What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 27th March 2025

The 23rd Garden State Film Festival (GSFF) kicks off on Thursday 27th March and runs through until Sunday 30th March, and is New Jersey’s Premier Independent Film Festival that enriches the State with robust year-round programming. Founded in 2002, the artistic philosophy of the Garden State Film Festival is rooted in the celebration of the independent film genre and the creation of a forum where local and other independent filmmakers can exhibit their work. It was also created to pay tribute to New Jersey’s legacy as the birthplace of the American filmmaking industry in Thomas Edison’s Menlo Park laboratories where he invented the first film cameras and projectors, to Fort Lee, where the original studios were founded. The event provides novice and aspiring filmmakers, actors, and others interested in careers in the film business, the opportunity to meet and network with industry professionals in an atmosphere conducive to learning and mentoring - so reads the official website.

The feature films being showcased at this years festival are as follows :-

* 'The Ballad of a Hustler' - is a Latino human rights drama Directed by Heitor Dhalia. From the USA.

* 'Bardejov' - this drama based on a true story is Directed by Danny A. Abeckaser. From the USA.

* 'Beggarman' - this drama film is Directed by Danny Montero . From the USA.

* 'The Compatriots' - is a comedy drama film Directed by Spencer Cohen. From the USA.

* 'Counting In' - is a mockumentary comedy Film Directed by Griffin M. Davis. From the USA.

* 'First Rites' - this action drama film is Directed by Michael Fredianelli. From the USA.

* 'Here's Yianni!' - is a drama film Directed by Christina Eliopoulos and stars Eric Roberts, Rosanna Arquette, Julia Ormand and Kevin Pollack. From the USA.

* 'If That Mockingbird Don't Sing' - this comedy drama film is Directed by Sadie Bones. From the USA.

* 'Lady Parts' - is a comedy drama film Directed by Nancy Boyd. From the USA.

* 'Love, Danielle' - this comedy drama film is Directed by Marianna Palka and stars Lesley Ann Warren. From the USA.

* 'Scarlet Winter' - is an action drama film Directed by Munjal Yagnik. From the USA.

* 'The Short Game' - is a family sports drama film Directed by Frank Sanza. From the USA.

* 'The Creep From the Bar Last Night' - this drama film is Directed by Michael Coppola. From the USA.

For the full synopsis of the above named films, plus all the details of the documentary features, the short films and a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can go to the official website at : https://www.gsff.org/

This week we have six new movie release offerings to tease you out to your local Odeon, kicking off with an action thriller that sees a man who left his profession behind to work construction and be a good dad to his daughter, but when a local girl vanishes, he's asked to return to the skills that made him a mythic figure in the shadowy world of counter-terrorism. This is followed up by a psychological horror film about a mysterious woman who repeatedly appears in a family's front yard, often delivering chilling warnings and unsettling messages, leaving them to question her identity, motives and the potential danger she might pose. Next up is a Sci-Fi set on a struggling cattle farm some years in the future, where a woman discovers the unsettling consequences of her husband's animal breeding technology. Then we turn to a drama film about a man, one of sixty thousand draft evaders and deserters who fled to Canada to avoid serving in Vietnam, who shares all his secrets to de-mythologise his mythologised life. Following on is a Japanese documentary about an ample cat colony that inhabits a Shinto shrine - residents care for them and others are disturbed by the mess - here the filmmaker observes their coexistence. And closing out the week we have an Aussie doco about the legend, the mateship, the magic—made against all odds, this film unveils the untold story behind Australia’s most successful film. 

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

'A WORKING MAN' (Rated MA15+) - is an American action thriller that is Co-Written for the screen and Co-Produced by Sylvester Stallone and David Ayer and Directed by David Ayer, whose prior film making credits take in his Directorial debut in 2005 with 'Harsh Times', and which he would follow up with other titles including 'Street Kings' in 2008, 'End of Watch' in 2012, 'Fury' in 2014, 'Suicide Squad' in 2016, 'Bright' in 2017 and 'The Beekeeper' in 2024. This film is based on Chuck Dixon's 2014 novel 'Levon's Trade'. The film is released in the US this week too.

Here, Levon Cade (Jason Statham, who also Co-Produces here), an ex-Royal Marines Commando, leads a peaceful life as a construction worker in Chicago. However, Levon is forced to use his old set of skills to find the teenaged daughter Jenny Garcia (Arianna Rivas) of his boss Joe Garcia (Michael Pena), who has been kidnapped by human traffickers, and soon uncovers a conspiracy of corruption and government agents' involvement in human trafficking. Also starring David Harbour and Jason Flemyng.

