BULLET TRAIN : Tuesday 9th August 2022.

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'BULLET TRAIN' earlier this week and this American action comedy film is Co-Produced and Directed by David Leitch whose previous film making credits include his uncredited debut on 2014's 'John Wick' with Chad Stahelski, then 'Atomic Blonde' in 2017, 'Deadpool 2' in 2018 and 'Fast and Furious Presents : Hobbs & Shaw' in 2019. The film is based on the Japanese novel 'Maria Beetle' by Kotaro Isaka, and was released in the US last week too, having been originally slated for release on 8th April before being delayed to 15th July then again to 29th July and then finally settling on 5th August. It had its World Premiere in Paris, France on 18th July. The film has grossed so far US$72M from its production budget of about US$88M and has garnered mixed or average reviews.

The film opens with a distraught father, Yuichi Kimura (Andrew Koji) looking over his young son laying in a hospital bed in a coma having been thrown off a supermarket roof. His father, The Elder (Hiroyuki Sanada) enters the room and asks his son what was he doing while his son was on the supermarket roof? A father is supposed to look out for their children! Kimura swears vengeance on the person who threw his son off the roof. We then cut to former professional assassin codenamed Ladybug (Brad Pitt), who has recently attended therapy, returns to work with a new positive spin on life. He is tasked by his handler, Maria Beetle (Sandra Bullock), to complete what appears to be a simple task - to collect a briefcase aboard a bullet train travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto after her usual contact, Carver, is forced to cancel due to illness. Ladybug is at first reluctant, as his notorious years long run of bad luck continues to haunt him every job he gets, resulting in numerous accidental deaths. 

Unknown to Ladybug, three other assassins are onboard - hitmen brothers Tangerine (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) and Lemon (Brian Tyree Henry) and The Prince (Joey King) a mercenary posing as an English schoolgirl. The former two have been tasked by the ruthless Russian, The White Death, head of the world’s largest crime syndicate, who has taken control of the Japanese criminal underworld by force wiping out everyone who gets in his way. The brothers find their employment to be somewhat suspicious given The White Death specifically contracted them for their participation for a job in Bolivia in which the pair singlehandedly took out sixteen goons and an innocent bystander. 

Having retrieved The White Death’s kidnapped son and the briefcase containing his US$10M in ransom monies, the brothers are delivering both to Kyoto. Meanwhile in the First Class cabins, The Prince summons fellow assassin, Yuichi Kimura, to the train, having pushed his young son off the roof of the supermarket. She has already planted an associate at the hospital ready to finish the boy off, should Kimura fail in any way to cooperate with her plan, which involves rigging the briefcase and Kimura’s gun with explosives to kill White Death, who is known for executing his adversaries by turning their own weapons on them. Successfully stealing the briefcase, Ladybug is ambushed by another assassin, code-named The Wolf (Benito A. Martinez Ocasio), who had arrived seeking revenge for the deaths of his wife and his entire cartel, poisoned at their Mexican wedding. After a brief fight, The Wolf is accidentally killed when his knife thrown at Ladybug ricochet's off the briefcase and straight back into his own heart, and then just to add insult to that injury when he collapses backwards he breaks his neck on the briefcase sitting upright at Ladybug's feet. 

After the brothers find the briefcase to be missing, they also then find White Death’s son dead by apparent poisoning. The Prince convinces Tangerine in believing that Ladybug is responsible, while Ladybug attempts to negotiate with Lemon but is forced to render him unconscious. Ladybug runs into the Wolf’s intended target, The Hornet (Zazie Beetz), the poisoner who massacred his wedding, revealed be the one who killed White Death’s son some 42 minutes earlier. She stabs Ladybug with a syringe of boomslang (a large highly venomous snake) venom in the back of the hand but fails to push down the plunger of the syringe, so he removes the syringe and injects her in the arm, ensuring the venom is all injected. Within thirty second The Hornet is dead having bled out from her eyes, nose and mouth, but not before the Hornet injects him with her only dose of anti-venom. 

Tangerine located Ladybug and the pair get into a fight both inside and outside the train, but eventually reach a stalemate with Ladybug helping Tangerine convince White Death’s men that his son and the briefcase are safe. However, their cunning plan is foiled when Ladybugs run of bad luck exposes their ruse. He then kicks Tangerine off the train. Meanwhile, suspicious of Kimura and the Prince, Lemon shoots Kimura in the stomach but falls victim to an innocent looking bottle of water that was drugged by Ladybug earlier with an extra large dose of sleeping powder. He is shot several times in the chest at close range by the Prince. After literally punching his way back onto the train through the front windscreen, Tangerine finds his brother’s body and confronts the Prince, who had a sticker of Diesel, a locomotive from Thomas & Friends, stuck onto her back. Lemon learned everything he knew about people from watching every episode of Thomas the Tank Engine as a child and so believes that Diesel cannot be trusted. The Prince though manipulates Ladybug into fighting Tangerine, resulting in him being fatally shot in the neck and bleeding out before he could warn Ladybug of The Prince. Kimura’s father, The Elder, boards the train and reveals himself as a former Yakuza lieutenant whose wife and associates were killed in White Death’s rise to power.

The Elder in the meantime has ensured that his grandson in hospital is safe by having The Prince's associate minding him killed. He and Ladybug find Kimura and Lemon still alive, with the former nursing a shot to the gut and the latter having worn a bulletproof vest, as he always does. They then all prepare themselves for the ambush awaiting them at their Kyoto destination. 

The train arrives in Kyoto, and Ladybug is met by White Death (Michael Shannon) and his henchmen. The Prince, revealed to be White Death’s very angry daughter, tries to goad him into shooting her with Kimura’s booby-trapped gun, but he instead tells her she was never part of his plan. The White Death goes on to explain that he hired all the assassins aboard the train as revenge for the murder of his wife.

Following the massacre of sixteen of his men by Tangerine and Lemon during 'The Bolivia Job', his wife was called to bail their son out of jail and was killed by Carver (Ryan Reynolds in a blink and you'll miss it cameo), who was meant to take out her husband. The only surgeon that could have saved his wife was poisoned by the Hornet, thereby almost guaranteeing her death. Blaming the brothers, Carver, the Hornet and his own son, White Death had arranged for all the assassins including the Wolf, and Ladybug, who unwittingly replaced Carver on the bullet train to kill each other and his son. However, before White Death can kill Ladybug, the briefcase bomb is triggered by a pair of hapless henchmen, knocking them both back onto the train, which Lemon starts up again at full speed ahead.

