What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 26th December 2024.

Christmas has arrived once again, and as such it would be remiss of me not to wish my worldwide readership all the very best for a Merry, Happy and safe Christmas, wherever you are in world, whatever it is you do to celebrate the occasion, and whoever you share it with. Thanks for your continued support over the last year - it is your viewership that makes my reviews and previews of the latest release new films all the more worthwhile, and I look forward to doing more of the same throughout 2025. Until then, Merry Christmas, happy holidays and complements of the season, from Sydney, Australia.  

This week with seven hot new releases to tease you out to your local Odeon, we kick off with an English language Spanish drama film about two grown up middle aged women who were close friends in their youth, when they worked together at the same magazine, and who after years of being out of touch, meet again in an extreme but strangely sweet circumstance. This is followed by a story of two mismatched cousins who reunite for a tour through Poland to honour their beloved late grandmother. Then we turn to a semi-autobiographical film based on the true story of the meteoric rise, dramatic fall, and remarkable resurgence of a British pop superstar. Next up is an American romantic comedy drama that follows the beleaguered marriage between a young sex worker and the son of a Russian oligarch. Following on we have an Italian and French film about an Italian woman who searches for happiness during the long summers of her youth, falling in love with her city and its many memorable characters. Then we have an international co-production set in Mumbai, where a nurse's routine is troubled when she receives an unexpected gift from her estranged husband, while her younger roommate tries in vain to find a spot in the city to be intimate with her boyfriend. And closing out the week we have the third instalment in this video game adaptation franchise that sees Sonic, Tails, and Knuckles ally with Dr. Robotnik to defeat a new enemy.

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

'THE ROOM NEXT DOOR' (Rated M) - is a Spanish drama film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Pedro Almodovar, whose prior feature film credits include 'All About My Mother' in 1999, 'Talk To Her' in 2002, 'Volver' in 2006, 'Broken Embraces' in 2009, 'The Skin I Live In' in 2011, 'Julieta' in 2016, 'Pain and Glory' in 2019 and 'Parallel Mothers' in 2021. This film is based on the 2020 novel 'What Are You Going Through' by the American writer Sigrid Nunez, and is Pedro Almodovar's English language full feature length debut. It was awarded the Golden Lion, the top prize of the Venice Film Festival where is saw its World Premiere in early September this year. The film was released in its native Spain in mid-October, in the US last week, has so far received generally favourable critical reviews and has grossed US$9M. 

Here, Ingrid Parker (Julianne Moore) and Martha Hunt (Tilda Swinton) were close friends in their youth, when they worked together at the same magazine. Ingrid went on to become an autofiction novelist while Martha became a war correspondent, and they were separated by the circumstances of life. After years of being out of touch, they meet again in an extreme but strangely sweet situation. Also starring John Turturro and Alessandro Nivola.

'A REAL PAIN' (Rated MA15+) - this American and Polish Co-Produced comedy drama film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and stars Jesse Eisenberg in only his second Directorial outing following 'When You Finish Saving the World' in 2022. Here mismatched and hitherto disconnected American Jewish cousins David Kaplan (Jesse Eisenberg) and Benji (Kieran Culkin) reunite for a tour through Poland to honour their beloved grandmother and to connect with their heritage. The adventure takes a turn when the odd-couple's old tensions resurface against the backdrop of their family history. Also starring Will Sharpe and Jennifer Grey. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the Sundance Film Festival in January this year, was released in the US in early November, has garnered universal critical acclaim and has so far grossed US$8M against a production budget of just US$3M. It has so far picked up twenty-two award wins and a further forty-one nominations from around the awards and festival circuit with a number of those nominations still pending an outcome. 

'BETTER MAN' (Rated MA15+) - is a semi-autobiographical film about the British singer and songwriter Robbie Williams, and is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Michael Gracey whose previous feature film credits are 'The Greatest Showman' in 2017 and the documentary film 'Pink : All I Know So Far' in 2021. This film charts the life story over three decades of pop singer Robbie Williams stardom, but with Williams portrayed as a chimpanzee (voiced by Robbie Williams with Jonno Davies as the young Robbie) because, as he puts it, he always felt 'less evolved' than other people. Also starring Steve Pemberton, Alison Steadman, Damon Herriman, Anthony Hayes and Kate Mulvaney. The film was shot in Melbourne and London, has generated mostly positive reviews, saw its Premiere screening at the Telluride Film Festival in early September and is released this week too in the US.

