What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 3rd August 2023.

The 71st Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) this year launches on Thursday 3rd August and runs through until Sunday 20th August. MIFF is a not-for-profit organisation that has been continuously running since 1952, making it the leading film festival in Australia and one of the world’s oldest film festivals, alongside Cannes and Berlin. Presenting a curated global programme of innovative screen experiences and the world’s largest showcase of exceptional Australian filmmaking, MIFF is an accessible, iconic cultural event that provides transformative experiences for audiences and filmmakers alike. The festival takes place annually in various cinemas in the Melbourne CBD, presenting an acclaimed screening programme including films from local and international filmmakers, alongside industry events.

This years Opening Night Gala film is 'Shayda' from Australia and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Noora Niasari and tells the story of Shayda, a brave Iranian mother, who finds refuge in an Australian women’s shelter with her six-year-old daughter. Over Persian New Year, they take solace in Nowruz rituals and new beginnings, but when her estranged husband re-enters their lives, Shayda’s path to freedom is jeopardised. The Closing Night Gala film presentation is 'Theater Camp' Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Molly Gordon and Nick Lieberman and follows a ragtag cast and crew of theatre nerds who bring extra drama to save their beloved summer camp.

MIFF’s film competition, Bright Horizons, recognises the new, the next, the breakthrough and the best, with an extraordinary international line-up of first and second time filmmakers competing for one of the richest film prizes in the world - AU$140K. Eleven feature films are in competition, as given below :-

* 'Ama Gloria' - from France and Written and Directed by Marie Amachoukeli in her feature film debut. The drama film tells the story of six-year-old French girl Cleo's bond with her Cape Verdean nanny, Gloria. 

* 'Animalia' - from France, Morocco and Qatar and Written and Directed by Sofia Alaoui in her feature film debut. This drama Sci-Fi uses an alien invasion to peer across the stakes of faith and family in contemporary Morocco.

* 'Banel & Adama' - from France and Senegal and Written and Directed by Ramata-Toulaye Sy. This drama film is a haunting tale of two star-crossed lovers set in a rural Senegalese village.

* 'Disco Boy' - from Belgium, France, Italy and Poland and Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Giacomo Abbruzzese. This dramatic thriller sees a rogue Belarusian harbouring dreams of slipping unnoticed across the French border, but the aspiration soon sours stumbling from terrible loss into the arms of the French Foreign Legion.

* 'Earth Mama' - from the USA and Written and Directed by Savanah Leaf. This drama film is about a young heavily pregnant black woman caught up in a spiral of institutional disadvantage.

* 'Inside the Yellow Cocoon Shell' - from France, Singapore, Spain and Vietnam and Written, Directed and Edited by Pham Thien An. This drama film sees a detached and morose Saigon thirtysomething man who has little idea that his life is about to be pushed towards a vast spiritual reckoning, as he embarks on a mystical journey across a beguiling rural Vietnam.

* 'How to Have Sex' - from Greece and the UK and Written and Directed by Molly Manning Walker. High school is over and, before the reality of exam results hits, a trio of British teenagers are determined to have the 'Best! Holiday! Ever!' Tara, Em and Skye arrive in Malia, a party town in Crete, primed for a blowout of clubbing, binge-drinking and attempts at seduction.

* 'The Rooster' - from Australia and Written and Directed by Mark Leonard Winter in his film making debut. Here, a hermit and a suspended cop form an unlikely connection amid crisis while camping out in a remote forest, but, surrounded by trees, far away from any trace of civilisation, is everything really as it seems? World Premiere screening.

* 'Shayda' - from Australia and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Noora Niasari in her feature film Directorial debut. The film tells the story of a mother seeking a new life for herself and her daughter.

* 'The Sweet East' - from the USA and photographed and Directed by Sean Price Williams in his feature film making debut. This comedy drama film is about a school girl separated from her classmates on a school trip to Washington, DC who finds herself on a feverish journey through the eastern seaboard, falling into the orbit (or trap) of various freaks and interlopers who call the great nation of the US home.

* 'Totem' - from Denmark, France and Mexico and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Lila Aviles. This family drama presents a seven year old child’s-eye view of love, loss and life in all their messy, glorious, heartbreaking colour.

For all the other programme sections, the Australian films, the headlining films, MIFF Shorts, plus a whole lot more good stuff, you can go to the official website at : https://miff.com.au/

Turning attention then back to this weeks six new movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we kick off with an American comedy offering that sees this adult son telling his old-school Italian immigrant father that he is going to propose to his all-American girlfriend, and Dad insists on crashing a weekend with her wealthy parents. This is followed by a biographical drama film about the illegitimate son of an African enslaved and a French plantation owner, who rises to heights in French society as a composer before an ill-fated love affair. Next up is a sequel to a 2018 movie about giant megalodon sharks surfacing from the deepest depths of the ocean causing mayhem above the water and below it too. Then we turn to a British comedy about a dream the women of Ballygar have to taste freedom - to win a pilgrimage to the sacred French town of Lourdes. Following on from this is an Australian doco that sees this northern NSW farm besieged by drought, bushfires and ecological despair, and so begins a journey of discovery to regenerate the soil beneath the feet of this famed Aussie Actress and the land on her farm; before closing out the week with a French drama film about a man setting out to walk across France after an accident that could have left him unable to walk at all.

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

'ABOUT MY FATHER' (Rated PG) - this American comedy film is Directed by Laura Terruso whose prior feature film making efforts take in her 2017 debut with 'Fits and Starts', then 'Good Girls Get High' in 2018, and 'Work It' in 2020. This film is Co-Written and stars the American stand-up comedian and Actor Sebastian Maniscalco and is loosely based on his life and his relationship with his father. This film was released in the US towards the end of May, has so far grossed US$16M off the back of a production budget of US$29M and has garnered generally unfavourable reviews. 

Sebastian (Sebastian Maniscalco) informs his traditional Italian immigrant father Salvo (Robert De Niro) about his plan to propose to his American girlfriend Ellie (Lesley Bibb), and Salvo insists on joining them for a weekend with her wealthy and extremely eccentric parents (Kim Cattrall and David Rasche). Despite the clash between their two cultures and initial perception of having nothing in common, they eventually become a single, unified family by the end of the summer holiday weekend.