As the train hurtles along the tracks out of control, the Elder battles it out with White Death while Kimura and Ladybug fight off his numerous henchmen. Lemon tackles a goon off the train as it traverses a bridge and the both fall into the river below. The train ultimately runs out of tracks and derails, crashing through a forest and then into a nearby town destroying everything, and it, in its path. Ladybug is held at gunpoint by White Death who has The Elders Samurai sword buried deep in his shoulder. He attempts to shoot Ladybug, but is killed himself when Kimura’s gun explodes, ripping off half his face. Ladybug, Kimura, and his father, as they hobble through the wreckage and after The Elder has retrieved his sword from the White Death's shoulder, are confronted by the murderous Prince, who gloats that her luck is what resulted in the White Death’s undoing. As she proclaims herself to be the new White Death, poised with an assault rifle pointed squarely at the three of them, the Prince is mowed down by Lemon driving a truck carrying tangerines. Maria arrives to rescue Ladybug, who has consequently immersed himself in a more optimistic outlook on life and fate.

'Bullet Train' is an entertaining piece of action comedy with the emphasis on the action and less so on the comedy although I did find myself chuckling several times as both the verbal and the sight gags landed. The action comes thick and fast in kinetically choreographed fight sequences, and the melee of characters means you really need to concentrate on who's who in the zoo, but they are all in some way a necessary addition to the at times convoluted and over exaggerated plot. Messrs Pitt, Taylor-Johnson and Tyree Henry carry this film along on their coats tails with a deft touch at the action comedy genre that is as much a nod to Quentin Tarantino as it is to Guy Ritchie, with whom Brad Pitt has worked with both Directors in the past. And in David Leitch, he has once again proven his Directing chops with a fast paced, adrenalin fuelled colourful action fest full of memorable characters, an ensemble cast and a number of great cameo's along the way (including Ryan Reynolds and David Leitch himself), who all look as though they were having a blast shooting this movie. 

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 4th August 2022.

The 70th Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) is an annual film festival held over three weeks in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. This year it runs in cinema's across the city from Thursday 4th August until Sunday 21st August and online from Thursday 11th until Sunday 28th August. It was founded in 1952 and is one of the oldest film festivals in the world following the founding of the Venice Film Festival in 1932, Cannes Film Festival in 1939 and Berlin Film Festival in 1951. MIFF’s 2022 in-cinema programme features eighteen days of premiere showcases, international features, exclusive screenings, commissioned works, panel discussions, industry events, live talks and XR experiences for cinephiles of all tastes and persuasions. 

This years Opening Night gala film presentation is the Australian feature 'Of an Age' Written and Directed by Goran Stolevski in only his second feature film outing following 'You Won't Be Alone' released earlier this year. The Closing Night gala film is the Australian documentary 'Clean' Directed and Co-Edited by Lachlan McLeod.

MIFF’s film competition, Bright Horizons, recognises the new, the next, the breakthrough and the best, as it presents an extraordinary international line-up of first and second-time filmmakers competing for one of the richest film prizes in the world. Initially comprising three awards, the MIFF Film Competition includes as its flagship prize the AU$140K Bright Horizons Award – the richest feature film prize in the Southern Hemisphere, plus the Blackmagic Design Australian Innovation Award and the MIFF Audience Award. There are eleven feature films in competition, and they are :-

* 'Aftersun' from the UK and Written and Directed by Charlotte Wells. Coming of age drama about a father–daughter bond and the small moments that build it, and those that threaten to break it. Australian Premier.

* 'The Cow Who Sang a Song Into the Future' from Chile, France, Germany and the USA and Co-Written and Directed by Francisca Alegria. This drama fantasy is a surreal, offbeat fable of environmental destruction and familial reconciliation. Australian Premier.

* 'Domingo and the Mist' from Costa Rica and Qatar and Directed, Co-Produced and Written by Ariel Escalante Meza. In this drama fantasy a widower resists attempts to oust him from the land where his wife’s spirit returns to him as an ethereal mist. Australian Premier.

* 'Leonor Will Never Die' from the Philippines and Written and Directed by Martika Ramirez Escobar. This action crime fantasy drama sees fiction clashing with reality as an elderly filmmaker becomes the hero of her own life. Victorian Premier.

* 'Mass' from the USA and Written and Directed by Fran Kranz. This crime drama has two couples whose world's collide for a painful emotional reckoning in the aftermath of a school shooting. Australian Premier.

* 'Neptune Frost' from Rwanda and the USA and Co-Produced and Co-Directed by Anisia Uzeyman and Saul Williams, Written and Composed by Saul Williams and lensed by Anisia Uzeyman. This Sci-Fi LGBTQIA+ drama set in a past, present and future Rwanda unfolds like a dream, as a young coltan miner encounters Neptune Frost, an intersex hacker who leads us down a trans-dimensional rabbit hole of post-colonial possible realities. Australian Premier.

* 'Petrol' from Australia and Written and Directed by Alena Lodkina. This drama offering is about an idealistic film student who is drawn into an enigmatic performance artist’s shadowy world. World Premier.

* 'Playground' from Belgium and Written and Directed by Laura Wandel. This coming of age drama offers up a gripping child’s-eye view of the cycles of bullying and how the schoolyard mirrors the ‘playground’ of adult life. Australian Premier.

* 'Robe of Gems' from Argentina and Mexico and Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Co-Edited by Natalia Lopez Gallardo. This crime drama explored the murky complexities of the Mexican drug trade. Australian Premier.

* 'Rodeo' from France and Co-Written and Directed by Lola Quivoron. This crime drama film is about a daredevil female motorcyclist who revs after a place to belong. Australian Premier.
* 'The Stranger' from Australia and Witten and Directed by Thomas M. Wright. This crime drama follows two brooding strangers, one a ragged loner and the other, a criminal, introduced by a mutual associate in the West Australian badlands. A single father, the criminal takes a special interest in the impoverished loner, while in the background one of the nation’s largest Police operations closes in.

For the full line up of all films, events and activities taking place at this years 70th Melbourne International Film Festival, you can go to the official website at : https://miff.com.au/

This week then with five new cinematic offerings to tease you out to your local Odeon, we kick off with an action comedy that sees five assassins who find themselves on a fast moving bullet train from Tokyo to Kyoto with only a few stops in between, and in time they discover that their missions are not unrelated to each other. Next up is a New Zealand film about a self-destructive teenager who, upon returning home from his boarding school discovers his gin-soaked grandmother has moved in, and so the stage is set for a battle of wills to begin. Then we have a drama romance story concerning two strangers who wind up double-booked in the same upstate New York rental during the start of COVID-19, with the lockdown forcing them both to stay and confront the unexpected feelings that develop between them. This is followed by a Swedish comedy crime caper that sees the family patriarch serving jail time and by the time he is released ten months later his cronies now lead honest lives, but when he is tipped off about a lucrative job, to pull off the heist he will need his old friends. And we close out the week with a French comedy about a man who believes his job in a government department is set for life until cuts in spending put him at odds with a ruthless ministerial inspector who will stop at nothing to oust him from his job. 

