MARRIAGE STORY : Tuesday 26th November 2019.

'MARRIAGE STORY' which is an M Rated American comedy drama film which I saw earlier this week, is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Noah Baumbach, whose previous Directorial outings include 'The Squid and the Whale', 'Greenberg', 'Frances Ha', 'While We're Young', and 'The Meyerowitz Stories' most recently. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Venice International Film Festival in late August, and also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September where it was first runner-up for the People's Choice Award, was in the Centrepiece selection at the New York Film Festival in early October and the BFI London Film Festival at the same time. It cost just US$9M to make, and has received universal Critical acclaim so far, and is released on a limited theatrical run before digital streaming on 6th December through Netflix. 'Marriage Story' has so far picked up five award wins and another eleven nominations from around the awards and festival circuit.

The film opens up with the voiceover of Charlie Barber (Adam Driver) speaking about the things he likes most about his wife Nicole (Scarlett Johansson), and in turn then cuts to Nicole speaking about the things she likes about her husband Charlie. We then cut to the room of a mediator, as this couple is experiencing marital challenges, who has suggested they each write down what they like about one another, but Nicole is too embarrassed to read hers aloud and they decide to forego the counselling. Charlie is a successful theatre Director in New York City. His theatre company is currently producing a play that stars Nicole, a former moderately successful teen film Actress.

Nicole is offered a starring role in a TV pilot programme to be shot in Los Angeles, and she decides to leave the theatre company and temporarily move in with her mother Sandra (Julie Hagerty) in West Hollywood, taking the couple’s eight year old son Henry (Azhy Robertson) with her. Charlie elects to remain in New York, as the play is in the process of moving to Broadway. When he flies out to Los Angeles to visit his family, he is served with divorce papers by Nicole's sister Cassie (Merritt Weaver) in the kitchen of the family home.

The pair initially agree to separate amicably and forego lawyers, but Nicole then hires family lawyer Nora Fanshaw (Laura Dern), who urges her to pressure Charlie into seeing his own legal counsel. Charlie first meets with Jay (Ray Liotta), a brash and expensive lawyer who charges US$900 an hour, plus an up front retainer of US$25K, and who strongly recommends Charlie to fight dirty, because the whole affair is going to end up 'somewhere between reasonable and crazy'. Baulking at the cost of hiring Jay, he decides to hire Bert Spitz (Alan Alda) instead, a retired family lawyer who is more in favour of a civil and conciliatory approach, and charges just US$450 an hour with a US$10K up front retainer.

Upon Bert's expert advice, Charlie rents an apartment in Los Angeles to be closer to his family and strengthen his custody case for Henry. Charlie wants to avoid having to appear in court, so Bert arranges a meeting with Nora and Nicole. Nora claims that Charlie refused to respect Nicole’s several wishes over the period of their marriage to move back to Los Angeles, and that Henry would prefer to stay with his mother than fly back and forth between coasts, particularly now that he is settled at a new (temporary) school, has made new friends, and is engaged in several extra curricular activities. In a private meeting, Bert advises Charlie to drop his New York residency altogether, but a frustrated and increasingly anxious Charlie refuses and decides to fire him.

Charlie wins a MacArthur Fellowship grant of US$625K (which is paid in quarterly instalments over five years) and uses his first payout to hire Jay on a retainer. The case moves to court where things turn ugly. Nora and Jay argue aggressively on behalf of Nicole and Charlie and try to show the other party in a negative light. Nora highlights Charlie’s past infidelity and emotional distance, while Jay exaggerates Nicole’s drinking habits as alcoholism. The presiding Judge is new to the area, and so seeks an adjournment while the feuding couple and their son are properly evaluated by a third party expert for a final determination over custodial rights. Meanwhile, Charlie and Nicole remain friendly out of court and share time with Henry, who is becoming frustrated and tired with the toing and froing.

Completely at odds with the legal process, the couple decides to meet in private away from the lawyers in Charlie's modest rented apartment. What starts out to be a friendly enough discussion quickly dissolves into a bitter very heated argument in which Nicole claims he doesn’t care about her and Charlie punches a wall and says he wishes she would die. He then breaks down in a flood of tears out of shame for what he just said, and for his anger and resentment towards her and apologises. Nicole consoles him. The pair after agree to relax their demands and reach an amicable agreement to finalise the divorce. Nora negotiates slightly better terms for Nicole on the basis of a 55/45 custody split over Henry in Nicole's favour.

Fast forward twelve months or so and Charlie’s play closed prematurely on Broadway, while Nicole’s pilot (which she has also Directed several episodes for) is nominated for a number of awards. Charlie informs Nicole that he’s taken a one-year UCLA residency working on two stage Productions, and as such will be living in Los Angeles full-time for the foreseeable future to be closer to Henry. Later, he discovers Henry sitting at the end of his Mum's bed reading Nicole’s list of things she likes about Charlie that she’d been too embarrassed to read. Henry asks Charlie to read it aloud to him as he is struggling with some of the words, and Charlie does so, becoming emotional as Nicole watches from the bedroom door, unknown to her ex-husband.

