What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 17th November 2022.

The 33rd Singapore International Film Festival launches on Thursday 24th November and runs through until Sunday 4th December. The 33rd Edition presents a diverse, inclusive range of over one hundred films by filmmakers from all over the world. These carefully selected films speak of memories, emotions, inspired conversations and discussions — that together celebrate the continuity of film and storytelling in the cinematic community, the official website reads. 

This years Opening Night film is 'Assault' from Kazakhstan and is Written and Directed by Adilkhan Yerzhanov. Masked figures with machine guns march into the secondary school in Karatas and take the pupils hostage. They make no demands. Silent terror is their modus operandi. Seeing as the army will take two days to arrive due to a snowstorm, maths teacher Tazshi decides to assemble his own assault team. Southeast Asian Premier. 

The Asian Feature Film Competition presents nine new films by Directors making their first to third features. This year, six of these are directorial debuts, marking an exciting new generation of filmmakers in Asia. Those nine films in brief are :-

* 'Convenience Store' - from Russia, Slovenia and Turkey and Directed by Michael Borodin. An undocumented migrant mother suffers violence and abuse working in a Russian convenience store in this harrowing expose of modern-day slavery. Southeast Asian Premier.

* 'Autobiography' - from Indonesia, France, Germany, Poland, Singapore, Philippines, Qatar and Directed by Makbul Mubarak. The relationship between an authoritarian father figure and a diffident young man forms a gripping study of power relations. Singapore Premier.

* 'Leonor Will Never Die' - from the Philippines and Directed by Martika Ramirez Escobar. A retired screenwriter becomes the heroine of her own unfinished script as reality and fiction collide. Singapore Premier.

* 'The Cloud Messenger' - from India and Directed by Rahat Mahajan. A pair of teenagers at a regimented boarding school are predestined lovers in this coming-of-age story with a mythical twist. Asian Premier.

* 'Arnold Is a Model Student' - from Thailand, Singapore, France, Netherlands, Philippines and Directed by Sorayos Prapapan. Arnold becomes the school darling after emerging champion at a maths Olympiad. His success attracts a shady tuition centre owner who invites him to join an exam cheating racket. Meanwhile, trouble brews on campus when a disciplinary incident propels a group of students into action.

Singapore Premier. 

* 'Joyland' - from Pakistan and Directed by Saim Sadiq. In a conservative multigenerational Pakistani household, soft-spoken Haider is pressured to find a job and to produce a male heir. After he lands a role as a backup dancer at an erotic dance theatre, his wife Mumtaz reluctantly leaves a job she enjoys at the behest of the family’s patriarch to become a housewife. Southeast Asian Premier.

* 'Summer with Hope' - from Canada and Iran and Directed by Sadaf Foroughi. Unruly teenager Omid has to win a swimming competition - not just for himself but also for his mother Leili, whose freedom from his estranged father is contingent on Omid’s performance. When plans go awry, what is thought to be a beacon of hope soon turns into a snare that Omid must find ways to elude. Asian Premier.

* 'Archaeology of Love' - from South Korea and Directed by Lee Wanmin. Archaeologist Youngsil and Inseek go from strangers to lovers eight hours after they meet. Won over by hyperbolic declarations of love, Youngsil finds herself bound to Inseek even after their eventual breakup. International Premier.

* 'Gaga' - from Taiwan and Directed by Laha Mebow. The Hayung family inhabit the highlands of Taiwan along with other indigenous Atayal people. Held in high esteem by the community, they make a steady living from agriculture and tourism, while the men sometimes have too much to drink. Southeast Asian Premier.

For the other strands playing in and out of competition, namely The Southeast Asian Short Film Competition which presents seventeen new films across four programmes and attests to the abundance of strong creative talents from the region; Singapore Panorama presents the latest works by new and established talents in local filmmaking, with its finger on the pulse of the most exciting developments in Singapore cinema; Foreground spotlights six genre favourites and cinematic highlights of the year, reinvigorating popular genre conventions with refreshing elements and captivating crowds with celebrated visions; Altitude platforms important new works by some of the most established filmmakers today. The section profiles six films as representative of the highest standards in contemporary filmmaking; Horizon scopes out strong festival discoveries and films of eclectic perspectives from all over the world, this selection of ten international films will evoke curiosities as one traverses an array of emotions; Standpoint showcases eight new international works that present strong attitudes of personal, social and political consequences; Undercurrent charts exciting directions and bold expressions in cinema today, affirming imaginative treatments of the moving image; and finally strongly rooted in local specificities, Domain : To Those Who Remain draws from a deep connection to land and provides a rare insight into the colourful lives of rural communities within the South West Asia and North Africa region. You can see the full list of films featured in these aforementioned sections at the official website at : https://sgiff.com/

This week we have five new movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, kicking off with a biographical drama film about a pair of New York Times reporters who break one of the most important news stories in a generation - a story that helped launch the #MeToo movement and shattered decades of silence around the subject of sexual abuse in Hollywood. This is followed by a thriller that sees a radio host taking a call, where an unknown person threatens to kill the showman's entire family live on air. Next up is a Mexican comedy drama offering about a renowned Mexican journalist and documentary filmmaker who returns home and works through an existential crisis as he grapples with his identity, familial relationships and the folly of his memories. Then we turn to an Australian documentary that follows an environmental campaigner as he builds a self-sustaining home, an ecosystem that provides its occupants with water, energy, shelter and nourishment; before closing out the week with an American documentary about a five-time Olympic medalist in 1912, 1920 and 1924, and Native Hawaiian who shattered records and brought surfing to the world while overcoming a lifetime of personal challenges.