'CHEVALIER' (Rated M) - is an American biographical drama film Directed by Stephen Williams whose previous big screen Directorial efforts are 'Soul Survivor' in 1995, 'Shadow Zone : My Teacher Ate My Homework' in 1997 and 'Milgaard' in 1999. Since then, Williams has worked extensively in TV. This film is based on the life of the titular French-Caribbean musician Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges (Kelvin Harrison Jnr.), who lived from 1745 until 1799, the illegitimate son of an African slave and a French plantation owner, who rose to improbable heights in French society as a celebrated violinist, conductor, composer, a champion fencer and a fine dancer complete with a love affair and falling out with Marie Antoinette (Lucy Boynton). Also starring Samara Weaving, Marton Csokas and Minnie Driver. It saw its World Premiere screening at TIFF in mid-September last year, was released in the US in late April, has so far grossed US$4M and has generated mostly favourable critical reviews. 

'THE MEG 2 : THE TRENCH' (Rated M) - this Sci-Fi action horror film is Directed by Ben Wheatley whose previous feature film making outings take in his 2009 debut with 'Down Terrace' which he would follow up with the likes of 'A Field in England' in 2013, 'High Rise' in 2015, 'Free Fire' in 2016, 'Happy New Year, Colin Burstead' in 2018, 'Rebecca' in 2020, and 'In the Earth' in 2021. This film is the sequel to 2018's 'The Meg' (which grossed US$530M at the global Box Office) and is based on the 1999 novel 'The Trench' by Steve Alten. Here then, Jonas Taylor (Jason Statham, who reprises his role from the first film) leads a research team on an exploratory dive into the deepest depths of the ocean. Their voyage spirals into chaos when a malevolent mining operation threatens their mission and forces them into a high-stakes battle for survival. Pitched against colossal, prehistoric sharks and relentless environmental plunderers, they must outrun, outsmart and outswim their merciless predators. Also starring Cliff Curtis and Page Kennedy (also both reprising their roles from the first film) and Wu Jing, it is due for release in the US this week too. 

'THE MIRACLE CLUB' (Rated PG) - is a British drama film Directed by Thaddeus O'Sullivan whose previous feature film making offerings take in his debut in 1978 with 'On a Paving Stone Mounted', 'December Bride' in 1990, 'Nothing Personal' in 1995, 'Ordinary Decent Criminal' in 2000, 'The Heart of Me' in 2002, 'Stella Days' in 2011 and 'Citizen Lane' in 2018. Here then, set in 1960, the women of Ballyfermot, Ireland, dream of winning a pilgrimage to Lourdes in France. Four close friends 'win' a life-changing ticket at their local raffle night, thanks to their interfering priest. Starring Laura Linney, Kathy Bates, Maggie Smith, Agnes O'Casey and Stephen Rea the film saw its World Premiere screening at the Tribeca Film Festival in early June, was released in the US mid last month, and is released in the UK at the end of September. It has received mixed or average reviews and has so far grossed US$1.6M at the Box Office.

'RACHEL'S FARM' (Rated PG) - this Australian documentary film is Directed by the British born Australian Actress, Director and Writer Rachel Ward whose previous feature film making credits include 'Martha's New Coat' in 2003, 'Beautiful Kate' in 2009 and 'Palm Beach' in 2019. For many years, Rachel's Nambucca Valley beef farm in northern New South Wales, Australia was a family retreat, conventionally farmed by Rachel’s neighbour Mick. The 2019 Black Summer fires spared the farm, but the near-miss sets Rachel thinking hard about the future. Mick encourages Rachel to challenge established farming practices, and take on a new approach which starts from the soil up. Its hands-on hard graft, but she’s determined, and her joy at finding solutions is palpable. 'Rachel’s Farm' is about the environmental threats we face, but it’s also the story of one woman’s resolve to tackle them head on, intent on making a difference. Rachel has been married to Australian Actor Bryan Brown since 1983.

'ON THE WANDERING PATHS' (Rated M) - is a French drama film Co-Written and Directed by Denis Imbert whose two prior feature film making credits are 'Vicky' in 2015 and 'Vicky and Her Mystery' in 2021. This film is based on the book of the same name by Sylvain Tesson. Here Jean Dujardin plays Pierre Girard a famous explorer and writer, who travels regularly throughout the world. One day, climbing a hotel frontage while drunk, he falls from high and winds up in a deep coma. When he awakes, he has difficulty walking but, against everyone's advice, he decides to walk through France from Provence to Mont Saint-Michel, following forgotten pathways. The film was released in its native France towards the end of March and is released this week here in Australia having so far grossed US$8M. 

With six 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 week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th March 2020.

The 70th annual 'Berlin International Film Festival' took place between Thursday 20th February and Sunday 1st March. Usually referred to as the 'Berlinale', this is a film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been held every February since 1978 and is considered one of the 'Big Three' next to the Venice Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival. With around 300,000 tickets sold and 500,000 admissions each year, it has the largest public attendance of any annual film festival. Up to 400 films are shown in several sections across cinematic genres. Around twenty films compete for the festival's top awards - the 'Golden Bear' and several 'Silver Bears'.

The festival launched with the opening gala presented by the highly acclaimed Bulgarian Actor Samuel Finzi followed by the World Premiere showing of the film 'My Salinger Year' Directed by the French Canadian film maker and Screenwriter Philippe Falardeau which was selected for the Berlinale Special section. This year the acclaimed English Actor Jeremy Irons acted as the Jury President for the Berlinale Competition section together with American film maker Kenneth Lonergan, Italian Actor Luca Marinelli and Brazilian film maker Kleber Mendonca Filho amongst a few others.

In main completion this year, were eighteen international films, those being :-
* 'All the Dead Ones' - a drama from Brazil and France, Directed by Caetano Gotardo and Marco Dutra.
* 'Bad Tales' - an Italian Swiss drama, Directed by Damiano D'Innocenzo and Fabio D'Innocenzo
* 'Berlin Alexanderplatz' - a drama from Germany, Netherlands and France, Directed by Burhan Qurbani.
* 'DAU. Natasha' - a drama from Germany, Ukraine, UK and Russia, Directed by Ilya Khrzhanovskiy and Jekaterina Oertel.
* 'Days' - a Taiwanese drama film, Directed by Tsai Ming-liang.
* 'Delete History' - a French Belgian drama film, Directed by Benoît Delepine and Gustave Kervern.
* 'First Cow' - a drama film from the United States, Directed by Kelly Reichardt.
* 'Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always' - a drama from the United States, Directed by Eliza Hittman.
* 'Hidden Away' - an Italian biographical drama film, Directed by Giorgio Diritti.
* 'The Intruder' - an Argentinian and Mexican thriller, Directed by Natalia Meta.
* 'Irradiated' - a documentary from France and Cambodia, Direcetd by Rithy Panh.
* 'My Little Sister' - a drama from Switzerland, Directed by Stephanie Chuat and Veronique Reymond.
* 'The Roads Not Taken' - a drama from the UK, Directed by Sally Potter.
* 'The Salt of Tears' - a drama from France and Switzerland, Directed by Philippe Garrel.
* 'The Woman Who Ran' - from South Korea, Directed by Hong Sang-soo.
* 'Siberia' - a drama film from Italy, Germany and Mexico, Directed by Abel Ferrara.
* 'There is No Evil' - an Iranian, German and Czech Republic drama, Directed by Mohammad Rasoulof.
* 'Undine' - a German French drama film, Directed by Christian Petzold.