'THE WOMAN IN THE YARD' (Rated CTC) - this American psychological horror film is Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, whose prior feature film credits take in his debut with 'House of Wax' in 2005, followed by others including 'Orphan' in 2009, 'Unknown' in 2011, 'Non-Stop' in 2014, 'Run All Night' in 2015, 'The Commuter' in 2018 (these last four films all starred Liam Neeson), 'Jungle Cruise' in 2021, 'Black Adam' in 2022 and 'Carry On' most recently in 2024. Here then, Ramona (Danielle Deadwyler) is a woman crippled by grief after she survives a car accident that takes her husband (Russell Hornsby). Seriously injured, Ramona now must care for their 14-year-old son (Peyton Jackson) and 6-year-old-daughter (Estella Kahiha), alone in her rural farmhouse. A lone, spectral woman (Okwui Okpokwasili) shrouded entirely in black appears on their front lawn without explanation and warns them 'today's the day'. The film is released Stateside this week too.

'IN VITRO' (Rated M) - is an Australian Sci-Fi film Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Will Howarth (who also Co-Produces and Co-stars here) and Tom Mckeith. Set in the near future, Layla (Talia Zucker) and her husband Jack (Ashley Zukerman) live on an remote cattle property hundreds of miles from the nearest neighbour. With their son away at boarding school, Jack spends his days tending to the livestock and experimenting with new biotechnology, Layla pines for her son and the life she once had. One night, everything changes when a storm knocks out power to the property and they soon discover that something unknown has been released onto the farm. But as Layla discovers more about the mysterious presence and Jack’s behaviour becomes increasingly controlling, Layla finally uncovers a secret that brings her face to face with the reality of her relationship with Jack and their life on the farm. The film premiered at last years Sydney Film Festival in June, and only now is it released here in Australia. 

'OH, CANADA' (Rated M) - this American drama film is Written and Directed by Paul Schrader, and is based on the 2021 novel 'Foregone' by Russell Banks. Schrader made his Directorial debut with 'Blue Collar' in 1978 and over the years he would follow this up with the likes of 'American Gigolo' in 1980, 'Cat People' in 1982, 'Affliction' in 1997, 'Dying of the Light' in 2014, 'Dog Eat Dog' in 2016, 'First Reformed' in 2017, 'The Card Counter' in 2021, and 'Master Gardener' in 2022. Here, filmmaker Leonard 'Leo' Fife (played by Richard Gere in the present and Jacob Elordi in flashbacks) is dying of cancer. He is a hero to Canadian progressives, who revere his award-winning muckraking documentaries and are fascinated by his life story. According to legend, Leo fled America for Montreal to dodge the Vietnam War draft, and went on a Kerouac-style road trip to Castro's communist Cuba. In his last days, he agrees to sit for a CBC documentary filmed by his former students Malcolm (Michael Imperioli) and Diana (Victoria Hill). Malcolm promises that he is making an admiring retrospective of Leo’s career. Also starring Uma Thurman. The film saw its World Premiere at last years Cannes Film Festival in mid-May, was released in the US in early December, has so far grossed US$1.2M and has garnered generally favourable critical reviews.

'THE CATS OF GOKOGU SHRINE' (Rated G) - is a Japanese documentary film Co-Produced, Directed, photographed, and Edited by Kazuhiro Soda. Gokogu is a small, ancient Shinto shrine in Ushimado, Japan. Home to dozens of street cats, it is also known as Cat Shrine. Many people visit the shrine for various reasons - some to worship gods, others to enjoy gardening. Some people come to clean the shrine as volunteers while others just stop by on their way to fish Japanese sardinella, and, it is the perfect place for kids to play after school. It is a heaven for cat-loving residents and visitors too. Some people visit Gokogu to feed the freely roaming stray cats. Others just come to see these cats or to take pictures of them. But some residents complain about the waste the cats leave around the neighbourhood. Gokogu looks peaceful on the surface, but it is also the epicentre of a sensitive issue that divides the local community. 

'LOVE OF AN ICON : THE LEGEND OF CROCODILE DUNDEE' (Rated PG) - this Australian documentary film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Co-Directed by Victoria Baldock and Delvene Delaney. Crocodile Dundee burst onto global cinema screens, and into the hearts of millions, nearly forty years ago in 1986, and remains Australia’s most successful film ever. What were the magic ingredients that contributed to this cultural icon? And why does it still mean so much to so many? This origin story behind the box office record breaking classic, features Paul Hogan (who starred as Michael J. 'Crocodile' Dundee in all three films in the franchise), Delvene Delaney, the late John Cornell (Co-Creator), Linda Kozlowski, Peter Fairman (Director), Russell Boyd (Cinematographer), David Gulpilil and the late John Meillon among many others.

With six 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-

BLACK ADAM : Tuesday 25th October 2022.

I saw the M Rated 'BLACK ADAM' earlier this week, and this American Superhero film is based on the DC Comics character of the same name, is a spin-off from the 2019 film 'Shazam!' and is the eleventh film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). It is Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra whose prior film making credits include his debut in 2005 with 'House of Wax', then four films with Liam Neeson - those being 'Unknown' in 2011, 'Non-Stop' in 2014, 'Run All Night' in 2015 and 'The Commuter' in 2018, with 'The Shallows' in 2016 and 'Jungle Cruise' most recently in 2021. This film was originally slated for a Christmas 2021 release but was moved from that date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then given an end of July 2022, release date, but was then moved again, having seen its World Premiere in Mexico City on 3rd October and was released here in Australia, the US and a number of other territories from last week, having cost in the region of US$195M to produce, has so far recouped US$156M, and has garnered mixed or average critical reviews. 

