What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 25th May 2023.

The 63rd Krakow Film Festival kicks off this Sunday 28th May and runs through until Sunday 4th 
June in Krakow, the second largest city in Poland. The Krakow Film Festival is one of the oldest events in the world dedicated to documentary, animated and short feature films. At its core it consists of three competitions of equal rank - documentary film competition, short film competition and national competition. During the eight festival days, the viewers have a chance to watch about 200 films from Poland and around the world. They are shown in competition sections and in special screenings. The festival is accompanied by exhibitions, concerts, open-air shows and meetings with artists. Every year, the festival is visited by approximately 900 Polish and international guests, including Directors, Producers, festival programmers and many dignitaries making up the audience. The importance of the Krakow Film Festival is asserted by the fact that it belongs to a prestigious group of festivals accredited by, among others, International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), European Film Academy (EFA) and The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) - so reads the official website.

This year’s programme features over 190 films from around the world, including one hundred World and Polish Premieres.

The International Documentary Competition consists of fifteen films which will be competing for the Golden Horn and Silver Horns which opens the way to the European Film Awards and Oscars. They focus on anxieties of the contemporary world and revisit landmark historical events, family secrets and deeply hidden, systemic omissions. They show people without prospects and heroes of our times, inhabitants of metropolises and remote villages, little joys and the toil of creation, a life to be lived and a life as a monument. Using archival photographs and material, the filmmakers turned fascinating fiction into a documentary form. The selection features comics and crime fiction, family drama, social cinema and the terrifying shadow of the war in Ukraine.

In brief, those titles are as follows :-

* 'Dreaming Arizona' - from Denmark, Estonia and Norway and Directed and Written by Jon Bang Carlsen. 

* 'Is There Anybody Out There?' - from the UK and Directed by Ella Glendining.

* 'Lazaro and the Shark : Cuba under the Surface' - from Cuba and the USA and Directed and Written by William Sabourin O'Reilly.

* 'Motherland' - from Sweden, Ukraine and Norway and Directed and Written by Alexander Mihalkovich (who also Co-Produces) and Hanna Badziaka (who also Co-Edits).

* 'Much Ado about Dying' - from Ireland and the UK and Directed, Written, Co-Produced and photographed by Simon Chambers.

* 'My Name Is Happy' - from the UK and Turkey and Directed by Nick Read (who also Co-Produces) and Ayse Toprak.

* 'Radical Move' - from Poland and Directed and Written by Aniela Gabryel.

* 'Signs of War' - from Ukraine and Austria and Directed by Juri Rechinsky (who also wrote the script, Edited and Co-Produces) and Pierre Crom (who also Co-Produces).

* 'Silent House' - from Iran, Qatar, Canada and the Philippines and Directed, Co-Written and Co-Produced by Farnaz Jurabchian and Mohammadreza Jurabchian.

* 'Songs of Earth' - from Norway and Directed and Produced by Margreth Olin.

* 'The Dmitriev Affair' - from the Netherlands and Directed, Written and co-photographed by Jessica Gorter.

* 'The Hostage Takers' - from Denmark and Directed by Puk Damsgaard and Soren Klovborg (who also Produces).

* 'The Land You Belong' - from Italy and Romania and Directed and Co-Written by Elena Rebeca Carini.

* 'Unpaved' - from Poland and Directed, Written and photographed by Mikael Lypinski.

* 'Who I Am Not' - from Romania and Canada and Directed by Tunde Skovran.