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 coming week.

'SHE SAID' (Rated M) - is an American biographical drama film Directed by Maria Schrader whose prior film making credits are 'Love Life' in 2007, 'Stefan Zweig : Farewell to Europe' in 2016 and 'I'm Your Man' in 2021, as well as helming the Netflix mini-series 'Unorthodox' which won the Director the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special in 2020. This film is based on the 2019 book of the same name by The New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey titled 'She Said : Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement'. The film saw its World Premier screening at the New York Film Festival on 13th October and is released in the US and here in Australia this week having garnered generally positive reviews.

The New York Times journalists Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) and Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) publish a report in October 2017 that exposes sexual abuse allegations against powerful Hollywood Producer Harvey Weinstein (Mike Houston) accusing him of three decades of sexually harassing actresses, female production assistants, temps and other employees at Miramax and The Weinstein Company. The shocking story also serves as a launching pad for the #MeToo movement, shattering decades of silence around the subject of sexual assault and harassment, and eventually led to Weinstein being sentenced to 23 years imprisonment. Also starring Patricia Clarkson, Andre Braugher, Jennifer Ehle, Samantha Morton, Ashley Judd and Tom Pelphrey.

'ON THE LINE' (Rated M) - this American thriller film is Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Frenchman Romuald Boulanger who has eleven Directing credits, eleven as an Actor, thirty-six as a Writer and thirty-eight as Producer under his belt since emerging on the scene in 2005. Here, Mel Gibson portrays Elvis Cooney, a provocative and edgy overnight radio host on a show titled 'On the Line' who must play a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a mysterious caller who has kidnapped his family and is threatening to kill them and blow up the whole station . . . all while live on air. Also starring William Moseley, Paul Spera, Kevin Dillon and Alia Seror-O'Neill. The film has garnered mostly negative press since its release in the US on 4th of this month. 

'BARDO, FALSE CHRONICLE OF A HANDFUL OF TRUTHS' (Rated MA15+) - is a black comedy drama film Co-Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Edited by Alejandro G. Inarritu whose prior film making credits are 'Amores perros' in 2000, '21 Grams' in 2003, 'Babel' in 2006, 'Biutiful' in 2010, 'Birdman (or the Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance)' in 2014 and 'The Revenant' in 2015. Here then, Silverio Gama (Daniel Gimenez Cacho), a renowned Mexican journalist and documentary filmmaker living in Los Angeles, who, after being named the recipient of a prestigious international award, is compelled to return to his native country, unaware that this simple trip will push him to an existential crisis in the form of dreamlike visions. The film had its World Premier screening at the Venice International Film Festival in early September this year, was released in its native Mexico at the back end of October, in the USA in early November, and is released here in Australia from this week before streaming on Netflix from 16th December. It has so far garnered mixed or average reviews. 

'GREENHOUSE BY JOOST' (Rated PG) - this Australian documentary film is Written by Rhian Skirving and Directed by Bruce Permezel and Rhian Skirving whose previous Directorial credits take in a number of TV series, made for TV movie doco's and mini-series doco's. Imagine a house that grows its own food. Extending a lifetime's worth of zero-waste activism, visionary designer Joost Bakker devises the Future Food System, a self-sufficient residence that provides shelter, food and energy while reusing any by-products as fuel or fertiliser. Joined by renowned chefs Matt Stone and Jo Barrett, he works with a team of builders, engineers, and experts in agriculture, aquaponics and biochemistry to bring to life the project at Melbourne's Federation Square - culminating in the launch of a unique farm-to-table restaurant. This film won the Audience Award at this years Melbourne International Film Festival. 

'WATERMAN' (Rated PG) - is an American biographical documentary Directed by Isaac Halasima in only his second Documentary feature following 2016's 'The Last Decent' although he has been kept busy since then helming 123 episodes of 'Dry Bar Comedy' and a prolific number of television specials throughout 2020 and 2021. Here, he charts the story of five-time Olympic medalist and Native Hawaiian Duke Paoa Kahanamoku who shattered records and brought surfing to the world while overcoming a lifetime of personal challenges. The film explores his journey and legacy as a legendary swimmer, trailblazer, and the undisputed father of modern-day surfing. From modest roots in Waikiki, Duke swam his way to fame, becoming the face of a changing Hawaii as it evolved from an independent Kingdom to the 50th American state. Yet relatively few outside Hawaii know the full extent of Duke's impact on sports, lifesaving, and combating prejudice. The film is narrated by Jason Momoa and involves commentary from surfing legends including Laird Hamilton, Kelly Slater and Kai Lenny. 

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 week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

HALLOWEEN ENDS : Tuesday 8th November 2022.

