What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 21st August 2025

The 82nd annual Venice International Film Festival will be held this year from 27th August to 6th September at Venice Lido in Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the 'Big Five' International film festivals worldwide, which include the Big Three European Film Festivals (Venice, Cannes and Berlin), alongside the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada and the Sundance Film Festival in the USA. Founded in August 1932 the festival is part of the Venice Biennale, one of the world's oldest exhibitions of art, created by the Venice City Council on 19 April 1893. The range of work at the Venice Biennale now covers Italian and international art, architecture, dance, music, theatre, and cinema. During the festival, Venice hosts many events and parties, interviews and meetings with filmmakers and Actors every night, venues open all night, and parties are held in beautiful casino palaces and gardens.

This year the festival will open with the World Premiere screening of the drama film of a love story 'La grazia' from Italy, and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, and is in official competition for the Golden Lion. The festival closes with the Sci-Fi crime thriller 'Dog 51' from France and is Co-Written and Directed by Cedric Jimenez. 

American filmmaker Alexander Payne will serve as Jury President for the main competition for the Golden Lion, of which there are twenty-one films in contention. Among those films are the following :-

* 'Bugonia' - from Ireland, South Korea and the USA and this Sci-Fi black comedy is Co-Produced and Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos and stars Jesse Plemmons, Emma Stone and Alicia Silverstone and focuses on two conspiracy-obsessed young men who kidnap the high-powered CEO of a major company, convinced that she is an alien intent on destroying planet Earth. World Premiere.

* 'Father Mother Sister Brother' from the USA, Ireland, France, Italy and Japan this comedy drama is Written and Directed by Jim Jarmusch and stars Cate Blanchett, Vicky Krieps, Adam Driver, Charlotte Rampling and Tom Waits. Estranged siblings reunite after years apart, forced to confront unresolved tensions and reevaluate their strained relationships with their emotionally distant parents. World Premiere.

* 'Frankenstein' - from the USA and this Gothic Sci-Fi film is Written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by Guillermo del Toro and stars Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, Mia Goth, Charles Dance, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Ineson and Burn Gorman. A brilliant but egotistical scientist brings a creature to life in a monstrous experiment that ultimately leads to the undoing of both the creator and his tragic creation. World Premiere.

* 'A House of Dynamite' - from the USA and this political thriller is Co-Produced and Directed by Kathryn Bigelow and stars Idris Elba, Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriele Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Moses Ingram, Anthony Ramos, Greta Lee and Jason Clarke. A group of White House officials scramble to deal with an incoming missile attack on the USA. World Premiere.

* 'Jay Kelly' - from the UK and the USA this coming of age comedy drama is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Noah Baumbach and stars George Clooney, Adam Sandler, Laura Dern, Billy Crudup, Stacy Keach, Riley Keough, Emily Mortimer, Patrick Wilson, Jim Broadbent, Lenny Henry, Greta Gerwig, Isla Fisher and Alba Rohrwacher. The film follows a friendship between a famous actor and his manager as they travel through Europe and reflect on their life choices, relationships, and legacies. World Premiere.

* 'No Other Choice' - from South Korea and this black comedy thriller film is Co-Written, Produced and Directed by Park Chan-wook. It follows a man who engages in a desperate hunt for new employment after being fired from a position he has held for 25 years. World Premiere.

* 'The Smashing Machine' - from the USA, Canada and Japan and this biographical sports drama film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Edited by Benny Safdie and stars Dwayne Johnson, Emily Blunt and Ryan Bader. The film tells the story of mixed-martial arts and UFC champion Mark Kerr. World Premiere.

* 'The Stranger' - from France and this drama film is Written for the screen and Directed by Francois Ozon and stars Benjamin Voisin. Set in 1930's Algeria, an apathetic Frenchman shows total indifference to life. His emotional detachment leads to a murder, followed by a trial that scrutinises both the crime and his character. World Premiere.

* 'The Testament of Ann Lee' - from the UK and this historical drama musical film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Mona Fastvold and starring Amanda Seyfried, Thomasin McKenzie, Lewis Pullman, Tim Blake Nelson, Christopher Abbott, Stacy Martin and Matthew Beard. Ann Lee, the founding leader of the Shaker Movement, and proclaimed as the female Christ by her followers, depicts her establishment of a utopian society and the Shakers' worship through song and dance. Based on real events. World Premiere.

* 'The Wizard of the Kremlin' - from France, the UK and the USA and this political thriller is Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Olivier Assayas and stars Paul Dano, Jude Law, Alicia Vikander, Zach Galifianakis, Tom Sturridge and Jeffrey Wright. It follows the fictional character of Vadim Baranov during the final years of the Soviet Union and the turbulent start of the Russian Federation, while a young Vladimir Putin rises into power. World Premiere.

For the full run down of all feature films in the Official Competition for the Golden Lion, plus all the details of the other films in competition, those out of competition and the other film strands being showcased, together with a whole lot of other good stuff, you can go to the official website at : https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2025

Turning to this weeks seven hottest new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon close to your home, we launch with a black comedy neo-Western film about the political and social turmoil caused by the contested mayoral election fought between the Sheriff and the Mayor of this small town in New Mexico. Then we turn to a story about a secretive 'fixer' who brokers payoffs on behalf of corrupt corporations, and a potential client who may need his protection. Next up we have an Australian action horror offering set at the height of the Vietnam War in which a recon unit is sent to an isolated jungle valley to uncover the fate of a missing Green Beret platoon, but they soon discover they are not alone, and must face the most terrifying creatures to ever walk the Earth. This is followed up with an American action comedy film in which only one man has the particular set of skills - to lead Police Squad and save the world. Following on we have a film based on a true story about a Polish woman conscripted to serve as housekeeper to a Nazi officer in Warsaw after it fell to the Nazis, and how she helped shelter a dozen Jews. Next we turn to an Australian drama comedy about a struggling Hollywood actress who returns home to Kangaroo Island, confronting the love triangle that tore her family apart; before closing out the week with an American dark comedy in which a female private investigator probes a number of strange deaths linked it seems to a religious cult. 

