VIOLENT NIGHT : Tuesday 13th December 2022.

To get myself into the Christmas spirit, I saw the MA15+ Rated 'VIOLENT NIGHT' this week. This American Christmas fantasy black comedy action film is Directed by Tommy Wirkola whose previous feature film making offerings include 'Dead Snow' in 2009, 'Hansel & Gretel : Witch Hunters' in 2013, 'Dead Snow 2 : Red vs. Dead' in 2014, 'What Happened to Monday' in 2017 with Noomi Rapace, Glenn Close and Willem Dafoe, and 'The Trip' in 2021 with Noomi Rapace again. This film saw its World Premiere at the New York Comic Con on 7th October and was released here in Australia and the US on the 1st and 2nd December respectively. It cost US$20M to produce, has so far grossed US$46M and has generated largely positive reviews.

The films opens up on Christmas Eve in a pub somewhere in Bristol, England, with Santa Claus (David Harbour) sat at the bar lamenting the fact that children have become increasingly materialistic, and increasingly unaware that he actually does exist. He's chatting to the barmaid and another (faux) Santa Claus who has just come of his shift, when he decides to leave saying that he still has much work to do but seriously under the influence of a few too many pints of beer. He goes up to the roof of the bar and there waiting for him is his sleigh and reindeer. As he takes off the barmaid appears on the roof to see Santa circling above, when he vomits over the side of his sleigh right on to the upturned barmaids face. 

In Greenwich, Connecticut, Jason Lightstone (Alex Hassell), his separated wife Linda Matthews (Alexis Louder), and their daughter Trudy (Leah Brady) visit his mother Gertrude's (Beverly D'Angelo) mansion set in its own gated community to celebrate Christmas with his alcoholic sister Alva (Edi Patterson), her new boyfriend and wannabe-action movie star Morgan Steel (Can Gigandet), and Alva's online influencer young teenage son Bertrude (Alexander Elliot). 

Following a somewhat frosty and strained Christmas Eve reception Jason and Linda take Trudy to bed, but Linda berates her estranged husband for not taking their daughter to the Mall this year to see Santa, so how can he know what presents to bring her. Jason asks for five minutes while he goes down to the games room, and rummages through a cupboard containing their old games and toys. He returns minutes later with an old walkie talkie for Trudy to talk directly to Santa, but for her to be mindful that he may be too busy to reply. They bid their daughter goodnight, and listen in at the door as Trudy asks Santa for just one wish - for the family to get back together again.

Continuing his journey to deliver Christmas gifts, a somewhat drunken Santa eventually arrives at the Lightstone estate. Parking his sleigh and reindeer on the roof of the mansion, he descends down the chimney stack and is greeted by a glass of skimmed milk and home baked cookies. He takes one sip of the milk and instantly discards it, helping himself instead to an aged whiskey from the bar in which he finds himself whilst chomping down on the cookies. The caterer's meanwhile, hired to lay on a lavish food and beverage spread for the evening, reveal themselves to be a group of highly trained and motivated mercenaries led by one Mr. Scrooge (John Leguizamo), who set about killing the household staff and taking the family hostage. Santa is discovered by one of the mercenaries, whose rapid gunfire through the ceiling scares away the reindeer. The pair fight until Santa knocks him out of a window to his death. Stranded, Santa decides to save Trudy and her family from Scrooge, who demands the US$300M in cash that is sitting in the mansion's vault. Santa gets into another fight and kills another henchman and takes his radio, coming across Trudy's channel, and finds the mercenaries on his magical naughty scroll. 

