex this week, is an MA15+ Rated crime thriller Directed, Produced, Written and also starring Nicholas Jarecki in only his second feature film making outing following 2012's 'Arbitrage' with Richard Gere, Susan Sarandon and Tim Roth. The film was released in the US in late February, and in Canada and Australia two weeks ago now, having gained mixed or average Reviews along the way. Featuring an ensemble cast that takes in the likes of Gary Oldman, Armie Hammer, Evangeline Lilly, Greg Kinnear, Luke Evans, Michelle Rodriguez, Lily-Rose Depp, Indira Varma, Kid Cudi and Martin Donovan the film has so far grossed US$986K at the Box Office. 

And so the film opens up with an action sequence that sees a white clad camouflaged drug runner pulling a makeshift sleigh thorough a forest and in the snow only to be ambushed and subsequently arrested by Police in a helicopter and on snowmobiles while trying to smuggle Fentanyl across an unpatrolled stretch of the Canadian border, about forty miles south of Montreal.

Meanwhile, back in Detroit, following the arrest, Jake Kelly (Armie Hammer) goes into damage control with a pair of Armenian gangster associates Minas (Michael Aronov) and Armen (Adam Tsekhman). He then risks blowing his cover to visit his drug addled younger sister Emmie (Lily-Rose Depp) seemingly recovering in a rehab facility, but largely non compos mentis. Kelly, who we subsequently learn is in fact an undercover DEA Officer, holds a briefing with his colleagues to bring them up to speed with his operations, which he has been working on for over a year now to infiltrate the Armenian's and gain their confidence that he is on the level. 

While this is going on the second story strand launches with architect Claire Reimann (Evangeline Lilly) attending a drug users survivors meeting recounting her former acute addiction to OxyContin, without realising just how close to home the trade has become in illicit drugs when her sixteen year old mad sports keen fan son David (Billy Bryk) goes missing, and winds up very dead seemingly overdosed on OxyContin. 

The third strand unravels in the hallowed halls of a university campus where charismatic professor of biology Dr. Tyrone Brower (Gary Oldman) teaches a captivated lecture theatre, but may be about to compromise his integrity in his lab by conducting drug trials directly sponsored for the last seven years by a major pharmaceutical company. When Brower’s lab assistants come to the realisation that a new wonder drug, Klaralon, is three times more addictive than other painkillers on mice (and fatal when taken to excess, although claimed to be non-addictive), he’s torn by what to do with this revelation. 

Enter Big Pharma Executive Dr. Bill Simmons (Luke Evans) to offer Brower’s department a US$780K grant in exchange for enhanced nondisclosure terms, updating and making even more watertight those signed seven years previously. But then the Principal of the University, Dean Talbot (Greg Kinnear) basically intervenes and tells him not to worry about the results on the mice, to sign the non-disclosure statement and take the much needed funding to enable Brower to continue with his research. This turn of events puts Brower in an even greater quandary.

In the meantime, Jake Kelly and his DEA partner Stanley Foster (Nicholas Jerecki) are under pressure to bring their undercover operation to a close within the next two weeks, otherwise it will be shut down. Kelly has a meeting with Supervisor Garrett (Michelle Rodriguez) at which this news is broken. Kelly arranges a meeting with the drug smuggling kingpin, known only as Mother (Guy Nadon) in an attempt to fast track a US$3M cash trade for two truck loads of Fentanyl, hidden inside vitamin bottles. Mother is initially reluctant, but ultimately agrees to the manufacture of the drug in the volume required and the sale of it to Kelly. 

At the same time, Claire Reimann is recovering from the tragic loss of her son, smells a rat as a result of the autopsy revealing a substantial bruise to his head, and the manner in which he died. She starts to do some of her own digging, which leads her to Derrick Millebran (Duke Nicholson), a former at arms length associate of her son, where it is revealed that David didn't even know he was acting as a mule for a stash of Fentanyl that he was carrying in his back pack while cycling home. He was poisoned by Mother by forcing on overdose of the drug down his throat.