The film opens up in 2,600 BC long before the ancient city of Rome and the empire of Babylon came into being. We are taken back to the city of Kahndaq where the tyrannical King, Akh-Ton (Marwan Kenzari) rules with an iron fist and has his subjects mine for the rare precious blue metal 'Eternium' in open mines with their bare hands. When he has sufficient supplies he crafts the crown of Sabbac which bestows great power on whoever shall wear the crown. After attempting to stage a revolt by the downtrodden and weary slaves, a young slave boy is given the powers of Shazam by the Council of Wizards because he is deemed pure of heart to wield those powers, so transforming him into Kahndaq's heroic champion, who allegedly kills Ahk-Ton and brings and early end to his reign. 

History lesson over, and we fast forward to the present day Kahndaq which is under marshall law overseen by the ruthless Intergang. We then meet up with archaeologist and University Professor Adrianna Tomaz (Sarah Shahi) who tries to locate the Crown of Sabbac with the help of her brother Karim (Mo Amir) and their colleagues Samir (James Cusati-Moyer) and Ishmael (Marwan Kenzari). As Adrianna obtains the crown hidden deep in a cavernous cave buried within a mountain, Intergang members appear and ambush them, demanding that she hand over the crown. As Adrianna is held at gunpoint on her knees, she reads an incantation on a tombstone laying beneath her that awakens Teth-Adam (Dwayne Johnson), whom she believes to be Kahndaq's champion, from a long overdue rest and recuperation. Adam immediately sets about slaughtering just about all of the Intergang army.

Shortly afterwards US government official Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) has caught wind that Teth-Adam is on the rampage and deems that he is a threat to world peace and contacts the Justice Society of America (JSA) - Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) to bring him into custody, and forcibly if need be. The JSA arrives in time to stop Teth-Adam from causing yet more destruction to Kahndaq than he has already caused, and Intergang's troops. The JSA explains to Adrianna that Adam was not a saviour who was laid to rest in a tomb, but a madman who was imprisoned and entombed for all eternity.

Ishmael reveals himself as Intergang's leader to Karim and overheard by Adrianna's teenage son Amon (Bodhi Sabongui). Ishmael shoots Karim in the stomach and a chase ensues with Amon, who steals the crown to prevent Ishmael getting his grubby hands on it, but Ishmael gets the better of young Amon and captures him, but not before Amon had switched the crown in his back pack for a set of school books. Adam, Adrianna, and the JSA who now have possession of the crown intend to use it to trade for Amon. They reach Ishmael, holed up in his abandoned mine headquarters who reveals that he is the last descendant of King Ahk-Ton and, wanting his rightful place on the throne, demands the crown, which Adrianna willingly gives up in order to save Amon's life. Ishmael betrays his part of the deal and shoots at Amon, and Adam, trying to save Amon, loses control and destroys the mine encampment with his power, killing Ishmael in the process. 

Wracked with guilt, Adam flees to the ruins of Ahk-Ton's palace, where he explains to Hawkman that the legends of Kahndaq's champion were in fact wrong, and it was Adam's son Hurut (Jalon Christian) who was granted the powers of Shazam and became Kahndaq's champion. Knowing that Hurut was invincible, Ahk-Ton's assassins were instructed to execute Hurut's family, including Adam and Hurut's mother. Hurut granted Adam his powers in order to save his father's life, and Ahk-Ton's assassins immediately killed the depowered Hurut. An enraged Adam then slaughtered all of the king's men, Ahk-Tok and destroyed Kahndaq's palace. He was subsequently deemed unworthy by the Council of Wizards and entombed within the Rock of Eternity. Feeling incapable of becoming a true hero, Adam surrenders, by uttering the word 'Shazam'. 

The JSA takes him to a secret Task Force X black site located deep under the sea under the pack ice. Dr. Fate, who is able to see into the future, has a premonition of Hawkman's impending death. As the JSA returns to the city, they realise that Ishmael intentionally made Adam kill him while he was wearing the Crown of Sabbac so that he could be reborn as the host of the demon Sabbac, who rises from the underworld to claim his throne. 

Sabbac commands the Legions of Hell to terrorise Kahndaq, with Adrianna and Karim initially fighting them off while Amon rallies the people of the city to join in the fight. The JSA prepares to face Sabbac in Ahk-Ton's ruins, but Dr. Fate creates a magical force field that prevents Hawkman, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher from entering. He reveals that Hawkman's death can be avoided with his own sacrifice. Dr. Fate fights Sabbac on his own and uses his astral projection to release Adam after talking to him in his cryo sleep and asking him to wake-up and come to their aid. Sabbac kills Dr. Fate, resulting in the force field disappearing, and so allowing the others to join in the fight. Just as Sabbac is about to overpower and dispense with the JSA, Adam arrives and joins the battle. With help from Hawkman using Dr. Fate's helmet, Adam kills Sabbac. 

