What's new in Odeon's this week : Saturday 26th December 2020.

With Christmas upon us, for many of us around the world this festive season will take on a whole new meaning given the ongoing and seemingly ever present impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Many countries across Europe, the US and Asia are now battling second and third phase outbreaks that bring more restrictions, more lockdowns and more uncertainty. If your Government permits, get out a see a movie on the big screen this festive season and escape the trials and tribulations of the real world for a few hours. In the meantime I take this opportunity to wish my readership wherever you are in the world, a safe, happy and relaxing Christmas with your families, friends and loved ones - assuming you are able to. Together we can beat this thing by remembering to wear a face mask, practice social distancing and good hand hygiene. I wish you all the very best and compliments of the season to you. 

Coming to big screens across Australia and in some cases internationally this Boxing Day, we have six new movie releases to tease you out to your local Odeon the day after Christmas. We begin with the much delayed ninth instalment in the DCEU that sees an immortal Superheroine face off against an apex predator superhuman and a ruthless businessman intent on making wishes come true. Next up is a woman's odyssey to explore a nomadic existence in the wake of the Global Financial Crisis; followed by a French film set in the late '60's about a woman thrust into running a housekeeping school, only to face challenges along the way from the bank, the students, and a former lover. We then turn to a real life telling of Churchill's Special Operations Executive set up during the early months of WWII and how a group of spirited women undermine the Nazi's in France. We then turn to a sequel of an animated feature from a few years ago that tells the story of a prehistoric family this time in search of a new place to call home, and when they find their seemingly idyllic place adventure awaits. And wrapping up the week is a food porn doco about how one renowned Chef was tasked with assembling a select group of the world's best Pastry Chefs to create the decadent desserts that would have been served up to the court of the Palace of Versailles in the late 17th and 18th centuries.    

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 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.

'WONDER WOMAN : 1984' (Rated M) - the ninth instalment in the DCEU is finally here, and this sequel to 2017's 'Wonder Woman' which grossed US$822M off the back of a production budget of about US$140M, is once again Directed by Patty Jenkins, and has been the subject of numerous delays to finally get us to this point. Originally announced for release on December 13, 2019, before being moved up to November 1, 2019, then it was delayed to June 5, 2020 and delayed again to August 14, 2020 while the world rode out the COVID-19 pandemic. In June 2020, a further delay saw the film's release pushed to October 2, 2020, before it was moved to this Christmas date. The film will also stream on HBO Max in the US and through Premium VoD in Canada from the same day as its theatrical release in those countries, while the rest of the world can enjoy the big screen cinematic release from anytime between this week and the end of January 2021. Costing US$200M to make the film is not expected to be profitable, needing to take US$500M to break even after marketing costs are factored in. That said, this sequel has generated largely positive Critical acclaim.

Set in 1984 Diana Prince/Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot who also Co-Produces here) is reunited with her former love interest Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) and must face off against Barbara Minerva (Kristen Wiig) who morphs into Cheetah, a cheetah like apex predator superhuman, and Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal), a charismatic businessman and founder of Black Gold Cooperative, who has acquired a mysterious Dreamstone that seemingly is able to grant wishes upon contact with any user. Also starring Connie Nielsen and Robin Wright reprising the roles from the first film as Hippolyta and Antiope respectively with Linda Carter who played Wonder Woman in the 1970s television series, makes a special cameo appearance as Asteria, a legendary Amazon warrior.

'NOMADLAND' (Rated M) - this highly acclaimed American drama film is Directed, Written, Co-Produced and Edited by the Chinese movie maker Chloe Zhao in only her third Directorial outing after 'Songs My Brother Taught Me' in 2015 and 'The Rider' in 2017. In September 2018, Marvel Studios hired her to direct 'Eternals', based on the comic book characters of the same name, which is set for a release in early November 2021. This film is based on the 2017 non-fiction book 'Nomadland : Surviving America in the Twenty-First Century' by Jessica Bruder. Here following the economic collapse of a company town in rural Nevada following the Global Financial Crisis, Fern (Frances McDormand) packs her van and sets off on the road exploring a life outside of conventional society as a modern-day nomad. Featuring real nomads Linda May, Swankie and Bob Wells as Fern’s mentors and comrades in her exploration through the vast landscape of the American West, the film also stars David Strathairn. The film saw its World Premiere at the Venice Film Festival in September this year, goes on general release in the US on 19th February 2021, has generated universal Critical acclaim, and has so far collected twenty-three award wins and another nineteen nominations from around the awards and festival circuit.