Brower, after wrestling with his conscience decides to expose the pharmaceutical company to the FDA as a Whistleblower. Talbot and he have a falling out, with the Principal saying that such tests on mice are deemed inconclusive anyway, and as the pharmaceutical were in the final stages of human trials anyway it really didn't matter. Needless to say, the University and the big pharma company begin dredging up dirt on Brower to discredit him which ultimately costs him his job and his twenty plus year friendship with Dean Talbot. Brower's wife Madira (Indira Varma) is however, very supportive of her husband and remains stoic throughout. After his dismissal from the university, he is attending the FDA hearing with his contact their Ben Walker (Kid Cudi) where basically his findings are dismissed, he is not permitted to speak to give his viewpoint, Klaralon is passed and authorised for public use, Walker is 'reassigned', and the big pharma company walks away with all the spoils, overseen by Dr. Bill Simmons, Meg Holmes the CEO of the company (Veronica Ferres) and the two owner brothers of the company Lawrence (Martin Donovan) and Harold Morgan (Marcel Jeannin).   

Reimann has in between time hired a Private Investigator to do some digging on Mother (bacause as an ordinary citizen she wouldn't have access to the type of intelligence that a PI would of course), and at the same time provide her with a gun, as it has become blatantly obvious that she intends to kill the man responsible for her sons death. Kelly has set up the deal with Mother for him to manufacture the pills, bottle and label them in vitamin canisters, in exchange for US$3M - US$1M of which he has been authorised by Garrett to use, with the other US$2M coming from his Armenian contacts Minas and Armen. A time is set for the exchange in an abandoned warehouse with Stanley Foster in a surveillance truck on standby with the cavalry waiting in the wings poised ready to pounce given the signal. But of course these things never go according to plan and a firefight breaks out with Kelly getting shot cleanly in the chest by Mother who then makes his escape. In the firefight, Kelly recovers having been wearing a bullet proof vest of course, but Foster is shot in the neck, bleeds out and dies in Kelly's arms. Kelly gives chase to Mother but he is gone having been whisked away in a car. 

The PI calls Reimann on her mobile phone and informs her that Mother owns a seaplane that is kept down at the docks, and in all likelihood he'll be headed for there to make his getaway. Kelly meanwhile, sits in front of his Chief with Garrett to be told that the case is now being closed down. Needless to say he in none to pleased at this prospect given that the killer of his partner is still free. He runs off to the bar which Mother owned, beats up on the barman demanding to know where Mother is. Under duress and at gunpoint the barman says that Mothers owns a seaplane down at the docks and that is probably where he's headed. As Kelly pulls up and parks amongst the stacked containers and out of sight, he notices Reimann also parked there, patiently awaiting the arrival of Mother. A car pulls up and out steps Mother and another. Reimann gets out of her vehicle and points her weapon at Mother and calls out to him. He turns and she hesitates, giving him time to pull his weapon. She fires three or fours rounds at Mother killing him, but not before being shot herself in her arm before he went down. Kelly takes care of the other man as he runs to Reimann to lend her assistance. 

With both Mother and his associate dead on the ground, Kelly exchanges Mother's pistol for Reimann's, picks up all the dead rounds from Reimann's gun and places them on the ground next to Mother, and then they both drive off in her car. In a hotel room Kelly is bandaging up Reimann's arm. She asks Kelly if he is now going to take her off to prison, at which he responds with a no.

A lot of comparisons have been drawn between 'Crisis' and 2000's Steven Soderbergh Directed 'Traffic' which tells the story of the lives of four people which intertwine because of the drug trade in America. Each experiences personal loss and despair in the ongoing war on drugs, but is helpless. Sure enough there are similarities but that film was made twenty+ years ago and the war on drugs has moved on since then and there is a whole new audience out there probably unfamiliar with that multi award winning and nominated feature film. Here the plot moves along at a good pace, has certainly got something to say about opioid addiction, and the performances of the principle cast is spot on - particularly that of Evangeline Lilly whose grief stricken role is believable and relatable. The film doesn't take us in a new direction and the third act lurches into predictable familiar territory, but nonetheless this is a solid enough story from second time Director Jerecki that makes this film worth the price of your cinema entry.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

HOTEL MUMBAI : Wednesday 20th March 2019.

