IN THE GREY : Tuesday 19th May 2026

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'IN THE GREY' earlier this week, and this American action thriller film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Guy Ritchie, best known for his feature films including 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels' his 1998 Directorial debut, then 'Snatch' in 2000, 'Sherlock Holmes' in 2009 and 'Sherlock Holmes : A Game of Shadows' in 2011, 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' in 2015, 'The Gentlemen' in 2019, 'Operation Fortune : Ruse de Guerre' in 2023, 'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' in 2024 and 'Fountain of Youth' in 2025. This film was released in the USA and Australia last week, has so far grossed US$5M, and has generated mixed or average critical reviews. 

The film opens up with a SUV driving down a road hugging the side of a mountain, before it pulls off. Inside the car is Braxton (Darrell D'Silva), his henchman and Axel Olsson (Kristofer Hivju). Braxton takes a call and asks the two to leave the vehicle and step out side momentarily. Braxton says to the caller that he has the signed paperwork, and that Salazar agreed to pay the US$1B debt that he owes. Axel then shoots dead the henchman, and Braxton who by now now has exited the SUV in a panic. He too is shot dead, and Axel leans over his corpse, retrieves the letter, and calls Salazar, who tells him to destroy it. In the meantime, Rachel Wilde (Eiza Gonzalez) a street smart, tough as nails specialist lawyer, whose particularly adept at recovering large sums of money from those who aren't supposed to have it, visits New York banking Executive Bobby Sheen (Rosamund Pike), whose employer is wanting to recover the US$1B it loaned to criminal dictator Manny Salazar (Carlos Bardem), who has successfully evaded capture over recent years by adopting numerous aliases. Rachel says she can do the job, but wants a commission for her troubles of 20%, but Bobby negotiates her quickly down to 15%, with US$10M upfront payment in addition bargains Rachel, which Bobby accepts. 

Rachel has at her disposal a crack team of other lawyers, plus various other experts in surveillance, computer hacking, cyber security etc. plus a pair of assets in Bronco (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Sid (Henry Cavill) who in turn have a team of mercenaries for hire at their disposal. They are armed to the teeth with the latest gadgets, vehicles, weapons, covert surveillance gear and the wherewithal to take out a small country - which is exactly what they need to do, as Salazar owns and rules over a small island off the coast of Portugal, which they need to infiltrate. 

And so Bronco travels to Salazar's island with his team, while Sid travels to Jeddah and is met by his contact there with the aim of shutting down Salazar's construction of a major hotel development. And so Sid bribes the building engineer to the tune of US$25K, and in the process laying off some 400 Saudi construction workers and costing Salazar millions each week in lost productivity. Next up Rachel targets Salazar's private jet and then his ocean going super yacht which she has forfeited, and then a giant oil rig waiting dockside to be imminently commissioned. Meanwhile, Salazar's own lawyer William Horowitz (Fisher Stevens) is beside himself at Rachel's doggedness at pursuing Salazar and has to front up to his boss every time there is another development to explain away her actions. Needless to say Salazar is becoming increasingly frustrated and anxious, and unusually demands a face to face meeting with Rachel. 

And so Rachel flies onto the island and is flanked by Sid and Bronco who join her at her cosy little meeting at Salazar's private villa. Salazar says that he is prepared to pay US$400M of the debt and not a penny more, and if she doesn't agree she can fuck off. The meeting ends there with Rachel walking away. The plan was then to extract Rachel off the island by using one of three planned escape routes which Bronco and Sid had meticulously planned and rehearsed multiple times over the previous several weeks, and covering off on all possible scenarios. 

As a consequence Rachel digs in hard and goes after Salazar's business interests by having court injunctions taken out on all of his known company's, thereby having them effectively closed down with the front doors chained, padlocked and guarded. This naturally causes Salazar more financial pain and anguish, so he calls another face to face meeting with Rachel, at which he offers her US$800M to pay off his debt. Rachel won't budge however, and replies that she knows every last detail of every shell company he has dotted all around the world, and will happily expose his nefarious deeds to the very long arm of the law. Salazar relents and agrees to pay back the US$1B on the condition that all of his assets are returned to him and that his various business interests are freed up. Rachel agrees.

Upon leaving, Salazar orders Axel to hunt them down and kill them. And so begins an all guns blazing chase as Sid and Bronco and their four mercenary colleagues attempt to extract Rachel off the island, against Salazar's team of Police and his own militia of about fifty men try to thwart their enemy. Needless to say it doesn't end well for Salazar's small army that may have the numbers of boots on the ground, but they don't have Sid and Bronco's latest technical wizardry, military grade weapons, specialist vehicles or pre-set booby traps which are all used to great effect, including taking down Alex with a bazooka as he fires on our two likely lads and Rachel from a helicopter. 

As Rachel is taken off the island by boat, Sid and Bronco remain behind to attend to some last minute business, saying that they'll catch them up. And so the pair return to Salazar's villa posing as maintenance men. Salazar appears and orders them to leave, but Bronco steps up behind him and injects him with a serum that knocks him old cold. Wrapping him up in cling film leaving only his mouth and nose exposed, they load him into a shipping container and send him off to Miami, Florida. There, the FBI converge on the container to find a battered and bruised Salazar sat on the floor sucking on a cigar. The FBI Officer calls out Salazar's name to which he responds, my name is Smith. 