The three remaining JSA departs on good terms with Adam, who accepts his new role as the protector of Kahndaq and takes on a less old fashioned name replacing Teth-Adam with Black Adam. In a mid-credits sequence, Amanda Waller communicates with Adam and warns him against leaving Kahndaq. Adam says that there is no one on Earth who can defeat him, to which Waller responds that she was not referring to someone from this world. Superman (Henry Cavill) arrives shortly thereafter and suggests that they should talk!

'Black Adam' is an entertaining enough romp that is heavy, very heavy, on the CGI action sequences and the OTT violence that lurches from one action set piece to the next with a frenzied frequency that after a while seems to all meld into one elongated tale of 'shoot first, ask questions . . . never'! Sure, the myriad of action scenes are well realised but when you come to appreciate that nobody or nothing can ever harm the indestructible Adam, it all becomes a bit ho hum! Dwayne Johnson's big bold badass antihero superhero delivers all the kicks, punches and death blows that you would expect of him, and delves sufficiently into his back story to make his character arc relatable, but that is where the characterisation ends and the exposition sadly falters for the four new superhero types that this film introduces us to. For fans of Dwayne Johnson and big spectacle relentless comic book action then this film is for you, but for those of us who saw it under the pretext of a new dawn in the DCEU, then you are likely to be a tad disappointed. 

'Black Adam' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard out of a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 20th October 2022.

The Adelaide Film Festival (AFF) this year is held from Wednesday 19th October through until Sunday 30th October. The AFF is an international film festival usually held for two weeks in mid-October in cinemas in Adelaide, South Australia. Originally presented biennially in March from 2003, since 2013 AFF has been held in October, and from this year forward the festival will be staged annually. It has a strong focus on local South Australian and Australian produced content, with the Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund (AFFIF) established to fund investment in Australian films. Established in 2003, it was listed in Variety's '50 Unmissable Film Festivals around the world' in 2007.

The Opening Night Gala film presentation is the documentary about the Adelaide rock band of the '70's 'The Angels : Kickin' Down The Door', that is Written and Directed by Madeleine Parry. The Closing Night film is the psychological horror thriller 'Talk to Me' Directed by Danny and Michael Philippou, and centres around a troubled teenager, Mia, and her group of friends who discover how to conjure spirits using a ceramic embalmed hand. They become hooked on the new thrill, until Mia is confronted by a soul claiming to be her dead mother.

The Feature Fiction Competition this year consists of six films, comprising the following entries :-

* 'Metronome' - from Romania and France and Written and Directed by Alexander Belc. Romania, autumn 1972. Ana, a 17 year-old, finds out that her boyfriend will flee the country for good in a few days. The two young lovers decide to spend their last days together.

* 'Huesera' - from Mexico and Peru and Co-Written and Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera. Valeria has long dreamed about becoming a mother. After learning that she's pregnant, she expects to feel happy, yet something's off.

* 'Autobiography' - from Australia and Indonesia and Written and Directed by Makbul Mubarak. A young man is employed as a housekeeper in an empty mansion. When its owner returns to start his mayoral election campaign, the young man bonds with him and defends him when his campaign is vandalised, setting off a chain of violence.
* 'Klondike' - from Ukraine and Turkey and Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Maryna Er Gorbach. The story of a Ukrainian family living on the border of Russia and Ukraine during the start of the war. Irka refuses to leave her house even as the village gets captured by armed forces. Shortly after they find themselves at the centre of an international air crash catastrophe on 17th July 2014.
* 'War Pony' - from the USA and Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Riley Keough and Gina Gammell. The interlocking stories of two young Oglala Lakota men growing up on their Pine Ridge Reservation home, and how the pair must wrestle with grief, violence and identity to forge their unique paths to adulthood.
* 'Whina' - from New Zealand and Co-Written and Directed by James Napier Robertson and Paula Whetu Jones. The sweeping biopic of iconic Maori elder and activist, Whina Cooper.

The Documentary Competition, feature six films, consisting of :-

* 'Hidden Letters' - from China, the USA and Norway and Directed by Violet Du Feng and Zhao Qing. For centuries in Jiangyong County in China’s Hunan Province, women had their feet bound and were expected to follow the Confucian Three Obediences of strictly following orders from their fathers, husbands and sons. In response they developed a written script, Nushu, that men couldn’t understand, to share their intimate thoughts and write poetry and songs. 

* 'The Hamlet Syndrome' - from Poland and Germany and Directed by Elwira Niewiera and Piotr Rosolowski. In the months leading up to the full-scale Russian invasion, five young Ukrainians prepare to stage a theatre production combining the core themes of Hamlet with their combat experiences in the ongoing war between the two countries since the revolution of 2014.

* 'The Plains' - from Australia and Written, Produced, Directed and Edited by David Easteal. Every evening a man in his late fifties commutes home in his car at the end of the working day in the outer suburbs of Melbourne.

