What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 30th April 2026

This years 27th annual Jeonju International Film Festival is based in the city of Jeonju, South Korea and runs from Wednesday 29th April to and including Saturday 8th May. It was launched in 2000 as a non-competitive film festival seeking to introduce independent and experimental films to the general public and focusing on the art of contemporary cinematography. This year 237 films are being showcased from fifty-four countries, with ninety-seven Korean films and 140 international films being showcased, of which seventy-eight are World Premiere screenings. 

This years Opening Night film presentation is 'Late Fame' from the USA and Directed by Kent Jones. The film explores the impact of newfound fame on Ed Saxberger (Willem Dafoe), the author of a poetry collection that received little notice upon release but gained appreciation years later among a group of artists including Gloria (Greta Lee), an Actress eager to gain his attention. The Closing Night film is 'The Longest Night : Namtaeryeong' from Korea and this documentary is Directed by Kim Hyunji. This documentary spotlights farmers and women who participated in the tractor march protests from 21st to 22nd December 2024, at Namtaeryeong Pass in Seoul after martial law was declared.

In the International Competition, there are ten titles selected for this section, and they must be Directed by filmmakers who have made less than three feature films and are able to offer the Asian Premiere to the festival. This year, 421 films from seventy countries were submitted. Europe ranked first by continent, followed by Asia and North America in second and third respectively. The US ranked first as a single country with a total of forty-four submissions. Three prizes are up for grabs - the Grand Prize, carrying an award of almost US$14K, and the Best Film Prize and the Special Jury Prize each carrying an award of about US$7K. Those ten titles are as outlined briefly below :-

* 'The Calf Doll' - from India and this drama film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Edited by Ankur Hooda. In a smog-choked village, a retired professor turns to an outlawed ritual, crafting a calf doll from a stillborn's body, to save his cow from the creeping urbanisation slowly erasing his rural world.

* 'Chronovisor' - from the USA and this experimental mystery Sci-Fi film is Written, Directed and Edited by Jack Auen and Kevin Walker, and tells the story in which the life of a reclusive academic collides with the story of a clandestine technology that can photograph the past.

* 'Dream of Another Summer' - from Spain and Lebanon, this documentary film is Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Irene Bartolome. A woman's collapse amid urban ruins sparks an exploration of humanity's connection to physical spaces and a city's resilience in the face of mortality.

* 'Fantasy' - from France, and this psychological coming of age film is Co-Written, photographed and Directed by Isabel Pagliai. Lost in her fears and fantasies, a young woman writes in a notebook. A young man finds this notebook on a train. Suddenly, they find themselves in the heart of a forest, in a nocturnal reality where dreams come to life.

* 'If I Go They Will Miss Me' - from the USA this coming of age adventure film is Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Walter Thompson-Hernandez. Twelve-year-old Lil Ant transforms his working-class neighbourhood beneath the LAX flight path into a living mythology, where family members become gods and the sky is crowded with endless departures. As he searches for connection with his god-like yet conflicted father, he finds support in his close-knit community that helps him reconcile myth and reality.

* 'Michiyuki : Voices of Time' - from Japan and this docufiction film is Written, Directed and Edited by Nakao Hiromichi. Komai moves into an old house in Nara and listens to the stories of the former owner, Umemoto. He talks about the histories of time, the town, and the house. While renovating the house on his own, Komai's mind meanders as if on a journey.

* 'The Night is Fading Away' - from Argentina, this drama film is Written, photographed, Directed and Edited by Ezequiel Salinas and Ramiro Sonzini. A projectionist who secretly moves into a decaying municipal cinema brings together an unexpected nocturnal community and must fight to keep his new home when the building's closure threatens to destroy everything he has built.

* 'Six Weeks On' - from Germany, this psychological drama film is Written, Produced, Directed and Co-Edited by Jacqueline Jansen. The film tells the story of Lore, who, after the death of her mother, refuses to let anyone dictate how she should say goodbye. Yet, she keeps asking herself the same question - How does one grieve properly?

* 'Stone and Feather' - from Turkiye, this drama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Ragip Turk. Nazire, in order to take back her child who was sent to an orphanage, puts up a tough fight against both the bureaucratic system that offers her child conditions she cannot overcome, and the rich foster family who wants to adopt her child.

