THE BRIDE ! : Tuesday 10th March 2026

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'THE BRIDE!' at my local independent movie theatre earlier this week, and this American Gothic romance film is Written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by Maggie Gyllenhaal in only her second Directorial outing following 2021's 'The Lost Daughter', although she has acted in numerous film, television and theatre roles over the years, and has been recognised in many award wins and nominations too. The film draws inspiration from the 1935 film 'Bride of Frankenstein', which was based on Mary Shelley's 1818 novel 'Frankenstein'. The film had its World Premiere in London on 26th February and was released Stateside and here in Australia last week, having so far grossed US$15M at the Box Office from an US$85M production budget, and generating mixed or average critical reviews. 

The film opens with a black & white close-up of Mary Shelley (Jessie Buckley) speaking from the hereafter, saying she has a story she wanted to tell after publishing her book Frankenstein in 1818, but could not due to her death in 1851. To tell it, she possesses Ida (Jessie Buckley), a woman living in 1936 Chicago, who we are first introduced to in a very busy bar and restaurant, and who in her possessed state proceeds to shout out across the room to all the stunned diners the criminal activities of crime boss Lupino (Zlatko Buric) who is sat at the bar observing her closely. Lupino's henchmen Clyde (John Magaro) and James (Matthew Maher) discreetly kill her afterward, by pushing her down a flight of steps where she tumbles end over end breaking her neck and a leg in the process, and falling in a crumpled heap at the bottom. 

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Chicago, Frankenstein's monster, aka 'Frank' (Christian Bale), arrives at the house of scientist Dr. Cornelia Euphronius (Annette Bening). Having read about Euphronius' work on reanimation, he persuades her to create a companion for him after a century of abject loneliness. Euphronius and Frank dig up Ida's recently buried corpse from an unmarked cemetery grave, and successfully revive her, but she loses her memory in the process. Frank takes advantage of this and states that she is his Bride and lost her memory in an accident, which she accepts. She then coughs up an inky black substance that was part of the formula to reanimate her, which in turn permanently dyes her tongue, her cheek, her fingers and leaves long trail marks running down her arm and her breast.

Euphronius demands that the pair remain within the confines of her house, but Frank and the Bride have different plans. They go to the cinema to see a movie featuring Frank's favourite Actor Ronnie Reed (Jake Gyllenhaal) and then go dance in a club. The Bride dances provocatively with other clubbers while Frank sits at the bar and watches on. As they leave, two men harass the Bride and Frank. Frank attempts to diffuse the situation by ignoring their actions, but it all becomes too much for him to bear and he retaliates by repeatedly smashing ones head against a wall, and then stomping on the others head on the gutter, until his head is mush. He tells the Bride to leave him, but she says that she has no where to go and decides to live life as a runaway with him. 

They stow away in a train headed to New York City, killing a security officer who finds them as the train passes through Indiana. Meanwhile, Detective Jake Wiles (Peter Sarsgaard) and his assistant Myrna Malloy (Penelope Cruz) investigate the murders and eventually follow them to New York.

Frank and the Bride cause chaos at a screening of 'Revolt of the Zombies' and then seek refuge from the Police and an angry mob giving chase to the fleeing pair, at a high-class party. Frank notices Ronnie Reed as one of the guests and interrupts his conversation by expressing his adoration for the Actor, and his gratitude for giving him some modicum of purpose in his life, but is alas dismissed by Reed. Detective Wiles and the Police arrive at the party, but fall back when the Bride briefly holds Reed at gunpoint. Wiles recognises her real identity as Ida. The Bride shoots dead an advancing Police officer wielding a gun. The pair then hot-wire a car, and manage to flee the city.

The Bride and Frank's crime exploits generate much publicity, and Lupino recognises her in a newspaper article. While sat in a restaurant chomping down on freshly cooked lobster Lupino shoots James at point blank range in the head for failing to silence her, and sends of Clyde to kill her again, swearing vengeance on his family if he fails to do so. Meanwhile, Malloy makes a connection between reports of murders and sightings of the pair in cities where Reed's films were set. This prompts Malloy and Wiles to travel to Niagara Falls where they locate the pair just as Frank asks the Bride to marry him. Wiles confronts the Bride and tells her of her true identity as Ida. She shoots him in the lower leg in response. As Frank and the Bride flee, Frank admits that he wasn't entirely honest with her in the beginning and conveys that he actually did not know who she was before she died. She forgives him.