'ANORA' (Rated MA15+) - this American romantic comedy drama film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Edited by Sean Baker whose prior film making credits include his debut in 2000 with 'Four Letter Words', 'Take Out' in 2004, 'Starlet' in 2012, 'Tangerine' in 2015, 'The Florida Project' in 2017 and 'Red Rocket' in 2021. Here then, Anora 'Ani' Mikheeva (Mikey Madison) is a 23 year old sex worker from Brooklyn whose life takes an unexpected turn when she meets and impulsively marries Ivan 'Vanya' Zakharov (Mark Eydelshteyn), the impetuous son of a Russian billionaire Nikolai Zakharov (Aleksei Serebryakov) and his wife Galina Zakharova (Darya Ekamasova). However, when Vanya's parents catch wind of the union, they send their henchmen to annul the marriage, setting off a wild chase through the streets of New York. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at this years Cannes Film Festival in late May and won the Palme d'Or Award, was released Stateside in mid-October, has garnered universal critical acclaim and has so far grossed US$29M off the back of a production budget of US$6M. 

'PARTHENOPE' (Rated MA15+) - this Co-Produced Italian and French film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Paolo Sorrentino. Set in the sundrenched coastal Italian city of Naples, the smiling Parthenope  (Celeste Dalla Porta, with Stefania Sandrelli as the older Parthenope) recalls her childhood, in which her brothers were obsessed with her. Her anthropology professor finds her a brilliant student. She considers becoming an actor, but is not inspired by her eccentric acting coach. She wonders about becoming an aesthete, and meets the drunken writer John Cheever (Gary Oldman), whose work she admires. Or perhaps she could have a romantic fling with the ugly bishop who attends the miracle of the dried blood that turns liquid each year, the phenomenon she is studying in anthropology. The film was in competition for the Palme d'Or at this years Cannes Film Festival in late May where it saw its World Premiere and received a near ten minute standing ovation, but has subsequently garnered mixed or average critical reviews, and has so far grossed US$8M. It was released in Italy in late October, is released in France 12th March and the US on 7th February. 

'ALL WE IMAGINE AS LIGHT' (Rated M) - is an international Co-Produced film involving companies from France, India, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, and Italy, and is Directed by the Indian film maker Payal Kapadia in her feature film debut. The film had its World Premiere at this year Cannes Film Festival in late May and was the first film from India to compete in the main competition since 1994, and won the Grand Prix. The film centres on two roommates who also work together in a city hospital - head nurse Prabha (Kani Kusruti) and recent hire Anu (Divya Prabha), plus their coworker, cook Parvaty (Chhaya Kadam). Prabha, her husband from an arranged marriage living in faraway Germany, is courted by a doctor at her hospital; Anu carries on a romance with a Muslim man, which she must keep a secret from her strict Hindu family and Parvaty finds herself dealing with a sudden eviction from her apartment. It was released in limited theatres in India in late September before going wide there in late November and in France in early October. A US release date has not yet been confirmed. It has met with widespread critical acclaim and has so far grossed US$1.9M at the Box Office. 

'SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 3' (Rated PG) - this US and Japanese Co-Produced action adventure comedy film is based on the Sega video game series of the same name, and is Directed by Jeff Fowler who also Directed the previous two instalments in the franchise in 2020 and 2022, and which grossed a combined US$725M off the back of a total US$190M production budget. Here then, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz), Tails (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) and Knuckles (Idris Elba) face a powerful and mysterious new adversary, Shadow the Hedgehog (Keanu Reeves). The trio form an unlikely alliance with Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) in the hope of stopping Shadow and protecting the planet. However, the stakes become raised when Robotnik is reunited with his thought-to-be-long-lost grandfather, Gerald Robotnik (also Jim Carrey), who seems to have his own sinister plans for Shadow. Also starring James Marsden, Tika Sumpter, Krysten Ritter and Natasha Rothwell. The film was released last week in the US and the UK, has generated positive critical reviews and has so far grossed US$28M off the back of a US$122M production budget. 'Sonic the Hedgehog 4' is slated for an early 2027 release.

With seven 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 31st March 2022.

The 94th Academy Awards ceremony, presented by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences honoured the best films released between 1st March and 31st December 2021, and was held at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, on Sunday 27th March hosted by American Actresses Regina Hall, Amy Schumer and Wanda Sykes.