In the opening voiceover Rachel comments that she and her team exist somewhere between what is legal and illegal, between what is moral and immoral, and between what is black and what is white - in the grey! And so it is with scribe and film maker Guy Ritchie who has crafted a film which is full of exposition like he's spoon feeding the audience with his on-screen graphics of what's about to play out. The action sequences are all reasonably well staged but offer up nothing we haven't seen a hundred times before; the banter and the quips between Sid and Bronco come thick and fast with some landing and others falling by the wayside; and the cast are all beautifully coiffed and kitted out in designer wear that wouldn't look out of place in 'The Devil Wears Prada 2'. As for the plot, well you can leave your brain in neutral and go along for the ride, which exists 'in the grey' - it's neither that good, nor that bad either, and at a brisk 98 minute run time doesn't outstay its welcome.

'In the Grey' 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 21st May 2026.

The 30th American Black Film Festival (ABFF) takes place this year from Wednesday 27th through to Sunday 31st May, at Miami Beach, Miami, Florida, USA. This premier annual event is dedicated to empowering emerging talent and showcasing film and television content by and about people of African descent. Founded in 1997, the festival was conceived to strengthen the independent film community through resource sharing, education, and artistic collaboration. From its trailblazing start as a destination film festival, ABFF has evolved into Hollywood’s leading talent discovery platform. Today, it attracts a global community of creators, executives, and enthusiasts. Featuring a dynamic mix of film screenings, panel discussions, master classes, networking events, and lifestyle experiences, the five-day festival in Miami Beach draws more than 7,000 attendees annually, serving as a vital platform for emerging voices and creative excellence in the industry. This year ABFF celebrates its 30th anniversary under the theme 'Homecoming', as a tribute to the festival’s rich legacy and the global community it has cultivated over three decades. This milestone event will honour the past while looking toward the future, reaffirming ABFF’s role as the premier destination for discovering and elevating diverse talent in Hollywood and beyond . . . . . so reads the official website.

This years Opening Night film is 'Strung', which is an American psychological thriller film Directed by Malcolm D. Lee, and is about a talented violinist who takes a prestigious job as a music tutor for the gifted daughter of an influential and enigmatic family. As she becomes entangled in their opulent world, unsettling secrets begin to surface, forcing her to question her safety, her dreams, and even her sanity. Starring Chloe Bailey, Lynn Whitfield, Lucien Laviscount, Anna Diop, Coco Jones, and Romy Woods. 

In the Narrative Features (US & International) competitive section of feature-length films Directed by, or Written and Produced by persons of African descent. Selected films compete for Jury Awards, including the Grand Jury Prize for Best US Narrative Feature, Directing Award, Screenwriting Award, and Performance Award. International films are eligible to compete for the Grand Jury Prize for Best International Feature. There are twenty titles in this section, as detailed briefly below :-

* 'Garden of Silence' - from Brazil and Italy and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Henrique Dantas. World Premiere.

* 'Southside Kev' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Jamel Furlow. World Premiere.

* 'Athena A.I.' - from the USA and Directed by Corey Grant. World Premiere.

* 'Bust!' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced, Directed and starring Richie Kamtchoum.

* 'Waking Up Horny' - from the USA and Written and Directed by Michael Arcell. World Premiere.

* 'Otra' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced, Directed and starring Armani Ortiz. World Premiere.

* 'That's Her' - from the USA and Co-Written and Directed by Nina Lee. World Pemiere.

* '93 'til' - from the USA and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Alterik Miller. World Premiere.

* 'Funny Feelings' - from the USA and Directed by Rhonda Baraka. World Premiere.

* 'Sr.' - from the USA and Co-Written and Directed by Toroes Thomas Jnr. 

* 'Lights Out' - from Cameroon and Directed by Enah Johnscott. US Premiere.

* 'Seahorse' - from Canada and Written, Directed and starring Aisha Evelyna. 

* 'Small Gods' - from the UK and Co-Written and Directed by Asher Rosen. US Premiere.

* 'Voices : The Musical' - from the USA and Directed by Deante Gray. World Premiere.

* 'A Story About You' - from the USA and Co-Produced and Directed by Joseph E. Austin II. 

* 'Three Colours : Pan-African' - from the USA and Directed by Elijah Davis, Allison A. Waite, Tyler Ocasio Holmes, and Co-Written and Co-Produced by Elijah Davis. 

* 'Hoop Street' - from the USA and Directed by Princeton James. US Premiere.

* 'Girl Dad' - from the USA and Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Solvan Slick Naim, and starring Courtney B. Vance. World Premiere.

* 'Homage' - from the USA and Co-Produced, Directed and starring Miles Mussenden. World Premiere.

* 'Montmartre' - from the USA and France and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Leon Hendrix III. 

