'SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS' : Tuesday 12th October 2021

Finally, Greater Sydney has come out of three months+ of COVID-19 enforced lockdown on Monday 11th October, and with it movie theatres have reopened. As such, a whole slew of films released elsewhere in Australia and across the world are now available for the avid moviegoer to play catch-up on some of those more recent cinematic releases. The first film that I saw post-lockdown at my local multiplex earlier this week is 'SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS' - the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Destin Daniel Cretton, whose previous film making credits take in 'Short Term 12' with Brie Larson and Rami Malek in 2013, 'The Glass Castle' in 2017 with Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson and 'Just Mercy' in 2019 with Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson. This film has so far grossed worldwide US$404M off the back of a circa US$180M production budget and has generated positive Critical acclaim. 

And so the film opens up setting the scene for how the ten rings came about. It seems that one thousand years ago (plus or minus a few years) Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung) discovers the mystical ten rings which grant the owner of said rings immortality and other worldly powers. He forms the Ten Rings organisation, over throwing kingdoms and toppling governments throughout history to accumulate wealth and power. Fast forward to 1996, and Wenwu searches for Ta Lo, a village that exists in a different dimension and reportedly harbours mythical creatures. He travels through a magical thick bamboo forest to the village entrance but is stopped by guardian Ying Li (Fala Chen). After an initial (sort of) fight between the pair, the two fall in love, and Wenwu foregoes the Ten Rings for a life of normalcy with his new wife and children Shang-Chi (Jayden Zhang) and Xialing (Elodie Fong). When Shang-Chi is seven years old, Li is murdered by Wenwu's enemies, the Iron Gang. Wenwu goes in search of the Iron Gang with the young Shang-Chi and massacres them all except for the leader who was not present at the time. Wenwu then resumes leadership of his organisation again. He makes Shang-Chi undergo brutal martial arts training, but does not allow Xialing to train so she teaches herself in secret, having observed Shang-Chi's training techniques and replicating them, only better! When Shang-Chi is fourteen (Arnold Sun), Wenwu sends him to assassinate the Iron Gang's leader. After fulfilling his mission, a disheartened Shang-Chi runs away to San Francisco and takes on the name of 'Shaun'.

And so we fast fast forward to the present day and Shaun (Simu Liu) is working as a hotel valet car parking attendant with his best friend Katy (Awkwafina), who knows nothing of his past life. Travelling on a bus together, the pair are attacked by members of the Ten Rings organisation, with Razor Fist (Florian Munteanu) who has a machete blade for his right hand, stealing a pendant that Li gave to Shang-Chi when he was a young boy that gives him access to Ta Lo. Wenwu anonymously provides Shang-Chi with the location of Xialing in Macau and, fearing that the Ten Rings will go after Xialing's matching pendant from Li, Shang-Chi decides to go in search of her. Katy, not wanting to be left out and having survived the vicious attack on the bus, imposes herself on Shang-Chi, who reveals his past to her on the flight over to Macau. They find Xialing (Meng'er Zhang) at an underground fight club in Macau, which she formed after escaping from Wenwu. The Ten Rings attack the fight club with Wenwu arriving to capture Shang-Chi, Xialing and Katy. Wenwu takes his daughters pendant.

The three are helicoptered into the Ten Rings compound, where Wenwu uses the pendants to reveal a magical water map leading to Ta Lo. Wenwu explains that he has heard his wife, Li, calling to him and believes she has been held captive in Ta Lo behind a vast sealed gate. He plans to destroy the village by burning it to the ground, unless they agree to release her. When Shang-Chi and Xialing object saying that he must accept that their mother and his wife is dead, he imprisons them with Katy. In an ante-room to the cell where they are locked up, the three meet former actor Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) who previously took on the guise of the Mandarin and was abducted by the Ten Rings for impersonating Wenwu, now becoming a 'court jester' or Shakespearean fool for Wenwu. They also meet his hundun (a legendary faceless furry animal the size of a wombat with wings from Ta Lo) that Slattery has named Morris, who offers to guide them back to his village.

The group escapes in Razor Fist's souped up 4WD and drive through the bamboo forest with the trees rapidly closing in behind them en route to Ta Lo. They drive through a portal hidden within a water fall which sees them exit in a separate dimension and into Ta Lo, with a myriad of Chinese mythological creatures all around them. There they meet Ying Nan (Michelle Yeoh), Li's sister, and aunt to Shnag-Chi and Xialing. Nan explains the history of Ta Lo, saying that thousands of years ago, the village was attacked by the soul-eating Dweller-in-Darkness and its guardians, but was saved by a Chinese dragon called the Great Protector who helped seal the Dark Gate to the Dweller's world. Nan further states that the Dweller-in-Darkness has been influencing Wenwu to believe Li is still alive so that he will open the Dark Gate. Shang-Chi, Xialing, and Katy join the villagers in training and preparing for Wenwu's imminent arrival, using weapons they have fashioned from dragon scales. 

Wenwu and the Ten Rings heavies arrive and attack the villagers. Wenwu overpowers Shang-Chi and forces him into the nearby lake where he slowly sinks to the bottom unconscious. Wenwu then attacks the Gate with the rings. This gives some of the Dweller's guardians the chance to escape, and through the onslaught the Ten Rings heavies, now abandoned by Wenwu, join forces with the villagers to fight them off. Shang-Chi is revived by the Great Protector, which flies out of the lake to battle the marauding guardians. Wenwu and Shang-Chi come head to head once again and Shang-Chi gains the upper hand, but chooses to spare Wenwu. The Dweller-in-Darkness bursts out of the weakened Gate and attacks Shang-Chi. Wenwu saves Shang-Chi, bequeathing him the rings before being killed by the Dweller-in-Darkness. Shang-Chi, the Great Protector, Xialing, and Katy battle and kill the Dweller-in-Darkness. Afterwards, Shang-Chi and Katy return to San Francisco where they are summoned by the sorcerer Wong (Benedict Wong) to the Sanctum Sanctorum, with more divulged in the mid-credits scene. 