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 week ahead.

'EDDINGTON' (Rated M15+) - this American neo-Western black comedy film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Ari Aster whose prior feature film making credits are his 2018 debut with 'Hereditary', then 'Midsomer' in 2019 and 'Beau is Afraid' in 2023. This film had its World Premiere showcasing at the main competition of the Cannes Film Festival in mid-May this year and was released in the US in mid-July. It received generally positive reviews from critics, and has so far grossed US$12M worldwide against a budget of US$25M.

In May 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, a standoff between a small-town sheriff and mayoral candidate Joe Cross (Joaquin Phoenix) and mayor Ted Garcia (Pedro Pascal) who is running for re-election, sparks a powder keg as neighbour is pitted against neighbour in Eddington, New Mexico. Also starring Emma Stone, Austin Butler, Luke Grimes, Deirdre O'Connell and Michael Ward.

'RELAY' (Rated M) - is an American thriller film Co-Produced and Directed by David Mackenzie who made his Directorial debut in 2002 with 'The Last Great Wilderness' which he would follow up with other titles including 'Young Adam' in 2003, 'Hallam Foe' in 2007, 'Perfect Sense' in 2011, 'Starred Up' in 2013, 'Hell or High Water' in 2016 and 'Outlaw King' in 2018. Here, a world class 'fixer' Tom (Riz Ahmed) specialises in brokering lucrative payoffs between corrupt corporations and the individuals who threaten their ruin. He keeps his identity a secret through meticulous planning and always follows an exacting set of rules. But when a message arrives one day from potential client Sarah Grant (Lily James), needing his protection just to stay alive, the rules quickly start to change. Also starring Sam Worthington and Victor Garber. The film had its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September last year and is released here in Australia and the US this week, having garnered generally positive critical feedback.

'PRIMITIVE WAR' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian wartime action horror film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Luke Sparke who made his feature film Directing debut with 'Red Billabong' in 2016 and would follow this up with 'Occupation' in 2018, 'Occupation : Rainfall' in 2020, 'Devil Beneath' in 2023, 'Bring Him to Me' also in 2023 and 'Scurry' in 2024. Here then, set in 1968 Vietnam, a recon unit known as Vulture Squad is sent to an isolated jungle valley to uncover the fate of a missing Green Beret platoon. They soon discover they are not alone, and instead of enemy soldiers they face prehistoric dinosaurs. Starring Tricia Helfer, Ryan Kwanten, Jeremy Piven, Ana Thu Nguyen and Nick Wechsler.

'THE NAKED GUN' (Rated M) - is an American action comedy film Co-Written and Directed by Akiva Schaffer whose previous feature film Directorial credits include his debut in 2007 with 'Hot Rod', then 'The Watch' in 2012, 'Popstar : Never Stop Never Stopping' in 2016 and 'Chip 'n Dale : Rescue Rangers' in 2022. This film serves as a legacy sequel to 1994's 'Naked Gun 33⅓: The Final Insult' and is the fourth instalment in 'The Naked Gun' franchise, with those first three films in the series grossing a combined US$477M at the global Box Office. Here, following in the footsteps of his bumbling father, Detective Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) must solve a murder case to prevent the police department from shutting down. Also starring Pamela Anderson, Paul Walter Hauser, Kevin Durand and Danny Huston. The film was released Stateside on 1st August, has so far grossed US$74M off the back of a US$42M production budget and has generated positive critical acclaim.

'IRENA'S VOW' (Rated MA15+) - this Canadian and Polish Co-Production is Directed by Louise Archambault, whose prior feature film making credits take in her 2005 debut with 'Familia', then 'Gabrielle' in 2013, 'And the Birds Rained Down' and 'Thanks for Everything' both in 2019 and 'One Summer' in 2023. The screenplay for this film was written by Dan Gordon who also wrote the Broadway play of the same name. Here, Irena Gut Opdyke (Sophie Nelisse), a Polish nurse helps shelter and protect a dozen Jewish people during the Holocaust by hiding them in the cellar of the home where she was employed as a housekeeper by Nazi German officer Eduard Rugemer (Dougray Scott). The film premiered in the Centrepiece programme in September 2023 at the Toronto International Film Festival, and was released in Canada in mid-April 2024. It has so far grossed US$1.2M at the Box Office and has garnered generally positive critical reviews.

'KANGAROO ISLAND' (Rated M) - is an Australian drama comedy film Co-Produced and Directed by Timothy David in his feature film debut. Estranged daughter Lou (Rebecca Breeds), an actress whose career has not taken off in Hollywood, returns to her hometown on Kangaroo Island, upon request by her father (Erik Thomson). Lou and her sister Freya (Adelaide Clemens), who is religious, have a complicated past relationship. They try to repair their differences and make peace for the sake of their father, but another family secret is revealed. The films name derives from Kangaroo Island in South Australia, where it was filmed. It saw its World Premiere at the Adelaide Film Festival in early November last year, and has generated largely positive critical reviews.

