HOW TO MAKE A KILLING : Tuesday 17th March 2026

I saw the M Rated 'HOW TO MAKE A KILLING' earlier this week, and this French and UK Co-Produced black comedy thriller film is Written and Directed by John Patton Ford in only his second feature film making outing following 'Emily the Criminal' in 2022. This film is based on the Roy Horniman 1907 novel 'Israel Rank : The Autobiography of a Criminal' which in turn was used as the basis of the Screenplay of the highly-regarded 1949 black comedy 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' Directed by Robert Hamer and starring Alec Guinness playing all eight members of the family whom he must kill off to inherit the family fortune. This film was released in the US in mid-February, was released here in Australia on 5th March, in the UK on 11th March, and upcoming in France on 25th March. The film has so far received mixed or average critical reviews, and has grossed US$9M from its US$15M production budget.

Convicted of murder and waiting to be put to death in a little over 24 hours, Becket Redfellow (Glen Powell, who also Co-Produces here), recounts his story to a priest, Father Morris (Adrian Lukis) on how he came to be there in the first place. As a child, Becket (Grady Wilson) is raised by his single mother, Mary (Nell Williams), who was outcast from her wealthy Redfellow family for choosing to keep her teenage pregnancy at just eighteen years of age. As a young lad, Becket befriends the more well to do Julia Steinway (Maggie Toomey). Prior to her death in hospital, Mary stresses to young Becket that he should fight for the life he 'deserves' to have.

One day, a now adult Becket who works as a suit salesman in a bespoke tailors shop is noticed by a now married Julia (Margaret Qualley) who by chance is in the shop looking for suits for her husband. They briefly catch-up on each others lives having not seen one another for many many years. Later Becket gets  demoted from his job as a suit salesman, and pushed out to the company warehouse, whereupon he promptly resigns. Becket decides to eliminate the remaining Redfellows in order to claim his inheritance to the family fortune which runs into the tens of billions of dollars.

Becket first kills his cousin Taylor (Raff Law), an investment banker, by tying an anchor to his leg while he sleeps off a hangover on his private motor boat and tosses the anchor overboard taking Taylor with it. Becket then meets Taylor's father Warren (Bill Camp) at the funeral, who offers him Taylor's old job at his financial investment firm. While planning the murder of his other cousin Noah (Zach Woods), an artist, Becket befriends Noah's girlfriend Ruth (Jessica Henwick). After killing Noah, by rigging an explosion in his photographic dark room, two FBI agents approach Becket, discussing the two suspicious deaths, though they do not accuse Becket of murder. Becket pretends to not know whether he is eligible for the inheritance. Julia appears in Becket's office, claiming her husband Lyle is broke and asks for a US$300K loan, which he denies. 

Becket and Ruth begin dating and move in together into a lavish high-rise apartment, now that he has moved onward and upward in his new job. Despite being welcomed with open arms by Warren, rapidly promoted in his job and content with his relationship with Ruth, Becket kills three more Redfellows -  cousin Steven (Topher Grace), aunt Cassandra (Bianca Amato), and uncle MacArthur (Alexander Hanson). Warren, who Becket is unable to bring himself to kill because of the kindness and generosity he had shown him, has a heart attack and dies as they are both leaving the office one day reeling from a looming financial crisis, leaving only one more living Redfellow, Becket's grandfather Whitelaw (Ed Harris).

Whitelaw sends a personal invitation to Becket for dinner at his mansion on the night of Becket and Ruth's engagement party. He calls Ruth to explain that he must attend and she makes him promise to be home by 7:00pm which he agrees to. Julia reveals to Becket that she has photographic evidence of his murders, which she will reveal unless he gives her the US$300K she had asked for previously, and that this must be delivered personally by him to her husband Lyle (James Frecheville) at his place of work. Becket complies, going to Lyle's office to hand-deliver a cheque to him. Becket forgoes his engagement party to go to the mansion, where he meets Whitelaw, who locks the doors and attempts to kill him with a WWI pump action shotgun. Becket kills Whitelaw in self-defence using a bow and arrow taken from an arrangement hanging on the wall. This makes Becket the sole inheritor to the family fortune. At a celebratory party at the mansion, Becket is approached again by the FBI agents, who arrest him for the murder of Lyle, who was found stabbed to death in his office using a letter opener that Becket touched when he delivered the cheque, leaving fingerprint evidence.

