What's new in Odeon's this week : Monday 26th December 2022.

As 2022 draws to a close it's a time to reflect on the cinematic year that was, and the hope for generally better times ahead in the new year, as cinema audiences have continued to stay away from movie theatres (particularly for smaller independent offerings) coming off the back of COVID-19 lockdowns, escalating cost of living impacts and the ever increasing competition from streaming services. This year I have Reviewed forty-four movies, Previewed 237 feature films and documentaries and paid my respects to 258 legends of both the small screen and the big screen who have passed away in 2022. All that remains for me to say is the very best to you for a very Happy New Year that is safe, healthy and prosperous, and wherever you are in the world, get out and watch a movie at your local multiplex or local independent movie theatre and support all those working tirelessly in front and behind the camera who like so many other trades and industries around the world, continue to do it tough but do it for the love of moviemaking. Thanks for your support this past twelve months and I look forward to bringing you more of the same content in the coming year.  

This week there are six new movie offerings coming to an Odeon near you, starting with a tale of two lifelong friends living on a remote Irish isle in the early 1920's who find themselves at a stalemate when one abruptly ends their friendship without any warning and with alarming consequences for both of them. Then we turn to a story of a cruise for the super-rich which sinks, leaving survivors, including a fashion model celebrity couple, trapped on an island. Next up, guided by instinct and spectral visions, an ambitious writer and amateur historian defies the academic establishment to unearth Richard III's 500 year long-missing remains buried under a car park. This is followed by a biopic of a singing sensation who rises from obscurity to international fame in the 1980's to become one of the greatest singers of her generation. We then have a live action animated film based on the 1965 children's book about a singing crocodile that lives in New York City; before closing out the week with an animated film that is a sequel to a 2011 film featuring Puss in Boots who discovers that he has burned through eight of his nine lives, so he embarks on an epic journey to find the mythical Last Wish and restore his nine lives.

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

'THE BANSHEES OF INISHERIN' (Rated M) - is a black tragicomedy film Written and Directed by Martin McDonagh, whose prior film making credits take in his debut in 2008 with 'In Bruges' and then 'Seven Psychopaths' in 2012, and the critically acclaimed 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' in 2017. This film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Venice International Film Festival on 5th September, where it received a fifteen minute standing ovation from the audience. Colin Farrell won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor and Martin McDonagh won the Golden Osella for Best Screenplay. It was theatrically released in Ireland, the UK, the US at the end of October and is released in Australia this week, having generated widespread critical acclaim and bringing in so far US$20M in Box Office receipts.

At the tail end of the Irish Civil War in 1923, on the remote fictional Irish island of Inisherin, Padraic Suilleabhain (Colin Farrell) is devastated when his long term friend and drinking buddy Colm Doherty (Brendan Gleeson) suddenly puts an end to their lifelong friendship. With help from his sister Siobhan (Kerry Condon) and a troubled young islander, Dominic Kearney (Barry Keoghan), Padraic sets out to repair the damaged relationship by any means necessary. However, as Colm's resolve only strengthens, he soon delivers an ultimatum that leads to shocking consequences. The film was named one of the best films of 2022 by the National Board of Review, and it has received a leading eight nominations at the 80th Golden Globe Awards, including Best Motion Picture - Musical or Comedy and Best Director.

'TRIANGLE OF SADNESS' (Rated M) - this satirical black comedy film is Written and Directed by Ruben Ostlund in his English language feature debut, and follows his success with his highly acclaimed multi-award winning and nominated 'The Square' in 2017 with Claes Bang, Elisabeth Moss and Dominic West. Here then, fashion model couple Carl (Harris Dickinson) and Yaya (Charlbi Dean, in her last film role before her untimely death earlier this year), together with a group of billionaires, are invited on a luxury cruise in exchange for promoting it on social media. When the yacht sinks they become stranded on a desert island with the group and a cleaning lady. In the fight for survival, old hierarchies are turned upside down since the cleaning lady is the only one who knows how to fish and who possesses the necessary survival skills. The film also stars Woody Harrelson, and saw its World Premier screening at this years Cannes Film Festival where it received an eight minute standing ovation and won the Palme d'Or and has so far picked up another seven award wins and nineteen nominations from around the awards and festival circuit. Release in France at the end of September, in the US in early October, in the UK in late October and only now in Australia, the film has so far recouped US$16.5M from its US$15.6M production budget and has garnered generally positive reviews. 