For the full synopsis of the above mentioned documentary films, plus the full details of the thirty-seven films in International Short Film Competition, the forty-one films in the National Competition and the ten films in the International DocFilmMusic Competition, together with the other ninety-six films in the ever-popular screenings sections of non-competing films dedicated to various themes, you can go to the official website at : https://www.krakowfilmfestival.pl/en/

Turning the attention then back to this weeks five new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we kick off with a comedy horror offering that sees Dracula's henchman and inmate at the lunatic asylum for decades, longing for a life away from the Count, his various demands, and all of the bloodshed that comes with them. Next up we have a live action remake of an animated Disney classic that has a young mermaid making a deal with a sea witch to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can discover the world above water and impress a prince. Then we turn to a French film that follows a novelist who attends the trial of Senegalese woman at Criminal Court to use her story to write a modern-day adaptation of the ancient myth of Medea, but things don't go as expected. This is followed by a RomCom about a couple in a relationship, who decide to invite their parents to finally meet about marriage, but as it turns out the parents already know one another well, which leads to some differing opinions about marriage; and closing out the week we have an action comedy that has the past coming back to haunt this pervious party animal when a murderous mobster tries to kidnap him to atone for his crimes of twenty years ago when he was a drunken student in Russia. 

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new films 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.

'RENFIELD' (Rated MA15+) - this American comedy horror film is Co-Produced and Directed by Chris McKay whose previous feature film making outings are his debut with 'The Lego Batman Movie' 2017 and 'The Tomorrow War' in 2021. This film is based on a story by Robert Kirkman of the hugely popular 'The Walking Dead' and 'Fear the Walking Dead' TV series among others, and he also serves as Co-Producer on this film, which is also inspired by characters from the 1897 novel 'Dracula' by Bram Stoker. The film had its World Premiere showcasing at the Overlook Film Festival at the end of March this year and was released in the US in mid-April, having generated mixed reviews from critics and so far grossing US$25M off the back of a US$65M production budget. 

Set in the present day, Count Dracula's loyal servant R. M. Renfield (Nicholas Hoult) is the tortured aide to history's most narcissistic boss, Dracula (Nicolas Cage). Renfield is forced to procure his master's prey and do his every bidding, no matter how debased. But now, after centuries of servitude, Renfield is ready to see if there's a life outside the shadow of The Prince of Darkness. If only he can figure out how to end his codependency. Also starring Awkwafina, Ben Schwartz and Adrian Martinez. 

'THE LITTLE MERMAID' (Rated M) - is an American musical fantasy film Co-Produced and Directed by Rob Marshall whose prior feature film making credits take in his debut with the multi-award winning 'Chicago' in 2002, then 'Memoirs of a Geisha' in 2005, 'Nine' in 2009, 'Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides' in 2011, 'Into the Woods' in 2014 and 'Mary Poppins Returns' in 2018. This film is Co-produced by Walt Disney Pictures and is a live-action adaptation of Disney's 1989 animated film of the same name, itself loosely based on the 1837 fairy tale of the same title by Hans Christian Andersen. Ariel (Halle Bailey), the youngest daughter of the kingdom Atlantica's ruler King Triton (Javier Bardem), is fascinated with the human world but mermaids are strictly forbidden to explore it. After saving Prince Eric (Jonah Hauer-King) from a shipwreck and falling in love with him, she becomes determined to be with him in the world above water. These actions lead to a confrontation with her father and an encounter with the conniving sea witch Ursula (Melissa McCarthy), making a deal with her to trade her beautiful voice for human legs so she can discover the world above water and impress Eric. However, this ultimately places her life (and her father’s crown) in jeopardy. Also starring Daveed Diggs, Jacob Tremblay, Awkwafina and Art Malik, the film saw its World Premier in LA in early May and is released Stateside this week too.

'SAINT OMER' (Rated M) - this French legal drama film is is Co-Written and Directed by Alice Diop in her feature film making debut after helming a series of documentary films since 2005. Rama (Kayije Kagame), a literature professor and novelist, travels from Paris to Saint-Omer in northern France to observe the trial of Laurence Coly (Guslagie Malanda) and write about the case. Coly is a student and Senegalese immigrant accused of leaving her fifteen-month-old daughter on a beach to be swept away by the tide in Berck. Rama, who is four-months pregnant herself and, like Coly, is in a mixed-race relationship and also has a complex relationship with her own Senegalese immigrant mother, feels a personal connection to Coly. She plans to write a modern day retelling of the Greek Medea myth about the case. The film is based on the French court case of Fabienne Kabou, who was convicted of the same crime, and which Diop attended her trial in 2016 and became 'obsessed' by it. The film has collected eighteen award wins and a further forty-two nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit, following its World Premier screening in-competition at the Venice International Film Festival in early September last year where it won the Silver Lion Grand Jury prize along with the Luigi De Laurentiis Lion of the Future award. It was released in its native France towards the end of November, has so far grossed just US$823K at the Box Office but has received universal critical acclaim. 

