THE BOYS IN THE BOAT : Tuesday 16th January 2024.

I saw the PG Rated 'THE BOYS IN THE BOAT' this week, and this American biographical sports drama film is Co-Produced and Directed by George Clooney and is based on the 2013 book of the same name by Daniel James Brown. Clooney's previous feature film Directorial credits take in his debut with 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind' in 2002 then 'Good Night, and Good Luck' in 2005, 'Leatherheads' in 2008, 'The Ides of March' in 2011, 'The Monuments Men' in 2014, 'Suburbicon' in 2017, 'The Midnight Sky' in 2020 and 'The Tender Bar' in 2021. This film saw its official World Premiere screening in LA on on 11th December, went on wide release in the US from 25th December, was released on the 4th January here in Australia and in the UK from 12th January, having so far grossed US$42M from its production budget of US$40M, and generated mixed or average reviews. 

This true story opens up in early 1936 and we are introduced to 22 year old Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), an engineering student at the University of Washington. He is sleeping and living rough in a beat up old car in Seattle, has holes in his boots and can barely afford to eat. His good friend Roger Morris (Sam Strike) is almost as equally poor, and together they apply for all manner of jobs to try to improve their lot but without success. One day Morris tells Rantz that they should apply for the UW rowing team, as it brings with it accommodation and a paid job - the only challenge being that neither of them have rowed before. Unperturbed by this notion they both apply and are called up on the day together with about a hundred other hopefuls. UW Rowing Coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton) and his assistant coach Thomas Bolles (James Wolk) welcomes the students and sets the ground rules for their physical and mental tests that will ultimately whittle those hundred or so applicants down to just eight. 

And so after a fairly gruelling training and testing regime that sees both Rantz and Morris nurse aches and pains and blisters to their hands, the day of reckoning arrives. Ulbrickson gives the gathered students his vote of thanks and gratitude for the work they have all individually and collectively put in and then announces the fortunate eight. Both Rantz and Morris are selected together with Don Hume (Jack Mulhern), Chuck Day (Thomas Elms), Johnny White (Tom Varey), Shorty Hunt (Bruce Herbelin-Earle), Jim McMillin (Wil Coban) and Gordy Adam (Joel Phillimore). The final member of the crew was Bobby Moch (Luke Slattery) who later joined the team as Coxswain. 

And so as Morris and Rantz settle into their new accommodation in the boat house and a comfortable bed to sleep in, they get acquainted with their new crew mates. The next morning, early, their training regime begins, as the Coach reminds them that this year is also Olympics year, and the Summer Olympics are being held in Berlin, Germany in mid-August.

And so Ulbrickson and Bolles put their new crew of eight through a rigorous training programme, on the basis that as the Junior team they are there to lift the performance of the Senior team who have their eyes set on Berlin. However, a couple of months in and after Ulbrickson has juggled the seating positions of his crew around several times to optimise their performance, and after swapping out the original Coxswain for Bobby Moch, it occurs to the Coach that his junior team are superior to the senior team, and have the ability to go all the way. 

And so Ulbrickson enters his junior team into the Poughkeepsie Regatta set on the Hudson River in June 1936 where they will be competing against the University of California in a four mile race - the winner of which goes forward to Berlin. The Regatta grew to be 'the greatest one-day sporting event in America' early in the 20th century and before the onset of WWII and the culmination of a 'carnival' regatta week on both sides of the river. Approximately one hundred thousand spectators lined the shores of the river to watch the event, and it was broadcast over the radio nationally. Joyce Simdars (Hadley Robinson), Rantz's former childhood sweetheart and new girlfriend, listens intently to the radio commentary with her friends. It was at this race that boatbuilder for UW George Pocock (Peter Guinness) showcased his specially designed and built shell which the crew would row for the first time, and ultimately to victory. 

Following their victory at Poughkeepsie the crew celebrate with a dance party with their +1's while the Coach's and other dignitaries attend a cocktail party. At that party Coach Ulbrickson is seen in a heated discussion with the head of the US Olympic Committee, who tells the Coach that the sum of US$5,000 is needed to secure the teams entry to Berlin, and he has two weeks to raise the necessary funds otherwise he will have to forfeit his place and the University of California crew will go instead, despite the best team winning on the day. Ulbrickson is mortified by this development and in reality has no idea how he's going to raise US$5,000 in two weeks. He storms out of the party in disgust with his wife Hazel (Courtney Henggeler). 

And so the crew, girlfriends, wives, students, staff and anyone else with a remote interest begin a fund raising campaign straightaway in attempt to secure the required funding. With four hours left before the deadline, and Bolles is doing a tally of monies raised and they are three hundred dollars or so short of their goal, and all seems lost. A knock on the door comes and in enters the Coach of the University of California team. He asks how their fund raising is going to which Ulbrickson responds that they are three hundred dollars or thereabouts shy. To which the opposing Coach pulls out his cheque book and writes out a promissory note for the missing amount. Ulbrickson is gobsmacked by this gesture and left almost speechless. After he leaves, the rooms erupts into laughter and applause. 

