Looking then at this weeks four new movies coming to a big screen Odeon close to your home, we launch with an action comedy of when the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, this mild-mannered everyman turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back. This is followed by a fantasy adventure comedy offering that sees four misfits suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination, but to get back home, they'll have to master this world while embarking on a quest with an unexpected, expert crafter. Next up we turn back to the late '70's where a teenager discovers the underground post-punk music scene in Christchurch, New Zealand, and looking to impress someone, he attempts his own songs. And closing out the week we have an animated film about a half dog and half man, who is sworn to protect and serve as he doggedly pursues the feline supervillain Petey the Cat.
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 week ahead.
'NOVOCAINE' (Rated MA15+) - is an American action comedy film Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen whose prior feature film Directing collaborations take in 'Body' in 2015, 'Stake Land II' in 2016, 'Villains' in 2019 and 'Significant Other' in 2022. This film has received generally positive reviews from critics, and has so far grossed US$29M from a production budget of US$18M since its US release in mid-March.When the girl of his dreams Sherry Margrave (Amber Midthunder) is kidnapped, everyman and assistant manager at a San Diego credit union Nathan 'Novocaine' Caine (Jack Quaid) turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back after she is kidnapped on Christmas Eve by a bunch of thugs dressed in Santa suits. Also starring Ray Nicholson, Jacob Batalon, Betty Gabriel and Matt Walsh.
'A MINECRAFT MOVIE' (Rated PG) - this fantasy adventure comedy film is Directed by Jared Hess, whose previous film making output includes 'Napoleon Dynamite' in 2004, 'Nacho Libre' in 2006, 'Don Verdean' in 2015, 'Masterminds' in 2016 and the animated 'Thelma the Unicorn' in 2024. Here, four misfits - Garrett 'The Garbage Man' Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks), find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld - a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they'll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Jack Black). The film was originally set for a release date in late May 2019 but in late April of that year the film was delayed until early March 2022. Then in early October 2020 it was removed from the release schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in early April 2023 after being undated for over two years, the film was given its current release date of this week here in Australia and the US. It cost US$150M to produce, and was filmed in New Zealand.
'HEAD SOUTH' (Rated MA15+) - is a New Zealand coming of age comedy film Written and Directed by Jonathan Ogilvie, whose prior feature film offerings take in 'Emulsion' in 2006, 'The Tender Hook' in 2008, and 'Lone Wolf' in 2021. In 1979, Angus (Ed Oxenbould), alone for a couple of weeks with his world-weary father, is drawn into the underground post-punk music scene in Christchurch, New Zealand. Desperate to fit in with this magnetic but fickle subculture, Angus distances himself from his true friends and lies about his musical abilities to his new 'friends'. Caught out by his own deceit he must become the musician he pretended to be. With the support of his friends, especially the talented Kirsten (Benee), Angus navigates self-doubt, derision, harmful behaviour and a family tragedy to take the stage for the first time with his band 'The Daleks'. The film saw its World Premiere screening as the Opening Night Film at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in late January 2024 and was released in its native NZ at the end of October last year. Also starring Marton Csokas.
'DOG MAN' (Rated G) - this American animated film is Written for the screen and Directed by Peter Hastings and is based on Dav Pilkey's children's graphic novel series 'Dog Man'. It is a spin-off and story within a story of 2017's 'Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie' and the second film in the 'Captain Underpants' franchise. Hastings made his feature film Directorial debut with the Disney animated 'The Country Bears' in 2002, and he has also Written and Directed many animated TV series episodes in the intervening period. When a police officer and his faithful police dog get injured in the line of duty, a harebrained but life-saving surgery fuses the two of them together, and Dog Man is born (voiced by Peter Hastings). As Dog Man learns to embrace his new identity, he must stop feline supervillain Petey the Cat (Pete Davidson) from cloning himself and going on a crime spree. Also starring the voice talents of Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, Billy Boyd, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Root. It has garnered generally favourable critical reviews and has so far grossed US$132M from a US$40M production budget since its release Stateside at the end of January.