'THE LOST KING' (Rated M) - is a British comedy drama film Directed by Stephen Frears and Co-Written by Steve Coogan (who also stars here), based on the 2013 book 'The King's Grave : The Search for Richard III' by Philippa Langley and Michael Jones. Stephen Frears previous film making credits include 'My Beautiful Laundrette' in 1985, 'Dangerous Liaisons' in 1988, 'The Grifters' in 1990, 'High Fidelity' in 2000, 'The Queen' in 2006, 'Philomena' in 2013, 'Florence Foster Jenkins' in 2016, and 'Victoria and Abdul' in 2017. In this inspiring true story, amateur historian Philippa Langley (Sally Hawkins) believes she has made the archeological find of the century, the lost burial site of King Richard III, who has remained lost for over five hundred years, underneath a car park in Leicester. She takes on Britain's most eminent historians, forcing them to rethink the legacy of one of the most controversial rulers in English history. Also starring Steve Coogan. The film saw its World Premier at the Toronto International Film Festival in mid-September this year, and was released in its native UK in early November and has garnered mixed or average reviews. 

'WHITNEY HOUSTON : I WANNA DANCE WITH SOMEBODY' (Rated M) - is an American biographical musical film based on the life of American singer Whitney Houston, who died at the age of 48 in February 2012 and is regarded as one of the bestselling music artists of all time, with sales of over 200 million records worldwide. It is Directed by Kasi Lemmons whose previous film making credits include 1997's 'Eve's Bayou' with Samuel L. Jackson and Jurnee Smollett, 'Talk to Me' in 2007 with Don Cheadle and Chiwetel Ejiofor, 2013's 'Black Nativity' with Forest Whittaker and Angela Bassett and 'Harriet' in 2019 with Cynthia Erivo and Janelle Monae. This film celebrates the life and music of Whitney Houston (Naomi Ackie), one of the greatest female R&B pop vocalists of all time, tracking her journey from obscurity to musical superstardom. Also starring Stanley Tucci as Clive Davis (Houston's record producer), Ashton Sanders as Bobby Brown (Houston's husband) and Tamara Tunie as Cissy Houston (Houston's mother). 

'LYLE, LYLE, CROCODILE' (Rated PG) - this American musical comedy film is Directed and Co-Produced by Will Speck and Josh Gordon whose pairing brought us their debut feature film with 2007's 'Blades of Glory', then 2010's 'The Switch', 'The Power Inside' in 2013 and 'Office Christmas Party' in 2016. This film is an adaptation of the 1965 children's story of the same name by Bernard Waber. When the Primm family (Constance Wu as Mrs. Primm, Scoot McNairy as Mr. Primm and Winslow Fegley as young Josh Primm) move to New York City, Josh, struggles to adapt to his new school and friends. All of that changes when he discovers Lyle, an anthropomorphic saltwater singing crocodile (Shawn Mendes) that loves baths, caviar and great music. The two become fast friends, but when evil neighbour Mr. Grumps (Brett Gelman) threatens Lyle's existence, the Primms must band together to show the world that family can come from the most unexpected places. Also starring Javier Bardem as Hector P. Valenti, Lyle's owner. The film was released Stateside in early October, has so far grossed US$88M from a production budget of US$50M and has garnered mostly positive press. 

