What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th September 2024

The sixth Cheltenham International Film Festival takes place in the English town of Cheltenham, Gloucestershire from Friday 13th through until Sunday 22nd September. The Cheltenham International Film Festival is a non-profit charity committed to celebrating the culture of cinema and the art of filmmaking. Bringing the finest independent films from across the globe to the community, by hosting live events with both emerging and acclaimed filmmakers, and actively engaging with young people from diverse backgrounds. Now in its sixth year, the festival has showcased hundreds of films—ranging from features and documentaries to shorts—while organising masterclasses, workshops, and discussions that have involved and inspired audiences in Cheltenham, so reads the official website.

This years Opening Night Film presentation is the British historical Sci-Fi romantic comedy film 'Timestalker' Written, Directed and starring Alice Lowe, and centres around Agnes (Lowe) as she falls in love with the wrong man and then gets reincarnated and falls in love with him over and over again, travelling through 1680's western Scotland, rural England in the 1790's, and 1980's Manhattan, and then an apocalyptic 22nd century. 

Cheltenham International Film Festival Best Film is open to emerging filmmakers with their first or second feature film on their C.V. The Best Film is selected by a jury made up of film professionals, media and local celebrities. This year the five films shortlisted for Best Film are as follows :-

* 'My Wonderful Stranger' - from Norway, France and Sweden this drama thriller is Directed by Johanna Pyykko. Ebba, a lonely 18-year-old who is looking after a luxurious house for a couple while they are on holiday, encounters a handsome man with a head wound at Oslo harbour. Upon learning that he is suffering from amnesia, she convinces him that they are lovers and brings him into her fantasy laden life. As he begins to regain his memory and dark facts about his past life emerge, the tables begin to turn. UK Premiere screening.

* 'Yurt' - from Turkey this drama film is Directed by Nehir Tuna in her feature film making debut. Set in the 1990's, we follow Ahmet, a 14-year-old from a privileged background, who is placed in a strict Islamic dormitory, a 'Yurt', to learn Muslim values. Ahmet’s sophisticated manners and attire alienate him from his peers, leading to tensions. However, his encounter with Hakan, a savvy street kid, becomes transformative. Together, they navigate the harsh environment of the dormitory, challenging its rigid masculinity and find joy and friendship outside its walls. UK Premiere.

* 'The Dreamer' - from France and Directed by Anais Tellenne in her first feature film outing. An eccentric artist finds beauty within the beast when her imposing, one-eyed caretaker becomes her muse – but their infatuation with each other manifests in very different ways.

* 'We Have Never Been Modern' - from Czechia and Slovakia this crime drama film is Directed by Matej Chlupacek. In 1930’s Czechoslovakia, the corpse of a newborn intersex child is found sitting in rubble at a newly built chemical plant. The factory director’s wife Helena sets out to solve the mystery, but as her investigation runs in parallel with her own pregnancy, her inquisitiveness places her in great danger as she links the body to a political cover up with implications for the whole community.

* 'Girls Will Be Girls' - from India and France this drama romance is Directed by Shuchi Talati in her filmmaking debut. Set in an Indian boarding school, this film explores the complex dynamic that evolves when A list head prefect Mira brings home her dashing study pal Sri. Her youthful mother Anila knows full well what is really going on, but tolerates their burgeoning relationship under her careful watch. Anila’s relationship with Sri soon turns flirtatious as she attempts to reignite a lost youth. A patriarchal society looks on with disapproval. 

For the full line up of all the films being showcased at this years Cheltenham International Film Festival, plus a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : https://cheltfilm.com/

And so turning the attention back on this weeks seven new movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we kick off with a psychological thriller about how a dream holiday turns into a living nightmare when an American couple and their daughter spend the weekend at a British family's idyllic country estate. Then we turn to a Sci-Fi thriller in which a struggling father who purchases a domestic SIM to help care for his house and family, unaware she will gain awareness and turn deadly. Next up we have fantasy comedy film in which a curious four-year-old boy who, with his magic purple crayon, has the power to create a world of his own simply by drawing it. This is followed by a New Zealand offering following a woman who learns that life is not what it seems and a man who has closed himself off from the world; before an Aussie sports drama film set in the 1970's in Western Australia in the sweat-drenched world of tent boxing and centres around one boxers struggle to break free from the cycle of loss and regret. Up next is a French historical biographical drama film depicting the love story and romance between the painter Pierre Bonnard and his wife, model, and muse Marthe; before closing out the week with an American doco charting the seventeen day road trip across the US made by Will Ferrell and his long term good friend Harper Steele.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the seven latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.