'HOW TO BE A GOOD WIFE' (Rated M) - this French comedy drama offering is Directed and Co-Written by Martin Provost whose more recent film making outings have included the highly acclaimed 'Seraphine' in 2008, 'The Long Falling' in 2011, 'Violette' in 2013 and 'The Midwife' in 2017. Paulette Van der Beck (Juliette Binoche) and her husband Robert (Francios Berleand) have been running a housekeeping school in Alsace, France in the late 1960's. After the sudden death of her husband, Paulette discovers that the school is on the verge of bankruptcy and has to step up and take on her responsibilities to the teenage girls under her tutelage and her staff. With preparations underway for the best housekeeping competition TV show, she and her lively students begin to question their beliefs as the nation-wide protests of May 1968 transform society around them. Reunited with her first love, Andre Grunvald (Edouard Baer), and with the help of her eccentric stepsister Gilberte (Yolanda Moreau) and strict nun Marie-Therese (Noemie Lvovsky), Paulette joins with the schoolgirls to overcome their suppressed status and become liberated women. This film opened in its native France back in March this year, and now gets a release in Australia from this week.

'A CALL TO SPY' (Rated M) - this American historical drama film is Lydia Dean Pilcher in only her second feature film outing following 2018's 'Radium Girls'. Inspired by true events during the early months of WWII and with Britain becoming desperate, Winston Churchill orders his new spy agency—the Special Operations Executive (SOE) to recruit and train women as spies. Their daunting mission is to conduct sabotage and build a resistance. SOE's 'spymistress' is Vera Atkins (Stana Katic) who recruits two unusual candidates -Virginia Hall (Sarah Megan Thomas who also wrote and Produced here), an ambitious American with a wooden leg, and Noor Inayat Khan (Radhika Apte), an Indian Muslim pacifist. Together, these women help to undermine the Nazi regime in France, leaving an unmistakable legacy in their wake. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Edinburgh International Film Festival way back in June 2019, saw its release in the US in early October, has so far taken just US$182K at the Box Office and now gets a release in Australia having generated positive critical Reviews.

'THE CROODS : A NEW AGE' (Rated PG) - is an American computer generated animated adventure comedy film that is the sequel to 2013's 'The Croods' which grossed US$588M off the back of a circa US$160M production budget. This film is Directed by first-timer Joel Crawford who takes over from Kirk DeMicco and Chris Sanders. And so here, searching for a safer habitat, the prehistoric Crood family discover an idyllic, walled-in paradise that meets all of its needs. Unfortunately, they must also learn to live with the Betterman's - a family that sits a couple of notches above the Croods on the evolutionary scale. As tensions between the new neighbours builds, a new threat soon launches both clans on an epic adventure that forces them to embrace their differences, draw strength from one another, and survive together. Featuring the returning voices of Nicolas Cage, Emma Stone, Ryan Reynolds, Catherine Keener and Cloris Leachman joined by the new vocals provided by Peter Dinklage, Leslie Mann and Kelly Marie Tran. The film has so far grossed US$77M from a production budget of US$65M since its release Stateside at the back end of November and has garnered mixed or average Reviews so far. 

'OTTOLENGHI AND THE CAKES OF VERSAILLES' (Rated G) - here Director Laura Gabbert whose previous documentary features include 'Sunset Story' in 2003, 'No Impact Man : The Documentary' in 2009 and 'City of Gold' in 2015, brings us her latest Doco about renowned Israeli born Chef Yotam Ottolenghi and how he was commissioned by New York's Metropolitan Museum of Art to reimagine desserts and pastry goodies that would have been savoured by French royalty in the court of Versailles during the period from the 1680's to the 1790's. To assist with his effort, Ottolenghi enlists the support of a veritable who's who of renowned pastry chefs from across the globe. Perhaps the most highly regarded of which is Dominique Ansel, the French-American best known for inventing the cronut (the croissant/doughnut hybrid). Then there is Ghaya Oliveira, a Tunisian chocolate aficionado and the Executive Pastry Chef at the exclusive New York restaurant Daniel. The British team of Sam Bompas and Harry Parr have had their intricate gelatine desserts Instagrammed around the world and from Singapore, Janice Wong is known for intricately detailed 'edible art' and finally the Ukrainian baker Dinara Kasko who creates astonishing cakes using 3D printing. The film has generated mostly positive press. 

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 26th October 2017.