'HONEY DON'T!' (Rated MA15+) - this American neo-noir dark comedy detective film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Ethan Coen, one half of the highly acclaimed, multi-award winning Coen Brothers combo that he shares with his brother Joel. The pair made their Directorial debut with 1984's 'Blood Simple' and would follow this up with other notable titles including 'Raising Arizona' in 1987, 'Miller's Crossing' in 1990, 'Barton Fink' in 1991, 'Fargo' in 1996, 'The Big Lebowski' in 1998, 'O Brother, Where Art Thou?' in 2000, 'No Country For Old Men' in 2007, 'Burn After Reading' in 2008, 'True Grit' in 2010 and 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs' in 2018. His first solo feature film came in 2024 with 'Drive-Away Dolls', and this film is intended to be the second in a three parter. Here, in Bakersfield, California, female small town private detective Honey O'Donahue (Margaret Qualley) investigates a woman's death and tangles with a religious cult, led by the Reverend Drew Devlin (Chris Evans). Also starring Aubrey Plaza and Charlie Day, the film is released this week too in the USA having seen its World Premiere screening at this years Cannes Film Festival in late May. 

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 coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online- 

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 2nd November 2023

The 29th Geneva International Film Festival this year runs from Friday 3rd until Sunday 12th November in the city of Geneva, Switzerland. Founded in 1995, this is Geneva’s oldest film festival and one of the first in the world to include television in its programmes. A crossroads of genres and disciplines, a place of experimentation, encounters and celebration, it offers every year for ten days, films, series, interactive installations and virtual reality works to some 50,000 festival-goers. The largest space in Switzerland dedicated to immersive arts, the GIFF has become one of the major events in Europe.

This years Opening Ceremony film presentation is 'DAAAAAALI!' from France and Written, Directed, photographed and Edited by Quentin Dupieux, and is about a French journalist who meets the iconic surrealist artist Salvador Dalí on several occasions for a documentary project that never came to be. The Closing Ceremony film presentation is 'MONSTER' from Japan and is Directed and Edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda and tells the story of a mother who demands answers from her young sons teacher when her son begins acting strangely.

In the International Feature Competition this year there are twelve titles, these being :-

* 'AFTER THE FIRE' - from France and Directed by Mehdi Fikri. Inspired by real events, a family is devastated after a young man dies at the hands of the Police. His sister leads the fight to uncover the truth. 

* 'BANEL & ADAMA' - from France, Senegal, Mali and Qatar and Directed by Ramata-Toulaye Sy. In a village in northern Senegal, a young couple's relationship is thwarted by the ancestral weight of the community and its traditions.

* 'BLAGA'S LESSONS' - from Bulgaria and Germany and Directed by Stephan Komandarev. A teacher, who falls victim to a phone scam that robs her of her life savings, then realises that there is no way get her money back. The tables then turn as cash begins rolling in as she transforms into a scammer herself.

* 'DIE THEORIE VON ALLEM' - from Austria and Germany and Directed by Timm Kroger. Set in 1962, and a young physics PhD student attends a conference in the Alps with his research supervisor. A hotel full of mysterious characters, strange clouds and – beneath the mountain – a secret.

* 'HOLLY' - from Belgium, Netherlands, Luxembourg and France and Directed by Fien Troch. Holly is a strange, lonely teenager. One morning, she decides to skip school. When a ferocious fire then breaks out, this premonition gives her a very special status.

* 'SPIRIT OF ECTACY' - from France and Directed by Helena Klotz. A young girl is set to smash the glass ceiling of her social class and create a future for herself. A heroine for our times played by the singer-songwriter Pomme, acting alongside the rapper Fianso.

* 'POLITE SOCIETY' - from the UK and Directed by Nida Manzoor. Ria, a martial arts enthusiast, aspires to become a stuntwoman. A close yet volatile relationship with her sister will lead her to try and sabotage her sisters forthcoming wedding.

* 'SIDONIE IN JAPAN' - from France, Germany, Switzerland and Japan and Directed by Elise Gerard and starring Isabelle Huppert. In Japan to promote her book, a well-known French writer sees her life turned upside down. A little exile in the land of ghosts allows her to make the connection between her past and present.

* 'SNOW LEOPARD' from China and Directed by Pema Tseden. On a Tibetan plateau at an altitude of 4,000 meters, beside a majestic lake, a shepherd, a monk/photographer and several government officials argue about a snow leopard.

* 'THE SWEET EAST' - from the USA and Directed by Sean Price Williams. A young girl runs away from home and encounters a parade of strange characters. In the course of her wanderings, a dark portrait of America emerges, fractured and fraying at the margins.

* 'UPON ENTRY' - from Spain and Directed by Alejandro Rojas and Juan Sebastian Vasquez. A couple with visas for a new life. She's Spanish, he's Venezuelan. The final step in their new life is an unsettling interrogation conducted by US immigration officers.

* 'HUMANIST VAMPIRE SEEKING CONSENTING SUICIDAL PERSON' - from Canada and Directed by Ariane Louis-Seize. 'You can't feed on words alone! You have your fangs, you can do it!'. Sacha is a humanist vampire, too sensitive to kill people. She comes across a lonely young man. How will this unlikely encounter pan out?

For the other film section being presented plus the details of the Film & Beyond Award and the Geneva Award, you can go to the official website at : https://2023.giff.ch/en/

Kicking off the week we have six latest new movie releases set to grace a big screen Odeon close to home, starting off with an Sci-Fi psychological thriller surrounding a couple's quiet life on a secluded rural property that is thrown into turmoil when an uninvited stranger shows up at their door with a startling proposal. Then we turn to a German thriller about a deep-sea diving trip that turns into a fight for survival for two sisters when a catastrophic landslide sends rocks tumbling into the ocean, trapping one of them below the surface. Next up we have an Aussie crime thriller that sees a getaway driver with a conscience, whose latest assignment has him driving a young unsuspecting man towards a certain fall. Following on we have a British drama set in 1988 in which a closeted teacher is pushed to the brink when a new student threatens to expose her sexuality. Then we have a Norwegian Christmas comedy horror offering that sees a group of ancient elves wreak bloody mayhem on this unsuspecting family for disrupting their hitherto peaceful lives; before closing out the week with a Chinese neo-noir offering that sees a police chief investigating a series of murders in a riverside town in rural China in the 1990's.

