THE NORTHMAN : Tuesday 26th April 2022.

Having this week returned from a break in England, which should explain my absence from this Blog for the past month or so, I saw the MA15+ Rated 'THE NORTHMAN' at my local independent movie theatre earlier this week. Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Written by Robert Eggers whose previous two feature films were 'The Witch' in 2015 and 'The Lighthouse' in 2019, this epic historical action film cost US$90M to produce and has so far garnered largely widespread critical acclaim, having thus far recouped US$27M. Following its World Premier showcasing in Stockholm on 28th March, advance screenings we held in certain cities in early April before its wide release (including Australia and the US) from last week onwards. Normal service of my Blog BTW, will be resumed form next week onwards. 

The film opens up with a number of Viking longboats sailing towards a remote windswept island upon which sits a settlement. It is A.D.895 and the returning King Aurvandill War-Raven (Ethan Hawke) is welcomed back triumphantly with the riches he has pillaged from various overseas lands. He is met by his wife, the Queen Gudrun (Nicole Kidman) and his young son and heir Prince Amleth (Oscar Novak). Also in the returning party is Fjolnir (Claes Bang), Aurvandill's younger brother and Amleth's uncle. Later on Aurvandill and Amleth take part in a spiritual ceremony that marks Amleths passage into manhood. The ceremony is overseen by Aurvandill's jester Heimir (Willem Dafoe). 

The next morning as father and son are exiting the place of the ceremony, several warriors on horseback all descend upon the King wounding him with arrows and spears. Fjolnir is among them as the leader of the pack, and ultimately beheads Aurvandill. Having hidden behind a rock nearby and witnessed the slaying of his father, his village massacred and his mother taken away screaming by his uncle, Amleth flees the island by row boat repeatedly uttering the words 'I will avenge my father, save my mother and kill my uncle'. 

We then fast forward to years later and the now adult Amleth (Alexander Skarsgard) is rowing a Viking longboat down river in the land of Rus. It seems that he was found by a band of Vikings and raised among them as a berserker. After a bloody attack on a village, Amleth comes across a Seeress (Bjork) in the temple of Svetovit. She predicts that Amleth will exact out his revenge on Fjolnir. Amleth learns that Fjolnir was overthrown by Harald of Norway and now lives in exile in Iceland. Amleth sneaks aboard a slave ship headed for Iceland. Posing as a slave, he encounters a Slavic slave named Olga of the Birch Forest (Anya Taylor-Joy), who lays claim to being a sorceress. Upon arrival, Amleth and the other slaves are shackled and taken to Fjolnir's farm, where it is revealed that Queen Gudrun, now Fjolnir's wife, has borne him a son, Gunnar (Elliott Rose).

One night, Amleth flees the farm and comes across a He-Witch (Ingvar Eggert Sigurosson), who facilitates a spiritual discussion between Amleth and the late Heimir, revealed to have been murdered by Fjolnir by gouging out his eyes, cutting out his tongue and slicing off his ears while he still lived. He then tells Amleth about Night Blade, a magical sword that can only be drawn at night, and its whereabouts, which Amleth later obtains through fighting and overcoming an undead spirit for the sword.

The next day Amleth is chosen to compete in a game of knattleikr. Needless to say this is a brutal and bloody game which turns violent and Amleth saves Gunnar, who runs to play, from the rival team's champion Thorfinnr (Hafþor Julius Bjornsson). Amleth wrestles Thorfinnr to the ground and repeatedly heads butts his opponent until his skull cracks open. As a reward, Thorir (Gustav Lindt), Fjolnir's eldest and adult son allows Amleth to claim Olga as his wife and makes him a supervisor over the other slaves, but warns him that he will never be free of a life of slavery himself. 

During the celebrations later that same evening, Amleth and Olga make love. They commit to work together to overthrow Fjolnir and his men. Over the ensuing nights, Amleth kills a number of Fjolnir's men. Olga meanwhile mixes the men's food with magic mushrooms, causing them all to hallucinate, so allowing Amleth to enter Fjolnir's house. There he meets his mother, Gudrun, who tells him that she was originally taken into slavery, and that Amleth was the result of rape. She also reveals that it was her order for Fjolnir to kill Aurvandill and Amleth, and that she prefers Fjolnir and her new son Gunnar. Amleth leaves, distraught and angered and promptly kills Thorir in his sleep and rips out his heart. 

Fjolnir is determined to find his son's killer and promptly begins slicing the throats of random slaves if they don't give him the answer he is looking for. He threatens to kill Olga, resulting in Amleth revealing himself as responsible and trading Olga's life for Thorir's heart. Amleth is taken captive, strung up and severely beaten to within an inch of his life. Amleth is released from his restraints by a flock of ravens who peck away at his bindings. Olga rescues Amleth from the farm and the two escape, planning to go to Amleth's kin on Orkney island. Departing Iceland by boat, Amleth kisses a wound on Olga's throat, caused by the knife held to her neck previously by Fjolnir. This triggers a vision that she is pregnant with twins, and believing that his children will never be safe as long as Fjolnir lives, Amleth, against Olga's wishes, determines to finally kill Fjolnir and jumps overboard and swims back to shore.