'HOTEL MUMBAI' which I saw earlier last week, is an Australian, Indian and American Co-Produced thriller Directed, Co-Produced, Written and Edited by Aussie Anthony Maras in his feature length film debut. The film saw its World Premier screening at TIFF back in September last year, was screened at the Adelaide Film Festival in October and went on release first here in Australia last week and the US at the end of this month. Based on the 2009 Documentary 'Surviving Mumbai' by Victoria Midwinter Pitt, the film is of the 2008 Mumbai attacks where a group of terrorist attacks occurred in November 2008, when ten members of Lashkar-e-Taiba, an Islamic terrorist organisation based in Pakistan, carried out a series of twelve coordinated shooting and bombing attacks lasting four days across Mumbai. At least 174 people died, including nine of the ten terrorists involved, and more than three hundred were wounded. This film centres around the attack in particular on the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. The film has generated largely favourable Reviews.

The film opens up with ten disparate men travelling by dinghy along the waterways leading into the heart of the city, all the while listening intently to the ramblings of their leader as he espouses the virtues of the horrific crimes they are about to commit. They come ashore and split up into three taxis, all heading for a different destination upon which to wreak havoc on an unsuspecting populace. The first pair head to a central railway station, the next group head off to a cafe and restaurant precinct, and the next group of four head to the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, always in close communication with their leader who continually reminds them of the importance of their mission against the western infidel and how they will be rewarded in the kingdom of their God.

We first see the attack on the central rail station where literally thousands of commuters are going about the daily travel routines and how many are gunned down with semi-automatic weapons on a whim. We then cut to a cafe in which an English backpacker guy and his Asian girlfriend are caught in the cross-fire of a random attack by armed gunmen and how they narrowly escape amidst the death and destruction bestowed upon other diners in that unfortunate eatery. We then follow them as they join the wave of fleeing escapees as they seek refuge in the seemingly safe harbour of the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel . . . how wrong could they be?

And so as a wave of devastating terror attacks throughout Mumbai catapult the bustling Indian city of some thirteen million inhabitants into chaos, in the heart of the city’s tourist district, Islamic terrorists lay siege to the iconic Taj Mahal Palace Hotel, with ruthless and merciless abandon. The gang of four terrorists arrive undercover together with those others fleeing on foot from the restaurant precinct, and are simply granted access because of the media coverage that has now erupted around the attacks that have so far come to light. Meanwhile, we follow the routine of one Arjun (Dev Patel) who has a young daughter and another child on the way as he rides his scooter to work at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel to commence his shift as a Waiter. He receives he pre-service briefing form Executive Chef Hemant Oberoi (Anupam Kher) and goes to work in one of the many restaurants where the more dignified guests choose to dine.

Arriving in advance of the shooting party are wealthy Indian Zahra (Nazanin Boniadi) who checks into one of the hotel’s opulent suites with her American husband David (Armie Hammer), newborn baby and Australian nanny Sally (Tilda Cobham-Hervey) in tow. Then there is the very demanding and particular Russian businessman Vasili (Jason Isaacs) and various other reasonably high profile guests that you would expect in an establishment of this standing. When the random shootings begin in the hotel lobby, Arjun is attending to the orders of his guests in the nearby hotel restaurant. He immediately takes charge ordering everyone to get down under the tables and seek cover, not knowing for sure himself what the hell is going on outside the restaurant doors.

And so what follows is a four day long battle for survival as hotel staff who have a firmly upheld belief that the Guest is King, the guests who all succumb in some way either directly or indirectly to the acts of the terrorists, and the authorities who are at first almost defenceless against ten mere, albeit heavily armed and ruthless mortals having to wait it out for days while the special forces arrive from 800 miles away. Needless to say the tension mounts as Big Bull (the recurring voice in the ear piece of the terrorists) continues to blurt out his specific instructions and how they will be rewarded in the kingdom of their God.

