STAR WARS : THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - Monday 23rd December 2019.

'STAR WARS : THE RISE OF SKYWALKER' has an M Rating, and so it is with much fanfare, hype and anticipation that the final instalment in the epic space opera franchise which I saw earlier this week and which had its humble beginnings way back in 1977, finally draws to a close. 'The Rise of Skywalker' marks the third instalment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following 2015's 'The Force Awakens' and 2017's 'The Last Jedi', and the final episode of the nine-part 'Skywalker Saga'. The 'Star Wars' franchise has spawned multiple films and animated movies and television series. The original trilogy was released between 1977 and 1983, the prequel trilogy between 1999 and 2005, and a sequel trilogy began in 2015, and comes to an end this year with the release of this film. In between the sequel films, two anthology films were released, 2016's 'Rogue One' and 2018's 'Solo: A Star Wars Story', both set between the prequel and original trilogies. The combined global Box Office revenue of the films equates to over US$9B and is currently the second-highest-grossing film franchise, behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 'Star Wars : The Force Awakens' currently sits at the top of the sales ladder with US$2.07B, followed by 'Star Wars : The Last Jedi' at US$1.33B, then 'Rogue One : A Star Wars Story' at US$1.06B with 'Star Wars : Episode I : The Phantom Menace' also in the one billion dollar club at US$1.03B. This films sees J.J. Abrams returning to the Directors and Screenwriters chair following his success with 'The Force Awakens' and after the ousting of Colin Trevorrow following creative differences with the Studio and a breakdown in his relationship with Producer Kathleen Kennedy. The film saw its worldwide release last week, has so far taken US$517M off the back of a production budget in the region of US$275M and has garnered generally mixed reviews.

Set a year following the events of 'The Last Jedi', the surviving Resistance led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) intercept a mystery message beamed across the galaxy by the apparently dead Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). Meanwhile Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), the Supreme Leader of the First Order locates just one of two Sith wayfinder devices that directs him to the planet of Exegol, in the Unknown zone. Arriving there, Ren finds an almost physically disabled Palpatine rigged up to some sort of vast life support machine who proceeds to tell him that he created Snoke (the former Supreme Leader of the First Order whom Ren sliced in half at the waist in the last film) as a puppet to control the First Order and lure Ren to the dark side. Palpatine reveals a secret army of Star Destroyers and tells Ren to find and kill Rey (Daisy Ridley), who is still undergoing Jedi training with General Leia Organa, so that he can take his rightful place as the Emperor.

In the meantime, Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), and Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) receive official word from a spy within the First Order confirming Palpatine's return. Rey uncovers notes in Luke Skywalker's Jedi texts about a Sith wayfinder device that will help them locate Palpatine. Rey, Poe, Finn, Chewbacca, BB-8, and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) all leave for the planet Pasaana to seek the wayfinder, while R2-D2 stays with Leia. Arriving on Pasaana, the group comes across a once in every 42 year carnival with the locals out partying like it's 1999.

Ren quickly learns where Rey is located through their shared bond of the Force and travels there with his Knights of Ren. When an advance party of Knights arrive the group are quickly given shelter by Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) who directs them to the wayfinder's last suspected location. Rey and the others discover the skeletal remains of assassin Ochi, his ship, and a dagger inscribed with Sith text, which C-3PO's programming forbids him from deciphering.

Sensing that Ren is rapidly approaching, Rey goes out into the desert to confront him. The First Order captures the Millennium Falcon, takes Chewbacca prisoner, and Ochi's dagger which Chewie had stowed away in his satchel. Rey slices through the wing of Ren's advancing ship causing it to bounce across the desert dunes and explode into ball of flame. However, Ren walks away from this completely unharmed and in attempting to save Chewbacca, Rey inadvertently destroys a First Order transporter with Force lightning in a stand-off with Ren. The group escapes on Ochi's old, yet still serviceable ship, assuming Chewbacca was killed in the resultant explosion.