'MAYBE I DO' (Rated M) - is an American RomCom Written and Directed by Michael Jacobs in his feature film making debut, and is based on his own 1977 play 'Cheaters'. Here, Michelle (Emma Roberts) and Allen (Luke Bracey) have reached the point in their relationship to take the next steps toward marriage. Thinking it is a good idea to invite their parents to finally meet, they set a dinner and make it a family affair. To everyone's surprise, the affair takes on a whole new meaning as the parents already know each other all too well -- they've been cheating on their spouses for months... with each other. Trapped in this precarious predicament, they try to hide their dalliances from the kids while confronting their spouses' lovers head-on. Starring Diane Keaton and Richard Gere as Michelle's parents and Susan Sarandon and William H. Macy as Allen's parents. The film was released in the US at the end of January and has so far grossed US$4.3M and has garnered mixed or average Reviews. 

'THE MACHINE' (Rated MA15+) - this American action comedy film is Co-Produced and Directed by Peter Atencio whose first feature film credit was 2010's 'The Rig' followed by 'Keanu' in 2016 and now this offering although he has notched up thirty Directorial credits mostly on TV series and short films. This film is inspired by the 2016 stand-up routine of the same name created by American stand-up comedian, podcaster, reality television host and actor Bert Kreischer, who also stars as a fictionalised version of himself. Here then Bert Kreischer and his estranged father Albert Kreischer (Mark Hamill) are kidnapped by those Bert wronged some twenty years ago while drunk on a college semester abroad in Russia. Together, Bert and his father must retrace the steps of his younger self (Jimmy Tatro) in the midst of a war within a sociopathic crime family, all while attempting to find common ground in their often fraught relationship. The film is released Stateside this week too. 

With five new release movie offerings 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 3rd January 2019.

In December the world bid a fond farewell to a 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 . . . . Philip Bosco, Sondra Locke, Penny Marshall, Donald Moffat, Frank Adonis, June Whitfield, and Don Lusk.