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

'FOE' (Rated M) - is a US and Australian co-produced Sci-Fi psychological thriller film Co-Written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by Garth Davis whose breakout feature film came with his 2016 debut 'Lion' and which he would follow up with 'Mary Magdalene' in 2018 with 'A House in the Sky' currently in production and set for a future release. This film is based on the 2018 novel of the same name by Ian Reid, was shot in Melbourne and South Australia, and saw its Premiere screening at last months New York Film Festival in the Spotlight section. 

The lives of married couple Henrietta (Saoirse Ronan) and Junior (Paul Mescal) are turned upside down when an uninvited stranger, Terrance (Aaron Pierre) arrives at their secluded farm which has been in Juniors family for generations, and informs them that Junior will be sent to a large space station, and his wife will be left in the company of a robot. The film has generated mixed or average reviews.

'THE DIVE' (Rated M) - this German thriller offering is Co-Written and Directed by Maximilian Erlenwein in only his third feature film outing following his 2009 debut with 'Gravity' (no not the one released in 2013 and Directed by Alfonso Cuaron and starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney), and then 'Stereo' in 2014. Here, two sisters Drew (Sophie Lowe) and May (Louisa Krause) go diving at a beautiful, remote location. May is struck by a rock following an underwater landslide, leaving her trapped almost thirty meters below the surface. With dangerously low levels of oxygen and cold temperatures, it is up to Drew to fight for her life, for which she must put her own life in jeopardy and risk paying the ultimate sacrifice. But with no help in sight, time is quickly running out! The film saw its Premiere at this years Filmfest Munchen at the end of July, and has so far grossed US$954K

'BRING HIM TO ME' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian crime thriller Co-Produced, Directed, Edited and Production designed by Luke Sparke whose previous feature film making credits take in his 2016 debut with 'Red Billabong' then 'Occupation' in 2018 and its follow up 'Occupation : Rainfall' in 2020 and 'Devil Beneath' released earlier this year. He also has 'Fight For Your Life' currently in pre-production and 'Occupation Rainfall : Chapter 2' in development. Here then, under orders from a ruthless crime boss (Sam Neill), a getaway driver (Barry Pepper) must battle his conscience and drive an unsuspecting crew member (Jamie Costa) to an ambush execution. There is a long drive ahead. Also starring Rachel Griffiths and Zac Garred. 

'BLUE JEAN' (Rated M) - this British drama film is Written and Directed by Georgia Oakley in her feature film making debut. It saw its World Premiere screening at the Venice Film Festival in early September 2022, was released in the UK in mid-February this year and only now does in go on release in Australia. The film has garnered universal critical acclaim, has collected twelve award wins and a further twenty-six nominations from around the awards and festival circuit and has grossed US$694K at the Box Office. In 1988, a new law stigmatising gays and lesbians forces Jean (Rosy McEwen), a closeted gym teacher, to live a double life. As pressure mounts from all sides, the arrival of a new student catalyses a crisis that will push Jean to the edge. Also starring Kerrie Hayes and Lucy Halliday. 

'THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE BARN' (Rated M) - this Norwegian and Finish horror comedy film is Directed by Magnus Martens whose prior Directorial outings take in his debut with 'United' in 2003, then 'Jackpot' in 2011 and 'SAS : Red Notice' in 2021, having also helmed several episodes of TV series including '12 Monkeys', 'Luke Cage', 'Longmire', 'Fear the Walking Dead' and 'The Walking Dead : World Beyond'. Here, Bill (Martin Starr) inherits his uncle’s house in Norway after the man dies in a freak accident. We, of course, know it was no accident, and soon enough so will Bill, his wife (Amrita Acharia) and Bill’s kids Nora (Zoe Winther-Hansen) and Lucas (Townes Bunner) will too. They relocate from sunny California to snow driven Norway with plans to open a bed and breakfast, but complications ensue, both in the obvious cultural differences and, more ominously, what Lucas discovers living in the barn. It’s a nisse or barn elf (Kiran Shah), who's a jolly little fellow who lives there and in return helps around a farm. But it also hates bright lights, loud noises or any kind of change to its home. Faced with that it becomes not so jolly and will react violently to protect the status quo. The film has garnered generally favourable reviews, and is the first of this years Christmas movie offerings. 

'ONLY THE RIVER FLOWS' (Rated M) - is a Chinese neo-noir art film Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Wei Shujun and is based on the short story 'Mistakes By The River' by Yu Hua. The film was selected to compete in the Un Certain Regard section of this year Cannes Film Festival in late May and has garnered largely positive critical acclaim. Here, Police Chief, Ma Zhe (Zhu Yilong), investigates a series of murders in Banpo Town - a small riverside community in rural China in the 1990's. Though an arrest is made quickly, clues push the policeman to delve deeper into the hidden behaviour of the locals and piece together the truth.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 28th January 2021.