And so, in the final analysis, the awards presented in main competition were :-




* Golden Bear – 'THERE IS NO EVIL' by Mohammad Rasoulof,
* Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize – 'NEVER, RARELY, SOMETIMES, ALWAYS' by Eliza Hittman,
* Silver Bear for Best Director – HONG SANG-SOO for 'The Woman Who Ran',
* Silver Bear for Best Actress – PAULA BEER for 'Undine',
* Silver Bear for Best Actor – ELIO GERMANO for 'Hidden Away',
* Silver Bear for Best Script – DAMIANO D'INNOCENZO and FABIO D'INNOCENZO for 'Bad Tales',
* Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution – JURGEN JURGES for cinematography in 'DAU. Natasha'.
* The Honorary Golden Bear was awarded to HELEN MIRREN.

For the full details on all the awards winners, the comings and goings, the news and the views, you can visit the official website at : https://www.berlinale.de

And so this week we have six latest release new films gracing your local Odeon. Kicking off with a first date gone horribly wrong for this young couple who go on the run as a result of their actions, only to be hunted down by the Police and heralded as heroes by the public. Next off we have a new Superhero who is brought back from the dead, reengineered, injected with a billion or so nanobots and had his memory wiped clean, but as he starts to remember things he embarks on a deadly rampage out for revenge. We then have three British offerings - the first is a true story about a group of women left at home while their military husbands are serving overseas - and in 2010 they formed a choir, which has subsequently grown into an international movement. Then we have a horror film about a possessed red dress, and whoever wears it more often than not meets with dire consequences, followed up by a family gathering to mark New Years Eve in the English countryside but things go a little awry when an estranged and unwelcome sibling makes an appearance. And we close out the week with a romantic drama film about a young Christian singer who falls for a young girl with terminal cancer.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the six 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 most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the coming week.

'QUEEN & SLIM' (Rated MA15+) - this American romantic crime drama offering is Directed by first time film maker Melina Matsoukas who is an already established American music video, television and commercial Director. Amongst her numerous music video's which she has made since 2006 she has worked with Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Whitney Houston, Robin Thicke and Christina Aguilera. Her TV commercials credits take in such companies as Diesel, Adidas, Lexus, Nike and Stella McCartney. This film saw its World Premiere at the American Film Institute Fest in mid-November 2019 and was released in the US in late-November. It has so far received generally positive reviews from critics, has grossed US$47M off the back of a circa US$18M production budget, and has garnered ten award wins and a further 27 nominations from around the awards circuit.

Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Slim's (Daniel Kaluuya) first date to an Ohio diner takes an unexpected turn when a policeman pulls them over for a minor traffic violation while Slim is driving Queen home. When the situation escalates, and Queen's leg is grazed by a bullet fired by the agitated Policeman, Slim takes the officer's gun and shoots him in self-defence. Now labelled cop killers in the media, Slim and Queen feel that they have no choice but to go on the run and evade the law, otherwise face the prospect of a life behind bars. When a video of the incident goes viral, the unwitting outlaws soon become a symbol of trauma, terror, grief and pain for people all across the country. Also starring Bokeem Woodbine, Chloe Sevigny, Flea, Indya Moore and Sturgill Simpson. 

'BLOODSHOT' (Rated M) - is an American superhero film based on the Valiant Comics character of the same name which first appeared in 1992. It is intended to be the first instalment in a series of films set within a Valiant Comics shared cinematic universe, and is Directed by David S. F. Wilson in his feature film making debut. Starring in the lead role and also Co-Producing here Marine Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel) and his wife are assassinated. But, Garrison is reborn by a team of scientists. Enhanced with nanotechnology, which grants him the powers of regeneration and meta-morphing made possible through nanites injected into his blood, hence the name Bloodshot, he becomes a superhuman, biotech killing machine. As Ray first trains with fellow super-soldiers, he struggles to recall anything from his previous life. But when his memories begin filtering back and he remembers the man that killed both him and his wife, he breaks out of the facility hellbent on revenge, only to discover that there’s more to the conspiracy than he originally imagined. Bloodshot's bloodstream contains a billion nanobots, enabling him to heal from injuries quickly, interface with technology, and shape shift his mass. Also starring Toby Kebbel, Guy Pearce and Eliza Gonzalez. Made with a budget of US$42M the film is also released Stateside this week. 

'MILITARY WIVES' (Rated M) - this British comedy drama offering is Directed by Peter Cattaneo who is perhaps best known for Directing the 1997 hit 'The Full Monty'. With their beloved partners away serving with the armed forces in Afghanistan, a group of women on the home front come together to form the very first military wives choir, helping each other through some of life's most difficult moments, and quickly find themselves at the centre of a media sensation and global movement. The film was inspired by the true story of the Military Wives Choirs, a network of 75 choirs in British military bases across the UK and overseas. The first choir held their initial rehearsal in April 2010 in Catterick Garrison. Now with over 2,200 members, the MWC network is tri-service (British Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Royal Marines) and any woman with a military connection can join including those currently serving, veterans, mothers, sisters and daughters, empowering women from across the military community. The film was released in the UK last week having seen its World Premier screening at TIFF back in September last year, and stars Kristen Scott Thomas, Sharon Horgan, Jason Flemyng, Greg Wise and Emma Lowndes. 