What unfolds is a case of catch us if you can, as one hundred or so guests are held captive in their luxury hotel as four terrorists go about their business of gunning down remorselessly and without blinking so much as an eye basically anyone who moves, gets in their way or doesn't comply with their demands. They patrol the corridors, hallways and rooms armed to the teeth with semi-automatic weapons, pistols and hand grenades and are not afraid to use them in the name of their cause. Sally is left holding the new-born baby as Zahra and David are caught in the crossfire in the restaurant four storeys below, as is Vasili on a neighbouring table. They crouch under a table frantically trying to text Sally who is taking a shower oblivious to the scenes of murder and mayhem unfolding within the hotel. David takes it upon himself to go back to their suite to locate Sally and the baby and in the process has a close call with two of the terrorists but manages to evade them in a lift, thanks to the cover afforded by an abandoned upright food trolley.

David reunites with Sally and the baby in their suite, but then decide to join the other guests now being led by Head Chef Oberoi to a Club Lounge within the hotel that is secure and has no windows. However, in doing so he is captured by the terrorists and taken hostage, with instructions from Big Bull to later execute him and any other captured Westerners in front of all the worlds media looking on. Sally and the baby evade capture by stowing away in a broom cupboard out of sight. Arjun meanwhile is leading his restaurant patrons along the fire exit to the Club Lounge where Head Chef Oberoi has already congregated with several dozen other guests and Hotel staff. Here Vasili comforts Zahra as best he can under the circumstance having lost all contact with David, Sally and her baby.

Meanwhile the local Police force have gathered outside together with the local and international news channels. Four daring cops decide to go in, given that Special Forces are en route but their ETA is still hours away. Needless to say they come to a sticky end in a hail of bullets and a grenade, but not before one of the terrorists is shot in the leg while he tries to break into the Club Lounge having discovered that by now there are about one hundred or so guests and staff holed up inside. The terrorist shot in the leg is sent to rest up and guard the now steadily increasing number of high value largely American hostages, whom they all plan to kill. The other three in the meantime go in search of an alternative entry to the Club Lounge, whilst setting fire to random points within the Hotel. The world watches on via the news channels of explosions within the Hotel, muffled distant machine gun fire, and bursts of flame and billowing smoke from the rooftop and windows.

Before the four cops were gunned down they came across Arjun in the emergency exit stairwell. They asked him to lead them to the surveillance room and then left him safely inside. While watching the terrorist activities on a live feed via closed circuit cameras he observes them trying to gain access again to the Club Lounge via the main entry. Using a grenade to blow the doors Arjun warns Head Chef Oberoi via mobile phone that the terrorists are soon to be upon them. Oberoi orders the one hundred or so guests to use the fire escape which takes them straight out onto the street several floors below. The terrorists gain entry and begin shooting just as Oberoi ducks out of sight - the last through the emergency doors. In a mad scramble to get free, many of the guests are shot as the terrorists randomly fire at them from the stairwell above. Vasili, Zahra and a handful of other guests decide to take a detour via the Hotel Lobby only to be gunned down and taken hostage. Here Zahra and Vasili are reunited with David, bound and lying face down on the floor.

By now the Special Forces have arrived and are readying themselves to launch an attack on the terrorists. The one guarding the hostages is in conversation with Big Bull who tells him that the time has come to kill the hostages without mercy and that he will be rewarded. Systematically he begins shooting the hostages. Vasili who puts up a noble struggle as much as he is able with his hands tied behind his back, is shot and killed, then David, leaving only Zahra who begins singing a Muslim song. This perplexes the terrorist who is confused by a western woman chanting a Muslim song, and despite the demands of Big Bull to put a bullet in her head, the terrorist does not. He leaves to join his colleagues, leaving Zahra to make her escape, which she does through a window which she smashes to draw attention to her whereabouts and to avoid smoke inhalation. She is rescued and taken to safety. Meanwhile the escaping guests and staff have reached the ground floor and spill out onto the street as the Special Forces go in all guns blazing. Included in those guests is Sally carrying Zahra's baby. They reunite in the back of a bus. Arjun is also out. Without any attention he slinks off to find his motor scooter and rides home to meet his wife and young daughter, who needless to say is very relieved to see him safe and well.