With the release of 'Thor : Ragnarok' this week, and as Previewed below, this brings to a close the Marvel Cinematic Universe movie releases for 2017 following on from 'Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2' and 'Spider-Man : Homecoming' seen earlier this year. So what Superhero offerings do we have to look forward to in the coming years from the MCU? Shown below, is what we know so far on the cards for release over the next few years or in development either from the direct MCU or the periphery.
* 'Black Panther' - due in February 2018, Directed by Ryan Coogler and staring Patrick Boseman as T'Challa/Black Panther with Michael B. Jordan, Lupita Nyong'o, Martin Freeman, Daniel Kaluuya, Angela Bassett, Forest Whitaker and Andy Serkis.
* 'The New Mutants' - due in April 2018, Directed by Josh Boone and starring Anya Taylor-Joy as Illyana Rasputin/Majik, Maisie Williams as Rahne Sinclair/Wolfsbaine, Charlie Heaton as Sam Guthrie/Canonball, Henry Zaga as Roberto da Costa/Sunspot and Blu Hunt as Danielle Moonstar/Mirage.


* 'Avengers : Infinity War, Part 1' - due in May 2018, Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and starring all the usual Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy suspects and Josh Brolin as Thanos.
* 'Deadpool 2' - due in June 2018, Directed by David Leitch and starring Ryan Reynolds as Wade Wilson/Deadpool.

* 'Ant-Man and the Wasp' - due in July 2018, Directed by Peyton Reed, and staring Paul Rudd as Scott Lang/Ant-Man and Evangeline Lilly as Hope van Dyne/Wasp with Bobby Cannavale, Michale Pena, Michael Douglas, Laurence Fishburn, Walton Goggins and Michelle Pfeiffer.
* 'X-Men : Dark Phoenix' - due in November 2018, Directed by Simon Kinberg and starring Sophie Turner as Jean Grey/Dark Phoenix, with all the usual X-Men suspects returning from the more recent films.
* 'Gambit' - due in February 2019, Directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Channing Tatum as Remy LeBeau/Gambit.
* 'Captain Marvel' - due in March 2019, Directed by Anna Boden and Ryan Fleck and starring Brie Larson as Carol Danvers/Captain Marvel.
* 'Avengers : Infinity War, Part 2' - due in May 2019, Directed by Anthony and Joe Russo and starring all the usual Avengers and Guardians of the Galaxy suspects and Josh Brolin as Thanos.
* 'Spider-Man : Homecoming 2' - due in July 2019, Directed by Jon Watts and starring Tom Holland as Peter Parker/Spider-Man.
* 'Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3' - due in 2020, Directed by James Gunn, and starring all the usual Guardians suspects.
* Also reportedly in the works are 'Inhumans' that has been on again off again and 'Venom' supposedly Directed by Ruben Fleisher and starring Tom Hardy as Eddie Brock/Venom.

This week, with five new release movies to choose from, we kick start with a MCU Superhero offering that sees this particular hero down on his luck and fighting for his survival and that of his lands and his people; then an outwardly quite peaceful community is turned upside down when an inwardly corrupt underbelly of violence and corruption manifests itself; followed up by a WWII drama of the lengths ordinary people will go to to protect the life of an innocent; then a black dramedy about the power of social media and the impact upon two very different lives when they come together; and closing out with a French film of two women who share a connection with the same man and come to rely on each other for different reasons.

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

'THOR : RAGNAROK' (Rated M) - this is the third film in the 'Thor' franchise and the seventeenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and has been much hyped, keenly awaited and highly anticipated since the first trailers were released and New Zealander Taika Waititi was announced for Directing duties. With a production budget of US$180M and filmed largely at Australia's Gold Coast film studios, the film has already received largely positive press, hailing it the best of the three so far, ahead of its US release in early November, and its Australian release this week. The first two films in the series, 2011's 'Thor' and 2013's 'Thor : The Dark World' were made for a combined US$303M and grossed between them close to US$1.1B, so expectations are running high for this instalment. By way of a lesson into Norse mythology, Ragnarok is a series of future events, including a great battle, foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures (including the gods Odin, Thor and Loki), the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water. Following such a cataclysmic event, the world will resurface afresh, renewed and fertile, the surviving and returning gods will meet, and the world will be repopulated by two human survivors.

