VENOM : THE LAST DANCE - Tuesday 5th November 2024

I saw the M Rated 'VENOM : THE LAST DANCE' at my local multiplex earlier this week, and this American Superhero film features the Marvel Comics character Venom, is the sequel to 2018's 'Venom' and 2022's 'Venom : Let There Be Carnage' and is the fifth film in Sony's Spider-Man Universe. Those first two instalments grossed a combined US$1.36B off the back of a total production budget of US$220M, with the first film in the franchise being Directed by Ruben Fleischer and the second by Andy Serkis. This third and seemingly final offering is Written and Directed by Kelly Marcel in her feature film making debut. The film was released in the US and here in Australia a couple of weeks now now, cost US$120M to produce, has so far grossed US$326M and has generated mixed critical reviews.

Here then, Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy once again reprising his role and also taking a Writer and a Co-Producer credit) and his symbiote Venom are on the run down Mexico way getting drunk in some street bar, following their recent battle with Carnage. The murder of Patrick Mulligan (Stephen Graham) one of New York City's finest cops, makes international headlines with Eddie being named the prime suspect on national television which he sees just as he is exiting the bar, forcing him to set out to New York City in an attempt to clear his name. 

Unknown at this stage to both of them, a creature known as a Xenophage has begun tracking Eddie and Venom. The recent events draw the attention of Rex Strickland (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a soldier who oversees Imperium, a secret government operation at the site of the very soon-to-be-decommissioned Area 51 in Nevada some 130kms north of Las Vegas, for the capture and study of other symbiotes that have come to Earth. 

Mulligan, it is revealed survived his encounter with Carnage, is captured after being left for dead by another symbiote, who eluded Strickland's soldiers. He is bonded with one of many other contained symbiotes and questioned by Imperium researchers Dr. Teddy Payne (Juno Temple) and Sadie Christmas (Clark Backo), to learn about the symbiotes' purpose on Earth before Strickland is ordered to take Eddie and Venom down. 

Eddie and Venom cling onto the side of an aeroplane bound for New York City when they are attacked by a Xenophage who has been tracking them. A fight breaks out with many of the passengers inside the aircraft watching on in horror at the scene unfolding on the outside at 40,000 feet. Eddie and Venom lurch themselves off the plane, with Venom forming a parachute so that they can glide back down to the ground with a soft landing, which they do in the middle of desert terrain. 

Venom explains to Eddie that Xenophages were unleashed into the universe by Knull (an unrecognisable Andy Serkis), the creator of the symbiotes, to retrieve a Codex, which is forged only when a symbiote resurrects its host. This can free Knull from the prison the symbiotes trapped him in a very long time ago. Because Venom revived Eddie once before, he now carries a Codex that the Xenophage has now tracked to Earth. 

After being ambushed by Strickland and his team while barely escaping from them and the Xenophage, Eddie meets Martin Moon (Rhys Ifans), his wife Nova (Alanna Ubach) and his young son and teenage daughter of traveling hippies and alien enthusiasts who offer him a free ride to Las Vegas on their way to Area 51 for a last ditch attempt to find signs of alien life there. Meanwhile, Mulligan's new symbiote informs Strickland of Knull's intentions with the Codex, which can only be destroyed if either Eddie or Venom dies.

Arriving in Las Vegas, Eddie and Venom run into Mrs. Chen (Peggy Lu) at a casino on vacation and Venom shares a dance with her before being abruptly ambushed by the Xenophage again in her penthouse suite. Strickland's team of crack soldiers arrives, separates Venom from Eddie and flies them to Area 51 where Eddie is reunited with Mulligan. Sadie frees Venom, who re-bonds with Eddie after Strickland shoots him. This attracts the Xenophage to the base, killing Mulligan. Venom has the other confined symbiotes released, which bond with Sadie and other hosts to fight off the Xenophage, who has signalled to Knull that the Codex has been located. Knull sends more Xenophages through portals to Earth, overwhelming the symbiotes. 

Realising he must sacrifice himself to destroy the Codex and save the universe, Venom merges with the Xenophages, leads them into a nearby acid shower, and bids Eddie farewell before ejecting him. Strickland, mortally wounded from a Xenophage attack and being in too close a proximity to the acid shower raining down, pulls the pin on his grenades to destroy them and destroy Area 51 in a giant ball of flame. Payne bonds with a symbiote to save Sadie from the explosion while Eddie falls unconscious as the base burns to the ground.