One day following, Rantz is sitting in cafe with Joyce when he notices a man across the street loading planks of wood onto the back of his pick-up truck. He goes outside and talks to the man - his father Harry (Alec Newman) who abandoned him at the age of fourteen and left him to grow up very quickly on his own. His mother died when he was four. His father says that he moved to Southern California to find work but there was none and so he returned to Seattle two years ago, but never bothered to look up his son. He offers his son a job paying US$1 a day on his homestead instead of riding boats, to which Rantz turns away but not before Harry reminds his son that at fourteen years of age he went off to fight a war. 

Rantz grows distracted and in turn this impacts negatively on his rowing skills which sees his strokes fall out of synch with his other crew members. Ulbrickson gives Rantz an ultimatum to either shape up or ship out, to which Rantz replies with an 'I don't care'. With that Ulbrickson tells him to leave the crew, and brings in a replacement. Later, George Pocock asks Rantz to join him to apply a coat of polish to the underside of their boat. Pocock uses the analogy of carefully applying the polish with the grain of the wood so the boat will glide through the water and find its own path, and compares this to Rantz's line of thinking in turning his back on his crew. That evening Rantz approaches Ulbrickson and asks for his seat back, as he needs the camaraderie, the stability and the regime that he and the crew offer. Ulbrickson agrees.

And so the crew and the Coaches are off to Berlin for the August 1936 Olympic Games, with Rantz bidding a fond farewell to Joyce before boarding his train.  Shortly after arriving Don Hume falls sick, and is diagnosed with a virus infection, with Ulbrickson telling his other crew members to stay away from him for 24 hours. 

In the first semi-finals Hume pulls himself out of his sick bed and competes, ultimately winning the round against Great Britain, France, Japan and Czechoslovakia, so securing their place in the finals. Hume returns to his sick bed and also has a crisis of confidence. Two days later, the final comes and is attended by Adolf Hitler watching on as his German team have already won the single, doubles and four man rowing competitions. The crew are rowing for gold against Italy, Germany as the firm favourites, Great Britain, Hungary and Switzerland, with Team USA in the outside lane. 

The 2,000 meter race begins, with the USA being the last off the mark because Coxswain Bobby Moch didn't hear the off. They have a lot of ground to make up and Hume is paddling sluggishly and his mind is on other things. Moch gives the order to move up to 35 strokes per minute as the boat begins gathering momentum and moving through the field. He then orders 40 strokes per minute, and removes his loud hailer and talks directly to Hume (rowing from the seat directly in front of him) who is someplace else at that point. Eventually Hume snaps out of his malaise and comes good, at which point Moch ups the ante to 45 strokes per minute as the crew draw neck and neck with the Italian and German teams across the finish line in a photo finish. Hitler looks on awaiting a decision as the film print is hurriedly developed, as do the exhausted crew, Ulbrickson and Bolles and the world glued to the radio sets, including Joyce and Harry back home. When the cameraman appears he calls out 'America' as the gold medal winner, to which Hitler abruptly turns and leaves in disgust as Italy and then Germany are placed second and third respectively. Needless to say, Team USA, Ulbrickson and Bolles are elated.

With 'The Boys in the Boat' Director George Clooney is playing it safe by crafting a fairly predictable, by the numbers sports underdog story that sees the team triumph when all the odds were stacked against them. There is nothing new here that we haven't seen countless times before, and yet the central performances are solid and believable, there are moments of real tension, the production values capture the spirit of the era admirably at the height of the Great Depression and in those pre-WWII years, the race sequences are well executed and the film overall is serviceable and watchable. 

'The Boys in the Boat' merits three 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 January 2024

The 35th edition of the Palm Springs International Film Festival begins on Thursday 4th January and runs through until Monday 15th January. Launched in 1990, the Palm Springs International Film Festival (PSIFF) is a premier presenter of world cinema located in the beautiful Coachella Valley at the base of Mt. San Jacinto in southern California. The Festival brings together a sophisticated and diverse audience, including industry, film aficionados from across the country and filmmakers from around the world.

This years Opening Night Film is 'Wicked Little Letters' from the UK and Directed by Thea Sharrock and starring Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley and is set in the 1920's in Littlehampton, a British seaside town, and the residents are anonymously receiving shocking, creatively expletive-laden letters. Righteous churchgoer Edith is neighbour to free spirit Rose who is arrested for the crime. As the scandal escalates, the women of the town band together to solve the mystery. The Closing Night Film is 'Ex-Husbands' from the USA and Directed by Noah Pritzker and starring Griffin Dunne and James Norton, and here a newly divorced Dad finds himself at a Mexican beach resort where his about-to-be-married son has gathered his friends for a bachelor party that goes awry.

The 2024 Award Recipients are as follows :-

* The Vanguard Award goes to Martin Scorsese for 'Killers of the Flower Moon'.

* The Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actress goes to Emma Stone for 'Poor Things'.

* The Desert Palm Achievement Award, Actor goes to Cillian Murphy for 'Oppenheimer'.