Back at the farm, under cover of darkness, Amleth frees the slaves and kills the majority of Fjolnir's men. The slaves burn the farm down to the ground. While looking for Fjolnir, Amleth is attacked by Gudrun and, after, by Gunnar. Amleth defends himself, but, in the ensuing melee, kills both, but is seriously wounded from multiple stab wounds. Fjolnir discovers the bodies and arranges a fight to the death with Amleth at the Gates of Hel—the actively spewing volcano Hekla, to resolve their conflict. At the volcano, the pair engage in a fierce swordfight, resulting in Fjolnir being decapitated and Amleth fatally wounded. As Amleth lies dying, he has a future vision of Olga embracing their twin children safe on Orkney, and sees his ascent on horseback to Valhalla.

'The Northman' will not be a film for everyone, which probably explains the lacklustre Box Office performance (as at the time of writing), but having said that I don't think that Director Robert Eggers is too worried about that given the overwhelming critical acclaim the film has generated. For me, I certainly was entertained and thoroughly engaged for the duration of the 135 minute run time by the authenticity of the production values that Eggers insisted on, the storyline (which while simple enough is hardly complex but engrossing nonetheless), the strong cast of A-list talent, and the brutality and blood soaked violence of the Viking era where life meant so much less than it does today. All of that said, the film does labour at times and the VFX of Amleth's family tree branching out from his heart with passing images of his ancestors and ultimately his own children felt clunky and somewhat ill paced. Despite these minor observations however, Eggers continues to demonstrate his ability over his craft and this time with a much more sizeable budget that expands on the historical worlds he created in his two previous cinematic outings and offers the viewer an original gripping story that alas, we see far too little of today. 

'The Northman' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

BOMBSHELL : Tuesday 21st January 2020.

'BOMBSHELL' which I saw earlier this week is an M Rated American biographical drama film Directed by Jay Roach whose previous Directorial credits take in 'Blown Away', the three 'Austin Powers' instalments, 'Mystery, Alaska', 'Meet the Parents', 'Meet the Fockers', 'Dinner for Schmucks', 'The Campaign' and 'Trumbo' more recently. The film was released in the US in mid-December, has received generally positive Reviews, and has so far grossed US$35M from its US$32M production budget. Among its haul of fifteen award wins and 53 other nomination so far, the film has at the 92nd Academy Awards, earned three nominations: received two nominations at the 77th Golden Globe Awards; four at the 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards and three at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards.

Here, the film centres upon the female Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), and journalist and television commentator Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) in Manhattan, and their sexual harassment allegations on 6th July 2016 against the founder of Fox News Roger Ailes (John Lithgow). Ailes heads up Fox News, the #1 ranking conservative news channel on television which he built from the ground up. Kelly is one of the most popular newscasters on primetime news and is a co-moderator of the 2016 Republican Presidential debate, in which Trump is running, supported by Ailes and the Fox News channel.

On the day of the debate, Kelly becomes physically sick and vomits several times. She rests up in her hotel bedroom for five hours before the debate goes live. Awake and somewhat refreshed she questions Donald Trump on several recorded derogatory comments he has made about women in the past. In retaliation, he Tweets insults about her, and other supporters of Trump follow suit. One reporter sneaks into Kelly's back yard at their home to photograph her daughter through the closed windows, prompting Kelly's husband, Douglas (Mark Duplass), to see off the intruder. Later when Kelly is recounting this to Ailes in his office he says that perhaps someone tried to poison her on the day of the debate by spiking her Starbucks coffee. Fox then hires a security crew for Kelly.

Carlson meanwhile is removed unceremoniously from the popular daily morning show 'Fox and Friends' and relegated to a much less popular afternoon timelsot with a cut in her pay too. Swamped by sexist comments on and off the air, Carlson meets with lawyers who tell her how Rudi Bakhtiar (Nazanin Boniadi) - a Fox News Channel general correspondent, reporting on major international news stories was fired after accusing Brian Wilson (Brian d'Arcy James) - a former anchor reporter for Fox News Channel of sexual harassment back ten years ago, and the matter was largely swept under the carpet by Ailes. At Carlson's behest, they plan to file a harassment suit against Ailes but tell her that she'll need evidence and testimony from other women who have been similarly harassed over the years.