Sometime later, Eddie comes round in a hospital bed, where a military officer informs Eddie that his actions with Venom at Area 51 have earned him an expungement, under the condition of keeping the events that unfolded there a secret until the day he dies, or risk being imprisoned in the coldest darkest place on Earth. Arriving in New York City, Eddie gazes at the Statue of Liberty, which he said he would take Venom to see, while remembering his former 'buddy'. 

'Venom : The Last Dance' is entertaining enough if your fan of the first two instalments in this franchise, or a fan of Tom Hardy or both, and is an enjoyable popcorn film that delivers on the thrills, spills and kills, has a few moments of emotion, a couple of laugh out loud moments and never takes itself too seriously. This movie is exactly what you would expect it to be - rather disposable and nothing that is really fresh out of the box that we haven't already seen, but for first time feature filmmaking Director Kelly Marcel she has turned in a serviceable conclusion to this franchise that overall in terms of global Box Office take has to date amassed US$1.69B off the back of budgets totalling US$340M, so I guess is a worthwhile exercise for Sony and Marvel. 

'Venom : The Last Dance' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

    

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THE BIKERIDERS : Tuesday 9th July 2024

I saw the M Rated 'THE BIKERIDERS' earlier this week, and this American crime drama offering is Written and Directed by Jeff Nichols whose previous feature films include his debut in 2007 with 'Shotgun Stories' and then 'Take Shelter' in 2011, 'Mud' in 2012, and 'Midnight Special' and 'Loving' both in 2016. This film is inspired by the photo-book of the same name by Danny Lyon, and depicts the lives of the Vandals Motorcycle Club, a fictionalised rendering of the Outlaws Motorcycle Club. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Telluride Film Festival at the end of August last year and was released Stateside on 21st June having so far grossed US$30M off the back of a US$35M production budget and garnering generally positive critical acclaim.

The film opens up in 1965, Kathy Bauer (Jodie Comer) meets Benny Cross (Austin Butler), a hotheaded member of the Chicago-based Vandals Motorcycle Club, in the clubs local bar, and the pair get married just five weeks later. Photography student Danny Lyon (Mike Faist) travels with, interviews and photographs the Vandals over a number of years. He learns from Kathy, that the founder, Johnny Davis (Tom Hardy), was inspired to form the club after watching Marlon Brando's 1953 film 'The Wild One' on TV. Johnny's leadership is challenged when he rebuffs another Vandal's suggestion that new chapters should be allowed to form. They engage in a fist fight which Johnny wins, and so re-establishes his authority and grants permission to expand the club. New chapters begin to form across the American Midwest.

In 1969, Benny is sat at a bar drinking alone and is approached by two men for wearing his clubs colours. A fight breaks out and the three end up out on the street in an all out brawl with Benny copping a real beating, and his foot is nearly severed by one of the men bringing a shovel down just above the ankle during the fight. Johnny forces the owner to provide the names of the men, and then promptly orders the Vandals to burn down the bar, while they stand and watch while fire crews and the Police maintain a safe distance seemingly too frightened to approach. In hospital with his foot bandaged up, Benny urges Kathy not to allow the doctors to amputate his foot. 

While Benny is recovering from surgery some three weeks later, Johnny pressures him to come to a motorcycle rally before he is fully healed, much to Kathy's chagrin. At the rally, up rides Funny Sonny (Norman Reedus) from the Dead Devil's Club in California and says that he's heard there's a rally going on and so he thought he make the journey and join in. Later that evening Johnny offers Benny leadership of the club when he steps down, but Benny rejects it.

A 20-year-old delinquent known as 'the Kid' (Toby Wallace) asks Johnny to allow him and his own small motorcycle club to join the Vandals. Johnny initially dismisses them saying their all too young, but tests the Kid by allowing only him to join. When he expresses willingness to abandon his four friends, Johnny rejects him, saying that club members never leave their friends behind. The Kid attacks Johnny with a knife, who beats him and warns him not to come back.

Fast forward to 1973, and Lyon interviews Kathy about what became of the Vandals. She explains that Johnny became disheartened after the death of his lieutenant Brucie (Damon Herriman) in a vehicular accident, and the club grew increasingly violent after drug-addled Vietnam War veterans joined the club. At a party, longtime member Cockroach (Emory Cohen) is badly beaten up by new members when he drunkenly expresses a desire to leave the club to become a motorcycle Police Officer. Kathy is nearly raped while Benny is occupied taking Cockroach to the hospital, but she is rescued in time by Johnny. Furious that Benny wasn't at the party to protect her, she demands Benny quit the Vandals. Instead, he leaves her for several days. To allow Cockroach to safely leave the club, Johnny takes Benny to stage a break-in at his house, where they shoot him non-fatally in the leg. Concerned over the escalating violence of the club and again rejecting Johnny's offer of leadership, Benny quits and gets the hell outta Dodge, leaving Kathy high and dry.