The terrorists are forced back into the Hotel Lobby surrounded by the heavily armed Special Forces. It all ends abruptly for the terrorists who are by now cowering behind the Reception desk, rapidly running out of ammunition, but still in communication with Big Bull. A member of the Special Forces makes a dash for the Reception desk, tosses a grenade over the top bringing a swift end to the terrorists and their siege on the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel. We subsequently learn that all but one of the ten terrorists survived, and of the fatalities over the four days half were Hotel personnel. The Hotel reopened its doors as good as new some thirteen months later, and many of that Team who survived also returned to their place of work to resume their old jobs.

'Hotel Mumbai' is a gripping true story that is well crafted and faithfully recreates real archival footage with the Directors vision, and that vision is unrelenting in its depiction of terror, wonton death and destruction at the hands of a small group of well armed committed activists who firmly believe in what they are doing. Whilst there are some action thriller cliches the film maintains the interest throughout, albeit uncomfortably so at times because the killing is so relentless and ever present. What is must be like to live through such an experience, and not knowing if your next breath will be your last, God only knows, but Director Anthony Maras pretty much takes you there offering a candid view of Hotel guests and staff, those poor unfortunates caught in the cross fire, those in the wrong place at the wrong time and of course the ten perpetrators as well, and it's not pretty and doesn't end well for many of them. The film has so far taken just under US$1M since its Release in the US last week too, and is certainly worth the price of your movie ticket.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

FINAL PORTRAIT : Saturday 17th June 2017.

Alberto Giacometti was a Swiss sculptor, painter, draughtsman and printmaker who lived from 1901 until 1966, when he died in Paris, France from heart disease and chronic bronchitis. This film 'Final Portrait' by Director, Writer and Actor Stanley Tucci (in his fifth Directorial outing) tells the story of Giacometti over a three week or so period in 1964, when the world renowned artist asked his American art critic and biographer friend James Lord to sit for him for what turns out to be his final portrait. I saw this film as part of the Sydney Film Festival last weekend, having had its Australian Premier at the Festival on 10th June. It had its World Premier at the Berlin International Film Festival in February this year, is due for release in the UK in early August, and not until early October for its general release in Australia. The film is based on the biography by James Lord 'A Giacometti Portrait', adapted for the screen by Stanley Tucci.

Set in Paris in 1964 we are told in voiceover by American biographer and art critic James Lord (Armie Hammer) of Alberto Giacometti (Geoffrey Rush) and his work as a celebrated world renowned sculptor, painter and artist, and that the famed Giacometti has asked him to pose for him, in order that he can paint his portrait. Of course, this is a great honour for Lord, and he can only but oblige his old friend by agreeing, even though he has a flight scheduled back home to the US in 48 hours.

After the first sitting, Giacometti says that his sitting may take a little longer than expected and if he could put his flight back 24 hours. Of course, easily done responds Lord - well, really what else can he say? However, Lord soon comes to realise that the work of a genius cannot be hurried, and it is Giacometti who decides on a whim when it is time for work, drink, food, doubt, destruction, flirtation or laughter in his studio. After the first three days have lapsed, Lord again is asked to delay his flight, but only for a few more days. 