With nods to 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' in some of the fight sequences, the return of Trevor Slattery apologising for the misstep of the racial stereotypes of his impersonation of The Mandarin in 'Iron Man 3', and the reference to the Sanctum Sanctorum in the final mid-credits scene, together with the well crafted action set pieces, the usual dose of MCU humour, emotion and a smattering of pathos all make for an enjoyable Asian-centric addition to the MCU canon. The performances by Leung especially as the antagonist with heart is the stand out role for me, with Liu, Zhang and Awkwafina all giving solid enough performances but still clearly finding their way, which will undoubtedly come in subsequent Shang-Chi instalments, and cross-over films within the ever expanding MCU. And in the Director's chair, Cretton here makes effective use of flashbacks to move the story arc forward in a way that most other Marvel films have not, while keeping this origin story grounded and relatable. The ending when it comes however, feels protracted and over the top with too heavy a reliance on CGI dragons, mythical creatures, and a battle in which not a drop of blood is shed and everyone who dies does so off screen. The film does not reach the dizzy heights that 'Black Panther' did in 2018, but nonetheless, as your first visit to the cinema post-lockdown you could do a lot worse. 

'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' 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 2nd September 2021.

The 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival was held from 20th through until 28th August this year. The first year of one of the world’s oldest film festivals was in 1946 in Marianske Lazne. The festival moved to Karlovy Vary in 1947, and the following year the festival became competitive, awarding its first Crystal Globe. In 1956, the International Federation of Film Producers Associations officially designated Karlovy Vary a category A festival. The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is the largest film festival in the Czech Republic and the most prestigious and important events in all of Central and Eastern Europe as seen by filmmakers, buyers, distributors, sales agents, and journalists. It is one of the oldest A-list film festivals, a category it shares with the festivals in Cannes, Berlin, Venice, San Sebastian, Moscow, Montreal, Shanghai, and Tokyo.

The Opening Night film was 'Zatopek' from the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic and Directed, Co-Written and Co-Produced by David Ondricek in its World Premier screening. The Closing Night's film was 'The Nest' from the UK and Canada and Directed and Written by Sean Durkin and starring Jude Law and Carrie Coon. 

This year there were twelve feature films in competition for the Crystal Globe, that awards US$25K for the Grand Prix-Crystal Globe, and US$15K for the Special Jury Prize. Within this section there are also awards for Best Director, Best Actress and Best Actor. 

Those films in this competitive section are :-

* 'As Far as I Can Walk' - from Serbia, France, Luxembourg, Bulgaria and Lithuania and Directed and Co-Written by Stefan Arsenijevic. World Premier screening. This film took out Crystal Globe and in addition it also nabbed the Best Actor Award for Ibrahim Koma, and a Special Mention also for Director of Photography Jelena Stankovic.

* 'At Full Throttle' - from the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic and Directed, Co-Written and Co-Filmed by Miro Remo. World Premier screening.

* 'Bird Atlas' - from the Czech Republic, Slovenia and the Slovak Republic and Directed and Co-Written by Olmo Omerzu. World Premier screening.

* 'Boiling Point' - from the UK and Directed and Co-Written by Philip Barantini. World Premier screening. Actress Vinette Robinson earned a Special Mention for her work on the film.

* 'Every Single Minute' - from the Czech Republic and the Slovak Republic and Directed and Written for the screen by Erika Hnikova. World Premier screening. This film was awarded the Special Jury Prize. 

* 'The Exam' - from Germany, Iraqi Kurdistan and Qatar and Directed and Co-Written by Shawkat Amin Korki. World Premier screening.

* 'The Land of the Sons' - from Italy and Directed and Co-Written by Claudio Cupellini. International Premier screening.

* 'No' - from Germany and Directed and Co-Written by Dietrich Bruggemann. International Premier screening. Dietrich Bruggemann was declared the Best Director.

* 'Prince' - from Germany and Directed and Co-Written by Lisa Bierwirth. World Premier screening.

* 'Saving One Who Was Dead' - from the Czech Republic, Slovak Republic and France, and Directed, Co-Written and Co-Produced by Vaclav Kadrnka. World Premier screening.

* 'The Staffroom' - from Croatia and Directed and Co-Written by Sonja Tarokic. World Premier screening. This film received a Special Mention.

* 'Wars' - from Canada and Directed and Edited by Nicolas Roy. World Premier screening. Eleonore Loiselle was awarded Best Actress for her work on this film. 

In addition, the East of the West Competition awards US$15K for the East of the West Grand Prix and US$10K for the East of the West Special Jury Prize. This is an international competition of first and second feature-length fiction and documentary films from Central and Eastern Europe, the Balkans, the countries of the former Soviet Union, the Middle East and North Africa presented as World, International or European Premier screenings. This second competition section was won by the Russian film 'Nuuccha', Directed and Written for the screen by Vladimir Munkuev. The jury awarded its Special Prize to the film 'Sisterhood' from North Macedonia, Kosovo and Montenegro and Directed and Co-Written by Dina Duma, and a Special Mention to the Czech documentary 'Intensive Life Unit', Written and Directed by Adela Komrzy.

The festival also paid tribute on its opening night, to honour the Oscar-winning British actor Michael Caine for his outstanding contribution to world cinema. He also presented 'Best Sellers', a comedy in which he stars, and which is yet to be released, at the festival. Organisers also honoured the US Actor, Director and Writer Ethan Hawke, and the Czech Writer, Director and Producer Jan Sverak with the Festival President's Award; and the US Actor, Producer, Director and musician Johnny Depp, who also presented two films he Produced being showcased at the festival - 'Crock of Gold : A Few Rounds with Shane MacGowan' and 'Minamata' in which he also stars.

For all the news, views and reviews from the 55th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, you can go to the official website at : https://www.kviff.com

With Greater Sydney, where I live, still in COVID lockdown for another month ending (at this stage) at the end of September, this means all of our cinema's are closed until this date, which further means that the release of the movies as given below, slated for release this week, will be delayed somewhat across certain parts of Australia at least. That said, these movies will either have been released or are set for an imminent release somewhere in the world, and as Odeon Online has an international audience, I thought it best to carry on regardless.  

