CREED II : Tuesday 4th December 2018.

I saw 'CREED II' earlier this week, and this sports drama film probably needs little introduction. After all it is the sequel to 2015's highly acclaimed 'Creed' film as Directed and Written by Ryan Coogler and Co-Produced and starring Sylvester Stallone in his seventh turn as our titular pugilist hero Rocky Balboa. That film cost US$40M to make, grossed US$174M and picked up a whole slew of awards and nominations along the way. Now the team reunite for 'Creed II' the eighth film in the 'Rocky' franchise, but this time Directing duties are given over to Steven Caple Jnr. in only his second feature film outing as Director. Ryan Coogler takes an Executive Producer credit and Sylvester Stallone takes on the role once more as Rocky Balboa, Co-Wrote the Screenplay and also Co-Produces. Released in the US on 21st November, the film has so far recovered US$100M from its US$50M Budget investment, and has generated generally positive Reviews.

The film opens up somewhere in a drab and dreary Ukraine. It is early morning, and woken up from his slumber on the sofa is Viktor Drago (Florian Munteanu). The man who did the wake up call is his father Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) as he looks out of his apartment window on to the grey city scape before him. We then cut to Las Vegas and a bout at the MGM Grand involving Adonis Creed (Michael B. Jordan) and Danny 'Stuntman' Wheeler (Andre Ward) for the WBC (World Boxing Council) World Heavyweight Championship title. His trainer Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) gives Adonis a final pep talk, before his girlfriend Bianca Taylor (Tessa Thompson) has the final word. Needless to say Adonis wins the title and is crowned World Heavyweight Boxing Champion.

With his new found fame, Adonis decides to propose marriage to Bianca, which she accepts. Bianca later suggests to Adonis that they move away from Philadelphia and return to Los Angeles where she can concentrate on her escalating singing career, and he can still train and be based there. However, Philadelphia has been good to him, he is established, is known, and furthermore, and perhaps most importantly, Rocky lives there, and there is a great sense of loyalty between the pair.

In the meantime, Ivan Drago, a former Russian boxer who killed Adonis's father, Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers seen in flashback), in the ring thirty-three years earlier, sees a chance to regain the glory that was taken from him as a result of his loss to Rocky Balboa in Moscow later that same year by pitting his son, Viktor Drago, against Adonis. Boxing Promoter Buddy Marcelle (Russell Hornsby) has been maintaining a watchful eye on Viktor's progress in the ring in recent times, and when he feels that Viktor is ready, he pitches the idea to both sides.

Ivan and Viktor both arrive in Philadelphia even though the bout has not yet been agreed to. Ivan visits Rocky in his restaurant one evening unannounced. The pair eye off against each other for the first time in more than thirty years. Ivan says that he returned to Russia a broken man after his fight in which he lost to Rocky, and that Russia turned its back on him. He has nothing . . . . except his son now. Ivan goads Rocky by saying that his son Viktor will break his boy. When Adonis mentions the idea to Rocky, he refuses to support the notion, and says that he'll be going into the ring without him therefore. Feeling betrayed and dejected, Adonis leaves with Bianca for LA where they take out a luxurious apartment overlooking the city skyline, and close to Apollo's widow and Adonis' adoptive mother Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad).

The day of the bout with Drago is quickly upon them. Adonis has been training in LA with Tony 'Little Duke' Evers (Wood Harris), the son of Apollo's, and later Rocky's, trainer. Bianca meanwhile has announced that she is pregnant. With so much going on his life - marriage proposal, baby on the way, recently relocated to LA, newly crowned World Champ, new trainer, no Rocky - Adonis rushes into his world title defence bout with Drago.

Drago is clearly the far superior Boxer, in terms of his height, weight, reach, strength and build. Adonis is ill prepared and comes off worse, and badly injured as well. Maintaining a bedside vigil, Bianca and Little Duke receive news that the Boxing Governing Body has upheld the decision to disqualify Drago for punching Adonis while he was still down, so allowing the World Champ to still retain his crown. Viktor and Ivan return to Russia where their popularity soon grows on a wave of national support.