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

'BULLET TRAIN' (Rated MA15+) - this American action comedy film is Co-Produced and Directed by David Leitch whose previous film making credits include his uncredited debut on 2014's 'John Wick' with Chad Stahelski, then 'Atomic Blonde' in 2017, 'Deadpool 2' in 2018 and 'Fast and Furious Presents : Hobbs & Shaw' in 2019. The film is based on the Japanese novel 'Maria Beetle' by Kotaro Isaka, and is released in the US this week also.

Trained killer Ladybug (Brad Pitt) wants to give up the life but is pulled back in by his handler Maria Beetle (Sandra Bullock) in order to collect a briefcase on a bullet train heading from Tokyo to Kyoto, Japan. Onboard the train, he and other competing assassins discover their objectives are all connected. Also starring Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Michael Shannon, Zazie Beetz, Logan Lerman, Andrew Koji and Hiroyuki Sanada. 

'JUNIPER' (Rated M) - is a New Zealand film Witten, and Directed by Matthew Saville in his debut feature film making offering. Here, when a self-destructive teenager Sam (George Ferrier) is suspended from school and asked to look after his feisty alcoholic grandmother Ruth (Charlotte Rampling) as a punishment, the crazy time they spend together turns his life around and enables her to face her own mortality. Also starring Marton Csokas, the film has generated widespread Critical acclaim. 

'ALONE TOGETHER' (Rated M) - this drama romance film is Written, Directed, Co-Produced and stars Katie Holmes in only her second feature film making outing following 2016's 'All We Had'. Travelling upstate for a short romantic getaway to escape the pandemic in New York City, food critic June's (Katie Holmes) plans go awry right from the off. Arriving at the AirBnB in advance of her boyfriend, John (Derek Luke), she is shocked to discover it has been double-booked by recently single Charlie (Jim Sturgess). When John decides to stay in the city to care for his parents, June has to settle in for the long haul as she realises that the initial two weeks of the pandemic might just drag on a little bit longer than anyone anticipated. As spring begins to unfold around them, June and Charlie make the most of the sudden break in their routines and develop an unexpected intimacy as they bond over their goals, ambitions and, of course, relationships. 

'THE JONSSON GANG' (Rated PG) - is a comedy crime film Co-Written and Directed by Tomas Alfredson whose previous film making credits include 2008's 'Let the Right One In', 2011's 'Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy' and 2017's 'The Snowman'. Featuring the family of felons who first appeared on Swedish screens way back in 1981, here the popular franchise gets its second reboot following the failure of its first attempt in 2015. Here then, after a failed heist, Charles Ingvar 'Sickan' Jonsson (Henrik Dorsin) spends ten months in prison. By the time he is released, his cronies now lead honest upstanding law abiding lives. When he is tipped off about a lucrative job, to pull off the heist he will need his old friends to return to the fold. Also starring Anders Johansson, David Sundin and Hedda Stiernstedt. 

'EMPLOYEE OF THE MONTH' (Rated M) - this French comedy film is Written, Directed and stars Jerome Commandeur in only his second feature film following 2016's 'Ma familie t'adore deja', although he has thirty-two credits as an Actor. An irresistible force meets an immovable object when a zealous ministerial inspector Isabelle Bailliencourt (Pascale Arbillot), determined to do everything in her power to make cuts in civil service spending, comes up against Vincent Peltier (Jerome Commandeur), a peaceful civil servant at the Water and Forestry Department in Limoges. As far as he’s concerned, his job, is 'guaranteed for life!' The war of nerves has only just begun when she transfers him from one meaningless job to another and to some of the must inhospitable places on Earth, including the North Pole where he meets Eva Brebant (Laetitia Dosch), a scientist that changes his perspective on life. It is time for him to make a decision.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 1st August 2019.

In July the world bid a fond farewell to a number of stars of the silver screen and the small screen. In brief, shown below, is my passing tribute to those stars who leave an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, and in particular the world of film and television. May you all Rest In Peace, and thanks for the memories . . . . Cameron Boyce, Rip Torn, Freddie Jones, Richard Carter, Rutger Hauer and Russi Taylor.

* Cameron Boyce - born May 28th 1999, and died July 6th 2019, aged 20. Boyce was an American Actor who made his big screen debut in 2008's feature film 'Mirrors' alongside Keifer Sutherland, and followed this up that same year with 'Eagle Eye' with Shia LaBeouf. Then came 'Grown Ups' in 2010 with Adam Sandler, Chris Rock, Kevin James, David Spade and Rob Schneider and his reprisal of the role as Adam Sandler's son in 'Grown Ups 2' in 2013. His final film role before his untimely death was in the yet to be released thriller 'Runt' in which Boyce had top billing. His small screen appearances launched in 2008 with a recurring role on 'General Hospital : Night Shift', a main role on 'Jessie' from 2011 through 2015, and as Cruella de Vil's son Carlos in the made for TV movies 'Descendants' in 2015, 'Descendants 2' in 2017, and the yet to be aired 'Descendants 3' in 2019. In the meantime there was also 'Bunk'd' a spin off from 'Jessie', then 'Code Black' and his voice work on two animated 'Spider-Man' series and the also yet to be aired new series 'Mrs. Fletcher' and 'Paradise City'. All up Boyce had 35 Acting credits to his name, and had one award win and two nominations under this belt. Over the course of his short life Boyce was involved in several charities including the 'Thirst Project' to bring clean water to underdeveloped countries; 'United Way' to end homelessness, 'It's On Us' to raise awareness of, and fight against, sexual assault on college campuses for both men and women; and 'Wielding Peace' a campaign to help fight against gun violence by showing celebrities and survivors 'wielding' a new kind of weapon — one of unity.