Adam Driver has had a busy twelve months or so it seems putting out 'BlacKkKlansman', 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote', 'The Dead Don't Die', 'The Report', this film, and the upcoming 'Star Wars : The Rise of Skywalker' due in December. Here Writer and Director Baumbach has crafted perhaps his most personal story yet, pulled together on screen by two gut wrenching, heartfelt, powerful and emotional performances from Johansson and Driver who imbue the characters with an all too grounded realism that pulls you into the centre of their personal anguish, frustrations and battle with each other. And a special mention should also go to the three lawyers as portrayed by Dern, Liotta and Alda who each come at the divorce proceedings from a different angle, and are all relatable in someway. Anyone who has been through a divorce, particularly one involving the custody of a child or children, will find something to relate to in this film as it lurches from two people who still care and have a degree of affection for each other to the depths of despair, anger and denial as experienced by that same couple. Despite the darkness of the subject matter, Baumbach also offers up some real moments of levity, zippy one liners and a sense of humour that ultimately anchors the whole sorry sad affair. The film goes to prove that in a divorce, ultimately its the lawyers who win, and whilst the feuding couple will eventually go their separate ways and settle down into new lives, the emotional scars of that deep rooted personal upheaval will always remain.

'Marriage Story' warrants four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard, out of a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 14th November 2019.

The 3 Continents Film Festival launches its 41st year in its native Nantes, in France on Tuesday 19th and runs through until Tuesday 26th November 2019. The official website states that 'every year since 1979 in Nantes, at the end of November, the Festival des 3 Continents offers feature films (fiction and documentaries) from Africa, Latin America and Asia. This specialisation in geographical terms, which was pioneering at the time, does not do justice to the identity of the Festival. It is just one of the elements which gives it life and makes it distinctive, along with passion and curiosity, a taste for discovery and meeting, a love of films from the South and a desire to serve them. Since it was created, the Festival des 3 Continents has constantly shown a certain flair in its programming, with many tributes having been historical milestones, the Competition having moments of glory, and it remains a place for discovery and meeting, for exchanges and passion'.

For its 41st edition, the Festival des 3 Continents will be presenting a resolutely different programme, composed of 93 films, including 23 short films, often previously unseen, and covering all forms of cinema : past, present, popular, spectacular, original.

The Opening Ceremony sees a co-production with Skene Productions and Angers Nantes Opera, of an original creation showcasing the atypical work of the great Japanese filmmaker Koji Yamamura titled 'Japanese Parade'. This cinema opera, in two movements, is put to music and lyrics, and Directed by Catherine Verhelst and Herve Tougeron, backed by the Opera choir. The first movement is composed of two animated films by Koji Yamamura, 2016's 'Satie’s Parade' and 2017's 'Water Dream'. The second is a fragment preserved from the exceptional sword movie 'Chokon' by Ito Daisuke, dating from 1926.

Some of the highlights from the rest of the festival are as given below :
* '143 Sahara Street' - Directed by Hassen Ferhani and is an Algerian, French and Qatar Co-Produced film that sees its French Premier screening. In Arabic.
* 'When the Persimmons Grew' - Directed, Written, Filmed, Edited and starring Hilal Baydarov, this Azerbaijan and Austrian Co-Production films has its French Premier. In Azerbaijani.
* 'Land of Ashes' - Directed and Written by first timer Sofia Quiros Ubeda this Costa Rican, Argentinian and Chilean Co-Produced film is in Spanish.
* 'In the Heart of the World' - is Co-Directed and Co-Written by the pairing of Gabriel and Maurilio Martins and is a Brazillian Production, that has its French Premier. In Portuguese.
* 'Piqueuses' - is Co-Directed and Co-Written by Kate Tessa Lee and Tom Schon in their feature film debut, and is a Mauritius and German Co-Production that sees its World Premier screening. In Creole and French based pidgin.
* 'Nina Wu' - Directed and Co-Written by Midi Z, this Taiwanese film is in Mandarin Chinese.
* 'The Tree House' - Directed, Written and Edited by Minh Quy Truong this Vietnamese, French, German, Chinese and Singaporean Co-Produced film has its French Premier showing. In Vietnamese.
* 'Present.Perfect.' - Directed, Written and Edited by Shengze Zhu this documentary feature film is a China, US and Hong Kong Co-Production. In Mandarin Chinese.
* 'Talking About Trees' - Directed and Written by Suhaib Gasmelbari this Sudan, French, German and Chad Co-Produced film has its French Premier, and is presented in Arabic.
* 'No. 7 Cherry Lane' - Directed and Written by Yonfan this Hong Kong animated film sees its French Premier and is in Mandarin Chinese.
* 'Nafi's Father' - Directed and Written by first timer Mamadou Dia this Senagalese Produced film is presented in Fulah.
* 'The Valley of Souls' - Directed and Written by Nicolas Rincon Gille this Colombian and Belgian Co-Production has its French Premier showing and is presented in Spanish.
* 'Ondog' - Directed and Written by Quan'An Wang this Mongolian and Chinese Co-Produced offering sees its French Premier screening, and is presented in Mongolian.
* 'Height of the Wave' - Directed by Jung-Bum Park this South Korean film gets its French Premier and is presented in Korean.
* 'You Will Die at Twenty' - is Directed and Co-Written by Amjad Abu Alala and is a Sudanese, French, German, Norwegian, Qatar and Egyptian Co-Produced film that is presented in Arabic.
* 'Let it Be Law' - Directed by Juan Solanas this Argentinian, French and Uruguay Co-Produced documentary is presented in Spanish.
* 'Photograph' - Directed and Written by Ritesh Batra this Indian, German and US Co-Produced film is Presented in Hindi and is the closing night film. A Muslim street photographer in Mumbai is obliged by his matriarchal grandmother to find himself a wife. Caught in a trap, he decides to invent his own love story, using photos he has taken of a young unknown woman. Can he convince himself to fall in love with these images? What truth do they reveal?