* The Breakthrough Performance Award goes to Da'Vine Joy Randolph for 'The Holdovers'.

* Director of the Year Award goes to Greta Gerwig for 'Barbie'.

* Career Achievement Award goes to Jeffrey Wright for 'American Fiction'.

* International Star Award goes to Carey Mulligan for 'Maestro'. 

* Spotlight Award, Actor goes to Colman Domingo for 'Rustin'.

* Spotlight Award, Actress goes to Danielle Brooks for 'The Color Purple'.

* Chairman's Award goes to Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell for 'Barbie'.

* Icon Award goes to Paul Giamatti for 'The Holdovers'. 

For the complete run down of all the feature films, documentaries, events and awards at this years PSIFF you can go to the official website at : https://www.psfilmfest.org/

This week then we have three new movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, kicking off with a biographical drama offering from an acclaimed  Director that is set in the summer of 1957, with Enzo Ferrari's auto empire in crisis, the ex-racer turned entrepreneur pushes himself and his drivers to the edge as they launch into the Mille Miglia, a treacherous one thousand mile race across Italy. Then we have a biographical sports drama film set in the 1930's of how the University of Washington's rowing team, from their Depression-era beginnings went on to win gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics. And closing out the week there is a supernatural horror offering about a woman who swims in her pool at night and is terrorised by an evil spirit. 

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

'FERRARI' (Rated MA15+) - this American biographical sports drama film is Directed by Michael Mann and is based on the 1991 biography 'Enzo Ferrari: The Man, the Cars, the Races, the Machine' by motorsport journalist Brock Yates. Michael Mann's prior feature film making credits take in his Directorial debut in 1981 with 'Thief' which he would follow up with the likes of 'Manhunter' in 1986, 'The Last of the Mohicans' in 1992, 'Heat' in 1995, 'The Insider' in 1999, 'Ali' in 2001, 'Collateral' in 2004, 'Miami Vice' in 2006 and 'Public Enemies' in 2009. 'Ferrari' was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival, where it Premiered at the end of August last year, before its wide cinema release in the US on 25th December, having so far grossed close to US$15M from a production budget of US$95M and garnering generally favourable reviews. 

The film follows the personal and professional struggles of Enzo Ferrari (Adam Driver), the Italian founder of the car manufacturer Ferrari S.p.A., during the summer of 1957. Reeling from the death of his son Dino (Benedetto Benedettini), the deteriorating marriage with his wife Laura (Penelope Cruz), his struggled acknowledgement of his second son Piero (Giuseppe Festinese) with his mistress Lina (Shailene Woodley), and his company's impending bankruptcy, he enters his racing team to the 1957 Mille Miglia - the 24th edition of the auto race held on a course totalling 992.332 miles (1,597.004 km), made up entirely of public roads around Italy, mostly on the outer parts of the country on 11th and 12th May 1957. The route was based on a round trip between Brescia and Rome, with start/finish in Brescia. Also starring Patrick Dempsey and Jack O'Connell.

'THE BOYS IN THE BOAT' (Rated PG) - is an American biographical sports drama film Co-Produced and Directed by George Clooney and is based on the 2013 book of the same name by Daniel James Brown. Clooney's previous feature film Directorial credits take in his debut with 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind' in 2002 then 'Good Night, and Good Luck' in 2005, 'Leatherheads' in 2008, 'The Ides of March' in 2011, 'The Monuments Men' in 2014, 'Suburbicon' in 2017, 'The Midnight Sky' in 2020 and 'The Tender Bar' in 2021. This true story is about the 1936 University of Washington rowing team that competed for gold at the Summer Olympics in Berlin. The film follows a group of underdogs at the height of the Great Depression including the coach Al Ulbrickson (Joel Edgerton), boatbuilder George Pocock (Peter Guinness), and the working class student athletes involved, especially rower Joe Rantz (Callum Turner), who was effectively abandoned by his family and left to fend for himself at a young age,  as they are thrust into the spotlight and take on elite rivals from around the world. The film saw its official World Premiere screening in LA on on 11th December, went on wide release in the US from 25th December, is released this week here in Australia and in the UK from 12th January, having so far grossed US$25M from its production budget of US$40M, and generated mixed or average reviews.

'NIGHT SWIM' (Rated M) - this supernatural horror film is written for the screen and Directed by Bryce McGuire in his feature film Directing debut, and is based on the low-budget five minute 2014 short film of the same name by McGuire and Rod Blackhurst. Forced into early retirement by a degenerative illness, former baseball player Ray Waller (Wyatt Russell) moves into a new house with his wife Eve (Kerry Condon) and two children Izzy and Elliot (Amelie Hoeferie and Gavin Warren respectively). He hopes that the backyard swimming pool will be fun for the kids and provide physical therapy for himself. However, a dark secret from the home's past soon unleashes a malevolent force that drags the family into the depths of inescapable terror. The film is released Stateside this week too. 

With three 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-

THE FLASH : Tuesday 13th June 2023.

