What's new in Odeon's this week : Sunday 26th December 2021.

With the festive season now upon us, it would be remiss of me not to wish my global readership all the very best wishes for a Merry, Happy and safe Christmas, wherever you are in world, whoever you share it with and whatever it is you do to celebrate the occasion. Thanks for your continued support over the past twelve months - it is your readership that makes my synopsis and reviews of the latest release new movies all worthwhile, and I look forward to doing more of the same in 2022. Until then, Merry Christmas - I know what I'll be doing - celebrating down by the beach on a warm mid-Summer's day hopefully.  

This week with seven new release films to tease you out to your local Odeon over this Christmas festive period, we have something for everyone. And, we launch with the fourth film in this successful Sci-Fi action franchise and the first instalment in eighteen years that sees our two protagonists from the first films reprise their roles and enter a simulated reality which intelligent machines have created to distract humans while using their bodies as an energy source. Next up is a remake of a classic 1961 film about two street gangs in 1957 New York and a growing romance between a boy and girl caught on either side of these warring factions. Then we turn to a film set in 1973 where a young high school boy and girl meet and navigate first love in the San Fernando Valley. This is followed by an adaptation of a William Shakespeare play in which a Scottish Lord has designs on becoming the King of Scotland as foretold by three witches. Coming next is a story set in 1789 France about a cook who is fired from his aristocratic household for doing his own thing with his culinary delights, only to take refuge in a regional inn, and to ultimately establish what is in all likelihood France's very first restaurant. Then we have a Norwegian offering about a young woman who battles indecisiveness as she traverses the troubled waters of her love life and struggles to find her career path, before closing out the week with the sequel to an animated feature film from 2016 that this time around sees an optimistic theatre owning koala bear and his friends needing to persuade the reclusive white-maned aged lion rock star to join them for the opening of a new show.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the seven 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.

'THE MATRIX RESURRECTIONS' (Rated M) - is an American Sci-Fi actioner Directed, Co-Written, Co-Produced by Lana Wachowski and based on characters created by both Lana and Lilly Wachowski, who between them both Wrote and Directed the three previous instalments in this hugely popular film franchise back in 1999 with 'The Matrix', then its first two sequels 'The Matrix Reloaded' and 'The Matrix Revolutions' both released in 2003. Those first three films grossed at the global Box Office US$1.63B off the back of a combined production budget of US$363M, but at the time the Wachowski's were adamant that the franchise ended with 'Revolutions' with the Writers/Directors going on to helm other film and TV projects together. However, in late 2019 a fourth film in the franchise was announced with Lana Wachowski returning to Direct but this time without her sister. This film saw its World Premier showcasing in Toronto, Canada on 16th of this month and was released in Russia on the same day, before its worldwide release this week. Early indications are that the film has garnered generally positive Reviews and has so far grossed US$16M. 

Set twenty years following the events of 'The Matrix Revolutions', Neo (Keanu Reeves) lives a seemingly ordinary life under his original identity as Thomas A. Anderson in San Francisco, with a therapist (Neil Patrick Harris) who prescribes him blue pills to counteract the strange and unnatural things he occasionally glimpses. He also meets a woman who appears to be Trinity (Carrie-Anne Moss), but neither of them recognises the other. However, when a new version of Morpheus (Yahya-Abdul-Mateen II) offers him the red pill and reopens his mind to the world of the Matrix, which has become more secure and dangerous in the years since the Smith (Hugo Weaving in the first trilogy and now played by Jonathan Groff) infection, Neo joins a group of rebels to fight a new enemy. Also starring Jada Pinkett Smith, Jessica Henwick, Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Lambert Wilson.

'WEST SIDE STORY' (Rated M) - this American musical romantic drama film is Directed and Co-Produced by Steven Spielberg and is the second feature-length adaptation of the 1957 stage musical of the same name, with the first cinematic release being in 1961. The film features music composed by Leonard Bernstein, with lyrics by Stephen Sondheim. It saw its US release on 10th December after being delayed a year by the ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic and has garnered widespread critical acclaim although that has not transferred into Box Office dollars taking US$30M so far from its production budget of US$100M. Here then, love at first sight strikes when young Tony (Ansel Elgort) sees Maria (Rachel Zegler, in her film debut)  at a high school dance in 1957 New York City. Their burgeoning romance helps to fuel the fire between the warring Jets and Sharks, two rival gangs of different ethnic backgrounds, vying for control of the streets. Also starring Ariana DeBose, Rita Moreno, Brian D'Arcy James and Corey Stoll, the film has so far picked up fifteen award wins and another eighty-eight nominations (some of which are pending a final determination) from around the awards and festival circuit.  