* Rip Torn - born Elmore Rual Torn Jnr. on February 6th 1931 and died July 9th 2019, aged 88, Torn was American Actor of the stage, television and film. After moving to Hollywood, Torn made his film debut in the 1956 film 'Baby Doll' with Karl Malden and Eli Wallach. Torn then studied at the Actors Studio in New York under Lee Strasberg, becoming a prolific stage actor, and while there he introduced his cousin Sissy Spacek to the entertainment business, and helped her enrol in the Actors Studio. All up Torn had 192 Acting credits to his name from the world of movies and television series, the most notable of which were 1959's 'Pork Chop Hill' with Gregory Peck, 1962's 'Sweet Bird of Youth' with Paul Newman, 1965's 'The Cincinnati Kid' with Steve McQueen, 1978's 'Coma' with Michael Douglas, 1979's 'The Seduction of Joe Tynan' with Meryl Streep, 1982's 'Airplane 2 ; The Sequel' with Lloyd Bridges, 1983's 'Cross Creek' with Mary Steenburgen for which Torn received an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, 1984's 'City Heat' with Clint Eastwood, 1995's 'How to Make an American Quilt' with Winona Ryder, 1997's 'Men In Black' and a role he would reprise in 2002's 'Men In Black II', 1999's 'The Insider' with Russell Crowe, 2000's 'Wonder Boys' with Michael Douglas, 2004's 'Dodgeball : A True Underdog Story' with Ben Stiller and 2006's 'Marie Antoinette' with Kirsten Dunst amongst many others. His television career also included the likes of his small screen debut in 1957 in a single episode of 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' and then 'Dr. Kildare', 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.', 'Rawhide', 'Bonanza', on 89 episodes of 'The Larry Sanders Show' between 1992 and 1998 for which he was nominated for six Emmy Awards, winning in 1996, on 44 episodes as the Narrator on 'Ghost Stories' from 1997 through 1998, four episodes on 'Will & Grace' and seven episodes on '30 Rock'. Torn also appeared in ten Broadway stage productions from 1959 onwards, and a further seven Off-Broadway shows and Directed four. Torn was married three times and each time to an Actress - Ann Wedgeworth, Geraldine Page and Amy Wright with whom he had a combined six children. Not with out clashes with the law, Torn was arrested, released on bail for US$100K and subsequently pleaded guilty to reckless endangerment, criminal trespass, criminal mischief and possession of a firearm, and was given a two-and-a-half-year suspended jail sentence, and three years probation in late 2010 for breaking into a Litchfield Bancorp branch office where he maintained a residence. In 1994 Torn successfully sued Actor Dennis Hopper for a total US$950K for defamation citing that Hopper had claimed that Torn pulled a knife on him during pre-production of the film 'Easy Rider' when the court ruling determined that the opposite was in fact true. After that incident Torn was replaced with Jack Nicholson in his breakout role.

* Freddie Jones - born Frederick Charles Jones on September 12th 1927 and died July 9th 2019, aged 91. Jones was an English Actor of stage, television, radio and cinema in a career that launched on the small screen in 1960 right up until 2018 with 218 film and television Acting credits under his belt. His many big screen roles included the likes of 1967's 'Far from the Madding Crowd' with Julie Christie, 1970's 'The Man Who Haunted Himself' with Roger Moore, 1971's 'Kidnapped' with Michael Caine, 1972's 'Antony and Cleopatra' with Charlton Heston, 1974's 'Juggernaut' with Richard Harris, 1979's 'Zulu Dawn' with Peter O'Toole, 1980's 'The Elephant Man' with John Hurt, 1982's 'Firefox' with Clint Eastwood, 1984's 'Firestarter' with Drew Barrymore, 1984's 'Dune' with Kyle MacLachlan, 1990's 'Wild At Heart' with Nicolas Cage, 2002's 'The Count of Monte Cristo' with Guy Pearce, 2004's 'Ladies in Lavender' with Judi Dench and 2005's 'The Libertine' with Johnny Depp. His small screen appearances of which there are many included over the years appearances on 'Z Cars', 'The Avengers', mini-series 'The Caesars' for which he won the award for the 'World's Best Television Actor of the Year' at the 1969 Monte-Carlo Television Festival, 'The Saint', 'Jason King', 'The Protectors', 'Space : 1999', on twenty episodes of 'The Ghosts of Motley Hall', 'The Duchess of Duke Street', 'Van der Valk', 'Pennies from Heaven', on four episodes 'The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole' and on six episodes of 'The Growing Pains of Adrian Mole', 'Inspector Morse, 'Lovejoy', 'Heartbeat', 'The Bill' and on 776 episodes of the long running ITV Soap Opera 'Emmerdale' from 2005 though until 2018. Jones married Actress Jennifer Heslewood in 1965 with whom he had three sons, including Actor Toby Jones.

* Richard Carter - born December 11th 1953 and died July 13th 2019, aged 65. Carter was an Australian Actor who had 71 credits to his name, first appearing in 1983's 'Hostage' in an uncredited role. Later that same year he appeared in 'Undercover' and then two episodes of soap opera 'Sons and Daughters'. From there his film credits included 1985's 'Rebel' with Matt Dillon, 1989's 'The Punisher' with Dolph Lundgren, 1994's 'Muriel's Wedding' with Toni Collette, 1996's 'Idiot Box' with Ben Mendelsohn, 1999's 'Two Hands' with Heath Ledger, 2000's 'Bootmen' with Sam Worthington, 2001's 'The Man Who Sued God' with Billy Connolly, 2002's 'Rabbit-Proof Fence' with Kenneth Branagh, 2003's 'Gettin' Square' with Sam Worthington, 2011's animated 'Happy Feet Two' to which he lent his voice talents together with an ensemble cast, 2013's 'The Great Gatsby' with Leonardo DiCaprio and 2015's 'Mad Max : Fury Road' with Tom Hardy. His small screen appearances over the years included eight episodes on soap opera 'A Country Practice', 21 episodes on drama series 'Rafferty's Blues', mini-series 'Bangkok Hilton', 'The Flying Doctors', 'Fallen Angels', 'Wildside', 'The Bill', 'Blue Heelers', 44 episodes on 'White Collar Blue', and five episodes on each of 'East West 101' and 'Rake'.

* Rutger Hauer - born January 23rd 1944, and died July 19th 2019, aged 75. Hauer was a Dutch Actor, occasional Director, Producer and Writer who had 173 Acting credits to his name and who during his career spanning six decades had won 14 awards and been nominated for a further five, including one Golden Globe win and a nod. He made his small screen debut in the title role of the Dutch historical action adventure series 'Floris' in 1969 which ran for thirteen episodes, and then a further nineteen episodes in the follow up series in 1975 'Floris von Rosamund'. From there his first big screen role came with the 1973 Paul Verhoeven Directed film 'The Sensualist'. Within two years more European and American productions came beckoning with 1975's 'The Wilby Conspiracy' with Michael Caine and Sidney Poitier, and then again with Paul Verhoeven in 1977's 'Soldier of Orange'. 'Nighthawks' followed in 1981 with Sylvester Stallone, and then Ridley Scott's classic 'Blade Runner' in which Hauer played the iconic role of self aware android Replicant Roy Batty. 'The Osterman Weekend' followed and then the likes of 'Ladyhawke', 'Flesh + Blood' for Paul Verhoeven once again, 'The Hitcher', 'Wanted : Dead or Alive', 'Escape from Sobibor' for which Hauer won the Golden Globe, 'Blind Fury' for Phillip Noyce, 'Past Midnight', 'Beyond Justice', 'Buffy the Vampire Slayer', 'Nostradamus', 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind', 'Sin City', 'Batman Begins', 'Hobo with a Shotgun', 'The Rite', 'The Heineken Kidnapping', 'Spoon', '24 Hours to Live', 'The Broken Key', 'Corbin Nash', 'The Sisters Brothers', 'The Sonata' and currently in Post-Production are 'Viy 2', 'Emperor', 'Break' and recently wrapped filming 'Tonight at Noon'. In addition there were also one off television series appearances plus multiple recurring roles on 'Porters', 'Channel Zero', 'Mata Hari', 'Galavant', 'True Blood' and 'The 10th Kingdom'. Hauer was also an environmentalist. He supported the 'Sea Shepherd Conservation Society' and was a member of its board of advisors and he also established an AIDS awareness organisation called the 'Rutger Hauer Starfish Association'. In 2007, he published his autobiography, 'All Those Moments: Stories of Heroes, Villains, Replicants, and Blade Runners'. He was made a knight in the Order of the Netherlands Lion in 2013.