'IN FABRIC' (Rated MA15+) - here this British comedy horror film is Directed and Written by Peter Strickland. The film saw its World Premier showing at the Toronto Film Festival way back in September 2018, went on release in the UK in June 2019, in the US in December 2019 and now gets a limited showing here in Australia. A lonely woman, Sheila Woodchapel (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), recently separated from her husband, working as a bank teller and living with her son Vince visits a bewitching London department store in search of a dress in the sales that she can wear out on a date. She's fitted with a perfectly flattering, flowing red gown by sales assistant Miss Luckmoore (Fatma Mohamed), which, in time, will come to unleash a malevolent curse and unstoppable evil, threatening everyone who comes into its path. Also starring Hayley Squires, Gwendoline Christie, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Leo Bill and Julian Barratt.

'HAPPY NEW YEAR, COLIN BURSTEAD' (Rated MA15+) - this British comedy drama film is Written and Directed by Ben Wheatley whose previous film making credits include 'Sightseers', 'A Field in England', 'High-Rise' and 'Free Fire' most recently in 2016. Colin Burstead (Neill Maskell) hires a lavish country house in England's south western county of Dorset for his extended family to see in the New Year. Unbeknownst to other members of the family, and unfortunately for Colin, his sister Gini (Hayley Squires) has invited their estranged brother David (Sam Riley), so placing Colin's position of power in the family unit under serious threat. Also starring Joe Cole, Charles Dance, Alexandra Maria Lara and Bill Paterson. The film had its World Premier screening at the London Film Festival back in October 2018, was released in the UK in late December 2018 and only now gets its release in Australia.

'I STILL BELIEVE' (Rated PG) - is a Christian biographical romantic drama film Directed by Andrew and Jon Erwin whose previous film making credits include 'Woodlawn' and 'I Can Only Imagine' most recently in 2018. This film is based on Jeremy Camp's memoir of the same title. Camp is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter from Lafayette, Indiana. Camp has released eleven albums, four of them are certified as Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, and two live albums. His original music is a mixture of ballads and up-tempo songs with rock influences. It focuses on Camp's (K.J. Apa) romance with his first wife, Melissa (Britt Robertson), whom he married in October 2000 despite knowing she was dying. The couple were informed after their honeymoon that Melissa's cancer had spread. She died in February 2001, four-and-a-half months after they married. It dramatises Camp's college years, his rise as a well-known singer, and eventually meeting his second wife, Adrienne (Abigail Cowen). Also starring Gary Sinise and Shania Twain as Camp's father and mother respectively, the film is released in the US this week too.

With six new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead, at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 27th April 2017.

With the release of 'Free Fire' this week (as Previewed below), cult British Writer and Director Ben Wheatley has already carved out a name for himself in the ten short years that he has been Writing and Directing English television series and feature length films.
His short but highly acclaimed film career started in 2009 with British crime drama 'Down Terrace' which was made for just US$30K but picked up three award wins and four nominations including Most Promising Newcomer for Wheatley at the London Evening Standard British Film Awards, and the Raindance Award at the British Independent Film Awards. Wheatley acted as Director, Writer, Producer and Editor on the film.
The British crime drama psychological horror offering 'Kill List' came next in 2011 which was made for US$800K and again received much critical acclaim and picked up three award wins and sixteen nominations including Best Director and Best Screenplay nods for Wheatley at the British Independent Film Awards. Wheatley Directed, Wrote and Edited this film.
2012 saw the horror comedy 'Sightseers' which gave a whole new meaning to the English caravanning holiday. Directed and Edited by Wheatley the film won eleven awards and a further seventeen nominations including British Independent Film Awards, London Evening Standard Film Awards, London Critics Circle Film Awards and Empire UK Awards.
2013 saw 'A Field In England' an historical psychological horror film set during the mid-17th Century English Civil War. Made for US$385K and Directed and Edited by Wheatley the film collected one award win and eight other nominations all mostly for Wheatley's Direction and Best Film.
The big screen adaptation of J.G.Ballards source novel 'High Rise' came next in 2015 with an all star cast featuring Tom Hiddleston, Luke Evans, James Purefoy, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller and Elisabeth Moss. This film picked up two award wins and eleven nominations with Wheatley Directing and Editing once again. This dystopian drama film is set in the mid 1970's in an exclusive luxury tower block that has every modern convenience so that residents needn't leave the confines of their self contained environment until society begins to crumble and all hell breaks loose.
This brings us up to date with this years 'Free Fire' with 'Freakshift' in pre-production with Armie Hammer and Alicia Vikander starring in this action horror film about a band of misfits who hunt down and kill underground nocturnal monsters. Wheatley met Amy Jump in the sixth form while at school in North London, and she has since become his wife. Amy Jump collaborates with Wheatley as Writer on all his films since 'Kill List'. A British Writing and Directing force to be reckoned with, Wheatley just keeps going from strength to strength and can put no camera lens wrong it seems. Read on for more.

In the coming week there are six new release films to coerce you out to your local multiplex or independent picture house. We kick off with the sequel to another comic book adaptation that was a surprising commercial and critical hit way back in 2014, that saw a disparate band of cosmos travelling saviours protect the known galaxy from all manner of foe, and this time around, well they're doing it all over again and this time to a killer mix tape. This is followed up by an all guns blazing shoot 'em up bullet fest set within the confines of an abandoned warehouse in 1978 Boston when an arms deal goes south very quickly for all concerned. Then we have a Hollywood set fictionalised bio-pic helmed by an acclaimed Writer, Director, Producer and Star featuring an ensemble cast that looks impressive on paper but has bombed at theatres; before moving onto two French foreign language films - one set in the present and surrounding a fifty-something year old teacher reinventing her life after her husband of 25 years darts off with another woman, and the other  set in the past at the end of WWII as a French Red Cross doctor comes to the aid of a group of nuns in Warsaw. We then wrap up with an Aussie teenage psychological thriller that pits nature against nurture from which there can be only one victor.

When you have sat through your film of choice sometime in the coming seven days, remember that you are warmly invited to share your movie going experience with your fellow readers here at Odeon Online. Leave your constructive, relevant and thought provoking observations in the Comments section below this or any other Post - we'd love to hear from you as always. In the meantime, enjoy your trip to the cinema.

'GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, Vol. 2' (Rated M) - The Guardians of the Galaxy made their comic book debut in the January 1969 'Marvel Super-Heroes' #18 created by Arnold Drake and Gene Colan as Writer and Artist respectively. The characters that appear in these films however, came together first in the April 2008 edition of 'Annihilation: Conquest' #6 by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning as Writer and Artist respectively and follow a different set of Members to those in the original publications. The first film, Directed and Co-Written by James Gunn was released in 2014, made for US$196M and took almost everyone by surprise by grossing at the global Box Office US$774M, was nominated for two Academy Awards and picked up a total haul of fifty award wins and another 98 nominations, and was hailed a critical success too. And so a sequel was inevitable, and once again Directed and Written by James Gunn, retaining the same ensemble cast featuring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper and Michael Rooker, and this time adding in Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell and Elizabeth Debicki amongst others. The fifteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Premiered in Tokyo, Japan earlier this month, is released in the US on 5th May, and in Australia,and the UK this week.