'PUSS IN BOOTS : THE LAST WISH' (Rated PG) - is an American computer-animated adventure film that is a direct/stand-alone sequel to the 2011's 'Puss in Boots', which was a spin-off of the 'Shrek' franchise and is the sixth instalment thereof. This film is Directed by Joel Crawford whose two previous Directing efforts are the TV special 'Trolls Holiday' and the 2020 feature film 'The Croods : A New Age'. Here daring outlaw Puss in Boots (Antonio Banderas reprising his role from the first film) discovers that his passion for peril and disregard for safety have taken their toll. Puss has burned through eight of his nine lives, though he lost count along the way. Getting those lives back will send Puss in Boots on his grandest quest yet as he embarks on an epic journey into the Dark Forest to find the mythical Wishing Star and restore his lost lives. But with only one life left, Puss will have to humble himself and ask for help from his former partner and nemesis, the captivating Kitty Soft Paws (Salma Hayek). In their quest, Puss and Kitty will be aided, against their better judgment, by a ratty, chatty, relentlessly cheerful mutt, Perro (Harvey Guillen). Together, our trio of heroes will have to stay one step ahead of Goldilocks (Florence Pugh) and the Three Bears Crime Family (Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone and Samson Kayo), 'Big' Jack Horner (John Mulaney) and terrifying bounty hunter, The Big Bad Wolf (Wagner Moura). The film was released in the US last week and has received generally positive critical acclaim. 

With six 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 14th September 2017.

The Venice Film Festival has recently wrapped its 74th year on 9th September. Founded in 1932 this Festival is the oldest and regarded as one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world, and is considered one of 'The Big Three' film festivals that really count on the circuit, alongside Cannes and Berlin. The Venice Film Festival generally takes place in late August or early September on the island of the Lido, Venice, Italy. Screenings take place in the historic Palazzo del Cinema on the Lungomare Marconi and in other venues nearby. This years festival took place from 30th August through until 9th September, with Annette Bening announced in July as the President of the Jury for those films in main competition ably supported by the likes of Rebecca Hall, David Stratton and Edgar Wright. The film 'Downsizing' starring Matt Damon, Kristen Wiig, Christoph Waltz, Alec Baldwin, Bruce Willis, Laura Dern, Jason Sudeikis and and Neil Patrick Harris and as Directed by Alexander Payne, opened the festival, and goes on general release in the US just before Christmas this year.

This years winners and grinners in main competition were as follows :-
* The Golden Lion for the Best Film of the Festival was awarded to 'The Shape of Water' by Writer, Producer and Director Guillermo del Toro. Set in 1962 where a mute janitor and her colleague work in a government laboratory and eventually discover an amphibious creature in a water tank. The janitor, out of loneliness, befriends the creature. Starring Sally Hawkins, Michael Shannon, Octavia Spencer, and Richard Jenkins, this film is due for release in the US in early December.
* The Silver Lion was awarded to French drama film 'Custody' Directed by Xavier Legrand and stars Lea Drucker, Denis Menochet, Thomas Gioria and Mathilde Auneveux.
* The Grand Jury Prize was awarded to 'Foxtrot' an Israeli drama film Written and Directed by Samuel Maoz, and starring Sarah Adler and Lior Ashkenazi about a well to do Tel Aviv couple learning that their soldier son has been killed in the line of duty, and the events that led up to their son's death and how it effected the parents in the aftermath.
* The Special Jury Prize was awarded to 'Sweet Country' an Australian Western film Directed by Warwick Thornton and starring Sam Neill, Bryan Brown, Matt Day and  Ewen Leslie.
* Best Actor awarded the Volpi Cup goes to Kamel El Basha for the French/Lebanese drama film 'The Insult' as Written and Directed by Ziad Doueiri.
* Best Actress awarded the Volpi Cup goes to Charlotte Rampling for the Italian drama film 'Hannah' as Written and Directed by Andrea Pallaoro.
* Best Screenplay was awarded to Martin McDonagh for his Written, Co-Produced and Directed crime drama film 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' starring Frances McDormand, Woody Harrelson, Sam Rockwell, Peter Dinklage and Abbie Cornish and due for release in the US in early November.
* Also starring in main competition were 'First Reformed' by Director Paul Schrader and starring Ethan Hawke and Amanda Seyfried; 'Lean on Pete' by Screenwriter and Director Andrew Haigh and starring Charlie Plummer (who was awarded the Marcello Mastroianni Award in recognition of an emerging Actor talent), Travis Fimmel, Steve Buscemi, Steve Zahn and Chloe Sevigny; the Italian/American co-production 'The Leisure Seeker' Directed by Paolo Virzi and starring Donald Sutherland and Helen Mirren; 'mother!' Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Darren Aronofsky and starring Jennifer Lawrence, Javier Bardem, Ed Harris and Michelle Pfeiffer and as Previewed below; and 'Suburbicon' Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by George Clooney and starring Matt Damon, Julianne Moore and Oscar Isaac and set for release in the US in late October. All up twenty-one films appeared in main competition, with a further twenty-two out of competition, and a further 46 in various other categories and special screenings.
* The Golden Lion Lifetime Achievement Award went to Robert Redford and Jane Fonda.