This week then we have just three new films coming to your local Odeon, and we kick start with the 25th offering in the MCU that sees a martial-arts master having to confront the past he thought he left behind when he's drawn into the web of a mysterious organisation. This is followed up by an Aussie drama of a teenage swimming prodigy whose life implodes after the release of his father from jail. And we wrap up the week with a documentary fifty years in the making that over the course of six weeks during the summer of 1969, thousands of people attend the Harlem Cultural Festival to celebrate Black history, culture, music and fashion.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the three latest release new movies 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. 

'SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS' (Rated M) - is an American superhero film based on the Marvel comics character of Shang-Chi and is the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is the second film in Phase 4 of the MCU following 'Black Widow' released in July. The film is Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton from a Screenplay and story he Co-Wrote. Destin Daniel Cretton's previous feature film making efforts take in his debut in 2012 with 'I Am Not a Hipster', then 'Short Term 12', 'The Glass Castle' and 'Just Mercy' with the latter three all being with Brie Larson. Originally scheduled to be released on 12th February this year, it was then moved to 7th May and then to 9th July due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The film shifted once more to this week in Australia and the US, having garnered generally positive critical reviews. 

Following on from the events of 'Avengers: Endgame' Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) - a skilled martial artist who was trained at a young age to be an assassin by his father Wenwu (Tony Leung) is drawn into the clandestine Ten Rings organisation, and is forced to confront the past he thought he left behind for a normal life in San Francisco. Also starring Awkwafina, Michelle Yeoh, Benedict Wong, Florian Munteanu and Fala Chen with Tim Roth, Ben Kingsley and Jade Xu reprising their roles from 2008's 'The Incredible Hulk', 2013's 'Iron Man 3' and 2021's 'Black Widow' respectively. 

'STREAMLINE' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian drama film Executive Produced, Written and Directed by Tyson Wade Johnston in his feature film making debut having previously made the short films 'Exist', 'Seed' and 'Lunar'. The film saw its Premier showcasing at the Melbourne International Film Festival on 19th August before its Australian release this week having generated largely positive critical response thus far. Here, a prodigious fifteen-year-old swimmer - Benjamin Lane (Levi Miller) with the world at his feet with the Olympics beckoning self-destructs after his father Rob Bush (Jason Isaacs) is released from prison. Inside the pool he lives a life of diligent perfectionism, yet outside of it, his existence couldn't be more opposite. Also starring Jake Ryan, Laura Gordon, Steve Bastoni and Robert Morgan. According to our friends at Wikipedia 'Streamline form is a swimming technique that is used underwater in every stroke. At the start of a race or on a turn, streamline form is used, usually along with a dolphin kick or flutter kick, to create the least amount of resistance to help the swimmer propel as far as they can. Many factors contribute to the perfect streamline form and mastering this method increases a swimmer’s speed. Streamline is one of the key fundamentals to mastering any stroke'

'SUMMER OF SOUL' ( . . . Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised) (Rated PG) - is an American documentary film directed by Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson about the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival (aka 'Black Woodstock'). It had its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival at the end of January this year, where it won the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in the US Documentary Competition. The film examines the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival, which was held at Mount Morris Park (now Marcus Garvey Park) in Harlem, lasted for six weeks and celebrated African American music and culture and promoted the continued politics of black pride. Despite having a large attendance and performers such as Stevie Wonder, Nina Simone, The 5th Dimension, The Staple Singers, Gladys Knight & the Pips, Sly and the Family Stone and the Chambers Brothers, the festival was seen as obscure in pop culture, something that the documentarians investigate. Forty hours of footage of that 1969 festival was recorded on videotape and later placed in a basement, where it sat for about fifty years unpublished, until Producer Robert Fyvolent became aware of the footage, and eventually acquired film and television rights to it from its original producer, Hal Tulchin. The film has generated universal Critical acclaim and has so far grossed US$2.7M following its release Stateside in late June. 

With three 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 coming week, at your local Odeon, or perhaps not!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

JUST MERCY : Wednesday 5th February 2020.

'JUST MERCY' is an M Rated American true story legal drama which I saw at my local multiplex earlier this week and is Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton in his fourth feature film after 2012's 'I Am Not a Hipster', 2013's 'Short Term 12' and 2017's 'The Glass Castle'. Following this outing Cretton is slated to Direct 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' for the MCU Phase 4 due for release in 2021 and currently in pre-production. The film saw its World Premier screening at TIFF in early September last year, went on limited release on Christmas Day in the US (to qualify for awards season recognition), has garnered generally favourable Reviews so far, and has taken US$38M at the Box Office before its much wider release from mid-January. 'Just Mercy' is based on the 2014 memoir of the same name, written by Bryan Stevenson.

After some initial scene setting and a quick back story, the main thrust of this film moves to 1989 when young Harvard law graduate Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan) relocates himself to Alabama to help fight poor down trodden and often abused people who more often than not are unable to fund proper legal representation for themselves. Meeting up with Eva Ansley (Brie Larson) he forms the 'Equal Justice Initiative' in Montgomery, Alabama, initially operating out of Eva's home before moving into a more appropriate office environment.

Stevenson then travels to Holman State Prison in Atmore, Alabama to meet with a number of its death row inmates for whom the legal system has failed them. There he meets with inmates Herbert Richardson (Rob Morgan), Anthony Ray Hinton (O'Shea Jackson) and Walter 'Johnny D' McMillan (Jamie Foxx), amongst a few others. He offers to help all three, but McMillan's cause seems to be the most compelling as the case against him is full of holes.

McMillan on the face of it, appears to have been wrongfully imprisoned for the 1986 murder of eighteen year old Ronda Morrison in Monroeville, Alabama. His conviction was wrongfully obtained, based on police coercion and perjury, and in the 1988 trial, the judge imposed the death penalty, even though the jury imposed a sentence of life imprisonment. Stevenson examines the evidence and discovers that it hinges entirely on the testimony of convicted criminal Ralph Myers (Tim Blake Nelson), who provided a highly self-contradictory testimony in exchange for a lighter sentence in his own upcoming trial at the time.