Giacometti is an established artist whose works fetch record prices. When he is paid for his work he hides huge bundles of cash in his studio, fearing the banks as being untrustworthy. He often forgets where he has hidden his wads of cash. He is a man of modest means living in your average Parisian two up two down terrace house with a ramshackle studio. His nonchalant attitude to money is just one of the causes of many an altercation with his wife Annette (Sylvie Testud), another being that his young attractive prostitute mistress and quasi-muse Caroline (Clemence Poesy) receives all his attention. She is his reason for being, his motivation and his incentive to carry on with his life and his work, and she too is mid-way sitting for him for a portrait in progress. His brother Diego (Tony Shalhoub), is also an artist and working in an adjacent studio, is more than familiar with his idiosyncrasies, his mood swings, and his at times unpredictable temperament. 

As another week goes by, Lord is asked to postpone his flight home again due to slow progress with the painting, or it not being upto Giacometti's standard. Often, the artist will start to paint, and then interrupt proceedings with the desire to go for a walk to talk, or to visit the local bistro for something to eat, or drink, or to take rides in the car, or to meet with Caroline. Lord puts on a brave face but becomes increasingly frustrated by the slow progress his artist friend is taking - but what can he do, other than play along, and pacify those in the US who seek his return home. 

Meanwhile Lord has to postpone his flight once more, asking 'how long can this go on for'. By now we are two weeks in, and Diego who overhears Lords rhetorical question says months, years, perhaps for ever, as Alberto seeks perfection in his work, which he knows is in reality unattainable. As three weeks almost clock up and yet more flight postponements, the day comes when Lord has to bite the bullet and leave. Giacometti bids him farewell, Caroline has disappeared off somewhere else with her pimps, leaving the artist and his wife Annette to go about their business, and Giacometti to consider his unfinished portrait.

Here Rush inhibits the character of Giacometti, much as he did with his portrayal of pianist David Helfgott in 1996's 'Shine', and he makes his character study intricate, grounded and nuanced as we laugh at his jokes, relish at his idle gossip, his habits and his foibles, his inconsistent work routine, his preferred watering holes, his insistent chain smoking, his dishevelled appearance, the razor sharp wit of his conversation and his sarcasm and his down beaten studio where everything is presented to us looking in in various shades of black, white and grey. Armie Hammer puts in a subdued but nonetheless commendable performance as the subject of the artist, showing restraint, politeness and conservatism  even as time marches on and repeated postponements to his schedule. As for Stanley Tucci in his fifth turn as Director he here depicts Giacometti as a genius showing us his strengths and weaknesses of his chaotic work life, his self-doubt, and his inner strength to destroy that which he is not completely satisfied with and start over again. A comical, entertaining and engaging study of one of the great artists of the 20th Century, that has been highly praised by Critics.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 10th November 2016.

A few weeks ago an article in the tabloid press over here caught my eye, about a subject I hold close to my heart. Written by James Wigney the article was titled 'Games up for online pirates : Movie boss' warning to downloaders' and surrounds the illegal downloading of movies and television content with Australia being 'one of the worst offending countries for online piracy, with 1.24 billion visits to illegal pirate sites last year'. With a population of approaching just twenty-five million, that's a statistic not to be taken lightly methinks! The boss in question here, Graham Burke, heads up Village Roadshow and he was addressing the Australian International Movie Convention on the Gold Coast earlier in October. The plan is to shut down with immediate effect up to one hundred illegal download sites the moment the courts hand down the decision on the movie industry's war on piracy, which will see an immediate and dramatic drop in piracy as a result. He went on to say that 'many people think this is a victimless crime' 'It's not, and if this were to continue, there will be no 'Red Dog', there will be no 'Mad Max', there will be no 'Star Wars', there will be no creativity'. The worrying trend seems to have emerged among younger people, with 31% of 12-17 year olds pirating movies . . . and thinking it is OK to do so. Well said on all of the above! I am a firm advocate of paying your $20 and seeing a film at the full retail price on the big screen as the Producers, Directors, Actors, Screenwriters, and film crew intended, and all who have to be paid out of the proceeds from that small investment in two hours of entertainment. Do the right think Australian and movie lovers of the world, and pay the price of a ticket and go see a movie at the Odeon instead of illegally downloading a film from a pirate site and committing a crime! You know it makes sense!