Kayla Pospisil (an amalgam of real life Fox News characters for the purpose of the film as portrayed by Margot Robbie) is Fox's newest hire, who works with Carlson, but soon accepts a job on 'The O’Reilly Factor'. Bill O'Reilly (Kevin Dorff) fires her on her first day on the job. Feeling sorry for herself she gets drunk and sleeps with Fox's Jess Carr (Kate McKinnon) after a night on the town in which Carr offers Pospisil plenty of inside advice on how to navigate the cutthroat world of television news. When they wake up, Pospisil says she's not a lesbian and is surprised to see Carr's Hillary Clinton poster stuck to her fridge door. Asked why a liberal lesbian would work for Fox, Carr says she applied for numerous jobs over the years, but Fox hired her, and now no one else will.

Pospisil later is invited to Ailes' office, for an impromptu 'interview'. Ailes one condition in fast tracking a career is that he asks for undivided loyalty from his people, and he asks Pospisil to consider a way in which she can demonstrate her loyalty. He asks her to stand up and do a 'twirl' and then makes her lift her skirt to show him her underwear, on the basis that TV news is a 'visual medium'. He compliments her on her figure. She later tells Carr, who says she can't get involved for fear of drawing undue attention to herself as a lesbian in the very male dominated and conservative workplace.

Carlson broadcasts on air that she supports the semi-automatic assault weapons ban, although a news poll live to air indicates that 89% of the audience do not, prompting Ailes to summons her. She's fired and is given no clear reasons for why. She decides to sue Ailes. He meets with his wife, Beth (Connie Britton), and attorneys Susan Estrich (Allison Janney) and Rudy Giuliani (Richard Kind), and naturally vehemently denies the absurd allegations. All female staff members are asked to stand with Fox, and most do, but Kelly doesn't comment, secretly weighing up her options.

When the law suit is filed and made public in the newspapers and on the news channels around the country, Carlson's hopes and expectations are quickly splintered when no other women come forward. Viewers quickly turn on her saying that her allegations are made up hearsay and carry no weight. Kelly however, attempts to find other women, including Pospisil, who were sexually harassed by Ailes or O’Reilly.

Pospisil over the phone to Carr one evening says she obeyed Ailes sexual advances to safeguard her career but now has regrets and wants to come forward. Kelly in turn speaks up about her own sexual harassment claims against Aisles and learns that 22 other women will too. Estrich is called out of the room expecting Carlson to settle out of court, but returns confronting Ailes and his wife, with the news that Carlson has secretly recorded their conversations over the course of a whole year, and on that basis she will win the case against him. 

Ailes meets with Fox co-creator Rupert Murdoch (Malcolm McDowell) and his two sons Lachlan (Ben Lawson) and James (Josh Lawson), who tell him he'll be fired, and hands him a written note with a severance payment as a first and final offer, no further discussion. Ailes asks to break the news with Murdoch back at the office in front of his team personally, but Rupert refuses. When Murdoch arrives at the Fox News Offices, stands up in front of the gathered staffers and says he's taking over Fox as interim CEO, Carr remains silent. Pospisil, knowing she'll be fired, walks out the door and quits on the spot.

Meanwhile, Carlson is awarded US$20M in damages and an apology from Fox but cannot speak about her case. The closing credits reveal that Fox paid out a further US$50M in compensation to the Fox victims of sexual harassment and abuse, and that between them Ailes and O'Reilly received US$65M in severance payments. Ailes died on 18th May 2017.

This is a thought provoking, darkly satirical, yet infinitely entertaining and informative film about the horrific events of years of bigotry and sexual harassment that unfolded at Fox News just a few short years ago, which makes it all the more relevant, all the more fresh in the mind and all the more compelling to watch. The four key cast members are all excellent in their roles, with Theron nailing her portrayal of Kelly in every detail, Robbie outstanding as the enthusiastic young gun who gets in way too far over her head, Kidman stoic as the determined put upon Carlson who is short changed as a character and could have done with more screen time with Theron and Robbie, and of course Lithgow as the morally corrupt and all powerful big boss of them all, and who ultimately gets his comeuppance. The production values are first rate, the script smart, the dialogue snappy and the film moves along at a good pace. Director Jay Roach here weaves a true story that needs to be told, and one that needs to be seen as the launchpad for the #MeToo movement that was also the subject of a seven part TV miniseries last year 'The Loudest Voice' with Russell Crowe in a highly acclaimed portrayal of Roger Ailes. Certainly worth the price of your cinema ticket.

'Bombshell' warrants four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard, from a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

DESTROYER : Wednesday 27th March 2019.

'DESTROYER' which I saw this week stars Nicole Kidman playing 110% against type in a much talked about role the likes of which we have never seen her play before, and, she delivers in spades. Directed by American film and television Director Karyn Kusama who's previous film making credits take in 2000's highly acclaimed debut 'Girlfight' and thereafter 'Aeon Flux', 'Jennifer's Body' and most recently in 2015 'The Invitation'. 'Destroyer' saw its World Premier screening at the Telluride Film Festival back in late August last year, saw its US release on Christmas Day, and now its gets a go in Australia last week. The film has garnered generally positive Reviews, has so far recouped just over US$5M of its US$9M production budget, and has received two award wins and another twelve nominations from around the circuit including a Golden Globe, a Satellite and an AACTA nod for Best Actress for Kidman.