I finally got around to seeing 'HALLOWEEN ENDS' - the MA15+ Rated American slasher horror film which is Directed and Co-Written once again by David Gordon Green and is a sequel to the 2021 film 'Halloween Kills'. It is the thirteenth instalment in the 'Halloween' film franchise, and the final film in the 'H40' trilogy that commenced with the 2018 film 'Halloween' and which serves as a continuation of the original 1978 film's storyline disregarding all the other screen offerings that came in between up to 2018. The 2018 and 2021 films generated a combined worldwide Box Office haul of US$387M off the back of a total US$30M production budget, making this final instalment a no brainer. This film saw its World Premier screening in Los Angeles on 11th October before its worldwide release on 13th October, cost US$33M to produce and has so far grossed US$103M and has garnered mixed critical reviews. 

The film opens up on Halloween night in 2019 with Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell) arriving at the home of Theresa and Roger Allen (Candice Rose and Jack William Marshall respectively) to babysit their young son Jeremy (Jaxon Goldberg), whilst the parents go out to a Halloween party. While watching John Carpenter's 'The Thing' on TV, Corey goes through to the kitchen to get himself something to drink, and then Jeremy disappears. Corey searches the house and the gardens but there is no sign of the young boy, although strange sounds and shadows are evident in the background. Corey ventures upstairs and into the roof space, when suddenly the door is locked behind him. Panic stricken Corey thumps on the door repeatedly and eventually kicks the door down with Jeremy stood directly behind it. Jeremy is sent backwards by the force of the door and falls over the stairs to his death two storeys below just as his parents come home to see their young son come crashing down. Corey is accused of intentionally killing Jeremy but is cleared of manslaughter. 

Fast forward three years and in Haddonfield, Illinois Michael Myers has not been seen since his last killing rampage in 2018. Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) is in the midst of writing her memoir and has purchased a house and is now living with her granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) who now works as a nurse at a local medical centre. Corey in the meantime, has started working at his stepfathers car salvage business. On his way home one day after work he stops off a petrol station to buy a drink. Outside he is confronted by four high school bullies who pester Corey to buy them alcohol because they are all underage. Corey refuses and gets into a scuffle resulting in him sustaining a deep glass cut to his hand. Laurie observes this having pulled up to fill up with petrol, and takes Corey to the doctors surgery where Allyson works. Allyson is immediately attracted to Corey when she tends to his wound, and the pair form a fast relationship. 

A few nights later they attend a Halloween party together and dance the night away until Corey is confronted by Jeremy's mother, at which he flees the party venue leaving Allyson, who later catches up with him. The pair have an argument outside, and Corey storms off. Walking home, the same four high school bullies pull up in their convertible car and begin to taunt Corey, resulting in him being thrown off a bridge and landing unconscious on the ground below. He is then dragged into a sewer where he comes round sometime later. He fumbles around in the dank and dark space and is then grabbed by the throat in a strangle hold by Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney), who after a short time releases him. As he crawls out of the sewer pipe into daylight he is threatened by an old homeless man living under the bridge, and in the ensuing struggle Corey stabs him to death, and the flees the scene, leaving the man where he fell. 

Corey finds Allyson later the next day to apologise for his actions the previous night, and the pair go on a dinner date to a local diner. During their dinner, they are interrupted by Allyson's ex-boyfriend, Police officer Doug Mulaney (Jesse C. Boyd) who obviously still has feelings for her, and who harasses them both. Corey stands his ground with Mulaney who afterwards follows Corey to the scene of the earlier stabbing of the old homeless man. Corey lures the cop into the sewer, where Michael emerges and stabs Mulaney multiple times in the chest while Corey holds him down. 

Meanwhile, Allyson is passed over for a promotion at work in favour of a fellow nurse Deb (Michele Dawson) who is having an affair with Dr. Mathis (Michael O'Leary). Later that evening at Dr. Mathis house Corey kills Dr. Mathis while Michael pins Deb to the wall with a kitchen knife. Unknowingly, Allyson prepares to leave Haddonfield with a persuasive Corey because of their past traumas, and to make a fresh start. Laurie though has become increasingly suspicious of Corey. After finding him sleeping in the spot where Jeremy died in the now abandoned Allen house, Laurie offers to help him if he agrees to separate himself from Allyson. Corey responds by blaming her for the events that have unfolded in Haddonfield over the years and concludes by saying that if he cannot have Allyson, then no one can.

On 31st October, Halloween night, Corey returns to the sewers and fights with Michael, successfully knocking him out and stealing his mask. Meanwhile, Laurie and Allyson argue as she plans to leave that night with Corey. She also blames Laurie for Michael's actions. That night, Corey embarks on a murderous rampage, killing the four bullies after luring them to his stepfathers salvage yard, one of whom accidentally shoots his stepfather right between the eyes. Corey then goes on to kill his overbearing mother, as well as DJ Willy the Kid (Keraun Harris) at the local radio station WURG FM, who had taunted him previously.

At the Strode house, Laurie calls the Police to report her suicide in an attempt to lure Corey to her. Wearing Michael's mask Corey confronts her whom she fires two shots into his chest sending him falling backwards down the staircase. Corey, still conscious, then stabs himself in the neck to frame Laurie for his death in front of Allyson just as she walks through the front door. Allyson storms out of the house distraught while Laurie sobs. Michael then appears and kills Corey by snapping his neck, before putting back on his mask and hunting down Laurie who has now regained her composure. 