The Kid, now a member of the Vandals Milwaukee chapter, challenges Johnny to a knife fight for leadership the next night which Johnny has no option but to accept. Johnny swings by Kathy's house to see if she has heard from or seen Benny, to which she responds in the negative. Johnny goes onto the designated meeting place for the challenge armed with a knife and a knuckle duster only for the Kid to pull out a gun and shoot Johnny dead. Kathy explains to Lyon that after the Kid took over the Vandals, they became a large criminal gang involved in drug trafficking, prostitution and even murder. The older members either toed the line, left to obtain legitimate jobs, or died.

Benny, upon learning of Johnny's death, returns home and breaks down with Kathy consoling him on their front steps. He and Kathy relocate to Florida where Benny works as a mechanic with his cousin and stopped riding motorcycles as soon as Johnny was killed. Kathy tells Lyon that they are happy, and Benny doesn't miss the biker fraternity. Outside, Benny hears motorcycles roaring nearby and flashes a wry smile at his wife.

'The Bikeriders' boasts captivating performances from Comer, Butler (channeling James Dean) and Hardy (channeling Marlon Brandon) and Writer and Director Nichols has here crafted a film that is grounded and convincing in its depiction of late 1960's and early 1970's counter culture, the rebellious and often violent history of motorcycle gangs, and all of the raw emotion and masculinity that lurks just below the surface. 'The Bikeriders' is certainly worth the price of your cinema ticket if your looking for a throwback to a bygone era interlaced with a thumping soundtrack, great cinematography and a solid enough storyline to maintain your interest for its almost two hour running time. The film also stars Michael Shannon and Boyd Holbrook in strong supporting roles.

'The Bikeriders' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 4th October 2018.

The Adelaide Film Festival goes live on 10th October and runs for eleven days up to and including 21st October. The Adelaide Film Festival, in its current guise, has run since 2002 and is described as an international film festival held over two weeks in mid October, in Adelaide, South Australia. The film festival has a strong focus on local South Australian and Australian produced content. This particular Festival featured in Variety Magazine's Top 50 unmissable film festivals around the world, saying 'Of the planet’s 1,000-plus film fests, only a select few pack industry impact. A few dozen more, by virtue of vision, originality, striking setting, audience zest and/or their ability to mine a unique niche, also rank as must-attends'.

This year, the opening night presentation is 'Hotel Mumbai' Directed by Anthony Maras telling the true story of 26th November 2008 when a wave of devastating terror attacks throughout Mumbai catapult the bustling Indian metropolis into chaos. In the heart of the city’s tourist district, Jihadist terrorists lay siege to the iconic Taj Palace Hotel, whose guests and staff become trapped in a heroic, days-long fight for survival. Starring Armie Hammer, Dev Patel and Jason Isaacs.

The closing night feature presentation is 'Can You Ever Forgive Me?' Directed by Marielle Heller recounting the real life exploits of Lee Israel, a noted American author who became a literary forger and thief. The film stars Melissa McCarthy as Lee Israel who made her living through the '60's, '70's and '80's writing profiles of high-achieving women such as Katharine Hepburn, cosmetics executive Estée Lauder and journalist Dorothy Kilgallen and charts her subsequent life as she attempts to revitalise her sagging writing career in the '90's by forging letters from deceased authors and playwrights. She died in 2014 aged 75. The film also stars Richard E. Grant as her loyal and trusted friend Jack Hock.

Of the 84 feature films being screened over the eleven days, the International Feature Film Award values idiosyncratic voices, bold storytelling, creative risk-taking and overall fabulous films. Those films in competition this year are : 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs' Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen (USA); 'Beautiful Boy' Directed by Felix Van Groeningen (USA); 'Burning' Directed by Lee Chang-Dong (South Korea); 'Capharnaum' Directed by Nadine Labaki (France, Lebanon, USA); 'Celeste' Directed by Ben Hackworth (Australia); 'Emu Runner' Directed by Imogen Thomas (Australia); 'Girl' Directed by Lukas Dhont (Belgium); 'Memories of My Body' Directed by Garin Nugroho (Indonesia); 'Roma' Directed by Alfonso Cuaron (Mexico) and 'The Seen and Unseen' Directed by Kamila Andini (Australia, Indonesia, Netherlands, Qatar).