* Russi Taylor - born May 4th 1944, and died July 26th 2019, aged 75. Taylor was an American voice Actress who voiced numerous animated characters throughout her career spanning four decades. Her career took off as the original voice of 'Strawberry Shortcake' in six episodes of the 1980 television show of the same name - a role she would reprise a further five times over the next four years. She also voiced Huey, Dewey and Louie and Webby Vanderquack in the television series 'Duck Tales' from 1987, as well a numerous characters on 'The Simpsons' from 1989 right through until the time of her death. Perhaps her most famed role however, was that of Minnie Mouse who she voiced for over thirty years from 1986 in television productions, direct to video films, and video games. Her film credits took in 'The Private Eyes' in 1980, 'My Little Pony : The Movie' in 1986, 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' in 1988, 'Duck Tales : The Movie' and 'The Rescuers Down Under' both in 1990, 'Babe' in 1995, 'Babe : Pig in the City' in 1998, 'Fantasia 2000' in 1999 and 'The Simpsons Movie' in 2007. All up Taylor had 196 Acting credits to her name, plus two award wins and a further sixteen nominations including a PrimeTime Emmy nod, two Annie Award nods and two Daytime Emmy nods. Taylor was married to Wayne Allwine, the third voice of Mickey Mouse, from 1991 until his death in May 2009. They were both named 'Disney Legends' in 2008.

This week then we have five new release movies to tempt you out on a cool mid-winter's evening and coming to an Odeon near you. We kick start those with a high octane all guns blazing peddle to the metal muscle bound actioner that is a spin-off from a hugely successful franchise that sees our two protagonists who share an intense dislike and distrust of each other having to join forces to thwart a genetically enhanced terrorist with superhuman like strength and stamina. We then have a change of pace when a group of homeless folk stage a non-violent protest in a public library that gets out of control. Next up is a French offering about a middle aged and bitter divorcee who invents an alternative persona on social media touting herself with a new identity and as someone half her age with potentially dire consequences for both her identities. A famed Prince of Denmark work by Shakespeare told from the opposite side of the fence as his love must learn to navigate the corridors of power in very much a mans world comes next before closing out the week with a doco charting six Antipodean hikers taking the famed 800kms Camino Trail and their voyage of self-discovery.

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

'FAST & FURIOUS : HOBBS & SHAW' (Rated M) - here we have the first spin-off movie from that hugely popular and successful 'Fast & Furious' franchise that launched in 2001 and has so far spawned eight films, with two more in the works set for release in 2020 and 2021, and a further female centred spin-off sometime thereafter. The franchise has also extended to short films, a television series, live shows, soundtrack albums and theme park attractions, and the first eight films in the series have grossed collectively US$5,135B at the global Box Office off the back of combined production budgets of US$1,010B. 'Hobbs & Shaw' is Directed by David Leitch (who previously took an uncredited Directing role on 'John Wick' with Chad Stahelski, plus 'Atomic Blonde' and 'Deadpool 2') and is Co-Produced by the films two lead Actors - Dwayne Johnson and Jason Statham. The film cost US$200M to bring to the big screen, saw its World Premier screening in Hollywood in mid-July and goes on general release here in Australia on 1st August and the US on 2nd.

Picking up where 'The Fate of the Furious' left off, Diplomatic Security Service federal agent Luke Hobbs (Dwayne Johnson) and former SAS operative turned mercenary Deckard Shaw (Jason Statham), two men who share an intense dislike for one another, are forced to team up to stop a new threat emerging in the shape of Brixton Lore (Idris Elba), a cyber-genetically enhanced international terrorist who gains control of an insidious bio-threat that could alter humanity forever and in the process bests a brilliant and fearless rogue MI6 agent Hattie Shaw (Vanessa Kirby), who just happens to be Deckard Shaw’s sister, so leaving Hobbs and Shaw to form their own team to save the human race and the world. Also starring Helen Mirren as Queenie Shaw (Deckard's and Hattie's mother), Cliff Curtis, Eddie Marsan and Roman Reigns.

'THE PUBLIC' (Rated M) - this American drama offering is Directed, Written, Co-Produced and also stars Emilio Estevez which saw its World Premier screening at TIFF back in September last year before going on general release in the US in early April. The film has so far taken US$575K at the Box Office and has generated largely positive Reviews. After learning that emergency shelters are at full capacity when a brutal Midwestern cold front makes its way to Cincinnati, a large group of homeless library patrons led by Jackson (Michael Kenneth Williams) refuse to leave the downtown public library at closing time. What begins as a nonviolent sit-in and occupy style act of civil disobedience by a bunch of ragtag randoms quickly escalates into a standoff with local riot police, led by a no-nonsense crisis negotiator Detective Bill Rumstead (Alec Baldwin) and a savvy district attorney Josh Davis (Christian Slater) with lofty political ambitions, all as two librarians Stuart and Myra (Emilio Estevez and Jena Malone respectively) are caught in the middle. Also starring Taylor Schilling, Jeffrey Wright and Gabrielle Union.

'WHO YOU THINK I AM' (Rated MA15+) - Directed by Safy Nebbou, this French foreign language film is a dramatic thriller that saw its World Premier screening at the Berlin International Film Festival earlier this year and has garnered largely positive Press. Juliette Binoche here plays Claire Millaud, a fifty year old university lecturer and mother of two teenage boys, who is contending with the approach of middle age and remains stung by the betrayal of her ex-husband Gilles (Charles Berling), who is building a new life with a new partner. Claire also has a new lover, the handsome Ludovic Dalaux (Guillaume Gouix), but is under no illusions as to his fidelity. Out of a mix of petulance and curiosity, she impulsively creates a fake Facebook profile in which to keep an eye on him - she’s ‘Clara’, a 24 year old vivacious blond. Ludo doesn’t take the bait, but his close friend Alex Chelly (Francois Civil) does, and their online connection soon becomes flirtatious. Titillated by the opportunity of being young once more, Claire’s deceptions lead both of her identities into increasingly dangerous territory!