Aside form the now infamous slap to the face given by Will Smith to Chris Rock which largely overshadowed the remaining proceedings, the winners of the golden statue and the also rans are as given below, by way of a recap :-

Best Picture

* Awarded to 'CODA', beating out 'Belfast', 'Don't Look Up', 'Drive My Car', 'Dune', 'King Richard', 'Licorice Pizza', 'Nightmare Alley', 'The Power of the Dog' and 'West Side Story'. 

Best Director

* Awarded to Jane Campion for 'The Power of the Dog', beating out Kenneth Branagh for 'Belfast', Ryusuke Hamaguchi for 'Drive My Car', Paul Thomas Anderson for 'Licorice Pizza' and Steven Spielberg for 'West Side Story'.

Best Actor

* Awarded to Will Smith for 'King Richard', beating out Javier Bardem for 'Being the Ricardos', Benedict Cumberbatch for 'The Power of the Dog', Andrew Garfield for 'Tick, Tick... Boom!' and Denzel Washington for 'The Tragedy of Macbeth'.

Best Actress

* Awarded to Jessica Chastain for 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye', beating out Olivia Colman for 'The Lost Daughter', Penelope Cruz for 'Parallel Mothers', Nicole Kidman for 'Being the Ricardos' and Kristen Stewart for 'Spencer'.

Best Supporting Actor

* Awarded to Troy Kotsur for 'CODA', beating out Ciaran Hinds for 'Belfast', Jesse Plemons for 'The Power of the Dog', J. K. Simmons for 'Being the Ricardos' and Kodi Smit-McPhee for 'The Power of the Dog'.

Best Supporting Actress

* Awarded to Ariana DeBose for 'West Side Story', beating out Jessie Buckley for 'The Lost Daughter', Judi Dench for 'Belfast', Kirsten Dunst for 'The Power of the Dog' and Aunjanue Ellis for 'King Richard'.

Best Original Screenplay

* Awarded to 'Belfast' by Kenneth Branagh, beating out 'Don't Look Up', 'King Richard', 'Licorice Pizza' and 'The Worst Person in the World'.

Best Adapted Screenplay

* Awarded to 'CODA' by Sian Heder, beating out 'Drive My Car', 'Dune', 'The Lost Daughter' and 'The Power of the Dog'. 

Best Animated Feature Film

* Awarded to 'Encanto', beating out 'Flee', 'Luca', 'The Mitchells vs. the Machines' and 'Raya and the Last Dragon'. 

Best International Feature Film 

* Awarded to 'Drive My Car' from Japan, beating out 'Flee' from Denmark, 'The Hand of God' from Italy, 'Lunana : A Yak in the Classroom' from Bhutan and 'The Worst Person in the World' from Norway.

Best Documentary Feature Film

* Awarded to 'Summer of Soul (. . . Or, When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised!)', beating out 'Ascension', 'Attica', 'Flee' and 'Writing with Fire'.

In the other awards, 'Dune' was presented with the Oscar for Best Original Score to Hans Zimmer; Best Sound; Best Production Design; Best Cinematography for Greig Fraser; Best Film Editing and Best Visual Effects.

Best Makeup and Hairstyling was awarded to 'The Eyes of Tammy Faye'; Best Costume Design was awarded to 'Cruella' and Best Original Song went to 'No Time To Die' from 'No Time To Die' by Billie Eilish and Finneas O'Connell.

The Governors Awards were presented to Samuel L. Jackson, Elaine May and Liv Ullman each with an Honorary Academy Award and the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award was presented to Danny Glover. 

 

For all the information, details, glitz and glamour of Hollywood's Night of Nights, you can visit the official website at : https://www.oscars.org/oscars/ceremonies/2022

This week then to tempt you out to your local Odeon, we have four new movie offerings kicking off with a Superhero film based on a Marvel character that sees a biochemist who tries to cure himself of a rare blood disease, inadvertently infecting himself with a form of vampirism instead. This is followed by a story set in 1961 in which a sixty year old taxi driver, steals Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. Next we have the sequel to a 2020 film about a blue hedgehog who can run at supersonic speeds, and when his arch rival returns to Earth with a new ally, this hedgehog and his new friend is all that stands in their way. And we close out the week with an animated feature about a bunch of reformed yet misunderstood criminal animals who attempt to become good, with some disastrous results along the way.