I saw the M Rated 'THE FLASH' at an early screening this week two days ahead of its official worldwide release. This much hyped and eagerly awaited American Superhero film is based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is intended to be the thirteenth instalment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and is Directed by Andy Muschietti whose previous feature film making credits take in his debut with 2013's 'Mama', then the Stephen King novel adaptation of 'It' in 2017 and 'It Chapter Two' in 2019. This film is released in the US this week also, following multiple delays caused by Director changes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and post-production setbacks. It had a production budget of about US$220M, and has garnered mixed or average reviews.

The film opens up with a Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) late for work and hurriedly walking into his local cafe to collect his usually pre-prepared breakfast from the obliging female assistant working the counter, but on this day she is off sick and so his breakfast has not been prepared. He painstakingly looks at his watch and gives the young male assistant his order who would rather pass the time of day chatting than prep up his morning sustenance. Barry's phone rings and it is Batman's trusted butler and assistant Alfred (Jeremy Irons) demanding that he is urgently needed in Gotham City to attend a robbery at a hospital where the thieves have made off with a suitcase containing vials of a deadly virus. While waiting for his order Barry reluctantly asks whether Batman can attend to the scene or Wonder Woman even, but both are it seems indisposed. Barry makes his exit to the bathroom and appears out in the street as The Flash. What follows is The Flash's superspeed run to Gotham City to attend to the hospital that has seen a huge sinkhole appear immediately outside and the entire wing of the hospital about to come crashing down into it. Of course high up in the hospital tower is a suite containing several new born babies, a nurse and a therapy dog who all go crashing out the plate glass window as the side of the building begins to topple. But, with The Flash on the scene he is able to save all the babies, the nurse and the dog and bring them to safety on the ground. 

In the meantime the Batman (Ben Affleck) has arrived on his Batbike and is chasing down the villains through the streets of Gotham, amongst much vehicular carnage, the exchange of rapid gunfire, mortars and burning rubber. Eventually, Batman brings the last villain to heel while dangling off a bridge with the villain holding onto Batman by his fingertips and Alfred blurting down the phone to not allow the case of virus vials to fall into the river. Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) appears and using her lasso of truth hauls Batman and the villain to safety. Job done, the city saved and the three part ways with The Flash returning to the cafe just a few minutes later for the assistant to hand over his custom made breakfast. 

Barry then goes to work and is chastised by his boss for being late - a perpetual habit it seems. Later, as The Flash, Barry revisits his childhood home where he fondly remembers his parents Nora (Maribel Verdu) and Henry (Ron Livingstone). Nora sends Henry out to the local supermarket to buy an extra can of tomatoes for a special pasta sauce she is making. With the young Barry upstairs in his bedroom, he sees his father return and hears his mother scream out. Rushing down to the kitchen, Barry sees his mother slumped against the kitchen cabinet with a knife sticking out of her stomach and his father holding the knife yelling out for Barry to call 911. However, Henry is accused of her murder and imprisoned, with the trial set for tomorrow. Barry speaks with Henry over the phone, with Henry telling his son that the court case is a foregone conclusion and that all the odds are firmly stacked against him, just before the phone call is cut off automatically.

Racked with emotional turmoil, Barry inadvertently runs at such a speed that he travels back in time, and upon returning to the present day has a conversation with Bruce Wayne about it, saying that he can change the past and save his mother and father, and that he could do likewise for Bruce and save his parents too. But Bruce explains that if you mess with the past you can cause untold damage to the future, and to drop the idea. At that Bruce jumps back into his Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 and drives off. Despite Bruce's warnings The Flash goes back to the time of Nora's death, and changes the outcome so that she lives.

When The Flash attempts to get back to the present-day, he winds up in an alternate 2013 where Nora is alive. Barry greets his parents warmly and settles down for dinner over a bowl of pasta, but through the kitchen window he sees his past self approaching the house. He quickly dashes outside and intercepts his younger self. After explaining the realities of time travel to a bewildered younger Barry, he realises he is in the day of the lab accident that bestowed upon Barry his powers - 29th September. And so the older Barry takes the younger Barry to the Central City Police Department where he helps give his younger self his powers during a freak storm in which a lightning bolt strikes the side of the building through a window and smashing a mix of chemical bottles spilling all over him, but in the process, the older Barry looses his powers. Older Barry attempts to train younger Barry in the use of his powers but has trouble doing so, as his younger self is a lot more impetuous. Later with the pair out in the city, they learn via TV news broadcasts, of General Zod’s (Michael Shannon) invasion on Earth. And so the two Barry’s go to Wayne Manor in the hopes of locating Batman, as the pair need all the help they can get if they are to save our little green planet from destruction.

Entering the somewhat run down and neglected Wayne Manor, they find an alternate version of Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) who has long since given up on crime fighting since Gotham has become one of the safest cities in the country. However, explaining the predicament the two Barry's now find themselves in, they convince him to help them find Superman who is being held captive in a Russian base high up in the Arctic Circle. 