On January 9th this year, the first awards were presented of the season at the 55th National Society of Film Critics Awards honouring the best in film for the 2020 year. The National Society of Film Critics was founded in 1966 in New York City, with the original founding film critics, who were overwhelmingly based in New York, called their new group a 'national' organisation because they wrote for a number of magazines and newspapers with a national circulation. The organisation is known for its highbrow tastes, and its annual awards are one of the more prestigious film critics awards in the United States. In past years, many of its Best Picture winners have been foreign films, and the choices rarely parallel the Academy Awards. It has agreed with the Oscar in eight instances over the past 43 years however,  with 1977's 'Annie Hall', 1992's 'Unforgiven', 1993's 'Schindler's List', 2004's 'Million Dollar Baby', 2009's 'The Hurt Locker', 2015's 'Spotlight', 2016's 'Moonlight', and 2019's 'Parasite'. The NSFC have about sixty members who write for a variety of weekly and daily newspapers along with major publications and media outlets. Any film that opens in the U.S. during the 2020 year, in theatres or on streaming platforms, is worthy of consideration. There is no nomination process and voting is conducted using a weighted ballot system. There is no awards party.

This years winners and grinners, together with the also rans, are as given below :

* Best Picture - awarded to 'Nomadland' beating out 'First Cow' and 'Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always'.

* Best Director - awarded to Chloe Zhao for 'Nomadland', beating out Steve McQueen for 'Small Axe' and Kelly Reichardt for 'First Cow'. 

* Best Actor - awarded to Delroy Lindo for 'Da 5 Bloods', beating out Chadwick Boseman for 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' and Riz Ahmed for 'Sound of Metal'. 

* Best Actress - awarded to Frances McDormand for 'Nomadland', beating out Viola Davis for 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' and Sidney Flanigan for 'Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always'.

* Best Supporting Actor - awarded to Paul Raci for 'Sound of Metal' beating out Glynn Turman for 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom' and Chadwick Boseman for 'Da 5 Bloods'.

* Best Supporting Actress - awarded to Maria Bakalova for 'Borat Subsequent Moviefilm' beating out Amanda Seyfried for 'Mank' and Youn Yuh-jung for 'Minari'.

* Best Screenplay - awarded to Eliza Hittman for 'Never Rarely Sometimes Always' beating out Jonathan Raymond and Kelly Reichardt for 'First Cow' and Charlie Kaufman for 'I'm Thinking of Ending Things'.

* Best Cinematography - awarded to Joshua James Richards for 'Nomadland' beating out Shabier Kirchner for 'Lovers Rock' and Leonardo Simoes for 'Vitalina Varela'.

* Best Foreign Language Film - awarded to 'Collective' from Romania and Directed by Alexander Nanau, beating out 'Beanpole' from Russia and Directed by Kantemir Balagov which tied with 'Bacurau' from Brazil and France and is Directed by Kleber Mendonca Filho and Juliano Dornelle.

* Best Non-Fiction Film - awarded to 'Time' Directed by Garrett Bradley, beating out 'City Hall' Directed by Frederick Wiseman and 'Collective' Directed by Alexander Nanau.

You can visit the NSFC official web pages for more information at : https://nationalsocietyoffilmcritics.com/about/

This week we have four new release movies to tempt you out to your local air conditioned Odeon on a hot balmy Summer's evening, comprising two Aussie films, one American and one British offering. Launching with the first of the Australian films, we have a story of a massacre of an Aboriginal tribe soon after the end of WWI, but twelve years later the only survivor of that massacre is now a tracker hunting down one of his own attacking white settlers together with the Policeman who saved him all those years ago - with dire consequences for them both. Next up we have a heist road movie of three people on the lam across Ireland trying to evade a small time crim, a gun totting Priest and a dead body to boot. Then we have a Western set some time shortly after the end of the American Civil War that sees a former Captain agreeing to escort a young ten year old girl across the sometimes treacherous and deadly plains of Texas to reunite her with her aunt and uncle. And we conclude this weeks latest cinematic release with the sequel to a 2018 Australian Sci-Fi actioner that sees some familiar faces team up with a bunch of new ones in defending Earth from marauding aliens determined to make our humble little blue planet their own and wiping out all of mankind in the process - except them pesky alien types didn't count on mankind's secret weapon!

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

'HIGH GROUND' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian action thriller film that is Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Written by Stephen Maxwell Johnson in only his second feature film outing since 2001's 'Yolngu Boy', although he has Directed a number of episodes for the TV series 'Legacy of the Silver Shadow', 'Out There' and 'Dead Gorgeous' in the meantime. The film saw its World Premier showcasing at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival back in late February last year and was due to go on release in Australia in early July 2020, but the coronavirus pandemic put pay to that, and its release was subsequently delayed to this week. 

After fighting in World War I as a sniper, Travis (Simon Baker), now a Policeman in the Northern Territory of Australia, loses control of an operation that results in the massacre of an Aboriginal Australian tribe in 1919 at an picturesque watering hole deep within Arnhem Land. After his superiors insist on burying the truth, Travis leaves in disgust, only to be forced back twelve years later to hunt down Baywara (Sean Mununggur), an Aboriginal warrior whose attacks on new white settlers are causing havoc. When Travis recruits mission-raised Gutjuk (Jacob Junior Nayinggul), the only known massacre survivor of now twelve years ago, as his tracker, the truth of the past is revealed and Travis becomes the hunted. Also starring Jack Thompson, Callan Mulvey, Caren Pistorius, Ryan Corr and Aaron Pedersen. 