And so to this week where we have just two new release movies coming to your local picture house and both are very different and both have already been highly acclaimed widely by critics and movie goers. First up is a second Directorial outing for this fashion guru turned movie maker featuring an all star cast in this psychological romance and revenge story within a story thriller; and this is followed up by a Sci-Fi drama from a Director of repute of first contact and learning to communicate with otherworldly visitors whilst our world leaders squabble amongst themselves and take us to the brink of war. Both films feature the highly acclaimed and awarded Actress Amy Adams in the lead roles.

Remember, that when you have sat through your film or films of choice in the week ahead as either Previewed below, or as Reviewed and Previewed previously amidst these humble Blog pages, feel free to share your thoughts and opinions of your movie going experience with our other readers by leaving a Comment below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and enjoy your movie in the meantime.

'NOCTURNAL ANIMALS' (Rated MA15+) - written for the Screen, Co-Produced and Directed by fashion designer Tom Ford whose previous fashion credits include time as the creative brains behind Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and then his own label Tom Ford, this is only the second Directorial outing for the man who is already making a name for himself in the world of cinema. Ford set up his own Production Company, Fade to Black, in 2005 and his debut as Director came in 2009 with 'A Single Man' with Colin Firth in the lead role. That film picked up 34 award wins and another 52 nominations including an Oscar nod for Firth in the Best Lead Actor category and it made US$25M from its US$7M budget outlay. Now Ford is back with his second film that has already been widely acclaimed having won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival in early September this year. The film opened in the UK last week, in Australia this week and in the US next week, and was made for US$22M.

Based on the 1993 novel 'Tony and Susan' by Austin Wright, 'Nocturnal Animals' tells the story of successful Los Angeles art gallery owner Susan Morrow (Amy Adams) who is now married to Hutton Morrow (Armie Hammer) but all is not well in that camp. One day unexpectedly Susan receives a manuscript from her long estranged ex-husband Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal) - a man whom she left twenty or so years earlier. Edward asks Susan for her opinion of his story. Reading through the manuscript there are elements that resonate with her past life and that of her present too, as memories and emotions of her first marriage coming flooding back. The as yet unpublished novel is called 'Nocturnal Animals' and is based on a story of a family holiday that turns violent and deadly. With the line between fact and fiction, reality and make believe becoming more obscured Susan must face her past life, some hidden truths and the meaning behind her ex-husbands novel in which she imagines the lead character Tony Hastings (Jake Gyllenhaal) playing out the husband and father figure on that ill fated family holiday. Also starring Michael Shannon, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Michael Sheen, Laura Linney, Isla Fisher and Andrea Riseborough, this psychological romantic revenge thriller story within a story is a must see.

'ARRIVAL' (Rated M) - based on the 1998 short Sci-Fi story 'Story of Your Life' by Ted Chiang, this already highly rated adaptation is Directed by Denis Villeneuve, was made for US$50M and Premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in early September where it won the Future Film Festival Digital Award and was nominated for a Golden Lion. The film is released Stateside also this week. When twelve vast and mysterious alien spaceships touch down in various strategically placed locations around the world, an elite team of experts is mobilised to establish contact and determine what the extra terrestrial visitors want from our little blue planet. Linguist Dr. Louise Banks (Amy Adams), mathematician Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) and US Army Colonel Weber (Forest Whitaker) join forces to find the answers and communicate with the alien beings while the rest of the world and its quarrelling leaders reside on the brink of war. But, amidst this will Banks be prepared to risk her own life and that of humanity to uncover the answers sought? Highly praised also for its stunning visuals, gripping story and great performances, especially from Amy Adams.

With two highly acclaimed films newly released this week, and both starring Amy Adams in very different roles and genres, my recommendation is to catch them both! I don't think you'll be disappointed by either outing, and when you have sat through these two films you can share your views with your like minded cinephiles here at this Blog. In the meantime, I'll see you at the Odeon, in the coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-