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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

'The Boys in the Boat' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 8th November 2018.

The 'Festival Internazionale del Film di Roma' (aka 'International Rome Film Festival') was held in Rome, Italy, from 18th through until 28th October 2018 at the Auditorium Parco della Musica, and other venues around the ancient city. This festival of film was only founded in 2006 and whilst still quite young and new compared to many others, the importance of the hosting city as well as the strong economic investment has placed the Rome Film Festival among the world's most important film festivals, with huge media coverage and world-renowned artists attending. This year there were 266 screenings of 91 films in total from thirty countries represented.

The festival's closing film was 'Notti Magiche' ('Magical Nights') by Director Paolo Virzi. Set in Rome in 1990, the film centres around three aspiring young Screenwriters who are suspected of the murder of a famous film Producer on the night that Italy's national football team is ousted from the World Cup by the Argentinian side. The final day of this years Rome Film Festival ended with screenings of films from the official lineup in cinemas around the city, plus a concert of film scores by master composers and multi-award winning Ennio Morricone and Nicola Piovani.

'Il Vizio della Speranza' ('The Vice of Hope') Directed by Edoardo De Angelis was the winner of the People’s Choice Award, as audiences voted via app and web for their favourite film of the 2018 festival. Set in the drug-infested Castel Volturno outside Naples, the film follows Maria (Pina Turco), a trafficker of surrogate mothers whose closest companion is her pitbull terrier dog. She moves women from place to place along the river where they give birth, and then a powerful and unscrupulous madam sells their babies to the highest bidder. When one woman disappears, determined to keep her unborn baby, Maria is tasked with tracking her down, however, now pregnant with her own child, Maria begins to question her role in the illicit business.

James Gardner’s Directorial debut with 'Jelly Fish' won the Best Film award, with star Liv Hill also winning a Special Jury Prize. The Special Jury Prize for Best Film went to Peter Hedges’ 'Ben Is Back' with Julia Roberts and Lucas Hedges, and the Jury Prize for Best First Film went to the psychological drama 'The Harvesters' Written and Directed by Etienne Kallos.

The Official Selection line-up this year included such titles as 'American Animals' 'Bad Times at the El Royale' which also served as the opening film, 'Beautiful Boy', 'Fahrenheit 11/9', 'The Girl in the Spiders Web' (as Previewed below for its Australian release this week), 'Green Book', 'Halloween', 'The Hate U Give', 'The House with a Clock in its Walls', 'If Beale Street Could Talk', 'Kursk', 'The Little Drummer Girl', 'Monsters and Men', 'The Old Man & The Gun', 'A Private War', 'Stan & Ollie', 'The Vice of Hope' (winner of the People's Choice Award), 'They Shall Not Grow Old', 'Three Identical Strangers', 'Boy Erased' (also Previewed below for its Australian release this week), 'The Miseducation of Cameron Post' and 'Dead in a Week : Or Your Money Back'.

This week then we have six new release movies coming to an Odeon near you. We kick off with a new instalment in an already successful film franchise taken from the pages of an equally successful set of novels featuring our titular heroine with a distinctive tattoo, her occasional lover - an investigative journalist, and a bunch of criminal types who all deserve what they've got coming. We then turn to a remake of a classic 1977 Italian horror film set in a Berlin dance academy where everything is not quite as it seems when it revealed that the academy may just be run by a coven of witches. Next up we have a black comedy set in small town America when its citizens go on the rampage when a mystery hacker releases countless personal text messages about the town's folk. This is followed up by a coming of age story of a nineteen year old lad who is sent away to gay conversion therapy by his concerned and steadfastly religious parents, and what unfolds thereafter. Next is a WWI story of a bunch of soldiers in the trenches on the front line in war torn France, who must endure a week of waiting to go on the offensive to their certain death. And we then wrap up the week with a British comedy offering about a down on her luck young woman whose life changes in unexpected ways when she inherits a pug dog.

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

'THE GIRL IN THE SPIDER'S WEB' (Rated MA15+) - this is the fourth instalment in the 'Millennium' series of novels and films, that first kicked off with the originator of the international best seller series Stieg Larson who penned 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo', 'The Girl Who Played with Fire' and 'The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet's Nest' - all of which were made into successful films launching the movie career of Noomi Rapace as lead character Lisbeth Salander in those first three films. In 2011, David Fincher made an American version of the first film starring Rooney Mara as Lisbeth Salander and Daniel Craig as Mikael Blomkvist as an investigative journalist and occasional lover to Salander.  When Stieg Larson died in 2004 aged 50, having completed the three novels, David Lagercrantz carried the torch having penned two follow on novels so far, the first of which continues with this instalment. This time Directed by Fede Alvarez whose previous Directing credits include the 2013 version of 'Evil Dead' and  2016's 'Don't Breathe'. The film saw its Premier at the Rome Film Festival in late October, cost US$43M to make, was released in Sweden at the end of October, is released here and in the US this week and has so far received generally mixed or average Reviews.