A fight ensues in Laurie's kitchen, and Laurie manages to pin Michael to the wooden cooking island, by stabbing each hand with a long cooks knife and bringing down the fridge/freezer to trap his legs. Laurie takes out a kitchen knife from the drawer and stabs Michael through the side before drawing the blade across his throat. He begins to bleed out. In a last ditch attempt to dispose of Laurie, Michael rips his hand through the blade and grabs her by the throat. Allyson arrives back home and grabs his arm and snaps it on the bench top. Holding his arm out, Laurie slices open his wrist. Laurie and Allyson strap his lifeless body to the roof of their car and take his body to the salvage yard by Police escort, attracting the residents of Haddonfield, who follow behind in a long procession. The body of Michael is tipped into a commercial shredding machine where Laurie gives it a final kick to send it on its way when Allyson turns on the switch. In the ensuing days, Allyson and Laurie reconcile, and Allyson leaves Haddonfield while Laurie finalises her memoir and seeks to reignite her relationship with Deputy Frank Hawkins (Will Patton).

In 'Halloween Ends' Michael Myers is finally put through the mincer (literally), make no mistake, and so after thirteen instalments and forty four years this surely has to be the 'end' of this overcooked franchise! Or is it? I guess if they can bring back James Bond after he carked it at the end of 'No Time To Die', then they can still resurrect Michael Myers . . . only time will tell! All that said, this final offering in this latest threequel sits below 2018's 'Halloween' and only just a nudge above 2021's 'Halloween Kills' and is less of a slasher horror movie and more of a psychological thriller film. Jamie Lee Curtis who, after seven appearances in these 'Halloween' films over the last four+ decades gives a stoic performance who finally overcomes the maniacal marauding masked mass murderer Michael Myers, but she is no beefed-up Sarah Connor, or Wonder Woman or Black Widow and so how she managed to muster up the strength, courage and fortitude when push comes to shove to dispense with The Shape is anyone's guess! Pure adrenalin one would assume, and who's to say there's anything wrong in that. All of that said 'Halloween Ends' is sure to divide audiences, but I'm guessing that in ten years from now this closing trilogy will enjoy a cult following of die hard fans and a new audience of emerging horror hounds keen to dine out on the Myers/Strode story.

'Halloween Ends' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 10th November 2022.

The 22nd annual Belfast Film Festival is now in full swing having opened on Thursday 3rd November and closing on Saturday 12th November. This festival is Northern Ireland's largest of its kind, attracting over 25,000 people annually. The festival has grown to include the Docs Ireland international documentary festival, as well as an Audience Development and Inclusion programme. The festival also sponsors year-round film screenings around Belfast. Founded in 1995 the festival began as a part of West Belfast Festival and operated as the West Belfast Film Festival (WBFF) from 1995 to 2000. In its third and fourth year, WBFF ran as an independent event and included venues throughout the city. It became the Belfast Film Festival in the year 2000 and ran as a citywide event, including venues in all four corners of Belfast.

This years Opening Night film presentation was 'Ballywalter', from Ireland and Directed by Prasanna Puwanarajah in his debut feature film and tells the story of Eileen (Seana Kerslake), a caustic, unrepentant University drop-out whose dreams of a successful life in London have fallen by the wayside. Back at home with her mum, she makes ends meet by working as an unlicensed driver in her ex-boyfriend’s minicab. Shane (Patrick Kielty) has exiled himself in Ballywalter following the break-up of his marriage, but now he’s trying to get his life back on track by enrolling in a stand-up comedy course. When Shane calls a taxi to get him to his classes, Eileen answers and a surprising connection is made. As the two spend time together shuttling back and forth, a beautiful friendship develops. The Closing Night film is 'Aftersun' from the UK and US and is Written and Directed by Charlotte Wells in her feature film Directing debut. Here, eleven-year-old tomboy Sophie (Frankie Corio), is going with her single dad Calum (Paul Mescal) on a Turkish package holiday in the late 1990's. Days of sun, sand and shooting pool beckon, but there’s an undertow of sadness, maybe of future estrangement, to Calum’s laddish parenting, and it bleeds into Frankie’s perspective both past and present.

In the International Film Competition for first or second feature films, there are eight films competing for the award of a prize of £7,000 to the Director of the Best Film, alongside Jury Prizes for Outstanding Craft Contribution and Breakout Performance of £1,500 each. Those eight films are :-

* 'Blue Jean' - from the UK and Written and Directed by first timer Georgia Oakley. England, 1988 - and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher's Conservative government is about to pass a law stigmatising gays and lesbians, forcing Jean, a gym teacher, to live a double life. As pressure mounts from all sides, the arrival of a new girl at school where Jean works, catalyses a crisis that will challenge Jean to her core.

* 'Unrest' - from Switzerland and Written and Directed by Cyril Schaublin. This is the story of young watchmaker, Josephine (Clara Gostynski), in 1877 Switzerland, who gets involved with the rising anarchist movement as new technologies begin to transform money, time and labor in a small town.

* 'Beautiful Beings' - from Iceland and Written and Directed by Guomundur Arnar Guomundsson. Here, Addi (Birgir Dagur Bjarkason), who is being raised by a clairvoyant mother and an absent father, decides to take pitiful, beaten-up Balli (Askell Einar Palmason) under his wing and into his little band of outsiders. The gang's comradeship gives them an escape from troubled, often abusive home situations, but their bonds of teenage brotherhood will be sorely tested by a toxic tide of systemic, cyclical male aggression that almost ceaselessly seeks to turn frightened boys into violent men.