Poe reluctantly suggests traveling to Kijimi to have the Sith text extracted from C-3PO's memory banks, although he has bittersweet memories of his time on this planet and vowed never to return . . . but when duty calls! The process wipes C-3PO's memory, but reveals coordinates to a wayfinder on Kef Bir. Rey, through her Force sense, sees that Chewbacca is in fact still alive, and the group mounts a rescue mission. While Ren searches for Rey, on Kijimi the group infiltrates his Star Destroyer with the help of Zorii Bliss, a seemingly former love interest of Poe's. Rey recovers the dagger and has visions of Ochi killing her parents with it, while Finn and Poe rescue Chewbacca. Ren   informs Rey again through their shared bond of the Force that she is Palpatine's granddaughter and that Palpatine had ordered Ochi to find Rey as a child, but her parents hid her on Jakku to keep her safe. Finn and Poe get into a firefight with a bunch of stormtroopers and are captured and ordered for immediate execution. General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) thwarts the execution squad and reveals himself as the spy, allowing the group to escape on the retrieved Falcon. Hux is promptly executed as the known spy in the ranks for treason by Allegiant General Pryde (Richard E. Grant).

The group land on the windswept planet of Kef Bir. Jannah (Naomi Ackie), a Resistance sympathiser, leads them to the remains of the second Death Star, where Rey locates the wayfinder having traversed massive ocean swells to get there. Ren, having tracked the group to Kef Bir, and not far behind Rey destroys her newly found wayfinder and asks her to help him overthrow Palpatine.

Rey and Ren duel on the wreckage of the downed Death Star amidst ever mounting seas. Leia, now dying, calls to Ren through the Force, distracting him, and Rey impales him with her light sabre. Sensing Leia's death, Rey heals Ren's life threatening injury and exiles herself on Ahch-To. There, Luke's Force spirit encourages Rey to face Palpatine, and he gives her Leia's lightsaber and his old X-wing so that she can get off the island.

Rey leaves for Exegol, using the wayfinder from Ren's ship. Still on Kef Bir Ren speaks with a vision of his father Han Solo (Harrison Ford), ultimately seeing the error of his ways and throwing away his lightsaber assumes his true his identity as Ben Solo. Palpatine sends one of his Star Destroyers to destroy Kijimi as a show of force.

At the Resistance base, the group reconvene minus Rey, and learn that Leia has since died. R2-D2 restores C-3PO's memory. After a brief period of mourning, the assembled Resistance follow Rey's coordinates to Exegol. Meanwhile, there she confronts Palpatine and he demands she kill him to transfer his spirit into her so that she can claim her rightful place as the ruler over the galaxy. Lando in the meantime has mustered reinforcements from across the galaxy to join the battle. Ben arrives to help Rey, overpowering the Knights of Ren. Recognising that Rey and Ben are a rare Force dyad, Palpatine drains their power to reinvigorate himself. He attacks the entire Resistance fleet with Force lightning and sends Ben careering backwards into a deep ravine.

Rey, weakened, hears the voices of past Jedi, who lend her their strength. Palpatine attacks her with his lightning, but Rey deflects it back at him using the Skywalker lightsabers, killing him and herself in the process. Ben has picked himself up, dusted himself down and clambered out of the dark depths of the cavernous ravine into which he was thrust, and revives Rey by transferring his life force into her. They kiss, and Ben dies. The Resistance destroys the remainder of Palpatine's vast armada of attack ships. As the Resistance celebrates its great victory, Rey visits the now long abandoned Lars homestead on Tatooine. There she buries the Skywalker lightsabers in the sand, having built her own.

'Star Wars : The Rise of Skywalker' is all style over substance for me. It's impressively filmed with more than its fair share of action set pieces to keep the viewer entertained, and these are all delivered with spectacle and an eye for attention grabbing detail. But conversely, the film is way to busy thrusting us from one fight sequence to another without seemingly any let up whether its one on one, group on group, the Sith on the Jedi, or The First Order on the Resistance, its relentless at the expense of any further character development, imagination, emotion or time to really comprehend what just went before.  And what's with the indestructible Kylo Ren/Ben Solo who should have died from his injuries on at least three separate occasions by my reckoning only to bounce back each time completely unscathed - like he's Wile E. Coyote! This final instalment is entertaining enough but it treads largely down a familiar path that we have seen before over the course of its eight predecessors. The end when it comes feels rushed to get there, and it will offer few surprises as the end is the title of the film, and our heroine of the last three films rises as Skywalker somewhat unpredictably. Worth seeing on a big screen with glorious surround sound, but don't go in with too high an expectation to see anything especially new or inventive in the storyline narrative.

'Star Wars : The Rise of Skywalker' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

STAR WARS : THE LAST JEDI - Tuesday 19th December 2017.