Trudy's walkie-talkie is later  discovered, and Jason tells their captors for fear of him being tortured that she is simply playing make-believe and declares that Santa is not real, causing her to run and hide in the attic. Santa reassures Trudy over the radio that he is indeed real, and revealing that he was once Nikamund the Red, a bloodthirsty Viking warrior, and how he now finds solace in his thousand plus years of marriage to Mrs. Claus. One of the henchman, Krampus (Brendan Fletcher), forces the family to hand out their gifts to Gertrude, who is surprised by a card from Jason, and keeps his message to herself choosing not to share his words with Alva. Wounded, Santa is captured by Scrooge, who bears a childhood grudge from when he was ten or eleven, against Christmas. Santa's knowledge of their real identities convinces two other lead mercenaries Gingerbread (Andre Eriksen) and Candy Cane (Mitra Suri) that he is real, and he uses his magic to escape up through the chimney.

Gertrude's private extraction team, also known as her own private 'kill squad', arrive, led by Commander Thorp (Mike Dopud), but they are in cahoots with Scrooge and kill Morgan as he attempted to escape. Opening up the vault, Scrooge and Thorp discover it empty. In turn Scrooge threatens Linda, and Jason confesses that he stole the money and was planning to flee with his wife and daughter, which he explained in his Christmas card to his mother. He reveals the money hidden in a nativity scene outside in the grounds. Gertrude forgives his treason as a family rite of passage. Retreating to a shed, Santa finds a sledgehammer and one by one brutally slaughters the kill squad. Trudy creates booby traps inspired by the 'Home Alone' film which she saw the previous day, which leads to Gingerbread's death, and as Candy Cane prepares to shoot Trudy, she is killed by Santa. Scrooge gives the order to kill the hostages, but Alva, Linda, and Bert manage to kill Krampus instead by beating him to death with fireside tools and stabbing him through the neck with a poker. 

Scrooge and Thorp flee into the woods on snow-mobiles with the bags containing the money and a captive Gertrude, chased down by Santa. Linda kills the last mercenary back at the nativity scene, and Trudy sees her parents reunite with a kiss. Lured by Scrooge, Santa crashes his snow-mobile into a cabin, and Scrooge finds himself on the naughty list and acknowledges Santa is real, but is determined to kill him and put an end to Christmas once and for all. They fight, and Scrooge gains the upper hand, but Santa uses his magic to drag him up the cabin's chimney stack, crushing and eviscerating Scrooge.

Santa is shot several times by Thorp, who is in turn shot through the head by Gertrude. As Santa lies dying in the snow, he remarks that he feels cold for the first time in a very long time. Jason burns a few hundred thousand dollars of the cash to keep him warm much to Alva's disgust, but Santa falls victim to his wounds. Trudy inspires her family to all declare their new found belief in Santa, and he is revived, admitting that he still does not really understand how Christmas magic works. His reindeer return, and Santa bids farewell to Trudy before flying off to finish delivering gifts, his faith in the spirit of Christmas restored.

I have to say that going into this movie my expectations were not particularly high, but I was pleasantly surprised by 'Violent Night' and the lashings of comedy, interwoven with over the top action and violence and bloodthirsty horror that make for a more than satisfying antidote to all the festive fun and frolics. David Harbour as a sledgehammer wielding Santa whose heart is firmly in the right place is perfectly cast, and John Leguizamo as Scrooge is sufficiently over the top as the villain in the piece who ultimately gets his comeuppance in the most gruesome of ways. This film doesn't add anything new to the genre that we haven't already seen in 1990's 'Home Alone' and 'Die Hard 2 : Die Harder' films, but for a bone crunching blood soaked tongue in cheek alternative Christmas offering that is a morality story at heart, you can add this to your Christmas stocking wish list and be entertained. 

'Violent Night' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 1st December 2022.

The 26th edition of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (aka POFF - Pimedate Oode FilmiFestival) took place from Friday 11th November until Sunday 27th November this year in the winter wonderland of Tallinn and Tartu in Estonia. Started in 1997, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival has grown into one of the biggest film festivals in Northern Europe and busiest regional industry platforms, hosting more than 1000 guests and industry delegates and over 160 journalists. The festival screens around 250 feature films and more than 300 short films and animations and sees an attendance of about 80,000 people annually. As of 2014 the festival holds the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations) accreditation for holding an international competition programme which puts the festival into the A-category of film festivals, alongside fourteen other such festivals in the world. 