For the full synopsis of the above named films, plus the details of the other official selections including the Spotlight Screenings, Documentary Features, the Short Film Award Showcase, the Voices of Culture shorts section, African Stories shorts section and more, plus a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.abff.com

Looking ahead then to this weeks six new movies coming to a big screen Odeon close to your home, we kick off with an epic Sfi-Fi action adventure offering that is part of a near fifty year old franchise set in a galaxy far far away, in which the evil empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy, and so a fledgling New Republic enlists the help of this duo to protect everything the Rebellion fought for during the Empire’s reign, in a time where remaining Imperial warlords threaten the tender peace of the star system. This is followed by an Aussie black comedy about a man who is evicted from his rental home, moves back with his pregnant wife into his parents house, and while focusing on his parents wealth, decides to achieve success through unimaginable actions. Next up there is a supernatural horror film that follows a couple tormented by a demonic entity after a highway accident. Then we turn to a British RomCom about a lovesick musician who is given the wrong number for his dream girl, and so he teams up with a driven psychology student to find her. Following on we have a biopic that transports us back and forth in time, from early 20th Century Prague through to the present day, in this richly detailed portrait of one of literature's most influential and elusive figures. And closing out the week we have a French comedy drama offering where an elderly billionaire woman gives hundreds of millions of euros to a younger gay artist she is close to, only for her daughter to file a complaint for abuse of a vulnerable person, and a scandal erupts.

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.

'THE MANDALORIAN & GROGU' (Rated M) - AKA 'Star Wars : The Mandalorian and Grogu' is an American Sci-Fi action fantasy film Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Jon Favreau, the American Actor and filmmaker whose previous feature film Directorial efforts include his debut with 'Made' in 2001, which he would follow up with the likes of 'Elf' in 2003, 'Iron Man' in 2008, 'Iron Man 2' in 2010, 'Cowboys & Aliens' in 2011, 'Chef' in 2014, 'The Jungle Book' in 2016, and 'The Lion King' in 2019. This film forms part of the 'Star Wars' franchise and a continuation of the Disney+ TV series 'The Mandalorian' which has so far run for three seasons.

Following the fall of the Galactic Empire, during a period where remaining Imperial warlords threaten the galaxy, the New Republic enlists Din Djarin/The Mandalorian (Pedro Pascal) and his apprentice Grogu to rescue Rotta the Hutt (Jeremy Allen White) in exchange for information from the Hutt clan on a New Republic target. The film also stars Sigourney Weaver, cost US$165M to produce and is released in the US this week too.

'BIRTHRIGHT' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian black comedy satire film is Written and Directed by Zoe Pepper in only her second feature film offering following 'Fads & Miracles' in 2022. Here, set against the housing crisis in Australia that makes it very difficult for young people to purchase their first home, as demand far outweighs supply and as the cost of both apartments and houses skyrockets making Australia one of the most expensive property markets in the world. Cory (Travis Jeffrey) who recently lost his job and his pregnant wife Jasmin (Maria Angelico) are evicted from their rental property and move back into the home of Cory's parents Richard (Michael Hurst) and Lyn (Linda Cropper) on the outskirts of the city. What begins as uneasy dependence spirals into paranoia, as both generations confront their failures and fears. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the Tribeca Film Festival in NYC in early June last year, and subsequently screened at all the major Australian film festivals throughout the remaining months of 2025. The film has generated largely positive critical reviews.

'PASSENGER' (Rated MA15+) - is an American supernatural horror film that is Directed by Andre Ovredal whose prior feature film credits take in 'Trollhunter' in 2010, 'The Autopsy of Jane Doe' in 2016, 'Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark' in 2019 and 'The Last Voyage of the Demeter' in 2023. A few weeks into their van life adventure, a young couple Maddie (Lou Liobell) and Tyler (Jacob Scipio) witnesses a horrific accident that leaves the driver dead. Soon they're being pursued by a demonic stalker known as The Passenger (Joshua Lopez) who's impossible to outrun, follows them wherever they go and won't stop until it claims them both. The film also stars Melissa Leo, and is released Stateside this week also. 

'FINDING EMILY' (Rated M) - this British RomCom is Directed by Alicia MacDonald in her feature filmmaking debut. When a lovesick musician Owen (Spike Fearn) is given the wrong number for his dream girl, he teams up with a driven psychology student Sami (Angourie Rice) to find her. So he decides to send a text message to all 318 Emily's on campus in an attempt to find his dream girl. Together, Owen and Sami, spark a hilarious, campus-wide frenzy that tests their own hearts and ambitions along the way. Also starring Minnie Driver. The film is released in the UK this week too and not in the US until 28th August.

'FRANZ' (Rated MA15+) - is a Czech Republic, Polish, French, German and Turkish Co-Produced biographical film Directed by Agnieszka Holland who made her feature length debut with 'Provincial Actors' in 1979, and would follow this up with other titles including 'Angry Harvest' in 1985, 'Europa Europa' in 1990, 'The Secret Garden' in 1993, 'Washington Square' in 1997, 'In Darkness' in 2011, 'Mr. Jones' in 2019 and 'Green Border' in 2023. Here then, Prague at the beginning of the 20th Century, and Franz Kafka (Idan Weiss) is torn between the strict expectations of his father Hermann (Peter Kurth), his monotonous daily routine at an insurance company, and his deep-rooted urge to write and thus give literary expression to his innermost feelings. His texts finally receive initial attention, while he continues to try to lead a life between conforming to others, such as his dominant father, and self-realisation. Time and again, Franz experiences intense relationships with women who enchant him to the utmost, inevitably facing the tensions between closeness and withdrawal. Supported by his friend and publisher Max Brod (Sebastian Schwarz), the picture emerges of a man searching for his place in the world - between a sense of duty, inner turmoil and creative expression, before his premature death from tuberculosis in 1924 aged just 40. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival back in early September last year. 

