What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 10th May 2018.

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

*  Michael Anderson : Born 30th January 1920, died 25th April 2018, aged 98. Michael Joseph Anderson Snr. was an English Director most notably known for Directing the WWII real life drama 'The Dam Busters' in 1955, the classic 'Around the World in 80 Days' in 1956, and the Sci-Fi film 'Logan's Run' in 1976. His other films worthy of note included the 1956 version of the George Orwell classic '1984', 'The Quilter Memorandum', 'Orca', 'Millennium' and 'The New Adventures of Pinocchio' which was to be his last full length feature film in 1999. All up Anderson had 43 Directing credits to his name, twelve as Assistant Director, two Acting and two Producer credits also. He had three Award wins to his name and another nine nominations including the Best Director Academy Award and Golden Globe nods for 'Around the World in 80 Days', which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 1957 as well a four other wins at that years Oscar's. At the time of his death, Anderson was the oldest living nominee for an Academy Award for Best Director, and the only surviving Director whose film won a Best Picture award in the 1950s.

* R. Lee Ermey : Born 24th March 1944, died 15th April 2018, aged 74. Ronald Lee Ermey was an American Actor, Voice Actor and a US Marine Corps Staff Sergeant and an honorary gunnery Sergeant. He joined the US Marine Corp in 1961, aged 17 training in San Diego, California before serving time in Okinawa, Japan and then in Vietnam in 1968/69 before being medically discharged in 1972. His first feature film break came in 1978 in the Vietnam War drama 'The Boys in Company C' playing a Marine drill instructor. This was followed up a year later with Francis Ford Coppola's Vietnam epic 'Apocalypse Now' playing a chopper pilot as well as acting as a technical advisor given his experiences in country. The role for which he is perhaps best known was Stanley Kubrick's 1987 Vietnam opus 'Full Metal Jacket' as Gunnery Sergeant Hartman for which Ermey received a Golden Globe nomination for Best Supporting Actor. His other big screen appearances in films of note included 'Mississippi Burning', 'Toy Soldiers', 'Sommersby', 'Body Snatchers', 'On Deadly Ground', 'Murder in the First', 'Leaving Las Vegas', 'Se7en', 'Dead Man Walking', 'The Frighteners', 'The Salton Sea', 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' (2003 remake) and its 2006 prequel. Ermey also lent his voice talents to 'Starship Troopers', 'Toy Story', 'Toy Story 2' and 'Toy Story 3', 'X-Men : The Last Stand' and 'The Watch'. In the meantime there were television appearance on the likes of 'Miami Vice', 'The X-Files', 'The Simpsons', 'Family Guy', 'House', 'Law & Order : SVU' and 'Kung Fu Panda : Legends of Awesomeness', as well as numerous voice appearances on video games and television commercial endorsements. All up Ermey had 124 Acting credits to his name and he was the recipient of two award wins and another four nominations. He was a Board Member for the NRA (National Rifle Association) and Co-Founder of the Bravery Brewing Company.
* Verne Troyer : Born 1st January 1969, died 21st April 2018, aged 49. Verne Jay Troyer was an American Actor, Comedian and stuntman who's best known performance was as 'Mini-Me' in the 'Austin Powers : The Spy Who Shagged Me' second instalment in this film franchise and in the third film 'Austin Powers in Goldmember'. He garnered fame for his diminutive stature, measuring just 81cms (2 feet 8 inches) tall due to a rare genetic disorder known as cartilage-hair hypopiasia that clinically manifests itself as short limbed dwarfism. This condition made Troyer one of the world's shortest men. His big screen debut came in 1994 in 'Baby's Day Out' which was followed by regular work in the ensuing years in film and television including more notably, 'Jingle All The Way', 'Volcano', 'Men In Black', 'Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas', 'Mighty Joe Young', 'How The Grinch Stole Christmas', 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone', 'The Love Guru' and 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus'. Troyer had accumulated 58 Acting credits throughout his career and had picked up two award wins and four nominations.