Needless to say there's a whole lot more great movie stuff going on down Adelaide way during their Film Festival, which you can check out at the website at : adelaidefilmfestival.org

This week we have just three new release movies coming to your local Odeon. We kick off with a new Superhero from the Marvel stable that does not sit within the realms of the MCU but rather is supplementary to it, seeing this human host taken over by an alien liquid parasite where the two must live in a mis-matched symbiosis and dispense their own brand of justice. We then have an art heist film that tells the true story of four likely University lads who hatch a scheme to rob a Uni library of some of its most prized, most rare and therefore most valuable books. And we wrap up the week with a telling of a famed Anton Chekov play brought to the big screen with an all star cast. 

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.

'VENOM' (Rated M) - a big screen version of this Marvel character has been in development since 1997 when David S. Goyer had penned a script with Dolph Lundgren set to star. That went nowhere, and then in 2007 with the release of Sam Raimi's 'Spider-Man 3', Venom made an appearance with Topher Grace playing the role, with a spin-off film focused on Venom being announced mid-2007. Subsequently over the following years the project was on again, off again, with various Writers coming and going, various Directors being attached and varying views and opinions as to where Venom should sit - in his own movie, as part of the rebooted 'Spider-Man' franchise, or even in the 'Avengers' universe. And so, finally, Venom gets his own big screen treatment as anti-Superhero based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name first appearing in 'The Amazing Spider-Man' comic edition in May 1984. This film is Directed by Ruben Fleischer, cost US$100M to Produce and is intended to be the first film in Sony's Marvel Universe, adjunct to the Marvel Cinematic Universe, where the two are unlikely to cross over but will complement each other and featuring other Marvel characters to which Sony own the film rights. 

And so, following a scandal, investigative journalist Eddie Brock (Tom Hardy) attempts to revive his career by investigating the Life Foundation which is headed up by genius inventor Carlton Drake (Riz Ahmed). Through his investigations he encounters an alien symbiote - an amorphous, liquid-like form, that requires a host, usually human, to bond with for its survival. After bonding with Eddie Brock, the symbiote bestows its enhanced powers upon him. When the Venom symbiote bonds with a human, that new dual-life form usually refers to itself as 'Venom', and in bonding with Brock, gives him super human powers and a horrific alter ego as long as they share the same body. Also starring Michelle Williams, Woody Harrelson, Scott Haze and Reid Scott. Tom Hardy has already signed up for a further two 'Venom' films, and there could easily be a cross-over into the 'Spider-Man' franchise that sees the two face off against each other, and not for the first time in their history.

'AMERICAN ANIMALS'  (Rated MA15+) - this true crime drama is Written and Directed by Bart Layton in only his second film making outing after 2012's 'The Imposter'. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Sundance Film Festival back in January this year, was released in the US back in early June, and in the UK in early September. It has so far taken just over US$3M and has received generally positive Press. This real life telling sees Spencer Reinhard (Barry Keoghan), Warren Lipka (Evan Peters), Eric Borsuk (Jared Abrahamson) and Chas Allen (Blake Jenner) as four friends who live an ordinary and uneventful life in Kentucky. After a visit to Transylvania University in Lexington, Kentucky, Reinhard and Lipka develop a notion to steal an extremely valuable edition of John James Audubon's 'The Birds of America' and other rare and valuable books from the university library by disguising themselves as much older businessmen. As one of the most audacious and daring art heists in U.S. history begins to materialise, the young men begin to question whether their attempts to add some excitement and meaning into their lives are simply misguided attempts at getting rich quick by selling their ill gotten gains to a black market dealer in Amsterdam. Also starring Ann Dowd as Betty Jean Gooch - the only person guarding the books in the special collections section of the library. 

'THE SEAGULL' (Rated M) - Directed by Michael Mayer, this American drama film is based on the acclaimed 1895 play of the same name by Russian dramatist Anton Chekov. Shown first at the Tribeca Film Festival in April this year and released in the US in mid-May the film has taken so far just US$1.3M and has garnered generally mixed Reviews. The story here unfolds with ageing actress Irina Arkadina (Annette Benning) who visits to her brother Pjotr Nikolayevich Sorin (Brian Dennehy) and her son Konstantin Treplyov (Billy Howle) on a picturesque lakeside estate during the Summer months. On one occasion, she brings along Boris Trigorin (Corey Stoll), a successful writer and her lover. Nina Zarechnaya (Saoirse Ronan), an innocent girl on an adjoining estate who is in a relationship with Konstantin, falls in love with Boris. What will become of this developing love triangle? Also starring Elisabeth Moss.

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-

DUNKIRK : Monday 24th July 2017.