'THE RICHEST WOMAN IN THE WORLD' (Rated M) - this French and Belgian Co-Produced comedy drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Thierry Klifa who made his feature length debut in 2004 with 'Une vie a t'attendre', and would follow this up with other titles taking in 'His Mother's Eyes' in 2011, 'All That Divides Us' in 2017 and 'Rachel's Game' in 2023. Here, Marianne Farrere (Isabelle Huppert), heir to a major cosmetics empire and considered the richest woman in the world, meets Pierre‑Alain Fantin (Laurent Lafitte), a Parisian writer‑photographer, during a photoshoot. Their unexpected encounter develops into a close and ambiguous friendship that blends admiration, fascination, and tension. As Marianne navigates her immense wealth, she faces family secrets, shifting loyalties, and a series of increasingly high‑stakes emotional and financial entanglements. The film saw its World Premiere screening at last years Cannes Film Festival in mid-May, and was released in its native France at the end of October, has garnered generally favourable reviews and has so far grossed US$7.5M at the Box Office.

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-

HOKUM : Tuesday 12th May 2026.

I saw the M Rated 'HOKUM' earlier this week, and 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. The film Premiered at the SXSW Film & TV Festival in mid-March this year, was released Stateside and here in Australia the week ending 1st May, has received generally positive critical reviews, and has so far grossed US$18M from a production budget of US$5M.

The film opens with reasonably successful novelist Ohm Bauman (Adam Scott) struggling to write the Epilogue of his 'Conquistador' trilogy. After experiencing a brief vision of the ghost of his mother at home, Ohm decides to visit The Bilberry Woods Hotel in rural Ireland, where his parents had honeymooned, to lay their ashes finally to rest. Upon arrival, he is greeted by the hotel staff - owner Cob (Brendan Conroy), his son-in-law and front desk clerk Mal (Peter Coonan), groundskeeper Fergal (Michael Patric), bartender Fiona (Florence Ordesh) and bellhop Alby (Will O'Connell). 

While checking in for his week long stay, Ohm overhears Cob tell two children the story of a local witch who kidnaps children, clasps their hands in shackles and leads them in chains on a tour through the underworld, where they are clawed at by the souls who live there. Ohm is abrasive and dismissive toward the staff, but strikes up a friendlier rapport with Fiona after she identifies the location of a photo his mother took, standing next to a redwood tree. While spreading his parents' ashes - his mothers which he places thoughtfully around the roots of the tree, and his fathers which he empties out randomly next to the same tree, he meets and bonds with Jerry (David Wilmot), a local living in his van who frequently consumes milk laced with the ground up powder of magic mushrooms. He offers Ohm some of his homemade 'moonshine', which he gratefully knocks back a few sips before returning the bottle and going on his way.

Later that night in the bar while downing a couple of glasses of whisky, Fiona and Alby tell Ohm that the honeymoon suite is locked off, has been for many years and is supposedly haunted by a witch that Cob had trapped inside. Ohm dismisses this as 'hokum'. After belittling Alby's dreams of a writing career, Ohm returns to his room. Concerned, and having left his voice recorder and the photo of his mother at the bar, Fiona goes to check on Ohm and has Alby unlock his door. As she walks in to his room and switches on the light Fiona discovers he has hanged himself. Ohm comes round in hospital, alive thanks to Fiona's intervention. When he returns to the hotel, Mal informs him that Fiona has been missing since the hotel's Halloween party and Jerry is the #1 suspect for both Fiona's disappearance and the murder of his wife some years prior. The hotel is in final preparations to close for the winter season, and so Ohm collects his luggage and leaves.

However, Ohm pulls up a short distance away, and confronts Jerry at his van, who claims to have seen Fiona's ghost in the hotel directing him to the honeymoon suite. Ohm doesn't believe Jerry's story but agrees to check the suite with him. Jerry confesses to killing his wife, but says it was a mercy killing due to her terminal illness. With the hotel now closed for the season, Ohm and Jerry break in to investigate, once all staff and their vehicles have left, and undercover of darkness. 

Fergal remained back at the hotel however, and knocks Jerry unconscious, cable ties his hands together and bundles him into the back of his van before driving him to the Gardai (the national Police and Security Service of the Republic of Ireland). Fergal doesn't see Ohm who has snuck out of sight when Fergal appears. Ohm sneaks into the honeymoon suite, where he is haunted by supernatural visions of his mother and memories of shooting her dead by accident with his father's gun as a child. Ohm falls asleep on the honeymoon bed and is abruptly woken by Mal, who pleads with Ohm that they must return back downstairs and out of the honeymoon suite. 

Ohm inspects a dumbwaiter, discovering Fiona's corpse inside, dressed in her Halloween bunny outfit. Mal locks Ohm in the suite and flees the hotel. Ohm finds his tape recorder on Fiona and learns from her voice recordings that she was pregnant with Mal's baby, and that Mal drugged her and locked her in the suite to prevent his family finding out.