In the week ahead we have four new films to tease you out to your local Odeon, kicking off with the real life telling of a scandal that rocked a high ranking political figure, his acclaimed family and the Presidential system in the US in the late '60's/early '70's. We then turn to a dramedy of a mother of three young kids who is gifted a Nanny to help her sleep, rest, cope and gain back some semblance of life from the never ending demands of motherhood. This is followed up by a comedy of a recently divorced mother who goes back to College to complete her Degree having put her life on hold for the sake of her soon to be ex-husband and her College age daughter, only thing is, she ends up in the same school and in the same class as her daughter, and so begins a whole new life of rediscovery, adventure and antics. We then wrap up with a murder mystery whodunnit where the patriarch of the family is poisoned in his bed and the immediate family are all prime suspects playing out in the great tradition of that acclaimed British female mystery crime writer who has had plenty of her works committed to the big and small screen.

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 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 outing during the week ahead.

'CHAPPAQUIDDICK' (Rated M) - this American drama film based on the real life events surrounding the 1969 Chappaquiddick Incident is Directed by John Curran whose most recent Directorial outing was the 2013 Robyn Davidson Western Australian adapted story 'Tracks' with Mia Wasikowska. Now, he Directs this account of the story which is described as 'a single-vehicle car accident that occurred on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts, on Friday, July 18, 1969. The late night accident was caused by Senator Ted Kennedy's negligence, and resulted in the death of his 28-year-old passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, who was trapped inside the vehicle'. Further it states that 'according to his testimony, Kennedy accidentally drove his car off the one-lane bridge and into a tidal channel. He swam free, left the scene, and did not report the accident to the police for ten hours; Kopechne died inside the fully submerged car. The next day, the car with Kopechne's body inside was recovered by a diver, minutes before Kennedy reported the accident to local authorities. Kennedy pleaded guilty to a charge of leaving the scene of a crash causing personal injury, and later received a two-month suspended jail sentence'. The film Premiered at TIFF last September, had its US release in early April, and goes on general release in Australia this week, having so far grossed US$17M at the Box Office and garnered generally positive Reviews along the way.

Through factual accounts, laid out in the inquest from the investigations in 1969, the film examines the mysterious events and subsequent fall out around the drowning of aspiring political strategist and Kennedy insider Mary Jo Kopechne (Kate Mara) after Ted Kennedy (Jason Clarke) drove his car off the infamous Dike Bridge on Chappaquiddick Island. The incident ultimately changed the course of presidential history, intimately exposing the long arm of political influence and power held by one of America's most celebrated families, and the vulnerability (and political implosion) of Ted Kennedy, the youngest son, in the shadow of his family's troubled and famed legacy. These events more than likely contributed to Ted Kennedy's decision not to run for President in the 1972 and 1976 campaigns. The film also stars Clancy Brown, Bruce Dern, Ed Helms and Olivia Thirlby.

'TULLY' (Rated M) - this American drama comedy offering is Directed by Jason Reitman whose previous Directing credits include 'Juno', 'Up in the Air' and 'Thank-you for Smoking' amongst others, and is Written by Diablo Cody whose previous Writing credits include 'Juno', 'Young Adult' and 'Ricky and the Flash' also amongst others. The film Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January this year, went on general release in the US last week, and here in Australia this week. This film tells the story of the mother of three young kids Marlo (Charlize Theron, who it is reported gained nearly 23 kilos for her role over a period of about fifteen weeks, and ate around the clock to keep the weight on. It took her a year and a half to take the weight off once filming concluded), who is gifted a nighttime Nanny by her brother, to help her sleep and cope with the trials and tribulations of raising a demanding young family that includes a new born. Reluctant to take advantage at first, Marlo soon gives in and forms a unique relationship with the thoughtful, caring and at times challenging young Nanny named Tully (Mackenzie Davis). The film also stars Mark Duplass as Craig (Marlo's brother) and Ron Livingstone as Drew (Marlo's husband).