'LICORICE PIZZA' (Rated M) - is an American coming-of-age comedy drama film Written, Directed, Co-Produced and co-filmed by Paul Thomas Anderson whose previous film making credits take in the likes of 'Boogie Night' in 1997 with Burt Reynolds and Mark Wahlberg, 'Magnolia' in 1999 with Tom Cruise, 'There Will Be Blood' in 2007 with Daniel Day-Lewis, 'Inherent Vice' in 2014 with Joaquin Phoenix and and 'Phantom Thread' in 2017 with Daniel Day-Lewis again. The film tells the story of Alana Kane (Alana Haim) and Gary Valentine (Cooper Hoffman) growing up, running around and going through the treacherous navigation of first love in the San Fernando Valley in 1973. Also starring Sean Penn, Bradley Cooper, Tom Waits and Benny Safdie. The film costs US$40M to produce, goes on wide cinema release from this week, has garnered universal critical acclaim and has so far collected seventeen award wins and a further sixty-two nominations (some of which remain pending at the time of writing) from around the awards and festivals circuit. 

'THE TRAGEDY OF MACBETH' (Rated M) - this American drama film is Directed and written for the screen by Joel Coen and based on the play 'Macbeth' by William Shakespeare. It is the first time that one of the Coen brothers has Directed a film without the others involvement. The film saw its World Premier screening at the New York Film Festival in late September before a limited cinema release this week and before streaming on Apple TV+ from mid-January. Having received widespread critical acclaim, the film has so far garnered six award wins and a further twenty-eight nominations (some of which are still pending an outcome at the time of writing) from around the awards and festival circuit. A Scottish Lord, Macbeth (Denzel Washington) becomes convinced by a trio of witches (all played by Kathryn Hunter) that he will become the next King of Scotland, and his ambitious wife, lady Macbeth (Frances McDormand) supports him in his plans of seizing power. Also starring Brendan Gleeson, Corey Hawkins, Harry Melling, Bertie Carvel and Stephen Root. 

'DELICIOUS' (Rated M) - Directed and Co-Written by Eric Besnard whose previous film credits include 'Cash' in 2008 with Jean Reno and Ciaran Hinds, 'In Gold We Trust' in 2010, and 'The Sense of Wonder' in 2015. Set in 1789 in France, and just before the Revolution, gastronomy is strictly the domain of the wealthy aristocrats and the prestige of a noble house is entirely dependent on the quality and reputation of its dining table. When talented but prideful cook Pierre Manceron (Gregory Gadebois) serves an unapproved dish of his own creation at a dinner hosted by the self-entitled Duke of Chamfort (Benjamin Lavernhe), he is promptly dismissed. Manceron retreats with his son to a regional inn visited infrequently by travellers, to lick his wounds. When a mysterious woman, Louise (Isabelle Carre) arrives with an offer to become his apprentice, the stage is set for a wildly enjoyable tale of reignited passion, mentorship and revenge . . . . .  and of the creation of France’s very first restaurant.

'THE WORST PERSON IN THE WORLD' (Rated MA15+) - is a Norwegian dark romantic comedy drama film Directed and Co-Written by Joachim Trier and is the third film in the Director's Oslo Trilogy following 'Reprise' - his 2006 feature film debut and 'Oslo, 31 August' in 2011. He has since made 'Louder Than Bombs' in 2015 with Jesse Eisenberg, Gabriel Byrne, Isabelle Huppert, David Strathairn and Amy Ryan; and then 'Thelma' in 2017. This film saw its World Premier in competition at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, with Renate Reinsve winning the award for Best Actress for her performance in the film. It was selected as the Norwegian entry for the Best International Feature Film at next years Academy Awards and has so far picked up thirteen award wins and another twenty-seven nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit, and has garnered universal critical acclaim. The film charts four years in the life of Julie (Renate Reinsve), a young woman who navigates the troubled waters of her love life and struggles to find her career path, leading her to take a realistic look at who she really is. Also starring Anders Danielsen Lie and Herbert Nordrum.