And so to this story. Dismissed from the National Security Agency, Frans Balder (Stephen Merchant) recruits hacker Lisbeth Salander (Claire Foy) to steal FireWall, a computer program that can access codes for nuclear weapons worldwide, and which he developed in the first place. The download pretty quickly gains the attention from NSA agent Edwin Neeham (LaKeith Stanfield) who traces the activity to Stockholm. Further problems arise when the Russians steal Lisbeth's laptop and kidnap a computer geek who can make FireWall functional. Now, Lisbeth and an unlikely ally must race against time to recover the codes to avert disaster, overcome corrupt government officials, thwart cyber criminals and unravel a web of spies whilst saving the kidnapped geek. Also starring Sverrir Gudnason as Mikael Blomkvist, Sylvia Hoeks and Claes Bang.

'SUSPIRIA' (Rated MA15+) - way back in 1977 the acclaimed Italian Director, Producer and Screenwriter Dario Argento, perhaps best known for his work in the horror film genre during the '70's and '80's, released what was to become one of his most successful films - 'Suspiria', partially based on Thomas De Quincey's 1845 essay 'Suspiria de Profundis' ('Sighs from the Depths'). Now some forty years later this supernatural horror film gets a makeover courtesy of Italian Director and Co-Producer Luca Guadagnino. Costing US$20M to make, the film saw its World Premier at the Venice International Film Festival in early September, went on release in the US last week, and the UK next week, and has so far generated largely favourable Reviews. The story here unfolds as young American dancer Susie Bannion (Dakota Johnson) arrives in West German Berlin in 1977 to audition for the world famous Helena Markos Dance Company. When she vaults to the position of lead dancer, the woman she replaces breaks down and accuses the company's female Directors of witchcraft. Meanwhile, an inquisitive psychotherapist Dr. Josef Klemperer (Tilda Swinton) and another member of the dance troupe uncover dark and sinister secrets as they probe the depths of the studio's hidden underground chambers that lead them to believe that the academy is controlled by a coven of witches. Also starring Chloe Grace Moretz, Mia Goth and Jessica Harper who starred as Susie Bannion in the original film. Tilda Swinton plays three roles in the film.

'ASSASSINATION NATION' (Rated MA15+) - this American black comedy thriller is Written and Directed by Sam Levinson (son of Barry Levinson), received its World Premier screening at the Sundance Film Festival back in January this year, was released in the US and the UK towards the end of September, has received mixed or average Reviews and has so far grossed just US$2M. Here, the story unfolds in the town of Salem, Massachusetts, where High School senior students Lily Colson (Odessa Young) and her three best friends Sarah (Suki Waterhouse), Bex (Hari Nef) and Em (Abra) live in a malaise of text messages, social media posts, selfies and online chats, pretty much like the rest of the 'civilised' world. However, their small town world gets turned upside down and inside out when a mystery anonymous hacker starts to reveal personal messages and secrets of thousands of people. As anger spills over into full-blown violence, the four girls soon find themselves fighting for their lives and for their survival against an armed and very angry mob. Also starring Bill Skarsgard, Maude Apatow and Joel McHale. 

'BOY ERASED' (Rated MA15+) - this American and Australian Co-Production is a coming of age drama based on the 2016 memoir of the same name by Garrard Conley, and is Directed, Co-Produced, Written for the Screen and also stars Joel Edgerton. The film saw its World Premiere at the Telluride Film Festival back in early September and went on release in the US last week, where it has garnered generally positive Press. Here, Jared Eamons (Lucas Hedges) is the son of Marshall (Russell Crowe) a Baptist Pastor and Nancy (Nicole Kidman) living in small town America, who is outed to his parents as gay at the age of nineteen. Jared is quickly pressured into attending a gay conversion therapy programme, or else suffer the consequences and be shunned by his family, friends, and his church. It is within the programme that Jared comes into conflict with its head therapist Victor Sykes (Joel Edgerton). The film also stars Joe Alwyn, Xavier Dolan, Troye Sivan and Flea. 

'JOURNEY'S END' (Rated M) - this British film is an adaptation of the 1928 stage play of the same name by R.C.Sherriff and is the fifth adaptation of that play to grace the big and small screen. Directed by Saul Dibb the film stars an ensemble cast and has so far generated generally positive Reviews since its Special Presentation screening at TIFF way back in September 2017, and its initial release in Ireland in early February this year. Now only does it get a limited release in Australia. The story here occurs in the Spring of 1918 near St. Quentin, France. The war has already dragged on for four years almost, with millions killed in the process and it will continue on for another six months at least, taking out countless lives needlessly as it does. Taking us into the heart of a WWI battle zone we follow fresh-faced teenage Second Lieutenant Raleigh (Asa Butterfield), who gets himself assigned to the command of Captain Stanhope (Sam Claflin). The drama plays out amid the tensions, anxieties and camaraderie that unite these men and their infantry colleagues that including cook Mason (Toby Jones) and battle-worn Trotter (Stephen Graham) and Hibbert (Tom Sturridge) as they begin a week where they have already heard that a huge German offensive is expected and soon. They know little else except that they can expect no reinforcements and not to be evacuated . . . . and so they await their fate. Also starring Paul Bettany and Robert Glenister.