Stevenson's first move is to visit the local prosecutor Tommy Chapman (Rafe Spall) for assistance, but Chapman dismisses him without even looking at his notes, saying that as far as he is concerned justice has been served and it is his job to keep his towns people and his local community safe. Having drawn a blank with Chapman, Stevenson then drives out to the McMillan family homestead on the outskirts of town. There he meets with McMillan family friend Darnell Houston (Darrell Britt-Gibson) who says that he was working with Ralph Myers in an auto workshop the morning of the murder and as such there is no way that Myers could have witnessed the events that unfolded that fateful day. Furthermore, the whole of the McMillan family and extended family swear that Johnny D was in fact at a fish fry that same morning, but that too was not accounted for in his defence. Darnell's testimony plus previously undisclosed or obviously overlooked facts would cause the prosecution's case to fall apart. But when Stevenson submits Darnell's testimony, police quickly arrest him for perjury. However, while Stevenson is able to get the perjury charges dropped, Darnell is intimidated into refusing to testify in court for fear of further reprisals against him.

Bryan then meets with Myers in prison. Eventually Myers admits that his testimony was coerced from him after police played to his childhood fear of burning and threatened to have him executed by electric chair. Myers was as a seven year old boy badly burned when his pyjamas caught fire wile he slept and has facial and upper body scars as a result, and says that he can still smell his skin burning, a smell that he is familiar with too from his experiences with prison inmates executed by the electric chair. 

Stevenson then appeals to the local court to grant McMillan a retrial, and successfully convinces Myers to recant his testimony on the stand, but regardless the judge refuses to grant a retrial. Distraught, Bryan vents his frustrations about the case to Eva. He appears on '60 Minutes' in an attempt to generate public support in McMillan's favour, and then appeals to the Supreme Court of Alabama. The Supreme Court overturns the circuit court's decision, and grants McMillan his retrial. 

Stevenson then seeks to have the charges completely dismissed. He later visits Chapman at his home and tries to convince him to join him in his motion, but Chapman steadfastly refuses and angrily orders him off his property. On the day of the motion, Stevenson appeals to the judge. Chapman surprisingly, given the almost overwhelming evidence presented agrees to join him in his motion and the case is dismissed. With no prosecution, the judge declares that with immediate effect McMillan is free to go, and so after six years Johnny D is finally reunited with his family, a free man. 

In the closing credits, we learn that McMillan remained friends with Stevenson until his death in 2013. A follow-up investigation into Ronda Morrison's death confirmed McMillan's innocence and speculated that a white man was likely responsible, although to this day the case has never been solved. Furthermore, Sheriff Tate (Michael Harding) who at the time arrested McMillan just because he looked guilty and was ultimately responsible for either concealing or completely ignoring the evidence that would have conclusively proven that McMillan was innocent, was elected to the office of Sheriff a further six times. Meanwhile Stevenson successfully had Anthony Ray Hinton's case overturned and after 28 years on Alabam's death row was finally freed in 2015. Herbert Richardson, was not so lucky, and he was executed by electric chair on 18th August 1989, and was one of 66 people to have been executed in Alabama since the resumption of capital punishment, most of whom would not have been executed if they had received timely and effective legal aid and advice.

'Just Mercy' is an important real life story of racial prejudice, the rich and poor divide, and the inequalities inflicted upon man just because of the way he may look, or the colour of his skin. Lesson's that still ring true today, just as much as they did thirty years ago when this story started to unfold. Jordan gives a nuanced, understated and restrained performance as the considered, tenacious and patient Stevenson, and Foxx gives arguably one of his best performances in years. This is a slow burning film, that Director Cretton allows the story to speak for itself without diving into dramatic over the top poetic licence territory, and my research of the Equal Justice Initiative and Bryan Stevenson seems to indicate that this story is faithfully recreated keeping largely to the facts as they unfolded. This film has so far collected seven award wins and another eight nominations from around the festivals and awards circuit, and the importance of this film cannot be underestimated. Worth the price of your cinema ticket for sure.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 23rd January 2020.

In case you missed all the buzz of this years 77th Golden Globe Awards honouring the very best in film and American television from 2019, which were held at The Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, California on January 5, 2020, with Ricky Gervais hosting the ceremony for the fifth and allegedly final time, below is the run down of all the winners, grinners and also rans from the world of cinema.

* Best Motion Picture : Drama.
Awarded to '1917', beating out 'The Irishman', 'Joker', 'Marriage Story' and 'The Two Popes'
* Best Motion Picture : Musical or Comedy
Awarded to 'ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD', beating out 'Dolemite Is My Name', 'Jojo Rabbit', 'Knives Out' and 'Rocketman'.

* Best Performance in a Motion Picture : Drama | Actor
Awarded to JOAQUIN PHOENIX for 'JOKER', beating out Christian Bale for 'Ford v. Ferrari', Antonio Banderas for 'Pain and Glory', Adam Driver for 'Marriage Story' and Jonathan Pryce for 'The Two Popes'.
* Best Performance in a Motion Picture : Drama | Actress
Awarded to RENEE ZELLWEGER for 'JUDY', beating out Cynthia Enviro for 'Harriet', Scarlett Johansson for 'Marriage Story', Saoirse Ronan for 'Little Women' and Charlize Theron for 'Bombshell'.
* Best Performance in a Motion Picture : Musical or Comedy | Actor
Awarded to TARON EGERTON for 'ROCKETMAN', beating out Daniel Craig for 'Knives Out', Roman Griffin Davis for 'Jojo Rabbit', Leonardo DiCaprio for 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood' and  Eddie Murphy for 'Dolemite Is My Name'.
* Best Performance in a Motion Picture : Musical or Comedy | Actress
Awarded to AWKWAFINA for 'THE FAREWELL', beating out Ana de Armis for 'Knives Out', Cate Blanchett for 'Where'd You Go, Bernadette', Beanie Feldstein for 'Booksmart' and Emma Thompson for 'Last Night'.

* Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture : Actor
Awarded to BRAD PITT for 'ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD', beating out Tom Hanks for 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood', Anthony Hopkins for 'The Two Popes', Al Pacino for 'The Irishman' and Joe Pesci for 'The Irishman'.
* Best Supporting Performance in a Motion Picture : Actress
Awarded to LAURA DERN for 'MARRIAGE STORY', beating out Kathy Bates for 'Richard Jewell', Annette Benning for 'The Report', Jennifer Lopez for 'Hustlers' and Margot Robbie for 'Bombshell'.