In Official Competition were twenty-three feature films, comprising :-

* '578 Magnum' - from Vietnam and Directed by Dung Luong Dinh.

* 'A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On' - from Albania, Portugal, Greece and Kosovo and Directed by Gentian Koci.

* 'And Yet We Were All Blind' - from France and Directed by Beatrice Pollet.

* 'Ann' - from Ireland and Directed by Ciaran Creagh.

* 'Bungalow' - from Canada and Directed by Lawrence Cote-Collins.

* 'Cold as Marble' - from Azerbaijan and France and Directed by Asif Rustamov.

* 'DUCKS - an Urban Legend' - from Israel and Directed by Shahar Rozen.

* 'Ginji The Speculator' - from Japan and Directed by Ryuichi Mino.

* 'Driving Mum' - from Iceland and Estonia and Directed by Hilmar Oddsson. 

* 'Hit Big' - from Finland and Estonia and Directed by Jukka-Pekka Valkeapaa.

* 'Jailbird' - from Italy and Ukraine and Directed by Andrea Magnani.

* 'Lucky Girl' - from Ukraine and Germany and Directed by Marysia Nikitiuk.

* 'Night' - from Norway and Directed by Mona J. Hoel.

* 'Piece of My Heart' - from Netherlands and Belgium and Directed by Dana Nechushtan.

* 'Plastic Symphony' - from Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic and Directed by Juraj Lehotsky.

* 'River of Desire' - from Brazil and Directed by Sergio Machado.

* 'Sanaa' - from India and Directed by Sudhanshu Saria. 

* 'Sashenka' - from Ukraine and Directed by Olexandr Zhovna.

* 'Servus Papa, See You in Hell' - from Germany and Directed by Christopher Roth.

* 'Stiekyt' - from South Africa and Directed by Etienne Fourie.

* 'The Fox' - from Germany and Austria and Directed by Adrian Goiginger.

* 'The Punishment' - from Chile and Argentina and Directed by Matias Bize.

* 'The Wastetown' - from Iran and Directed by Ahmad Bahrami.

The winners and grinners of this years Official Competition were :

* The Grand Prix Award of €20,000 was presented to the Director and Producer of 'Driving Mum'.

* The Best Director Award of €5,000 was presented to Ahmed Bahrami for 'The Wastetown'.

* The Best Cinematography Award of €1,000 was presented to Adrian Teijido for 'River of Desire'.

* The Best Script Award was presented to Shahar Rozen and Dudu Busi for 'DUCKS - an Urban Legend'.

* The Best Actor Award was presented to Gurban Ismailov for 'Cold as Marble'.

* The Best Actress Award was presented to Antonia Zegers for 'The Punishment'.

* The Best Original Score Award was presented to Tonu Korvits for 'Driving Mum'.

* The Best Production Design Award was presented to Michael Schindlmeier for 'Servus Papa, See You in Hell'.

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival awarded the legendary German Actor Udo Kier with the festival's Lifetime Achievement Award for decades-spanning artistic and cultural contribution to world cinema. The second Lifetime Achievement Award went to the Polish film legend, film and theatre Director Krzysztof Zanussi who is the author of more than forty films, and the third Lifetime Achievement Award goes to the Estonian Director and Producer Peeter Urbla who has played an important part in creating and advancing the Estonian film industry.

For the full list of all the feature films and short films that played at this years Black Nights Film Festival, plus the other competitions and the winners thereof - First Feature, Baltic Competition, Rebels With a Cause, the Critic's Picks Competition and the POFF Shorts, you can go to the official website at : https://poff.ee/