As a young cop, Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman) went under cover with her former partner Chris (Sebastian Stan) to infiltrate a gang in the California desert with tragic life changing consequences. Bell continues to work as a detective for the Los Angeles Police Department, but feelings of bitterness and remorse leave her down trodden and overtaken by guilt. As the film opens we see Bell coming around from a night of sleeping rough in her car under a viaduct - woken by the nearby sound of skateboarders practising their jumps. She saunters in a half stupor to the crime scene to be greeted by two other Detectives looking over a dead body face down with three bullet hole exit wounds in its back. After a brief exchange of less that friendly words between Police Officers, Bell turns and walks away saying that she knows who the murderer is.

Back at her Police station, Bell receives in the mail a $100 bill half marked in purple dye from an exploding dye pack. Using an old contact at the FBI who seemingly was responsible for sending her deep undercover almost twenty years ago, she is able to confirm that the $100 bill hails from an armed robbery by the Californian gang that she and Chris were embedded in back in the day. She advises her superiors that the bill and the dead body found earlier, are all the proof necessary that the gang's leader Silas (Toby Kebbel) is back on the scene, still active, and picking up where he left off.

To learn of Silas's whereabouts Bell must sift her way through the remaining gang members - gang members that she and Chris were once close with, but all of whom have now gone their separate ways. She begins with Toby (James Jordan), serving time in prison but released for compassionate reasons and now living with his mother serving out his time at home on his death bed - for he has terminal cancer and has only a matter of weeks to live. In return for a sexual favour, Toby gives Bell the whereabouts of Arturo (Zach Villa) who is now trying to live the straight and narrow by giving pro bono legal advice and guidance to immigrants. After a foot chase, Bell catches up with Arturo who spills the details of Dennis DiFranco (Bradley Whitford) - a lawyer who has been laundering the money from the original robbery. Bell deduces that Silas must be active once more because the money from that heist is almost all gone. After a beating at the hands of DiFranco's minder, Bell gets the upper hand and threatens DiFranco at gun point to give her the details of the next money drop off, which is to be collected by Silas' girlfriend Petra (Tatiana Maslany).

Bell catches up with Petra and follows her, camping outside her apartment overnight in her car keeping watch. The next morning Petra and a male friend drive into the city and take part in a heist orchestrated by Silas and his new gang. Bell sees this unfold, calls for back up, and ventures into the bank aided by two recently arrived Police Officers. The three of them lay siege to the armed robbery by now in full swing. In an exchange of rapid gunfire the gang retreat, and Bell catches up with Petra after a foot chase and an exchange of savage punches, kicks and body blows to both sides. Bell however, overcomes Petra and bundles the heavily bloodied woman into her car boot.

In a number of flashbacks we see Bell and Chris develop a loving relationship towards each other. In time, Bell falls pregnant with Chris's child. Bell convinces Chris to become legitimate participants in a bank heist being planned by Silas. Bell's plans is too take their share of the money, report into their Police HQ that after time they lost contact with the gang, lay low for a few months and then resign the Police Force and live happily ever after.

However, come the day of the robbery and Silas changes the plan. Instead of having Bell and Chris as the two getaway drivers, Silas orders Arturo to take Chris' place and for Chris to join him inside the bank at the very scene of the crime. All goes reasonably well, until just outside the bank Silas is carrying a hold-all stashed full of cash which explodes suddenly covering him and the contents of his bag in a haze of purple dye. This pisses Silas off and he returns to the teller and shoots her dead at point blank range. Chris re-enters the bank revealing himself to be FBI and is promptly shot dead by Silas. Bell is distraught and drives off in a rage plunging her van headlong into a dumpster killing the other gang member travelling with her, who by now suspects her of being a Police Officer. Bell hides her share of the stolen cash to retrieve it later. She then returns to active Policing not disclosing her original plan of her share of the heist monies.

Back in the present day, we see Bell in a cafe with her sixteen year old daughter Shelby (Jade Pettyjohn) with whom she has a very strained relationship. Bell is attempting to make her peace with her estranged daughter who is in a relationship with a 23 year old guy whom Bell disapproves of vehemently, and whom we see attempting to pay off with a cash sum of US$11K to move to Spokane and never darken her daughters doors again . . . . ever, by phone, letter, social media, in person - never, ever!

Bell does make peace with her off the rails daughter in a round about way, saying that she is far better off with Ethan (Scoot McNairy) with whom Bell struck up a relationship after Chris died but that relationship too is now fractured although the pair are still on good terms. Shelby considers Ethan to be her father, seeing as though she never knew her real father, Chris. Bell and Shelby share a quiet moment together in a diner recounting a fond memory from when Shelby was seven years of age, after which Bell stands up, tells her daughter that she loves her, kisses her on the forehead, and leaves.