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 week ahead.

'MORBIUS' (Rated M) - this American Superhero film features the Marvel Comics character Morbius, the Living Vampire, and is the third film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe following 'Venom' in 2018 and 'Venom : Let There Be Carnage' in 2021. Directed by Daniel Espinosa whose previous feature film credits include 'Safe House' in 2012, 'Child 44' in 2015 and 'Life' in 2017, this film saw its World Premier screening in Mexico City on 10th March before its release in the US and Australia this week. Originally slated for a 10th July 2020 release, the film was delayed several times before ending up on this weeks schedule largely due to the impacts of COVID-19. Costing US$75M to produce, early critical reaction has been less than positive. 

Dangerously ill with a rare blood disorder and determined to save others suffering his same fate, biochemist Dr. Michael Morbius (Jared Leto) attempts a desperate gamble. While at first it seems to be a radical success, a darkness inside him is unleashed in the form of vampirism. Will good override evil - or will Morbius succumb to his mysterious new urges? Also starring Matt Smith, Adria Arjona, Jared Harris, Al Madrigal, Tyrese Gibson, Corey Johnson and Michael Keaton. 

'THE DUKE' (Rated M) - is a British biographical comedy drama film Directed by Roger Mitchell in his final film making capacity before his death in September last year. His other more noted Directing credits take in the likes of 'Notting Hill', 'Changing Lanes', 'Hyde Park on Hudson', 'My Cousin Rachel', and 'Blackbird'. In 1961, Kempton Bunton (Jim Broadbent), a 60-year old taxi driver, stole Goya's portrait of the Duke of Wellington from the National Gallery in London. It was the first (and remains the only) theft in the Gallery's history. Kempton sent ransom notes saying that he would return the painting on condition that the government invested more in care for the elderly - he had long campaigned for pensioners to receive free television licenses. What happened next became the stuff of legend. Only 50 years later did the full story emerge - Kempton had spun an intricate web of lies. The only truth was that he was a good man, determined to change the world and save his marriage - how and why he used the Duke to achieve that is a wonderfully uplifting tale. Also starring Helen Mirren, Fionn Whitehead and Matthew Goode, the film saw its World Premier screening way back in September 2020 at the Venice Film Festival before being delayed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was released in the UK in late February and has garnered widespread critical acclaim.

'SONIC THE HEDGEHOG 2' (Rated PG) - this American action-adventure comedy film is Directed by Jeff Fowler and based on the video game franchise published by Sega. The sequel to 2020's 'Sonic the Hedgehog' which grossed US$320M off the back of a production budget of circa US$90M that film was also Directed by Jeff Fowler, and features most of the cast returning for this second instalment. Following on from the events of the first film, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz) is determined to make his mark as a hero and decides to stay in Green Hills while Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) and his wife Maddie (Tika Sumpter) go to Hawaii for her sister Rachel's (Natasha Rothwell) wedding. When Doctor Eggman (Jim Carrey) returns from the mushroom planet in search for the Master Emerald to conquer the world and exact revenge against Sonic with the help of Knuckles the Echidna (voiced by Idris Elba), Sonic and his new friend Miles 'Tails' Prower (Colleen O'Shaughnessey) set out to find the emerald before it falls into the wrong hands. This film is due for release in the US on 8th April. In February of this year, Sega and Paramount confirmed that a third Sonic film and a Knuckles spin-off series are in development.

'THE BAD GUYS' (Rated PG) - is an American computer-animated crime comedy film Produced by DreamWorks Animation and Scholastic Entertainment and is directed by Pierre Perifel (in his feature directorial debut) and based on the children's book series of the same name by Aaron Blabey. After a lifetime of legendary heists, notorious criminals Mr. Wolf (voiced by Sam Rockwell), Mr. Snake (Marc Maron), Mr. Piranha (Anthony Ramos), Mr. Shark (Craig Robinson) and Ms. Tarantula (Awkwafina) are finally caught. To avoid a prison sentence, the animal outlaws must pull off their most challenging con yet - becoming model citizens. Under the tutelage of their mentor, Professor Marmalade (Richard Ayoade), the dubious gang sets out to fool the world that they're turning good. In the meantime, a new villain emerges. Also starring the voices of Zazie Beetz, Lilly Singh and Alex Borstein. The film was released in Latin America on 17th March, goes on wide release in the US from 22nd April and has so far grossed US$8.5M. 