Afters several weeks of recuperation in hospital Adonis is released with a frenzy of the media in waiting. Back at his apartment over the following weeks and months he becomes increasingly distant from Bianca. His body is still hurting, his confidence has taken a blow, and his mind is on other things. Mary Anne reaches out to Rocky in the hope that with his support and advice he will pull through his personal crisis. Rocky arrives at Mary Anne's palatial house, and waits for Adonis to arrive expecting to meet with his mother. Instead the pair say a few candid words to each other and make up their differences. Rocky agrees to train Adonis in preparation for a rematch with Drago which the Boxing Governing Body are putting pressure on Adonis to name an opponent or forfeit his title, due to the time that has now lapsed between world title contests.

Meanwhile back in Russia at a grand dinner at which Viktor and Ivan are the centre of attention by the gathered guests and dignitaries, in waltzes Ludmilla Drago (Brigitte Neilsen), the former wife of Ivan and mother to Viktor, who deserted them both soon after Ivan's loss to Rocky. Viktor can hardly contain himself out of anger towards seeing his mother all proud, glamorous and clearly well off while they have nothing. He walks out of the dinner quickly followed by Ivan, much to the chagrin of the other guests. Meanwhile back in LA Bianca has given birth to a girl, whom they name Amara.

Viktor continues to goad Adonis, while Ivan puts his son through a relative pedestrian albeit fairly brutal training regime. Rocky, on the other hand, drives Adonis out to the middle of the Californian desert to a run down dust bowl of an outdoor gym with makeshift equipment and a boxing ring. Rocky tells Adonis, that it is a place where fighters come to be 'reborn'.

What follows is the obligatory training montage that sees Adonis beating the sand and the dust with a sledgehammer with all his might, running to keep up with Rocky driving the car ahead, getting pummelled to the stomach with a medicine ball, strengthening his neck by lifting weights with his head, shadow boxing with the camp fire at dusk and sparring with an opponent in the ring with each man having to maintain a foot inside a tyre. This brutal regime goes on for seemingly a few weeks, but eventually Adonis has got his mojo back, he's in great shape and ready for the fight of his life (predictably).

The rematch is staged in Moscow, amidst all the glitz and glamour that Russia can muster and in front of a capacity crowd all cheering on Drago. Early on Adonis, in a more controlled and focused manner that his first bout against Drago, is on an equal footing with the Russian, exchanging blows one for one. Drago wins the second round by punches landed and the number of times Adonis falls to the mat.

And so it continues, into Rounds three, four, five and six. Drago has always won his fights by a knock out early on, and so is unaccustomed to going the distance with a worthy adversary, and someone who can take a pummelling and still keep coming back. A fact that Adonis plays to his advantage. In Round 10, after being floored again, Adonis gets mightily pissed off at himself and barely rising up off the mat musters the strength and the inner rage to let his punches rain down on Drago, sending him to the mat twice.

Ludmilla, who had been sitting ringside with other supporters of Viktor, departs when the fortunes of this title bout start leaning very much in Adonis' favour. Viktor sees this and is caught off-balance emotionally. Ivan also noted her prompt departure, but has now seemingly reconciled the fair-weathered nature of those supporters who had run Ivan out of Russia originally thirty years before. With Viktor cornered and Adonis landing multiple strikes without any retaliation by his opponent, Rocky watches in disbelief as Ivan steadily inches his way to where his son is cornered and throws in the towel, conceding the fight to Adonis to ensure his son isn’t seriously injured or worse.

Though Viktor is ashamed by his defeat, Ivan embraces his son motioning that it's OK that he lost and that he put up an admirable fight. Bianca, also watching from a ringside seat enters the ring to celebrate with Adonis who motions for Rocky to join them. Rocky stops himself from joining the celebrations telling Adonis that it is 'his time' and so he takes a seat and watches them from outside the ring. Sometime after the fight and back in LA, Adonis visits the gravesite of his father to make peace with him and for carrying the heavy burden of his legacy. Ivan and Viktor are seen jogging through the streets back in Ukraine. Rocky visits his estranged son Robert (Milo Ventimiglia) in Vancouver and meets with his young grandson Logan, for the first time. 