'LIFE OF THE PARTY' (Rated M) - here we have an American comedy film Co-Written and Co-Produced by the real life married couple of Ben Falcone and Melissa McCarthy and Directed by Ben Falcone in his third Directorial outing with his wife after 2014's 'Tammy' and 2016's 'The Boss'. The story here surrounds long time dedicated wife Deanna (Melissa McCarthy) who is suddenly and abruptly dumped by her husband Dan (Matt Walsh), seeking a divorce. Whilst Deanna has no regrets about bringing up her daughter Maddie (Molly Gordon) and being a stay at home Mum, she does regret never finishing her Degree. So, Deanna decides to go back to College, and plunges headlong into the same school and same class as her daughter, who remains totally unconvinced that this is a good idea. Needless to say new adventures and new experiences await as Deanna gets reacquainted with all the fun, freedom, frolics and frat boys that College life can muster. Sounds like a hoot! Also starring Gillian Jacobs, Maya Rudolph, Jacki Weaver and Julie Bowen. Released in the US, UK and Australia this week.

'CROOKED HOUSE' (Rated PG) - Agatha Christie seems to be back in vogue right now, with this big screen adaptation of her 1949 novel of the same name, following on from Ken Branagh's reworking of 'Murder on the Orient Express' late last year and his reported re-adaptation of 'Death on the Nile'. This British murder mystery is Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Frenchman Gilles Paquet-Brenner. In this detective story, former Foreign Office diplomat Charles Hayward (Max Irons) has returned from Cairo to London to become a private detective. When Aristide Leonides (Gino Picciano), a wealthy and ruthless business tycoon, is poisoned in his own bed, Detective Hayward is invited to solve the crime by his former lover and before the Scotland Yard Detectives arrive on the scene and potentially expose hidden and dark family secrets. As the investigation deepens he must confront the shocking realisation that one of the key suspects is Aristede's beautiful granddaughter, his employer and former lover; and must remain focused and alert to navigate the sultry Sophia de Havilland (Stefani Martini) and the rest of her hostile family. Also starring Glenn Close, Gillian Anderson, Julian Sands, Terence Stamp and Christina Hendricks.

With four 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-

GHOSTBUSTERS : Thursday 21st July 2016.

For nostalgic reasons I saw 'GHOSTBUSTERS' last week having been undecided about viewing this all female reboot given the mixed publicity it has so far received. The original 'Ghostbusters' film was released in 1984 and was Directed and Produced by Ivan Reitman, Written by Dan Aykroyd who also starred as Ray Stanz, and starred Harold Ramis as Egon Spengler and Bill Murray as Peter Venkman - making up the threesome of parapsychologists, ghost hunters and spectre busters. That film was made for US$30M and returned US$295M and was also a critical success having been nominated for two Academy Awards for Best Visual Effects and Ray Parker Jnr's. signature tune as Best Original Song. Based on this success 'Ghostbusters II' was released in 1989 with the same cast reprising their roles for US$37M and returning US$215M. During its time there were also two animated television series, a number of video game releases, a comic book adaptation, merchandise, and the film has seen several cinematic re-releases in more recent years. And now, in 2016, we have a reboot for a whole new audience, but this time with a budget of US$144M, and Paul Feig in the Directors chair and Co-Scripting, with Ivan Reitman Co-Producing, with both Bill Murray and Dan Aykroyd appearing in cameo roles. So far the film has made US$123M.

Here we have an all female cast of ghost hunters and catchers continuing the work laid out by Stanz, Venkman and Spengler 30 years ago, although you wouldn't know it, and still in Noo Yawk City. This time, paranormal researcher Abby Yates (Melissa McCarthy) and physicist Erin Gilbert (Kristen Wiig) are largely unsuccessful and uncared about authors who believe that ghosts are real and are among us in everyday society having written a book about it years earlier. Fast track a few years and Gilbert lands her dream job at Columbia University, and Yates continues here work at a Technical College ably assisted by whacky & other worldly engineer Dr. Jillian Holtzmann (Kate McKinnon). When her book resurfaces unexpectedly Gilbert tries to deny all knowledge and distances herself from that earlier now frowned upon publication. She searches out her estranged friend and co-author Yates to halt further sales and publicity of the book for fear that it might cost her the hard earned job at Columbia, and her reputation.