'PIXIE' (Rated MA15+) - this British comedy thriller is Directed by Barnaby Thompson in only his third film making outing following 'St. Trinian's' in 2007, and 'St. Trinian's II : The Legend of Fritton's Gold' in 2009, although Thompson has spent much of his time in the last twenty years Producing feature films and TV movies. Released in the UK in late October, the film has garnered generally positive Reviews so far. Here, Pixie O'Brien (Olivia Cooke) is the daughter of a small-town gangster Dermot O'Brien (Colm Meaney) in the west Ireland town of Sligo, looking to start a new life by any means necessary. To avenge her mother's death, Pixie masterminds a heist but must flee across Ireland from gangsters, take on the patriarchy, and choose her own destiny, which becomes more of challenge than she initially thought when a dead body lands on her doorstep and she embarks on a road trip with a couple of strangers - Frank (Ben Hardy) and Harland (Daryl McCormack) but a gangster priest, Father Hector McGrath (Alec Baldwin) isn’t far behind. Also starring Dylan Moran.

'NEWS OF THE WORLD' (Rated M) - is an American Western drama offering Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Paul Greengrass whose previous filmography takes in 'Bloody Sunday', 'The Bourne Supremacy', 'United 93', 'The Bourne Ultimatum', 'Green Zone', 'Captain Phillips', and 'Jason Bourne', and is based on the 2016 novel of the same name by Paulette Jiles. Released in the US on 25th December last year and on Netflix in selected international markets the film has so far recovered US$9M from its US$38M production budget and has garnered generally favourable Reviews. Set some five years after the end of the Civil War, Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd (Tom Hanks) crosses paths with a ten year-old girl taken by the Kiowa people - Johanna Leonberger (Helena Zengel). Forced to return to her aunt and uncle, Kidd agrees to escort the child across the harsh and unforgiving plains of Texas. However, the long journey soon turns into a fight for survival as the traveling companions encounter danger - both human and natural - at every turn. Also starring Neil Sandilands, Ray McKinnon and Bill Camp. 

'OCCUPATION : RAINFALL' (Rated M) - Written, Executive Produced, Directed and Edited by Luke Sparke this Australian sequel to 2018's 'Occupation' (also Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Sparke) saw its World Premier screening at Monster Fest on 30th October 2020, and gets a limited release across 120 theatres in Australia from this week. Two years into an intergalactic invasion of Earth, survivors in Sydney, Australia, fight back in a desperate ground war. As casualties mount by the day, the resistance and their unexpected allies, uncover a plot that could see the war come to a decisive end. With the Alien invaders hell-bent on making Earth their new home, the race is on to save mankind. Starring once again Temuera Morrison and Dan Ewing this time joined by Ken Jeong, Daniel Gillies, Vince Colosimo and Jason Isaacs.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th July 2018.

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in July in the spa town of Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The Karlovy Vary Festival is one of the oldest in the world and has become Central and Eastern Europe’s leading film event. Wikipedia reports that the pre-war dream of many enthusiastic filmmakers materialised in 1946 when a non-competition festival of films from seven countries took place in a neighbouring spa town of Marianske Lazne in the Karlovy Vary Region, and Karlovy Vary. Above all it was intended to screen the results of the recently nationalised Czechoslovak film industry. After the first two years the festival moved permanently to Karlovy Vary. The Karlovy Vary IFF first held an international film competition in 1948. Since 1951, an international jury has evaluated the films.

This years event, which marked the 53rd year, ran from 29th June through until 7th July, with the annual awards ceremony taking place on Saturday 7th July. The statistics from this years festival reveal that according to event organisers, the festival was attended by just over thirteen thousand accredited visitors. Of that number almost eleven thousand had Festival Passes, four hundred were filmmakers, nearly twelve hundred were film professionals, and there were 630 journalists. From the industry, close to fourteen hundred were film buyers, sellers, distributors, film festival programmers, representatives of film institutions, and other industry professionals with 550 coming from overseas. Thirty-five films saw their world premiere, while eight had their international premiere and seven their European premiere.

The Grand Prix award which is accompanied by a Crystal Globe statuette and US$25K in prize money went to 'I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History As Barbarians' and is a Co-Production between Romania, the Czech Republic, Germany, France and Bulgaria, and is Directed by Romanian film maker and Screenwriter Radu Jude. The film attempts to comment on this quote spoken in the Council of Ministers during the Summer of 1941 which started the ethnic cleansing on the Eastern Front.

The Special Jury Prize went to 'Sueño Florianópolis' a Argentina, Brazil and French Co-Produced comedy Directed by Ana Katz, for which Mercedes Moran also won the award for Best Actress, and is also picked up the Award of International Film Critics. Other awards went to Barry Levinson for his 1988 film 'Rain Man' as voted under the Pravo Audience Award, and also both Barry Levinson and Tim Robbins were awarded a Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema. Robert Pattinson also collected the Festival Presidents Award.

For more information, you can go to the official website at : www.kviff.com

This week we have three new cinematic offerings coming to your local Odeon, kick staring with a high rise action thriller that seems to be a mash up between earlier action disaster flicks aided and abetted by the worlds most bankable action star of the moment. We then move to a duo of Aussie films - the first is a psychological thriller tale of writers block as experienced by a hugely successful first time novelist now struggling with her follow up novel, and how the arrival of long lost friend over a quiet weekend retreat digs up secrets from the past that were perhaps best being kept hidden. And secondly, a Sci-Fi action offering of alien invasion taking occupation of our humble little blue planet, but did them pesky space invader types count on a rag tag bunch of gun totting Aussies to make life difficult for them?

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 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.

'SKYSCRAPER' (Rated M) - this just has American action drama written all over it and none other than all conquering hero Dwayne Johnson as the hunk of beef cake set to save the world, or the skyscraper in question at least, from a bunch of gun toting, no good pesky terrorists types. Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Rawson Marshall Thurber whose previous Directing credits include 'DodgeBall : A True Underdog Story', 'We're the Millers', and 'Central Intelligence' also with Dwayne Johnson, the film goes on general release in the US and Australia this week.