With the clock counting down the hours until his execution, Julia visits Becket in jail. During their timed three minute meeting, she tells him that there was a suicide note written by Lyle that was withheld from the trial. Becket pressures Julia to release the note, which she agrees to only if Becket signs over the entire Redfellow fortune to her. Becket reluctantly agrees, and signs the necessary paperwork from his jail cell. Julia then releases the note as promised. With Becket's innocence now without question, he is set free. Ruth waits for him outside the prison, only to return his mother's locket to him containing a lock of her hair as a keepsake. She leaves afterwards without saying a word to Becket and speeds off in her beat up old car. Becket sees Julia waiting for him with the Redfellow family driver, and the pair travel to the Redfellow family mansion together in the comfort of a Rolls Royce.

As a big almost life long fan of 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' I left the movie theatre feeling underwhelmed by this modern 21st century set in New York retelling that is 'How to Make a Killing'. On the plus side Glen Powell gives an OK frequently smirking like the proverbial Cheshire Cat performance backed up by the always dependable Margaret Qualley and Ed Harris, with the latter being banished to the penultimate sequence in which he perishes courtesy of two well aimed arrows. On the downside however, the six murders are all wrapped up with relative ease, are totally bloodless, and are skirted over like they've been concocted by a ten year old with access to Google. The script would have benefitted too from a little more polish, and being just a tad nastier, more witty, and less predictable. In summary, the film has all the touchstones to be greater than the sum of its parts . . . it just fails to hit them.

'How to Make a Killing' merits two claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 5th March 2026.

The 32nd Actor Awards, formerly known as the Screen Actors Guild Awards, honour the best achievements in film and television performances for the year 2025, and was presented on Sunday 1st March at the Shrine Auditorium and Expo Hall in Los Angeles, California. Actress Kristen Bell hosted the ceremony for the third time, after previously hosting in 2018 and 2025. This was the first ceremony in which the awards are titled the 'Actor Awards'. The official website stated that 'changing its name to better reflect its true spirit and position as the only industry honour given to Actors, by Actors'. 

In the film categories, the winners and grinners, and the also rans, were as follows :-

* Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role - awarded to Michael B. Jordan for 'Sinners', beating out Timothee Chalamet for 'Marty Supreme', Leonardo DiCaprio for 'One Battle After Another', Ethan Hawke for 'Blue Moon' and Jesse Plemons for 'Bugonia'. 

* Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role - awarded to Jessie Buckley for 'Hamnet', beating out Rose Byrne for 'If I Had Legs I'd Kick You', Kate Hudson for 'Song Sung Blue', Chase Infiniti for 'One Battle After Another' and Emma Stone for 'Bugonia'. 

* Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role - presented to Sean Penn for 'One Battle After Another', beating out Miles Caton for 'Sinners', Benicio del Toro for 'One Battle After Another', Jacob Elordi for 'Frankenstein' and Paul Mescal for 'Hamnet'.

* Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role - awarded to Amy Madigan for 'Weapons', beating out Odessa A'zion for 'Marty Supreme', Ariana Grande for 'Wicked : For Good', Wunmi Mosaku for 'Sinners' and Teyana Taylor for 'One Battle After Another'.

* Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture - presented to the cast of 'Sinners', beating out 'Frankenstein', 'Hamnet', 'Marty Supreme' and 'One Battle After Another'.

* Outstanding Action Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture - awarded to 'Mission : Impossible - The Final Reckoning', beating out 'F1', 'Frankenstein', 'Sinners' and 'One Battle After Another'. 

The SAG-AFTRA Award (Screen Actors Guild-American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) for Lifetime Achievement was presented to Harrison Ford, by Woody Harrelson.