When their meeting doesn't quite go according to plan the three girls are called out unexpectedly to a sighting of a ghost at New York's longest standing still intact inside and outside historical homestead that is believed to be haunted but never confirmed . . . until now that is! When the presence of a real life nether worldly spectre is confirmed and it's none to friendly, the video footage evidence is posted to social media but is quickly debunked as a fake. Gilbert's belief in the paranormal is however, reignited, but it costs her the position at Columbia that she had fought and studied so hard for. When Yates and Holtzmann seek additional funding for their research now that they have concrete evidence, the rug is also pulled from under them, and they find themselves out on the street too. With their new found proof and belief in life hereafter, the three team up and open 'The Department of Metaphysical Examination' above a Chinese Restaurant.

They newly formed team settle in and Holtzmann sets about quickly upgrading their ghost hunting equipment. At the same time they advertise for an office administrator and receptionist. The only applicant is Kevin Beckman (Chris Hemsworth) - a dim-witted, clueless but handsome and well meaning type that immediately catches the eye of Gilbert, and within a heartbeat he is hired. Shorty afterwards the office receives a call of a ghostly presence in the subway. Going to investigate they meet up with New York 's finest long standing and long suffering MTA (Metropolitan Transportation Authority) Attendant Patty Tolan (Leslie Jones) who takes them into the subway at the location of the sighting, and sure enough - there they encounter, but fail to capture, another ghost. However, they have captured more photographic evidence and tested out Holtzmann's latest proton containment laser device, but again their evidence is dismissed as fake by one world authority on such matters Martin Heiss (Bill Murray).

The team carry on unabated and none too worried about their lack of concrete evidence or the naysayers who dismiss their findings. Holtzmann continues to develop more sophisticated ghost hunting and containment gizmo's, and the team, now joined by Tolan because of her historic and geographical knowledge of NYC, is able to borrow a hearse from an Uncle, which the team have customised to suit their needs and call it 'Ecto-1'. By now the media are referring to the team as the 'Ghostbusters' as their presence on the streets becomes more frequent and there are increasing reports of other worldly spectres and poltergeists running amok.

What the team don't know yet is that one lowly hotel janitor, Rowan North (Neil Casey) has been dabbling in the occult for sometime and using Gilbert & Yates book as a source of reference to bring about a cataclysmic apocalypse that will see the dead rise up and bring an end to the world as we know it. He plants a devise at a heavy metal rock concert (watch out for the Ozzy Osbourne cameo) to summons an evil ghost to show the world what he is capable of, and set the scene for the start of his apocalypse. As the concert gets underway the evil spirit is released, the Ghostbusters are called in and using their latest developed ghost containment technology, they capture their first ghost - in front of hundreds of concert goers.

The Ghostbusters are then quickly escorted off to see Mayor Bradley (Andy Garcia) who thanks them for their support & assistance and advises that Homeland Security were well aware of New York's ghost problem, but must debunk their work and brand them as fraudsters to avoid panic in the streets, whilst in private supporting their efforts. The team come to realise that North is has been planting various ghost release devises along New York's ley lines which come to intersect at The Mercado Hotel in Times Square which has historical significance as a place riddled with paranormal activity. It is here that North works as a janitor, and in the basement he has built a portal to the other side, and at the flick of a switch the ghosts and evil spirits will cross over into our dimension. Cornered in the basement by the Ghostbusters North electrocutes himself to avoid capture, but this is part of his cunning plan to return as an all powerful ghost to rule over those he has released. Before doing so though his spirit first possesses Yates then Beckman who flicks the switch in the basement so releasing those ghosts and ghoulish entities upon an unsuspecting New York City.

With the Ghostbusters mobilised once again and armed to the teeth with more hurriedly assembled technologically advanced ghost busting weaponry, the team of four gals go head to head with all manner of evil spirits intent on trashing the city, as they seek to get to the portal and close it. Meanwhile, North has manifested himself into a giant evil form of the Ghostbusters logo, and begins trampling all over the city and tearing at its tower blocks and skyscrapers whilst commanding a legion to thwart the ghost busting girls. Needless to say four tooled up girls is enough to overcome hundreds of evil malevolent larger than life ghosts, ghouls and spectres on any day, and of course they do, so allowing them to reach the portal and drive Ecto-1 with its roof mounted nuclear reactor into the portal so creating a total protonic reversal and returning everything back to normality and the ghosts, ghouls, phantoms and spectres back to their own nether worldly dimension.