'SING 2' (Rated PG) - this American computer animated musical comedy film is Directed and Written by Garth Jennings whose previous feature film credits include his 2005 debut 'The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy', 'Son of Rambow' in 2007, and 'Sing' in 2016 as well as numerous music videos for noted singers and bands before and since. The first film grossed US$634M off the back of a US$75M production budget making this sequel inevitable. Here then the ever-optimistic koala, Buster Moon (voiced by Matthew McConaughey), and his all-star cast of performers prepare to launch their most dazzling stage extravaganza yet . . . all in the glittering entertainment capital of the world, Redshore City. There's just one small hitch however, in that they first have to persuade the world's most reclusive rock star Clay Calloway (voiced by Bono) to join them. Reese Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson, Nick Kroll, Taron Egerton, Tori Kelly, Nick Offerman and Garth Jennings himself, reprise their roles from the first film, with this sequel also adding the voice talents to new characters by Bobby Cannavale, Halsey, Pharrell Williams, Letitia Wright, Eric Andre, Chelsea Peretti, Jennifer Saunders, Wes Anderson, Jason Schwartzman, Edgar Wright and Fisher Stevens. The film premiered at the AFI Fest in mid-November, before its wide cinema release this week and has generated mixed or average Reviews so far. 

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 1st February 2018.

You may have noticed that I was missing in action these past few weeks. Well, yes I was, holidaying in South-East Asia to be exact and more specifically in Laos and Thailand, but now I have returned to all things cinematic with my first update since early in January. In the meantime, though, what have I missed? In terms of cinematic offerings 'All The Money In The World', 'The Darkest Hour', 'The Shape Of Water', 'I, Tonya', 'The Post' and 'Sweet Country' to name but a few. As these are still doing the rounds on general release, watch out for my future Reviews here at Odeon Online as I catch up.

Also Awards Season continued with the Golden Globe Awards, the International AACTA Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards all occurring in my overseas absence. In summary here is an abridged list of those winners & grinners in case you missed it.

International AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards - 5th January 2018 presented by Daniel MacPherson from The Avalon, Hollywood, Los Angeles.
* 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' - Winner, Best Screenplay to Martin McDonagh, Best Film and Best Supporting Actor to Sam Rockwell.
* 'I, Tonya' - Winner, Best Actress to Margot Robbie and Best Supporting Actress to Alison Janney.
* 'The Darkest Hour' - Winner, Best Actor to Gary Oldman.
* 'Dunkirk' - Winner, Best Director to Christopher Nolan.

Golden Globe Awards - 7th January 2018 presented by Seth Meyers from the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills.
* 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' - Winner, Best Actress to Frances McDormand, Best Supporting Actor to Sam Rockwell, Best Drama Film, and Best Screenplay to Martin McDonagh.
* 'Lady Bird' - Winner, Best Musical of Comedy Film, and Best Actress to Saoirse Ronan.
* 'The Darkest Hour' - Winner, Best Actor to Gary Oldman.
* 'The Disaster Artist' - Winner, Best Actor to James Franco.
* 'I, Tonya' - Winner, Best Supporting Actress to Alison Janney.
* 'The Shape of Water' - Winner, Best Director to Guillermo del Toro and Best Original Score to Alexandre Desplat.
* 'Coco' - Winner, Best Animated Feature.
* 'In The Fade' - Winner, Best Foreign Language Film.

Screen Actors Guild Awards - 21st January 2018 presented by Kristen Bell from the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles.
* 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' - Winner, Best Actress to Frances McDormand, Best Supporting Actor to Sam Rockwell and, Outstanding Performance by a Cast.
* 'The Darkest Hour' - Winner, Best Actor to Gary Oldman.
* 'I, Tonya' - Winner, Best Supporting Actress to Alison Janney.
* 'Wonder Woman' - Winner, Best Performance by a Stunt Ensemble.
* Life Time Achievement Award - Winner, Morgan Freeman.

This week we launch with a true story based around the world of high stakes poker, and one particular lady who runs underground tournaments but ultimately gets in way deeper than she ever could have imagined, and then we turn to a 1950's London era high profile fashion designer and how his overbearing and controlling quirks, foibles and routines ultimately succumb to the love of a (perhaps not so) good woman. Next up is an LA based crime drama heist action offering of cat & mouse as the good cops go after the renegade bad dudes intent own robbing the Federal Reserve amidst explosions aplenty, a hail of bullets, close quarter combat and lots of effing and blinding; before wrapping up with a complete change of pace in the form of a documentary from the National Geographic people about one woman's efforts spanning six decades to learn more about our nearest relative from the animal kingdom.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the four 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 warmly 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 in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon experience during the week ahead.