'PATRICK' (Rated PG) - here Mandie Fletcher Directs this British comedy offering hot on the heels of her 2016 Directed 'Absolutely Fabulous : The Movie'. The story here unfolds about one Sarah Francis (Beattie Edmondson, daughter of Adrian Edmondson and Jennifer Saunders) who is a young woman whose life is just a tad on the skids. The last thing she is looking for is someone or something else to look after, especially not someone or something who dribbles, snores and eats garbage from the kitchen bin. However, like it or lump it, her Grandmother has left Sarah her prized possession in her will, a very spoilt pug dog called Patrick. As this new canine friend proceeds to wreak havoc in all areas of Sarah’s life, its not long before a sort of miracle happens as Patrick slowly but very surely begins to turn her life around. Also starring Jennifer Saunders, Ed Skrien, Gemma Jones, Bernard Cribbins and Peter Davison.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

GRINGO : Tuesday 5th June 2018.

'GRINGO' which I saw this week at my local multiplex sat in a near empty theatre is brought to us by Aussie Stuntman, Actor and only second time Director of a full length feature film, Nash Edgerton who brings us this American comedy crime caper, which he also Co-Produced. Nash Edgerton is the older brother of Actor, Director, Writer and Producer Joel Edgerton. Nash's previous feature length Directing credit was the 2008 Australian thriller 'The Square', and he has worked as Stunt Coordinator or Stuntman in numerous Hollywood movies over the years and occasionally acts too. For this film Nash has assembled an all star cast that takes in David Oyelowo, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Thandie Newton, Sharlto Copley, Harry Treadaway, Paris Jackson and brother Joel amongst others. The film was released in the US in early March, has received mixed or average Reviews, and has so far taken US$10M at the Box Office.

Here, hapless mild-mannered and unassuming Nigerian born U.S. businessman Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) works for a Chicago based medical technology firm that has developed the 'weed pill' (a medical marijuana that has been simplified into a pill format). Harold's bosses, CEO Richard Rusk (Joel Edgerton) and Co-owner Elaine Markinson (Charlize Theron) are interrupted having office sex by a telephone call from a frantic Harold claiming that he has been kidnapped in Mexico and that his captors are demanding a ransom of US$5M. This news takes Richard and Elaine off guard who are understandably unprepared for such an eventuality, and cut the phone call short to buy them some thinking time.

We then rewind two days and find Harold going about his business for the company he works for, Promethium, seemingly happily married to his wife Bonnie (Thandie Newton). In a coffee shop meeting over a latte, Harold meets with his Accountant, who shows him that he is verging on bankruptcy largely because of Bonnie's reckless spending habits and her huge business overheads for servicing one single Client. The Accountant also alerts Harold to the fact that he shouldn't trust his employer and that the word on the street is that the company is going to merge with another.

Harold sees that all of a sudden his livelihood is at risk, despite his long lasting and close friendship with Rusk. Arriving back at the office Richard announces unexpectedly that he, Elaine and Harold are to fly down to Mexico the next day to attend an important business meeting with the manufacturer of the weed pill, and to cease supply to a Mexican drug lord which up to now has proved very lucrative for all parties, but it must now stop for fear of jeopardising the planed merger - a fact that Harold is unaware of officially, and when quizzed, Richard is very coy about.

Meanwhile, in a city guitar shop run by Sunny (Amanda Seyfried) and her boyfriend Miles (Harry Treadaway), Nelly (Paris Jackson, daughter of Michael, in her screen debut) enters the shop to tell Miles that someone down Mexico way wants him to smuggle a small consignment of drugs into the U.S. He refuses the initial offer of US$10K for the project and then reluctantly agrees when the ante is upped to US$20K, and decides to take Sunny with him.

Harold, Richard, and Elaine arrive in Mexico where they are met at the airport by Angel (Yul Vasquez), a friend of Harold's from his previous visits. They meet with their company rep named Celerino Sanchez (Hernan Mendoza). Richard and Elaine enter his office while Harold is ordered that his presence at the meeting is not required. Richard delivers the news to cut off, forthwith, any and all supply to the Cartel, and that he isn't afraid of the idle threats of some little wannabe drug lord. The meeting is over very quickly, although Sanchez is noticeably shaken by the prospect of having to deliver this news to the head of the Cartel.