Jerry comes round in Fergal's van and is able to cut through the cable ties with a pocket knife, and jumps out of van's rear doors and escapes to the hotel. The hauntings intensify as Ohm struggles to find a way out. Spotting a fire escape on a map of the basement, Ohm removes Fiona's body to a nearby chair and descends via the dumbwaiter. He reaches the fire escape but finds it bricked up. Hearing eerily ghost like noises following him he quickly rushes back to the dumbwaiter and ascends to whence he came from. The Witch (Sioux Carroll) though follows him, enters the room but he fends her off with a circle of chalk he draws around the honeymoon bed. He falls asleep and wakes up the next morning with no sign of the Witch. A short time later Mal arrives at the hotel to dispose of Ohm and is surprised to find a badly injured Jerry from his fall out of the van. Ohm manages to ring the suite bell, alerting Jerry to his presence. Ohm starts a fire in the suite by covering an electric plug in heater with a thick blanket. Meanwhile, Mal shoots Jerry dead with Fergal's crossbow, as Jerry attempts to break into the suite to release Ohm. 

Ohm flees into the basement again, and is pursued by Mal. Ohm draws another chalk circle to protect himself in the narrow basement corridor, but not before being shackled and chained himself. Mal is also confronted by the witch, who shackles and chains his hands and leads him to the underworld. Ohm makes peace with his mother's ghost and removes his own chains before escaping back up the dumbwaiter and out of the honeymoon suite. As the hotel burns, Ohm is saved by Fergal after he hears Fiona's spirit calling to him. 

Alby visits Ohm in hospital, telling him Fiona and Jerry's remains have been found but Mal is missing. Alby admits to vengefully spiking Ohm's whisky with Jerry's magic mushroom powder. Ohm notices he still has bruises on his wrists consistent with being placed in shackles, and recalls Jerry telling him that drugs allow people to open their mind to the supernatural. Ohm agrees to read Alby's manuscript the next day, and finishes opening his laptop and writing a more hopeful ending to his Conquistador (Austin Amelio) trilogy. 

With 'Hokum' Writer and Director Damian McCarthy has here crafted a modern day ghost story replete with tension, emotion, drama, the requisite jump scares, horror elements and a few moments of real jet black humour, as the perfectly cast Adam Scott delivers his sardonic, depressed and guilt ridden role with a deft touch. The atmosphere and sense of dread created on screen is almost palpable, which when added to the sound mix and production design make for a very worthwhile entry into the Irish horror folklore genre, that is certainly worth the price of your cinema ticket despite there being a couple of fairly glaring plot holes (spot them if you can!)

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 14th May 2026

The 79th annual Cannes Film Festival is in full swing having begun on Tuesday 12th May and running through until Saturday 23rd May. The Cannes Film Festival is considered the most prestigious film festival in the world. Held in Cannes, France, it previews new films of all genres, including documentaries. Founded in 1946, the invitation-only festival is held annually at the Palais des Festivals et des Congres. The festival was formally accredited by the FIAPF in 1951. Cannes is considered one of the 'Big Three' European film festivals, alongside Venice and Berlin, as well as one of the 'Big Five' international film festivals, alongside Venice, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance.

This years Opening Night film presentation is the French period comedy drama film 'The Electric Kiss' that is Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Pierre Salvadori. Set in Paris in 1928, the plot follows a young grieving painter Antoine Balestro (Pio Marmai) who tries to contact with his dead wife Irene (Vimala Pons) through a psychic Suzanne (Anais Demoustier) after losing his inspiration to paint.

The South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-wook is this years Jury President for the main competition for the prestigious Palme d'Or, with other members of the Jury panel including Demi Moore, Ruth Negga, Stellan Skarsgard, Chloe Zhao and Paul Laverty. During the festival, two Honorary Palmes d'Or will be awarded - to New Zealand filmmaker Peter Jackson, and to American Actress, singer and filmmaker Barbra Streisand.

It should be noted that 2,541 feature films were submitted for consideration, with the initial main competition lineup featuring twenty-two films from three continents and five female Directors. Those films competing for the Palme d'Or are as given in brief, below :-

* 'All of a Sudden' - from France, Japan, Germany and Belgium and this drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi and stars Virginie Efira and Tao Okamoto. World Premiere.

* 'Another Day' - from France and Belgium and this drama film is Written and Directed by Jeanne Herry. World Premiere.

* 'The Beloved' - from Spain and France and this drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen and stars Javier Bardem and Victoria Luengo. World Premiere.

* 'The Birthday Party' - from France and this drama film is Written and Directed by Lea Mysius. World Premiere.

* 'Bitter Christmas' - from Spain, and this tragicomedy is Written and Directed by Pedro Almodovar. International Premiere.

* 'The Black Ball' - from Spain and France, this drama film is Co-Written and Co-Directed by Javier Calvo and Javier Ambrossi, and stars Penelope Cruz and Glenn Close. World Premiere.

* 'Coward' - from Belgium and France, and this WWI drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Lukas Dhont. World Premiere.

* 'The Dreamed Adventure' - from Germany, France, Bulgaria and Austria, this drama film is Written and Directed by Valeska Grisebach. World Premiere.

* 'Fatherland' - from Poland, UK, France, Italy and Germany, this biographical film is Co-Written and Directed by Paweł Pawlikowski, and stars Hanns Zischler and Sandra Huller. World Premiere.