For the eighth film in the 'Rocky' franchise this instalment is light on genuine surprises and follows a tried and tested, and predictable, formula. Champion Boxer has crisis of confidence, check; has inner demons he must overcome, check; gets beaten up, loses and has a rematch, check; must face off against a formidable opponent against the odds, check; undergoes a brutal training regime seen in montage, check; goes the full ten rounds in the World Title fight despite being battered, bruised, bloody and broken, check; slo-mo body and facial blows, check; but wins the day and is victorious, check; and the principle characters all have their own little side story to deal with along the way too, check! Despite the predictable formulaic nature of this franchise as described, it is nonetheless a well executed sequel to 'Creed' that has strong performances from Jordan and Stallone once more especially, the fight scenes are well choreographed and excitingly shot from a myriad of angles, and the film has heart and conviction that invests you in the characters, their lives, challenges, triumphs and emotions. Certainly worth the price of your ticket.

'Creed II' warrants three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 29th November 2018.

The tenth annual AMPAS (Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences) Governors Awards were presented in a scaled back presentation ceremony on Sunday 18th November out of respect for those that perished, are still missing, were injured and/or lost their homes in the recent devastating Californian wild fires. Held in the Grand Ballroom of the Hollywood and Highland Centre in Hollywood, the event was nonetheless attended by a Who's Who of the film industry who amassed for the presentation of the three Honorary Oscars and the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award.

The three Honorary Oscars were presented to :
* Cicely Tyson, Actress. At 93 years of age, Cicely Tyson has 91 Acting credits to her name gained over a career spanning seven decades, and still going strong.
* Lalo Schifrin, Film Composer. This Argentinian born composer has written the soundtrack to over 130 film and television shows since starting out his career in the early '60's.
* Martin Levy, Publicist. For getting films out there, known and recognised by the film going public, the Critics and the people that matter. Levy has worked with Director Steven Spielberg for forty years.

The Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award was presented to :
* Kathleen Kennedy and Frank Marshall, Film Producers. In 1981, Kennedy co-founded the production company Amblin Entertainment with Steven Spielberg and future husband Frank Marshall whom she married in 1987. In 1992, she co-founded The Kennedy/Marshall Company with her husband Frank Marshall, and in 2012, she became the President of Lucasfilm after The Walt Disney Company acquired the company for over US$4B. Earlier this year, her contract was renewed for three more years.

Turning attention to this weeks four latest releases movies coming to an Odeon near you, we kick off with a pugilists eye view of one of the greatest boxing rematches in sports movie history set 33 years after that initial bout cost a champion his life. Now his son is back in the ring determined to make amends and settle the score with an age old foe, and his son in turn. Next up is a French film about how a small peaceful yet struggling farming community is given an opportunity to take part in a photo shoot . . . with a difference! We then turn to a no holds barred offering from an acclaimed documentarian exploring what it must be like to live in a relationship with more than one partner, as seen from the perspective of one American city where such behaviour is becoming increasingly commonplace. Wrapping up the week and just ahead of the Christmas rush, is a CGI animated feature about a children's favourite character and how he intends to steal Christmas and all the good cheer that goes with it.

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.

'CREED II' (Rated M) - this sports drama film probably needs little introduction. After all it is the sequel to 2015 highly acclaimed 'Creed' film as Directed and Written by Ryan Coogler and Co-Produced and starring Sylvester Stallone in his seventh turn as our titular pugilist hero Rocky Balboa. That film cost US$40M to make, grossed US$174M and picked up a whole slew of awards and nominations along the way. Now the team reunite for 'Creed II' the eighth film in the 'Rocky' franchise, but this time Directing duties are given over to Steven Caple Jnr. in only his second feature film outing as Director. Ryan Coogler takes an Executive Producer credit and Sylvester Stallone takes on the role once more as Rocky Balboa, Co-Wrote the Screenplay and also Co-Produces.

Back in 1985, in 'Rocky IV', the Soviet boxer Ivan Drago (Dolph Lundgren) killed former heavyweight boxing champion Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) during an exhibition match in Las Vegas. Later that year, Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone) defeated Ivan Drago at a match on Christmas Day in the Soviet Union. Now 33 years later, Apollo Creed's son Adonis (Michael B. Jordan), with Rocky's training, advice and guidance, seeks to avenge his father's death by fighting Drago's son Viktor (Florian Munteanu) while at the same time, Ivan hopes to avenge his honour through Viktor. Also starring Tessa Thompson, Brigitte Neilsen, Phylicia Rashad, Evander Holyfield, Sugar Ray Leonard and various other personalities from the boxing fraternity to add authenticity. The film was released in the US last week, cost US$50M to Produce, has so far recovered US$59M and has received generally positive Reviews from Critics.