And so what of the story line? Set about three months or so after the closing events of the first film, we see our intrepid band of intergalactic cosmos traversing Guardian heroes doing their utmost to keep their new found family together and maintain a peaceful accord with one another, as they also seek to discover the truth behind Peter Quill's, aka Star-Lord, (Chris Pratt) true parentage. Along the way old enemies turn into allies, and several Marvel characters that we have come to know and love from the Marvel Cinematic Universe come to their aid, as an enemy has designs on destroying the whole galaxy, so crossing over the rich film catalogue and further expanding the MCU. James Gunn has already announced that he will return as Writer and Director for 'Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3'.

'FREE FIRE' (Rated MA15+) - made for just US$7M this action comedy is Directed and Co-Written by Ben Wheatley and is set in a Boston warehouse in 1978 where an arms trade goes horribly and spectacularly wrong for all concerned. Those concerned amount to a dozen or so low life criminals who all start shooting at each other within the confines of a dirty abandoned rundown harbourside warehouse, when the deal doesn't quite go according to plan. As the shots ring out and chaos ensues, gang members on either side get shot and killed or injured, and so the entire film plays out within the warehouse as the tension reaches fever pitch, bullets fly, the body count rises and those left standing, or limping, try to find an exit in the bullet ballet. Starring Cillian Murphy, Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Noah Taylor, Patrick Bergen, Sam Riley, Jack Reynor and Brie Larson this non-stop shoot-em up extravaganza is likely to be the most bullet riddled blood soaked chaotic fun you're gonna have at the cinema this year.

'RULES DON'T APPLY' (Rated M) - this romantic comedy drama film is Directed, Co-Produced, Written and stars Warren Beatty in his first Directing gig since 1998's 'Bulworth' and first acting role since 2001's 'Town and Country'. It is a bio-pic surrounding a time in the life of Howard Hughes, whom Beatty has been fascinated with for the past forty years, and for all of that time had intended to make a film based on the life of the American businessman, investor, pilot, film Director, and philanthropist. After a number of false starts the film is finally here, having been made for US$25M, starring a huge ensemble cast, and having been released in the US at the end of November last year. The film has been a Box Office bomb, recovering just US$4M, and has met with mixed Reviews from Critics. The plot surrounds newly arrived in Los Angeles beauty queen Marla Mabrey (Lily Collins) who is under contract to Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty). Being collected from the airport she meets with her recently appointed driver Frank Forbes (Alden Ehrenreich). The two instantly feel an attraction for each other, but what are two star crossed lovers to do when their religious beliefs are put to the test, and an employee fraternising with a contract Actress is a definite no-no under Hughes' terms, conditions, and code of conduct. Also starring Matthew Broderick, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Steve Coogan, Oliver Platt, Paul Sorvino, Dabney Coleman, Annette Benning, Candice Bergen and Amy Madigan.

'THINGS TO COME' (Rated M) - Written and Directed by Mia Hansen-Love this French/German Co-Production was made for US$3.2M and so far grossed US$4.2M since its Premier at the February 2016 Berlin Film Festival where Hansen-Love was awarded the Silver Bear for Best Director, and its release in France in April 2016. Now a year later the film arrives at Australian cinemas having collected a swag full of awards and nominations by film critic associations and during its showing at several film festivals. The film has been universally acclaimed. Starring Isabelle Huppert in a career defining performance as Nathalie Chazeaux, a dedicated and passionate philosophy teacher who juggles her richly rewarding teaching life, her students, her demanding drama queen of a mother, her two grown up children, and her husband of 25 years Heinz (Andre Marcon), also a a philosophy teacher. But things take a turn when her husband announces that he is leaving her and is moving in with another woman. They led a comfortable existence, without any pressures or strains on the relationship - she is stunned and blindsided by this news, but also philosophical about it - her life hasn't come to an end and she has lots going for her. And so Nathalie embarks on a year long voyage of discovery taking in a new friendship with a former student, Fabien (Roman Kolinka), realising that her ailing mother can no longer look after herself and what to do with her independent black cat, the dissolving of her marriage, and a changing of the guard at the publishing house where she publishes her books as a sideline. Causing Nathalie to re-evaluate her life and reassess her future, this is a well crafted film about what constitutes happiness and success amid everyday commonplace situations and the impact of them when confronted with the reality of starting afresh.

'BAD GIRL' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian teen psychological drama is Written and Directed by Fin Edquist, and stars Sara West as Amy Anderson, a seventeen year old no hoper scumbag drop out recently released on probation from juvenile detention whose relationship with her adoptive parents is at breaking point. The family decamp to a new ultra modern rural house set in a compound all of its own. Amy attempts suicide, but is saved just in time by attractive local girl Chloe (Samara Weaving) the recently appointed cleaner to the Anderson household. The two teenage girls hit it off, and the Anderson parents see Chloe as a calming influence on their troubled Amy. In time however, it begins to emerge that Chloe has a hidden agenda and has ulterior motives for wanting to get close to the Anderson family. As Amy's world begins to crumble before her, she discovers Chloe's secret and the far reaching implications of it, and as a result begins to fight for that which she sought to destroy and escape from. The film Premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival in August 2016.

'THE INNOCENTS' (Rated M) - here we have another forgotten historical true life telling of WWII atrocities meted out by Russian Red Army soldiers occupying Poland toward the end of the war, upon a group of nuns. Directed and Co-Written by Anne Fontaine and telling the story inspired by the aunt of Co-Writer Philippe Maynial who was the French Red Cross doctor Madeleine Pauliac treating French patients at a post-war Warsaw hospital. Here, Mathilde Beaulieu (Lou de Laage) is that Red Cross doctor who is approached and agrees to help a Benedictine abbess, Sister Maria (Agata Buzek) in delivering a baby to a young woman in her convent. After delivering the newborn child, Mathilde returns the next day to check on mother and baby only to discover that seven of the other nuns within the convent are all pregnant, having been raped by Soviet soldiers. Mathilde decides to help the nuns through their pregnancies and child birth, but the Mother Superior (Agata Kulesza) wants their terrible secret kept quiet from the outside world and from prying ears and eyes. Mathilde therefore has to maintain her work with the Red Cross, while helping the nuns and their newborn children and maintain the closely guarded secret for fear of reprisals from the outside world. Made for US$7M the film has so far taken US$6.6M and has received widespread critical acclaim, picking up three awards wins and ten nominations from around the festival circuit.