Having saved the city from near certain doom, Mayor Bradley secretly agrees to fund without question and without limitation their continued research, whilst publicly denouncing them as fraudsters. The Ghostbusters relocate to a much larger premises in a disused fire station, and in a closing scene the team congregate on the roof top of their new premises to see the city light up with messages of thanks and gratitude from the people of the New York. Wait for the closing credits sequences to see the set up for a possible sequel and another cameo, from Sigourney Weaver joining Dan Aykroyd who appears as a cab driver and proclaims "I ain't 'fraid of no ghost!"

Judging by the mixed reviews this film has received I went in with fairly low expectations but was pleasantly surprised. That said, the film presents exactly what you would expect from this reboot for an audience probably unfamiliar with the original films. There is little new here, except the advances in movie making technology and FX that allow for bigger, bolder, better ghost busting and ghost capturing effects than we saw thirty years ago. There are a few laugh out loud moments in the film, but these are few and far between, and the banter between Yates and Gilbert began to grate on me after several of their one on one interchanges that just weren't funny. Hemsworth's Beckman does well enough with some dim-witted gags at his own expense, but seems to be just added eye-candy to balance out the four female leads. The focus is very much on Yates and Gilbert with Tolan and Beckman left wandering around the periphery with brief moments of action and dialogue, and Holtzmann basically quickly whipping up weapons of ghost mass destruction with little other purpose to serve - wasted talent here I think too! Worth a look on the big screen, but equally you can see it on your big screen at home and wait for the DVD/BluRay release.

 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 14th April 2016.

Over the last few weeks, I have brought you my view of the Top 12 movies to watch out for this remaining year, and last week took that one step further with a 'Best of the Rest' listing another six taking us up to the mid-year this year, with the balance of six for the latter half of the year presented below for your consideration and scrutiny of their cinematic worthiness. These are naturally just my humble opinion for what it's worth and you are of course free to conduct your own research as movies are released into a theatre near you. Check the release dates nearer the time as these may vary of course depending on what territory you are in, and what the studio thinks near the time. Here they are - the remaining six 'Best of the Rest' :-

• 16th June - 'WARCRAFT' - Duncan Jones Directs this big screen adaptation of the world popular action fantasy videogame starring Travis Fimmel, Ben Foster, Toby Kebbell and Clancy Brown.
• 30th June - 'THE LEGEND OF TARZAN' - Directed by David Yates with Alexander Skarsgard in the role of the ever popular Edgar Rice Burroughs tree swinging character with Samuel L. Jackson, John Hurt, Christoph Waltz and Margot Robbie in the line up.
• 18th August - 'BEN HUR' - this Biblical epic has of course been made once before to great record breaking and award winning effect with the classic 1959 Charlton Heston adaptation.  Here Timur Bekmambetov Directs with all the latest 21st Century gadgetry and technology at his fingertips with Jack Huston in the title role with Morgan Freeman, Toby Kebbell and Rodrigo Santoro. Curiosity will drag you to this one I think, unless you have no idea what the 1959 film is all about and you go into it completely fresh and unknowing . . . as many will!
• October 14th - 'INFERNO' - no, not of the Towering kind, but of the Dante kind and the Dan Brown kind which sees Ron Howard Directing this authors best selling work once again with Tom Hanks reprising his role as Robert Langdon the intrepid symbolist, which sees our reluctant hero racing against time to shake of amnesia, clear his name and solve another intricate riddle across the streets, historical locations and hidden chambers of Florence. Felicity Jones, Omar Sy and Ben Foster also star.
• October 20th - 'JACK REACHER 2' - Edward Zwick Directs Tom Cruise in his second instalment as Jack Reacher - a former US Army Military Police Corps Officer and now a loner drifter, based on the Lee Child novel 'Never Go Back'. 
• December 15th - 'ROGUE ONE : A STAR WARS STORY' - Directed by Gareth Edwards this is a stand alone feature not part of any episode seen so far on the big screen, but fitting into the mythology before the time of 'A New Hope' with Mads Mikkelsen, Forest Whittaker, Felicity Jones and Ben Mendelsohn starring.