* Best Director
Awarded to SAM MENDES for '1917', beating out Bong Joon-ho for 'Parasite', Todd Phillips for 'Joker', Martin Scorsese for 'The Irishman' and Quentin Tarantino for 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'.
* Best Screenplay
Awarded to QUENTIN TARANTINO for 'ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD', beating out Noah Baumbach for 'Marriage Story', Bong Joon-ho for 'Parasite', Anthony McCarten for 'The Two Popes' and Steve Zaillian for 'The Irishman'.
* Best Foreign Language Film
Awarded to BONG JOON-HO for 'PARASITE', beating out 'The Farewell', 'Les Miserables', 'Pain and Glory' and 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire'.
* Best Animated Feature Film
Awarded to 'MISSING LINK', beating out 'Frozen II', 'How to Train Your Dragon : The Missing World', 'The Lion King' and 'Toy Story 4'.
* Best Original Song
Awarded to '(I'M GONNA) LOVE ME AGAIN' from 'ROCKETMAN' by ELTON JOHN and BERNIE TAUPIN.




* The Cecil B. De Mille Award which is an honorary Golden Globe Award bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for 'outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment' was awarded to TOM HANKS.
* The Carol Burnett Award which is also an honorary Golden Globe Award bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association for 'outstanding contributions to television on or off the screen' was awarded to ELLEN DEGENERES.

For the full run down on the film and television awards presented, the nominees, the winners, the pics and the inside word, you can also visit the official website at : https://www.goldenglobes.com

Turning attention back to this weeks six latest release new movies to grace your local Odeon screen, we start off with a biographical drama film centering on America's most beloved neighbour and highly acclaimed pre-school television programme host as he is interviewed by a journalist hoping to uncover some dirt only to find none and ultimately coming to terms with his own inner demons. Next up we have a Sci-Fi horror adventure about the crew of a vessel stranded seven miles down on the ocean floor only to come under attack by mystery creatures awakened by an underwater earthquake. We then have a true story of a man wrongly accused of murder, sentenced to death and the young upstart defence lawyer who battles against the odds to clear his name. This is followed up by a comedy centering on two female business partners who run their own successful beauty products business but have financial woes, and an industry mogul who wants to buy out their business - sounds too good to be true, and it might just be as the two life long friends relationship is put to the test. We then close out the week with two very different biographical docos - the first charting the fifteen year journey of an Australian heavy metal band as they strive for recognition at some of the worlds largest music festivals; and finally charting the life, times and influences on Mexico's most famous painter and artist who died in 1954 but has since found the acknowledgement, acceptance and recognition for her many artworks and what she stood for.

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

'A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN THE NEIGHBOURHOOD' (Rated PG) - is a 2019 American drama film directed by Marielle Heller and inspired by the 1998 article 'Can You Say ... Hero?' by Tom Junod, published in Esquire. Heller is an American Director, Writer and Actress of film, television and theatre whose previous film making credits include the highly acclaimed and multi-award winning 'Can You Ever Forgive Me' in 2018, based on the confessional memoir of Lee Israel as portrayed my Melissa McCarthy. This film is about the beloved television icon Fred Rogers who lived from 1928 through until 2003 and who was an American TV personality, musician, puppeteer, writer, Producer, and Presbyterian Minister. He was the creator, showrunner and host of the preschool TV series 'Mister Rogers' Neighborhood', which ran from 1968 to 2001. His work in children's television has been widely lauded, and he received over forty honorary degrees and several awards, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2002 and a Lifetime Achievement Emmy in 1997. He was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame in 1999.

Here Lloyd Vogel (Matthew Rhys) is an investigative journalist who receives an assignment to profile Fred Rogers, aka Mr. Rogers (Tom Hanks). He approaches the interview with scepticism, as he finds it hard to believe that anyone can have such a good nature. But Roger's empathy, kindness and decency from America's most beloved neighbour soon chips away at Vogel's jaded outlook on life, forcing the reporter to reconcile with his own painful past. Also starring Chris Cooper, Susan Kelechi Watson, Maryann Plunkett and Enrico Colantoni, the film has been praised by critics, has won three awards and been nominated for another 55 so far, many of which are still pending decisions, and has grossed US$61M off the back of its US$25M production budget since its release in the US in late November.

'UNDERWATER' (Rated M) - here this underwater action adventure Sci-Fi horror offering is Directed by William Eubank in only his third feature film outing as Director following 2011's 'Love' and 2014's 'The Signal', both of which were also Sci-Fi features. Set 5,000 miles from land and seven miles below the surface of the ocean, the crew of underwater researchers who are looking at a month long stay on the ocean floor, must scramble to safety and navigate their way across that ocean floor after their subterranean laboratory is destroyed by an earthquake that has awakened some kind of mysterious and ravenous creatures that appear to be none too pleased by their seemingly unwelcome presence. Staring Kristen Stewart, Vincent Cassel, Jessica Henwick, T.J. Miller,  John Gallagher Jnr., Gunner Wright and Mamoudou Athie. The film cost US$80M to make, and was released Stateside earlier this month, and has so far taken US$27M.

'JUST MERCY' (Rated M) - this American true story legal drama is Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton in his fourth feature film after 2012's 'I Am Not a Hipster', 2013's 'Short Term 12' and 2017's 'The Glass Castle'. Following this outing Cretton is slated to Direct 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' for the MCU Phase 4 due for release in 2021 and currently in pre-production. This film tells the true story of Walter McMillian (Jamie Foxx), who, with the help of young defence lawyer Bryan Stevenson (Michael B. Jordan), appeals his murder conviction having been wrongfully imprisoned for the 1986 murder of eighteen year old Ronda Morrison in Monroeville, Alabama. His conviction was wrongfully obtained, based on police coercion and perjury, and in the 1988 trial, the judge imposed the death penalty, even though the jury imposed a sentence of life imprisonment. From 1990 to 1993, the Alabama Court of Criminal Appeals turned down four appeals and in 1993, after McMillian had served six years on Alabama's death row, the Court of Criminal Appeals ruled that he had been wrongfully convicted. This is his story. Also starring Brie Larson, Tim Blake Nelson, Rafe Spall, O'Shea Jackson Jnr. and Rob Morgan, the film saw its World Premier screening at TIFF in early September last year, went on limited release on Christmas Day in the US (to qualify for awards season recognition), has garnered generally favourable Reviews so far, has taken US$23M at the Box Office before its much wider release from mid-this month. 'Just Mercy' is based on the 2014 memoir of the same name, written by Bryan Stevenson.