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 coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 13th February 2020.

The 73rd British Academy Film Awards were held on the evening of Sunday 2nd February by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) at London's Royal Albert Hall, and hosted by the Irish television and radio presenter, comedian, actor, author, and commentator Graham Norton. At these awards accolades are presented for the best feature-length film and documentaries of any nationality that were screened in British cinemas throughout 2019.

And so in case you missed all the news and views from this years BAFTA's, here is the abridged list of the winners, the grinners and the also rans.

* Best Film
Awarded to '1917', beating out 'The Irishman', 'Joker', 'Parasite' and 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'.
* Best Director
Awarded to SAM MENDES for '1917', beating out Martin Scorsese for 'The Irishman', Todd Phillips for 'Joker', Bong Joon-ho for 'Parasite' and Quentin Tarantino for 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'.
* Best Actor in a Leading Role
Awarded to JOAQUIN PHOENIX for 'Joker', beating out Leonardo DiCaprio for 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood', Adam Driver for 'Marriage Story', Aaron Egerton for 'Rocketman' and Jonathan Pryce for 'The Two Popes'.
* Best Actress in a Leading Role
Awarded to RENEE ZELLWEGER for 'Judy', beating out Jessie Buckley for 'Wild Rose', Scarlett Johansson for 'Marriage Story', Saoirse Ronan for 'Little Women' and Charlize Theron for 'Bombshell'.
* Best Actor in a Supporting Role
Awarded to BRAD PITT for 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood', beating out Tom Hanks for 'A Beautiful Day in the Neighbourhood', Anthony Hopkins for 'The Two Popes', Al Pacino for 'The Irishman' and Joe Pesci for 'The Irishman'.

* Best Actress in a Supporting Role 
Awarded to LAURA DERN for 'Marriage Story', beating out Scarlett Johansson for 'Jojo Rabbit', Florence Pugh for 'Little Women', Margot Robbie for 'Bombshell' and Margot Robbie for 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'. 
* Best Original Screenplay 
Awarded to BONG JOON-HO for 'Parasite', beating out 'Marriage Story', 'Booksmart', 'Knives Out' and 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'.
* Best Adapted Screenplay 
Awarded to TAIKA WAITITI for 'Jojo Rabbit', beating out 'Little Women', 'The Two Popes', 'Joker' and 'The Irishman'.
* Outstanding British Film 
Awarded to '1917', beating out 'Bait', 'For Sama', 'Rocketman', 'The Two Popes' and 'Sorry We Missed You'.
* Best Film not in the English Language 
Awarded to 'PARASITE', beating out 'The Farewell', 'For Sama', 'Pain and Glory' and 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire'.
* Best Cinematography 
Awarded to ROGER DEAKINS for '1917', beating out 'The Irishman', 'Joker', 'Ford v. Ferrari' and 'The Lighthouse'. 
* Best Production Design 
Awarded to '1917', beating out 'The Irishman', 'Jojo Rabbit', 'Joker' and 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'.
* Best Sound  
Awarded to '1917', beating out 'Joker', 'Ford v. Ferrari', 'Rocketman' and 'Star Wars : The Rise of Skywalker'.
* Best Special Visual Effects 
Awarded to '1917', beating out 'Avengers : Endgame', 'The Irishman', 'The Lion King' and 'Star Wars : The Rise of Skywalker'.
* Best Editing 
Awarded to 'FORD V FERRARI', beating out 'The Irishman', 'Jojo Rabbit', 'Joker' and 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood'.
* Best Casting 
Awarded to 'JOKER', beating out 'Marriage Story', 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood', 'The Personal History of David Copperfield' and 'The Two Popes'.
* Best Animated Film 
Awarded to 'KLAUS', beating out 'Frozen II', 'A Shaun the Sheep Movie : Farmageddon' and 'Toy Story 4'. 


* Best Documentary Film 
Awarded to 'FOR SAMA', beating out 'American Factory', 'Apollo 11', 'Diego Maradona' and 'The Great Hack'. 
In other awards, presentations were made for Best Costume Design to JACQUELINE DURRAN for 'Little Women'; for Best Make-Up and Hair to VIVIAN BAKER, KAZU HIRO, and ANNE MORGAN for 'Bombshell' and for Best Original Score to HILDUR GUONADOTTIR for 'Joker'. 
* The BAFTA Fellowship Award was presented to KATHLEEN KENNEDY, the American film Producer. In 1981, she co-founded the production company Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and future husband Frank Marshall. She has been the President of Lucasfilm since 2012.
* The BAFTA Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema was presented to ANDY SERKIS the English Actor, Producer and film Director. He is best known for his performance capture roles comprising motion capture acting, animation and voice work.