This film then, is set four years after the events of 'Thor: The Dark World', and two years following on from 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'. Here we find Thor (Chris Hemsworth), held captive on the planet Sakaar without his hammer Mjolnir. He is forced into a gladiatorial duel, which he must win, against an old friend, the Hulk (Mark Ruffalo) in order to return to his home realm of Asgard in time to stop the villainous Hela, Thor's sister and Goddess of Death, who has been inadvertently released from prison where she has been locked away for the past few millennia (Cate Blanchett) and the impending Ragnarok, the end of all Asgardian civilisation. Also reprising their roles from previous films are Tom Hiddleston as Loki, Idris Elba as Heimdall, Anthony Hopkins as Odin, Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange with Jeff Goldblum as Grandmaster (one of the Elders of the Universe), Tessa Thompson as Valkyrie, Karl Urban as Skurge, Director Taika Waititi plays a MoCap stone creature Korg, and of course Stan Lee has his trademark cameo appearance. Sounds like a whole lotta fun, with Taika Waititi adding his own unique flavour to this film, which has already won over the Critics.

'SUBURBICON' (Rated MA15+) - here we have a crime comedy caper Directed by George Clooney and Co-Produced and Co-Written by him too with his other frequent scribing collaborators Joel and Ethan Coen, and Grant Heslov. The film had its World Premier screening at the Venice Film Festival in early September where it was in main competition, and then it screened too at the more recent Toronto International Film Festival, and is due for release in the US this week too, as it is here in Australia. The film has been in gestation for many years, having been written initially by the Coen brothers with Joel Silver way back in 1986 shortly after the release of their first film 'Blood Simple'. In 2005 it was reported that Clooney would Direct and star in the film, and twelve years later that goal is finally realised. Set in the peaceful, harmonious, sharing, caring community of Suburbicon with its picket fences, affordable housing, lush manicured lawns and clean leafy streets, it is the summer of 1959. The Lodge family - Gardner, and his wife Margaret (Matt Damon and Julianne Moore respectively) and their young family are living the idyllic life until a home invasion on the Lodge household sends the prefect nuclear family into a tailspin, leaving Gardner to navigate the town's dark and hidden core of deceit, violence and betrayal. Also starring Oscar Isaac, the film has so far received lacklustre Reviews.

'ANOTHER MOTHER'S SON' (Rated PG) - this British WWII drama film is based on a true story from the German occupied Channel Islands, and is Directed by Christopher Menaul. The film Premiered in London back in March this year and now gets a limited release in Australia. Telling the story set on the island of Jersey, Louisa Gould (Jenny Seagrove) hides an escaped young Russian PoW, Feodor 'Bill' Burriy (Julian Kostov) by secreting him away from the German forces for the duration of the war. As the war effort increases and it becomes evident that Churchill will not risk an assault on the Channel Islands to recapture the British soil, the island dwellers spirit starts to subside under the pressure of hunger, occupation and oppression. Against these very trying circumstances, Louisa battles to safeguard her family's sense of humanity, and to protect the Russian boy as if he was one of her own children. Also starring John Hannah, Ronan Keating and Susan Hampshire.

'INGRID GOES WEST' (Rated MA15+) - Directed and Co-Written by Matt Spicer this black comedy drama film Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January this year, had its Australian Premier at this years Sydney Film Festival, was released Stateside back in August and now arrives at selected Australian cinemas having so far grossed US$3M and received generally positive Reviews. The story here centres around young Ingrid Thorburn (Aubrey Plaza), who after the death of her mother and a series of self-imposed personal setbacks in her life, decides to cut lose of her dead end no hope existence by moving out West to get to know her social media obsession, a Los Angeles social mover and shaker named Taylor Sloane (Elizabeth Olson). After a quick bond is forged between these unlikely new friends, the facade slowly begins to crack in both their lives with comically malicious results. Also starring O'Shea Jackson, Wyatt Russell and Billy Magnussen.

'THE MIDWIFE' (Rated PG) - here we have a French foreign language offering that Premiered out of competition at this years Berlin Film Festival back in February, was released in France at the end of March and has so far recovered just under US$6M from its US$8M budget outlay. Directed and written for the screen by Martin Provost, this film tells the story of Claire Breton (Catherine Frot) a stressed and up tight midwife who has dramas on going in both her work and her personal lives, who forms an unlikely friendship with Beatrice Sobo dite Sobolevski (Catherine Deneuve), the free-spirited, sensual mistress of her late father. Though complete opposite personalities, the two women come to count on each other after Beatrice reveals that she has brain cancer, and has no one else to turn to. What is Claire to do when confronted with such a predicament and when faced either with rejection or her sense of duty? Starring also Olivier Gourmet and Quentin Dolmaire as Simon, Claire's student aged son.

With five new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, taking in the third instalment in this popular MCU Superhero franchise, a comedy crime offering, a WWII drama, a commentary on the influence of social media and a foreign language film of a midwife and a mistress.  Remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephiles afterwards here at Odeon Online, and in the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-