The story here surrounds former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader, U.S. war veteran and amputee Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson) who now assesses security for skyscrapers for a living. He's on assignment in Hong Kong with his family living in the said skyscraper, known as 'The Pearl'. When he finds the tallest, safest building in the world suddenly under attack by terrorists and he's the head of security, Sawyer must spring into action, However, the situation is complicated more when he's accused of masterminding the attack and has been framed for it. A wanted man on the run inside a monster building, Sawyer must track down those responsible, clear his name and somehow rescue his family, who are now trapped inside the building, above the line of fire. Sounds like a mash up of the first 'Die Hard' instalment and 'Towering Inferno'. Prepare to suspend all belief. Also starring Neve Campbell and Noah Taylor, the film cost US$125M.

'THE SECOND' (Rated MA15+) - this is the first original feature length film put out by those streaming people at Stan, and is released in cinemas concurrently. This Australian film, shot in Queensland, was shown at the recent Sydney Film Festival and is Directed by first timer Mairie Cameron. Described as a steamy psycho-thriller, the like of which you would ordinarily hardly call your typical Aussie movie, here the film centres on an unnamed Writer and author of a worldwide best selling sexually charged autobiographical first novel (Rachael Blake), but crafting her second novel is far from as straightforward. Now the Writer has everything - fame, fortune and a doting new boyfriend . . . and writers block! Attempting to meet her deadline, the Writer and her publisher boyfriend (Vince Colosimo) take a long weekend retreat to her family's country estate. However, when a beautiful friend from the past arrives on the scene unexpectedly (Susie Porter) a secret history shared between the two presents a challenging predicament with potentially dangerous consequences. Over the weekend, the women straddle from tenderness to hostility and back again, as rivalry, teenage memories and a dark secret from their history all come to bear. Also starring Martin Sacks and Susan Prior.

'OCCUPATION' (Rated M) - this Australian made action Sci-Fi is Written and Directed by Luke Sparke and follows his feature film Directorial debut of 2016, 'Red Billabong', with 'Occupation 2' already in the works and slated for a 2019 release, before even the release of this first instalment in Australia this week and the US next week. Following the annihilation of their small remote Australian community by an overwhelming airborne attack, a rag tag group of civilians evade capture but quickly come to the realisation that they are now among the last remaining survivors of an alien invasion that has taken over the planet. As what is left of humanity falls under global occupation, they form a domestic army to retaliate against a vastly superior enemy foe. On the front lines of the battle for Earth, they may just be our last hope and salvation. Starring Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, Jacqueline Mackenzie and Stephanie Jacobsen.

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. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 25th August 2016

This week sees the US$100M budget release of 'Ben-Hur' - the fifth adaptation of the 1880 book by Lew Wallace - 'Ben-Hur : A Tale of the Christ'. The third big screen adaptation was made back in 1959 and stands the test of time to this day still as one of the classic all time swords and sandals epics. Back in its day the Bible and tales of the Roman Empire provided rich source material with other noteworthy epics of that era being 'Quo Vadis' in 1951, 'The Robe' in 1953, 'The Ten Commandments' in 1956, 'Spartacus' in 1960, 'Cleopatra' in 1963, 'The Bible' in 1966 and more recently of course we have had 'Gladiator' in 2000 and 'Exodus : Gods and Kings' and 'Noah' both in 2014 with a raft of others in between time.

The 1959 production of 'Ben-Hur' was Directed by William Wyler, was budgeted at US$7M and blew out to US$15M and was the most expensive film ever made for its time, and used 1.1 million feet of film for principal photography, that was edited down to 19,000 feet for the final cut. The theatrical release ran for 212 minutes, and used a cast of thousands, literally, including 200 camels, 2,500 horses, 10,000 extras with 365 Actors having speaking parts. Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, Rock Hudson, Paul Newman, Marlon Brandon and Leslie Neilsen were all considered for the role of Judah Ben-Hur which went to Charlton Heston on a salary of US$250K for the thirty week shoot plus expenses. The film opened to huge critical acclaim and delivered US$74M in Box Office receipts delivering MGM Studios over US$20M in profits and saving it from bankruptcy. The film was nominated in 12 categories at the 1960 Academy Awards and won an unprecedented eleven for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Supporting Actor, Best Cinematography, Best Effects, Best Costume Design, Best Editing, Best Sound Design and Best Music Score. It also won four Golden Globes and one BAFTA - all up 27 wins and 13 nominations. It's Oscar wins have not yet been surpassed, matched only by 'Titanic' in 1998, and 'Lord of the Rings : The Return of the King' in 2004. Will Timur Bekmambetov's 2016 retelling of this classic tale live up to those heady expectations - both critically and commercially - you'll have to decide for yourself!

This week there are four new movie openings that offer comedy, drama, horror and a Biblical retelling of a highly acclaimed classic. Kicking off there is a much loved office manager from the small screen taking his musical aspirations on the road and to the big screen that is sure to have you cringing in your seat. Then a reimagining of a classic swords and sandals epic featuring one of the most famed race sequences in cinema history; with a good old Aussie outback horror story featuring a scary monster, missing persons, and the stuff of legend! Then we wrap up the week with an offering of opposites attracting as one young girl cares for an older man through a deep rooted connection that binds them both and from which they both find benefit in their own way.

Four different offerings this week which when combined with those released in previous weeks and still out on general release, give you plenty of reasons to catch a movie in the coming week. When you have done so, share your thoughts, views and opinions with your like minded cinephiles here at Odeon Online by posting a note in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your film of choice.