* Sondra Locke - born Sandra Louise Anderson on May 28th 1944 and died November 3rd 2018 aged 74, although her death was not made publicly known until 14th December 2018. This American Actress, Singer, Director and Author had thirty acting credits to her name, four as Director, two as Producer and three Soundtrack credits too. She was the long term partner of Clint Eastwood from 1975 through until 1989, during which time she starred alongside him in six feature films - these being 'The Outlaw Josey Wales', 'The Gauntlet', 'Every Which Way But Loose', 'Bronco Billy', 'Any Which Way You Can' and 'Sudden Impact'. Locke was nominated for an Academy Award for her breakout supporting role in 1968's 'The Heart is a Lonely Hunter' for which she was also nominated for two Golden Globes - Best Supporting Actress and Most Promising Newcomer. After her split form Eastwood in 1989, her career went into decline, partly for health reasons and partly because of a very acrimonious split from Eastwood that saw a very protracted court case that eventually settled out of court. Her Directorial debut came in 1986 with 'Ratboy' in which she also starred and she followed this up with 'Impulse' in 1990 and 'Trading Favours' in 1997. She had two acting appearances in 2000 and then it would be another seventeen years before she stepped in front of the camera again in 2017's 'Ray Meets Helen' - her final film appearance. Her autobiography, 'The Good, the Bad, and the Very Ugly – A Hollywood Journey', was published in 1997.
* Philip Bosco - born Philip Michael Bosco on September 26th 1930, and died 3rd December 2018, aged 88. This American Actor of stage and screen began his television career on two episodes of the CBS historical education show 'You Are There' in 1953. Throughout the sixties and for the following four decades he appeared in numerous television series and made for television films. He gained his first big screen outing in 1968 in 'A Lovely Way To Die' with Kirk Douglas, and over the following decades appeared in such films as 1983's 'Trading Places', 1987's 'Suspect', 1988's 'Working Girl', 1996's 'The First Wives Club', 1997's 'My Best Friend's Wedding', 2000's 'Wonder Boys', 2005's 'Hitch' and 2007's 'The Savages'. All up Bosco had 94 Acting credits to his name, two award wins and two nominations for his screen work.
* Penny Marshall - born Carole Penny Marshall on October 15th 1943 and died December 17th 2018 aged 75. Marshall was an American Actress, Director and Producer who had 71 acting credits to her name, sixteen as Director and twelve as Producer. She gained her small screen debut as a dancer on the 'Jackie Gleason Show' back in 1953, but it wouldn't be until 1968 when she scored a role in the film 'The Savage Seven' . She then worked steadily throughout the '70's mostly on television series appearances and made for television movies. However, her breakout role came with 'Happy Days' in 1975 as Laverne DeFazio which ran until 1979. From there she reprised her role in thirteen episodes of 'Laverne & Shirley in the Army' in 1979, and her own TV show which ran for 178 episodes 'Laverne & Shirley' form 1976 through to 1983. She had regular acting work ever since, and in the meantime began Directing too with several episodes of 'Leverne & Shirley' and then her first feature film 'Jumpin' Jack Flash' in 1986 with Whoopi Goldberg. She followed this up with the hugely successful 'Big' in 1988 with Tom Hanks, then 'Awakenings' with Robin Williams in 1990, 'A League of Their Own' with Tom Hanks again in 1992, 'Army Intelligence' with Danny DeVito in 1994, 'The Preacher's Wife' with Denzel Washington in 1996 and 'Riding in Cars With Boys' with Drew Barrymore in 2001. She also Produced 'Cinderella Man' with Russell Crowe in 2005 and 'Bewitched' in 2005 also with Nicole Kidman. All up Marshall collected fifteen award wins and a further six nominations including three Golden Globe nods for 'Laverne & Shirley' in 1978, 1979 and 1980. She was married to Hollywood Director, Producer and Writer Rob Reiner from 1971 until 1981.