'MOLLY'S GAME' (Rated M) - Written and Directed in his fimmmkaing debut, Aaron Sorkin, has here based his first film on the memoir 'Molly's Game: From Hollywood's Elite to Wall Street's Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker' by Molly Bloom. The Molly Bloom in question here is a former American poker entrepreneur who in April 2013 was charged with running a high-stakes poker game that originated in the Viper Room in Los Angeles and attracted wealthy individuals and business tycoons, sports figures, Hollywood celebrities including Tobey Maguire, Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio and Macauley Caulkin amongst others, and the Russian Mob. She was cleared of many charges and sentenced in 2014 to one year of probation, a $1,000 fine, and 200 hours of community service. The film Premiered at TIFF back in early September last year, and went on release in the US on Christmas Day 2017 and has received much critical acclaim for Sorkin's screenplay and the performances of its principal cast. Costing US$30M to make, the film has so far grossed US$46M, has received much positive press, and has garnered so far three wins and 33 other nominations, some which are still at the decision pending stage including the Academy Award and BAFTA nod for Best Adapted Screenplay.

And so based on a true story, this crime drama stars Jessica Chastain as Molly Bloom, a world class moguls skier who while qualifying for the 2002 Winter Olympic Game suffers a serious injury so ending her Olympic aspirations. Licking her rounds and instead of moving to law school as was her original plan, she moves to Los Angeles and in time she become involved in the running of underground high stakes poker games for the world of the rich and famous, where she makes plenty of money in tips. Fast forward and with her accumulated knowledge of the game of poker and the network of high profile connections made, Molly goes it alone and proves to be very successful at her new found vocation in life. When things go south for Molly in LA she heads to New York to start afresh, and there too she proves successful, attracting the interests in the Russian Mob. At this point the FBI begin sniffing around into her affairs culminating in them shutting down her operations. She enlists the help of high profile and highly priced lawyer Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba) to help clear her name, while at the same time penning her memoir. Kevin Costner, Michael Cera and Chris O'Dowd also star.

'PHANTOM THREAD' (Rated M) - this historical drama film set in the world of the 1950's London high fashion scene was Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and stars Daniel Day-Lewis in reportedly his last film role after announcing his retirement last year. Day-Lewis is Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned fashion designer famed for creating garments and dresses for members of the high society. He is controlling and obsessive in his nature and a creature of habit and routine. His business partner is his sister Cyril Woodcock (Lesley Manville) who manages his affairs, directs the day to day operations and who exerts enormous influence over his life. Until Reynolds falls for waitress Alma Elson (Vicky Krieps) and in time she moves in with him acting as his muse, assistant and lover. This angers Cyril initially, but she comes around as Alma wins her over. The couple bicker and fight almost constantly because of her perceived failings under Reynold's controlling and demanding regime, but ultimately love conquers all, and despite the differences and the challenges that lie ahead their devout love for one another will overcome the most difficult hurdles. Made for US$35M the film has so far grossed US$11M, has received high Critical praise and has garnered to date 26 award wins and another 69 nominations including six Academy Award and four BAFTA nominations yet to be announced. 

'DEN ON THIEVES' (Rated MA15+) - Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Christian Gudegast, this American action heist drama film was released Stateside in mid-January and has so far taken US$33M from its US$30M Budget outlay, and is the recipient of generally mixed Reviews. The story here follows Nick O'Brien (Gerard Butler) a hard-drinking leader of the 'Regulators', an elite unit of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Ray Merrimen (Pablo Schreiber) an ex-Marine and recently paroled leader of the 'Outlaws', a gang of former military men who use their expertise and tactical skills to evade the law. O'Brien and Merrimen have history together and its not all good, with the former investigating the latter for months and the latter holding a grudge against the former for killing one of his crew. O'Brien, Merrimen and their respective teams soon find themselves on a direct collision course in a classic and perhaps predictable game of cat & mouse as the criminals hatch a scheme for a seemingly impossible heist, on the city's Federal Reserve Bank. The film also stars O'Shea Jackson Jnr. and 50 Cent.

'JANE' (Rated Exempt) - this American Biographical Documentary film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Brett Morgan and saw its World Premiered at TIFF in September last year. Telling the story of Jane Goodall, a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. She is considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, and is best known for her 55+ year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees since she first went to Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania in 1960. She is the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, and she has worked extensively on conservation and animal welfare matters. She has served on the board of the Nonhuman Rights Project since its founding in 1996. This film, taken from over one hundred hours of never before seen footage that had been buried in the National Geographic archives for over fifty years, charts the young Jane Goodall, untrained, but steadfast in her beliefs that challenge the male dominated scientific views of the time with her chimpanzee research that ultimately revolutionises peoples understanding of the natural world in which we live. Critically acclaimed the film has so far picked up 23 award wins and another 23 nominations, and goes on release at limited screens around Australia this week.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

INHERENT VICE : Tuesday 17th March 2015.