Upon gaining entry to the base they eventually find the massive steel sphere that Superman is encased in. Instead though of finding Superman, they find his cousin Kara Zor-El (Sasha Calle) who is physically weakened and mentally drained, but they rescue her anyway. After doing so and escaping through the roof of the base, Kara quickly recovers her powers when exposed to the sun's solar energy, and she almost single handedly dispenses with the small army of Russian soldiers guarding the base. The older Barry asks Bruce to help him get his powers back by recreating the accident that bestowed him those powers in the first place. The first attempt fails and nearly kills Barry prompting Kara aka Supergirl, to fly Barry into the storm and get struck by lightning which has the desired effect.

Supergirl and Batman join the two Barry's in attempting to defeat Zod, who by now has begun the process of destroying Earth. During the battle with Zod, Supergirl learns that Zod killed the infant Kal-El when his pod got knocked off course. She is naturally enraged. Just as Supergirl overpowers Zod and seemingly gains the upper hand, Zod manages to kill her and take a sample of her blood which he will use to revitalise the dying planet Krypton. Batman meanwhile sacrifices himself to save the Barry's.

The younger Barry insists he travel back in time to save them both and does so multiple times but keeps failing, each time becoming a slightly darker unhinged version of himself, and as the time continuum becomes increasingly fragmented. The older Barry tries to reason with the dark Flash but his attempts prove futile in the Speed Force as the multiverse begins to implode, but not before older Barry has visions of alternate Supermen (Christopher Reeve, Adam West, George Reeves and Nicolas Cage). A future version of Dark Flash then arrives to kill his younger self, so saving the multiverse and restoring the equilibrium. 

In the aftermath, Barry fixes the timeline and reconciles himself with his mother's death. Back in the present day new evidence is provided in Henry's court case so earning him his freedom. Outside the court house Barry is met by his former girlfriend, Iris West (Kiersey Clemons) who asks him out on date at which he quickly responds with a resounding yes, after which Bruce Wayne pulls up in his Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 who is not the Ben Affleck version of the character, but the George Clooney version. If you sit in your seat right until the end credits have rolled, you'll see a scene in which Barry is assisting a very drunken Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) while telling him of his recent experiences. 

'The Flash' is arguably one of the best DCEU big screen adaptations to date and Director Andy Muschietti has proved himself more than capable in helming a cinematic extravaganza such as this. The action sequences are exactly what we have all come to expect from a Superhero movie, and the CGI rendering whilst not perfect is passable. Ezra Miller is well cast in the role of dual Barry Allen's/The Flash and seeing Michael Keaton reprise his role as Batman for the first time in thirty years is a real trip down memory lane, whilst nods to former Batmen and Supermen also adds to the nostalgia, but is probably there more for the fan service than to add any weight to the plot lines. There are moments of real humour and emotion interspersed between the action set pieces that help elevate this final instalment in the DCEU, before new joint CEO's James Gunn and Peter Safran's new franchise - the DCU rolls out, above many of the also-rans that have gone before. The final act is long and drawn out however, and overly repetitive, and just how many more films do we need to have in this genre that feature a multiverse for Chrissakes - after all we've had two in the last two weeks, plus a whole bunch more in recent years. Nonetheless, 'The Flash' is certainly worth the price of your movie ticket. 

'The Flash' 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 10th December 2020.

The fifth International Film Festival and Awards Macao, China (IFFAM) recently ended its run this year, from 3rd through 8th December. This years festival was seen entirely online, as IFFAM Artistic Director Mike Goodridge commented 'The unprecedented challenges of 2020 may mean that we can’t play IFFAM’s programme in theatres and we can’t welcome any international guests to Macao, but that will not stop us delivering this superb selection of thirty-one films to audiences in Macao and Hong Kong on our dedicated online platform'. Films were screened and streamed with introductions from Directors and were available for upto 48 hours after rental. 

The International Competition section for first and second time Directors, takes in eleven feature films. These are :-

* 'Back To The Wharf' from China and Directed by Xiaofeng Li,
* 'Black Light' from Korea and Directed by Bae Jong-dae,
* 'The Cloud In Her Room' from China and Directed by Xinyuan Zheng Lu,
* 'Falling' from the USA, Canada and Denmark and Directed by Viggo Mortensen,
* 'Love Poem' from China and Directed by Xiaozhen Wang,

* 'Servants' from the Czech Republic and Directed by Ivan Ostrochovsky,
* 'Short' from Denmark and Directed by Frederik Louis Hviid and Anders Olholm,
* 'Spring Blossom' from France and Directed by Suzanne Lindon,
* 'Sweat' from Poland and Directed by Magnus von Horn,
* 'Tragic Jungle' from Mexico and Directed by Yulene Olaizola,
* 'Limbo' from the UK and Directed by Ben Sharrock.

Other sections include the World Panorama strand, featuring Thomas Vinterberg’s 'Another Round', Kelly Reichardt’s 'First Cow', Venice hits 'Quo Vadis, Aida?' from Jasmila Zbanic, 'Sun Children' from Majid Majidi and 'A Balance' by Yujiro Harumoto, which won the New Currents section at Busan.