* 'The Visitor' - from Lithuania, Norway and Sweden, this drama film is Co-Written, photographed and Directed by Vytautas Katkus. 30-year-old Danielius returns to his hometown to sell his parents' flat, but the visit lasts longer than expected. With nowhere to rush, he tries to reconnect with the people and the town that no longer feels like his.

For the details of the other competitive sections, the other film strands being showcased, and a whole lot of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.eng.jeonjufest.kr

Turning the focus then back to this weeks five new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon close to your home, we kick start with a sequel to a hugely popular and influential film from 2006 that has the head of a New York fashion magazine nearing retirement, as she reunites with her former second assistant to face off against her former first assistant turned rival of a competitor fashion house. This is followed by a supernatural horror film about a loyal dog who moves to a rural family home with his owner, only to discover supernatural forces lurking in the shadows, and as dark forces threaten his human companion, the brave dog must fight to protect the one he loves most. Then we turn to another supernatural horror offering in which a horror novelist visits an Inn in rural Ireland to spread his parents' ashes, without knowing the place is rumoured to be haunted. Next up we have an Australian Western drama set in the 1930's, that follows three children who escape their white masters and journey across the central Australian desert seeking safety; and closing out the week there is an American doco profiling the life and career of a talented musician whose life was cut way too short in 1997 in a tragic drowning accident.

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

'THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2' (Rated M) - this eagerly awaited and much hyped American comedy drama film is Directed by David Frankel, who made his feature film debut with 'Miami Rhapsody' in 1995, and would follow this up with the likes of 'The Devil Wears Prada' in 2006, 'Marley & Me' in 2008, 'Hope Springs' in 2012, 'Collateral Beauty' in 2016, and 'Jerry & Marge Go Large' in 2022. This film is a direct sequel to the 2006 film 'The Devil Wears Prada' and saw its World Premiere screening in New York City on 20th April, and is released in all major territories from this week onward. 

Andy Sachs (Anne Hathaway) returns to New York City's Runway magazine as Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) navigates a new media landscape, declining print formats, very competitive advertising revenue  and Runway's position within it, as well as nearing retirement herself. They reconnect with another former assistant, Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt), who is now a senior executive at luxury brand Dior, that possesses funding which could ensure Runway's survival. Stanley Tucci also reprises his role as Nigel Kipling, Miranda's longtime right hand, and are joined this time round by Kenneth Branagh, Justin Theroux, Lucy Liu and Patrick Brammall. 

'GOOD BOY' (Rated M) - is an American supernatural horror film that is Co-Written, Co-Produced, Directed, photographed and Edited by Ben Leonberg in his Directorial debut. Here, Indy (a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever - a medium-sized gun dog bred primarily for hunting), finds himself on a new adventure with his human owner, and best friend, Todd (Shane Jensen), leaving city life for a long-vacant family home in the country. From the start, two things are abundantly clear - Indy is wary of the creepy old house, and his affection for Todd is unwavering. After moving in, Indy is immediately vexed by empty corners, tracks an invisible presence only he can see, perceives phantasmagoric warnings from a long-dead dog, and is haunted by visions of the previous occupant’s grim death. When Todd, who also suffers from chronic lung disease, begins succumbing to the dark forces swirling around the house, Indy must battle a malevolence intent on dragging his beloved Todd into the afterlife. The film saw its Premiere screening at SXSW Film & TV Festival in early March 2025, was released in the USA in early October last year and only now does it arrive at Australian Odeon's this week, having garnered generally favourable critical reviews and so far grossing US$8.7M from a production budget of just US$70K. 

'HOKUM' (Rated M) - this Irish, UAE and US Co-produced supernatural horror film is Written and Directed  by Damian McCarthy, in his third feature film making outing following 'Caveat' in 2020 and 'Oddity' in 2024. When novelist Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) retreats to a remote Irish inn to scatter his parents' ashes, he is consumed by tales of a witch haunting the honeymoon suite. Disturbing visions and a shocking disappearance forces him to confront dark corners of his past. The film Premiered at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in mid-March this year, is released Stateside this week too, and has received generally positive critical reviews. The film also stars Peter Coonan, David Wilmot and Austin Amelio

'WOLFRAM' (Rated M) - is an Australian Western drama film that is lensed and Directed by Warwick Thornton, whose previous feature film credits take in 'Samson & Delilah' in 2009, 'The Darkside' in 2013, 'Sweet Country' in 2017, and 'The New Boy' in 2023. This film is a sequel to 'Sweet Country' and is set four years later and is based on a real story set in 1932, in which a mother, Pansy (Deborah Mailman) longs for the return of her stolen children. It looks at the exploitation of Indigenous Australian child labour at the Hatches Creek wolfram field, where young Aboriginal children were exploited for their labour digging tungsten out of the ground  in the Northern Territory of Australia. The film also stars Thomas M. Wright, John Howard and Matt Nable. It saw its World Premiere screening at the Adelaide Film Festival in late October last year, and also screened in competition at this Berlin International Film Festival in mid-February. It has generated largely favourable critical reviews.