Turning to this week we have a haul of eight latest release movies coming to a cinema near you. Starting off with an origin story that could become the next big action franchise of a young Black Ops Counter Terrorism Agent with a very particular set of skills; then we move to an intense disturbing psychological horror film with a big name Director and a big name cast behind it; and then a highly rated tale set in the Yorkshire dales of northern England on a remote farm where a young farmer has his dead end life set right by a Romanian migrant worker. Then we go to a story of an up & coming rapper who has big dreams and aspirations of making it big and shrugging off the challenges that might prevent her from achieving her goals in life; followed by a historical drama of Queen Victoria and an unlikely servant with whom she forges a close and trusting relationship much to the disdain of those closest to her. Next up is a historical documentary of the civil rights and racial discrimination movement that marked 1960's America told from the perspective  of a man who was right in the midst of it; before wrapping up with two animated feature films that will be right on cue for your typical six year old.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the eight new 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 meanwhile, enjoy your big screen cinema experience during the week ahead.

'AMERICAN ASSASSIN' (Rated MA15+) - this action thriller is based on series of books written by Vince Flynn, with 'American Assassin' being published in 2010. Although it is not the first book in the series of sixteen so far, rather the eleventh, it is a prequel novel that establishes Mitch Rapp as the main character cementing his back story and how he ultimately comes to be an undercover CIA Counter Terrorism Agent. Rapp's primary focus is uncovering and undermining terrorist attacks on the US, and he is an aggressive, opinionated Agent prepared to take measures that are more extreme than might be usually deemed commonly acceptable. His ongoing frustration with procedures, policy and red tape is a major theme throughout the entire series. Vince Flynn died in June 2013 aged 47, and ongoing books in the series are written by Kyle Mills. Antoine Fuqua was originally brought on to Direct, when CBS acquired the movie rights to the series of books back in 2008. Then Edward Zwick was announced to Direct, then Jeffrey Nachmanoff and finally Michael Cuesta, who delivers this film now being released in the US and Australia this week at a budgeted cost of US$40M.

And so this origin story potentially setting up a film franchise (think 'Jason Bourne' and 'Jack Reacher') introduces us to Mitch Rapp (Dylan O'Brien) who was orphaned at the age of fourteen when his parents were killed tragically in a car accident, and who in later years proposes marriage to his girlfriend only for her to be gunned down and killed moments later in a beachside terrorist attack. Now at the age of 23 and seeking revenge, Rapp is recruited by Deputy Director for the CIA Irene Kennedy (Sanaa Lathan) as a Black Ops trainee. She in turn assigns Cold War veteran Stan Hurley (Michale Keaton) to train Rapp in the lethal ways of Black Ops. In due course the pair receive an assignment to investigate a wave of seemingly random terrorism attacks on civilian and military targets. Their discoveries lead them to join forces with a deadly Turkish Agent Annika (Sheva Negar) to halt a mystery operative known only as 'Ghost' (Taylor Kitsch) who appears Hell bent on starting a world war in the Middle East.

'MOTHER' (Rated MA15+) - this psychological horror film was Written by Darren Aronofsky in just five days, and is also Co-Produced and Directed by him too. His previous screen Directing credits include 'Requiem for a Dream', 'The Fountain', 'The Wrestler', 'Black Swan' and 'Noah' and so far during his career to date he has amassed 35 award wins and 79 other nominations. The film had its worldwide Premier at the very recent Venice Film Festival, and is released in the US and in Australia this week, and the early Reviews indicate generally widespread acclaim. The film here tells the story of a young woman's life, Mother (Jennifer Lawrence) and he husband, Him (Javier Bardem) who live a peaceful, tranquil life in the countryside in a huge mansion that they are gradually rebuilding after a devastating fire. She is working on the design and fit out, and he is a renowned poet and author suffering from writers block. One night unexpectedly a Man (Ed Harris) turns up at their front door enquiring if their house is a Bed & Breakfast establishment, and asks to stay anyway when he learns its not. He strikes up an instant rapport with Him, much to Mother's chagrin. Then the mans wife shows up, Woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) with her two sons (played by real life brothers Domhnall and Brian Gleeson) who start to undermine Mother. What ensues when it all turns nasty is a story of love, devotion, sacrifice, hope and bloody surprises that will keep you guessing at every turn.