'OPHELIA' (Rated M) - this British and American Co-Produced romantic drama offering centres around the character of the same name from William Shakespeare's play 'Hamlet', following the story of Hamlet but from Ophelia's point of view. Directed by Australian Claire McCarthy and based on the novel by Lisa Klein this film saw its World Premier showing at the Sundance Film Festival back in January this year, went on limited release in the US at the end of June and has garnered generally mixed or average Reviews thus far. As a rebellious and motherless child, Ophelia (Daisy Ridley) is taken into Elsinore Castle by Queen Gertrude of Denmark (Naomi Watts) as one of her most highly regarded ladies-in-waiting. Fairly soon, Ophelia ignites the attraction of the young Prince Hamlet of Denmark (George MacKay). A passionate romance builds between the two in secret as the kingdom is on the brink of war amidst its own political intrigue and turmoil. When Hamlet’s father is murdered and the Prince’s wits begin to unravel into an insatiable quest for vengeance, Ophelia must navigate the corridors of power in Denmark. Also starring Clive Owen, Tom Felton and Devon Terrell.

'CAMINO SKIES' (Rated PG) - it seems that most Australians and New Zealanders walk the 800km Camino Trail the ‘French way’, which begins in the French Basque town of St-Jean-Pied-de-Port and finishes in the Spanish town of Santiago de Compostella where pilgrims receive their final stamp and certificates marking the 29 major towns they have passed along the way. This documentary Co-Directed and Co-Produced by Fergus Grady and Noel Smyth takes six experienced and inexperienced antipodean pilgrims aged between 50 and 80, on a journey back to the Camino in order to gain insight into what drives them to come back again and again for this spiritual pilgrimage. From Perth to Christchurch, it brings together the most passionate group of ANZAC Camino pilgrims ever assembled and observes their likeminded personalities working together to achieve the same goal. As the pilgrims set off from Perth, Brisbane, Auckland, Wellington, and Christchurch we learn their individual stories and how they learn to live with heartbreak, grief, physical constraints and see the effect the month long journey has on their families. This is a film of ordinary people completing an extraordinary trek and the profound impact it has upon each and every one of them.

With five new release movies 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 13th December 2018.

The Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts (AACTA) Awards were held at Sydney's Star Hotel and Casino on Wednesday 5th December 2018, and as the official website states, these are a continuum of the AFI Awards, which have honoured screen excellence in Australia since 1958. The AACTA Awards recognise film, television and documentary screen craft excellence - including Directing, Producing and Acting, through to Cinematography, music and score composition and costume design - across more than fifty Awards each year. The AACTA's are Australia's highest film and television Awards which began in their now current format in August 2011, following the AFI's launch of the Australian Academy. and are held annually in Sydney, Australia in recognition and celebration of Australia’s highest achievements in film and television, as judged by the industry itself.

This year, amidst all the glitterati, glamourati, and the paparazzi the proud winners and grinners of the big screen awards were presented to the following :-

* AACTA Award for Best Feature Film : 'Sweet Country'
* AACTA Award for Best Indie Film : 'Jirga'
* AACTA Award for Best Direction : Warwick Thornton for 'Sweet Country'
* AACTA Award for Best Lead Actor : Hamilton Morris for 'Sweet Country'
* AACTA Award for Best Lead Actress : Angourie Rice for 'Ladies in Black'
* AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actor : Simon Baker for 'Breath'
* AACTA Award for Best Supporting Actress : Nicole Kidman for 'Boy Erased'
* AACTA Award for Best Original Screenplay : David Tranter and Steven McGregor for 'Sweet Country'
* AACTA Award for Best Adapted Screenplay : Joel Edgerton for 'Boy Erased'
* AACTA Award for Best Cinematography : Warwick Thornton for 'Sweet Country'
* AACTA Award for Best Original Musical Score : Christopher Gordon for 'Ladies in Black'
* AACTA Award for Best Sound : 'Breath'
* AACTA Award for Best Costume Design : Wendy Cork for 'Ladies in Black'
* AACTA Award for Best Feature Documentary : Paul Damien Williams for 'Gurrumul'
* AACTA Award for Best Visual Effects or Animation : Animal Logic for 'Peter Rabbit'
and, The AACTA Longford Lyell Award for Lifetime Achievement was awarded to Bryan Brown.

This week then sees the release of four new films coming to your local Odeon. We launch off with a re-cut, re-edited, and partially re-shot version of a strictly adults only anti-hero superhero film of earlier this year that re-wrote the rule book in all of its bloody violence, foul mouthed, wise arsed glory. This version has been toned down for a family audience this festive season, whilst still retaining many of the touchstones that has made this franchise so popular. Next up is a tale of mid-nineteenth century Ireland with the backdrop of the Great Famine and one mans struggle to seeks justice, or revenge or both on those that did him, and his family, wrong. We then go to a revenge action thriller concerning a one woman army out to wreak bloody vengeance on those that killed her husband and her daughter - and there's plenty of miscreants lining up it seems on both sides of the law. Wrapping up the week is an animated feature film concerning multiple web-slinging superheroes with arachnid like tendencies who inhibit an alternate universe to their live action counterparts.

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

'ONCE UPON A DEADPOOL' (Rated M) - in 2016 the Marvel character of Deadpool aka Wade Wilson burst onto our screens in this origin feature of the fourth wall breaking potty-mouthed wise-cracking indestructible anti-hero superhero. A huge financial success raking in a Box Office haul of US$783M off the back of a US$58M Budget, critically acclaimed, multi-award winning and record breaking 'Deadpool' was Directed by Tim Miller and starred Ryan Reynolds as our titular hero who hunts down the man who gave him mutant abilities and caused his scarred physical appearance. Of course, off the back of this success came 'Deadpool 2' earlier this year as Directed by David Leitch for US$110M and bringing home US$734M in which our hero forms the team X-Force to protect a young mutant from the time-travelling soldier, Cable. 'Deadpool 3' is currently in development.

And so 'Once Upon a Deadpool' is a re-cut PG version of 'Deadpool 2' said to be more family friendly and less potty-mouthed with a Christmas twist, that also includes twenty minutes of new footage not previously seen. Those scenes mostly take in Deadpool's bedside dialogue with Fred Savage in a homage to Savage's starring role as the Grandson in the 1987 bedtime-story classic 'The Princess Bride'. Other than these additions to frame the story, and some additional light hearted child friendly themeing, the bulk of the film is a re-edited, supposedly toned down version of 'Deadpool 2'.

'BLACK '47' (Rated MA15+) - this Irish historical period offering is Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Lance Daly and is based on a short story made into a short film called 'An Ranger' by Pierce Ryan and P.J. Dillon. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Berlin Film Festival back in March this year, was released in Ireland in September and now goes on a limited release here is Australia this week. Telling the story set in 1847 during the Great Famine of 1845-1849, of an Irish Ranger Martin Feeney (James Frecheville) who returns from war to find that his mother has died in the famine of starvation, and his brother has been hanged by the British having stabbed a bailiff during the family's eviction from their home. When his plans to emigrate to America fails, he starts a vendetta against the establishment in Ireland. Also starring Hugo Weaving, Stephen Rea, Jim Broadbent, Freddie Fox and Barry Keoghan the film has received generally positive Reviews and has so far grossed US$2M.