* 'Falcon Lake' - from Canada and Co-Written and Directed by Charlotte Le Bon in her feature film making debut. Fourteen-year-old Bastien (Joseph Engel) and his family are on holiday at a lakeside cabin in Quebec with an old friend of his mother's. More importantly, with her sixteen-year-old daughter, Chloe (Sara Montpetit), an unsmiling teen with a morbid sense of humour, on whom Bastien immediately crushes very hard.

* 'Tommy Guns' - from Portugal and Angola and Written and Directed by Carlos Conceicao. In 1974, after years of civil war, the Portuguese and their descendants fled the colony of Angola where groups of independents gradually claimed their territory back. A tribal girl discovers love and death when she crosses paths with a young Portuguese soldier. Meanwhile, another group of Portuguese soldiers is barracked inside an infinite wall from which they will have to escape once the past comes out of the grave to claim its long-awaited justice.

* 'Carajita' - from the Dominican Republic and Argentina, and Co-Written and Co-Directed by Ulises Porra and Silvina Schnicer. Sara (Cecile van Welie) and her nanny Yarisa (Magnolia Nunez) have a relationship that seems to transcend their class conditions. They are the closest thing to a daughter-mother, but an accident will test their intimate loyalty and the innocent illusion that nothing can separate them.

* 'A Room of My Own' - from Georgia and Co-Written and Directed by Ioseb 'Soso' Bliadze. Tina (Taki Mumladze), a young woman who has lost her way in life, rents a room from the vibrant Megi (Mariam Khundadze), thanks to whom she gradually starts to discover what it's like to be free and to be able to make her own decisions without being reliant on men.

* 'Return to Seoul' - from France and South Korea and Written and Directed by Davy Chou. A twenty-five-year-old French woman, Freddie (Park Ji-Min) returns to Korea, the country she was born in before being adopted by a French couple, for the very first time. She decides to track down her biological parents, but her journey takes a surprising turn.

For the full details of the other film and presentation strands taking place at this years Belfast Film Festival, you can go to the official website at : https://belfastfilmfestival.org/

Turning the attention then back to this weeks three new movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you in the coming week, we kick off with the 30th film in the MCU and the sequel to a massive hit in 2018 that this time sees the nation of Wakanda pitted against intervening world powers as they mourn the loss of their king T'Challa. This is followed up by a doco set in the heart of the Tibetan highlands, where an award-winning photographer guides a writer in his quest to document the infamously elusive snow leopard; before closing out the week with a celebration song and dance film marking the 30th anniversary of a classic Christmas story as told by a renowned English contemporary choreographer. 

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

'BLACK PANTHER : WAKANDA FOREVER' (Rated M) - this American Superhero film is based on the Marvel Comics character of Black Panther, as portrayed by Chadwick Boseman in the 2018 film 'Black Panther', and who tragically died from colon cancer in 2020. This is the sequel to that 2018 film and is the thirtieth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is once again Directed and Co-Written by Ryan Coogler. The film saw its World Premier screening in Hollywood on 26th October, is set for a worldwide release from this week, and is the final film in Phase Four of the MCU.

Queen Ramonda (Angela Bassett), Shuri (Letitia Wright), M'Baku (Winston Duke), Okoye (Danai Gurira) and the Dora Milaje fight to protect their nation from intervening world powers in the wake of King T'Challa's death, and a new threat emerges from the hidden undersea nation of Talokan and its king, Namor (Tenoch Huerta). As the Wakandans strive to embrace their next chapter, the heroes must band together with the help of War Dog Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) and Everett Ross (Martin Freeman) and forge a new path for the kingdom of Wakanda.

'THE VELVET QUEEN' (Rated M) - this French documentary film is Written and Directed by Vincent Munier and Marie Amiguet and is set in the heart of the Tibetan highlands amongst unexplored and inaccessible valleys, where multi-award-winning nature photographer Vincent Munier guides adventurer and novelist Sylvain Tesson on his quest to document the infamously elusive snow leopard. Munier introduces Tesson to the subtle art of waiting from a blind spot, tracking animals, and finding the patience to catch sight of the beasts. Through their journey in the Tibetan peaks, inhabited by invisible presences, the two men ponder humankind's place amongst the magnificent creatures and glorious landscapes they encounter along the way. 

'MATTHEW BOURNE'S NUTCRACKER!' (Rated CTC) - to celebrate its 30th anniversary with family-sized helpings of Bourne’s trademark wit, pathos, and magical fantasy, Nutcracker! follows Clara’s bittersweet journey from a darkly comic Christmas Eve at Dr. Dross’ Orphanage, through a shimmering, ice-skating winter wonderland to the scrumptious candy kingdom of Sweetieland, influenced by the lavish Hollywood musicals of the 1930's. Tchaikovsky’s glorious score and Anthony Ward’s newly-refreshed delectable sets and costumes combine with Bourne’s dazzling choreography to create a fresh and charmingly irreverent interpretation of the classic production. This film is Directed for the screen by Ross MacGibbon. 

With three 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-

THE WOMAN KING : Tuesday 1st November 2022.