Later that night, after a stilted and hastily abandoned dinner, Harold is on a Skype call with Bonnie, where she announces that she doesn't want to be married to him anymore, and that she has met someone else, but wouldn't disclose who. She hangs up the call, leaving Harold distraught. Elsewhere in the city, Sunny and Miles have arrived. Miles maintains contact with his Mexican connection, while Sunny is oblivious to his intentions. Sanchez drives out later that night to the estate of Cartel leader Villegas, aka 'The Black Panther' (Carlos Corona). Sanchez advises Villegas about the latest development by Promethium. The drug lord is led to believe that Harold is the boss of the company, and therefore the only person equipped to open the vault at their manufacturing facility. He orders his henchmen to go locate Harold after having them cut off Sanchez's toe with bolt cutters to show that nobody messes with The Black Panther.

With Richard and Elaine having departed for Chicago early the next morning, Harold is left in Mexico to attend to business, with the Cartel now hunting him down. Harold fakes his disappearance from the hotel leaving his clothes, mobile phone, laptop, suitcase and still made up bed in the room, as though he left in a hurry. He checks into a downbeat motel in the arse end of town run by a couple of young Mexican likely lad brothers whom he later convinces to create background threatening sound effects while he calls Richard with the news of his kidnapping. After their meeting down in Mexico the previous day, Richard and Elaine are now fearful that the Cartel are catching up with them, and believe Harold's story. Richard has a plan, and calls his brother Mitch (Sharlto Copley) who is experienced at taking people out and high level extractions having served as a mercenary, but now reformed and doing humanitarian work in Haiti. Mitch agrees to the safe extraction of Harold for US$200K.

Harold spends the night feeling sorry for himself in some local cantina getting steadily drunk. The bartender who has a connection to the Cartel, alerts them and soon afterwards two of Villegas's henchmen descend upon Harold and take him for a ride home. Being able to speak Spanish, Harold recognises the banter going on between his two new 'friends' and quickly comes to his senses, when he spies one of them with a pistol resting on his lap, poised to use it in the event of any trouble. Harold in a state of panic, struggles with the armed man for the gun causing a single shot to fire out killing the driver with a bullet to the head. The car veers out of control, crashes down an embankment and comes to rest in a crumpled heap. The next morning, Harold is limping dazed and confused down a country road, when who should happen by but Sunny and Miles driving their small little compact car. Sunny urges Miles to stop, and he reluctantly does so, just as Harold passes out on the roadside. Coincidentally, all three are staying in the same motel, which is how Sunny recognised Harold.

Back at the motel, Sunny nurses Harold back to consciousness and tends to a head wound. Sunny from this point on calls Harold, Harry, because there are more famous Harry's in the world than Harold's. At this point the two likely lads in charge of the motel, attempt to kidnap Harold to claim a reward for his delivery to Villegas. Wearing full face masks and at gunpoint, they storm Harold's room. Within no time, Mitch is on the scene taking out the two would be kidnapper brothers and Miles in the process. Mitch manhandles Harold outta there and reassures him that by this time tomorrow he'll be safely back in Chicago.

At the airport Harold does a runner just before checking in believing that he is being kidnapped again, and Mitch gives chase. Mitch catches up with him and takes him back to his room where he injects him with a nano tracking device to know where he is at all times. Mitch makes a deal with Harold to try and get Richard to pay a larger sum of money for Harold's return - a share of the US$2M kidnap insurance payout. When Mitch calls Richard to make that deal, Richard tells him that the company is planning to collect a life insurance claim on Harold if he were to end up dead which is valued at US$5M. Unbeknownst to Harold, Mitch agrees to take him up on that offer for a US$2M share. To celebrate their freedom and their insurance windfall, Harold and Mitch go out on the streets where they are seen by the two brothers from the motel. In a moment of clarity, Mitch admits Richard's plan with the insurance payout. Mitch is then struck by a car driven by the brothers and winds up face down in the river. Harold is then taken to see Villegas.

The brothers rock up to the Villegas estate with a bound Harold in tow. Villegas promptly shoots dead each of the brothers, and reassures that no harm will come to Harold, as they merely want access to the drug company's vault to take a stash of surplus weed pills for themselves. Meanwhile Miles, is making his way toward the same location for his own stash of what he came for. Upon arrival the Cartel henchmen get involved in a huge firefight with the Police and Security guards with casualties inflicted on all sides. Harold recognises Angel, who reveals himself to be an undercover DEA Agent who has infiltrated both the Cartel and Promethium and has nothing good to report about either organisation.