'PEPPERMINT' (Rated MA15+) - here French film Director and Cinematographer Pierre Morel, whose previous Directing credits include 'District 13', 'Taken', 'From Paris With Love' and 'The Gunman', delivers us an American action vigilante movie that has been described by one Critic as 'Death Wish' on steroids'. Released in the US in early September, the film cost US$25M, has so far recovered US$49M but has received generally negative Press along the way. In this story Riley North (Jennifer Garner) awakens from a coma after surviving a brutal attack that killed her husband and daughter. When the system shields the murderers from justice, Riley sets out to transform herself over  a period of five years, from law abiding citizen to urban killing machine using all the close quarter combat tactics in the guerrilla playbook. Channelling her frustrations at the system and the injustice served into motivation, the young widow spends years in hiding teaching her mind, body and spirit to become an unstoppable force. Eluding a drug cartel underworld headed up by Diego Garcia (Juan Pablo Raba), the Police in the form of Detectives Stan Carmichael and Moises Beltran (John Gallagher Jnr. and John Ortiz respectively) and the FBI Agents Lisa Inman and Barker (Annie Illonzeh and Method Man respectively), Riley embarks on a deadly quest to deliver her own personal form of justice by utilising her own set of very particular skills.

'SPIDER-MAN : INTO THE SPIDER-VERSE' (Rated PG) - here we have a computer animated feature film based on the famed Marvel Comics character and produced by Columbia and Sony in association with Marvel. Directed by Bob Persichetti, Peter Ramsey, and Rodney Rothman the film cost US$90M to make, is released Stateside this week too and has generated widespread Critical acclaim for the quality of innovative animation, the story line, humour and voice acting. The film is set in a shared multiverse called the 'Spider-Verse', which features different alternate universes. Bitten by a radioactive spider, teenager Miles Morales (Shameik Moore) suddenly develops mysterious powers that transform him into Spider-Man. Juggling his high-school demands with his new found super powers, he must now use his new skills to battle the Kingpin, aka Wilson Fisk (Liev Schreiber), a hulking madman who can open portals to other dimensions. Miles however, is one only of many Spider-Men (or Spider-Persons to be PC), including Peter Parker (voiced by Jake Johnson). Hailee Steinfeld voices Gwen Stacey aka Spider-Gwen, Lily Tomlin is May Parker, Zoe Kravitz is Mary Jane Watson and Nicolas Cage, Brian Tyree Henry, Oscar Isaac, Mahershala Ali, Kathryn Hahn and of course the obligatory cameo by the late great Stan Lee. A sequel is already in the early stages of development together with several potential spin-offs based on the buzz surrounding this feature. The film has been nominated for an early 2019 Golden Globe Award in the Best Animated Feature category.

With four 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-

DEADPOOL 2 : Friday 18th May 2018.

'DEADPOOL 2' which I saw hot on the heels of its Australian release on Friday evening in a packed theatre, is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name who first appeared in the 1991 publication of 'The New Mutants'. Here we have the sequel to the Critically and financially successful 2016 antihero Superhero film 'Deadpool' which off the back of a budget of US$58M grossed worldwide US$783M and collected 28 award wins and another 75 nominations from around the awards circuit. Despite the first films success, plans were already underway for a follow up film even before the release of the initial 'Deadpool' introductory instalment, with 'Deadpool 3' already in development. That first film was Directed by Tim Miller, although he did not return for this segment due to creative differences with Co-Producer, Co-Writer and Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds. Instead David Leitch signed on to Direct (whose previous Directorial outings include 'Atomic Blonde' and the upcoming 2019 'Fast & Furious' spin off 'Hobbs & Shaw'). Although a Marvel Comics character, Deadpool does not belong in the world of The Avengers or the MCU, but rather sits within the 'X-Men' franchise, and as such this is intended to be the eleventh film in that series. The film cost US$110M, and at the time of writing has grossed US$426M, and received positive press.

And so Ryan Reynolds returns as Wade Wilson/Deadpool as the wisecracking potty mouthed physically scarred practically invincible fourth wall breaking mercenary who for the last couple of years, since the end of the first film, has spent his time globetrotting his way around the world killing bad dudes as a one man army. However, one of his key targets gets away, as Deadpool is preoccupied with thoughts of his anniversary with his girlfriend and fiancee Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). That night, having agreed to start a family together, the target who got away tracks down Wilson to his apartment with all guns blazing. In the firefight Vanessa is fatally wounded by the target, who in turn is reduced to mincemeat by an oncoming truck in an act of revenge. Wilson though blames himself for Vanessa's death, and six weeks later blows himself and his apartment to oblivion.

Wilson's body parts are picked up and put back together by Colossus (Stefan Kapicic, returning as the mutant who can transform his body into organic steel) at the X-Mansion (cue various nods to the 'X-Men' film franchise and a blink and you'll miss it cameo appearance by several key X-Men players, and see if you can spot the bust of Stan Lee). Recovering and healing at the stately X-Mansion, Wilson (now a trainee X-Man), Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand, also returning, as the mutant who can detonate atomic bursts from her body), respond to an alert involving the Police authorities and an unstable young teenage mutant Russell Collins, aka Firefist (Julian Dennison, who made his last appearance in 2016's New Zealand feature 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople') who has the ability to violently generate and command fire and flame from his hands.

The standoff is taking place outside an orphanage (aka a Mutant Reeducation Centre) where Russell has been raised and tortured by the Headmaster (Eddie Marsan) and the staff. Russell is threatening revenge for the years of abuse and torture he and the other kids have suffered. Deadpool kills one of the staff, and is then prevented from harming anyone else by Colossus. Wilson and Russell are arrested and fitted with collars which prevent their mutant powers from manifesting themselves, and then locked up in a special mountain prison for mutants, known affectionately as The Icebox. Meanwhile, in a future world, a man returns home to find his house and wife and daughter incinerated.

That man is a time travelling cybernetic mutant soldier named Nathan Summers, aka Cable (Josh Brolin, enjoying his second outing in as many weeks as a Marvel antagonist hot on the heels of his portrayal as Thanos in 'Avengers : Infinity War'). He is out for revenge, for reasons that at this point are unclear to us, by his quarry is young Russell, locked up in the slammer with Wilson. Cable, with all his hi-tech futuristic weaponry and half 'Terminator' style cyborg (which Wilson describes as 'a grumpy old fucker with a Winter Soldier arm') is able to break into the prison with relative ease. Wilson attempts to defend Collins as much as he can with his diminished powers, and ultimately Wilson and Cable blow themselves out of the prison wall sending them cascading down a frozen mountain side. Before hand, Russell overhears Wilson exclaiming that he has no care for the young mutant lad. As Wilson crashes through a frozen lake and sinks to the bottom, he has a vision of Vanessa saying to him to look after the young boy and help him, before dragging himself out of the freezing depths.