'NORMANDY NUDE' (Rated M) - this French foreign language offering is Directed by Philippe Le Guay who also Co-Wrote the Screenplay based on his own original idea. Here the peaceful, quiet and very rural farming community town of Le Mele-sur-Sarthe, in Normandy, France is experiencing a crisis. Dairy and livestock prices have fallen through the floor because of cheap imports, and the local farmers are being threatened by the banks to deliver on their debts or face foreclosure. The Mayor Georges Balbuzard (Francois Cluzet) is doing his utmost to thwart the banks and raise awareness of their collective plight. But the media is hardly interested in such a small community. Until that is, a world famous photographer, Newman (Toby Jones) happens to stumble through the village and spies the perfect backdrop for his next shoot. Seeing a rare opportunity, Balbuzard needs to convince his fellow villagers, all two hundred or so of them, to unite for the purposes of a photograph. But, there is of course more to this simple photo than meets the eye, and the well intentioned Mayor will have some convincing to do to persuade the locals to participate en masse.

'LOUIS THEROUX : LOVE WITHOUT LIMITS' (Rated M) - acclaimed documentary Writer and Producer Louis Theroux travels to Portland, Oregon, which sits pretty much at the heart of a campaign seeking to re-write the rule book in terms of how we conduct intimate relationships and manage family life. For Portland, whose city motto is Keep Portland Weird, is seen as the US capital of polyamory and ethical non-monogamy - the practice of clearly and openly having multiple relationships that stretch beyond just sex. Louis entrenches himself with families who have committed to open up their relationships in a number of different ways; whether inviting others into existing relationships or allowing partners to seek romance with others. He discovers that for many, more partners means more love and more happiness, while for some, multiple relationships have led to jealousy, upset and broken hearts. This is the first part of a trio of documentary films under the banner of 'Altered States' and gets a limited theatrical release in Australia this week.

'THE GRINCH' (Rated G) - here we have those people at Illumination Animation bringing us this Christmas computer animated feature film based on the Dr. Seuss 1957 book 'The Grinch Who Stole Christmas' that was also made into a live action film in 2000 with Jim Carrey in the lead role. Directed by Scott Mosier and Yarrow Cheney here the story surrounds The Grinch (voiced by Benedict Cumberbatch) and his loyal dog, Max, who live a solitary life inside a cave on Mount Crumpet. The Grinch's main source of displeasure unfolds over the Christmas period when the good people of Whoville celebrate the holidays in style. When young Cindy Lou Who and her mother Donna Lou Who (Cameron Seely and Rashida Jones respectively) decide to make this Christmas bigger and brighter than any that have gone before, the disgruntled Grinch hatches a plan to rain on their parade and gain some peace and quiet. With help from his trusted canine friend Max, the grumpy green Grinch dreams up a scheme to pose as Santa Claus, steal the Christmas gifts and silence the Whos' holiday cheer once and for all. Also starring Angela Lansbury and Pharrell Williams as the Narrator, this film cost US$75M to make, has so far grossed US$218M since its release in the US on 9th of this month, and has generated largely average Reviews so far.

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 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-

CREED : Saturday 5th December 2015.

Astonishingly way back 39 years ago in 1976, a young Sylvester Stallone, who wrote the screenplay for a film and a character that would forever becomes etched in cinematic folklore, burst onto our screens as Rocky Balboa - 'The Italian Stallion'. He was a down at heel no hope dead end lunk of wannabe Boxer from the poorer side of Philadelphia who against all the odds went onto to a world championship bout against Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). That film won three Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Directing for John Avildsen, and was nominated for a further seven awards including Best Actor and Best Writing for Stallone. It picked up another sixteen award wins and another fourteen nominations and propelled Stallone to super stardom in the years that followed. Subsequently there have been further Rocky films in 1979, 1982, 1985, 1990 and 'Rocky Balboa' in 2006. Those six films had a combined production budget of just US$119M and all up grossed US$1.27B. In the meantime and sticking with the pugilist theme, Stallone made 'Grudge Match' in 2013 with Robert De Niro and in 1978, 'Paradise Alley' - Stallone's Directorial debut, albeit about wrestling, but, still keeping it in the ring!