Wiles explains to Malloy that he and Ida were planning to take down Lupino and expresses guilt that his inaction led to her death. He decides to retire and promotes Malloy as his replacement. Malloy tracks Frank and the Bride to a drive-in cinema in Illinois. At the same time, Clyde arrives and fatally shoots Frank in the head. The Bride escapes with Frank's body and returns to Euphronius' laboratory, unaware that Malloy is following her. Euphronius declares that she is incapable of reviving Frank. Clyde breaks into the laboratory and shoots the Bride before leaving. The Police arrive en masse and all begin shooting at the Bride in a relentless hail of bullets. Malloy screams for them to stop, as the Bride's lifeless body slumps on top of Frank. She then orders them to search for Clyde seen exiting the building via the fire escape, leaving Euphronius with the Bride and Frank's corpses, saying 'take as long as you need'! Seemingly possessed by Shelley's spirit, Euphronius decides to revive the couple. Outside, the Police arrest Clyde who they have pinned to the ground, for killing the Bride and Frank. Malloy looks up at the building's upper most floor to see flashes of bright lights shine momentarily from the laboratory. Inside, the revived corpses hands are seen to be moving searching for each other, until they clasp together. 

During an end credits sequence, Lupino is seen to be apprehended by Wiles and the female rioters who were inspired by the Bride's rants, threatening to cut out his tongue, just as Lupino had done to all of his previous victims, and stored them in pickling jars on a shelf in his restaurant for all the world to see.

It's easy to see why 'The Bride' has polarised audiences and critics. On the one hand its good to see Maggie Gyllenhaal trying her hand at an age old story and giving it a bold new revisionist refresh that looks stylish, has high production values, is creative in its execution, has manic energy aplenty and is bolstered by exemplary performances from its two lead players in Buckley and Bale. Buckley's role here is about as far removed from that of Agnes Shakespeare in 'Hamnet' (reviewed last week) as you can get, but she steals the show here once again and proves her versatility and range as one of the most diverse Actors working today. But, on the other hand the screenplay is disjointed, with at times clunky dialogue, unfulfilled character arcs, and too many unrealised sub-plots, that ultimately all add up to a film that displays plenty of style, and less of substance. That said, if you're in the mood for a riff on 'Bonnie and Clyde', female empowerment, the feminist movement, and a reinvigorated look at a horror classic with a modern twist, then you could do worse.

'The Bride' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 16th December 2021.

The 11th AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards were held in Sydney, Australia on Wednesday evening 8th December at the Sydney Opera House. The AACTA Awards (formerly the AFI [Australian Film Institute] Awards) have honoured screen excellence in Australia for over 60 years, since the first AFI Awards were held in 1958. Held annually in Sydney in recognition and celebration of Australia's highest achievements in film and television, the AACTA Awards present over fifty-five awards across two major ceremonies. The peer-assessed AACTA Awards are the only Australian industry body to honour practitioners across all crafts and industry sectors, including feature film, documentary, short film, television, online, visual effects and animation. Over the past 60 years, the Awards have grown to become a world-class marker of screen excellence alongside the Academy Awards and the BAFTA's. Many of Australia's most iconic and successful screen talent, both in front of and behind the camera have come through the ranks and been recognised among their peers at the AFI and AACTA Awards before going on to achieve international accolades and become household names. The AACTA International Awards are held annually in Los Angeles in early January. 

In the feature film categories, the winners and nominees were as follows :-

Best Film 

* Awarded to 'NITRAM', beating out 'The Dry', 'The Furnace', 'High Ground', 'Penguin Bloom' and 'Rams'.

Best Direction

* Awarded to JUSTIN KURZEL for 'Nitram', beating out Rob Connolly for 'The Dry', Roderick MacKay for 'The Furnace', Stephen Maxwell Johnson for 'High Ground' and Glendin Ivin for 'Penguin Bloom'.