* 'Fledglings' - from Poland and Directed and Co-Edited by Lidia Duda. Zosia, Oskar, and Kinga are seven-year-olds who are moving away from their parents for the first time to attend boarding school for the blind and vision-impaired. Zosia is relentlessly talkative, Oskar works out his insecurities on the piano, and Kinga is a solid, supportive presence.

* 'Sanson and Me' - from Mexico and the USA and Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Rodrigo Reyes. This film follows a young immigrant's path from coastal Mexico to a life sentence for murder in California.

* 'Dos Estaciones' - from Mexico and France and Directed and Co-Edited by Juan Pablo Gonzalez. In the bucolic hills of Mexico's Jalisco highlands, iron-willed businesswoman Maria Garcia fights the impending collapse of her tequila factory.

For the full programme of films featured, the awards and more good stuff going down at this years Adelaide Film Festival, you can visit the official website at : https://adelaidefilmfestival.org/aff22/

This week there are four new movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, launching with the eleventh offering in the DCEU that tells the origin story of Teth-Adam, a man born into slavery who acquires super powers and how he wants to use his newfound might some five thousand years later to wipe out criminals from the face of the earth having developed a distorted version of justice, after his traumatic experience as an enslaved person in Ancient Egypt. Next up is a horror thriller about a young woman staying at an Airbnb who discovers that the house she has rented is not what it seems. This is followed by a story of a detective investigating a man's death in the mountains ends up meeting and developing feelings for the dead man's mysterious wife in the course of his dogged sleuthing. And we close out the week with an Aussie drama about an alienated teenager who learns to find meaning and purpose through the pain of love and loss.

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

'BLACK ADAM' (Rated M) - is an American Superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name, is a spin-off from the 2019 film 'Shazam!' and is the eleventh film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). It is Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra whose prior film making credits include his debut in 2005 with 'House of Wax', then four films with Liam Neeson - those being 'Unknown' in 2011, 'Non-Stop' in 2014, 'Run All Night' in 2015 and 'The Commuter' in 2018, with 'The Shallows' in 2016 and 'Jungle Cruise' most recently in 2021. This film saw its World Premiere in Mexico City on 3rd October and is scheduled to be released here in Australia, the US and a number of other territories from this week, having cost in the region of US$185M to produce.

In the ancient city of Kahndaq, Teth Adam was bestowed the almighty powers of the gods. After using those powers for vengeance, he was imprisoned, becoming Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson). Nearly 5,000 years have passed, and Black Adam has gone from man to myth to legend. Now free, his unique form of justice, born out of rage, is challenged by modern-day heroes who form the Justice Society of America : Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo)and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), who try to stop his rampage, teach him how to be a hero more than a villain, and must team up to stop a force more powerful than Adam himself. Also starring Viola Davis as Amanda Waller from previous DCEU entries. 

'BARBARIAN' (Rated MA15+) - this American horror film is Written, Directed and stars Zach Cregger in only his third feature film making outing following 'Miss March' in 2009 and 'The Civil War on Drugs' in 2011. The film saw its World Premier at the San Diego Comic Con toward the end of July this year and went on general release in the US in early September, having so far grossed US$41M from a US$4M budget outlay and garnering generally positive critical reviews. Traveling to Detroit for a job interview, Tess Marshall (Georgina Campbell) books a rental home. But when she arrives late at night, she discovers that the house is double booked to a Keith Toshko (Bill Skarsgard) who is already staying there. Against her better judgement, she decides to spend the evening, but soon discovers a dark secret within the home and that there's a lot more to fear than just an unexpected house guest. Also starring Justin Long and Kate Bosworth. 

'DECISION TO LEAVE' (Rated M) - is a South Korean romantic mystery film Co-Written, Produced and Directed by Park Chan-wook whose previous film making credits include 'Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance', 'Oldboy', 'Lady Vengeance', 'Stoker', and 'The Handmaiden' most recently in 2016. A detective investigating a man's death in the mountains ends up meeting and developing feelings for the dead man's mysterious wife in the course of his exhaustive investigations. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival in May of this year where Park Chan-wook won Best Director. It was released in its native South Korea at the end of May, has so far grossed US$17M and has garnered widespread universal critical acclaim, as well as picking up nine other award wins and eight other nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. 

'EVERYTHING IN BETWEEN' (Rated M) - this Australian drama offering is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Nadi Sha in his feature film debut. As eighteen year old Jay Knight (Jordan Dulieu) stands on a cliff top contemplating putting an end to the meaningless miasma of his existence, twenty-eight year old Liz Myers (Freyja Benjamin) lands in town on the latest leg of her endless adventures backpacking around the world. After a sliding doors moment brings this unlikely pair together, they form a deep and immediate bond - much to the chagrin of Jay’s privileged but jaded socialite parents Meredith and David Knight (Gigi Edgley and Martin Crewes respectively). Unfortunately, Liz’s laissez faire lifestyle is brought to an abrupt halt by a life-threatening mystery illness and, as Jay becomes more and more entwined in her plight, all four are forced to come to terms with their world views.