'GOD'S OWN COUNTRY' (Rated MA15+) - this British Drama film is Written and Directed by first timer Francis Lee, and has been critically acclaimed and has so far won eight awards around the film festival circuit including Berlin, Edinburgh and Sundance, and been nominated for seven others. The film was made for a budgeted GB£1M and has been described in The Times Newspaper as the 'Yorkshire Brokeback Mountain'. The story takes us to remote Yorkshire and a farm there where Johnny Saxby (Josh O'Connor) is a mid-twenty year old no hoper lad living a dead beat life on the family farm with his father Martin Saxby (Ian Hart) and his Grandmother Deirdre Saxby (Gemma Jones). Martin has suffered a stroke in the recent past and is largely incapacitated, and Deirdre is too old to attend to the daily routines on the farm, so much of the day to day workload falls to Johnny. To while away what little personal time he does have, Johnny drinks to excess often alone at the local pub, and engages in casual sex with one night stands that he has forgotten about the next morning. When Martin advertises for a farm hand to help out during lambing season, the only applicant is a Romanian migrant worker Gheorghe Ionescu (Alec Secareanu). Fairly soon, Johnny and Gheorghe strike up a friendship and then an intimate relationship that sets Johnny off on a different path altogether giving his life and his circumstances a new meaning.

'PATTI CAKE$' (Rated M) - Written and Directed by Geremy Jasper this film was made on a shoestring budget of just US$1M and screened in competition at this years Sundance Film Festival where the film also had its worldwide Premier. Here we are introduced to Patricia Dombrowski (Australian Actress Danielle Macdonald) aka, 'Patti Cake$, who is just about done with life in her New Jersey hometown. She has hopes and dreams to follow in the footsteps of her idol and hit the road to achieve fame and fortune as an aspiring rapper. With help from her best friend, a mysterious musician and her loving grandmother, Patti leads the charge against an army of staunch detractors, mounting bills that she can't afford to pay, and the shattered dreams that prevent her moving closer to making her dream her reality. Also starring Cathy Moriarty, Bridgett Everett, McCaul Lombardi and Siddarth Dhananjay. The film got a standing ovation at Cannes, and Danielle Macdonald's performance has been highly acclaimed.

'VICTORIA AND ABDUL' (Rated PG) - Directed by Stephen Frears whose previous credits include 'My Beautiful Launderette', 'Dangerous Liaisons', 'The Grifters', 'High Fidelity', 'The Queen', 'Philomena' and 'Florence Foster Jenkins', this film is based on he book of same name by Shrabani Basu, and on the real-life relationship between Queen Victoria (Judi Dench) and her Indian servant Abdul Karim (Ali Fazal). When Karim arrives from India to celebrate and take part in Queen Victoria's golden jubilee, the young clerk is surprised to find favour with the ageing Queen. As Victoria questions the restrictions and challenges of her long-held reign, the two forge an unlikely and close alliance that her household and those within her inner circle try to undo. As their friendship grows and becomes more deeply rooted, the Queen begins to see the world through a new pair of eyes, so re-establishing her humanity and humility. Also starring Eddie Izzard, Tim Pigott-Smith, Michael Gambon, Simon Callow and Olivia Williams. The film Premiered at the recent Venice Film Festival, is released in the UK and Australia this week and the US next week.