I saw 'DUNKIRK' in its 70mm format in one of only 159 cinemas worldwide showcasing this film in this way, and I'd have to say, that this is the only way to see this film! Back in the early '90's Christopher Nolan and his future wife, movie Producer and film collaborator Emma Thomas, were sailing across the English Channel to Dunkirk, when the young Writer and Director hit upon an idea for a film, about the evacuation of British armed forces from the war torn beaches of Dunkirk in mid-1940. He committed his idea to a 76 page Screenplay, and then put the whole idea on hold until such time as he had gained sufficient experience in making big epic blockbusting action film fare - the like of which he has more than proven he can do over the subsequent years. However, rather than making a film about the war time politics involving Churchill and his Generals; or showing the Germans on the beach head taking out allied forces with their strategically located gun placements; or paint this as a victory; or bring in Uncle Sam to save the day, he chose to make a film with an all English cast and from three perspectives - the air (involving Spitfire and Luftwaffe dog fights), the land (on the beaches of Dunkirk), and the sea (the evacuation of 400,000 troops by the Navy and any able bodied sea man who could steer a dinghy across the Channel to aid the rescue attempt).

And so armed with an ensemble cast of fine and lesser known English acting talent, Nolan has created a WWII action drama film where the dialogue is thin on the ground and there is no character backstory, instead allowing the suspense to come through the details and the authentic fact based story contained within the scenes. Nolan also made extensive use of practical effects - employing some six thousand extras, amassing a flotilla of boats that had participated in the real Dunkirk evacuation, and using genuine era-appropriate planes for aerial sequences. The film centres around the evacuation of British, French, Belgian and Canadian troops who are pinned down by German forces on the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, and their evacuation between 26th May and 4th June 1940 in what was known as 'Operation Dynamo'. The film Premiered in London on 13th July and was released worldwide last week, having cost US$100M to make it has so far grossed US$122M and has met largely with widespread acclaim.

The film is a triptych, with each separate clearly defined story overlapping through their engagement with the enemy while recounting the heroics, the ever present danger, the chaos and the gritty determination of everyday airmen, sea men, soldiers on the ground and the British general public in their concerted rescue attempts as they come under a constant barrage of attack by land, sea and air from the German forces. Told in a non-linear narrative style covering three different time periods - one on land covering a week and staged at one of two Moles protecting the outer harbour at Dunkirk from which ships were able to dock to evacuate the troops; one from the sea covering one day as the Royal Navy commandeer private boats to aid the rescue attempt across the English Channel; and one from the air covering one hour as a small squadron of three Spitfires fly across the Channel to provide air support to the men on the ground in Dunkirk. As the film opens up, an introductory text tells us that in 1940, after the invasion of France by Nazi Germany, thousands of Allied soldiers retreated to the French seaside town of Dunkirk. As the surrounding British perimeter shrinks, the soldiers await evacuation, a seemingly hopeless situation.

And so to the Mole, on land, where we meet young British Private Tommy (Fionn Whitehaed) who after a close encounter with German snipers survives and makes it behind Allied lines to the relative safety of Dunkirk beach and the amassed hordes of British and allied troops eagerly anticipating their imminent evacuation. There he meets Gibson (Aneurin Bernard) and the two stretcher an injured soldier across the beach to a waiting ship evacuating the wounded. The two lads are denied entry to the outgoing ship, but the injured man is carried aboard. Tommy and Gibson stow themselves away under the infrastructure of the Mole hoping to sneak abroad the next ship. German attack planes descend on the Mole, sinking the outgoing ship as it is about to leave the dock. In the chaos, the boys are thrown into the sea and save young Alex (Harry Styles) from being crushed as the ship sinks. They get on another boat later that night, but that is torpedoed by a German U-Boat and this time Gibson saves Tommy and Alex. The next day the three lads join a small group of Scottish soldiers who have spied a grounded fishing trawler further up the beach outside of the Allied perimeter. Hiding inside the vessel waiting for the tide to rise to refloat the boat, they are set upon by German soldiers who use the trawler for target practice shooting many holes in the boats hull, to the extent that when the boat does finally rise it lets in so much water that the men have to abandon it soon afterwards. As the vessel sinks, Gibson becomes entangled in some rigging and drowns. Alex and Tommy swim for a nearby minesweeper, but it is bombed and sinks. They are eventually picked up by Mr. Dawson's (Mark Rylance) boat in the vicinity of the sunken minesweeper that has been leaking oil heavily into the sea. They narrowly escape being engulfed in flames as a German plane is shot down and crashes into the sea in a ball of flame so igniting the oil slick. Mr. Dawson picks up a boat load of oil caked survivors and heads back for the white cliffs of England, and home.