Bell is then seen visiting a lock up storage facility where she aims to retrieve her share of the stolen money amounting to some US$300K and which she has not touched since the robbery. Her intention was to give the money to Ethan so that he can look after Shelby and give her the upbringing that she never could. However, upon opening the holdall bag in which is contained her stash of cash it is revealed that the majority of the bank notes are stained with the same purple dye.

She later receives a text message from Silas arranging a meeting at a viaduct, where she promptly shoots him three times at close range, so avenging the death of Chris. The next morning we see Bell sauntering up to the scene of the crime to be greeted by two Detectives looking over the murder victim. The slumped body is revealed to be the same body which Bell looked over at the start of the film bringing the story full circle. We then cut to Erin back in her car with those skateboarders practising their jump tricks. Up rocks her partner Antonio (Shamier Anderson), whom she hands an envelope to saying that all is self explanatory. In it she confesses to her sins giving Petra's location, the stained dollar bills, and a the key to her lock up. After Antonio leaves, we see Bell lift up her shirt revealing an extended stomach with severe bruising and internal bleeding sustained from several heavy beatings during the course of her investigations. She is finally at peace and resigned to her fate.

I have to say that I quite enjoyed 'Destroyer' but not as much as I thought I would. On the positive side Nicole Kidman gives a transformative performance that is so left field of her usual character choices that she deserves all the kudos afforded her for her quite possibly most unrecognisable role to date. And, in that respect she certainly delivers as the once good cop turned bad cop now with a massive chip on her shoulder, a grudge to society and as the weather beaten down trodden chewed up spat out nothing to lose LA cop. And the plot weaves between the past and the present in a way that makes sense and helps you join the dots come the end. But, for all of that this is a fairly procedural cops and robbers genre piece that we have seen before, interspersed with some moments of gripping action, emotional turmoil and revelation. This is Kidman's movie make no mistake supported by a convincing Sebastian Stan, but as for the other characters of Silas and Ethan especially, these are undercooked. 'Destroyer' is certainly worth the price of your cinema ticket for Kidman's performance if nothing else.

'Destroyer' warrants three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard form a potential five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 21st March 2019.

With the Film Festival circuit now well and truly underway, following the likes of the 'Sundance Film Festival' which took place between 24th January and 3rd February, the '69th Berlin International Film Festival' which took place between 7th and 17th February, we now have the 33rd annual 'South By Southwest' (abbreviated to 'SXSW') a yearly conglomerate of film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences that takes place in mid-March in Austin, Texas, United States. It began in 1987, and has continued to grow in both scope and size every year, this year taking place between 8th and 17th March. The official website, states that 'for nine days, creatives of all stripes gather for the acclaimed SXSW Film Festival program to celebrate raw innovation and emerging talent from both behind and in front of the camera'.

This years line up includes ten World Premiers, in Narrative Feature Competition being : 'Alice' (France), 'Extra Ordinary' (Ireland), 'Go Back to China' (China, USA), 'Mickey and the Bear' (USA), 'Ms. White Light' (USA), 'Pig Hag' (USA), 'Porno' (USA), 'Saint Frances' (USA), 'South Mountain' (USA), and 'Yes God Yes' (USA).








In the Headliners section, big names and big talent grace red carpet Premiers and Gala Screenings with major and rising names from the world of cinema. Those films featured here are : 'The Beach Bum' (also getting its World Premier) with Matthew McConaughey; 'Booksmart' (World Premier) featuring Kaitlyn Dever; 'The Curse of La Llorona' (World Premier) with Linda Cardellini; 'Good Boys' (World Premier) with Jacob Tremblay; 'The Highwaymen' (World Premier) with Kevin Costner and Woody Harrelson; 'Long Shot' (World Premier) with Seth Rogen and Charlize Theron; 'Pet Sematary' with Jason Clarke; 'Stuber (Work in Progress)' with Dave Bautista and 'Us' with Lupita Nyong'o and Winston Duke.

Also receiving their World Premier screening in the Narrative Spotlights section are included : 'Adopt a Highway' with Ethan Hawke; 'The Art of Self-Defence' with Jesse Eisenberg; 'The Day Shall Come' with Anna Kendrick; 'I'm Just F*cking With You' with Keir O'Donnell; 'The Peanut Butter Falcon' with Shia LaBeouf; 'Run This Town' with Damian Lewis; 'Villains' with Bill Skarsgard and 'The Wall of Mexico' with Jackson Rathbone.