For the full run down of the television awards and a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.actorawards.org

Turning back then to this weeks slate of eight new movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we begin with a black comedy thriller in which a mild-mannered blue collar worker needs to dispense with seven relatives to claim his right to a staggering US$28B family fortune which was denied to him at birth. Then we turn to a Gothic romance film set in 1930's Chicago where a groundbreaking scientist brings a murdered young woman back to life to be a companion for Frankenstein's monster. Next up we have a Taiwanese supernatural horror offering that has a VR video game designer who finds a partially damaged clay doll and takes it home, with potentially deathly consequences for him and his expectant wife. This is followed by a drama film that sees an older couple on a reflective trip to Amsterdam that uncovers long-held secrets; followed by a romantic drama thriller telling the story of a promising undercover agent who is assigned to lure and arrest gay men, and who defies professional orders when he falls in love with a target. Up next is a Tunisian and French highly acclaimed docudrama that follows the Red Crescent response during the killing of a six-year-old Palestinian girl, by the Israel Defence Forces during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip. Following on there is a mockumentary about a rising pop sensation who navigates the complexities of fame and industry pressures while preparing for her arena tour debut; and closing out the week we have an Aussie doco that tells the story of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, 25 years after its darkest chapter in 1998, when six sailors lost their lives.

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

'HOW TO MAKE A KILLING' (Rated M) - this French and UK Co-Produced black comedy thriller film is Written and Directed by John Patton Ford in only his second feature film making outing following 'Emily the Criminal' in 2022. This film is based on the Roy Horniman 1907 novel 'Israel Rank : The Autobiography of a Criminal' which in turn was used as the basis of the Screenplay of the highly-regarded 1949 black comedy 'Kind Hearts and Coronets' with Alec Guinness playing all eight members of the family whom he must kill off to inherit the family fortune. This film was released in the US in mid-February, is released in the UK on 11th March 2026, and in France on 25th March. The film has so far received mixed or average critical reviews, and has grossed US$6M from its US$15M production budget.

Disowned at birth by his obscenely wealthy family, blue-collar Becket Redfellow (Glen Powell) will stop at nothing to reclaim his inheritance of US$28B, and with seven relatives standing in his way, only his close friend, the affluent Julia Steinway (Margaret Qualley) may be his only get out of jail free card. Also starring Jessica Henwick, Bill Camp, Ed Harris, Topher Grace and Zach Woods. 

'THE BRIDE' (Rated MA15+) - is an American Gothic romance film that is Written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal in only her second Directorial outing following 2021's 'The Lost Daughter', although she has acted in numerous film, television and theatre roles over the years, and has been recognised in many award wins and nominations too. The film draws inspiration from the 1935 film 'Bride of Frankenstein', which was based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel 'Frankenstein'. Set in 1930's Chicago, Frankenstein's monster (Christian Bale) asks Dr. Euphronius (Annette Bening) to create a companion for him. Together, they give life to a murdered woman known as 'the Bride' (Jessie Buckley), sparking romance, Police interest and radical social change. Also starring Peter Sarsgaard, Jake Gyllenhaal and Penelope Cruz. The film had its World Premiere in London, on 26th February and is released Stateside and here in Australia this week, having cost US$80M to produce.

'MUDBORN' (Rated M) - this Taiwan supernatural horror film is Co-Written and Directed by Meng-Ju Shieh in his feature film making debut. Here, a video-game designer Xu Chuan (Yo Yang) will is tested when he accidentally brings home a broken clay doll from a haunted house while developing a new horror VR game, only for a mysterious spirit to infiltrate his new family and threatens the life of his expecting wife (Cecilia Choi). The film was released in its native Taiwan in early October last year, and has so far grossed US$643K. The film is in Mandarin with English subtitles.