Turning attention then to this weeks nine new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we start off with the first of three Christmas offerings this week that sees a group of mercenaries attack the estate of a wealthy family, leaving Santa Claus to step in to save the day, and Christmas. Then we turn to the first of a trio of Aussie films featured this week, with the first a horror offering about an aspiring documentarian and two conservationists who venture into the Outback to record the animals displaced by bushfires where they discover a terrifying new species. Next up is a British comedy horror where Pete is cautiously excited about reuniting with his college crew for a birthday weekend, but, one by one, his friends slowly turn against him. This is followed by our second Aussie film - a comedy about estranged immigrant brothers who must set aside their seven-year long silence and embark on a cross-California road trip with a flatulent dog and a valuable family artifact to rescue their terminally ill sister. Then we have a French romantic thriller that sees a young American journalist stranded in present-day Nicaragua who falls for an mysterious Englishman who appears to be her best chance of escape, but he could be in more danger than she is. The second of our Christmas features is an American Biographical telling of the inspiring story behind the writing of the beloved Christmas carol and its author, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; and our third Christmas movie outing this week is an American comedy romance in which we follow Jesse as she attempts to get over her breakup just before the holiday season starts, but her former boyfriend’s family surprises the heartbroken woman with an interesting invitation, and what happens next stuns everyone. And closing out the week we have a pair of doco's - the first an Italian English language film that charts the life and times of a famed Italian shoemaker who created shoes for Hollywood stars during the silent film era and beyond; and then the final Aussie film that takes us on a journey to one of the most beautiful places in the world - Far North Queensland, Australia showcasing the landscape from land, air and sea.

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

'VIOLENT NIGHT' (Rated MA15+) - this American Christmas fantasy black comedy action film is Directed by Tommy Wirkola whose previous feature film making offerings include 'Dead Snow' in 2009, 'Hansel & Gretel : Witch Hunters' in 2013, 'Dead Snow 2 : Red vs. Dead' in 2014, 'What Happened to Monday' in 2017 with Noomi Rapace, Glenn Close and Willem Dafoe, and 'The Trip' in 2021 with Noomi Rapace again. This film saw its World Premiere at the New York Comic Con on 7th October and is released in the US and here in Australia this week.

An elite team of mercenaries, led by a Mr. Scrooge (John Leguizamo) breaks into a family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone hostage inside. However, they aren't prepared for a surprise combatant, namely, one Santa Claus (David Harbour) who is on the grounds at the same time, and he's about to show why this Nick is no saint. Also starring Cam Gigandet and Beverly D'Angelo. 

'CARNIFEX' (Rated M) - is an Australian horror thriller film Directed by Sean Lahiff in his feature film making debut although he has Directed five short films since 2003 and Edited some thirty-five screen productions - from short films, to TV series, documentaries and feature films. As Australia recovers from unprecedented bushfires, Bailey (Alexandra Park) an aspiring documentary maker joins conservationists Grace (Sisi Stringer) and Ben (Harry Greenwood) as they travel deep into the Australian outback to track and record animals in the aftermath of the fires. As night falls, the well-equipped trio discover a new terrifying species, which is now intent on tracking and hunting them.

'ALL MY FRIENDS HATE ME' (Rated MA15+) - this British comedy horror film is Directed by Andrew Gaynord in his feature film making debut. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2021, was released in the UK in early March and this week is released in Australia, having so far grossed just US$81K. It's Pete's (Tom Stourton who also Co-Wrote here) 31st birthday and the old gang from college are throwing him a party at a country estate owned by his friend George (Joshua McGuire). During what's meant to be a joyful weekend reunion, Pete finds himself increasingly unnerved by his friends' inside jokes and snarky comments. As the atmosphere goes from awkward to terrifying to downright surreal, Pete is pushed to the breaking point. Is he being paranoid or is he the butt of some elaborate joke?

'BROTHERS FROM MALTA' (Rated PG) - this Australian comedy film is Co-Written, Co-Produced, Directed, Edited and also stars Julian Galea whose previous feature film making credits are 'Love to Paradise' in 2017 and 'Made in Malta' in 2019. Estranged immigrant Maltese brothers Joe (Julian Galea) and Charlie (James Galea) must break their seven-year grudge when they're forced to road trip across California with a gassy dog and a precious family heirloom to rescue their dying sister Josephine (Liza Galea). Also starring Mike Fergusson and Torrey Richardson.