'STAR WARS : THE LAST JEDI' which I saw this week has finally arrived, from a galaxy far far away after all the hype, the huge expectations and the eager anticipation comes forth 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. On a production budget of US$200M the film grossed US$450M in its opening weekend - the fifth highest opening weekend take of all time, and at the time of writing had taken US$634M and received widespread Critical acclaim.

This film then follows on directly from where 'The Force Awakens' left off. The opening scene after the introductory scrawl is an epic space battle involving Poe Dameron (Oscar Issac) in a Resistance counterattack against the First Order and General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) gives the order to evacuate their base. The remaining Resistance vessels jump forward into hyperspace to escape the oncoming First Order, but surprisingly, they are able to follow using a tracking device.

Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) leads a fleet to destroy the Resistance support fighters but hesitates upon approach to the lead ship sensing that his mother (Leia Organa) is on board. Instead TIE fighters fire on the bridge of the lead Resistance ship taking out several leaders and injuring General Organa. Vice Admiral Holdo (Laura Dern) is next in command and so she assumes responsibility in Organa's absence. Seemingly without any kind of plan, Poe quickly become agitated by Holdo's inertia, and with Finn (John Boyega), Poe's droid BB-8, and maintenance worker Rose Tico (Kelly Marie Tran) hatch a secret plan to locate, and disable the First Order's tracking device. But, time is running out, as the lead ship is running very low on fuel reserves and cannot sustain any more that one hyperspace jump.

Meanwhile, Rey (Daisy Ridley), with Chewbacca and R2-D2 arrive on the Millennium Falcon at the remote island on the oceanic planet Ahch-To with the aim of tracking down Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill) and convincing him to return to the Resistance and fight The First Order (where the last instalment left the world hanging!) Luke has been in hiding on the island for the past six years and has become disillusioned by the failings of the Jedi and wants to live out his days in peace. Even after hearing of Han Solo's death, Luke remains unconvinced to join the Resistance. However, one day while snooping around the Millennium Falcon Luke comes across his old tin can mate R2-D2 and as a result of that encounter he agrees to teach Rey in the ways of the Jedi and The Force.

However, meanwhile Rey and Kylo Ren have begun communicating with each other telepathically. Amongst other things Rey is of the belief that Kylo Ren can be redeemed from the Dark Side, as there is still some good in him trying to shine through. She then leaves Ahch-To aboard the Millennium Falcon to confront Kylo Ren face to face without Luke's assistance. Luke meanwhile has an audience with Yoda's force ghost while attempting to burn down the sacred Jedi temple and library tree that houses the ancient Jedi scripts, but halts before doing so. Yoda in turn ignites the tree telling Luke to learn a valuable lesson from his own failures.

Back on the Resistance lead ship, Holdo reveals plans to secretly abandon ship using smaller transport craft to ferry the remaining survivors to the safety of the nearby Rebel Alliance planet of Crait. Poe however, thinks that her plan is foolhardy and cowardly opting to run rather than face their enemy, and so initiates a mutiny and assumes command. Meanwhile Finn, Rose and BB-8 need to get to the casino on Canto Bite to locate a hacker who has been recommended to them by Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong'o), as the only person in the known galaxy capable of infiltrating the First Order's ship and disabling the tracking device. Arriving, they are quickly chased down by authorities, and thrown in jail only to meet with DJ (Benicio Del Toro) an underworld codebreaker who claims to be the best in the business and can help them . . . for a price. After breaking out of the prison cell and running amok through the city leaving destruction and mayhem in their wake, they get off Canto Bite, and arrive at the First Order's mother ship which houses the tracking device.

DJ does his codebreaking stuff with relative ease and they gain access to the tracking device only for Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) and a brigade of Stormtroopers to arrive and arrest them all. It turns out the DJ double-crossed and turned in Finn and Rose for his own personal gain of a handsome reward. Phasma orders the execution of Finn and Rose, but just in the nick of time BB-8 who has hitherto escaped capture comes to the rescue all guns blazing (literally) and saves the day. Phasma and Finn battle it out between themselves, with Phasma ultimately falling to a fiery grave, so allowing Finn, Rose and BB-8 to escape.