Meanwhile on the Mole, Commander Bolton (Kenneth Branagh) has taken charge of the proceedings as the pier-master to coordinate the rescue and evacuation efforts. Together with Colonel Winnant (James D'Arcy) they discuss Churchill's rejection of Germany's offer for Britain to surrender and his commitment to see to it that 30,000 servicemen are evacuated, and that smaller civilian vessels had been ordered to aid the evacuation attempt to save the larger fleet for the defence of Britain. As the last vestiges of the British soldiers had been evacuated by a flotilla of smaller English boats of every size and description, so Winnant departs expecting Bolton to go with him. But stoically, Bolton stays behind stating that 300,000 British troops had been evacuated, and he would see to it that the French were next to be rescued.

To the sea, and Mr. Dawson does his duty to King and country without hesitation and sets of his motor cruiser (the 'Moonstone') with his son Peter (Tom Glynn-Carney) and teenage deck hand George (Barry Keoghan). Soon after departing into the English Channel they spot three Spitfire planes over head. The vessel shortly afterwards comes across a semi-sunken ship with a lone survivor sitting on the hull of the upturned vessel. They rescue him and welcome the bitterly cold soldier aboard (Cillian Murphy) who is clearly shell shocked. The soldier becomes very agitated when he learns that Dawson is heading to Dunkirk and not to England and demands that the boat be turned around immediately, saying that he cannot go back there for fear of certain death. A scuffle ensues, George is knocked below deck injuring himself badly and the soldier is ordered to sleep it off below deck. Dawson continues heading toward France. En route they witness a Spitfire ditch in the sea, and going to its rescue they haul out RAF Pilot Collins (Jack Lowden) who was about to drown in the cockpit of his rapidly sinking Spitfire. They then come across a stricken minesweeper under attack by a German bomber, and manoeuvre the vessel to take on soldiers fleeing the listing ship and spilling oil heavily into the sea - among them Tommy and Alex.

In the air, RAF Pilot Farrier (Tom Hardy) and two others - Collins and their Squadron Leader fly low over the English Channel to provide air support to the troops on the ground in Dunkirk. Along the way they encounter a Luftwaffe plane which shoots down the Squadron Leader. Farrier and Collins continue towards France monitoring their dwindling fuel supply regularly. In another mid-air skirmish the pair take out another German plane, but Collins has sustained damage to his Spitfire and is forced to ditch at sea. Farrier continues on regardless unaware of what the outcome was for his flying mate. Getting closer to France Farrier must switch to reserve fuel now. He then witnesses the bombing of the minesweeper and the sinking of the trawler on which Tommy and Alex managed to swim free. Reaching Dunkirk he takes out the German bomber aircraft that was hampering the evacuation attempts, so saving ships and lives in the process. He runs out of fuel and glides along the beach to the rapturous applause of the soldiers below, seeking a landing spot on the sand. He brings his aircraft down gently on the sand but outside of the Allied perimeter. He torches his plane and as it erupts in a ball of flame with him looking on, so he is taken prisoner by German soldiers.

'Dunkirk' adds another dimension to the history of war films in cinema just as 'Saving Private Ryan' did in 1998. Without getting bogged down in the political agenda of the WWII era, or the labouring back story of the principle cast, or the rights and wrongs as seen by either side, here Christopher Nolan has crafted a war film that is very much of a moment in time from the perspective not of heroes, but of everyday men responding to extraordinary circumstances in differing situations. We have young foot soldiers doing what they can to survive - run, hide, duck and weave; we have an ageing father doing his bit for his country to help bring his boys back home in their hour of need; we have a fighter pilot with a do or die attitude; and we have a naval commander who simply gets the job done with the minimal amount of fuss and then hangs back to do it all over again. Knowing the truth behind the Dunkirk evacuation makes this all the more a grounded story, backed up by strong performances, a stirring score by Hans Zimmer, and masterful Direction and Cinematography courtesy of Hoyte van Hoytema (who also worked with Nolan on 'Interstellar'). If I had any criticism it would be that the characters are emotionally bereft. They are all stoic, stiff upper lip, never say die middle class Englishmen with their focus squarely on the job at hand, and a such it's a little tough investing in them, and, in addition what of the role of women here - women in this film are banished to handing out cups of tea and jam sandwiches to evacuating troops below decks, but history tells us that they had more important roles to play! All that said, the film is rousing, stirring, uniquely realised, and totally immersive, and a must see on the biggest screen you can possibly find, and ideally in 70mm.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 20th July 2017.