Paul Thomas Anderson is a Director, Writer and Producer who has given us over more recent years a varied back catalogue of films including 'Boogie Nights', 'Magnolia', 'Punch Drunk Love', 'There Will Be Blood' and now his latest offering 'INHERENT VICE', which I saw earlier this week. Based on the novel by Thomas Pynchon from which Anderson wrote the screenplay, he spent US$20M bringing it to the big screen with a solid cast involving some of Hollywood's finest acting talent. This film picked up two Academy Award nominations, a Golden Globe nomination and all up 20 award wins and another 51 nominations. Does this make it a great film . . . well no, and I came away a little bewildered by the 'Inherent Vice' experience, and, now sit on the fence over this one!

The film is set in 1970 around the beach town of Gordita Beach in LA County, and the opening shot is between two beach houses looking out at the breaking waves on the shoreline from the street. We are introduced to Larry 'Doc' Sportello (Joaquin Phoenix) waking on the sofa from a stoner sleep who is a by-product of the peace lovin' 60's who seems to spend his life smoking on a joint and in a dope fuelled haze. Into his apartment saunters Shasta (Katherine Waterston) an ex-girlfriend who has now moved on and is seeking Doc's help out with her current boyfriend - sleazy but successful real estate developer Michael Z. Wolfmann (Eric Roberts), whose wife is trying to have 'The Wolfmann' committed to an asylum.

Doc is a private investigator and so he agrees to take the case to help out Shasta. At his 'office' the next day he meets with a member of the 'Black Guerrilla Family'  - Tariq Kahlil and is hired to find a member of the Ayran Brotherhood,  Glen Charlock, who Kahlil got know in jail, and who now owes him money and just happens to be a bodyguard of 'The Wolfmann'. When Doc investigates one of Wolfmann's property developments on the outskirts of town looking for Charlock he visits the only property on that development - a brothel, and after meeting 'employee' Jade is promptly knocked unconscious with a baseball bat from behind. He comes round in the yard out the front under the baking sun and next to the corpse of Charlock, surrounded by Police looking down at him. Brought in for questioning by Detective Christian F. 'Bigfoot' Bjornsen (Josh Brolin) Doc gets roughed up and threatened before released with no charge when his lawyer arrives on the scene, Sauncho Smilax (Benicio Del Toro).

Next up Doc is approached with a third case by Hope Harlingen (Jen Malone)  to locate her missing, believed dead husband Coy (Owen Wilson). The two come face to face and Coy is clearly not dead, but he is a police informant who fears for his safety and just wants to go home. Back at his office he meets up with Jade from the brothel who apologises for giving him up to the police and warns him about 'The Golden Fang'. Jade tells him that The Golden Fang is a drug smuggling ring, but lawyer Smilax tells him about a suspicious boat called 'The Golden Fang' that somehow Shasta is connected to. Finding a building that looks like a golden fang Doc visits an obscure dentist, Dr. Rudy Blatnoyd (Martin Short) who has a fetish for young girls, new drugs and a whacky lifestyle . . . but quickly winds up dead - with fang like bites to his neck!

Doc eventually comes across Mickey in the insane asylum that has a connection with The Golden Fang where Mickey confesses about being upset about all the negativity he was getting about his real estate business. To make amends Mickeys wants to give away all his money. Penny Kimball (Reece Witherspoon) is the Assistant District Attorney and gives Doc a confidential file on a police funded killer who knocked off Bigfoot's former partner. The killer had links to The Golden Fang and Charlock was involved somewhere along the way too.

As all this plays out it gets worse for Doc before it gets better needless to say. He continues to suck on marijuana joints at every opportunity and is rarely seen on screen without chewing on a spliff! He has a few run-ins with Bigfoot, straddles about in his usual drug induced stupor, at times he can seemingly hardly string a sentence together, and clings on to the last vestiges of the 60's looking up at the rock face of the looming 70's. There a couple of moments of comic laughter as the plot twists and turns and you wonder if Doc knows what the hell is going on, the performances are solid and Brolin is probably the stand-out playing a hard-nosed mean S-O-B Private Dick at work whilst being a down-trodden under the thumb husband at home, and I got the feeling that Phoenix was just playing Phoenix with a huge serve of mutton chops!

This film has a QT's 'Jackie Brown' vibe about it almost and it all comes together in the end but not before it twists and turns all over the place, and wraps you up in knots with interwoven stories, characters of varying questionable backgrounds and the spaced out psychedelic angst of a new dawning decade. This film was frustrating for me, probably 20 minutes to long and at times I felt it plodded along and lost its way. That said, this is very different film offering that we don't see much of anymore and if you can sit through the stoned out dazed antics, ramblings, stumblings and confusion of its unlikely hero then this might be for you!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-