Meanwhile, elsewhere on the ship, Rey has arrived and Kylo Ren brings her to Supreme Leader Snoke (Andy Serkis). Snoke is intent on snuffing out Rey's light and her growing command of The Force, and orders Kylo Ren to kill her as a test of his resolve and his loyalty to the Supreme Leader. Instead, using his own powers, Kylo Ren manipulates Rey's lightsabre which Snoke has in his possession, to slice Snoke in half at the waist. The two then do battle with Snoke's guards. With that job done, Kylo Ren invites Rey to turn to the Dark Side and rule over the galaxy with him, for he feels the connection between them is strong. When Rey refuses, the two go head to head both using the power of The Force to gain possession of Anakin Skywalker's lightsabre, the same one used to kill Snoke, which splits in two.

Back on the Resistance mother ship, Leia is awakened by a vision of Luke. She stuns Poe and sides with Holdo in allowing the escape plan to proceed. When all souls have evacuated the ship, Holdo remains as the ship still needs someone to steer her course and to trick Snoke's fleet into thinking that what's left of the crew remain on board, and therefore an easy target. But, DJ revealed the escape plan to the First Order, who bombard the fleeing escape pods resulting in heavy losses, with Poe looking on in disbelief. Holdo, however, does the noble thing and turning the Resistance mother ship around to face that of the First Order, engages hyperspeed and in so doing rips through Snoke's ship. Rey escapes the ensuing carnage, Kylo Ren declares himself the new Supreme Leader, and BB-8, Finn and Rose join the survivors en route to Crait.

When the Resistance arrive on Crait they make for a heavily fortified mountain retreat that used to be a stronghold for the Rebel Alliance. Buried in a mountainside they feel they are almost invincible until the First Order arrives with Kylo Ren and General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) at the bridge, and a giant enemy canon in tow to blast a hole into the mountain side protective doorway. Poe, Finn and Rose lead the Resistance into battle using aged speeders, but in reality these are easy pickings for the might of the First Order's superior fire power. In a last ditch attempt to take out the canon, Finn decides on a suicide mission to do so, since almost all other speeders have been downed. Rose however, intercepts Finn at the last minute so saving him, but almost sacrificing herself in the process. As a result the canon blasts a gaping hole in the mountainside fortress, so allowing the First Order to gain entry.

Luke appears to Leia, and then confronts Kylo Ren outside the mountain fortress. Kylo Ren orders all the firepower to be turned on Luke and continue blasting him to kingdom come until he gives the order to cease. When the dust and smoke has cleared Luke emerges unscathed, much to Kylo Ren's surprise and disgust. He then decides to confront Luke face to face, man to man and gaining the upper hand stabs Luke with his lightsabre, only to learn that he has been battling it out with Luke's hologram - his projection of The Force. At this point Luke tells Kylo Ren that he will not be the last Jedi, and as such he needs to get used to the idea and suck it up! Meanwhile, Rey assists the surviving Resistance fighters to escape from Crait aboard the Millennium Falcon. Back on Ahch-To Luke succumbs to the exhaustion of projecting himself to Kylo Ren, and passes away peacefully and willingly. Leia remarks that all is far from lost, and that the Rebellion still has the strength and the determination to succeed and rise up once more.

This is a satisfying entry into the universe that is Star Wars, if a little disjointed. The plot, the ensemble cast, the visual FX, the action set pieces, a dash of emotion and a hint of humour along the way are all in favour of the film, but the timeline seems out of kilter to me completely. While Rey and Luke bother themselves on Ahch-To with getting to know you back & forth banter that seems to go on for weeks, elsewhere in the galaxy time is of the essence as the Resistance mother ship has literally only several hours of fuel reserves left during which time the rest of the movie plays out in what seem like just a couple of days by comparison. For me this just didn't add up, even with the vagaries of hyper speed intergalactic travel. This is not up there with 'The Force Awakens' but is a worthy next instalment nonetheless that poses enough questions in anticipation of 'Star Wars : Episode IX' which is due for release in December 2019, takes the characters in a new and sometimes unexpected and welcome  direction, and is certainly worth the price of your ticket, and to see Carrie Fisher in her trademark role for the final time . . . and Mark Hamill too for that matter! 'Episode IX' will be Directed once again by J.J. Abrams following the hasty departure of Colin Trevorrow in September this year, and in the meantime we have 'Solo : A Star Wars Story' to look forward to, as Directed by Ron Howard and due in May 2018.

-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-

CARRIE FISHER - dies aged 60 - R.I.P.