'LIKE A BOSS' (Rated M) - Directed by Puerto Rican film maker Miguel Arteta whose previous big screen offerings include 2002's 'The Good Girl', 2011's 'Cedar Rapids', 2014's 'Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day', 2014's 'Beatriz at Dinner' and 2018's 'Duck Butter' most recently, here brings us this American comedy film about best friends Mia Carter (Tiffany Haddish) and Mel Paige (Rose Byrne) who run their own cosmetics company called appropriately 'Mel & Mia's', which is a business they founded from nothing. But their business is also struggling financially, and the prospect of a buyout offer from industry titan Claire Luna (Salma Hayek) proves too tempting to pass up. The beauty business takes a turn for the worse when their benefactor starts stealing from them, and Mia and Mel's lifelong friendship is put to the ultimate test. Also starring Jennifer Coolidge and Billy Porter, the film was released in the US earlier this month to largely negative Reviews and so far recouped US$19M from its US$29M budget outlay.

'VIVA THE UNDERDOGS' (Rated MA15+) - Directed, lensed, written and edited by Allan Hardy in his first full length film, this documentary film follows the self-managed Australian heavy metal band 'Parkway Drive' on their fifteen year long underdog journey, to see if they can go from small-town surf rats to international festival headliners. From searching out surf spots and sleeping on the streets for their first international tour to evolving their sound and re-setting the benchmark in metal with every new album, the five high-school bandmates have always done it their own way, chasing adventures, having fun and breaking boundaries year after year.  Now, Parkway Drive put it all on the line to create the biggest most explosive show for their loyal fan base. Self-funded, self-managed and committing to over one hundred tour dates, with a forty strong crew and six semi-trailers filled with cutting edge audiovisual equipment & pyrotechnics, is it enough for the five high-school mates to defy the odds and earn their spot at the top of the world’s biggest rock festivals? A decade of behind the scenes personal footage, coupled with unprecedented access to the bands most explosive live tours and world’s biggest music festivals, this doco offers up an incredibly honest and candid look at Parkway Drive’s journey, good-times, battles, triumphs and sacrifices. The current and long term band members are Winston McCall on vocals, Jeff Ling on lead guitar, Luke Kilpatrick on rhythm guitar, Jia O'Connor on bass guitar and Ben Gordon on drums.

'FRIDA : VIVA LA VIDA' (Rated CTC) - this biographical documentary is Directed and Written by Italian Giovanni Trolio and highlights the two sides of Frida Kahlo’s spirit on one side, the revolutionary, pioneering artist of contemporary feminism and on the other; the human being, victim of her tortured body and a tormented relationship. Frida Kahlo was a Mexican painter known for her numerous portraits, self-portraits, and works inspired by the nature and artifacts of Mexico. She lived from 1907 until 1954 and Kahlo's work has subsequently been celebrated internationally as emblematic of Mexican national and indigenous traditions and by feminists for what is seen as its uncompromising depiction of the female experience and form. With acclaimed Italian Actress and Director Asia Argento providing the narration, the two faces of the artist are revealed by pursuing a common thread consisting of Frida’s own words as captured in letters, diaries, and private confessions. The film alternates interviews with original documents, captivating reconstructions, and Frida Kahlo’s own paintings kept in some of the most amazing museums in Mexico. This film is not to be confused with the 2002 biographical drama film 'Frida' with Salma Hayek portraying Frida Kahlo in her Academy Award nominated role as the famed artist.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 7th September 2017.

Stephen King is a prolific American author of supernatural fiction, suspense, Science Fiction, horror and fantasy who has 240 Writing credits to his name, twelve television series and made for TV film Producer credits and 21 as Actor, and whose 1986 best selling horror novel 'It' is released in cinemas this week, and Previewed below. King has a substantial portfolio of film, television series, stage productions, comic books and even music adapted and inspired from his works and those penned under his pseudonym of Richard Bachman. In researching just how many, there are way too many to list here that go all the way back to 1976, consisting over sixty big screen adaptations, thirty for the small screen and fifteen or so for the stage. Here is a list of those more noteworthy Stephen King movie adaptations :-