Six new movie offerings then to tease you out to your local cinema in the week ahead ranging from comic book Superhero action fare to a gun totting blazing bullet action fest, to a couple of French foreign language offerings, to an Aussie teenage psychological thriller, to a fictionalised Hollywood bio-pic that is a passion piece from this acclaimed Director, Writer, Producer and Star. When you have sat through your film of choice, remember to share your thoughts with your like minded cinephiles here at this Blog. Meanwhile, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead, at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

HIGH RISE : Friday 26th August 2016.

'HIGH RISE' which has had a limited release in Australia, I saw late last week and is based on the 1975 novel of the same name by J.G.Ballard. This Sci-Fi dystopian drama film is Directed by Ben Wheatley and is set in the time that the source novel was written. Produced by Jeremy Thomas of the Recorded Picture Company, who had wanted to turn this into a film since the '70's, and finally found a Director to do so in Wheatley, when the latter started looking at who held the film rights to the book back in early 2013. The film premiered at TIFF in September last year, opened in London in mid-March and arrived on Australian shores earlier this month having premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in June. For many years the book was said to be unfilmable, but then that was said too of Ballard's 1973 novel 'Crash' which was successfully made into a film by David Cronenberg in 1996 featuring James Spader and Holly Hunter. I guess you'll have to decide, but so far critics have been polarised by this one, and it's taken just US$4M.

As the film opens we are greeted by Dr. Robert Laing (Tom Hiddleston) in what seems to be his trashed apartment. He sits on the balcony looking the worse for wear with a white Husky dog, petting it, before killing it (off camera) and spit roasting it (in camera). We then go back three months in time and recount the steps to what led him to this day and this circumstance. Three months ago successful consulting neurologist Dr. Laing moves into the High Rise apartment block - a forty storey tower block on the edge of London that represents the epitome of modern living during the 70's. It is one of five, and the first to be commissioned.

On the upper floors live societies rich and elite, while on the lower levels reside more common middle classes. The upper levels offer its residents a gym, swimming pool, spa, supermarket, sculptured roof top gardens and a primary school giving residents no reason to leave other than for work. The apartments are fitted with the latest in design and modern conveniences. Laing has moved into an apartment on the 25th floor - he is alone. On the first day, Laing falls asleep on a recliner on his balcony in the sunshine, only to be looked down upon by a single mother neighbour living directly above him on the 26th floor, Charlotte Melville (Sienna Miller) who takes an instant attraction to the new kid on the block.

Sniffing around Melville like a dog on heat is Richard Wilder (Luke Evans) a documentarian film maker who lives on a lower level with his heavily pregnant wife Helen (Elisabeth Moss) and children. Laing gets to know Wilder and the two soon become friends as well. Wilder has a huge chip on his shoulder and begrudges those living on the upper levels, while he resides on the lower levels in a state of near chaos with a wife he can take or leave and a bunch of kids that he seems to tolerate. He is very much the dominant male and ready to pick a fight with anyone it seems.

Within a few days of taking up residence, Laing is summonsed to the upper penthouse level where lives the architect of the high rise development - acclaimed Anthony Royal (Jeremy Irons) with his wife Ann (Keeley Hawes). After an exchange of social niceties and an overview of Royal's philosophy behind his design for his iconic development, Laing is invited to an 18th Century costume party to be held on the rooftop in a few days time - a perfect excuse to meet his fellow neighbours.

In the meantime, working at a school of physiology Laing is cracking open a human skull in front of three students looking on. One student, Munrow (Augustus Prew) collapses when Laing peels back the facial mask and takes a saw to the skull. Fearful that Munrow may have sustained some head injury during his fall, Laing orders a brain scan as a precautionary measure. When the day of the costume party arrives, Laing attends but wearing business suit and tie and instantly is out of place with those others dressed a la 18th Century aristocracy. Laing discovers Munrow is in attendance and is in fact a resident of the high rise too, but is derided by Ann and other guests, including Munrow, and is promptly thrown out of the party for being non-conformist. Laing is shown to the elevator, and promptly gets trapped for several hours due to a power failure.

At a game of squash the next day between Laing and Royal, the architect simply dismisses the outage as the building settles, together with the water supply being shut off and garbage chutes becoming blocked . . . although such occurrences are becoming more frequent! A few days later, Laing meets with Munrow to give him the results of the brain scan, which have come back clear, but Laing tells him differently saying that they 'found something' in retaliation for being humiliated at the earlier party. Munrow is distraught by this news, and the next evening during another power failure which sees decadent drunken debauchery partying in the hallways and apartments, Munrow hurls himself off a balcony 39 storeys up, landing head first on the bonnet of a car below.

Wilder the next day finds it disturbing that the police never called to investigate the death of Munrow, and sets about making a documentary to expose the injustices of the high rise system, and how life within it has deteriorated so rapidly. Law and order within the building start to crumble at an alarming rate, as infrastructure begins to fail with ever increasing frequency and for prolonged periods of time. Tension between upper and lower levels begins to rise.

Violence and brutality are the new norm, the supermarket is ransacked down to the bare shelves, food becomes more scarce and sought after by the day and a class war fare breaks out between floors. Some residents try to barricade themselves into their apartments, while others go on the prowl robbing and killing anyone who gets in their way. Society soon breaks down within the high rise and it becomes survival of the fittest. Laing shows signs of remorse over the death of Munrow, and begins to become unhinged himself amidst all the carnage and chaos going on around him, to the point where he pummels someones face in over the last can of grey paint in the supermarket so that he can redecorate his apartment.

Wilder meanwhile is intent on getting to Royal and he sees the high rise designer as the architect of the chaos and break down of civilisation within it. Some of the upper floor residents including Royal see Wilder as a threat and try to coerce Laing into lobotomising him. Laing conducts a basic psychiatric test on Wilder and surmises that he is in reality probably the sanest man in the building and refuses. Wilder makes it to the penthouse level and in a scuffle shoots Royal dead. Wilder in turn is stabbed to death by Ann and a collective of upper level wives who have got together to establish a new world order within the high rise. This brings us back to that opening scene where a sense of calm is now descending on the high rise as power is restored and the violence has subsided. Helen gives birth to her child, and Laing and Charlotte lie in bed debating that what has happened within their high rise will undoubtedly occur in the second tower.