For the full low down on all the glitz and glamour, the celebs and the personalities and the comings and goings, you can visit the official website at : http://www.bafta.org

Turning attention then back to this weeks latest new release movies coming to your local Odeon, of which there are seven to choose from, we kick off with a biographical drama film about the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympic bombing and how the Security Guard who called it in becomes the prime suspect as the Police hunt down the perpetrator of this act of terror, while he maintains his innocence. We then have a historical drama retelling of a British journalist who travels to the Soviet Union in an attempt to uncover the truth behind Stalin's 'utopian' propaganda machine. Next up is another adaptation of a famed Jane Austen novel from 1815 about a young lady who creates a stir in the local community by acting as a romantic matchmaker. This is followed up by a Scottish film about two teenage likely lads who decide to venture out to a rave party for the first and possibly last time in their otherwise tawdry lives; and then a massively popular video game dating back to the early '90's gets the big screen treatment about a blue anthropomorphic spiny mammal who comes to Earth to escape evil forces that seek to harness his ability to run fast - really fast, like super fast! We then close out the week with a ComRom about a fairly well matched couple who are wondering what constitutes a good second date; and finally a popular long running TV show from the '70's and '80's gets the big screen treatment too but turned this time into a supernatural horror offering as visitors to this island seeking for their fantasises to be fulfilled are in for more than they bargained for.

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

'RICHARD JEWELL' (Rated M) - is an American biographical drama film Directed and Produced by Clint Eastwood (who needs no further introduction), and written for the screen by Billy Ray, and is based on the 1997 Vanity Fair article 'American Nightmare : The Ballad of Richard Jewell' by Marie Brenner. The project was initially announced in February 2014, when Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill teamed up to Produce and star in the film, Paul Greengrass began negotiations to Direct the film with other Directors considered including David O. Russell, before Clint Eastwood was officially attached in early 2019. DiCaprio and Hill did not star in the film, though they remained as Producers. The film saw its World Premier screening at the American Film Institute Fest in late November last year before going on general release Stateside in mid-December. With a production budget of US$45M the film has so far grossed US$36M, 'Richard Jewell' was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the ten best films of the year, and for her performance, Kathy Bates was recognised as the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as earned nominations at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes.

And so during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, security guard Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) discovers a suspicious backpack under a bench in Centennial Park. With little time to spare, he helps to evacuate the area until the incendiary device inside the bag explodes. Hailed as a hero who saved lives, Jewell's own life starts to unravel when the FBI names him the prime suspect in the bombing. Also starring Kathy Bates as Barbara Jewell, Richard's mother, Sam Rockwell as Watson Bryant the attorney defending Jewell, Jon Hamm as FBI Agent Tom Shaw and Olivia Wilde as journalist Kathy Scruggs.

'MR. JONES' (Rated MA15+) - here this drama film is Directed by the Polish film and television Director Agnieszka Holland and saw its World Premier screening at the February 2019 Berlin International Film Festival where it was selected to compete for the Golden Bear Award. Set in1933, Gareth Jones (James Norton) is an ambitious young journalist who has gained some fame for his interview with Adolf Hitler. Thanks to his connections within the government of Lloyd George (Kenneth Cranham), he is able to get official permission from the United Kingdom to travel to the Soviet Union to uncover the truth behind the Soviet 'utopia' propaganda machine, but then gets a tip that could expose an international conspiracy. As Jones attempts to interview Stalin to find out more about the Soviet Union's economic expansion and its apparently successful five-year development plan, he is restricted to Moscow, but travels unofficially on a life or death journey to Ukraine to uncover the truth behind the painted facade and discovers for himself the 'Holodomor' (a man-made famine in Soviet Ukraine in 1932 and 1933 that killed millions of Ukrainians), that would ultimately inspire George Orwell's seminal book 'Animal Farm'. Also starring Vanessa Kirby, Peter Sarsgaard and Jospeh Mawle. The film has so far garnered generally positive Press.