* 'Carrie' released 1976, supernatural horror, Directed by Brian de Palma, starring Sissy Spacek, Piper Laurie, Nancy Allen, and John Travolta.
* 'The Shining' released 1980, horror, Directed by Stanley Kubrick, starring Jack Nicholson, Shelley Duvall and Danny Lloyd. The book was also adapted in 1997 into a three part television mini-series.
* 'Creepshow' released 1982, black comedy horror, Directed by George A. Romero, starring Leslie Nielsen, Ted Danson, Hal Holbrook, Ed Harris and Stephen King in this anthology of five short stories within the film.
* 'Cujo' released in 1983, psychological horror, Directed by Lewis Teague, starring Dee Wallace, Danny Pintauro, and Daniel Hugh-Kelly.
* 'The Dead Zone' released in 1983, horror thriller, Directed by David Cronenberg, starring Christopher Walken, Martin Sheen, Tom Skerritt and Herbert Lom. A television series of the same name ran for eighty episodes over six seasons from 2002 through to 2007.
* 'Christine' released in 1983, horror, Directed by John Carpenter, starring Keith Gordon, Harry Dean Stanton and Kelly Preston.
* 'Children of the Corn' released 1984, horror, Directed by Fritz Kiersch, starring Peter Horton and Linda Hamilton.
* 'Firestarter' released 1984, Science Fiction horror, Directed by Mark L. Lester, starring David Keith, Drew Barrymore, Martin Sheen, Heather Locklear, George C. Scott and Freddie Jones.
* 'Stand By Me' released 1986, coming of age drama, Directed by Rob Reiner, starring Keifer Sutherland, River Phoenix, Corey Feldman, John Cusack, Jerry O'Connell and Will Wheaton.
* 'Maximum Overdrive' released in 1986, Science Fiction action horror comedy, Directed by Stephen King, starring Emilio Estevez.
* 'The Running Man' released 1987, Science Fiction action, Directed by Paul Michael Glaser, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Yaphet Kotto, Jesse Ventura, Maria Conchita Alonso and Richard Dawson.
* 'Pet Sematary' released 1989, horror, Directed by Mary Lambert, starring Dale Midkiff, Fred Gwynn, and Denise Crosby.
* 'Misery' released 1990, psychological thriller, Directed by Rob Reiner, starring James Caan, Kathy Bates, Lauren Bacall, and Richard Farnsworth.
* 'The Dark Half' released 1993, horror, Directed by George A. Romero, starring Timothy Hutton, Michael Rooker and Amy Madigan.
* 'Needful Things' released 1993, horror, Directed by Fraser C. Heston, starring Max von Sydow, Ed Harris, Amanda Plummer, and J.T. Walsh.
* 'The Shawshank Redemption' released 1994, drama, Directed by Frank Darabont, starring Morgan Freeman, Tim Robbins, Clancy Brown, William Sadler, Bob Gunton and James Whitmore.
* 'Dolores Claiborne' released 1995, psychological thriller, Directed by Taylor Hackford, starring Kathy Bates, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Christopher Plummer, David Strathairn, John C. Reilly and Bob Gunton.
* 'The Mangler' released 1995, horror, Directed by Tobe Hooper, starring Robert Englund and Ted Levine.
* 'Thinner' released 1996, horror, Directed by Tom Holland, starring Robert John Burke, Joe Mantegna, Lucinda Jenney, and Michael Constantine.
* 'Apt Pupil' released 1998, thriller, Directed by Bryan Singer, starring Brad Renfro, Ian McKellen, David Schwimmer, and Bruce Davison.
* 'The Green Mile' released 1999, fantasy crime drama, Directed by Frank Darabont, starring Tom Hanks, David Morse, James Cromwell, Sam Rockwell, William Sadler, Barry Pepper, Gary Sinise, Harry Dean Stanton, Michael Clarke Duncan and Patricia Clarkson.
* 'Dreamcatcher' released 2003, Science Fiction horror, Directed by Lawrence Kasdan, starring Morgan Freeman, Damian Lewis, Timothy Olyphant, Donnie Wahlberg, Tom Sizemore, and Thomas Jane.
* 'Secret Window' released 2004, psychological horror thriller, Directed by David Koepp, starring Johnny Depp, John Turturro, Maria Bello and Timothy Hutton.
* '1408' released 2007, psychological horror, Directed by Mikael Hafstrom, starring John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Mark McCormack and Tony Shalhoub.
* 'The Mist' released 2007, Science Fiction horror, Directed by Frank Darabont, starring Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, William Sadler and Toby Jones. Also made into a 2017 television series of the same name, having aired for the first season of ten episodes at the time of writing.
* 'Carrie' released 2013, supernatural horror, Directed by Kimberley Pierce, starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Ansel Elgort and Julianne Moore, and a remake of the 1976 film.
* 'Cell' released 2016, Science Fiction horror, Directed by Tod Williams, starring John Cusack, Samuel L. Jackson, Stacy Keach and Isabelle Fuhrman.
* 'The Dark Tower' released 2017, science fantasy western, Directed by Nikolaj Arcel, starring Matthew McConaughey, Idris Elba, Tom Taylor and Jackie Earle Haley. A television series is also in production for release in 2018.
* 'It' released in 2017, horror, Directed by Andy Muschietti, starring Bill Skarsgard and Jaeden Lieberher. The book was first adapted into a two part television mini-series in 1990.
* 'Gerald's Game' due for release in late 2017, Directed by Mike Flanagan, starring Bruce Greenwood and Carla Gugino.
And aside from these, worthy of an honourable mention too are the television series and mini-series including 'Salem's Lot', 'The Tommyknockers', 'The Stand', 'The Langoliers', 'Bag of Bones', 'Under the Dome', '11:22:63', 'Mr. Mercedes', and the upcoming 'Castle Rock'.

Turning attention then to this weeks latest release movies, first up we have a horror offering involving a small country town, seven young kids and an evil Clown; then a family predicament discussed over dinner; and next a true story of a dysfunctional family raised on the poverty line by their nomadic parents. We then go on to a comedy romance story of an estranged couple living separate lives but under one roof who unexpectedly fall in love with each other again; and then a comedy of identical twin sisters - one a successful Actor and the other a struggling Actor, and how the latter secretly leverages the former for her own gain; before wrapping up with a historical biographical retelling of the making of the game of golf and how a Scottish father and son shaped the modern game.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the six new release 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 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 meanwhile, enjoy your big screen cinematic experience during the coming week.

'IT' (Rated MA15+) - and here we have the Stephen King penned remake of the 1990 two part television mini-series, based on his acclaimed and best selling 1986 horror story 'It'. Since 2009 this film has been in development, with Cary Fukunaga first announced to Direct and Co-Write the film, but subsequently dropping out in 2015 due to disagreements with Production Company, New Line, over the direction that he wanted to take the film in. Subsequently Argentinian Director, Andres Muschietti was announced to Direct, whose previous credit was his debut feature with 2013's supernatural horror offering 'Mama' with Jessica Chastain and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau. 'It' is released in the US this week too, and cost a budgeted US$40M. This film is said to be the first instalment in a two part series.