I can see why this film has divided critics. It is not an easy watch and won't be for everyone. Wheatley captures the tone of the '70's perfectly with its zeitgeist and pre-Thatcher era, and Hiddleston and Evans in particular seem to lavish in their unhinged, debauched and destructive roles as the previously pristine building and everything it stood for descends into a cluttered, grubby, bloody and lawless wasteland. This is not a happy film and it does not have an upbeat or optimistic ending either, but it is well delivered as a film set in the past and about a possible future seen when that future is now a reality and its past predictions are upon us.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 18th August 2016.

With the release of another predatory shark offering to make you think twice about stepping foot back in the water with this weeks 'The Shallows' as Previewed below, it got me thinking how much we love seeing sharks chomping down on mere humans frolicking in the water, and for how long studios have been turning out B-Grade and C-Grade horror films of the shark genre to satisfy our appetite for swimmer versus shark in just about every conceivable form you care to think about. Looking back over the years, my research uncovers more than 80 killer shark films, and so below I list perhaps the more notable and more bizarre offerings that go back to 1969 right up to the present day, and there seems to be no let up in the production of such, or the top acting talent prepared to star in them!

• 'Shark!' - 1969 - Directed by Samuel Fuller, starring Burt Reynolds
• 'Jaws' - 1975 - Directed by Steven Spielberg, starring Roy Schneider
• 'Jaws 2' - 1978 - Directed by Jeannot Szwarc, starring Roy Schneider
• 'Jaws 3-D' - 1983 - Directed by Joe Alves, starring Dennis Quaid
• 'Jaws : The Revenge' - 1987 - Directed by Joseph Sargent, starring Lorraine Gray
• 'Tintorera' - 1977 - Directed by Rene Cardona Jnr., starring Susan George
• 'The Deep' - 1977 - Directed by Peter Yates, starring Robert Shaw
• 'Shark Attack' - 1999 - Directed by Bob Misiorowski, starring Casper Van Dien
• 'Deep Blue Sea' - 1999 - Directed by Renny Harlin, starring Samuel L. Jackson
• 'Open Water' - 2003 - Directed by Chris Kentis, starring Blanchard Ryan
• 'Red Water' - 2003 - Directed by Charles Robert Carner, starring Lou Diamond Phillips
• 'Shark Tale' - 2004 - Directed by Rob Letterman, starring Will Smith
• 'The Reef' - 2010 - Directed by Andrew Traucki, starring Zoe Naylor
• 'Sharktopus' - 2010 - Directed by Declan O'Brien, starring Eric Roberts
• 'Shark Night 3D' - 2011 - Directed by David R. Ellis, starring Katherine McPhee
• 'Jurassic Shark' - 2012 - Directed by Brett Kelly, starring Emanuelle Carriere
• 'Dark Tide' - 2012 - Directed by John Stockwell, starring Halle Berry
• 'Jersey Shore Shark Attack' - 2012 - Directed by John Shepherd, starring Paul Sorvino
• '2-Headed Shark Attack' - 2012 - Directed by Christopher Ray, starring Carmen Electra
• '3-Headed Shark Attack' - 2015 - Directed by Christoper Ray, starring Danny Trejo
• 'Bait' - 2014 - Directed by Kimble Rendall, starring Xavier Samuel
• 'Sharknado' - 2012 - Directed by Anthony C. Ferrante, starring Tara Reid
• 'Sharknado 2 : The Second One' - 2014 - Directed by Anthony C. Ferrante, starring Tara Reid
• 'Sharknado 3 : Oh Hell No!' - 2015 - Directed by Anthony C. Ferrante, starring Tara Reid
• 'Sharknado 4 : The 4th Awakens' - 2016 - Directed by Anthony C. Ferrante, starring Tara Reid.

There will be plenty more to add to this list that I have not mentioned including such gems as 'Ghost Shark', 'Dino Shark', 'Snow Shark', 'Sand Shark', 'Super Shark', 'Swamp Shark', 'Monster Shark', 'Shark Zone' and 'Shark Swarm'. And to further add to this list, those recently released in 2016 or still due for release this year are 'Atomic Shark', 'Dam Sharks', 'Ice Sharks', 'Planet of the Sharks', 'Ozark Sharks', 'In the Deep', with 'Sky Sharks' due in 2017, and 'Meg' due in 2018 with Jason Statham starring.

And so to the coming week with no less than seven new films to easily tempt you out to your local multiplex. Kicking off this weeks offerings is another tale of a giant menacing fish wanting to chow down on a poor unsuspecting surfer stranded out at sea. Then we have a couple of biographical dramas of the wartime kind but separated by about 150 years - the first the US Civil War and one mans quest to lead a rebellious uprising and stake his claim, and then the US war in Afghanistan with two young dudes profiting from the nefarious sale of arms to US allies under a legal contract that flew under the radar. From here we go to a mid-'70's apartment tower in a dystopian England as things go from very good to very bad as all order and civility crumbles amongst the residents. Then we go back to College in the early 50's as one student learns much about himself and those around him that has more far reaching consequences than he ever imagined. This takes us then to a New Zealand documentary that seeks to educate and expose an 'endurance sport' possibly like no other you have ever heard off; before wrapping up with an ancient Japanese stop-motion animated feature from a fairly new but an already acclaimed studio.

With seven new films to tempt, tease and tantalise your movie going tastebuds, remember that when you have sat through your movie of choice in the week ahead to share your thoughts and views by recording your own critique in the Comments section below this or any other Post. As always we'd love to hear from you. Enjoy your film.

'THE SHALLOWS' (Rated M) - ever since Steven Spielberg's seminal 'Jaws' burst on to our screens back in 1975, it seems there has been a wave of shark disaster movies year on year every year since, with the likes of several sequels following, with derivatives including 'Deep Blue Sea', 'Open Water', 'The Reef', 'Dark Tide', 'Jurassic Shark' and the 'Sharknado' franchise to name but a few. Just when we thought it was safe to get back in the water, along comes another shark gore fest involving a secluded idyllic beach, a bikini-clad surfing maiden and a monster shark intent on a lunchtime snack of that bikini-clad damsel in distress. It's an easy premise that any Screenwriter could conjure up, and here we have Spanish Director, Jaume Collet-Serra making 'The Shallows' for a meagre US$17M and so far returning US$76M since its US release at the end of June.