Over the last three weeks I have brought you my pick of the movies to watch out for during the latter half of 2017. In wrapping up this feature, how could we walk past the animated family friendly feature films also slated for release between now and December? Here they are - check on firm release dates and classifications as advertised, nearer the time.
* 20th August : 'Batman and Harley Quinn' - Directed by Sam Liu and Produced through Warner Bros. Animation, this will be seen in selected cinemas for one night only before its digital release the next day and home-video and DVD shortly thereafter. Starring Kevin Conroy as Batman, Loren Lester as Nightwing and Melissa Rauch as Harley Quinn.
* 14th September : 'Captain Underpants : The First Epic Movie' - Directed by David Soren and Produced by DreamWorks Animation, this was released in the US in early June, and is based on the popular Dav Pikey series of kids books. Starring Ed Helms as Captain Underpants, with Kevin Hart, Thomas Middleditch, Nick Kroll and Jordan Peele.
* 14th September : 'The Emoji Movie' - Directed by Tony Leondis, and Produced by Sony Pictures Animation and starring T. J. Miller, James Cordon, Anna Faris, Sofia Vergara, Patrick Stewart and Christina Aguilera.
* 21st September : 'The Lego Ninjago Movie' - Directed by Charlie Bean and Produced by Warner Bros. Animation and stars Dave Franco, Justin Theroux, Michael Pena, Jackie Chan and Olivia Munn in this second spin off from 2014's 'The Lego Movie' and the first film based on an original Lego product.
* 19th October : 'The Son of Bigfoot' - Directed by Jeremy Degruson and Ben Stassen this French/Belgian Co-Production stars Cal Brunker, Joey Camen, Joe Thomas, Bob Barlen, and David Epstein.
* 2nd November : 'My Little Pony : The Movie' - Directed by Jayson Thiessen this Canadian/American Co-Production by Allspark Pictures and DHX Media, stars Emily Blunt, Sia, Taye Diggs, Zoe Saldana, Liev Schreiber and Michael Pena.
* 14th December : 'Ferdinand' - Directed by Carlos Saldanha and is Produced by Blue Sky Studios and 20th Century Fox Animation and stars John Cena, Bobby Cannavale, David Tennant, Kate McKinnon and Gina Rodriguez.
* 21st December : 'Paddington 2' - Directed and Co-Written by Paul King, this follow up to 2014's 'Paddington' is Produced by Heyday Films and StudioCanal and is a combination of live action and CGI and stars Ben Whishaw voicing the Bear, Hugh Grant, Hugh Bonneville, Brendan Gleeson, Jim Broadbent, Peter Capaldi, Julie Walters, Sally Hawkins and Imelda Staunton.
* 26th December : 'Coco' - Directed by Lee Unkrish and based on a story by him too, Produced by Pixar Animation Studios and starring Anthony Gonzales, Gael Garcia Bernal, Benjamin Bratt, Edward James Olmos and Cheech Marin.
* 26th December : 'Rock Dog' - Directed and Co-Wriiten for the screen by Ash Brannon, this Chinese/American Co-Production comes from Mandoo Pictures and Huayi Brothers and stars Luke Wilson, Eddie Izzard, Matt Dillon, Sam Elliott and J. K. Simmons. It Premiered in China in July 2016, was released in the US in February and only now comes to Australia, having grossed US$21M from its US$60M budget.

And so to this current week, there are four new movie offerings to tempt you out on a cool mid-Winter's afternoon or evening. We launch with a wartime drama about an epic rescue effort of allied troops, told with epic story telling style and featuring an epic cast; then a comedy about a road trip that turns all gourmet and flirtatious on the back roads of France; followed by a horror music box that makes its owner's wishes come true, but be careful what you wish for; before wrapping up with this doco charting the life and times of an influential Aussie rock band of the '70's that burst onto the scene with the advent of the punk rock movement.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the four new releases as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are here warmly invited to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your cinematic experience in the coming week.

'DUNKIRK' (Rated M) - back in the early '90's Christopher Nolan and his future wife, movie Producer and film collaborator Emma Thomas, were sailing across the English Channel to Dunkirk, when the young Writer and Director hit upon an idea for a film, about the evacuation of British armed forces from the war torn beaches of Dunkirk in mid-1940. He committed his idea to a 76 page Screenplay, and then put the whole idea on hold until such time as he had gained sufficient experience in making big epic blockbusting action film fare - the like of which he has more than proven he can do over the subsequent years. However, rather than making a film about the war time politics involving Churchill and his Generals; or showing the Germans on the beach head taking out allied forces with their strategically located gun placements; or paint this as a victory; or bring in Uncle Sam to save the day, he chose to make a film with an all English cast and from three perspectives - the air (involving Spitfire dog fights), the land (on the beaches of Dunkirk), and the sea (the evacuation of 400,000 troops by the Navy and any able bodied sea man who could steer a dinghy across the Channel to aid the rescue attempt).