'EMMA' (Rated PG) - is a comedy drama film Directed by Autumn de Wilde and is based on the 1815 novel of the same name by Jane Austen. In this classic and highly esteemed story that has been adapted for both the big and small screens on numerous occasions in the past, here wealthy, attractive and headstrong young woman named Emma Woodhouse (Anya Taylor-Joy), who stirs up trouble in her Georgian Regency English small town by attempting to be a romantic matchmaker. Also starring Josh O'Connor, Bill Nighy, Johnny Flynn, Mia Goth, Callum Turner, Rupert Graves and Miranda Hart. The film is released in the UK this week too, and in the US from next week.

'BEATS' (Rated MA15+) - this Scottish film is Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Brian Welsh and based on the stage play of the same name by Kieren Hurley. Set in 1994 in Scotland, against the backdrop of the Criminal Justice and Public Order Act 1994, effectively banning outdoor rave parties across the whole of the UK. Two teenage best friends Johnno (Cristian Ortega) and Spanner (Lorn Macdonald) are going to one such rave party for the first, and quite possibly the last time together, as they risk everything in the hope of enjoying the best night of their otherwise very boring lives. The film was released in the UK in mid-May last year and only now gets a limited showing in Australia.

'SONIC THE HEDGEHOG' (Rated PG) - is an adventure comedy offering based on the Japanese video game franchise published by Sega. The film is Directed by Jeff Fowler in his feature Directorial debut and is intended to be the first in a series of films. The film was originally slated to be released in the US on 8th November 2019, but was delayed until 14th February 2020 after an overwhelmingly negative reaction to the first trailer, which was released on 30th April 2019. Paramount Studios delayed the film in order to redesign Sonic, whose original design drew the most criticism. The new design of Sonic was shown in a new trailer that was released worldwide on 12th November 2019, which was much more favourably received. And so here, Sonic (voiced by Ben Schwartz), a blue anthropomorphic hedgehog from another world, comes to Earth to escape malevolent forces that seek to harness his power of super-speed. After accidentally causing a massive power outage and hiding out in the town of Green Hills, Montana, Sonic is targeted by the government who then hire the tyrannical roboticist Dr. Robotnik (Jim Carrey) to hunt him down. Meanwhile, ex-SFPD officer recently turned Green Hills Sheriff Tom Wachowski (James Marsden) meets Sonic and decides to help him evade capture and stop Robotnik from using Sonic's powers for world domination. Also starring Tika Sumpter, Adam Pally and Neal McDonough, the film cost US$95M to bring to the big screen.

'A GUIDE TO SECOND DATE SEX' (Rated MA15+) - this American comedy romance is Directed and Written by Rachel Hirons in her feature film debut, and is an adaptation of Hiron’s critically acclaimed play, which played at London’s Soho Theatre and the Edinburgh Fringe Festival. Here, Laura (Alexandra Roach) and Ryan (George MacKay, seen already this year in '1917' and 'The True History of the Kelly Gang') are perfect for each other, in that they are both big fans of Meryl Streep, have been completely destroyed by previous failed relationships and have no idea what they are supposed to do tonight besides pretending to be completely different to how they've ever been previously in the hope of getting it right this time. How bad can a second date really go, and what is there to lose? Ryan and Laura are about to find out! Also starring Naomi Willow and Michael Socha.

'FANTASY ISLAND' (Rated M) - here this American supernatural horror film puts a different spin on the long running television series which ran for 152 episodes and two TV movies between 1977 and 1984 and which starred Ricardo Montalban as the mysterious Mr. Roarke and Herve Villechaize as his assistant Tattoo. Guests were granted so-called 'fantasies' on the island for a price. In this updated rendition, Directed and Co-Written by Jeff Wadlow whose previous film making credits include 2005's 'Cry Wolf', 2008's 'Never Back Down', 2013's 'Kick-Ass 2', and 2018's 'Truth or Dare', the enigmatic Mr. Roarke (Michael Pena) makes the secret dreams of his lucky guests come true at a luxurious but remote tropical island resort. But when the fantasies turn into nightmares, the guests have to solve the island’s mystery in order to escape with their lives. Also starring Maggie Q, Michael Rooker, Lucy Hale, Parisa Fitz-Henley, Ryan Hansen, Austin Stowell and Portia Doubleday, the film cost US$7M to produce, and is released Stateside this week too.

With seven 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-