With four 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 week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 29th July 2021.

The 20th annual Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF) is currently running from 23rd July through until 1st August and is the biggest international film festival in Romania and is held in the fourth largest Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca in the historic province of Transilvania. The festival's main goal is the promotion of cinematic art by presenting some of the most innovative and spectacular films of the moment that feature both originality and independence of expression, that reflect unusual cinematic language forms or focus on current trends in youth culture. Dedicated to first and second time Directors, the Official Competition focuses on discovering new voices. In 2011, TIFF was accredited by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations), which places it among the forty most important festivals in the world.

The Opening Gala feature film was 'The People Upstairs' from Spain and Directed by Cesc Gay and concerns two couples, one living upstairs from the other, who explore the complexities of modern relationships over dinner one evening. The Closing Night feature film is the Italian drama 'The Best Years' Directed by Gabriele Muccino and tells the story from the 1980's to almost the present day, told through the life of four friends, during forty years of loves, aspirations, success and failures.

This year there are ten films in Official Competition with awards being presented for Best Film, Best Director, Special Jury Prize, Best Performance with the jury also being able to award two Special Mentions. There is also an Audience Award within this category. Only national Romanian premiers are considered in the Official Competition. Those ten films are :-

* 'Apples' from Greece and Directed by Christos Nikou. This drama film is set amidst a worldwide pandemic that causes sudden amnesia, and here a middle-aged man finds himself enrolled in a recovery programme designed to help unclaimed patients build new identities. 

* 'That Was Life' from Spain and Directed by David Martin de los Santos this drama debut feature centres around two Spanish women from different generations who forge an unlikely friendship while sharing a hospital room in Belgium. 

* 'Marygoround' from Poland and Directed and Co-Written by Daria Woszek here we see a lonely, small-town, grocery store worker, living an uneventful boring life. On the eve of her 50th birthday however, her senses and imagination suddenly come alive.

* 'Pebbles' from India and Directed and Written by P. S. Vinothraj. Two arid hamlets separated by a distance of 13kms sees an alcoholic wife beater embark on a journey, on foot, from one to the other, dragging his young son along to fetch back his wife whom he had chased away.

* 'Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time' from Hungary and is Written and Directed by Lili Horvath. Here a neurosurgeon returns to Budapest from here comfortable home in America to reunite with the love of her life - a man who says they have never met. 

* 'The Flood Won't Come' is Written and Directed by Marat Sargsyan, and in this Lithuanian drama film a famous Colonel, who served in different countries for many years, finds himself in a strange situation when civil war breaks out in his native country. 

* 'The Last Bath' from Portugal and Co-Written and Directed by David Bonneville, this drama offering sees a nun who is called upon to adopt her fifteen year-old nephew, and as a consequence religion, family and love become intertwined. 

* 'The Pink Cloud' from Brazil and Written and Directed by Iuli Gerbase in her feature film making debut, this is a Sci-Fi drama film set following a toxic and mysterious pink cloud that appears in the skies above, and when a woman finds herself stuck in a flat with a man she just met, the events that unfold change her life in a way she never expected. 

* 'The Whaler Boy' is Written, Directed and Edited by Philipp Yuryev in his feature film debut, this Russian film sees a young Russian whale hunter embark on a perilous journey to America to locate a beautiful girl he met on webcam site. 

* 'What Do We See When We Look At The Sky?' from Georgia and Written, Directed and Edited by Alexandre Koberidze, this film sees a chance encounter on a street corner between a young woman and a man who fall in love at first sight, but an evil spell is cast on them. Will they ever meet again?

The other sections of TIFF comprise 'Romanian Days' - the competitive section for Romanian shorts and features films produced in 2020 and 2021. National premieres have priority in this section. Four awards are presented here - the FIPRESCI Award (International Federation of Film Critics), and for Best Feature Film, Best Short Film and Best Debut. 'Supernova' is the non-competitive showcase of the most significant features of the year, including titles awarded in major international festivals, works by renowned auteurs, national box-office leaders, and audience hits. 'Full Moon' showcases fantasy, thriller, and horror genre features. 'No Limit' is also a non-competitive section dedicated to features that are provocative, controversial, experimental, transgressive, and innovating in both form and content; and 'What's Up, Doc?' is a non-competitive section for Documentaries over sixty minutes run time released after the 1st May 2020.

For all the news, views and low-downs from this years 20th Transilvania International Film Festival, you can go to the official website at : https://www.tiff.ro/en

 

With Greater Sydney, where I live, still in COVID lockdown for a further four weeks now ending (at this stage) on Friday 27th August, which 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. And so, we open with an action adventure based on a Disney theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travellers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals and reptiles and a supernatural element. Next up, after being recruited by a group of unconventional thieves, a renowned criminal finds himself caught up in an elaborate gold heist that promises to have far-reaching implications on his life and the lives of countless others. This is followed by a darkly-comedic thriller about a lone toll-booth operator on a remote roadway in Wales, with a past that is quickly catching up with him. And we conclude this weeks latest releases with an audio visual documentary that shows the viewer stunning images of forgotten places and buildings we constructed around the world and then left to slowly fall into decay and for nature to reclaim. 