* Donald Moffat - was born in Plymouth, England on 26th December 1930 and died 20th December 2018 aged 87. An English Actor with a decades long career in film and stage in America, his first big screen role can in an uncredited performance in 'The Battle of the River Plate' in 1956, and from this point forward there was no looking back. He appeared in television series including 'The High Chaparral', 'Hawaii Five-0', 'Mission : Impossible', 'Bonanza', 'Gunsmoke', 'The Waltons', 'Logan's Run', 'Dallas', 'Bull' and 'The West Wing'. In the meantime his big screen roles took in the likes of 'Earthquake', 'Popeye', 'The Thing', 'The Right Stuff', 'The Unbearable Lightness of Being', 'The Bonfire of the Vanities', 'Class Action', 'Regarding Henry', 'Clear and Present Danger' and 'Cookie's Fortune' was to be his final feature film in 1999. His final small screen appearance came in 2005 in a single episode of 'Law & Order : Trial by Jury'. Moffat amassed 121 Acting credits throughout his screen career, plus additional stage credits for which he was nominated and won several awards.
* Frank Adonis - was born Frank Testaverde Scioscia on 27th October 1935 and died 26th December 2018, aged 83. He was an American Actor and one time Director, who amassed an acting portfolio of forty screen appearances in a career that began with an uncredited role in 1971's classic 'The French Connection'. From there he gained roles in such films as 'The Gambler', 'Eyes of Laura Miles', 'Raging Bull', 'Wolfen', 'Wall Street', 'King of New York', 'Goodfellas', 'Bad Lieutenant', ''True Romance', 'Ace Ventura : Pet Detective', 'Casino', 'The Juror', and 'Ghost Dog'. His sole Directing credit was on 1998's mafia action crime drama 'One Deadly Road' in which he also starred.
* June Whitfield - born June Rosemary Whitfield on 11th November 1925, and died on 28th December 2018, aged 93. Whitfield was an English Actress born in London, who first appeared on radio in 1946, and then in a number of West End and regional stage productions, before gaining her first credited television appearance in 1951. Throughout the '50's and '60's Whitfield had many support roles on notable television shows of that era including 'Dixon of Dock Green', 'Steptoe and Son' and 'The Benny Hill Show'. In 1968 she forged a working relationship with Terry Scott, with whom she would work until 1987 on two successful British sitcoms 'Happy Ever After' from 1974 until 1978 and 'Terry and June' which ran from 1979 until 1987 in which the pair played on screen husband and wife. In the meantime she appeared in 'The Goodies', 'The Dick Emery Show', 'Bless this House' and 'Minder' amongst others. From 1992 Whitfield had a recurring role in the Jennifer Saunders hugely popular sitcom 'Absolutely Fabulous' and reprised her role as Edina Monsoon's mother in the 2016 feature film of the series. As for feature films, she appeared in four 'Carry On' films over the years - 'Carry On Nurse' in 1959, 'Carry On Abroad' in 1972, 'Carry On Girls' in 1973, and 'Carry On Columbus' in 1992, as well as 'Jude', 'Faeries' and 'The Last of the Blonde Bombshells'. She continued her busy television work schedule with a recurring role on 'Last of the Summer Wine', and amongst numerous others including 'The Green Green Grass', 'Coronation Street', 'Eastenders', 'Doctor Who' and 'Boomers'. She also played 'Agatha Christie's Miss Marple' on BBC Radio 4 between 1993 and 2001. In 1982 Whitfield was granted the Freedom of the City of London, in 1994 she was given a Lifetime Achievement Award at the British Comedy Awards, and she was appointed an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 1985 Queen's Birthday Honours List, Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) in the 1998 Birthday Honours, and Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2017 Birthday Honours for services to drama and entertainment.
* Don Lusk - born Donald Lusk on 28th October 1913 and died on 30th December 2018, aged 105. Lusk was an American Animator and Director who joined the Walt Disney Company in 1933 where he worked up until 1960 having worked on such animated classics as 'Pinocchio' and 'Fantasia' both in 1940, 'Bambi' in 1942, 'Song of the South' in 1946, 'Cinderella' in 1950, 'Alice in Wonderland' in 1951, 'Peter Pan' in 1953, 'Lady and the Tramp' in 1955, 'Sleeping Beauty' in 1959, and 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians' in 1961. Throughout the '60's and '70's he worked extensively for Hanna-Barbera Studios on feature length animated films and cartoon television series including 'The Flintstones', 'The Jetsons', 'Scooby-Doo', 'The Smurfs', 'Yogi Bear' and 'Tom & Jerry' on many of which he Directed. Between 1969 and 1978 he animated numerous 'Charlie Brown' and 'Peanuts' television specials. Lusk retired in the early '90's after sixty years in the film and television business, and he leaves behind a lasting legacy of animated classics from Disney's Golden Age.