This week there are three new cinematic offerings that kick off with the third instalment in a four-part franchise of teenage dystopia taking a new twist as our characters venture over the wall to save the world; then corporate greed coming undone in this comedy of the imprisoned wrongdoer trying to do right upon release; and then wrapping up an Aussie outback doco of music, kids and a teacher on a mission.

With these, and those out there still doing the rounds at your local multiplex, share your movie experience with your friends here at Odeon Online, by leaving your own critique in the Comments section below this or any other Post - we'd love to hear from you. Between now and then, enjoy your movie.

'ALLEGIANT' (Rated M) - the third instalment in the popular teenage dystopian Sci-Fi series of books by Veronica Roth follows on from 'Divergent' and last years 'Insurgent' which made US$289M and US$298M respectively off the back of a combined US$195M budget, so hardly blockbuster status. Like 'Potter', 'Twilight' and 'The Hunger Games' before it, the final book in the Divergent series is split into two films with the final piece of this puzzle 'Ascendant' due for release in June 2017. In the meantime, 'Allegiant' is Directed by Robert Schwentke, who also Directed 'Insurgent', and was made for US$110M and since its release in the US on 18th March has so far made US$137M. The film has so far received largely luke warm reviews, but is likely to find an audience for this so far following the exploits of Tris Prior & Co.

Here we see the same bunch of characters that you by now know, with Tris (Shailene Woodley) escaping the confines of a walled in Chicago of the future with Four (Theo James) for the first time, so leaving behind everything and (almost) everyone she knows and loves. Going in search of an end to the warring factions and the revelations that became known in 'Insurgent' to find a peaceful resolution, her discoveries on the 'outside' cast aside everything she thought she knew before as shocking truths are revealed and a new battle threatens their existence, and that of humanity. Having to work out quickly who they can & can't trust, Tris must also make difficult personal choices to ensure her own safety and future that surround courage, love, sacrifice and where her allegiances lie. Also starring once again, Miles Teller, Ansel Elgort, Zoe Kravitz, Ashley Judd, Naomi Watts, Daniel Dae Kim and Maggie Q, with Jeff Daniels and Bill Skarsgard joining the crew too. 

'THE BOSS' (Rated MA15+) - Directed, Produced and Written by Ben Falcone (husband of Melissa McCarthy) and Produced, Written and starring Melissa McCarthy this film cost US$29M to make and also stars Kristen Bell, Peter Dinklage and Kathy Bates. McCarthy is Michelle Darnell, a champion of industry with a reputation of always getting her way, until the day comes when she is convicted of insider trading and  sent down for a jail term. Having served her sentence, she is released broke, homeless and not liked at all by those she once knew. Tracking down Claire (Kristen Bell), a former employee who seems to be the only person pleased to see her, offers to help her old Boss get back on the gravy train. While staying with Claire and her daughter, Michelle hits upon a idea to launch a new business that will win over the hearts. minds and stomachs of the American people and bring them out on top again but with credibility, integrity and responsibility. But in so doing there are those who are former enemies and would like nothing more than to see Michelle fail.

'WIDE OPEN SKY' (Rated G) -  with the back drop of remote western New South Wales in Australia this is the outback with the highest proportion of 5-14 year olds in the State, has the highest proportion of indigenous children and 40% of the population are classified as low income earners. With little music education in the region, Michelle Leonard formed the Moorambilla Voices Choir some ten years ago - a choral based programme for children aged 8-18 from across the region and sourced from over 55 schools spread across 30 towns, teaching them contemporary, complex and original music rather than the more traditional music taught to most school choirs. The film charts Michelle's story together with that of four young children and an ensemble of 200 others who dare to dream big, who have faith in their teacher, and who want to be part of something bigger when they perform at a concert at Coonamble. Written, Produced and Directed by Lisa Nichol this will be an uplifting, heart warming, passionate story of how important music is, and how it can make such a difference to young lives.

With three new film this week, you can add these to your must-see list together with those still out there on general release and still doing the rounds. After you have sat through your movie(s) of choice, share your thoughts, and in the meantime, I'll see you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 21st May 2015.

With Winter fast approaching (in Australia anyway!) there are plenty of reasons to get out to your local multiplex to be entertained with a movie of choice from blockbusting epic, to original horror, to thought provoking Sci-Fi and most things in between. And, in the weeks ahead there is more cinematic goodness to come, to add heaps more excuses for your big screen viewing pleasure as the cooler months take hold - unless of course you live in the northern hemisphere!