'DAVID BRENT : LIFE ON THE ROAD' (Rated MA15+) - back in 1982 a very young Ricky Gervais teamed up with good mate Bill Macrae and formed new wave band 'Seona Dancing' which is best described as a mash up of sound and imagery heavily influenced by the styles of David Bowie, Gary Numan and the Wham boys - George and Andrew. They had two singles which charted at their highest point at #79 on the UK Singles Chart, and as a result of that lacklustre performance the band split two years later. What the band did however, was give Gervais his first experiences of entertaining to a live audience, and in front of the camera. Following this Gervais spent the next fifteen years working in offices, including that of UK Radio Station 'XFM' where he met his future writing collaborator Stephen Merchant. In time he was made redundant from the radio station and he began playing the egotistical self-opinionated buffoon version of his own office self that eventually was pitched to the BBC. The rest is comedy history with the Gervais character David Brent of 'The Office' running for just twelve episodes from 2001 through until 2002 over two seasons, with two Christmas specials in 2003, and 'The Office Revisited' a short film for Comic Relief in 2013. The series has been widely acclaimed, the recipient of many awards and nominations, remade in numerous countries and sold to over 80 countries worldwide, and, it made a superstar of Ricky Gervais.

Now in 2016 that character of David Brent is back with a camera crew returning to Slough to hook-up with the former 'Wernham Hogg' Regional Manager, who has been demoted and now works for 'Lavichem' as a travelling salesman flogging cleaning materials and female sanitary products. Brent however, still craves musical stardom and so takes leave of absence from work on a self funded national tour with his band 'Foregone Conclusion' in the hope of realising his dream and all the trappings that come with rock & roll fame. Having to fund the tour out of his own pension fund because of minimal ticket sales and needing to pay his band members and crew, we learn that the intervening years after leaving Wernham Hogg have been less than kind to Brent as the following camera, dialogue and documentary spotlight will reveal as the tour progresses. Written, Produced, Directed and starring Ricky Gervais, here we see the now 55 year old man-child Brent in all his sad, hopeless, excruciating yet ever hopeful persona quite possibly for the last time.

'BEN-HUR' (Rated M) - this is fifth big screen adaptation of the 1880 source novel 'Ben-Hur : A Tale of the Christ' by Lew Wallace. First made in 1907 in the form of a fifteen minute film, it was remade in 1925 in an epic silent film, the classic William Wyler Directed epic of 1959 with Charlton Heston and an animated feature in 2003 starring the voice of Charlton Heston and made by his production company. And so for a whole new audience possibly unfamiliar with the source material or the earlier films, comes this US$100M production Directed by Timur Bekmambetov with Jack Huston playing Judah Ben-Hur - a Jewish Prince of Jerusalem who is falsely accused of treason by his long standing childhood friend and adoptive brother Messala (Toby Kebbell) - a Roman nobleman. Surviving slavery for five years under Roman rule, Ben-Hur swears revenge on Messala for betraying him and his family, and so is taken in by Sheik Ilderim (Morgan Freeman) who trains him to become a charioteer for a show-down in The Colosseum which will see the two arch-rivals battle it out to the death, but not before a number of life changing encounters with Jesus (Rodrigo Santoro). The film has so far taken US$22M and has received average reviews at best.

'RED BILLABONG' (Rated MA15+) - Aussie's know how to create good quality horror thrillers on a tight budget that look and feel way more expensive than they really were to produce, and it seems that in this latest offering to join the genre we have another such case in point. Written and Directed by first timer Luke Sparke, this tells the outback story of two estranged brothers Nick and Tristan Marshall (Dan Ewing and Tim Pocock respectively) who are called back to their grandfathers property when it is left to them following his death. It is Nick's first time back in ten years having left the family home where he grew up because of a scandal that he ran away from. Tristan is the younger brother who has an axe to grind against Nick for leaving in the first place, but when a development company offer big money for the property Tristan needs to reach out to Nick for advice and guidance. As the two brothers are forced together by these circumstances, so they are drawn apart by the choices they need to make and what they learn of the property they have inherited and all of its dark, sinister secrets. As close friends and acquaintances start to go missing, and there are strange goings on around them they learn more of what will change their lives forever - but is it all real, mythical legend, a simple story or elaborate hoax that is lurking out there and seemingly stalking them all?

'THE CARER' (Rated MA15+) - Hungarian Writer and Director Janos Edelenyi has created an acclaimed comedy drama centring around Sir Michael Gifford (Brian Cox) a noted Shakespearean Actor suffering from Parkinson's disease with just one desire - to be left in peace and to be left alone to see out his days. Meanwhile, Dorottya (Coco Konig) a young and beautiful Hungarian Actress refugee has one desire too - to make it big on the English stage. The two are brought together by Gifford's daughter Sophia (Emilia Fox) after various caregivers have failed, and she needs to find someone who will offer stability, empathy and genuine care to look after her father and attend to his daily requirements. Needless to say, you can guess I'm sure that the two will hit it off forging a strong relationship that benefits both parties based on their mutual love and respect for Shakespeare, whilst those on the sidelines looking in will feel threatened and alienated by the new kid on the block muscling in on a sick old man with a hidden agenda (probably!) A predictable story but one that has been lauded for its nuanced performances particularly from Brian Cox and newcomer Coco Konig, as well as its strong dialogue and noteworthy support cast that include Anna Chancellor, Karl Johnson and Roger Moore.

With four new reasons to get out amongst it this week to your local movie theatre, be sure that you do, and don't pass up on the chance to see any one of these or those other films on general release as Reviewed and Previewed at this Blog. Then, share your thoughts with your fellow readers. In the meantime, I'll see you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-