'I AM NOT YOUR NEGRO' (Rated M) - James Baldwin was an American Writer and Social Commentator who lived from 1924 until 1987. At the time of his death he was just thirty pages into his next book 'Remember This House' - intended to be a revolutionary, personal account of the lives and assassinations of three of his close friends, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X and Martin Luther King Jnr. Here Haitian documentary and feature Filmmaker Raoul Peck envisions the book James Baldwin never finished, by crafting an insight, narrated by Samuel L. Jackson, into the history of racism in the United States via Baldwin's recollections of those civil rights leaders and his personal observations of American History. The film had its World Premier screening at TIFF in September last year, was released in the US in early February and only now gets a limited release in Australia. The film cost a mere US$1M to make and has so far taken over US$7M at the US Box Office alone, and was nominated for the Best Documentary Feature film at this years Academy Awards and has so far garnered 22 award wins and 42 nominations. This stirring, thought provoking and insightful film has been critically acclaimed.

'THE EMOJI MOVIE' (Rated G) - Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Written by Tony Leondis for Sony Pictures Animation, this computer generated Sci-Fi comedy animated film cost US$50M and has so far grossed US$171M but has been critically paned, despite its ensemble voice cast that includes T. J. Miller, James Cordon, Anna Faris, Patrick Stewart, Sofia Vergara, Sean Hayes, Christina Aguilera, Steven Wright and Jennifer Coolidge. Here hidden away inside a smartphone, the city of Textopolis is home to all emojis. Each emoji has only one facial expression, except for Gene (T.J. Miller), an exuberant emoji capable of multiple expressions. Wanting to be normal like the other emojis, Gene enlists the help of his best friend and a notorious code breaker who together must travel through other apps downloaded to the smartphone, and in so doing discover a great danger that could threaten their phone's very existence.

'CAPTAIN UNDERPANTS : THE FIRST EPIC MOVIE' (Rated G) - this computer animated Superhero (of sorts) film is Directed by David Soren and is based on the hugely popular and successful series of children's books of the same name by Dav Pilkey. Produced by DreamWorks Animation at a cost of US$38M the film has so far recovered US$104M since its US release in early June. Here we have George Beard (voiced by Kevin Hart) and his best mate Harold Hutchins (Thomas Middleditch) who are two overly imaginative elementary school pranksters who spend hours in a treehouse creating comic books. When their mean spirited School Principal, Mr. Benjamin Krupp (Ed Helms) threatens to split them up into different classes, the mischievous boys hypnotise him into thinking that he's a superhero who fights crime wearing only a cape and a pair of underpants, aptly named Captain Underpants, and who is the subject of the boys comic book adventures. Also starring Nick Kroll as Professor Poopypants, the insidious villain in the piece intent on destroying Captain Underpants, and Jordan Peele as Melvin Sneedly, a child inventor who becomes Professor Poopypants unwitting sidekick.

With eight new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, taking in an action thriller, psychological horror, a remote farm love story, historical biographical drama, historical civil-rights and racism doco, a wannabe rap artist in the making offering and a couple of animated features remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephiles 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-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 5th May 2016.

This Sunday - 8th May - it is 'Mother's Day' - the day we celebrate our Mothers and the valuable contribution they make to our lives, our love for them, and how on this one day of the year they get the attention and the recognition they so rightly deserve, and which we often neglect for the other 364 days. With this in mind, if you want some 'me & my Mum' time, what better way than to curl up on the sofa at home and watch a feel good movie for a few hours on Sunday afternoon. Here's a few suggestions, in no particular order :-