Making their getaway outta Dodge City, Harold and Angel are run off the road by Villegas henchmen with their car ending up on its roof by the side of the road on the outskirts of town. Harold and Angel crawl out of the upturned car just as the henchmen turn back towards them. Another firefight ensues in which Harold takes out one and Mitch (who has recovered from his near death experience) having tracked Harold, takes out another, only to be shot in the head by the first henchmen who was not quite dead yet, until Harold finishes him off. Harold gives Angel a stickdrive with the information he secretly uploaded from Richard's computer a few days earlier containing the data needed to take Richard down. Harold admits he can't return home since he no longer has a job or a wife to return to, now knowing that Richard was carrying on with Bonnie in a relationship that has subsequently gone south. Angel replies that people simply vanish in Mexico all the time, and that he will turn a blind eye to allow Harold to fake his own death. Harold briefly mourns over Mitch's lifeless body before taking the taxi he commandeered, which contained several rolls of US$100 bills and forged passports, one of which was ready for 'Harry' to skip Mexico under a new identity.

In the washup, Villegas and his Cartel, along with Miles, are all arrested by Angel and the local authorities. Harold is declared dead back home, and a funeral is held for him, which a now remorseful Bonnie attends. Richard is arrested and sentenced to fifteen years jail time, and Elaine takes over the company pleading ignorance to Richard's nefarious ways. Somewhere on the Mexican coast at a deserted beach Harry has opened up a bar. He maintains contact with Sunny and sends her a message on her birthday. He looks directly at the camera with a wry smile on his dial.

Despite its impressive cast which promises so much, the film under delivers and offers nothing new that we have not seen in other similar genre movies. The characters are largely lifeless, except for Charlize Theron's Elaine who has the pick of the rapid fire one liners and delivers some great dialogue that is too risqué to reproduce here, but great fun nonetheless and to see her so brazenly flaunt her sexuality as the take no prisoners, potty mouthed, full of herself, opinionated and super confident corporate exec. is the highlight of an otherwise predictable by the numbers film. There is a lot going on in this film as story threads get compounded and short changed, never being full fleshed out until everyone gets their payday in the last five minutes. In summary, the black comedy really failed to materialise for me, it's violent in places but not overly so, and its a crime caper of sorts only - all of which failed to manifest in any real meaningful way. You don't have to see this on the big screen and can easily wait for the BluRay, DVD, digital download or streaming service to catch it from the comfort of your own home.

'Gringo' merits two claps of the clapperboard, from a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 31st May 2018.

In May, the world bid a fond farewell to number of stars of the silver screen and the small screen. In brief, shown below, is my passing tribute to those stars who leave an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, and in particular the world of film and television. May you all Rest In Peace, and thanks for the memories.

* Clint Walker : Norman Eugene 'Clint' Walker was born on May 30th 1927 and died on May 21st 2018, aged 90. He was an American Actor and Singer who gained his first big screen role in an uncredited appearance in the 1954 film 'Jungle Gents' as a Tarzan type character. Thereafter he came to the attention of Cecil B. DeMille who cast him alongside Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and Edward G. Robinson in the epic 'The Ten Commandments'. Next up he was cast in the role for which he is perhaps best remembered as Cheyenne Bodie in 1957 in two episodes of hit Western television series 'Cheyenne' edited together too make a feature length film 'The Travellers'. The TV series 'Cheyenne' ran over seven series from 1955 through to 1963 with Walker playing the title character in all 108 episodes. He also appeared as that same character in a 1960 episode of 'Maverick', in the 1991 made for television film 'The Gambler Returns : The Luck of the Draw' and in a single episode of 'King Fu : The Legend Continues' in 1995. The Actor would go on to star in many Westerns over the following years including 'Fort Hobbs', 'Yellowstone Kelly', 'Requiem to Massacre', 'Gold of the Seven Saints', 'The Night of the Grizzly', 'More Dead Than Alive', 'Sam Whiskey', 'The Great Bank Robbery', 'Yuma', 'Hardcase', 'The Bounty Man', 'Baker's Hawk', 'The White Buffalo' and in a single episode of the epic television series of 1978's 'Centennial'. In the meantime, he also starred in Frank Sinatra's only Directorial effort, the WW2 actioner 'None But The Brave' in 1965, and then there was also his role as Samson Posey in the classic wartime 'The Dirty Dozen' in 1967 with an all star cast; the short-lived TV series spanning just thirteen episodes in the title role of 'Kodiak' as Alaskan State Patrolman Cal 'Kodiak' McKay, and his last screen role lending his voice to the character of Nick Nitro in 1997's 'Small Soldiers'. All up Walker had 42 Acting credits to his name in a career spanning five decades. He was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City in 2004.