With The Icebox semi-destroyed, the authorities have to transport a number of inmates to another facility. Wilson and Weasel (T.J. Miller returning as Wilson's best friend and owner of the bar often frequented by him and other like minded mercenaries) recruit a 'crack' team of other mutants with super powers of some description which he tables as being 'forward thinking and gender neutral' and aptly names the 'X-Force'.

On the new team are Bedlam (Terry Crews who can generate electricity at will), Shatterstar (Lewis Tan, an alien with martial arts skills), Zeitgeist (Bill Skarsgard who has acidic breath), Neena Thurman aka Domino (Zazie Beetz who can manipulate luck), Vanisher (Brad Pitt who is invisible) and Peter aka Peter (Rob Delaney a caring husband and beekeeper who has no superpowers but came along responding to the ad. because he thought it sounded fun and exciting).

The newly formed X-Force mount a daring mission to break Russell out of the prison convoy while preventing Cable from gaining access. They parachute in from a plane, but while coming in to land in gusty conditions, all but Deadpool and Domino are killed in laugh out loud grisly comedic circumstances during their decent or immediately upon landing. Deadpool and Domino mount the truck, chased by Cable who soon makes his way on board.

Immediately a close quarter hand to hand fight breaks out with Domino at the wheel of the now rogue truck and Cable and Deadpool punching, kicking, shooting and stabbing each other out the back. Russell meanwhile is able to break free from his confinement and he sets fellow inmate Cain Marko aka Juggernaut (voiced and acted through MoCap by Ryan Reynolds as a mutant with superhuman strength, durability and healing powers) who agrees to repay the young lad by helping him to kill the abusive Headmaster at the orphanage. Juggernaut destroys the truck hurling them all asunder.

Domino 'luckily' is catapulted into a giant inflatable panda which breaks her fall, Cable winds up under a heap of rubble, and Deadpool is literally ripped in two at the waist by Juggernaut, leaving Russell and his new friend and ally Juggernaut, to escape and make their way to search out the Headmaster. Russell, knowing that he doesn't have a friend in Deadpool having overheard that previous conversation, gives him the two finger salute with the royal fuck you, before existing stage left with his new all powerful best mate.

Being carried home by Domino, back pack style, Wilson is forced to patiently wait for his new legs to grow, which sets up another laugh out loud comedic routine as he sits on the couch with Blind Al (Leslie Uggams) with baby legs setting up a Sharon Stone 'Basic Instinct' moment all of his own. Cable emerges in the room calling a truce to their hostilities and explains why he is hunting down Russell. It seems that in the future, it was the adult Firefist, who killed Cable's wife and daughter by incinerating them in their apartment. Now Cable wants revenge and to kill Russell before his first kill gives him the taste for more, and to prevent him from that merciless future act.

Cable agrees to give Wilson thirty seconds to convince Russell not to kill the Headmaster, otherwise Cable will kill Russell this time. Deadpool, Domino, Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and her girlfriend Yukio (Shiori Kutsuna, a female ninja, ronin and samurai of Japanese origin who wields a fierce electric whip) arrive to thwart Russell and Juggernaut, but are overpowered by the might of Juggernaut, while Russell begins torching the orphanage and hunting down the Headmaster. During the fracas as Colossus goes head to head and toe to toe with Juggernaut, Cable and Deadpool are given time to try and reason with Russell.

After Deadpool's arguments seem to fail, Cable takes a shot at Russell, but Deadpool jumps in front of the oncoming bullet and takes it for the team. He dies because he has the collar around his neck which diminishes his powers to self heal. Meanwhile, Juggernaut has been dispensed with into a swimming pool, with a sixty thousand volt electricity cable rammed up his arse. Seeing the sacrifice that Deadpool made to save Russell, the young mutant does not kill the Headmaster, so altering the future, so that Cable's family lives.

Cable then uses the last charge he has available to return himself to the future by turning it back in time just a few minutes to the time when they all arrived at the orphanage. Cable surreptitiously places a lead commemorative coin over his heart. That coin had previously belonged to Vanessa which she gave to Wilson on their anniversary night, and which Deadpool had lost to Cable during their fight at The Icebox. This time, when Deadpool takes the bullet intended for Russell, he will be saved by the strategically placed coin. The Headmaster witnesses this and continues to rant and rave abuse at Russell and the gathered X-Force team. Russell is beginning to have a change of heart towards killing the Headmaster, when he is mowed down at speed by Deadpool's good friend, taxi-driver and wannabe Superhero Dopinder (Karan Soni) in his yellow cab. The group leave the scene of devastation, with Cable remaining on as a new recruit to the X-Force. As they do, Juggernaut is seen in the background lifting himself out of the swimming pool.

In true Marvel tradition, there are not one, not two, three or four even but five no less mid-credits sequences. The first sees Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio repair Cable's time-travelling device for Wilson, handing it over and saying that maybe that wasn't such a good idea. He uses it to save the lives of Vanessa and X-Force member Peter; kill the much maligned and misrepresented 'X-Men Origins : Wolverine's' version of Deadpool; and then kill actor Ryan Reynolds while he has just finished reading the script for his 2011 film 'Green Lantern' with the outgoing words 'You're welcome Canada!'

I did enjoy 'Deadpool 2' but not quite as much as the first instalment. Maybe because that first feature was so new and fresh and unlike any Superhero film we had seen before, and this second film treads familiar territory and we know what to expect from the wise arse quick witted invincible Deadpool. That said, this is funny, crass, politically and socially incorrect, graphically violent and there are plenty of cleverly placed dialogue wisecracks that poke nods to numerous other movies that would serve any geek well, including 'RoboCop', 'Yentl', 'Basic Instinct', 'Logan', 'Interview with the Vampire' and references aplenty to other Superhero films in both the MCU and the DCEU. This film belongs naturally to Ryan Reynolds who proves himself again to be a comedic talent and action hero all in one and both Josh Brolin and Julian Dennison who are both cast very well and who both veer off in different directions when you least expect it, proving that the bad guys can turn out good, and the good guys can turn out bad. There is also plenty of other character development too in the form of Domino, Dopinder and even Weasel whose limited screen time is utilised to maximum effect to advance the story plot rather than provide simple window dressing. This is as rapid fire as the first film but with added villains; a better story; some moments of emotion; lots of tongue firmly planted in cheek outrageous humour; and a bucket full of gory bloody violence and dismembered body parts to satisfy all lovers of the genre . . . . and if this isn't for you, then stay away! Josh Brolin has signed on for four films in this franchise, which may include 'Deadpool 3' if it gets made and a planned 'X-Force' spin off series. Watch this space!

This film is worthy of four claps of the clapperboard, out of a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-