• 'STEPMOM' - 1998 - Julia Roberts, Susan Sarandon, Ed Harris.Nominated for one Golden Globe.
• 'TERMS OF ENDEARMENT' - 1983 - Shirley MacLaine, Debra Winger, Jack Nicholson  and five Academy Awards and four Golden Globes including Best Picture.
• 'THE PARENT TRAP' - 1998 and a remake of the 1961 original. Starring Lindsay Lohan, Natasha Richardson and Dennis Quaid.
• 'THE KIDS ARE ALL RIGHT' - 2010 - Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, Annette Benning, Mia Wasikowska and Josh Hutcherson. Nominated for four Academy Awards, four BAFTA's, three SAG's, and won two Golden Globes including Best Picture.
• 'MERMAIDS' - 1990 - Cher, Bob Hoskins, Winona Ryder and Christina Ricci. Nominated for one Golden Globe.
• 'MAMMA MIA' - 2008 - Meryl Streep, Julie Walters, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth and Stellan Skarsgard and all the ABBA music you can muster and an idyllic Greek island. Nominated for two Golden Globes and three BAFTA's.
• 'THE SOUND OF MUSIC' - 1965 - Julie Andrews and Christopher Plummer and rolling Austrian mountains. Winner of five Academy Awards and nominated for five others; winner of two Golden Globes and two further nominations, and nominated for one BAFTA.
• 'STEEL MAGNOLIAS' - 1989 - Sally Field, Dolly Parton, Shirley MacLaine, Julia Roberts, Daryl Hannah, Tom Skerritt, Dylan McDermott, and Sam Shepard. Nominated for one Academy Award, one Golden Globe and won one too, and one BAFTA.
• 'FREAKY FRIDAY' - 1976 or 2003. Go the original for a very young Jodie Foster switching bodies with Mum Barbara Harris, or Lindsay Lohan doing so with Jamie Lee Curtis in the more updated version.
• 'BEACHES' - 1988 - Bette Midler, Barbara Hershey and Directed by Garry Marshall who has just released 'Mother's Day'. Nominated for one Academy Award.
• 'MOTHERS DAY' - 2016 - Jennifer Aniston, Julia Roberts, Kate Hudson, Jason Sudeikis, Timothy Olyphant and Directed by Garry Marshall - on general release now at the Odeon.
• 'AUGUST : OSAGE COUNTY' - 2013 - Meryl Streep, Julia Roberts, Juliette Lewis, Chris Cooper, Benedict Cumberbatch, Ewan McGregor and Sam Shepard. Nominated for two Academy Awards, two Golden Globes, three SAG's and one BAFTA.

This week there are five new release movies to get you out on an Autumnal night, and if none of these appeal then there are plenty of others to choose from still out on general release and as Previewed and Reviewed within these Posts. First ups we have two bio-pics recounting the stories of two extraordinary individuals from the same era that couldn't be more different if they tried. First up was an opera singer wannabe who believed she was great - but alas, no one else did, but, she still managed to sell out a famed Concert Hall; an then an Indian maths genius relocated to an English University whose legacy still lives on today. Coming back down to Planet Hollywood is a sequel to a successful comedy of two years back featuring new parents, rowdy student types, and a once peaceful neighbourhood. Then our foreign language film featuring a named Hollywood star that is a film within a film and how art and life collide with the Director on the edge; and wrapping up a nostalgic documentary about a man who saved a horse from the knackers yard and both rose to fame and fortune as a result.

Let your fellow readers and cinephiles know what you thought when you have sat through this weeks film of choice, by leaving a Comment below this or any other Post. In the meantime, enjoy the movies - and see as may as you can.

'FLORENCE FOSTER JENKINS' (Rated PG) - the lady upon whom this film is based was born in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania in July 1868 and she died in New York City aged 76 in November 1944. She is described as an American socialite and amateur operatic soprano who was known and ridiculed for her lack of rhythm, pitch, and tone; her aberrant pronunciation; and her generally poor singing ability . . . but it nonetheless made her famous and the subject of two movies released within a matter of weeks of each other. This one, and the French feature released in Australia on April 21st 'Marguerite' with Catherine Frot in the lead role playing a character based loosely on FFJ. This film version is Directed by Stephen Frears and stars Meryl Streep in the title role and Hugh Grant as stage actor, manager and partner of 36 years St. Clair Bayfield. Simon Helberg plays Cosme McMoon who was a pianist and composer and musical accompaniment to FFJ from the late 1920's onward. The film premiered in London in early April, is released in the UK this week too, and gets its US release in August.

FFJ firmly believes she is a good enough opera singer to wow a paying audience at New York's Carnegie Hall. She takes regular singing lessons, engages a pianist to provide the necessary accompaniment and would often entertain at home to gathered guests, or in recital halls to a growing audience captivated and secretly very amused by her tone deaf, rhythmless, pitchless rendition of some of opera's greatest aria's. No one had the gall to tell her just how bad she was - least of all her husband who would go along with her dreams and even bribe the critics to publish positive reviews of her latest performances. Reaching notoriety for all the wrong reasons she did sell out Carnegie Hall - this is the story of how she got there and why despite her complete lack of musical talent, which not even money could buy her.