Best Original Screenplay

* Awarded to SHAUN GRANT for 'Nitram', beating out Monica Zanetti for 'Ellie and Abbie (& Ellie's Dead Aunt)', Roderick MacKay for 'The Furnace', Chris Anastassiades for 'High Ground' and JJ Winlove for 'June Again'.

Best Adapted Screenplay

* Awarded to ROB CONNOLLY and HARRY CRIPPS for 'The Dry', beating out Shaun Grant and Harry Cripps for 'Penguin Bloom', Will Gluck and Patrick Burleigh for 'Peter Rabbit 2' and James Duncan for 'Rams'.

Best Lead Actor

* Awarded to CALEB LANDRY JONES for 'Nitram', beating out Simon Baker for 'High Ground', Eric Bana for 'The Dry', Ahmed Malek for 'The Furnace' and Jacob Junior Nayinggul for 'High Ground'.

Best Lead Actress

* Awarded to JUDY DAVIS for 'Nitram', beating out Rose Byrne for 'Peter Rabbit 2', Noni Hazlehurst for 'June Again', Genevieve O'Reilly for 'The Dry' and Naomi Watts for 'Penguin Bloom'.

Best Supporting Actor

* Awarded to ANTHONY LAPAGLIA for 'Nitram', beating out Michael Caton for 'Rams', Baykali Ganambarr for 'The Furnace', Sean Mununggurr for 'High Ground' and Jack Thompson for 'High Ground'.

Best Supporting Actress

* Awarded to ESSIE DAVIS for 'Nitram', beating out Claudia Karvan for 'June Again', Esmerelda Marimowa for 'High Ground', Miranda Tapsell for 'The Dry' and Jacki Weaver for 'Penguin Bloom'.

Best Cinematography

* Awarded to STEFAN DUSCIO for 'The Dry', beating out Andrew Commis for 'High Ground', Germain McMicking for 'Mortal Kombat', Germain McMicking for 'Nitram' and Sam Chiplin for 'Penguin Bloom'.

Best Editing

* Awarded to NICK FENTON for 'Nitram', beating out 'The Dry', 'Friends and Strangers', 'High Ground' and 'Peter Rabbit 2'. 

Best Original Music Score

* Awarded to CHRISTOPHER GORDON for 'June Again', beating out 'The Dry', 'Nitram', 'Penguin Bloom' and 'Rams'.

Best Sound

* Awarded to ROBERT MCKENZIE, STEVE BURGESS and PHIL HEYWOOD for 'Mortal Kombat', beating out 'Ascendent', 'The Dry', 'Nitram' and 'Peter Rabbit 2'.

Best Production Design

* Awarded to NAAMAN MARSHALL for 'Mortal Kombat', beating out '2067', 'Nitram', 'Penguin Bloom' and 'Peter Rabbit 2'.

Best Costume Design

* Awarded to ERIN ROCHE for 'High Ground', beating out 'The Dry', 'Mortal Kombat', 'Nitram' and 'Rams'.

Best Indie Film

* Awarded to 'ELLIE AND ABBIE (& ELLIE'S DEAD AUNT)', beating out 'Disclosure', 'Lone Wolf', 'Moon Rock For Monday', 'My First Summer' and 'Under My Skin'.

For the complete run down on the other category award winners and nominees from this years 11th AACTA Awards, you can go to the official website at : https://www.aacta.org/

Turning attention then back to this current weeks new release films, we kick off with the 27th film in the MCU that sees the webslingers true identity now revealed, so he asks the Master of the Mystic Arts for help in making the world forget, but, when a spell goes awry, dangerous enemies from other worlds start to appear. Next up we have an acclaimed drama about a woman's beach vacation on an idyllic Greek island that takes a dark turn when she begins to confront the troubles of her past. This is followed by two roommates' whose lives are upended after finding out that their new Manhattan apartment holds a dark secret. And we close out the week with a German and French offering about a woman working as a historian lecturing on Berlin's urban development, but, when the man she loves leaves her, an ancient myth catches up with her, that says she has to kill the man who betrays her and return to the water.

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.