'SPEAK NO EVIL' (Rated MA15+) - this American psychological thriller film is Written for the screen and Directed by James Watkins whose previous film making efforts take in his debut in 2008 with 'Eden Lake', and which he would follow up with 'The Woman in Black' in 2012 and 'Bastille Day' in 2016. This film is a remake of the Danish film from 2022 Co-Written and Directed by Christian Tafdrup.

A dream holiday turns into a living nightmare when American couple Ben and Louise Dalton (Scoot McNairy and Mackenzie Davis respectively) and their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) are invited to spend the weekend at the idyllic countryside cottage of British family Paddy (James McAvoy) and his wife Clara (Aisling Franciosi). The film is released in the US this week too.

'SUBSERVIENCE' (Rated MA15+) - is a Sci-Fi thriller offering from Director S. K. Dale in only his second feature film following 'Till Death' in 2021. When his wife Maggie (Madeline Zima) becomes sick, a struggling father Nick (Michele Morrone) buys a lifelike AI gynoid (a feminine humanoid robot) named Alice (Megan Fox) to help with the housework. Things seem fine until Alice suddenly becomes self-aware and wants everything its new family has to offer, including the affection of its owner. The film is released Stateside this week too. 

'HAROLD AND THE PURPLE CRAYON' (Rated PG) - this American fantasy comedy film is Directed by Carlos Saldanha in his live action feature film debut, and is based on the 1955 children's book by Crockett Johnson. It serves as a sequel to the original book, in which the adventurous Harold can make anything come to life simply by drawing it. When Harold (Zachary Levi) grows up with his magical purple crayon and draws himself off the book's pages and into the physical world, he soon learns his trusty crayon can set off more hilarious hijinks than he thought possible. However, when the power of unlimited imagination falls into the wrong hands, it will take all of his creativity to save both the real world and his own. Also starring Lil Rel Howery, Zooey Deschanel, Jemaine Clement and Alfred Molina, it was released in the US in early August, has so far grossed US$27M off the back of a US$40M production back and has generated largely unfavourable critical reviews.

'STRANDED PEARL' (Rated CTC) - this New Zealand action adventure romance film is Directed by Ken Khan and Prashanth Gunasekaran in both their only second feature film making effort following Khan's 2008 debut with 'Love Has No Language' and Gunasekaran's 2013 'Destina'. Here, after a storm leaves Julia (Kristy Wright) stranded on an island paradise, she must learn to cooperate with the only other person there, a quiet man called Sid (Aunanda Naaido). Unbeknown to Julia, Sid is on the run from the New Zealand Police, and has closed himself off from the world.

'KID SNOW' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian sports drama film Directed by Paul Goldman who made his feature film Directing debut in 2002 with 'Australian Rules' and which he would follow up with the likes of 'All the Way' in 2003, and much more recently 'Ego : The Michael Gudinski Story' in 2023. Here, Kid Snow (Billy Howle) the down-and-out slugger with one last shot at the title on the tent boxing circuit after squandering his chance at glory in the Western Australia of the 1970's. Sunny (Phoebe Tonkin) is a single mother who walks into Kid’s life just as he’s offered a lucrative rematch with the champ who floored him ten years previously. The film saw its World Premiere at the Sydney Film Festival in early June this year. 

'BONNARD, PIERRE AND MARTHE' (Rated MA15+) - this French historical drama film is Written and Directed by Martin Provost whose previous feature film output includes 'Seraphine' in 2008, 'The Long Falling' in 2011, 'Violette' in 2013, 'The Midwife' in 2017 and 'How to Be a Good Wife' in 2020. Here, French painter, illustrator and printmaker Pierre Bonnard (Vincent Macaigne) wouldn't be the painter everyone knows if it weren't for his enigmatic wife, model and muse Marthe (Cecile de France). Indeed, the man nicknamed the 'Painter of Happiness' in his homeland portrayed his wife, a self-proclaimed aristocrat, in more than a third of his paintings. Devoted to Impressionism and abstraction, Bonnard founded the Nabis group with other artists in 1888. The film is set over four time periods - 'the early days' from when they first met in 1893, then 1914, 1918 and 1942. Pierre died in 1947 at the age of 79 and Marthe died in 1942 at the age of 72. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and was released in its native France in early January this year having so far grossed US$2.5M from a production budget of US$8.8M. 

'WILL & HARPER' (Rated M) - is an American documentary film Co-Written and Directed by Josh Greenbaum whose prior film credits include 'The Short Game' in 2013, 'Becoming Bond' in 2017, 'Barb and Star Go to Vista Del Mar' in 2021 and 'Strays' in 2023. When comedian, Producer and Actor Will Ferrell finds out his close friend of 30 years, writer Harper Steele, is coming out as a trans woman, the two decide to embark on a seventeen day cross-country road trip across the USA to process this new stage of their relationship in an intimate portrait of friendship and transition. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Sundance Film Festival back in late January this year, with distribution rights subsequently acquired by Netflix. It has garnered generally positive critical reviews. 