I saw the M Rated 'THE WOMAN KING' earlier this week, and this American historical epic film is Directed by Gina Prince-Bythewood whose previous feature film Directorial credits are 'Love & Basketball' in 2000, 'The Secret Life of Bees' in 2008, 'Beyond the Lights' in 2014, and 'The Old Guard' in 2020. The film saw its World Premier showcasing at TIFF in early September this year, has generated positive critical reviews and has so far grossed US$87M off the back of a US$50M production budget. 

Set in 1823, a group of all-female warriors known as the Agojie, protects the West African kingdom of Dahomey that existed from the early 17th to the late 19th centuries, with skills and fierceness unlike anything the world has ever seen. One night under cover of darkness General Nanisca (Viola Davis) lays siege to an encampment where Dahomean women are being held captive in readiness for sale by slavers form the Oyo Empire. This in turn provokes the recently appointed King Ghezo (John Boyega) to begin preparations for war with the Oyo. 

Nanisca and her fearless group of female warriors begin training a new group of young would-be warriors to join the Agojie and ultimately defend Dahomey. Among this group of new hopefuls is nineteen year old Nawi (Thuso Mbedu), a strong-willed girl who was offered by her father to King Ghezo after refusing to marry a man old enough to be her father and who would beat her if she did not comply with his wishes. Nawi quickly becomes friends with Izogie (Lashana Lynch), a veteran Agojie. Later Nawi reveals to Nanisca that she is adopted and shows a birthmark on her left shoulder, when Nanisca tells her about the many battle scars she has suffered over the years and the many that Nawi will have to endure in her future. 

Sometime later, white slave traders led by Santo Ferreira (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) and accompanied by the half-Dahomean Malik (Jordan Bolger) arrive in West Africa as trading partners with the Oyo, led by General Oba Ade (Jimmy Odukoya). Nawi comes across Malik one day while he is bathing in a watering hold in the jungle, and the two become friends when he explains that he is part Dahomean on his mothers side. Later that night after graduating from training to become a full-fledged Agojie and following the celebrations, Nawi sneaks off to speak with Malik and learns that the Oyo are planning to attack. Nawi reports back to Nanisca with this news who decries the young graduate for her disregard for her own safety and that of the kingdom potentially. Nanisca reveals that in her youth, she was captured by Oba, raped multiple times, and eventually fell pregnant as a result. After giving birth to a daughter, Nanisca embedded a half shark tooth in her left shoulder before ordering Amenza (Sheila Atim), another veteran Agojie to give the new born child away. Nanisca extracts the tooth from the birthmark on her left shoulder using a knife given to Nawi by Malik, confirming that she is her biological daughter. Nawi runs off distraught at this sudden news.

Nanisca leads a planned and co-ordinated attack on the Oyo catching them off guard, which is ultimately successful causing the remnants of the Oyo to hastily retreat. However, Oba escapes and Nawi and Izogie are captured to be sold off as slaves. One of the captured Agojie, who was not secured with bindings slips away and reports the fate of other captives to Nanisca. Meanwhile King Ghezo announces his wish to bestow the title of Woman King, his equal partner in ruling over Dahomey, upon Nanisca, but refuses to sanction a rescue mission for the captured Agojie, saying that if Nanisca disobey's his ruling then it will be met with the sternest of punishments. In the meantime, Izogie and Nawi hatch a plan to escape their captivity but Izogie is shot twice in the back during their attempt at escape and dies in Nawi's arms. Malik buys Nawi in order to safeguard her from a life of slavery. 

Nanisca defies King Ghezo's orders and sets out alone, but is later joined by a group of her other compatriot warriors, including Amenza, to rescue the captives. In the ensuing chaos Nawi rejoins Nanisca. Ferreira hastily rounds up several slaves and bound with ropes bundles them into a row boat bound for their ship anchored off shore, with Malik who proceeds to free the slaves who in turn set upon Ferreira and drown him in the shallows. Nanisca confronts Oba in close quarter hand to hand combat, with the former eventually overcoming the latter as she stabs him in the chest and he dies where he fell.

Triumphant the Agojie returns to Dahomey, where Ghezo briefly reprimands Nanisca for disobeying him, before bestowing upon her the title of Woman King. Following the festivities which continue well into the night, Nanisca and Nawi privately acknowledge their new found relationship as mother and daughter.

'The Woman King' is an action movie first and foremost that successfully manages to combine a fictionalised story with historical fact that weaves a coming of age, overcoming adversity and the power of a unified force of women into an epic crowd pleasing tale. Viola Davis once again proves her acting chops by delivering us a no holds barred, cut and thrust, nuanced yet emotionally scarred character that is both believable and relatable; while Lashana Lynch, Sheila Atim and newcomer Thuso Mbedu also give compelling performances bringing emotional heft and weight to the films more tender moments and action sequences. I did however, feel that John Boyega's delivery of his lines left me straining to understand what he was saying under his accent; and for all the action scenes much of the slicing, dicing and blood letting was done out of view or off-camera I'm guessing for the sake of a more audience friendly M rating, not that this really detracts from the implied savagery of 1820's combat. 'The Woman King' takes all the best elements from 'Braveheart', 'Gladiator' and 'Wonder Woman' and melds them into an historical action epic that needs to be seen on the big screen.

'The Woman King' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 3rd November 2022.