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the four latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release 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.

'JUNGLE CRUISE' (Rated M) - is an American fantasy adventure film based on the Walt Disney theme park attraction of the same name and is Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra whose prior directorial credits take in the likes of his debut feature 'House of Wax' in 2005, and then 'Orphan', 'The Shallows' and four Liam Neeson actioners 'Unknown', 'Non-Stop', 'Run All Night' and 'The Commuter'. This film has been in gestation since 2004 with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen being attached to the project early on. Initially,  slated for a mid-October 2019 release before being moved to an end of July 2020 release date, and was then further delayed to its current date this week in both Australia and the US due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with its World Premier screening at the Disneyland Resort in California on 24th July. The film reportedly cost US$200M+ to produce. 

Set during the early 20th century, Frank Wolff (Dwayne Johnson) a riverboat Captain takes a British scientist, Dr. Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt) and her younger brother, MacGregor Houghton (Jack Whitehall) on a mission into the Amazon jungle to find the Tree of Life, which is believed to possess healing powers that could be of great benefit to modern medicine. All the while, the trio must fight against dangerous wild animals, a hot and deadly environment, and a competing German expedition led by Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemmons), and a deadly mercenary hired to guide a rival mission, Aguirre (Edgar Ramirez) that are both  determined to find the tree first. Also starring Paul Giamatti.

'THE MISFITS' (Rated M) - this American heist comedy film is Directed by Renny Harlin whose previous big screen film making credits include 'Die Hard 2', 'Cliffhanger', 'Cutthroat Island', 'The Long Kiss Goodnight', 'Deep Blue Sea', 'Driven' and '12 Rounds' amongst less notable others. This film saw its World Premier screening in South Korea in early June this year, was released Stateside in mid-June, costs in the region of US$15M to produce, has so far grossed US$390K and has generated mostly unfavourable Reviews. Here then, set in the Middle East, master criminal architect Richard Pace (Pierce Brosnan) finds himself caught up in a major gold heist with implications that go far beyond what he could have ever possibly imagined. Also starring Tim Roth and Hermione Corfield. 

'THE TOLL' (Rated MA15+) - this comedy mystery drama thriller from the UK is Directed by the Welshman Ryan Andrew Hooper in his feature film making debut. Brendan (Michael Smiley) works solo shifts in the quietest toll booth in Wales located quite literally in the middle of nowhere, while hiding from a former criminal history where nobody would ever look. When he finally gets rumbled, word of his whereabouts gets out and his enemies head west for revenge. Meanwhile, local traffic cop Catrin's (Annes Elwy) investigation into a simple robbery finds her heading for the booth at precisely the wrong time. Also starring Paul Kaye, Iwan Rheon, Gary Beadle and Julian Glover.  

'HOMO SAPIENS' (Rated G) - this Austrian audio visual cinematic experience was first released in 2016 bringing together the work of a contemporary film maker, Austrian Director, Writer, Cinematographer and Co-Producer here Nikolaus Geyrhalter and Austrian Australian experimental composer Heinz Riegler. With not a single human being seen for the duration of this ninety-four minute film, it is based on long static shots of abandoned buildings and deserted landscapes that have been long forgotten, neglected and fallen into decay by their builders and architects, the people who used to work in them and who used to live there - be they towns, churches, shopping malls, movie theatres, hospitals, prisons or amusement parks which are now overrun by steadily creeping foliage and animal activity of every kind. The film has garnered critical acclaim and from this week gets a limited release in Australia. 

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THE SHALLOWS : Thursday 18th August 2016.

'THE SHALLOWS' which I saw on its opening day in Australia joins Steven Spielberg's seminal 'Jaws' which lurched on to our screens, sub-consciousness and popular culture back in 1975, together with it seems a wave of shark disaster movies year on year every year since, with the likes of several sequels following, and derivatives including 'Deep Blue Sea', 'Open Water', 'The Reef', 'Dark Tide', 'Jurassic Shark' and the more recent 'Sharknado' franchise to name but a few. Just when we thought it was safe to get back in the water, along comes another shark gore fest involving a secluded idyllic beach, a bikini-clad surfing maiden and a monster shark intent on a lunchtime snack of that bikini-clad damsel in distress. It's an easy premise that any Screenwriter could conjure up, and here we have Spanish Director, Jaume Collet-Serra making 'The Shallows' for a meagre US$17M and so far returning US$85M since its US release at the end of June, with what is, it must be said, a very respectable addition to the canon.