For the full Programme, you can visit the official website at : https://www.3continents.com

So turning attention to this week, we have six new release films coming to your local Odeon. We kick off with the continuing story of an all female team of daring do or die private investigators out to save the world that first saw its big screen outings in 2000 and 2003 based on a long running and much loved TV series from the late '70's and early '80's. Next up we have a biographical drama telling of the real story between two automotive greats - one an American mainstream manufacturer and the other an Italian sports car legend, with the former determined to topple the latter at Le Mans back in the mid-'60's. We then turn to a documentary drama surrounding the investigation post 9/11 into the CIA's interrogation methods on suspected terrorists and attempts to cover up any wrong doing. This is followed by a comedy drama offering telling the story of a crumbling marriage as told through the eyes of a couple on a road trip from coast to coast USA. Then we have a limited screen showing of a remastered rock concert from 1991 at London's Wembley Stadium featuring one world famous Aussie rock band and their legendary front man; and we close out the week with a documentary featuring the first year in the life of an Arctic reindeer as it learns to traverse the snowy wilderness of Lapland with its mother before joining the herd.

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.

'CHARLIE'S ANGELS' (Rated M) - here Elizabeth Banks Directs, Co-Produces, wrote the Screenplay and also stars in this third instalment of the 'Charlie's Angels' film franchise which began with 'Charlie's Angels' in 2000, continued in 2003 with 'Charlie's Angel's : Full Throttle' which were adapted from the original successful television series which aired from 1976 though to 1981 over five seasons comprising 110 episodes. Development of the film began four years ago back in late 2015 with Sony Pictures opting to reboot the franchise following the negative reception and cancellation of the 2011 television reboot, however, after filming wrapped, Banks revealed that the film should not be regarded as a reboot but a continuation of the franchise story. The film is released Stateside too this week, cost US$48M to make, and early Reviews have given the film a mixed or average rating.

Charlie's Angels have always provided security and investigative skills to private clients. Now the Townsend Agency has expanded internationally with the smartest and most highly-trained women from all around the world with multiple teams of Angels guided by multiple Bosley's, completing the toughest missions worldwide. When a young systems engineer blows the whistle on a dangerous technology, these Angels are called into action, putting their lives on the line to protect us all. Starring as our three titular Angel heroine's are Sabina Wilson (Kristen Stewart), Elena Houghlin (Naomi Scott) and Jane Kano (Ella Balinska), all managed by a team of Bosley's comprising Susan Bosley (Elizabeth Banks), Sam Bosley (Djimon Hounsou) and Stan Bosley (Patrick Stewart), with Sam Claflin, Noah Centineo and Jonathan Tucker.