Carrie Frances Fisher passed away on Tuesday 27th December following complications brought on by a massive heart attack while aboard a flight from London to Los Angeles on Friday 23rd December. She has been hospitalised since arriving in Los Angeles. She was sixty years of age having been born on October 21st 1956. Fisher was an Actress, Producer and Writer whose career spanned five decades across film, television, and writing, and can be described in every sense as a true product of Hollywood. Her father was legendary Singer and Actor Eddie Fisher who was the most successful pop singles artist of the first half of the 1950's. Her mother was the acclaimed Debbie Reynolds who started acting in 1950 on stage and screen and continued with her acting career right up until the time of her tragic passing on the day following the death of her daughter. Fisher and Reynolds were married from 1955 until 1959, and Carrie was a product of that marriage, before Fisher left and married Reynold's best friend Elizabeth Taylor.

Best known for her role as Princess Leia Organa in the original Star Wars films - 'A New Hope' (1977), 'The Empire Strikes Back' (1980) and 'Return of the Jedi' (1983), she reprised her role for 2015's 'The Force Awakens' and her likeness was used digitally for the closing scene of the recent first stand alone Star Wars story 'Rogue One'. She will also appear posthumously in 'Star Wars : Episode VIII' due in late 2018 as General Leia Organa. 'Star Wars' was only hers second big screen role following a part in 1975's 'Shampoo' with Warren Beatty, Julie Christie and Goldie Hawn and this followed on from her small screen debut in 1969, in the made for TV movie 'Debbie Reynolds and the Sound of Children'.

Fisher attended the Beverly Hills High School until fifteen, and then due to conflicting acting demands she gave up her schooling and never graduated.  In 1973 she enrolled in London's Central School of Speech and Drama which she stuck at for eighteen months. In 1978 she enrolled in the Sarah Lawrence College in New York to study the arts but left before graduating because of the demands of 'Star Wars'.

In the decades that followed Fisher was seldom out of work appearing in numerous film and television roles. These included more memorable feature films such as 'The Blues Brothers' (1980) as Jake Blues vengeful ex-lover; Woody Allen's 'Hannah and Her Sisters' (1986); 'The Burb's' (1989) opposite Tom Hanks; 'When Harry Met Sally' (1989) with Billy Crystal and Meg Ryan; 'Sibling Rivalry' (1990) with Kirsty Alley; 'Drop Dead Fred' (1991) with Rik Mayall; 'This Is My Life' (1992) with Julie Kavnar; and uncredited roles in 'Hook' and 'Austin Powers : International Man of Mystery'.

In the meantime Fisher had penned her first novel in 1987 - the semi-autobiographical 'Postcards from the Edge' in which she fictionalised and satirised real-life events such as her drug addiction of the late 1970s and her relationship with her mother. The book became a best seller and in 1990 a film version of the book was released that was adapted for the screen by Fisher. The film starred Meryl Streep, Shirley MacLaine, Annette Benning, Dennis Quaid, Gene Hackman and Richard Dreyfus and it picked up numerous award nominations for Streep and MacLaine including Academy Award, Golden Globe and BAFTA nods. She went onto release two further novels by the turn of the century - 'Surrender the Pink' and 'Delusions of Grandma' in 1990 and 1993 respectively.

During this time too Fisher began working on script refinements for numerous films including 'Lethal Weapon 3', 'Outbreak', 'The Wedding Singer', 'The River Wild', 'Sister Act', 'Coyote Ugly', 'Last Action Hero' and 'Stop! Or my Mom will Shoot'. This in turn led to a particularly productive period over a fifteen year stretch from the early '90's onward as a go to script doctor refining the screenplays for other writers. These included the dialogue for the 'Star Wars' prequel films. In 2004 she published a follow-up novel to 'Postcards from the Edge', titled 'The Best Awful There Is' - another semi-autobiographical work this time said to fictionalise the story of her relationship with the gay agent Bryan Lourd, father of her daughter, Billie Lourd. In 2008 she published her own autobiographical humorous book 'Wishful Drinking' which was based on her one woman stage show which ran at LA's Geffen Playhouse from late 2006 into early 2007. The show continued a successful run touring around select theatres, culminating in a run on Broadway from late 2009 through until early 2010. She made the comment in her book "Now I think that this would make for a fantastic obit—so I tell my younger friends that no matter how I go, I want it reported that I drowned in moonlight, strangled by my own bra." - a comment that has been much used in the media since the announcement of her death earlier this week. In 2010 HBO filmed a feature length documentary of the stage show.