You can get the whole line-up of last weeks 'SXSW' festival, and more, by visiting the website at : https://www.sxsw.com/festivals/film/

This week there are four latest release movies coming to your local Odeon. We launch with a gritty crime drama starring an oft awarded Actress in an acclaimed role the likes of which we have never seen her portray before, as a downtrodden LAPD cop living on the edge and with a past, and she pulls it off with conviction. We then turn to a true story about a family with wrestling in its blood, and how the young daughter rises to stardom on the WWE circuit. Next up is another true true story transplanted from Sweden to England that sees a bunch of hapless middle aged men infiltrate a generally female led sport that takes them to the world championships, and for many of them doubtless a form of redemption too. And the week wraps up with a CGI sequel featuring an impressive voice cast and many characters you have grown up with all assembled brick by brick for your family entertainment pleasure.

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 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.

'DESTROYER' (Rated MA15+) - Nicole Kidman here plays 110% against type in a much talked about role the likes of which we have never seen her play before, and, she delivers in spades. Directed by American film and television Director Karyn Kusama who's previous film making credits take in 2000's highly acclaimed debut 'Girlfight' and thereafter 'Aeon Flux', 'Jennifer's Body' and most recently in 2015 'The Invitation'. 'Destroyer' saw its World Premier screening at the Telluride Film Festival back in late August last year, saw its US release on Christmas Day, and now its gets a go in Australia this week. The film has garnered generally positive Reviews, has so far recouped just over US$2M of its US$9M production budget, and has received two award wins and another twelve nominations from around the circuit including a Golden Globe, a Satellite and an AACTA nod for Best Actress for Kidman.

As a young cop, Erin Bell (Nicole Kidman) went under cover with her former partner Chris (Sebastian Stan) to infiltrate a gang in the California desert with tragic life changing consequences. Bell continues to work as a detective for the Los Angeles Police Department, but feelings of bitterness and remorse leave her down trodden and overtaken by guilt. When Silas (Toby Kebbel) the leader of that gang suddenly re-emerges, Bell embarks on an obsessive quest to find his former associates, bring him to justice one way or another and finally make peace with her tortured past. Also starring Bradley Whitford and Scoot McNairy.

'FIGHTING WITH MY FAMILY' (Rated M) - Stephen Merchant here Directs, Dwayne Johnson Executive Produces and stars in this biographical sports comedy drama film based on the 2012 documentary 'The Wrestlers: Fighting with My Family' by Director Max Fisher, depicting the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) career of English professional wrestling personality Paige (aka Saraya-Jade Bevis). The film saw its Premier screening at this years Sundance Film Festival, went on release in the US at the end of February, cost US$11M, has so far grossed US$29M and has met with a favourable critical response. Born into a close knit wrestling family, Saraya 'Paige' Knight (Florence Pugh) and her brother Zak (Jack Lowden) are ecstatic when they are granted a once-in-a-lifetime chance to try out for the WWE. But when only Paige earns a spot in the competitive training programme, she must bid farewell to her loved ones and face the new highly contested world alone. Paige's journey forces her to dig deep and ultimately prove to the world that what makes her different is the very thing that can make her a star. Also starring Nick Frost, Lena Headey, Vince Vaughn, Stephen Merchant and Dwayne Johnson.

'SWIMMING WITH MEN' (Rated M) - this British comedy offering is Directed by Oilver Parker whose previous credits include 'Othello', 'An Ideal Husband', 'The Importance of Being Earnest', 'St. Trinian's' and its sequel 'The Legend of Fritton's Gold', 'Dorian Grey', 'Johnny English Reborn' and 'Dad's Army' most recently. This film saw its Worldwide Premier at last years Edinburgh International Film Festival and went on general release in the UK in early July last year. Only now does it get a limited release in Australia. Based on the true story of a group of Swedish men who competed in the synchronised swimming world championships which was made into a 2010 documentary by Dylan Williams titled 'Men Who Swim', this film transplants the action to England and tells the story of Accountant Eric Scott (Rob Brydon) who is suffering a mid-life crisis and is trying to win back the heart and mind of his wife Heather (Jane Horrocks). This ultimately sees him finding a new purpose in his life as part of an all-male, middle-aged, amateur synchronised swimming team. Together they make a bid to compete at the unofficial Male Sync-Swimming World Championships in Milan, and doubtless take a shot at personal redemption en route. Also starring Rupert Graves, Daniel Mays, Thomas Turgoose, Jim Carter, Charlotte Riley and Adeel Akhtar.