Here Blake Lively plays Nancy Adams a medical student, still mourning the recent death of her mother. She decides to take some time out and travels to a secluded beach somewhere down Mexico way, where her mother surfed at whilst expecting Nancy (New South Wales and Lord Howe Island, doubling for Mexico). We join Nancy as she is travelling in a car through the bush en route to said secluded beach with a friendly local, Carlos (Oscar Jaenada) trying to spark up a disjointed conversation with her driver in broken English. Whilst driving she is talking to her travelling companion over the phone who is back in civilisation at their hotel nursing a hangover from the night before and not in the mood for surfing. The pair reach their secret beach destination, and it seems like an idyllic spot. Carlos bids Nancy farewell, and asks how she will get back, but she tells him not to worry, she'll be fine (yeah right!). He drives off, living fairly close by it seems.

It's a perfect day at the beach, Nancy has found the paradise that her beloved Mum told her about, the skies are blue, the water clear and the surf is up. In the water are two local lads and other than that the beach is deserted. After suiting up and waxing down her board Nancy heads off into the ocean to catch some waves, chatting with the two surfer dudes and spending the afternoon making the most of the idyllic conditions. As the afternoon wears on the lads come in, spent for the day and they bid their farewell to Nancy who just wants to catch once last wave for the day. Now she is alone, and in the water a few hundred metres off from the shoreline.

Unexpectedly Nancy is bumped from beneath the surf by a Great White Shark whose attention had been drawn to the area by the corpse of a Humpback Whale floating nearby which Nancy went to check out. Seeing Nancy as a threat to its easy food supply, the shark attacks biting at her leg sending the lone surfer beneath the surface as the water all around her turns crimson. In her panic she swims for the only safe place - the decaying body of the whale, and scrambles up on to its upturned carcass. By now the shark is mightily pissed off and charges the whale with all its fierce might and up turning it so sending Nancy careering into the water. The other surfer lads had alerted Nancy earlier in the day to a small reef that becomes exposed at low tide, and seeing the exposed rocky outcrop she hastily makes for there and some temporary safe haven to nurse her badly shredded leg.

Being a medical student, Nancy is able to improvise and create a tourniquet from her leg strap, stitch up the deep gashes in her leg using jewellery, and create a compression bandage using the arm of her wet suit which she rips off with her teeth. Resourceful girl! There she remains as the tide continues to go out and nightfall draws ever closer. The shark however, continues to circle menacingly. All night she remains stranded on that small rock with only an injured seagull for company, which she affectionately calls Steven (Steven Seagull, geddit?).

As the new day dawns, we are alerted on screen to the number of hours before high tide, by which time the safety of her rock will disappear under the waves, calling for Plan B. That morning coming round in a semi-conscious state Nancy spies a man sleeping on the beach. She calls out to him several times. The man awakes from a drunken stupor, and makes out a distant figure standing on a rock yelling something at him. He spies Nancy's back pack on the beach and proceeds to steal her phone, her cash and the pack before spying her board floating close to the shore line. He thinks he'll make off with that too and wades in to retrieve it. Nancy tries to alert him about the presence of a shark but he pays no heed. Before you know, he's bitten in half, literally! Later that morning the two surfer dudes from the day before reappear ready to catch another day of perfect waves. They jump in the water and begin to paddle out. Again, Nancy from the safety of her rock tries to warn them, but before you know it . . . shark bait!

With three men down, and Nancy's hope for survival dwindling, she spies floating in the water the helmet and Go-Pro camera of one of the surfer dudes. It's close enough that she can just about retrieve it. She does so after some near misses with the shark and views the graphic footage of the shark attack that took the life of the helmets owner. She then uses the camera to record her final message to her father and sister in Texas before tossing back the helmet into the water in the hope that it will be washed ashore and retrieved, and rescue might possibly come, knowing too that the tide is rising steadily around her. Close by however, is a marker buoy, that might offer some salvation if she can reach it in time before another attack by the shark. To reach it though means swimming through a smack of jellyfish which would not only sting her, but the shark too, causing enough of a deterrent to buy Nancy the time to make it to the buoy.

Using a flare gun retrieved from the buoy, Nancy is able to shoot off a round into the leaching blubber from the whale carcass which ignites the sea in flame, and the approaching shark too, which as a result is even more pissed off now! Furiously the shark attacks the buoy and is relentless in doing so time after time until there is little left of the rusting metal construction. The chains securing the buoy to the ocean bed are dislodged and when these finally break free after another attack Nancy allows herself to be pulled down with the weight of the descending metal. The shark follows in hot pursuit with its jaws of death biting at Nancy's heels. Using some quick thinking and evasive tactics, Nancy turns at just the right time to allow for the sharks forward momentum to impale itself on the metal rods protruding from the buoy's mooring turning the shark killer into killer sushi! Well, almost!

I quite enjoyed 'The Shallows' because like 'Jaws' it is grounded in a realism that we can all relate too, unlike many others in the horror shark genre. For its lean 88 minute running time, the film has a number of jump scares, the body count while low is effective and well delivered and there is a believable story here with characters that we can adhere to. The shark FX are reasonably well delivered, there is suspense and atmosphere, and Blake Lively puts in a good turn as a simple Texas lass from Galveston subjected to extraordinary circumstances in complete isolation. This is the 'Jaws' for a whole new generation, and as such worthy of the price of entry.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-