* Margot Kidder : Margaret Ruth Kidder was born on October 17th 1948 and died on May 13th 2018, aged 69. She was an American/Canadian Actress and a political, environmental and anti-war Activist. Kidder gained her big screen debut in the 1969 docudrama 'The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kalahari'. This was followed up a year later by Norman Jewison's 'Gaily, Gaily' and then Brian de Palma's 'Sisters' in 1973, slasher horror flick 'Black Christmas' in 1974 and 'The Great Waldo Pepper' alongside Robert Redford in 1975. However, it was to be her role cast as Lois Lane in the 1978 'Superman' movie alongside Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent (aka 'Superman') that really propelled Kidder into the limelight. She reprised the role alongside Reeve in 1980's 'Superman II', 1983's 'Superman III' and 1987's 'Superman IV : The Quest for Peace'. 1979 saw another big ticket outing in the shape of the 'The Amityville Horror' in which Kidder starred alongside James Brolin as real life Kathy and George Lutz respectively. That film recouped US$87M from its US$5M Production Budget and spawned numerous sequels and reboots over the years. Following her mainstream success with the 'Superman' franchise and 'Amityville' her career took a somewhat stagnant pause although she remained active in feature films and television throughout the '80's, '90's and 2000's up until last year, but mostly in B-Grade features, made for television films, guest appearances on single or several episodes of TV series and the theatre. Her last four films were for Writer and Director Frank D'Angelo - these being 2014's 'The Big Fat Stone', 2015's 'No Deposit', 2016's 'The Red Maple Leaf' and 2017's 'The Neighbourhood' which was to be her final acting role. All up Kidder amassed 135 Acting credits to her name, and was the recipient of seven award wins and a further eight nominations.

This week there are just three new release movies coming to your local Odeon. We kick off with the second Directorial outing for this Aussie jobbing stuntman that also features his younger brother and an all star cast in a comedy crime offering about an unassuming businessman who gets into a spot of bother down Mexico way with the local drug cartel while learning that his wife back home is carrying on with one of his bosses who has hired his ex-Mercenray brother to keep him safe. We then move to a French foreign language biographical film about a famed painter at the turn of the last century who takes a leave of absence to escape Paris for the far flung remote reaches of Tahiti to rediscover his mo-jo . . . and that he does in more ways than one! And the week wraps up with a historical retelling of a 1976 passenger aeroplane hijacking that had the world on the edge of its seat before it all ended abruptly in a hail of bullets one week later.

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

'GRINGO' (Rated MA15+) - here Aussie Stuntman, Actor and only second time Director of a full length feature film, Nash Edgerton brings us this American comedy crime caper, which he also Co-Produced. Nash Edgerton is the older brother of Actor, Director, Writer and Producer Joel Edgerton. Nash's previous feature length Directing credit was the 2008 Australian thriller 'The Square', and he has worked as Stunt Coordinator or Stuntman in numerous Hollywood movies over the years and occasionally acts too.  For this film Nash has assembled an all star cast that takes in David Oyelowo, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Thandie Newton, Sharlto Copley, Harry Treadaway, Paris Jackson and brother Joel amongst others. The film was released in the US in early March, has received mixed or average Reviews, and has so far taken US$6M at the Box Office.

Here, mild-mannered U.S. businessman Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) works for a medical technology firm that has developed the 'weed pill' (a medical marijuana that has been simplified into a pill format.) Harold's bosses, Elaine Markinson (Charlize Theron) and Richard Rusk (Joel Edgerton), travel with him to Mexico to handle the mass production of the product. Harold fakes his own kidnapping in order to reap benefit from the company policy of paying out US$2M if anything was to happen to him in Mexico during a business trip. He learns too that his wife has left him as she is having an affair with Richard. While out drunk, Harold gets kidnapped for real by the cartel, who hold a grudge against his bosses and the company for cutting them out of their plans. Richard hires his brother Mitch (Sharlto Copley), who just happens to be an ex-mercenary, to keep Harold safe. Crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal, Harold must survive an increasingly dangerous situation that asks the question whether he is in over his head, or two steps ahead?

'GAUGUIN' (Rated M) - this biographical French foreign language offering is Directed and Co-Written by Edouard Deluc and recounts the story of French post-impressionist artist Paul Gauguin (Vincent Cassel) who lived from 1848 until 1903. Here, it is Paris, 1891 and feeling decidedly smothered by the political and bourgeois atmosphere underlying Paris at the time, with everything seemingly artificial and conventional, the artist decided that he needed to review his motivation and find a realism to renew his art. Failing to convince his wife Mette (Pernille Bergendorff) and his five children to follow him to the island paradise of Tahiti, he sets out alone. Upon arrival, he elects to settle down in Mataiera, a village far from Papeete, debunking himself to a native straw and mud hut. He soon finds his mo-jo, painting and carving in a style close to the primitive art specific to the island. During his two-year stay (he came and went over a ten year period during his latter life) Gauguin experienced solitude, poverty, heart problems and other trials and tribulations, but also happiness in the arms of Tehura (Tuhei Adams), a beautiful young, thirteen year old, native girl who helped regenerate his zest for life and had a lasting impact on his art.