* 'Fjord' - from Romania, Norway, Denmark, Finland, France and Sweden, this drama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Cristian Mungiu and stars Sebastian Stan and Renate Reinsve. World Premiere.

* 'Gentle Monster' - from Austria, France, Belgium and Germany, this drama film is Written and Directed by Marie Kreutzer, and stars Lea Seydoux and Catherine Deneuve. World Premiere.

* 'Hope' - from South Korea and this Sci-Fi thriller film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Na Hong-jin and stars Alicia Vikander and Michael Fassbender. World Premiere.

* 'A Man of His Time' - from Belgium and France, and this WWII drama film is Written and Directed by Emmanuel Marre. World Premiere.

* 'The Man I Love' - from the USA and France and this musical fantasy film is Co-Written and Directed by Ira Sachs, and stars Remi Malek, Tom Sturridge, Luther Ford, Rebecca Hall and Ebon Moss-Bachrach. World Premiere.

* 'Minotaur' - from France, Latvia and Germany this political thriller drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Andrey Zvyagintsev. World Premiere.

* 'Moulin' - from France and Hungary, this historical drama WWII biographical film is Directed by Laszlo Nemes and stars Gilles Lellouche and Lars Eidinger. World Premiere.

* 'Nagi Notes' - from Japan, Singapore, Thailand and France, this drama film is Written and Directed by Koji Fukada. World Premiere.

* 'Paper Tiger' - from the USA, Brazil and Italy, this crime drama film is Written and Directed by James Gray and stars Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson and Miles Teller. World Premiere.

* 'Parallel Tales' - from France, USA, Italy and Belgium, this drama film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Asghar Farhadi, and stars Isabelle Huppert, Virginie Efira, Vincent Cassel, Pierre Niney, Adam Bessa and Catherine Deneuve. World Premiere.

* 'Sheep in the Box' - from Japan, this Sci-Fi drama film is Written, Directed and Edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda. World Premiere.

* 'The Unknown' - from France, Belgium and Italy this psychological fantasy film is Co-Written and Directed by Arthur Harari, and stars Lea Seydoux and Niels Schneider. World Premiere.

* 'A Woman's Life' - from France and Belgium, this comedy drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Charline Bourgeois-Tacquet, and stars Lea Drucker and Melanie Thierry. World Premiere.

For the descriptors of the aforementioned films in Official Competition, plus the full details of the other competitive strands, and the low-down on all the films being showcased at this years Cannes Film Festival, plus a whole lot of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.festival-cannes.com

Focusing the attention then back on this weeks six hot new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we launch with an action thriller about a secret elite team of agents who are tasked with reclaiming a vast fortune stolen by a ruthless tyrant. Then we turn to psychological drama thriller in which long-buried wounds rise to the surface when an iconic pop star reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer. This is followed by a French mystery thriller where a Parisian psychiatrist investigates a patient's suspected murder despite official suicide rulings. Next up is a supernatural horror offering about a man who uses a magical 'One Wish Willow' to make his crush love him, resulting in a dangerous, violent, and obsessive relationship. Following on is an Australian drama film about a woman reclaiming her independence while escaping a coercive relationship; before closing out the week with a New Zealand drama film about the aftermath of an explosion that rocked the Pike River Coal Mine and took twenty-nine lives, two women step up to fight for accountability.

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.

'IN THE GREY' (Rated MA15+) - is an American action thriller film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Guy Ritchie, best known for his feature films including 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels' his 1998 Directorial debut, then 'Snatch' in 2000, 'Sherlock Holmes' in 2009 and 'Sherlock Holmes : A Game of Shadows' in 2011, 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' in 2015, 'The Gentlemen' in 2019, 'Operation Fortune : Ruse de Guerre' in 2023, 'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' in 2024 and 'Fountain of Youth' in 2025. This film is released in the USA this week also.

The film follows a covert team of elite operatives - Sid (Henry Cavill), Bronco (Jake Gyllenhaal) and Rachel Wild (Eiza Gonzalez) who live in the global shadows, as comfortable wielding power and influence as they are automatic weapons and high explosives. When a ruthless despot steals a billion-dollar fortune, the team is sent to steal it back on what would be for anyone else a suicide mission. What begins as an impossible heist gets much worse, spiralling into an all-out war of strategy, deception and survival. Also starring Fisher Stevens, Rosamund Pike, Jason Wong, Emmett J. Scanlan and Kristofer Hivju.

'MOTHER MARY' (Rated MA15+) - this US and German Co-Produced psychological drama thriller film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Edited by David Lowery who made his feature film Co-Directing debut with 'Deadroom' in 2005, and then his debut in his own right with 'St. Nick' in 2009. He would follow these up with the likes of 'A'int Them Bodies Saints' in 2013, 'Pete's Dragon' in 2016, 'A Ghost Story' in 2017, 'The Old Man & the Gun' in 2018, 'The Green Knight' in 2021 and 'Peter Pan & Wendy' in 2023. Here then, long-buried wounds rise to the surface when iconic pop sensation Mother Mary (Anne Hathaway) reunites with her estranged best friend and former costume designer Sam Anselm (Michaela Coel) forces her to confront her past on the eve of her comeback performance. Also starring FKA Twigs, Sian Clifford, Jessica Brown Findlay and Hunter Schafer. The film saw its wide US release in mid-April, has so far grossed just US$3M from a production budget of US$20M and has garnered mixed or average critical reviews.