'SPIDER-MAN : NO WAY HOME' (Rated M) - this eagerly anticipated American Superhero film is based on the Marvel comics character Spider-Man and is the follow up to 2017's 'Spider-Man : Homecoming' and 2019's 'Spider-Man : Far From Home' and is again Directed by Jon Watts. This film is the 27th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is the fourth film in Phase Four of the MCU following 'Black Widow', 'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' and 'The Eternals' with 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness' coming next in May 2022 followed by a string of others through 2023. This film saw its World Premier screening in Los Angeles on 13th of this month and is released worldwide this week.

After Peter Parker's (Tom Holland) identity as Spider-Man was exposed by Mysterio (Jake Gyllenhaal) at the end of 'Spider-Man: Far From Home' with J. Jonah Jameson (J.K. Simmons) the Executive Reporter of the sensationalist news website TheDailyBugle.net who is provided a doctored video exposing Spider-Man's identity prompting him to broadcast it to the entire world. He frames Parker for the attack on London, claiming Mysterio as a hero, and Spider-Man as a murderer. Needless to say Parker's life and Spider-Man's reputation are turned upside down. Parker seeks out Dr. Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) to help restore his secret identity with magic, but this breaks open the multiverse, allowing supervillains from alternate realities who previously fought alternate versions of Spider-Man to arrive. Also starring Zendaya as MJ, John Favreau as Happy Hogan, Marisa Tomei as May Parker, Benedict Wong as Wong, Jacob Batalon as Ned Leeds with Jamie Foxx, Alfred Molina, Willem Dafoe, Thomas Haden Church and Rhys Ifans all reprising their roles as the supervillains from previous 'Spider-Man' films. 

'THE LOST DAUGHTER' (Rated MA15+) - is a Greek and American Co-Production Directed and written for the screen by Maggie Gyllenhaal in her film making debut and based on the 2006 book of the same name by the Italian novelist Elene Ferrante. The film saw its World Premiere showing at the Venice International Film Festival in early September this year, where Gyllenhaal won the Golden Osella Award for Best Screenplay, in all so far collecting nine award wins and another ten nominations from around the awards and festival circuit. Here then, a woman, Leda Caruso (played by Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley as the younger Leda) while on a summer holiday, finds herself becoming obsessed with another woman and her daughter, prompting memories of her own early motherhood to come back and unravel her. Also starring Dakota Johnson, Peter Sarsgaard, Ed Harris, Paul Mescal and Oliver Jackson-Cohen, and is released here in Australia and the US this week before streaming on Netflix on 31st December, having garnered universal critical acclaim. 

'THE SCARY OF SIXTY-FIRST' (Rated R18+) - this American horror thriller film is Directed, Co-Written and stars Dasha Nekrasova, the Belarusian/American Actress and first time feature film maker who won the Award for Best First Feature Film at this years Berlin International Film Festival in early March this year. While out apartment hunting, college pals Noelle (Madeline Quinn) and Addie (Betsey Brown) stumble upon the deal of a lifetime - a posh duplex on Manhattan's Upper East Side. But soon after moving in, a more sinister picture of the apartment emerges when a mysterious woman arrives and claims the property used to belong to the infamous and recently-deceased Jeffrey Epstein, compelling the pair to uncover, and relive, the shady secrets of their new home. The film is released in Australia this week, in the US next week and has generated mostly positive critical reviews. 

'UNDINE' (Rated M) - is a German and French Co-Produced romantic drama fantasy film Written and Directed by Christian Petzold whose more recent film making outings take in 'Barbara' in 2012, 'Phoenix' in 2014 and 'Transit' in 2018. This film saw its World Premier screening at the Berlin International Film Festival way back in February 2020, before its cinema release in Germany in early June 2020, having picked up eight award wins and a further sixteen nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit since. Undine Wibeau (Paula Beer) lives in Berlin and works as a historian specialising in the urban development of modern day Berlin. Lurking beneath her apparent everyday city life, lies an old legend that says if the man she loves betrays her, she must kill him and return to the water from whence she originated. When her lover later leaves her for another woman, Undine feels her destiny is preordained, until she meets Christoph (Franz Rogowski) and falls in love with him. In time love blossoms and the pair are happy together, but Christoph has a feeling that Undine is hiding from something. She must therefore either confront her curse or risk losing the relationship with Christoph. This film has garnered generally favourable reviews and has taken just US$1.1M at the Box Office so far. 

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 at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-