In 2000 she payed a former Actress in slasher horror offering 'Scream 3' and then 'Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back' before Co-Writing the 2001 made for television movie 'These Old Broads' which starred her mother Debbie Reynolds with Elizabeth Taylor, Shirley MacLaine and Joan Collins. This was followed up by a string of 'B-Movies' that included 'Heartbreakers', 'Wonderland', 'Stateside', 'Undiscovered', 'Cougar Club', 'The Women', 'Fanboys', 'White Lightnin'' and horror slasher flick 'Sorority Row'. During this decade there had been numerous television appearances too including the likes of 'Smallville', 'Weeds', '30 Rock', 'Entourage' and twenty-three episodes on 'Family Guy' as the voice of Angela.

Since 2010, aside from the 'Star Wars' instalments as previously mentioned, there have been David Cronenberg's 'Maps to the Stars' in which Fisher cameo's as herself, and single episodes on 'The Bing Bang Theory', 'Legit', two episodes on 'Girlfriends Guide to Divorce' and four episodes on Channel 4's 'Catastrophe'. Fisher died after filming Season 3 had wrapped on 'Catastrophe' which will go to air in 2017. Fisher and her mother Debbie Reynolds were also the subject of a 2016 documentary film which Premiered at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival - 'Bright Lights : Starring Carrie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds' which goes to air on HBO sometime in 2017.

All up Fisher had 89 Acting credits to her name, eleven as Writer and one as Producer. She was the recipient of one award win and a further nine nominations. She was married to singer/songwriter Paul Simon from 1983 until 1984 although they had been dating since 1977, and continued to do so until 1990 after their divorce. For a brief time she was engaged to Dan Aykroyd in 1980. She had a subsequent relationship with talent agent Bryan Lourd with whom she had a daughter Billie Catherine Lourd born in 1992. She also revealed in her autobiography published this year - 'The Princess Diarist' that back in 1976 she and Harrison Ford enjoyed a short lived affair during the filming of 'Star Wars'.

She publicly discussed her diagnosis of bipolar disorder and her reliance on cocaine and prescription drugs. She is reported to have stated that her drug use was a form of self-medication using pain killers such as Percodan to "dial down" the manic aspect of her bipolar disorder. In 2008 she discussed her electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) treatments stating that at one point, she was receiving ECT every six weeks to 'blow apart the cement' in her brain. In 2014, she went on record that she was no longer receiving the treatment. Earlier this year Harvard College granted Fisher its Annual Outstanding Lifetime Achievement Award in Cultural Humanism, noting that 'her forthright activism and outspokenness about addiction, mental illness, and agnosticism have advanced public discourse on these issues with creativity and empathy'.

Carrie Fisher - prolific Screenwriter, Author and Actress who forever is etched in our memories for playing one of films greatest heroines across one of films greatest epic blockbusting franchises. May you forever rest in peace, and may the force be with you as brightly in the next world as it was in your former one. Thanks for the memories.

Carrie Fisher - Rest In Peace.
1956-2016.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

STAR WARS : THE FORCE AWAKENS - Sunday 27th December 2015.

'STAR WARS : Episode VII - THE FORCE AWAKENS' (Rated M) - In 1977 a young George Lucas who already had a number of successful films under this belt, created a story that has become ingrained in popular culture, and has spawned an entire industry around successive stories, movies, books, television series, radio broadcasts, merchandise, video games and theme park attractions. That initial film was of course 'Star Wars' which later became 'Star Wars : Episode IV - A New Hope' with the original trilogy taking in successive films in 1980 and 1983. Then in 1999, the franchise was resurrected with an prequel trilogy kicking off with 'Star Wars : Episode I - The Phantom Menace' with two further instalments in 2002 and 2005. Those initial six films have grossed US$4.39B including the animated feature in 2008 'The Clone Wars' and each film has either been nominated for, or won, at The Academy Awards. Then in 2012 The Walt Disney Company purchased Lucasfilm for in excess of US$4B and made it known that there would be a further three films in the franchise commencing with 'The Force Awakens' which would be set 30 or so year after 'Return of the Jedi'.