'ENTEBBE' (Rated CTC) - aka '7 Days In Entebbe' in the US, this is an American crime drama Directed by Brazilian Jose Padilha (also known for the Brazilian crime drama films 'Elite Squad' and 'Elite Squad : The Enemy Within' and the 2014 'RoboCop' reboot.) This film concerns 'Operation Entebbe' - a successful counter terrorist hostage rescue mission carried out by Commandos of the Israel Defence Forces at Entebbe Airport in Uganda on 4th July 1976. The events of this hostage situation have been committed to film on three previous occasions - 1976's 'Victory at Entebbe', 1977's 'Raid on Entebbe' and the Israeli 1977 film 'Operation Thunderbolt'. Here, in this dramatisation, two Palestinian and two German terrorists, Brigitte Kuhlmann (Rosamund Pike) and Wilfried Bose (Daniel Bruhl) hijacked Air France Flight 139 en route from Tel Aviv, Israel to Paris, France via Athens, Greece. They held the 248 passengers and crew hostage at Entebbe Airport and demanded a ransom of US$5M for the aeroplane and the release of 53 Palestinian and pro-Palestinian militants, forty of whom were prisoners in Israel. After relocating all hostages to a disused airport building, the hijackers separated all Israelis and several non-Israeli Jews from the larger group and forced them into a separate room. Over the following two days, 148 non-Israeli hostages were released and flown out to Paris. Ninety-four, mainly Israeli passengers along with the twelve Air France crew, remained hostage and were threatened with death. The rescue operation mounted by the Israel Defence Force took a week to plan and just ninety minutes to execute. This that true story. Also starring Eddie Marsan as Shimon Peres, Lior Ashkenazi as Yitzhak Rabin and Angel Bonanni as Yonatan Netanyahu and Nonso Anomie as Idi Amin. The film has generated mixed or average Reviews at best and grossed so far US$7M since its release in the US in mid-March.

With three new release films out 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. Meanwhile, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

RED SPARROW : Tuesday 6th March 2018.

'RED SPARROW' which I saw this week, here sees Francis Lawrence Directing this American spy thriller based on the 2013 book of the same name by former CIA operative Jason Matthews. Francis Lawrence is no stranger to big screen spectacle having Directed, amongst others, 'Constantine' with Keanu Reeves, 'I Am Legend' with Will Smith, 'The Hunger Games : Catching Fire' with Jennifer Lawrence and 'The Hunger Games : Mokingjay Parts 1 and 2' also with Jennifer Lawrence. Here he teams up with his namesake Jennifer Lawrence once again with the film going on general release around the world just over a week ago having cost US$69M, and having garnered mixed and average Reviews at best so far. The film has so far grossed US$55M in Box Office receipts.

The film centres around Russian and American espionage, the central figure of which is Dominika Egorova (Jennifer Lawrence) a former prima ballerina forced into an uncertain future as a result of an injury that brings her chosen career to an abrupt halt. She lives with her ailing mother Nina (Joely Richardson) in a very modest apartment which is funded, together with her mothers medical expenses, by the ballet company for whom Dominika dances.

After corrective surgery to her lower leg, and feeling spent, she is approached by her Uncle Ivan (Matthias Schoenaerts) who works for the Russian Secret Service. He tasks her with seducing Russian Politician Dimitri Ustinov (Kristof Konrad) and switching his mobile phone with an identical state provided one, in exchange for which she can continue living in her apartment with her mother and all medical expenses covered, when this line of charity runs dry from the ballet company. Dominika must follow a fairly simple set of instructions, which she does. This leads to her being raped by Ustinov in her hotel room, but this is cut short by a garrotte around Ustinov's neck delivered at the hands of Simyonov (Sergej Onopko) slicing his throat open and killing him. After making a quick escape on motorcycle, Ivan reveals to Dominika that he had always intended to kill Ustinov and that she performed her job very well. But, Russian Intelligence rule that there can be no witnesses to such acts, and so she has a choice to make - either be executed, or begin a new career with Russian Intelligence.

Meanwhile Nate Nash (Joel Edgerton) is a CIA operative working in Moscow. While meeting with a Russian asset (codenamed Marble) at night in Gorky Park, their meeting is interrupted by a random drive-by Police car. To protect his asset from detection, Nash creates a diversion in order that they can both evade capture and questioning. After a foot chase through the streets of downturn Moscow, Nash narrowly escapes, and is sent packing back to the US to explain his actions, and to be grounded. Nash spent three years nurturing his relationship and building up trust with Marble who has now gone underground and contact lost. As a result, Nash is reassigned to Budapest to reconnect with Marble.

In the meantime Dominika is packed off to 'Sparrow School' having made the correct decision. Here young men and woman are trained to seduce their targets using physical, mental and emotional cues to do so. Dominika excels at her studies largely at the hands of the 'Matron' - the Head of Sparrow School (Charlotte Rampling), although rebels at some of the elements of her training, including stripping naked in front of her classmates, and her willingness to being raped by a fellow trainee. Despite this she shows promise and is singled out by General Vladimir Korchnoi (Jeremy Irons) overseen by Colonel Zacharov (Ciaran Hinds) and assigned to Budapest to seek out Nate Nash, gain his confidence by whatever means necessary, and learn the identity of his asset.