This week we have three new release movies coming to your local Odeon, starting with a sequel to a much loved timeless classic that has been fifty five years almost in the making, that sees a beloved nanny with a particular set of magical skills return to the London home of her now grown up charges from yesteryear to help them out of a spot of bother. We then have a coming of age comedy drama that traces the last week in eighth grade for this thirteen year old girl as she struggles at the end of a disastrous school year. And finally this week, we turn to the third and allegedly final instalment in this successful animated franchise that sees the dragon and his trusted loyal rider fight to hang onto everything they hold dear.

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

'MARY POPPINS RETURNS' (Rated G) - and finally, a sequel to the much loved 1964 film 'Mary Poppins' based on the works of P.L.Travers of the same name. Released in Australia in 1st January 2019, Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Written for the screen by Rob Marshall, a sequel was first muted back in 1965 and since then has languished in development hell with the author P.L.Travers knocking back Disney's proposed storylines. However, fast forward to 2015 and Disney pitched a story to Rob Marshall which with the approval of the Travers estate (she died in 1996 aged 96), got greenlit. The film Premiered in the US at the end of November and went on general release on 19th December, taking so far US$175M from its Budget outlay of US$130M. The film has so far received five award wins and a further thirty-four nominations including four Golden Globe, one Screen Actors Guild and five Annie Award nods all of which are yet to be announced.

Set in 1935 London, and now an adult widower with three children, bank teller Michael Banks (Ben Whishaw) learns that his house will be repossessed in five days unless he is able to pay back his loan in full. His only hope of salvation from the bank is to find a missing certificate that shows proof of valuable shares that his father left him years previously. Just when all seems lost, Michael and his sister Jane (Emily Mortimer) receive the surprise of a lifetime when Mary Poppins (Emily Blunt) the beloved nanny from their childhood years arrives to save the day and escort the Banks family on a magical, fun-filled adventure, that might just save their house from the clutches of the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank and its new President William Weatherall Wilkins (Colin Firth). Also starring Julie Walters, Dick Van Dyke, Angela Lansbury, Meryl Streep, David Warner and Lin-Manuel Miranda.

'EIGHTH GRADE' (Rated M) - this highly acclaimed coming of age comedy drama is Directed and Written by Bo Burnham in his feature film debut. It Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January 2018, went on release in the US last July, and has so far made US$14M from its US$2M Budget investment. The film has also garnered 32 award wins and a further 51 nominations from around the festival and awards circuit. The story here surrounds introverted thirteen-year-old Kayla (Elsie Fisher) who endures the struggles and day to day life challenges on a tidal wave of contemporary suburban adolescence as she makes her way through the last week of middle school and the end of her so far disastrous eighth-grade year before graduating to high school. Struggling with anxiety and peer pressure in social situations, she escapes into YouTube producing videos offering life advice, which get almost zero views. Also starring Josh Hamilton and Emily Robinson.

'HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON : THE HIDDEN WORLD' (Rated PG) - here we have the third and supposedly final instalment in the 'How To Train Your Dragon' franchise which launched in 2010 with 'How To Train Your Dragon', and was followed up in 2014 with 'How To Train Your Dragon 2'. The first two instalments grossed US$1.12B at the worldwide Box Office off the back of a US$310M Production Budget and here Dean DeBlois returns as Director following his success with the first two, as do most of the original ensemble voice cast. Following on from the events of the first two films, the now chief and ruler of Berk alongside Astrid (America Ferrera), Hiccup (Jay Baruchel) has created a peaceful dragon utopia. When the sudden appearance of female Light Fury dragon lures Toothless (the best friend and protector of Hiccup and and now a grown Titan Wing Night Fury and Alpha Dragon) away, this coincides with the darkest threat their village has ever faced. Hiccup and Toothless must leave the only home they’ve known and journey to a hidden world thought only to exist in myth. As their true destines are revealed, dragon and rider will fight together to protect everything they’ve grown to hold dear. Starring the voice talents of Cate Blanchett, Craig Ferguson, Jonah Hill, Kit Harrington, T.J.Miller, Kristen Wiig, Christopher Mintz-Plasse, F.Murray Abraham and Gerard Butler. The film is not slated for release Stateside until the end of February.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON STRANGER TIDES - archive from 13th June 2011.

I saw 'PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : ON STRANGER TIDES' this afternoon in 3D which did very little to enhance the experience. This is the fourth outing for the high seas legend Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) following 2007's 'At World's End' which followed 2006's 'Dead Man's Chest' and which followed the series opener in 2003 'The Curse of the Black Pearl'. Directed by Rob Marshall and Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer this film cost a ridiculous US$378M to make but grossed US$1.05B putting it in the Top 15 highest grossing movies of all time. It is worth noting that the series of four films has so far cost US$1B to make and has raked in US$3.7B in receipts - with a fifth instalment currently in production . . . with those numbers under its belt that's hardly surprising!