So then after all the hype, publicity, advertising, promotion, anticipation, expectation and frenzy from the world over since the first teaser trailer was released early this year, the film was released worldwide the week before Christmas to an awaiting audience hungry to see what Director J. J. Abrams could do with the storyline, the characterisation, the imagery, and the mythology of the earlier films. Having resurrected the 'Star Trek' franchise so successfully with two fairly recent films, and with a budget of US$200M it would seem that J.J. has got it right with Box Office records being smashed just about everywhere and a staggering global Box Office haul at the time of writing of US$1.16B - making it the fourth highest grossing film of 2015 already, the biggest grossing worldwide opening of all time and the fastest film ever to reach US$1B, and now in the Top 10 highest grossing movies of all time. Not so bad at all just two weeks after release!

And so to the story without giving away too much by way of spoiler content. That said first up we are introduced to a bunch of new characters - human and otherwise. Early on we meet acclaimed Resistance X-Wing fighter pilot Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) on the planet Jakku who is in possession of a map that shows the whereabouts of Luke Skywalker, which he secrets away in his droid BB-8. Poe's village is destroyed at the hands of Stormtroopers led by Captain Phasma (Gwendoline Christie) and Poe & BB-8 are separated. In time BB-8 comes across Rey (Daisy Ridley) a scavenger seeking out a living searching for bits of scrap she on sells for whatever she can get to sustain herself. Meanwhile Poe is captured and tortured by Kylo Ren (Adam Driver) - on the dark side of the Force and originally with the Knights of Ren and now a Commander with the First Order which rose out of the Galactic Empire.

Poe is rescued by a Stormtrooper with a conscience, Finn (John Boyega) and together they escape in a hijacked TIE Fighter, crash landing back on Jakku, but it seems that Finn only has survived as Poe is nowhere to be seen. Finn stumbles across Rey who by now has laid claim to BB-8 but is unknowing of the map stashed away. The First Order has tracked down the crashed TIE Fighter and launches an air strike on where Finn, Rey and BB-8 are holed up. The three flee in a stolen, rundown ship - The Millennium Falcon that has been gathering dust in the desert.

After a fierce air battle over the desert wreckage of downed ships, The Millennium Falcon is captured by a larger ship piloted by one Han Solo (Harrison Ford) and his faithful Wookie Chewbacca (Peter Mayhew), who can't believe their luck. After exchanging social niceties, making requisite introductions and establishing the truth behind the Force and the events of some thirty years before the five make off for the green planet Takonda and meet in a cantina run by Maz Kanata (Lupita Nyong'o) where Rey is attracted by the force of a lightsaber that belonged to Luke Skywalker and his father before him.

In the meantime we meet General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) who now heads up the Resistance, and who is reunited with Han and Chewie for the first time in many years. They clearly still hold a candle for each other, revealing a number of truths too that hitherto may have been unknown. Here they meet up with C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) and R2-D2 who has gone into a self induced inactivity since Luke disappeared years ago. A plan is hatched to thwart the First Order on their manufactured planet - Starkiller Base - and so the Resistance head out with Han, Chewie, Rey and Finn in tow. Needless to say it all goes pear shaped for the First Order and Starkiller Base but not before a few surprises are delivered and the lightsaber fight between good & evil, the Dark Side and the Light reveals a new force to contend with.

Back at base camp on the planet D'Qar where the Resistance are housed R2-D2 awakens from his self imposed sleep and is able to complete the map showing the location of Luke Skywalker that BB-8 has stowed away. Using the completed coordinates Rey boards The Millennium Falcon with her new crew in search for Luke finding him on a distant green & blue planet where she hands over his former lightsaber.

In the final analysis I did enjoy this film, the spectacle of it, the effects which are very handsomely delivered, the characterisation (of the old and the new), and the continuing mythology of this epic space opera franchise. But, for all of that, it still lacked that magic that made the first three films in the saga so special and so memorable and introduced us to the characters and the story that we have come to know and love. Maybe it is because like that former 1984 other 'Star' franchise - 'Star Trek III : The Search for Spock' that I couldn't help thinking that this was just 'Star Wars VII : The Search for Skywalker' with a bunch of rag tag space miscreants thwarting an evil foe for the greater good, but with the latest cutting edge film making technology to add some pazzaz! J.J. has done a great job  and Disney can be proud of his achievements given the Box Office haul so far generated and the bums on seats it has planted. See it on the big screen for sure, and as a sequel it does better than any of the prequels, but it's not up there with the originals. Episode VIII will hit our screens in May 2017 and Episode IX in 2019 - coming at you from a galaxy far far away!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-