'I'TS NEVER OVER, JEFF BUCKLEY (Rated M) - this American documentary film is Co-Produced and Directed by Amy Berg whose prior documentary films include 'Deliver Us from Evil' in 2006, 'West of Memphis' in 2012, 'An Open Secret' in 2014, 'Janis : Little Girl Blue' in 2015, and 'Phoenix Rising' in 2022. This film explores the life and career of American musician Jeff Buckley (who died tragically by drowning in late May 1997 aged just thirty), incorporating voice messages and previously unseen footage. It also features interviews with Buckley's mother Mary Guibert, as well as friends, ex-girlfriends and musicians such as Rebecca Moore, Joan Wasser, Ben Harper, Susan Silver, Michele Anthony, Aimee Mann and Chris Cornell. Buckley released just one studio album 'Grace' and was working on his second album, with the working title 'My Sweetheart the Drunk' at the time of his passing. It had its World Premiere showcasing at the Sundance Film Festival in late January 2025, and was released in the US in early August last year and only now does it get an airing here in Australia, having so far grossed US$1.7M at the Box Office and generating largely positive critical reviews.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 6th July 2023.

The 34th FIDMarseille - the Marseille International Film Festival - launched on Tuesday 4th July and runs through until Sunday 9th July, in the port city of Marseille, in southern France. It offers a programme of about one hundred films consisting documentaries, fiction, short and feature films. FIDMarseille is a reference point for the independent cinema of today and tomorrow, offering a challenging selection to a wide local, national and international audience. Every year the festival attracts professionals from all across the world. The programme of films showcased is also divided into several competitive strands presenting World or International Premieres.

In the International Competition, which carries an award prize of €8K, the following titles are being screened :-

* 'An Evening Song (for Three Voices) - from the USA and Directed by Graham Swon. World Premiere.

* 'Background' - from Germany and Directed by Khaled Abdulwahed. World Premiere.

* 'Twittering Soul' - from Lithuania and Directed by Deimantas Narkevicius. World Premiere.

* 'De Facto' - from Austria and Germany and Directed by Selma Doborac. International Premiere.

* 'Losing Faith' - from Austria and Germany and Directed by Martha Mechow. World Premiere.

* 'The Diagonal Force' - from Belgium and Directed by Annik Leroy and Julie Morel. World Premiere.

* 'The Bus Station' - from Argentina and Directed by Gustavo Fontan. World Premiere.

* 'Undefined Things' - from Argentina and Directed by Maria Aparicio. World Premiere.

* 'Monisme' - from Indonesia and Qatar and Directed by Riar Rizaldi. World Premiere.

* 'The Mariner' - from Portugal and France and Directed by Yohei Yamakado. World Premiere.

* 'Of Girls' - from Japan and the Netherlands and Directed by Wendelien van Oldenborgh. World Premiere.

* 'Ricorda Ti Che E Un Film Comico' - from France and Directed by Cesar Vayssie. World Premiere.

* 'Night Work' - from Spain and Directed by Christian Bagnat and Elvira Sanchez Poxon. International Premiere.

The other competitive sections held at FIDMarseille are the French Competition which carries an award prize of €5K, the First Film Competition awarding a prize of €3K, the Flash Competition €2K and the Cine + Competition €15K. For the entries into these competitive sections, plus a whole lot more besides, you can go to the official website at : https://fidmarseille.org/en/

Turning attention back to this weeks four new movies gracing a big screen Odeon close to home, we begin with the fifth outing in this hugely successful supernatural horror franchise that is a follow on from the second film in the series that sees the father driving east to drop his oldest son off at university, but the son's college dream soon becomes a living nightmare when the subdued demons of his past suddenly return to haunt them both. This is followed by an Aussie drama offering set in the 1940's in which a somewhat rebellious nun takes in a nine year old Aboriginal orphan lad. Next up is a French drama film in which a childless woman forms a deep bond with her boyfriend's young daughter; and closing out the week we have an American comedy offering that follows four Asian-American friends as they bond and discover the truth of what it means to know and love who you are, while they travel through Asia in search of one of their birth mothers.