For the week ahead there are three new offerings that recreate a classic horror chiller updated for the modern era; an undercover espionage action comedy caper; and an historical true story drama spanning sixty years. Of course added to this there are plenty more large and small movies and mainstream and independent films to choose from. So, do yourself a favour and catch a big screen experience in the week ahead. When you're done, drop a Comment below this or any other Post and share your views with our ever growing world wide readership! Enjoy your film!

POLTERGEIST (Rated M) - In 1982 'Poltergeist' hit our big screens Directed by Tobe Hooper and scared the bejeezus out of us all for its modern take on supernatural demonic possession in suburban USA. Written for the screen by Steven Spielberg based on his own story, it was also Produced by him too and on a budget of just US$10.7M it grossed over US$121M and spawned two sequels in 1986 and 1988. Now in 2015, 'Poltergeist' is back and rebooted for the modern age and a whole new audience keen to be shocked, scared and surprised once again. This time around we are Directed by Gil Kenan based on Spielberg's original story and Produced by Sam Raimi.

Sam Rockwell stars as Eric Bowen and Rosemary DeWitt as his wife Amy, with young children Kendra (Saxon Sharbino), Madison (Kennedi Clements) and Griffin (Kyle Catlett) whose suburban home is invaded by angry spirits, who become more and more angry and increasingly malevolent as time progresses. When the apparitions manifest themselves in differing ways and with rising frequency they take the households youngest daughter into their netherworld of supernatural evil forces. The family have to muster their combined strength, resolve, determination and the forces of good to overcome the forces of evil in order to recover their daughter, and live happily ever after . . . maybe!

SPY (Rated MA15+) - Written, Produced and Directed by Paul Feig with a US$65M budget this is a CIA action comedy about desk jockey Susan Cooper (Melissa McCarthy) who despite being trained as a field agent has sat behind the scenes for years as the ears and eyes of Bradley Fine (Jude Law) a top agent out in the field thwarting criminals and wrongdoers on a grand scale. When Fine is topped off by Bulgarian arms trader Rayna Boyanov (Rose Byrne), Susan persuades her superiors that she should go undercover for the first time to capture Boyanov, avoid a potential global disaster and avenge the death of Fine. With more accomplished Agents available including Rick Ford (Jason Statham) and Karen Walker (Morena Baccarin), Cooper is in the box seat because Boyanov knows the identity of the CIA's top agents who now need to lie low for fear of blowing Coopers cover. This is likely to be everything you would expect from Melissa McCarthy with slap stick set pieces, cat & mouse, agents and double agents, spies and super spies, weapons of mass destruction all underpinned with a solid cast to add weight and gravitas . . . but will it be enough to carry this film?

WOMAN IN GOLD (Rated M) - Directed by Simon Curtis for US$11 and so far grossing US$37M this is the true story of Austrian Jewish refugee Maria Altmann who fled Nazi Austria just before the start of WWII to seek safe harbour in America knowing that 'the writing was on the wall'. Maria is successful in her escape attempt but she must abandon her parents, family and loved ones to the fate of the Nazi's and their pillaging and looting. Fast forward sixty years and Altmann is now living in Los Angeles, and following the funeral of her sister she discovers a number of letters written in the 1940's revealing attempts to recover certain works of art stolen by the Nazi's during the War. One such piece was painted by her Aunt, now known throughout Austria as 'Woman in Gold'. Altman (Helen Mirren) engages young inexperienced lawyer Randol Schoenberg (Ryan Reynolds) who makes a claim to the Art Restitution Board In Austria to have the painting returned to its rightful owner, but of course the Austrian authorities will have none of it. The picture they claim is theirs and now hangs as a national treasure in an art gallery. And so begins a case that goes all the way to the US Supreme Court where the matter is filed as The Republic of Austria vs. Altmann and where Schoenberg and Altmann battle it out in court with the Austrian art world over a cold case that spans the past sixty years. If you're not all together up on art history or know of this story then check out the film to see how the ruling went, and where this famed painting now hangs. Daniel Bruhl, Katie Holmes,  Charles Dance, Elizabeth McGovern and Jonathan Pryce also star.