And so armed with an ensemble cast of fine and lesser known English acting talent, Nolan has created a WWII action drama film where the dialogue is thin on the ground instead allowing the suspense to come through the details and the authenticity contained with the scenes. Nolan also made extensive use of practical effects - employing some six thousand extras, amassing a flotilla of boats that had participated in the real Dunkirk evacuation, and using genuine era-appropriate planes for aerial sequences. The film centres around the evacuation of British, French, Belgian and Canadian troops who are pinned down by German forces on the beaches and harbour of Dunkirk, and their evacuation between 26th May and 4th June 1940 in what was known as 'Operation Dynamo'. Starring  Tom Hardy, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance, Harry Styles, James D'Arcy and Fionn Whitehead. The film Premiered in London on 13th July and gets its worldwide release this week. Expectations are high - both commercially and critically, and the film is also released in 70mm format at selected cinemas.

'PARIS CAN WAIT' (Rated PG) - 81 year old Eleanor Coppola, the wife of Francis Ford Coppola and mother to Sofia Coppola here Directs, Writes and Co-Produces this comedy about husband and wife team Anne (Diane Lane) and Michael (Alec Baldwin) - a prominent movie Producer. The couple are in Cannes attending the Film Festival with Michael's business partner Jacques (Arnaud Viard). After the Festival ends, Anne and Michael are due to fly to Paris, but this plan is scuppered by a last minute delay by a call for Michael to go to Budapest. Anne suffers an ear infection, and so the pilot suggests that Anne should not fly. Instead Arnaud offers to drive Anne to Paris, while Michael goes to Budapest and they can all rendezvous in Paris later on. What should only be a relatively short car journey soon morphs into a pleasant leisurely trip as Jacques, a French food lover, who can't resist taking any opportunity he can to stop frequently en route to sample new and interesting food delights. He  openly flirts with Anne too, which she finds quite flattering until she begins to question his motives when he uses her credit card to foot every bill for the gourmet foods they are sampling. The film Premired at the Toronto Film Festival in September last year, had its US release in May and has so far recovered just over US$5M from its US5M budget outlay.

'WISH UPON' (Rated M) - here we have a supernatural horror film from Director John R. Leonetti who has a history spanning 25 years as Cinematographer and has turned his hand on several occasions in the past to Directing, on such films as 'The Butterfly Effect 2' the prequel to 'The Conjuring' with 2014's 'Annabelle' and now this evil lurking in a mysterious music box offering. Having cost US$12M to bring to the big screen, the film has so far taken US$2.5M and has received lacklustre Reviews so far. And so we have Jonathan Shannon (Ryan Phillippe) presenting his seventeen year old daughter Clare (Joey King) a gift of an old music box that is said to bestow upon its owner seven wishes. At first dismissive, Clare becomes captivated by its dark force when her life starts to radically improve with each wish granted. Everything appears to be sunshine and rainbows until she comes to realise that with every wish she makes, the people who are closest to her die in violent and elaborate ways. Be careful what you wish for!!

'DESCENT INTO THE MAELSTROM' (Rated MA15+) - this Aussie doco charts the life and times of Radio Birdman as Written and Directed by Jonathan Sequeira. In a 1974 Sydney a group of outsiders living and touting their musical abilities on the fringe of the Australian music scene get together and form Radio Birdman, with their over riding mission being to keep compromise from their art. Radio Birdman are ultimately turned off and kicked out of venue after venue but their determination to do things their own way, against the industry norm, is unfaltering, and motivates them together to become a family as much as a band. As a new underground culture of disaffected young teens gains a rallying point when Birdman start their own venue, 'The Funhouse', and release their own records, but in the end the intensity that drives Radio Birdman causes their break up in 1978. 20 years later they reform. Radio Birdman are the greatest band you have probably never heard of! Australia's pioneers of the underground music scene with their absolute commitment to their art and do-it-yourself attitude, they changed lives and their influence is still felt today. Featuring interviews with all surviving members of the band and not shying away from the internal conflict which sometimes fuelled the band’s performances, 'Descent into the Maelstrom' is crammed full of Radio Birdman music and rare archival footage and photos, some not seen for over 40 years!

More adult oriented fare this week ranging from wartime drama to gourmet road trip comedy to horror to music doco. With these, and those other offerings still out on general release, there are plenty of reasons to get out amongst it to your local multiplex or independent theatre. Remember to share your thoughts afterwards with your like minded cinephiles here at Odeon Online, and in the meantime, I'll see you somewhere sometime in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-