It must be said that this film is reasonably entertaining, and there is something quite likable about lovable rogue, ocean going scoundrel and sea faring ladies man Captain Jack and his motley crew of salty sea dog miscreants. Johnny Depp is clearly very comfortable in the role and has made Sparrow all his own,  and we see him joined by his on screen old man for the second time now Keef Richards as Captain Teague.

In this instalment Jack's nefarious past catches up with him in the shape of former lover Angelica (Penelope Cruz), who like him is on the hunt for the Fountain of Youth. Angelica is the voodoo practising daughter of Blackbeard (Ian McShane), and she is able to control the ship, 'The Queen Anne's Revenge' by wielding a magical sword that she possesses. With a zombie crew the trio set sail to seek out the legendary mythical fountain, not knowing that Barbosa (Geoffrey Rush) is also on the hunt and hot on their trail too, as is a mysterious Spanish galleon. At the same time Jack learns that The Black Pearl was in fact not sunk last time, but has been shrunken and is now displayed as a ship in a bottle together with a fleet of others seemingly in the possession of Blackbeard.

Along the way of course as they chart a course across the seven seas they must overcome adversity, pitched battles, challenges (including retrieving a mermaids tears), and revenge all interlaced with of lots of tongue in cheek humour. Many of the usual cohorts are there including Kevin McNally and Sam Claiflin, This is mildly entertaining with some ridiculous drawn out set pieces and you can easily leave your brain at the door, but hey, US$1.05B can't be wrong? Watch out for Chapter Five in this franchise due in 2017 - 'Dead Men Tell No Tales'.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week - Thursday 8th January 2015.

In Australia the mercury continues to rise by the day with predictable clear blue skies, sunshine and humidity all the way as we approach the height of Summer. It seems that a cool air conditioned cinema is one of the few places to escape the soaring temperatures, and what better way to do so than watching one of the many great new films currently on general release, or coming your way in the week ahead.

For this week we have four new offerings - two of which are sequels - one of the action revenge genre and the other a buddy buddy comedy; one is a big name musical that might pack a few scares and some solid CGI; and the other a documentary about a recently departed legendary film critic that is likely to resonate with anyone who has more than a remote interest in films and what this guy had to say about them . . . including the author of this Blog!

There then you have it, and when you have cooled down, or warmed up (depending on which Hemisphere you live in) and seen any one (or more) of this weeks new releases Previewed below, drop a note in the Comments section immediately below this Blog Post and share your thoughts and opinions of your film experience with the rest of the growing readership of Odeon Online. Enjoy your movie!

INTO THE WOODS (Rated PG) - this film comes with a very strong pedigree - both in front and behind the camera! Firstly the source material is from those master story tellers of old - The Brothers Grimm, and combines the tales of Rapunzel (MacKenzie Mauzy), Little Red Riding Hood (Lilla Crawford), Cinderella (Anna Kendrick) and Jack and the Beanstalk (Daniel Huttlestone) into a modern updated tale that melds all these characters into one neat little package surrounding a cursed baker and his wife who long for a child but are unable to conceive because of a curse placed on them by the local Witch (Meryl Streep). Then we have Disney Studio's doing what they do the best - animation, musical and good storytelling transferred to the big screen. Next comes Director Rob Marshall, who has based the film on the Tony Award winning stage musical of the same name by James Lapine who wrote this screenplay, with music by Stephen Sondheim - a great package indeed!