'THE MAN WHO KNEW INFINITY' (Rated PG) - Directed by Matthew Brown this biographical telling of Indian mathematician genius Srinivasa Ramanujan is based on the book of the same name released in 1991 and written by Robert Kanigel. The man in question played by Dev Patel was born in Madras, India in December 1887 and died there aged 32 in April 1922. In the meantime, he earned a place an Trinity College, at Cambridge University during WWI where he became a pioneer of mathematical theories under the tutelage of mathematician G. H. Hardy (Jeremy Irons), and whose work remains as relevant today as it did one hundred years ago. Also starring Toby Jones, Stephen Fry and Jeremy Northam this is likely to do for maths on the big screen what 'A Beautiful Mind' and 'Good Will Hunting' did before it.

'BAD NEIGHBOURS 2 : SORORITY RISING' (Rated MA15+) - in 2014 the original film was released at a cost of US$18M with Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Rose Byrne, James Franco and Christopher Mintz-Plasse in the lead roles, and the movie walked away with a Box Office haul of US$271M. Therefore, it was just a question of time before that band wagon came rolling by once again, and so here just two short years later, is the follow-up. Directed once again by Nicholas Stoller, and starring largely the same crew except for Mintz-Plasse who has been replaced with Grace-Moretz. This time with their second child on the way, Mac & Kelly Radner (Seth Rogen and Rose Byrne) go head to head with the sorority sisters who have moved next door headed up by Shelby (Chloe Grace-Moretz). Enlisting the help of Teddy (Zac Efron) with whom Mac is now on good terms, the three need to devise whatever schemes they can to get the party-hard disruptive girls off the block so that peace can be restored and the young parents can enjoy a quiet life. But of course, the sorority girls next door won't go lightly into the night but will do so kicking & screaming and not without a fight.  Sounds hilarious!

'MIA MADRE' (Rated M) - this French/Italian drama offering is Directed, Produced, Written and stars Nanni Moretti and was released in France in December, in Italy in April and is selected in completion for the Palme D'Or at the upcoming Cannes Film Festival later this month. So far the film has picked up eight award wins and another 24 award nominations from around the circuit. Margherita (Margherita Buy) is a film Director working on her next project - a social-realist film about a factory strike. The film stars American/Italian Actor Barry Huggins (John Turturro) as the owner of the factory. Margherita is in conflict with Barry because he keeps fumbling his lines and is proving unreliable; the other Actors in the cast are anxious because they get poor Direction; she splits from her boyfriend who is also an Actor in the film; she is divorced from the father of her daughter; and her brother Giovanni (Nanni Moretti) has quit work to care for their hospitalised mother who has failing health issues. In crisis mode where life imitates art (or is it the other way round?) Margherita is torn between the busy unrelenting demands of her work and her beloved mother who may not be around for too much longer. Highly acclaimed combining sadness, humour, pathos, and emotional turmoil, this is described as Moretti's best film in years.

'HARRY AND SNOWMAN' (Rated G) - the Harry of this documentary is Dutch immigrant to the US Harry deLeyer who travelled there after WWII  having grown up on a family farm in Holland. He was offered a job as a riding instructor at the exclusive Knox School on Long Island, New York. By chance Harry happened on an Amish plough horse who was on its way to the glue factory, and so Harry purchased the old nag for just $80 and called him 'Snowman'. Within two short years, Snowman won the show jumping Triple Crown in 1958, appeared on the Johnny Carson show thereafter, had a growing fan club, was profiled in 'Life' magazine, had three best selling books written about him and in 1992 was inducted into the Show Jumping Hall of Fame - eighteen years after his death. Harry went on to become one of the most respected trainers and riders in the country, represented his country in Sweden in 1983, and today aged 85 is still active working out of his Virgina farm and affectionally known as the 'Galloping Grandfather'. This is their story, and is Written and Directed by Ron Davis, and so far has won six awards.

With five new offerings coming your way in the week ahead, and a whole bunch of other great content still out there, as always, feel free to share your comments and observations when you have sat through your movie of choice in the coming week - we'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, I'll see you at the Odeon.

-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-