'THE LEGO MOVIE 2 : THE SECOND PART' (Rated PG) - here we have the fourth instalment in the 'Lego Movie' franchise following 2014's 'The Lego Movie', and 2017's 'The Lego Batman Movie' and 'The Lego Ninjago Movie'. Those first three films grossed at the global Box Office the sum total of US$904M off the back of a combined production budget of US$215M. This film is a direct sequel to that earlier 2014 movie and is Directed by Mike Mitchell with Phil Lord and Christopher Miller (who both wrote and Directed the first film) taking Producer, Story and Screenwriter credits this time around. Here this computer animated family adventure comedy follows on from the events of the first film, in as much as the citizens of Bricksburg face a dangerous new threat when LEGO DUPLO space invaders start to wreak havoc on everything that stands in their path. The battle to defeat the enemy and restore harmony to the LEGO universe takes Emmet (voiced by Christ Pratt), Lucy (Elizabeth Banks), Batman (Will Arnett) and the rest of their friends to faraway, unexplored worlds that puts their courage and their creativity to the test. Also starring the voice talents of an impressive ensemble cast that takes in Tiffany Haddish, Alison Brie, Nick Offerman, Maya Rudolph, Will Ferrell, Channing Tatum, Jonah Hill, Jason Mamoa, Cobie Smulders, Richard Ayoade, Ralph Fiennes, Will Forte and Bruce Willis. The film cost US$99M to bring to the big screen and has so far recouped US$172M since its release Stateside in early February, and has received generally positive Reviews.

With four 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-

THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER : Tuesday 28th November 2017.

'THE KILLING OF A SACRED DEER' which I saw this week, is a Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed psychological horror thriller by Yorgos Lanthimos whose last film was the highly acclaimed dystopian black comedy 'The Lobster'. This film Premiered in competition at the Cannes Film Festival back in May this year, for the Palme d'Or for which it was nominated, but it did win The Best Screenplay Award for Yorgos Lanthimos and his scribing collaborator Efthymis Filippou. Released in the US towards the end of October, the UK in early November and here in Australia a couple of weeks ago, the film has so far taken US$3.5M at the Box Office, and has garnered generally favourable Reviews albeit it is dark, unsettling and at times a tough watch.

The film opens up with a close up shot of a beating heart, and then the camera pans out to reveal a surgeon's hands poking and prodding at tissue, muscle and skin as he finalises his delicate operation. The surgeon then removes his face mask, his bloodied surgical gloves and his medical robe and dispenses these into a bin. Here once again, Lanthimos has cast Colin Farrell as he did in 'The Lobster' as a highly regarded cardiovascular surgeon, Steven Murphy, who likes order, discipline and cleanliness in his personal and work life. As we see him walking down a hospital corridor chatting with Matthew (Bill Camp) his anaesthesiologist, they idle their time away by discussing the merits of metal over leather wrist watch straps.

We then cut to a booth in a diner where Steven sits alone, soon though to be joined by a teenage lad named Martin (Barry Keoghan). Steven would appear to be mentor, a father figure almost to Martin but the history surrounding their relationship or how it came about is unexplained. The next time they meet Steven presents Martin with a brand new wrist watch with a metal strap, for which Martin is very grateful but he prefers a leather strap, and will change it if Steven don't mind. The next day Martin appears at the hospital to thank Steven for his wristwatch and to show off its new leather strap. Steven, suggests that it would be good idea if Martin were introduced to his family over dinner. And so Martin is welcomed to dinner at the Murphy household and meets wife and mother Anna (Nicole Kidman), elder daughter Kim (Raffey Cassidy) and younger son Bob (Sunny Suljic). Steven explains away his connection to Martin as him stretching out a hand of support as a result of Martin's loss of his father ten years previously in a car accident.

To return the favour Martin invites Steven over to his home for dinner to meet with his mother. Steven reluctantly agrees but is clearly out of his comfort zone. While watching Martin's favourite movie ('Groundhog Day'), the young lad excuses himself off to bed, too tired and suggests they watch the rest the next night. Leaving Steven and Martin's mother (Alicia Silverstone) alone, she makes a sexual advance on the surgeon, which he rebukes and hastily leaves. Over the following days Martin demands more and more time of Steven, but he does not respond sensing that the boy is getting out of control. One morning, when the family are preparing for the day, Bob is running late for school and won't get out of bed. Anna sends in Steven to stir their son, to find Bob sat on the edge of his bed. He says he cannot get up, and Steven scolds him. Eventually Bob makes his father understand that he literally cannot get up, he cannot stand, he has no feeling in his legs.

Anna and Steven rush Bob to the hospital where a full neurological and physical examination is conducted using all the cutting edge technology that the hospital has at its disposal, but, they can find nothing wrong with Bob. He recovers the use of his legs temporarily, long enough for his parents to chide him for wanting an extra day off school, but, on the way out of the hospital, Bob collapses again, unable to stand or walk. While Steve and Anna maintain a bedside vigil over Bob, Kim meets secretly with Martin, with whom she is growing increasingly infatuated.

The next day Martin visits Bob in hospital unannounced. Met by Steven and Anna, Martin demands that he speak with Steven in private. During the conversation Martin reveals his true ulterior motives to Steven, revealing the truth that his father did not die in a car accident, but died on the operating table during surgery that Steven was performing at the time. Therefore Steven failed to save the life of his father, and is therefore culpable in his death, for which Martin lays the blame squarely at the surgeon's feet . . . . or hands! Martin further states coldly that to restore the 'balance' in destroying his family, he must now kill one of the members of his own family, any member, he can make that choice, but one it must be, or they will all die.