So this brings us to 'CREED' which I saw this weekend. Made for US$35M and Directed by Ryan Coogler, this film has so far grossed $59M since its US and Australian release just ten days ago. As the name suggests this film is less about Rocky and more about Creed, but is a spin-off from the successful 'Rocky' franchise and a sequel to the last film from 2006.

Our film opens in 1998 in a juvenile correctional facility where a young teenage black kid is beating up another. He is separated from the melee and confined. He is then visited by Mary Anne Creed (Phylicia Rashad) - Apollo Creed's widow, but the young lad has no idea who she is, because this young lad never knew his father and has been in and out of foster care all his young life. Until now, when Mary Anne agrees to take him in. We then fast forward to 2015, and this young lad Adonis 'Donnie' Johnson (Michael B. Jordan) has grown up into a fine figure of a man who works in a securities firm and is poised for promotion. But, he has fighting in his veins and a hunger in his heart for the ring and takes fights where he can get them, knowing that this is what he wants to do. So he quits his job with respectable prospects much to Mary Anne's chagrin and he leaves for Philadelphia to make a name for himself.

By now he has grown up with the knowledge of his father Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers) who we see only in archive footage when Adonis checks out the former heavyweight champion of the world on YouTube footage. This though prompts him to track down Rocky Balboa (Sylvester Stallone)  who he knows that whilst they were fierce adversaries in the ring they were good friends out of it. Rocky is still running his Italian restaurant named after his deceased wife, Adrian, where Adonis and Rocky meet for the first time. Here Adonis tells his story and how he comes to be on Rocky's doorstep seeking a trainer and a mentor, and who better than 'The Italian Stallion' himself - former world champion and long term friend of his father.

Rocky is unsure, and looking every one of his ageing years, and suffering the effects of brain trauma, he is no longer the man he was although he still has the fire in his belly, and feels a connection and a responsibility to this young Boxer, so after a few days he reluctantly agrees. What follows of course is a series of training montages in and out of the ring tracing many familiar steps seen in previous Rocky films, and especially the first instalments as a nod to Mickey Goldmill (Burgess Meredith), Rocky's former, and long term passed, trainer. Even Mickey's former gym still exists as a monument to Rocky Balboa albeit now expanded and modernised, and of course under new ownership.

Along the way Adonis, having moved out of his temporary digs into Rocky's modest home, hooks up with Bianca (Tessa Thompson) a singer/songwriter on the club circuit and soon the two become an item.  With plenty of training going on, a love interest on the side and Rocky being diagnosed with early cancer onset, Adonis is torn between getting in the ring for a title fight and getting Rocky back to health and fighting his cancer diagnosis with chemotherapy, which he is reluctant to do as it served no purpose for Adrian who died from ovarian cancer years before.

With this going on Rocky receives a phone call from the manager of 'Pretty' Ricky Conlon (Tony Bellew) - a Liverpool prizefighter and existing World Light Heavyweight Champion with the offer of a title bout in Liverpool, England at Everton Football Stadium. Time is running out for Conlon as he is looking down the barrel of a prison sentence and so this is likely to be the last bout of his career, so for him it's shit or bust! For Adonis, it is the chance to step out of his fathers shadow (which the world now knows about) and stand up and be counted on his own merits as a Boxer.

Going into the championship bout Adonis is clearly the underdog (as Rocky was originally in his first fight against Apollo) and expected to go down against Conlon in the first couple of rounds. Conlon is the cock sure champion and determined to mince his aspiring opponent into the mat. With Rocky in his corner giving him all the motivation he needs, Adonis sporting his fathers trademark shorts, Bianca ringside and Mary Anne at home watching on the big screen wine glass in hand and the rounds notching up toward 12, you just know that we have a repeat of that legendary Rocky/Apollo fight unfolding as it did then 40 years ago. Whilst the fight goes the distance, you'll have to watch for yourself to see who wins the night, and what becomes of the fighter and his trainer/mentor in the closing scene that once again nods back to those earlier films.