The story here is set during the Summer of 1989 in small-town Derry, Maine where a small group of seven pre-teenagers known as 'The Losers Club' come across an immortal shape shifting entity that manifests itself to them in the form of an evil clown like figure known as 'It' or Pennywise the Dancing Clown or Bob Gray (Bill Skarsgard). It, wreaks horror on the town once every three decades and whose history of disappearances, murder and violence most foul dates back centuries, mostly against children, but adults too, and at a rate of six times the national average. When seven year old George Denbrough (Jackson Robert Scott) goes missing, his brother and leader of The Losers Club Bill Denbrough (Jaeden Lieberher) together with his friends vow revenge on the monster. Meanwhile, the seven young Club members all have their own personal demons to overcome as they fight against their own inner fears and insecurities to overcome Pennywise. Also starring fellow Losers Club members Jeremy Ray Taylor, Finn Wolfhard, Wyatt Oleff, Sophia Lillis, Chosen Jacobs, and Jack Dylan Grazer.

'THE DINNER' (Rated M) - this dramatic thriller is Written for the screen and Directed by Oren Moverman and based on the 2009 Dutch novel of the same name by Herman Koch. The film Premiered at the Berlin Film Festival in February this year, was released in the US in early May, has so far taken just US$1.1M at the Box Office and has received mixed Reviews. The film takes place over the course of a dinner involving two couples in a swanky upmarket restaurant. Here we have Paul Lohman (Steve Coogan) a former high school history professor and his wife Claire (Laura Linney) meeting up with his long time estranged older brother, Stan Lohman (Richard Gere) a popular congressman running for Governor and his wife Katelyn (Rebecca Hall). Over dinner the two couples plan to discuss how to handle a crime committed by their respective teenage sons that was caught on CCTV cameras and shown on the television news, but, so far, no one has come forward and identified the two lads in question. The crime was of a violent nature, and the footage captured shocked the nation. The parents have to decide on what to do, and over the course of their dinner meeting relationships are tested, the individual beliefs of each family member is thrown into question, and each reveals just how far they are prepared to go to protect those they love.

'THE GLASS CASTLE' (Rated M) - this drama film is Co-written for the screen and Directed by Destin Daniel Cretton and is based on the real life memoirs published in 2005 of the same name by Jeannette Walls. Released in the US in early August, the film has so far taken US$14M at the Box Office and has received mixed Reviews praising the cast, but coming down on the transformation from page to screen. Here four siblings - oldest daughter Lori Walls (Sarah Snook), second daughter Jeannette Walls (Brie Larson), youngest daughter Maureen Walls (Brigette Lundy-Paine) and only son Brian Walls (Josh Caras) must learn to take care of themselves as they live a nomadic life moving from squat home to squat home and on the poverty line, as their responsibility-averse, free-spirited parents both inspire them and hold them back in life. When sober, their brilliant and charming father Rex Walls (Woody Harrelson) sparks their imagination, teaching them physics, geology, and how to live life to the full with talk of unrealistic hopes and dreams for a better life. He was optimistic and positive if nothing else! But when he drank, he turned dishonest and destructive. Meanwhile, their mother Rose Mary Walls (Naomi Watts), an eccentric artist, detested the idea of a domestic life and shied away from raising a family. This is a coming of age story of a dysfunctional family, as seen from Jeannette's POV.

'THE LOVERS' (Rated MA15+) - this comedy romantic film is Written and Directed by Azazel Jacobs and was released Stateside in early May and has so far taken just US$2M but has received critical praise. Telling the story of husband and wife Michael (Tracy Letts) and Mary (Debra Winger) who live together but are effectively estranged from each other. They are both in long standing extra-marital affairs - Mary with Robert (Aiden Gillen) and Michael with Lucy (Melora Walters). However, their respective relationships and their feelings for one another take on a sudden twist when they fall for each other as a result of single kiss that leads to sex, and the two of them falling for each other all over again. As the same time, their respective lovers start to become more needy of their attention and their affections and therefore more demanding, making them less and less appealing to both Mary and Michael, only helping to cement their new found love for each other still further.

'THAT'S NOT ME' (Rated MA15+) - Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Gregory Erdstein in his full length feature film Directorial debut, this Australian independent comedy film shot on a shoestring budget saw its Aussie Premier at the Sydney Film Festival in June this year, and now goes on general, albeit limited, release. Here Alice Foulcher (who also Co-Produced and Co-Wrote) plays identical twin sisters Polly and Amy Cuthbert. Polly is an aspiring Actress who is mistaken for her successful celebrity Actress twin sister Amy at just about every turn. When Amy is cast in an upcoming HBO television series and then to add insult to injury starts dating Jared Leto which is posted all over social media, Polly decides to turn the tables in her favour and use Amy's celebrity to her own advantage - after all, who can tell them apart? Living it large as the life of a celebrity, Polly takes full advantage of free clothes, being wined and dined at all the best places, casual relationships, and the media attention, but ultimately with hilarious and disastrous consequences for them both.

'TOMMY'S HONOUR' (Rated M) - this historical biographical drama film is Directed by Jason Connery (the son of Sean Connery), and tells the story of the lives, careers and relationship between father and son - Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris as depicted by Peter Mullan and Jack Lowden respectively. The film is based on the 2007 book 'Tommy's Honour : The Story of Old Tom Morris and Young Tom Morris, Golf's Founding Father and Son' by Kevin Cook. History tells us that Thomas Mitchell Morris (Old Tom) was a Scottish golfer born in St Andrews, Fife, Scotland the spiritual and ancestral 'home of golf' and location of the famed St Andrews Links, where Old Tom was the greenskeeper and professional golfer. Old Tom lived from 1821 until 1908 and died at the age of 86 in the town of his birth. Young Thomas Morris (Young Tom) was a Scottish professional golfer. He is considered one of the pioneers of professional golf, and was the first young prodigy in golf history. He won four consecutive titles in the Open Championship (which his father founded), an unmatched feat, and did this by the age of 21. Young Tom's first Open Championship win – in 1868 at age 17 – made him the youngest major champion in golf history, a record which still stands to this day. Young Tom died at the age of just 24 in 1875. This is their story. Also starring Sam Neill as Alexander Boothby, the Captain of The Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St. Andrews, and Ophelia Lovibond as Meg Drinnen as Young Tom's future wife. The book upon which the film is based was highly acclaimed, picking up various awards, and the film won Best Feature Film at The British Academy Scotland Awards.

With six new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, taking in horror, historical biographical drama, romantic comedy, a coming of age memoir, an independent Aussie comedy and a dinner date, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephiles 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-