In Budapest, Dominika shacks up with Marta (Thekla Reuten) and quickly makes contact with Nash at a local swimming pool where Nash regularly swims laps for his afternoon exercise. Nash works out pretty quickly that she is a Russian Intelligence operative, and she reveals her true identity to him and that she is wanting to gain the identity of his asset. One day while Marta is out, Dominika takes the opportunity to snoop through her bedroom. She uncovers a notebook in which is recorded the name of Stephanie Boucher (Mary-Louise Parker), a Chief-of-Staff for a US Senator and a sum of US$250,000, whom Marta is working with to gather information from.

Later, following a surprise visit from her Uncle Ivan, Dominika reveals her plan to secure secrets from Boucher, which is overheard by Marta who believes that she is trying to take control over her planned assignment. A few days later, Marta winds up very dead in her bathtub at home - her tortured mutilated murdered body laying blood soaked for Dominika to discover. Simyonov creeps up behind Dominika and reveals that he killed Marta as a warning not to divulge Russian secrets.

Dominika offers her services to Nash to work with the CIA as a double agent. She sees through Marta's planed assignment with Boucher and sets up a covert meeting in a London hotel room where several disks containing sensitive information will be exchanged for US$250,000 in cash, all the while monitored covertly by Nash and his team. The meeting goes off well, Boucher leaves the hotel room with her swag bag of cash, but is spooked by CIA operatives who move in too quickly and without the command, and is killed outright when she steps into the road and is mown down by a passing truck.

Dominika's Russian handler sees that the mission has been compromised, and she is whisked away quickly to Heathrow, then back to Russia where she is interrogated and tortured for seemingly compromising Boucher. She repeatedly denies this, and is subject to more beatings and torture. Ivan enters the room to deliver an ultimatum, but Dominika convinces her Uncle that her interrogation will give her credibility with the CIA, and as such she should be allowed to return to the field to complete her assignment. She returns to Budapest, and meets with Nash stating her desire to defect to the US with her mother.

Nash and Dominika spend the night together. The next morning Dominika awakens alone in bed, but with muffled sounds coming from the next room. She investigates to find Nash bound to a chair with Simyonov standing over him, demanding the identity of Marble or suffer the consequences at his torturous hands. Simyonov unravels and array of sharp instruments of torture. Dominika goes along with the ruse to show support of Simyonov and takes part in the torture, lulling him into  false sense of security, before she administers a crashing blow to his temple sending him reeling backwards. In the ensuing scuffle, Nash is able to free himself but by now Simyonov is on his feet slashing wildly away with a surgical blade at them both. Ultimately Dominika gains the upper hand and after repeatedly stabbing Simyonov administers the final blow with a blade into his neck.

Later, Dominika comes round in a hospital bed, with her wounds dressed. She ventures out of her private room to take stock of her location, and is greeted by General Korchnoi who reveals to her that he is in fact the mole, codenamed Marble. He explains that his anger and frustration by the deep rooted and ongoing corruptness of Russia led him to becoming a secret double agent. He further adds that she should reveal his identity to her Uncle, Ivan, and that her outing such a high ranking official will gain her instant promotion and set her up for a high profile career in Russian Intelligence, as well as continuing the work with the CIA that they are both secretly engaged in too. Back on Russian soil, Dominika makes contact with her superiors and advises them who the mole is, but instead of outing Korchnoi, she frames her Uncle Ivan instead who ultimately dies with a bullet to the head during a prisoner exchange overseen by Nash and the CIA. Dominika gains her reward of promotion and the recognition that goes with it, and returns home to care for her mother in the same apartment.

'Red Sparrow' joins the ranks of Russian/American international espionage thrillers that we see all too often, and in some cases done better. This offering does stand up on its own two feet, but be prepared to pay attention throughout as the plot twists and turns every which way and you'll need to concentrate on who's side who is on, why and when. The film is graphic in its violence and sexual violence and seems to rely all too heavily on putting the Jennifer Lawrence character through just about every degradation possible from torture through interrogation through rape (twice and almost a third time) through multiple beatings in between and bearing witness to some pretty grisly murders. The film at 140 minutes is also too long for the subject matter and could have been easily paired back to two hours without the padding and a little more straightforwardness. Despite this the films redeeming points are its cast, and this is Lawrence like we have never seen her before as she bares all (literally) to join the ranks of Angelina Jolie ('Salt') and Charlize Theron ('Atomic Blonde') as an action heroine, joined by an ensemble cast of fine acting talent that help levitate the film above a by the numbers offering. This is potentially the first film in a franchise of three, as author Jason Matthews has penned two further novels in the series. We'll see if the lessons learned from this first film transfer to any subsequent follow-up.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-