I enjoyed this film and it is a fitting continuation of the Rocky mythology that sees another chapter in the great Boxer's life whilst taking the franchise off in a new direction too. It is not up there with the 1976 film which for me will always be one of the all time classic boxing films up there with 'Raging Bull', but is a very respectable offering in the Rocky canon. It has all the usual touchstones of a Rocky film but these are not out of place and are well handled, and many of those characters and places from the previous four decades of Rocky history are referenced to maintain the story arc. There are also many similarities which are evident throughout, and as seen replicated too in 'Southpaw' earlier this year. Seeing Rocky ageing and battling the effects of chemotherapy treatment provide for some poignant moments, and although his resolve shines through despite his failing health, what this will mean for a further film, and how his story will be handled, remains to be seen.

Worth the price of your ringside seat for sure.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 26th November 2015.

Always searching to bring current, relevant, interesting updates to these humble pages I was keen to source some early predictions on next years Oscar's race three months out from the 28th February 2016 ceremony. The Hollywood Reporter is pitching its main contenders for Best Picture as 'The Martian', 'Bridge of Spies', 'Straight Outta Compton' which have been Reviewed previously within these pages, and the others which have yet to be seen Down Under, and they are 'The Revenant' starring Leonardo DiCaprio (7th January), 'Spotlight' starring Mark Ruffalo (28th January), 'Brooklyn' with Saoirse Ronan (11th February), 'Room' with Brie Larson (28th January), 'Joy' with Jennifer Lawrence (26th December), 'The Big Short' with Christian Bale (14th January), and 'The Danish Girl' with Eddie Redmayne (28th January). These remaining seven films are yet to make their presence felt in Australia and will be Previewed in future Posts, and will be released as indicated, but can be seen in other territories depending on where you reside on the cinematic globe. Watch out for further Oscar race updates in the coming weeks.

Sticking though with the week ahead, there are five new release movies coming your way that kick start with a long standing pugilist offering that brings this spin off tale full circle where the former champ becomes the teacher to an aspiring student that brings back many memories; then there is a another sporting story grounded in scandalous truth that shocked and rocked the world for the individual caught in the middle and the world of supporters betrayed; next up a power couple share screen time for only the second time in this 70's romantic drama set somewhere on a European coast. Following this is a family festive film featuring more comedic talent that you can shake a candy cane at; and to wrap up the week an animated feature of monsters, growing pains, and hotel guests.

With these as Previewed below, and those movies still out on general release and as either Reviewed or Previewed before, there are plenty of reasons to get to you local Odeon and take in some filmic entertainment. When you have had chance to do so, share your cinematic critique with us here at Odeon Online in the Comments section below this, or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your movie.

CREED (Rated M) - in 1976, a young Sylvester Stallone, who wrote the screenplay for a film and a character that would forever becomes etched in cinematic folklore, burst onto our screens as Rocky Balboa - 'The Italian Stallion'. He was a down at heel no hope dead end lunk of wannabe Boxer from the poorer side of Philadelphia who against all the odds went onto to a world championship bout against Apollo Creed (Carl Weathers). That film won three Academy Awards including Best Picture and Best Directing for John Avildsen, and was nominated for a further seven awards including Best Actor and Best Writing for Stallone. It picked up another sixteen award wins and another fourteen nominations and propelled Stallone to super stardom in the years that followed. Subsequently there have been further Rocky films in 1979, 1982, 1985, 1990 and 'Rocky Balboa' in 2006. Those six films had a combined production budget of just US$119M and all up grossed US$1.27B. In the meantime and sticking with the pugilist theme, Stallone made 'Grudge Match' in 2013 with Robert De Niro and in 1978, 'Paradise Alley' - Stallone's Directorial debut, albeit about wrestling, but, a variation on a theme!