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 14th December 2017.

On Wednesday 6th December the 7th annual AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards were held at Sydney's Star Hotel and Casino. Amongst the presenters were  Gillian Armstrong, Shane Jacobson, Paul Hogan and Angourie Rice, with those in attendance including Margaret Pomeranz, Radha Mitchell, Samara Weaving, Jack Thompson, Rachel Griffiths and Jacqueline McKenzie. The winners and grinners taking out the top awards for their efforts in front of, and behind the camera are as follows :-

* Best Film Award : 'Lion' beating out 'Ali's Wedding', 'Berlin Syndrome', 'Hounds of Love' and 'Jasper Jones'.
* Best Direction : Garth Davis for 'Lion'.
* Best Lead Actor : Sunny Pawar for 'Lion'.
* Best Lead Actress : Emma Booth for 'Hounds of Love'.
* Best Supporting Actor : Dev Patel for 'Lion'.
* Best Supporting Actress : Nicole Kidman for 'Lion'.
* Best Original Screenplay : Andrew Knight and Osamah Sami for 'Ali's Wedding'.
* Best Adapted Screenplay : Luke Davis for 'Lion'.
* Best Cinematography : Greig Fraser for 'Lion'
* Awards for Best Editing, Sound, Original Music Score, Production Design and Costume Design all went to 'Lion'.
* AACTA Longford Lyell Award : Phillip Noyce.
* AACTA Trailblazer Award : Simon Baker.

Congratulations to 'Lion' for sweeping the board with twelve award wins from the twelve categories in which it was nominated. For more information on these awards, and in the television, documentary and short film categories too, go to : aacta.org

This week we have just three new release movies coming to an Odeon near you. We launch with the eighth instalment in this mega space opera Sci-Fi epic franchise that continues to go from strength to strength even after forty years and remains as fresh now as it did back in 1977; then we turn to an interweaving story of two young kids who go in search of someone dear to them, separated by fifty years; before wrapping up with an animated comedy drama of a gentle giant bull who would rather smell the roses than enter the bullring, but there are others who have different thoughts.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the three latest release films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are here cordially invited to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon experience during the week ahead.

'STAR WARS : THE LAST JEDI' (Rated M) - and so from a galaxy far far away after all the hype, the huge expectations and the eager anticipation comes the eighth instalment in the epic space opera franchise that had its beginnings forty years ago back in 1977, and shows no signs of letting up. This second film in the Star Wars sequel trilogy is Written and Directed by Rian Johnson whose other film credits are 'Brick' in 2005, 'The Brothers Bloom' in 2008, 'Looper' in 2012 and now this movie behemoth. Following hot on the heels of the J.J. Abrams seventh instalment 'Star Wars : The Force Awakens' which returned US$2.07B at the global Box Office and now stands as the third highest grossing film of all time, here many of those characters from 'The Force Awakens' return to reprise their roles including Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker, Carrie Fisher as Leia Organa, Adam Driver as Kylo Ren, Daisy Ridley as Rey, John Boyega as Finn, Oscar Isaac as Poe Dameron, Andy Serkis as Supreme Leader Snoke, Lupita Nyong'o as Maz Kanata, Domhnall Gleeson as General Hux, Anthony Daniels as C3PO, Gwendoline Christie as Captain Phasma with Benicio del Toro, Laura Dern and in cameo roles appearing as Storm Troopers or lending their voices are Simon Pegg, Gareth Edwards, Gary Barlow, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Tom Hardy, Prince Harry, Prince William and Justin Theroux amongst others.

This film then follows on directly from where 'The Force Awakens' left off. We join Rey on some remote distant planet island where she encounters an aged Luke for the first time. Taking her first tentative steps into the ways of the Jedi under the tutelage of her new mentor, Rey has to come to terms with her emerging powers which unsettle Luke - the like of which he has not previously encountered. With Leia, Finn and Poe, both Luke and Rey embark on an adventure that will reveal age old mysteries of the Force and reveal shocking truths about the past. Meanwhile, The Resistance prepare themselves to go into battle with the First Order. 'The Last Jedi' saw its World Premier screening in Los Angeles on 9th December and goes on general release around the world this week. Early Previews have been very positive. 'Star Wars : Episode IX' is due for release in December 2019 and will be Directed once again by J.J. Abrams following the hasty departure of Colin Trevorrow in September this year.