'A PRIVATE LIFE' (Rated M) - is a French mystery thriller film Co-Written and Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski who made her Feature film Directorial debut with 2010's 'Dear Prudence' and would follow this up with the likes of 'Grand Central' in 2013, 'An Easy Girl' in 2019 and 'Other People's Children' in 2022. When renowned Jewish-American psychiatrist Lilian Steiner (Jodie Foster) working from her home in Paris, France learns of the death of one of her patients she is deeply troubled. Convinced that it was murder, and not a suicide as suspected by the Police, she decides to investigate . . . . . Also starring Daniel Auteuil, Virginie Efira, Mathieu Amalric, Vincent Lacoste, and Luana Bajrami. The film had its World Premiere screening at last years Cannes Film Festival in mid-May 2025, was released in its native France towards the end of November last year, in the US in mid-January and only now is it released here in Australia having so far grossed US$8M from a US$5M production budget. It has received generally favourable critical reviews.

'OBSESSION' (Rated MA15+) - this American supernatural horror film is Written, Directed and Edited by Curry Barker who made his feature film debut with 'Milk & Serial' in 2024, and who has 'Anything But Ghosts' which is currently in post-production for an as yet undisclosed release date. Here, after breaking the mysterious 'One Wish Willow' to win his crush's heart, Bear (Michael Johnston) a music store employee and hopeless romantic finds himself getting exactly what he asked for when he wishes for Nikki (Inde Navarrette), his co-worker and childhood friend to love him more than anyone else in the world. However, Bear soon discovers that some desires come at a dark, sinister price, proving ultimately to be careful what you wish for! The film saw its Premiere showcasing at TIFF in early September last year, is released Stateside and here in Australia this week, has garnered generally favourable critical acclaim and cost just US$1M to produce. 

'LIFE COULD BE A DREAM' (Rated M) - is an Australian drama film that is Co-Produced and Directed by Jasmin Tarasin in her feature film Directing debut. Here, Sarah, 40 (Maeve Dermody), and her teenage son Otis (Sonny McGee) flee from an abusive marriage confronting coercive control, financial abuse, and dangerous illusions of romance. As they make their escape toward freedom, confronting threats and Sarah's beliefs about rescue, while seeking refuge in a mansion she's been tasked with selling, she envisions a new future where she learns to let go and begin again. Also starring Alexander England as Sarah's controlling husband Jake. 

'PIKE RIVER' (Rated MA15+) - this New Zealand drama film is Co-Produced and Directed by Robert Sarkies who prior feature film credits take in 'Scarfies' in 1999, 'Out of the Blue' in 2006 and 'Two Little Boys' in 2012. This film is based on the Pike River Mine disaster of 2010 (a coal mining accident that began on 19th November 2010 in the West Coast region of New Zealand's South Island following a methane explosion that resulted in the deaths of twenty-nine miners). The story follows the subsequent, years-long battle for justice led by Anna Osborne (Melanie Lynskey) and Sonya Rockhouse (Robyn Malcolm), two friends whose respective husband and son, along with twenty-seven other workers, were killed during an underground explosion. Also starring Lucy Lawless and Erroll Shand. The film Premiered at the Sydney Film Festival in early June 2025, before its New Zealand release later last year, has received generally positive critical reviews and has so far grossed US$872K at the Box Office. 

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-

THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2 : Tuesday 5th May 2026

I saw the M Rated 'THE DEVIL WEARS PRADA 2' earlier this week, and 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 was released in all major territories from last week. The film has generated largely positive critical acclaim and has so far grossed US$254M from a production budget of US$100M. The 2006 film grossed worldwide US$327M from a production budget of US$40M. 

The film opens up on a beautiful sunny day in New York City, and its now been twenty years since Andrea 'Andy' Sachs (Anne Hathaway)  left her position as Second Assistant to Miranda Priestly (Meryl Streep) at Runway magazine. In the intervening years she has become a respected journalist and reporter for New York newspaper 'Vanguard'. We join Andy as she and her colleagues sit around a table at a New York awards gala luncheon, just as Andy is called out as the recipient of a prestigious journalism award. Before she can stand up and walk to the lectern to collect her award and say a few words all of the mobile phones at her table receive the same text message - they have all been fired with immediate effect, and Vanguard has gone into receivership. 

Meanwhile, Miranda, Andy's former boss, is seemingly under attack from all sides for her failure to short circuit an on-line news piece about a fashion brand heavily promoted by Runway that uses Asian sweatshop labour. The news breaks just as Miranda arrives at a high-end fashion event and is greeted by her right-hand man Nigel (Stanley Tucci), and they both put on a brave face and carry on regardless. In an attempt to make the magazine respectable again Irv Ravitz (Tibor Feldman), the owner of Runway's parent company Elias-Clarke and Miranda's boss, calls Andy out of the blue and offers her a job as Features Editor at Runway without Miranda's knowledge or approval, much to her chagrin.