The 30th Raindance Film Festival this year is being held from Wednesday 26th October through until Saturday 5th November. The Raindance Film Festival is the largest independent film festival in the UK. Holding the 30th festival in 2022, Raindance is based in the heart of London’s buzzing West End film district. The Festival is officially recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences USA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the British Independent Film Awards. 

The Festival Sections comprise world-renowned programme of the best UK and international independent films; House of Raindance consisting of talks and panel discussions; Raindance VRX programme for virtual reality and new media and networking events. Each year, Raindance attracts 16,000 visitors including 500 industry professionals into London.

The Opening Night film was the International Premier of 'Corner Office' Directed by Joachim Back and starring Jon Hamm as Orson, a corporate drone trying to move up in his entry-level job, discovers a secret room in his drab, soul-crushing office building on his first day in the job - a discovery that causes problems with his new colleagues. The Closing Night Gala film presentation is the International Premier of 'Pinball : The Man Who Saved the Game' Directed by Austin and Meredith Bragg in their feature film debuts. This is the story of journalist Roger Sharpe who has mastered one thing in life - pinball. But when a police raid destroys the only machines he can find in 1970's New York City, he learns the game is illegal. Roger reluctantly fights the ban while falling in love with a single mother. Inspired by true events.

Included in this years strands are :

Debut Features

* 'Broadway' - from Greece, France and Romania and Directed by Christos Massalas. Having escaped from her wealthy and controlling family, Nelly, a dancer in a strip club, is rescued by charismatic gangster Markos. The two soon become lovers until he’s arrested and imprisoned, and a mystery man, wanted dead by Athens’ most dangerous mafia, takes an important place in the gang. UK Premier.

* 'Pamfir' - from Ukraine, France, Poland, Germany and Chile and Directed by Dmytro Sukholytkyy-Sobchuk. In western Ukraine, on the eve of a traditional carnival, Pamfir returns to his family after months of absence. When his only child starts a fire in the prayer house, Pamfir must reconnect with his troubled past to repair the damage – a risky path with irreversible consequences. UK Premier.

* 'Roving Woman' - from the USA and Poland and Directed by Michal Chmielewski. The driver Sara, has been kicked out of her home amidst a break-up, steals a car, then seemingly falls in love with its owner setting out on a road trip to find him. International Premier.

* 'Falcon Lake' - from France and Canada and Directed by Charlotte Le Bon. Bastien and Chloe spend their summer vacation with their families at a lake cabin in Quebec, haunted by a ghost legend. Ready to overcome his worst fears to earn a place in Chloe’s heart, the holiday becomes a turbulent pivotal moment for the young boy. UK Premier.

* 'Gentle' - from Hungary and Germany and Directed by Laszlo Csuja and Anna Nemes. Edina, a female bodybuilder, is ready to sacrifice everything for the dream she shares with life partner and trainer Adam: to win the world championship. Expensive steroids and supplements, force her to take a job as an escort which makes her realise the difference between her aspiration and true self. UK Premier.

Homegrown

* 'Swede Caroline' - from the UK and Directed by Finn Bruce and Brook Driver. In this British mockumentary, we follow Caroline, a competitive giant vegetable grower, as she readies herself for the big annual National Veg Championship. However, Caroline finds her life turned upside down when her prized marrow plants are stolen and the two private detectives she’s hired are kidnapped. World Premier.

* 'Goldfish' - from the UK and Directed by Pushan Kripalani. A young woman in her early 30's returns home after much time away to help her mother deal with the onset of dementia, despite their troubled relationship. Aided by a community she once shunned, she discovers her mother anew. European Premier.

International Features

* 'To Leslie' - from the USA and Directed by Michael Morris. A West Texas single mother wins US$190K in the lottery and squanders it just as fast, only learning the value of sharing after she’s drank all her cash away. Leaving behind a world of heartbreak, and with her charm running out, she fights to rebuild her life and find redemption. UK Premier.

* 'Una Femmina - The Code of Silence' - from Italy and Directed by Francesco Costabile. Rosa is a restless girl who lives with her mother’s relatives in a remote South Italian village. When the truth emerges about her mother’s mysterious death, Rosa seeks revenge against her own blood. However, when your family belongs to the ‘Ndrangheta mafia, a single failed step can lead to death. UK Premier.

* 'Swallow' - from South Korea and Directed by Hee-il Leesong. When Hoyeon’s mother inexplicably disappears, he is forced to abandon his mundane corporate life to search for her. What he is not prepared for are the details of his mother’s violent and revolutionary past which he uncovers along the way. World Premier.

For the full details of the other strands being showcased, the official competition nominees, plus a whole host of other great stuff, you can go to the official website at : https://raindance.org/festival/

This week there are six new movie releases to tease out to your local picture palace, starting with a deeply personal coming-of-age story about the strength of family and the generational pursuit of the American Dream, set in 1980 New York. This is followed by a story of two strangers who transform each other's lives, a psychological thriller, and a tale of love pitted against evil. Next up is an Aussie drama horror offering about an Instagram influencer who doesn’t just have a follower count – she’s also got a body count. And we close out the week with three films from New Zealand, these being a biographical film about a trailblazing Maori leader who spends her life breaking boundaries, speaking for the rights of Maori, and fighting for the land. Then we turn to a comedy drama about an anxiety fuelled young woman  on her way from Wellington to New York for an internship at a prestigious architecture firm when a moment of panic causes her to miss her flight, and closing out this weeks releases we have a documentary examining the widespread abuse inside an infamous west coast Christian Community cult and the institutional failures that have allowed it to continue.