The Special Presentations section included the Chinese blockbuster 'My People My Homeland', French animated film 'Calamity' Directed by Remi Chaye, Japanese comedy 'Tonkatsu DJ Agetaro' Directed by Ken Ninomiya, documentary '76 Days' about the struggles of frontline medical professionals battling the COVID-19 pandemic in Wuhan, and short film 'A Dream Of A Lifetime' about Alex Fong’s challenge to swim 45km around Hong Kong in aid of the ‘A Drop of Life’ charity.

For more information on this years 5th annual IFFAM, you can visit the official website at : https://www.iffamacao.com

This week, we have five latest release new feature films to tease you out to your local air conditioned Odeon on a hot and humid Australian Summer evening. We kick off with the second big screen adaptation of a much loved children's book from 1983 that sees a young lad cross paths with the leader of the world's witches and her nefarious vast coven of likeminded evil doers. Next up we have an Aussie Western set in the closing years of the 19th Century that sees a man on the run team up with a cameleer in Western Australia needing to get somewhere quick to melt down two stolen gold bars. We then turn to a Sci-Fi drama concerning an apocalyptic event, a returning crew of astronauts and possibly the last man on Earth as he struggles to make contact to prevent them from landing back home. This is followed up by a romantic drama about a teenager diagnosed with a mental illness who finds love in his last year at High School, and how that girl shows him how not to be defined by his diagnosis. And we close out the week with a superhero offering about a superhero who has lost his superpowers when travelling through a dimension to land on our little blue planet, and how he befriends a teenager to take down a crime lord.  

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 or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the coming week.

'THE WITCHES' (Rated M) - this dark fantasy comedy film is Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Written for the screen by Robert Zemeckis, whose previous film making outings take in the likes of 'Back to the Future : Parts I, II and III', 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit', 'Forrest Gump', 'Contact', 'Cast Away', 'The Polar Express', 'Beowulf', 'Flight', 'Allied' and 'Welcome to Marwen' most recently. This film is the second big screen treatment of the 1983 novel of the same name by Roald Dahl, following the 1990 film Directed by Nicolas Roeg with Anjelica Huston in the title role. Released in the US on HBO Max in late October, the film saw its limited international cinematic release from the end of October, having so far taken US$17M at the Box Office and garnered generally mixed or average Reviews. 

It is 1968, and a young orphaned boy (Jahzir Kadeem Bruno) goes to live with his loving grandma (Octavia Spencer) in the rural Alabama town of Demopolis. As the boy and his grandmother encounter some deceptively glamorous but thoroughly diabolical witches, headed up by the Grand High Witch (Anne Hathaway), she wisely whisks him away to a seaside resort. Regrettably, they arrive at precisely the same time that the world's Grand High Witch has gathered her fellow cronies from across the world to carry out her undercover nefarious plans. Also starring Stanley Tucci, Kristen Chenoweth and the voice of Chris Rock as the narrator. It should be noted that this film adaptation takes place in Alabama during the 1960's, instead of the novel's 1980's England and Norway, and the boy protagonist is African-American, instead of Norwegian-British like the boy in the original novel and previous iterations.

'THE FURNACE' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian drama film is Directed and Written by Roderick MacKay in his feature filmmaking debut following two short films - 2011's 'Trigger' and 2014's 'Factory 293'. Set in 1897 Western Australia, to escape a harsh existence and return home, a young Afghan cameleer Hanif (Ahmed Malek) and his Indian mentor Jundah (Kauskih Das) join forces with a mysterious bushman Mal (David Wenham) on the run with two 400oz Crown-marked gold bars. Together the unlikely pair must outwit a zealous police officer, Sergeant Shaw (Jay Ryan) and his troopers in a race to reach a secret furnace - the one place where they can safely reset the bars to remove the mark of the Crown. Also starring Erik Thomson, Baykali Ganambarr and Samson Coulter. The film has generated mostly positive critical acclaim so far.  

'THE MIDNIGHT SKY' (Rated M) - here this Science Fiction fantasy drama film is Directed, Co-Produced and stars George Clooney whose previous Directorial outings include 'Confessions of a Dangerous Mind' in 2002 and his debut, 'Good Night, and Good Luck' in 2005, 'The Ides of March' in 2011, 'The Monuments Men' in 2014 and 'Suburbicon' in 2017 most recently. Based on the 2016 novel 'Good Morning, Midnight' by Lily Brooks-Dalton, the film is due fro release on streaming service Netflix from 23td December onward and now gets a limited theatrical release ahead of that date. Here, following an incident of apocalyptic proportions, a lonely scientist, Augustine Lofthouse (George Clooney) based on an Arctic station races against the clock to prevent Sully (Felicity Jones) and her fellow astronauts aboard the NASA space ship 'Aether' from returning home back to Earth, which is now a very different place from when they took off on their mission due to a mysterious global catastrophe. Also starring Kyle Chandler, David Oyelowo, Sophie Rundle, Ethan Peck and Demian Bechir, and Caoilinn Springall as the child Iris.