So, offering to lift the aforementioned spell The Witch tasks the baker (James Corden) and his wife (Emily Blunt) with sourcing four items that have special significance for her - a cow as white as milk, a cape as red as blood, hair as yellow as corn, and a slipper as pure as gold. When these items are finally procured after various mishaps and misadventures, each of our fairy tale heroes discover that life is not so 'happily ever after' at all and they each have to face their own further challenges, emotional upheaval and ruinous circumstances that lead to further tragedy, doubt and uncertainty. Along the ensemble cast includes Cinderella's Prince (Chris Pine), Jack's Mother (Tracey Ullman), The Wolf (Johnny Depp), Frances de la Tour (The Giant's Wife) and Annette Crosbie (Granny) amongst others. Made for US$50M and so far having taken US$97M at the time of writing, this film has already picked up five award wins and a further 25 award nominations including three Golden Globe nods.

TAK3N (Rated M) - Bryan Mills is back again doing what he does best as the trying to be retired covert operations expert in the third and probably final instalment of this successful franchise for which the first two films brought in US$603M in worldwide receipts. Liam Neeson returns as our titular hero, but only agreed to do so if nobody in this film was 'taken' and he was paid the princely sum of US$20M. Well, voila, here we are, but this time while attempting to re-establish his home life after the events of the previous two films Mills is back reconciled with his wife Lenore (Famke Janssen), but before you know she winds up d-e-a-d! In no time at all the local Police arrive on the scene and caught seemingly red handed Mills is arrested - or at least that's what the local boys in blue attempt to do . . .  unsuccessfully! Having been framed for murder, and learning that his daughter Kim (Maggie Grace) is next on the hit list Mills plays a fast paced game of cat & mouse with all manner of law enforcement agencies who have him on the run and guilty as all hell until proven innocent. With Mills employing his 'particular set of skills' to thwart the real bad guys and elude the long arm of the law whilst clearing his name and protecting his one remaining asset (daughter Kim) you can be sure this actioner will deliver on body count, creative deaths, close quarter fight sequences, ingenious weaponry, car chases and explosions aplenty before the credits roll for the last time . . .  possibly! Also starring Forest Whittaker and Dougray Scott.

DUMB AND DUMBER TO (Rated M) - it was back in 1994 that Jim Carey and Jeff Daniels as Lloyd Christmas and Harry Dunne respectively first emerged on the scene courtesy of Writers/Directors Bobby and Peter Farrelly. That film then was new & fresh - the gross out humour, dumb-arse laughs and sheer stupidity of these two characters made for just US$17M it grossed US$247M twenty years ago and help cement the fame of these two Actors. Now fast forward to 2014 and the pair are reunited and as stupid and dumb-arsed as ever having hardly grown up at all, but this time Harry has learned that he has a daughter, and so the pair embark on a road trip to find her with no doubt hilarious and disastrous results for all. Should be a laugh a minute . . . or not, and might appeal to teenagers who never saw the original and have nothing to compare it to!

LIFE ITSELF (Rated M) - this is a biographical documentary as made by Steve James celebrating and chronicling the life of legendary film critic Roger Ebert who died in April 2013 following a prolonged battle with cancer of the thyroid and salivary glands. Ebert was 70 when he died but made such an impact of the world of film review writing that he was the first writer to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Criticism in 1975, and approaching his death his movie reviews were syndicated to over 200 newspapers at home in the US and internationally. He also wrote numerous books and collected works of his film reviews. He was/is the only film critic to have a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and his long running 25 year partnership with Gene Siskel with whom he hosted many television film review shows was hugely successful and influential. This film captures the essence of the man through his prolific film writing career, to his battle with alcoholism, and his struggles with cancer that left him physically disabled and to which he eventually succumbed. With contributions from Martin Scorsese, Werner Herzog, immediate family, close friends, former colleagues and collaborators this is an insightful film that pays fitting tribute to the great man, the legacy he leaves behind and his life behind the camera and in front of his keyboard.

Once more, four very different offerings to entice the price of a movie ticket from out of your wallet. Something for everyone, and when you have seen one of these, or any of those currently doing the rounds as Previewed or Reviewed in previous weeks, then drop a Comment, and share with the world!

Movies - see as many as you can in 2015!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-