'MIDWINTER BREAK' (Rated M) - is a UK and Netherlands Co-Produced drama film Directed by Polly Findlay in her feature film making debut although she has Directed eight productions for the National Theatre and four for the Royal Shakespeare Company. This film is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Bernard MacLaverty. Here then, longtime married and retired couple Stella (Lesley Manville) and Gerry (Ciaran Hinds) realise that their relationship has reached a crossroads while on a midwinter break in Amsterdam. While there, after so much time and so many memories, long-held promises and deeply concealed wounds, forces them to examine the promises they once made together. As lies and secrets are revealed, their trip together becomes a life-changing moment that threatens to pull everything apart, as they confront their future. The film was released in the USA in late February, is released here in Australia this week and in the UK on 20th March having garnered mixed or average reviews and so far grossing US$1M.

'PLAINCLOTHES' (Rated MA15+) - this US and UK Co-Produced romantic thriller drama film is Written and Directed by Carmen Emmi in her feature film Directorial debut. A young Police Officer, Lucas Brennan (Tom Blyth) works undercover to lure and arrest men who display lewd behaviour in public restrooms. However, he soon finds himself torn between duty and desire when he develops a secret connection with one of his targets, Andrew Waters (Russell Tovey), a married pastor with children, ultimately becoming emotionally attached. The film had its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in late January 2025, was released Stateside in mid-September last year, in the UK in mid-October, has so far grossed US$260K and has generated largely positive critical reviews.

'THE VOICE OF HIND RAJAB' (Rated M) - is a Tunisian and French Co-Produced docudrama film that is Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Kaouther Ben Hania whose prior two feature film outings are 'Beauty and the Dogs' in 2017, and 'The Man Who Sold His Skin' in 2020, with her previous documentary films including 'Four Daughters' in 2023. Here, on 29th January 2024, Red Crescent volunteers receive an emergency call. A six-year-old Palestinian girl is trapped in a car under fire from the Israeli Defence Force during the Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, pleading for rescue. While trying to keep her on the line, they do everything they can to get an ambulance to her. Her name was Hind Rajab. The film had its World Premiere screening in the main competition of the Venice International Film Festival in early September last year, where it won the Grand Jury Prize and six other parallel prizes. It was released in Tunisia in mid-September, in France in late November, has garnered universal critical acclaim and has so far grossed US$5M. 

'THE MOMENT' (Rated MA15+) - this American mockumentary film is Co-Written and Directed by Aidan Zamiri in his Directorial debut, and is based on an original idea by the British singer, songwriter and Actress Charlie XCX. As her arena tour debut looms, a pop star on the rise to fame and fortune (Charlie XCX) finds herself caught inside the afterglow of a breakout summer under the mounting pressure from within the music industry of what it costs to stay on top. The film also stars Rosanna Arquette, Alexander Skarsgard, Jamie Demetriou, Kate Berlant, Hailey Benton Gates and Kylie Jenner.  It Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival toward the back end of January this year, was released in the USA at the end of January, has so far grossed US$5M from a production budget of US$4M and has received mixed reviews from critics.

'TRUE SOUTH' (Rated M) - this Australian documentary film is Directed by Thierry Bled and Dave Klaiber, and marks eighty years of the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race through a story of family, grief, endurance, and the lifelong friendship between Herman Winning and Nathan and Peter Dean, whose bond was forged long before the sea would test it. The Sydney to Hobart yacht race occupies a rare place in Australian cultural history. It is one of the great ocean yacht races, and for several days each year starting at 1:00pm on Boxing Day, the nation follows the sailor’s journey south to Tasmania. The country follows the fleet into the Bass Strait, one of the world’s most treacherous bodies of water, where shifting weather systems can turn elite competition into a fight for survival. Filmed 25 years after the race's darkest chapter in 1998, in which six sailors lost their lives, when a violent East Coast Low struck the fleet, generating ninety-foot seas and claiming the lives of those intrepid crewmen, including John Dean, father to Nathan and Peter, and a deeply loved figure across both families. Twenty-five years later, Herman, Nathan, and Peter return to the race together - an act of extraordinary bravery that becomes the emotional backbone of the film. The film is narrated by the Australian film and television Actress Sigrid Thornton.

With eight 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-