'WORDS ON BATHROOM WALLS' (Rated M) - this American romantic drama film is Directed and Co-Produced by Thor Freudenthal whose previous film making credits are 'Hotel for Dogs' in 2009, 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' in 2010, and 'Percy Jackson : Sea of Monsters' in 2014. Based on the novel of the same name by Julia Walton, this film saw its US release towards the back end of August, has so far recouped US$3M off the back of its US$9.5M budget outlay and has garnered generally favourable Reviews. Here, diagnosed with a mental illness during his senior year of high school, Adam Petrazelli (Charlie Plummer) a witty, introspective teen struggles to keep it a secret while falling in love with a brilliant classmate Maya Arnez (Taylor Russell) who inspires him to open his heart and not be defined by his condition. Also starring Andy Garcia, Molly Parker, Walton Goggins, Beth Grant and AnnaSophia Robb. 

'ARCHENEMY' (Rated MA15+) - Directed and Written by Adam Egypt Mortimer whose prior film making outings take in 2015's 'Some Kind of Hate' and 2019's 'Daniel Isn't Real' here brings us this independent superhero mystery thriller offering, that is released Stateside this week too. Here, a teenager who goes by the moniker Hamster (Skylan Brooks) meets a mysterious man named Max Fist (Joe Manganiello, who also Co-Produces here together with Elijah Wood), who claims he lost his superpowers after arriving from another dimension. Together, they take to the streets to wipe out a vicious crime boss known as The Manager (Glenn Howerton) and his local drug syndicate. Also starring Luis Kelly-Duarte and Paul Scheer.

With five 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 26th October 2017.

With the release of 'Thor : Ragnarok' this week, and as Previewed below, this brings to a close the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie releases for 2017 following on from 'Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2' and 'Spider-Man : Homecoming' seen earlier this year. So what Superhero offerings do we have to look forward to in the coming years from the MCU? Shown below, is what we know so far on the cards for release over the next few years or in development either from the direct MCU or the periphery.
* 'Black Panther' - due in February 2018, Directed by Ryan Coogler and staring Patrick Boseman as T'Challa/Black Panther with Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and Andy Serkis.
* 'The New Mutants' - due in April 2018, Directed by Josh Boone and starring Anya Taylor-Joy as Illyana Rasputin/Majik, Maisie Williams as Rahne Sinclair/Wolfsbaine, Charlie Heaton as Sam Guthrie/Canonball, Henry Zaga as Roberto da Costa/Sunspot and Blu Hunt as Danielle Moonstar/Mirage.


* 'Avengers : Infinity War, Part 1' - due in May 2018, Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and starring all the usual Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy suspects and Josh Brolin as Thanos.
* 'Deadpool 2' - due in June 2018, Directed by David Leitch and starring Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool.

* 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' - due in July 2018, Directed by Peyton Reed, and staring Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man and Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne/Wasp with Bobby Cannavale, Michale Pena, Michael Douglas, Laurence Fishburn, Walton Goggins and Michelle Pfeiffer.
* 'X-Men : Dark Phoenix' - due in November 2018, Directed by Simon Kinberg and starring Sophie Turner as Jean Grey/Dark Phoenix, with all the usual X-Men suspects returning from the more recent films.
* 'Gambit' - due in February 2019, Directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Channing Tatum as Remy LeBeau/Gambit.
* 'Captain Marvel' - due in March 2019, Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck and starring Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel.
* 'Avengers : Infinity War, Part 2' - due in May 2019, Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and starring all the usual Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy suspects and Josh Brolin as Thanos.
* 'Spider-Man : Homecoming 2' - due in July 2019, Directed by Jon Watts and starring Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man.
* 'Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3' - due in 2020, Directed by James Gunn, and starring all the usual Guardians suspects.
* Also reportedly in the works are 'Inhumans' that has been on again off again and 'Venom' supposedly Directed by Ruben Fleisher and starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock/Venom.

This week, with five new release movies to choose from, we kick start with a MCU Superhero offering that sees this particular hero down on his luck and fighting for his survival and that of his lands and his people; then an outwardly quite peaceful community is turned upside down when an inwardly corrupt underbelly of violence and corruption manifests itself; followed up by a WWII drama of the lengths ordinary people will go to to protect the life of an innocent; then a black dramedy about the power of social media and the impact upon two very different lives when they come together; and closing out with a French film of two women who share a connection with the same man and come to rely on each other for different reasons.

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

'THOR : RAGNAROK' (Rated M) - this is the third film in the 'Thor' franchise and the seventeenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and has been much hyped, keenly awaited and highly anticipated since the first trailers were released and New Zealander Taika Waititi was announced for Directing duties. With a production budget of US$180M and filmed largely at Australia's Gold Coast film studios, the film has already received largely positive press, hailing it the best of the three so far, ahead of its US release in early November, and its Australian release this week. The first two films in the series, 2011's 'Thor' and 2013's 'Thor : The Dark World' were made for a combined US$303M and grossed between them close to US$1.1B, so expectations are running high for this instalment. By way of a lesson into Norse mythology, Ragnarok is a series of future events, including a great battle, foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures (including the gods Odin, Thor and Loki), the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water. Following such a cataclysmic event, the world will resurface afresh, renewed and fertile, the surviving and returning gods will meet, and the world will be repopulated by two human survivors.