Three films all offering something different. Get out amongst it in the week ahead and do yourself a favour and catch any one of these, or the other great content currently doing the rounds - there's bound to be something out there for you!

Movies - see as many as you can!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

ST. VINCENT : Thursday 12th February 2015.

This film was released in Australia on Boxing Day last year and it has taken me this long to see 'ST. VINCENT', but it was worth the wait I'd have to say! Directed by Theodore Melfi and made for US$13M it has so far made US$53M as at 3rd February, and this dramedy has garnered five award wins and another seventeen nominations including two Golden Globes for Best Film and Best Lead for it's starring Actor, Bill Murray.





This story introduces us to sixty-something old curmudgeon Vincent (Bill Murray), living in some down beat house in a Brooklyn back street, all on his lonesome and seemingly very happy with his lot. He drinks a lot, smokes a lot, eats not much, is shabbily dressed, bets money he can ill afford at the racetrack, is in debt, smooches about and listens to all his favourite tunes of yesteryear on his Walkman tape deck seemingly without a care in the world or any hangers on except his cat - that eats better than he does! We are quickly introduced to Russian Daka (his once a week physical contact with the opposite sex) who is a 'lady of the night' as she is later described, heavily pregnant and played by an almost unrecognisable Naomi Watts. She flits in and out of his life frequently, even in between 'turns' as though she is part of the furniture, and it's never fully confirmed if she is the girlfriend and if the baby she is carrying is his - although he is there every step of the way for her.

One day a new neighbour turns up with young son in tow. Mother Maggie (Melissa McCarthy, playing it down) is going through a bitter divorce and moves in right next door with Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher) who introduce themselves when the removalist truck they have rented backs into a tree knocks down a heavy branch and it lands on the bonnet of Vincent's car. He is none too pleased, and so the relationship begins. Maggie works as a hospital assistant and when expected to work back late one afternoon has no one to care for young Oliver after school and so it's Vincent very reluctantly to the rescue - begrudgingly and only for a small fee of $11 an hour . . . always the opportunist too it seems!

As time progresses Vincent's becomes the paid babysitter, and in time the two, young and old, form an unlikely bond. Vincent takes Oliver to the racetrack, to his local Bar, feeds him a sushi dinner at home (sardines straight from the tin, and crackers), and teaches him to defend himself against the bully at school. All of this of course is going on in isolation to Mum Maggie, who is clueless about the relationship that is unfolding. We come to learn more of Vincent's 'secret' past through the people that the pair come into contact with - his time spent in Vietnam, his sick wife in a nearby nursing home, Daka dropping in and out, and various others all on the periphery of his life.

It's an engaging story, but of course it's not all good for the two new friends! There is the inevitable parting of the waves when the two fall out and Mum comes to learn of what Vincent has been exposing young Oliver too as it plays out in a custody scene in court. But, what goes around comes around as Oliver's teacher - God fearing and down to earth Catholic Priest Brother Geraghty (Chris O'Dowd) tasks his young pupils with writing a story of a person they have contact with on why they should qualify for a Sainthood. The school class is given two weeks in which to do their research and then present their nominees on stage at school in front of gathered parents, friends and school staff.

Young Oliver secretly nominates Vincent and begins to research his past with the people he has come to meet through their friendship. It seems there is much more to Vincent than anyone really knows, and this beer swilling, cigarette chewing, cantankerous, opinionated, lazy loud guy who has seen a fair share of tragedy in his own life, must be more saintly than we realise.

There are some laugh out loud moments in this film, particularly at the beginning as things begin to ramp up and we get to know Vincent. It then sinks into some melodramatic moments before the final tear jerking emotional final chapter when all is good in the world and the stars align for Vincent, his new family and his new neighbours. It's a feel good film and Bill Murray gives a good turn playing Bill Murray as you would imagine him to be when he's not acting for a living! Given that this has been on general release now for about six weeks or so, you can catch it soon on DVD and BluRay and it's worth it for a night in and a film of human frailty, and a dose of heart and humour.

  
-Steve, at Odeon Online-