Here Blake Lively plays Nancy Adams a medical student, still mourning the recent death of her mother. She decides to take some time out and travels to a secluded beach where her mother used to surf at in her youth. She meets a couple of friendly locals, and apart from the three of them the beach is deserted. They surf for several hours, and on the final wave of the day, Nancy is bumped from beneath the surf by a Great White Shark whose attention has been drawn to the area by the corpse of a Humpback Whale floating nearby. Needless to say it doesn't end well for the two friendly surfers leaving Nancy stranded in the surf clinging to a buoy while the Great White circles menacingly. I am sure you can fathom out the rest, and suffice to say critics have been generally positive in their praise for this film, Blake Lively's convincing performance, and that too of one 'Steven Seagull' that Nancy befriends during her darkest hour out on the reef!

'FREE STATE OF JONES' (Rated MA15+) - Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Gary Ross, this American period piece tells the true story of Newton Knight who lived from 1837 until 1922 as is played here by Matthew McConaughey. Knight was a poor farmer living in Jones County, Mississippi, and during the American Civil War he worked as a battlefield medic in the Confederate Army. Having decided to desert and return home to his wife and children, he became disillusioned with the Confederacy (as did many soldiers) and so organises a militia to rise up against them in an armed rebellion that ultimately proves successful. Knight and his men capture a large tract of central south Mississippi which they call the 'Free State Of Jones' where they remain until after the end of the war. Also starring Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Keri Russell this film also charts how the Civil War plays out, slavery and its abolition, the rise of the Ku Klux Klan and what becomes of Knights great-great-great grandson in Mississippi's miscegenation laws of the late 1940's/early 50's. Made for US$50M the film has so far recouped US$21M since its end of June release Stateside.

'WAR DOGS' (Rated M) - Directed, written for the screen and Co-Produced by Todd Phillips and based on a 'Rolling Stone' article later made into a book by Guy Lawson called 'Arms and the Dudes' this is a biographical war crime comedy that tells the story of two young 20 somethings who won a major US Government contract to sell arms to US allies in Afghanistan. Starring Jonah Hill as Efraim Diveroli and Miles Teller as his partner David Packouz who set up their company AEY Inc. to supply over US$200M in ammunition, assault rifles and sundry weapons to the Department of Defence as recently as 2007 - despite the fact that both were in their early 20's and had no credentials to do so. This leads them to some very shady places and some very dodgy characters as the pair get in way over the heads. Bradley Cooper also stars.

'HIGH RISE' (Rated MA15+) - based on the 1975 novel of the same name by J.G.Ballard this Sci-Fi dystopian drama film is Directed by Ben Wheatley and stars a roll call of fine English acting talent that includes Tom Hiddleston as neurologist Dr. Robert Laing, Sienna Miller, Luke Evans, Elisabeth Moss, James Purefoy and Jeremy Irons as noted architect Anthony Royal as the designer of said 'High Rise' a forty storey tower block on the edge of London that represents the epitome of modern living during the 70's. On the upper floors live societies rich and elite, while on the lower levels reside more common middle classes. The upper levels offer its residents a gym, swimming pool, spa, supermarket, sculptured roof top gardens and a primary school giving residents no reason to leave other than for work. But things take a turn for the worse as a result of ever increasing power failures and tensions between the upper and lower levels mount to such a level that society within the high rise breaks down and violence and brutality become the new norm.

'INDIGNATION' (Rated M) - based on the 2008 novel of the same name by Philip Roth, this drama period piece set in 1951 Ohio is first time Directed, written for the screen and Co-Produced by James Schamus and stars Logan Lerman as Marcus Messner - a working class atheist Jewish student from New Jersey who is transplanted to the small and conservative Winesberg College in Ohio to avoid being drafted into the Korean War from which many of his friends have returned in pine boxes. Whilst there he experiences a sexual awakening with Olivia Hutton (Sarah Gadon), gets into a heated argument with his roommates that has repercussions on his living quarters, he clashes with College Dean Caudwell (Tracy Letts) over the role that religion plays in our society, and a revealing conversation with his mother Esther (Linda Emond) changes his life forever. Commended for style and substance, and the noteworthy performances this is one to watch out for if your like your films intellectual, meandering, heavy on well written dialogue and grounded in realism, then this one is for you.

'TICKLED' (Rated MA15+) - here is a film about a subject that you couldn't make up if you tried, but New Zealand 'light entertainment' television reporter stumbled across this subject matter and decided that it was worth digging deeper into. Seeing an online video about 'competitive endurance tickling' David Farrier partners with Dylan Reeve to Co-Direct this enlightening and startling documentary about young athletic men who are restrained and tickled by one another. Seeking to learn more, they uncover that Jane O'Brien Media is behind the production and being Los Angeles based, off the pair of intrepid tickling investigators head to learn more about the production company, and those who engage in such activities. Before you know it though Jane O'Brien Media begin to make legal threats and send representatives to New Zealand to coerce the pair into ceasing their investigative project. The more that Farrier and Reeve delve into this murky sport the more bizarre it gets.

'KUBO AND THE TWO STRINGS' (Rated PG) - this stop motion animated fantasy action adventure feature from Laika Studios is Directed by Travis Knight and features an impressive voice cast that takes in Charlize Theron, Matthew McConaughey, Ralph Fiennes, Rooney Mara, George Takei and Art Parkinson as young lad Kubo. Set in ancient Japan, young Kubo tends to his sick mother when inadvertently he summons up a vengeful evil spirit from the past. Now on the run he is befriended by Monkey (Theron) and Beetle (McConaughey) as they strive to unlock a secret legacy to locate a magical suit of armour once worn by Kubo's late father - the greatest Samurai warrior that ever lived. On their quest that meet up with new allies; come across enemies, demons and monsters including Raiden The Moon King (Fiennes) and the evil twin sisters (Mara) who must be defeated; and of course learn some valuable life lessons in the process before he can defeat the awakened evil spirit, be reunited with his family, and fulfil his destiny.

With a veritable bevvy of new cinema content coming your way in the week ahead, what's not to like about this dazzling array of films that offers just about something for everyone? When combined with those films already out on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed here on these humble pages, you just gotta get out amongst it and see a movie in the week ahead. Tell us what you thought when you have done so, and in the meantime, I'll see you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-