This film then, is set four years after the events of 'Thor: The Dark World', and two years following on from 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'. Here we find Thor (Chris Hemsworth), held captive on the planet Sakaar without his hammer Mjolnir. He is forced into a gladiatorial duel, which he must win, against an old friend, the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in order to return to his home realm of Asgard in time to stop the villainous Hela, Thor's sister and Goddess of Death, who has been inadvertently released from prison where she has been locked away for the past few millennia (Cate Blanchett) and the impending Ragnarok, the end of all Asgardian civilisation. Also reprising their roles from previous films are Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Idris Elba as Heimdall, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange with Jeff Goldblum as Grandmaster (one of the Elders of the Universe), Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Karl Urban as Skurge, Director Taika Waititi plays a MoCap stone creature Korg, and of course Stan Lee has his trademark cameo appearance. Sounds like a whole lotta fun, with Taika Waititi adding his own unique flavour to this film, which has already won over the Critics.

'SUBURBICON' (Rated MA15+) - here we have a crime comedy caper Directed by George Clooney and Co-Produced and Co-Written by him too with his other frequent scribing collaborators Joel and Ethan Coen, and Grant Heslov. The film had its World Premier screening at the Venice Film Festival in early September where it was in main competition, and then it screened too at the more recent Toronto International Film Festival, and is due for release in the US this week too, as it is here in Australia. The film has been in gestation for many years, having been written initially by the Coen brothers with Joel Silver way back in 1986 shortly after the release of their first film 'Blood Simple'. In 2005 it was reported that Clooney would Direct and star in the film, and twelve years later that goal is finally realised. Set in the peaceful, harmonious, sharing, caring community of Suburbicon with its picket fences, affordable housing, lush manicured lawns and clean leafy streets, it is the summer of 1959. The Lodge family - Gardner, and his wife Margaret (Matt Damon and Julianne Moore respectively) and their young family are living the idyllic life until a home invasion on the Lodge household sends the prefect nuclear family into a tailspin, leaving Gardner to navigate the town's dark and hidden core of deceit, violence and betrayal. Also starring Oscar Isaac, the film has so far received lacklustre Reviews.

'ANOTHER MOTHER'S SON' (Rated PG) - this British WWII drama film is based on a true story from the German occupied Channel Islands, and is Directed by Christopher Menaul. The film Premiered in London back in March this year and now gets a limited release in Australia. Telling the story set on the island of Jersey, Louisa Gould (Jenny Seagrove) hides an escaped young Russian PoW, Feodor 'Bill' Burriy (Julian Kostov) by secreting him away from the German forces for the duration of the war. As the war effort increases and it becomes evident that Churchill will not risk an assault on the Channel Islands to recapture the British soil, the island dwellers spirit starts to subside under the pressure of hunger, occupation and oppression. Against these very trying circumstances, Louisa battles to safeguard her family's sense of humanity, and to protect the Russian boy as if he was one of her own children. Also starring John Hannah, Ronan Keating and Susan Hampshire.

'INGRID GOES WEST' (Rated MA15+) - Directed and Co-Written by Matt Spicer this black comedy drama film Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January this year, had its Australian Premier at this years Sydney Film Festival, was released Stateside back in August and now arrives at selected Australian cinemas having so far grossed US$3M and received generally positive Reviews. The story here centres around young Ingrid Thorburn (Aubrey Plaza), who after the death of her mother and a series of self-imposed personal setbacks in her life, decides to cut lose of her dead end no hope existence by moving out West to get to know her social media obsession, a Los Angeles social mover and shaker named Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olson). After a quick bond is forged between these unlikely new friends, the facade slowly begins to crack in both their lives with comically malicious results. Also starring O'Shea Jackson, Wyatt Russell and Billy Magnussen.

'THE MIDWIFE' (Rated PG) - here we have a French foreign language offering that Premiered out of competition at this years Berlin Film Festival back in February, was released in France at the end of March and has so far recovered just under US$6M from its US$8M budget outlay. Directed and written for the screen by Martin Provost, this film tells the story of Claire Breton (Catherine Frot) a stressed and up tight midwife who has dramas on going in both her work and her personal lives, who forms an unlikely friendship with Beatrice Sobo dite Sobolevski (Catherine Deneuve), the free-spirited, sensual mistress of her late father. Though complete opposite personalities, the two women come to count on each other after Beatrice reveals that she has brain cancer, and has no one else to turn to. What is Claire to do when confronted with such a predicament and when faced either with rejection or her sense of duty? Starring also Olivier Gourmet and Quentin Dolmaire as Simon, Claire's student aged son.

With five new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, taking in the third instalment in this popular MCU Superhero franchise, a comedy crime offering, a WWII drama, a commentary on the influence of social media and a foreign language film of a midwife and a mistress.  Remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephiles afterwards here at Odeon Online, and in the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-