'WONDERSTRUCK' (Rated PG) - earlier this year we had 'Wonder Woman', then released a few weeks ago we had 'Wonder' and then last week we had 'Wonder Wheel' and now we have 'Wonderstruck' - a mystery drama fantasy film. I wonder how many movies with 'Wonder' in its title Hollywood still has in its arsenal? This offering is Directed by Todd Haynes whose previous credits include 2015's 'Carol', 2007's 'I'm Not There', 2002's 'Far From Heaven' and 1998's 'Velvet Goldmine'. Adapted from the 2011 novel of the same name by Brian Selznick who also wrote the Screenplay, and receiving its world Premier screening at this years Cannes Film Festival where it was in main competition for the Palme d'Or where it received a three minute standing ovation. It was released in the US in mid-October in limited theatres, has so far taken just US2M, and has received generally positive press. The film interweaves two distinct stories each separated by fifty years each telling the story of a young child's journey of discovery. In a 1927 New York, Rose (Millicent Simmonds) does a bolt from her fathers home to go in search of her mother and screen idol Actress Lillian Mayhew (Julianne Moore) of whom she read a captivating headline and whose life she charts in a scrapbook. In 1977 the recently orphaned Ben (Oakes Fegley) runs away from his home in Minnesota to go in search of his father whom he has never known. Also starring Michelle Williams.

'FERDINAND' (Rated G) - this computer animated comedy drama film is Produced by Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox Animation and is Directed by Carlos Saldanha whose previous credits include 2002's 'Ice Age', 2005's 'Robots', 2006's 'Ice Age : The Meltdown', 2009's 'Ice Age : Dawn of the Dinosaurs', 2011's 'Rio' and its 2014 sequel 'Rio 2'. Here he Directs this film based on the children's book 'The Story of Ferdinand' by Munro Leaf and Robert Lawson about a Spanish Fighting Bull named Ferdinand (voiced by John Cena) who has grown up with an appreciation of smelling the flowers rather than going to head to head with a matador in the bullring. However, Ferdinand has grown up to be big and strong, but gentle with it, big hearted and warm natured. But, when he is mistaken for a fierce and dangerous beast, he is captured and taken off to the bullring to fight with the matadors. There he must make a decision to fight or not, or rally a misfit team of animal friends to escape his captors in order to return home to his family. Also starring the voice talents of Kate McKinnon, David Tennant and Bobby Cannavale.

With three new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, with the likes of a eagerly awaited, much hyped and highly anticipated next instalment in this hugely successful and popular Sci-Fi action adventure franchise; to a feel good movie about two young kids searching for someone special in their lives separated by fifty years; and closing out with a animated story of big friendly bull who means no harm to anyone or anything who must dig deep within himself to overcome his captors and regain his freedom. Remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephiles afterwards here at Odeon Online, and meanwhile, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

RIO : archive from 9th April 2011.

I took my young lad to see 'RIO' in eye popping all colourful 3D this afternoon with a bunch of mates on his Birthday. This animated feature film was made for US$90M and grossed US$484M worldwide and naturally gave rise to a sequel in 2014 called aptly 'Rio 2' which cost US$103M and brought home US$500M and was Written and Directed by the same guy on both occasions - Carlos Saldanha. The film scored an Oscar nomination and won three awards all up and was nominated a further 28 times.

Our story here centres around a baby Macaw, Blu (voiced by Jesse Eisenberg) who is captured from his jungle home close to Rio de Janeiro and smuggled out of the country to be sold in the US. Whilst en route to some new bird cage Stateside and travelling though Moose Lake, Minnesota, Blu gets dropped out of the truck transporting him, accidentally. A passing little girl, Linda (Leslie Mann) finds the macaw, takes him in, cares for him and brings him up over the next 15 years or so.

Linda is now all grown up and owns a book store and Blu is her domesticated, intelligent and faithful loving loyal, and flightless, companion. By chance the bookshop is visited by Tulio (Rodrigo Santoro), a Brazilian Ornithologist who claims that Blu is the last male of his species, and that back home in Rio de Janiero he has a female named Jewel (Anne Hathaway) ready to boogie!

Along the way Blu meets up with Red-crested Cardinal named Pedro (Will.I.Am) and a Yellow Canary called Nico (Jamie Foxx). Not before long though the two Macaws are captured by smugglers ready to sell Blu & Jewel on the black market. What follows is a game of hide & seek as Blu & Jewel get locked up, get rescued, escape, fall in love, thwart another bird napping at the hands of a horde of pesky villainous Marmosets, escape again, get into a heated argument and go their separate ways, release a bunch of other captured birds, take down a plane, learn to fly and live happily ever after!

This is amusing, bright & colourful, has great animation, catchy tunes, is fast paced and fun. It is one for the kids for sure but enjoyable fluff for the Mums & Dads too, and kids of all ages. If you missed this when it first came out, catch both 'Rio' and 'Rio 2' now on DVD or download and watch them back to back on a cold wet weekend with the kids camped out on the sofa! Good fun!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-