So this brings us to 'Creed', made for US$35M and Directed by Ryan Coogler, which as the name suggests is less about Rocky and more about Creed, the younger, and son of now deceased Apollo Creed who Rocky fought in both 1976's 'Rocky' and 1982's 'Rocky II'. Adonis Johnson Creed (Michael B. Jordan) never knew his famous World Champion Boxing father Apollo, but nonetheless is following in his footsteps with aspirations of becoming a boxing champion. Knowing that he needs the proper coaching to stand any chance at a title, Adonis travels to Philadelphia to seek out Rocky, now retired and running his Italian Restaurant as he was in the 2006 film. Rocky sees a lot of Apollo in his son, and so agrees to coach and mentor him with a chance at a title bout, but will the young aspiring fighter have the strength, determination and attitude that made his father a Champion. I love a good boxing movie, so I'll be there for this next instalment in the Rocky saga that is already garnering much positive press.

THE PROGRAM (Rated M) - it was only a matter of time before this controversial and meaty recent real life story of sporting scandal made it to our big screens. Based on the David Walsh book 'Seven Deadly Sins' this film tells the story of Lance Armstrong, as Directed by Stephen Frears charting his cycling rise to fame, his seven Tour de France wins and with it his cancer beating, record winning, charity fund raising, inspirational writing, clean as a whistle persona. Until of course it all came tumbling down when the truth was outed that all along he was a drug taking cheat on the grandest scale. With Ben Foster starring as Armstrong and Chris O'Dowd as the British journalist David Walsh who all along suspected something was not quite right, but couldn't prove it, but pushed forward with his investigation nonetheless with dogged determination to reveal the truth. Also starring Jesse Plemmons as disgraced drug taking cyclist Floyd Landis, Lee Pace as Armstrong's long term Agent Bill Stapleton, Guillaume Canet as Armstrong's Italian medic Michele Ferrari, and Dustin Hoffman.

BY THE SEA (Rated MA15+) - Hollywood 'it' couple Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie star in this mid-70's set film Directed, Produced, Written and Starring Angelina with her husband Brad. This is only their second cinematic outing together after the 2005 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith' and this time they play a couple whose marriage is in crisis so they travel to France to rediscover each other, rekindle their relationship and repair the cracks that have appeared in the wedded lives. Jolie plays Vanessa, a former dancer, and Pitt is Roland, a writer who travel through France and while they linger longer at a beach side resort they begin to be drawn in by the locals and a honeymooning couple staying in the next room. Made for US$10M this has so far had a limited release only and is sure to be of interest for those who enjoy the European romantic drama films of the 60's and 70's, when this film is set.

LOVE THE COOPERS (Rated PG) - the first of the Christmas themed fare to grace our cinema screens over the coming festive season, this comedy offering boasts an all star line up comprising Alan Arkin, John Goodman, Anthony Mackie, Ed Helms, Diane Keaton, Marisa Tomei, Olivia Wilde, Amanda Seyfried, June Squibb, the voice of Steve Martin and pulled together by Director Jessie Nelson. Made for US$17M this films tells the story of four generations of the one family, the Coopers, who come together for their once a year festive gathering on Christmas Eve, but this year a series of unexpected events and visitors turn their celebrations and their festive cheer upside down and inside out. What falls out of the bottom is a new found appreciation for the meaning of family, relationships and the Christmas spirit.  Sounds like a Santa sack full of laughs!

HOTEL TRANSYLVANIA 2 (Rated PG) - the predecessor of this film was released in September 2012 off a US$85M budget grossing US$359M, and so on that basis it was a foregone conclusion that a sequel would follow. And it is, just in time for the holiday season. Once again Directed by Genndy Tartakovski, this animated feature was made for slightly less at US$80M and since its release in September elsewhere has already grossed US$420M. Bringing together the voice talents of again Adam Sandler, Mel Brooks, Kevin James, David Spade, Steve Buscemi, and Fran Drescher amongst others, the Hotel has now relaxed its rules about allowing only monster guests to stay, now admitting humans too, but in doing so Drac is concerned that his half-human half-vampire grandson Dennis is growing up without showing any of his vampiric tendencies. Drac enlists the help of his mates to coach, train and mentor Dennis in the way of the vampire, but Drac's Dad, Vlad pays a visit to the Hotel and has other plans in store for young half-blood Dennis and the human guests! Another sequel is already planned on the strength of this films success already - for September 2018.

With another strong choice of films offering sport, drama, comedy, romance, animation, something for everyone, and some familiar characters seen before, I will see you, at the Odeon!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-