'STARS AT NOON' (Rated MA15+) - this French romantic thriller film is Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Claire Denis whose previous feature film making outings take in 'Beau travail' in 1999, 'White Material' in 2009, 'Bastards' in 2013, 'Let the Sunshine In' in 2017, and 'Both Sides of the Blade' earlier this year. This film is based on the 1986 novel 'The Stars at Noon' by Denis Johnson and was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at this years Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prix. A young American journalist, Trish (Margaret Qualley) stranded in present-day Nicaragua falls for an enigmatic Englishman, Daniel (Joe Alwyn) who seems like her best chance of escape. She soon realises, however, that he may be in even greater danger than she is. Also starring Benny Safdie, Danny Ramirez and John C. Reilly. The film has received generally favourable Reviews, was released in the US in late October and not in France until early May next year, and has so far grossed just US$3K at the Box Office.

'I HEARD THE BELLS' (Rated PG) - this American biographical film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Joshua Enck in his Directorial debut. Known as 'America’s Poet', Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (Stephen Atherholt) leads an idyllic life, until the day his world is shattered by tragedy. With a nation divided by Civil War and his family torn apart, Henry puts down his pen, silenced by grief. But it’s the sound of Christmas morning that reignites the poet’s lost voice as he discovers the resounding hope of rekindled faith that ultimately leads him to writing the Christmas carol 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' based on his 1863 poem 'Christmas Bells'. 

'CHRISTMAS WITH THE CAMPBELLS' (Rated CTC) - is an American comedy romance Directed by Clare Nierderpruem in only her second feature film offering since 2018's 'Little Women' although in the intervening years she has Directed  a number of made for TV movies. When Jesse (Brittany Snow) gets dumped right before the Christmas holidays by her boyfriend Shawn (Alex Moffat), his parents convince her to still spend Christmas with them, and Shawn's handsome cousin (Justin Long), while Shawn is away. The film is released Stateside this week too, and is Co-Written and Co-Produced by Vince Vaughn.

'SALVATORE : SHOEMAKER OF DREAMS' (Rated G) - this Italian English language documentary film is Directed by Luca Guadagnino, the acclaimed Director behind 'Call Me By Your Name', 'Suspiria', 'Becket' and the recently released 'Bones and All'. This film saw its World Premiere at the Venice Film Festival in early September 2020, was released in the US in early November this year and now gets a limited showcasing in Australia. Narrated by Michael Stuhlbarg the film charts the life of Italian shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo, who in the early 20th century, as impoverished teenage Italian cobbler sailed from Naples to America to seek a better life. He settled in Southern California, and became Hollywood's go-to shoemaker during the silent film era and the iconic films of the period. In 1927, he returned to Italy and founded in Florence his namesake luxury brand. The film has so far taken just US$19K in Box Office receipts.

'BEYOND THE REEF' (Rated G) - this Australian documentary film is Executive Produced and Directed by Luke Wheatley whose previous documentary offerings are 'Plant Delicious' and 'Grounded' and fourteen episodes of the TV series 'The 48 Hour Destination'. Raised in Townsville, Queensland, Australia but currently based in Los Angeles, Shuang Hu has built a huge following on social media. In this film Shuang returns to her home state to showcase the wonders of Far North Queensland to young audiences, experiencing many new adventures for the very first time. Shuang’s journey starts with one of the oldest and most beautiful ecological habitats in the world - The Great Barrier Reef. Her scuba training along the outer edge of the reef sees her nerves give way to amazement, as the colour and energy of the underwater world unfolds before her. Shuang’s adventure continues inland where she explores the oldest rainforest in the world - the Daintree. From a boat ride down a crocodile-infested river, swimming under ancient waterfalls to rafting down the wild Barron Gorge rapids, the adventure becomes action-packed before calming down to a feast of local culinary delights. Travelling by land, air and sea, Shuang discovers the area’s history, its secrets, and humanity’s relationship with the region.

With nine 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 coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-