In a meeting with her team, a listless Miranda has trouble navigating modern fashion media. Although some of her autocratic office behaviours remain, complaints to Human Resources have blunted her almost trademark pretentiousness. Nigel explains to Andy over lunch in the office cafeteria that nobody reads Runway's print edition anymore and the brand has been forced to embrace online clickbait and cheaply-made short-form content that most people read while sat on the toilet, to maintain profit and relationships with advertisers. One key advertiser is Dior, which employs Andy's former co-worker and Miranda's First Assistant Emily Charlton (Emily Blunt). Emily leverages the controversy over the Runway scandal piece to secure her own advertising terms, key Editorial content and a one on one interview, which Miranda handballs straight to Andy. During the interview, Emily and Andy argue about how modern fashion raises prices and shuts out middle-class consumers, with Emily saying that super high-end luxury fashion is the only fashion that makes money these days.

After penning serious articles that receive praise for the writing and content, yet gain minimal traction, and after getting shut down by Miranda in a team meeting, Andy rescues her flagging reputation at Runway by brokering a coveted interview with Sasha Barnes (Lucy Liu), the reclusive divorcee of Silicon Valley billionaire Benji Barnes (Justin Theroux). Irv promises to make Miranda Elias-Clarke's global head of content, but before he can make the promotion official, he dies from a heart attack during his lavish 75th birthday party. His son, Jay (B.J. Novak), lacks Irv's sentimental attachment to both any sense of fashion or Runway. Jay puts Miranda's promotion on hold while engaging management consultants to recommend cost cuts and business efficiencies. Much to Andy's surprise, Miranda seems to go with the flow. Meanwhile, Andy's relationship with her new boyfriend Peter (Patrick Brammall) sours when she unintentionally insults his job as an apartment renovator while sat in an apartment she purchased from the same renovator, while also fretting she may lose her own position, as part of the major shake-up at Runway. Considering her options, Andy explores writing a tell-all book about Miranda with a publisher, who offers her a lucrative US$350K advance, but Andy is torn by this prospect, and ultimately declines the offer.

And so Miranda, Nigel, Andy and Miranda's current First Assistant Amari Mari (Simone Ashley) jet off to Milan Fashion Week, where Nigel throws what may be his last big Runway gala, starring Lady Gaga (Lady Gaga). Andy devises a plan to save Runway by convincing a wealthy patron to buy it outright from Jay. That patron is Benji Barnes, Sasha's ex-husband and Emily’s current boyfriend. When Andy and Emily reveal the plan, Miranda is furious, because she knows Emily is going to take over Runway and fire her, which Emily openly admits. Miranda admits that she pushed Emily out of fashion journalism because Emily lacks creative vision, and is just a 'vendor'. Miranda tries to take the loss with grace, but while having a private conversation with Benji, she is alarmed by his vision of an AI-driven world.

To prevent Benji and Emily from ultimately destroying Runway, Miranda instructs Andy to find a competing buyer. Andy convinces Sasha to buy not just Runway but all of Elias-Clarke, and Jay accepts her offer, pulling out of his deal with Benji while he, Benji and Emily are sat around a table at Benji's private villa on the edge of Lake Como. Needless to say Benji and Emily are left completely gobsmacked by this sudden turn of events having come so close to finalising the deal. Later that evening Miranda realises she has taken Nigel for granted for almost the whole time they have worked side by side. To make amends, she invites him to deliver the gala's keynote speech instead of her, so she and Andy can fly back to the US to finalise the deal in person with Sasha. At first he is very reluctant, but Miranda responds saying that he wrote the speech anyway, so he'll know it, and he nails it.

After the Runway team return to New York, Sasha gives Miranda the promotion Irv had previously promised her. Andy reconciles with Peter, and a defeated Emily who has subsequently been ditched by Benji and lost her job at Dior, and now has a job at Coach. Nigel reveals he was the one who prompted Irv to rehire Andy, as he has always liked her. Miranda admits to Andy that the latter's idealism inspired her to dig in, grit her teeth and fight back. She also reveals that she knew about Andy's proposed tell-all book, but encourages Andy to write it, and include the negative aspects of Miranda's life, saying that she loves her career, but there is a cost, and people should know that. Miranda gives Andy a nicer office and returns to work with a renewed smugness. The film also stars Kenneth Branagh as Miranda's new husband Stuart Simmons.

With 'The Devil Wears Prada 2' here returning Director David Frankel has reassembled the core team from the 2006 movie and added a whole bunch of other A-list talent from the cinema and fashion worlds, and adorned them all in the most stunning haute couture outfits seen possibly in any film since the original graced our screens twenty years ago. Whilst this film doesn't reach the lofty heights that the first instalment did, it is nonetheless a respectable sequel that has some pointed messages about fast fashion, the decline in print media, the reliance we have on social media and emerging AI, career dynamics, and the cut throat world of big business. Streep, Tucci, Hathaway and Blunt are all on top form and its good to see them all back together riffing off each other and delivering some notable one liners along the way. The production values are also top notch, and its easy to see where the US$100M budget went as both New York City and Milan are presented in all their sun drenched glistening city tower blocks and ancient buildings will attest to. All that said, an enjoyable time at the Odeon, but please, lets end on a high note and we don't need 'The Devil Wears Prada 3'. 

'The Devil Wears Prada 2' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-