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 week ahead.

'ARMAGEDDON TIME' (Rated M) - this American period drama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by James Gray, whose previous film making credits take in the likes of 'Little Odessa' in 1994, 'The Yards' in 2000, 'We Own the Night' in 2007, 'The Immigrant' in 2013, 'The Lost City of Z' in 2016, and 'Ad Astra' in 2019. This film saw its World Premier showcasing at the Cannes Film Festival in mid-May this year and received a seven minute standing ovation from the gathered audience. It was released Stateside last week, cost US$15M to produce and has generated favourable reviews.

Set in 1980 Queens, the film follows Paul Graff (Banks Repeta), a sixth grader who dreams of becoming an artist. As Paul builds a friendship with classmate Johnny Davis (Jaylin Webb), who’s mercilessly targeted by their racist teacher, he finds himself increasingly at odds with his parents Esther and Irving Graff (Anne Hathaway and Jeremy Strong respectively), for whom assimilation is key to the family’s Jewish-American identity. Paul feels on firmest ground with his kind grandfather Aaron Rabinowitz (Anthony Hopkins), whose life experiences have granted him a weathered compassion. Also starring Jessica Chastain. 

'THE WONDER' (Rated M) - is a period drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Sebastian Lelio whose previous film making credits include the multi-award winning 'Gloria' in 2013, the multi-award winning 'A Fantastic Woman' in 2017 which also won the Best Foreign Language Film of the Year Academy Award, 'Disobedience' in 2017 with Rachel Weisz, Rachel McAdams and Alessando Nivola and 'Gloria Bell' in 2018 with Julianne Moore and John Turturro. Here then, it is 1862 Ireland and eleven year old Anna O'Donnell (Kila Lord Cassidy) has stopped eating but remains miraculously alive and well. English nurse Lib Wright (Florence Pugh) is brought to a tiny village to observe the young girl. Tourists and pilgrims mass to witness the girl who is said to have survived without food for months. Is the village harbouring a saint 'surviving on manna from heaven' or are there more ominous motives at work? Also starring Tom Burke, Toby Jones and Ciaran Hinds, the film saw its World Premier at the Telluride Film Festival in early September, is release in the UK, the US and here in Australia this week before streaming on Netflix from the 16th November. The film has garnered generally positive reviews. 

'SISSY' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian drama horror offering is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes who also Co-Directed 'For Now' in 2017, and also stars Hannah Barlow. Cecilia and Emma were tween-age BFFs who were going to grow old together and never let anything come between them, until Alex arrived on the scene. Twelve years later, Cecilia (Aisha Dee) is a successful social media influencer living the dream of an independent, modern millennial woman . . . until she runs into Emma (Hannah Barlow) for the first time in over a decade. Emma invites Cecilia away on her bachelorette weekend at a remote cabin in the mountains, where her high school bully Alex (Emily De Margheriti) proceeds to make Cecilia's weekend a living hell. The film has generated favourable critical Reviews.

'WHINA' (Rated PG) - is a New Zealand biographical film Co-Written and Directed by James Napier Robertson and Paula Whetu Jones. The film tells the story of Dame Whina Cooper, the beloved Maori matriarch who worked tirelessly to improve the rights of her people, especially women. Flawed yet resilient, Whina is the story of a woman formed by tradition, compelled by innovation, and guided by an instinct for equality and justice whose legacy as the Te Whaea o te Motu (Mother of the Nation) was an inspiration to an entire country. Starring Miriama McDowell as the young Whina, Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne as the teenage Whina and Rena Owen as the older Whina Cooper, and also with James Rolleston and Vinnie Bennett. The film has generated positive critical acclaim since its release in New Zealand in late June. 

'MILLIE LIES LOW' (Rated MA15+) - this New Zealand comedy drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Michelle Savill is her feature film making debut. When a broke and anxiety-ridden architecture graduate, Millie Davies (Ana Scotney), misses her flight from Wellington, New Zealand to New York for a prestigious internship, she decides to fake having made it to New York, while lying low in her home town until she can come up with the cash to buy another ticket. Meanwhile Millie must convince everyone she really is in the Big Apple and not living in a tent in her Mum’s Wellington backyard, via an elaborate series of antics and evasions. The film has generated critical praise since its release in its native New Zealand in early November last year. Also starring Rachel House, 

'GLORIAVALE' (Rated M) - this New Zealand documentary film is Produced and Directed by Fergus Grady and Noel Smyth and is Written, lensed and Edited by Noel Smyth too. The pairing of Grady and Smyth previously helmed 'Camino Skies' in 2019. This film documents and examines the Gloriavale Christian Community located on the West Coast of New Zealand's South Island where it has a population os some six hundred members. The filmmakers follow the story of the Ready family, who were excommunicated from Gloriavale, and begin mounting a legal case against the leaders of the community for the widespread abuse experienced there by many current and former members. The film saw its debut screening at the New Zealand International Film Festival in early August before its wide release in New Zealand later that month. 

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 coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-