Martin goes onto explain that they will all gradually die if Steven does not comply - by succumbing to three different stages. The first is paralysis of the lower body and loss of use of the legs, which Steven has already seen manifest itself in his son, Bob. The second is complete loss of appetite and refusal to eat anything and everything, which has also now manifested itself in Bob. The third stage is bleeding from the eyes, and shortly thereafter, death. Steven, is dismissive of these wild claims believing them to be the ramblings of an unhinged young boy, but when Kim collapses suddenly during a choir rehearsal and is unable to stand on her legs, he starts to think there is something more sinister at play here. Meanwhile, Martin goes to see Steven at his place of work complaining of chest pains, and undergoes a thorough examination by Steven and his learned colleagues who give the teenager a clean bill of health in every respect.

Anna, in the meantime, suspects there may be more to Steven's story that he is letting on. Knowing that her husband was a former alcoholic, she goes to see Matthew, to enquire if during the surgery on Martin's father, Steven could have been under the influence of alcohol. Matthew confirms in the positive. Furthermore, Ann's concerns grow more acute when at the hospital with Kim and Bob, her daughter receives a phone call from Martin. At which point she is able to get up out of bed and walk a few paces to the window and look down on the car park for Martin. He is nowhere to be seen, but they have brief conversation and she returns to her bed, and the use of her legs is lost again when the conversations ends. Anna travel to Martin's home where she confronts the boy saying why should she and her children pay for the mistakes of Steven, and asks for him to cease whatever he is doing to her family. Martin is however, unrepentant and shows no remorse for the pain and suffering he is prepared to put her family through - after all, Steven all but destroyed his family unit.

Tensions between Anna and Steven begin to mount, and they argue as he refuses to believe that anything supernatural is taking place here, despite there still being zero medical evidence to contradict that argument. Later that night Steven wakes his wife and demands that she follow him down to the basement. There Anna is confronted with a kidnapped Martin, who has been taped and bound to a chair and already badly beaten by Steven, who has demanded that he reverses whatever hold he has on his children. Again, Martin holds his ground, stating that time is fast running out. Martin's presence in the household only fuels that angst that all family members feel. Kim and Bob argue between themselves over who their father will choose to die; Steven seeks to gather as much information as he can to help him decide; and Anna states to her husband that killing one of the children is the only option as they are both still young enough and healthy to have another child to replace the one that is lost.

By the next morning while Steven still sleeps, Anna releases Martin, telling her husband that it served no purpose in keeping him bound to a chair. Later in the day, Bob begins to bleed from the eyes as foretold. That night, Steven takes hold of the situation and binds Bob, Kim and Anna each to a chair and places a pillowcase over their heads. Armed with a loaded shotgun, he places a woollen cap over his head, spins uncontrollably through 360⁰ coming to a abrupt halt and letting off a round. He misses. He attempts a second time and misses once again. He reloads, spins again and lets off a third round but this time the bullet connects with its human target.

Sometime later, Steven and his two remaining family members are sat in the same diner that Steven met with Martin in previously. They don't talk, looking solemn as Martin enters and siddles up to the service desk. He stares back at the table of three barley taking his gaze off them. Steven looks up but can hardly make eye contact. A few short moments pass, and the three get up to leave. Martin continues to glare at them as they approach the door, with a wry smile on his face.

Critics have raved about this film, some saying it is one of 2017's best. For me however, I can't see it! This film throws up more questions than it answers, and from that standpoint it is certainly a conversation starter. But perhaps that is Lanthimos' intention - to be controversial, to divide opinion and to stimulate argument. The film belongs to Barry Keoghan who is quite brilliant in the role of Martin - the well spoken, calculating yet quietly deranged adolescent Devil character to Colin Farrell's Steven who plays the stoic, steadfastly scientific God like character whose clean living tidy, organised picket fence nuclear family suburban home life gets shaken to the core by his Good Samaritan act. Nicole Kidman is on good form here too as the dutiful wife who has carved out her own successful career and who has the strength of character to stand on her two feet and be counted, but also can be subservient when the occasion calls of it - in the bedroom especially. At times this is tough watch despite the film being stylishly shot, featuring some witty thought provoking dialogue, great performances and certainly a unique spin on the horror thriller genre, but it sill poses lots of unanswered questions which still plague me as I finish this Review. It's worth a look for sure, but this film won't be for everyone - certainly more arthouse than mainstream, and based on an ancient Greek play that pre-dates Jesus Christ, it's easy to see where Lanthimos has the smarts to cross over chilling thrills, with dark humour and Greek mythology to good effect, but be warned!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-