'FORD v FERRARI' (Rated M) - is an American biographical drama film Directed and Co-Produced by James Mangold, whose previous film making credits include 'Cop Land', 'Girl, Interrupted', 'Walk the Line', '3:10 to Yuma', 'Knight and Day', 'The Wolverine' and 'Logan'. In 1963, Enzo Ferrari was approached by the Ford Motor Company about a possible buyout of Ferrari. Talks were halted indefinitely by Ferrari when Enzo realised that the deal included the purchase of Scuderia Ferrari, Ferrari's racing program that had won the 24 Hours Le Mans endurance race in 1958 and every year from 1960 through 1965. Le Mans is the world's oldest active sports car race, held annually since 1923. Upset at being rebuffed, Henry Ford II directed his racing division to build a car to beat Scuderia Ferrari. The film tells the story of an eccentric, determined team of American engineers and designers, led by automotive visionary Carroll Shelby (Matt Damon) and his British driver, Ken Miles (Christian Bale), who are dispatched by Henry Ford II (Tracy Letts) and Lee Iacocca (Jon Bernthal) with the mission of building the Ford GT40, a new racing car with the potential to finally defeat the perennially dominant Ferrari racing team at the 1966 24 Hours of Le Mans race in France. Also starring Josh Lucas, Noah Jupe, Ray McKinnon, Benjamin Rigby and Remo Girone as Enzo Ferrari. The film cost US$98M to make, is released in the US this week too having seen its World Premier showing at Telluride in late August, and has garnered generally positive press so far.

'THE REPORT' (Rated M) - this American docudrama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Scott Z. Burns in only his second feature film after 2006's 'PU-239', although he has written numerous Screenplays including 'The Bourne Ultimatum', 'The Informant', 'Contagion', 'Side Effects', 'The Mercy', the recently released on Netflix 'The Laundromat' and the upcoming 25th Bond outing 'No Time To Die'. Idealistic Senate staffer Daniel J. Jones (Adam Driver) is tasked with leading an investigation into the CIA's systematic torture of terrorist suspects in the years following the September 11 attacks. The investigation concludes that the so-called 'enhanced interrogation techniques' used by the CIA were brutal, immoral, and ineffective forms of torture, and that the CIA routinely misrepresented these facts to policymakers. When the Senate Intelligence Committee attempts to publish their findings, they have to contend with the CIA and White House's attempts to block and undermine Jones's 6,700 page report covering more than a decade's worth of real-life political intrigue. Also starring Annette Benning, Jon Hamm, Tim Blake Nelson, Michael C. Hall, Douglas Hodge, Ted Levine and Corey Stoll, the film is released in the US this week too, following its World Premier screening at the Sundance Film Festival back in January this year, before becoming available on streaming platform Amazon Prime on 29th November.

'MARRIAGE STORY' (Rated M) - here we have an American comedy drama film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Noah Baumbach, whose previous Directorial outings include 'The Squid and the Whale', 'Greenberg', 'Frances Ha', 'While We're Young', and 'The Meyerowitz Stories' most recently. The film charts the story of a Stage Director, Charlie Barber (Adam Driver) and his Actress wife Nicole Barber (Scarlett Johansson) struggling through a gruelling, coast-to-coast divorce that pushes them to their personal and creative extremes. Also starring Laura Dern, Alan Alda, Ray Liotta, Julie Hagerty and Merritt Wever, the film cost just US$9M, and has received universal Critical acclaim so far. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Venice International Film Festival in late August, and also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September where it was first runner-up for the People's Choice Award, was in the Centerpiece selection at the New York Film Festival in early October and the BFI London Film Festival at the same time. It is scheduled for a limited release from this week before digital streaming on 6th December through Netflix.

'INXS : LIVE BABY LIVE' (Rated M) - is a live video of Australian rock band INXS's performance at Wembley Stadium Directed by the prolific British Director of music videos and concert films, David Mallet. The concert was the second-last of a string of concerts in London for INXS's Summer XS Tour. The band played to a sold out crowd of over 72,000 fans, and the performance was held on 13 July 1991, on the six-year anniversary of the original Live Aid concert at the same venue, London's Wembley Stadium. The original video footage was shot with sixteen 35mm cameras that included one in a helicopter that circled the venue. Now in 2019 'Live Baby Live' has been remastered in 4K resolution accompanied with newly restored sound at Abbey Road Studios and presented in Dolby Atmos. It is scheduled to be released in cinemas for one-night-only in Australia and New Zealand on 14th November 2019, an international release on 27th November and North and South American release on 9th December. Featuring of course the original line up of Garry Beers, Andrew Farris, Tim Farris, Jon Farris, Kirk Pengilly and the enigmatic and legendary frontman, the late great Michael Hutchence.

'AILO'S JOURNEY' (Rated CTC) - Directed and Written by Guillaume Maidatchevsky and narrated by Donald Sutherland, this film takes us to the snowbound and frozen wilderness of Finland's Lapland where we follow the journey of baby Ailo, a newborn reindeer as he navigates his first year of life amidst the snowy landscapes. Frail and vulnerable, Ailo must learn to walk, run, leap and hide to ensure he survives the long, treacherous journey with the herd. 'Ailo's Journey' is an inspirational story, in which a bleak wilderness is warmed by a mother's endless love as she watches over Ailo in his incredible adventures with other creatures of the Arctic. The film took eighteen months to shoot, and features no other human Actors or CGI - nothing more than wild animals surviving in a beautiful wilderness.

With six new release movies 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-