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

'INSIDIOUS : THE RED DOOR' (Rated M) - this American supernatural horror film is Directed by Patrick Wilson in his Directing debut and is seen as a direct sequel to 2010's 'Insidious' and 2013's 'Insidious : Chapter 2' and is the fifth film in the 'Insidious' series which also consisted 'Insidious : Chapter 3' in 2105 and 'Insidious : The Last Key' in 2018. Based on a story once again written by Leigh Whannell (who also Co-Produces here with James Wan and Jason Blum) those first four films in the series grossed worldwide US$543M off the back of combined production budgets of just US$27M making the continuation of this saga a foregone conclusion. The film is released in the US this week too.

Set ten years following the events of 'Insidious : Chapter 2', Josh Lambert (Patrick Wilson) heads east to drop his son Dalton (Ty Simpkins) off at an idyllic, ivy-league University. However, Dalton’s college dream becomes a nightmare when the repressed demons of his past suddenly come back to haunt them both. To end the haunting and to put the demons to rest once and for all, Josh and Dalton must return once again to the Further (a purgatory dimension inhabited by the tortured spirits of the deceased) in order to stop the Lambert nightmare for good. Also starring Rose Byrne as Renai Lambert and Lin Shaye as Elise Rainier. 

'THE NEW BOY' (Rated M) - is an Australian drama film Written, Directed and photographed by Warwick Thornton who made his feature film Directing debut with 'Samson & Delilah' in 2009, and would follow this up with 'The Darkside' in 2013, 'We Don't Need a Map' in 2017 and 'Sweet Country' in 2017 too. This film saw its World Premier showcasing at the Cannes Film Festival in May this year, was the Opening Night film at the recent 70th Sydney Film Festival and is released this week here in Australia. Here then, set sometime in 1940's Australia, a nine-year-old Aboriginal orphan boy (Aswan Reid) is taken in at a remote monastery in the dead of night, run by a renegade nun, Sister Eileen (Cate Blanchett who also Co-Produces here with her husband Andrew Upton). Also starring Deborah Mailman and Wayne Blair. 

'OTHER PEOPLE'S CHILDREN' (Rated M) - this French drama film is Written and Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski who feature film credits take in her debut 'Dear Prudence' in 2010 with Lea Seydoux, then 'Grand Central' in 2013 with Lea Seydoux again, 'Planetarium' in 2016 with Natalie Portman and Lily-Rose Depp and 'An Easy Girl' in 2019. Rachel (Virginie Efira) is forty years old, single and has no children. She is working as a teacher at a middle school. She has a large circle of friends and also keeps in touch with her ex-husbands. Then one day, she falls in love with Ali (Roschdy Zem) and his four-year-old daughter Leila (Callie Ferreira-Goncalves) also enters her life. Rachel takes care of the toddler, cares for and soon loves it like her own. But she must recognise that the close bond with Leila also harbours a possible risk, especially in relation to her birth mother Alice (Chiara Mastroianni). Rachel doesn't want to put up with just being an 'extra' in Leila's life. Time is also not on her side and she needs to make a decision whether she should have a child of her own at this age. The film saw its World Premier showcasing at the Venice International Film Festival in early September last year, went on release in its native France towards the end of September and only now is it released here in Australia having garnered generally positive critical reviews and grossing so far US$2.8M at the Box Office.

'JOY RIDE' (Rated MA15+) - this American comedy film is based on a story jointly conceived by Adele Lim and Co-Produced and Directed by Adele Lim in her Directorial debut. The film saw its World Premier screening at SXSW in mid-March this year, is released Stateside and here in Australia this week and has generated universal critical claim. Here then, childhood best friends Audrey (Ashley Park) and Lolo (Sherry Cola), accompanied by Audrey's former roommate Kat (Stephanie Hsu) and Lolo's cousin Deadeye (Sabrina Wu), set out on a journey across China to find Audrey's birth mother. Their epic, no-holds-barred experience becomes a journey of bonding, friendship, belonging and wild debauchery that reveals the universal truth of what it means to know and love who you are. 

With four 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-