WAR MACHINE : Tuesday 24th February 2026

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'WAR MACHINE' at my local multiplex earlier this week, and this Australian and US Co-Produced Sci-Fi action thriller is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Patrick Hughes whose previous feature films efforts take in his debut with 'Red Hill' in 2010, which he would follow up with 'The Expendables 3' in 2014, 'The Hitman's Bodyguard' in 2017, 'The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard' in 2021 and 'The Man from Toronto' in 2022. This film was released two weeks ago in Australia before streaming on Netflix from 6th March onward, and has so far grossed US$29K.

The film opens up on the outskirts of Kandahar, Afghanistan where a small platoon of soldiers arrive in their Humvee's and armoured vehicles. The soldiers all exit their vehicles and a nameless combat engineer (Alan Ritchson) saunters up to his younger brother (Jai Courtney) who is under the bonnet on another vehicle with a can of 'Stop Leak' trying to fix it with a colleague. The pair embrace after some playful banter, and one of other soldiers asks if the pair know each other. We're brothers comments one,  as seen by the matching tattoo's running down their arms 'DFQ' in a rectangular box outline - standing for 'Don't Fucken Quit'. The younger brother then comments that the pair should be out there on the front lines rather than nurse maiding the locals, and how about they join the Ranger Assessment and Selection Programme (RASP) with a chance to gain entry into the 75th Ranger Regiment, as they talked about when they were younger. The older brother says that those days are gone and he's too old for that, but then he reluctantly agrees. As he turns away, the Taliban strike them hard with rapid mortar fire, destroying a number of vehicles and killing just about all the platoon. The older brother has a large shard of shrapnel embedded in his leg, which he pulls out, gets to his feet and surveys the carnage all around. He finds his brother still barely alive, lifts him up over his shoulder and limps away. 

Fast forward two years, and the older brother is on a bus with a whole bunch of other hopefuls making his way through the Colorado wilderness to the RASP training camp. Upon entry, all recruits are assigned a number by which they'll be recognised, his is #81, and they are told that throughout their eight week rigorous training programme they will be subjected to physical, mental and emotional hardship, and only the strongest of the two hundred or so hopefuls will make it through to the final test of their abilities - The Death March. And so what follows is a montage of each of those eight weeks of training as the recruits are put through their paces, and we see the mud, blood, sweat, tears, orders barked through a loud hailer and the sheer exhaustion etched on the face of the ever dwindling number of recruits as week on week many are rejected and are sent packing. 

In the final week of training the recruits left are given an exercise to carry two heavy dumb bells underwater in a swimming pool for as far as they can walk and hold their breath. All of the other recruits succumb fairly early on and rise to the surface gasping for air. Not #81, however. He continues but blacks out having had a recurring vision of him carrying his dying brother through the desert in Afghanistan. He is yanked out of the pool unconscious, but is revived. This results in him being hauled in front of the Camp Commanding Officer Major Sheridan (Dennis Quaid) and Army Officer Torres (Esai Morales), who both tell him that despite his impressive history of service he is a potential liability, and quite frankly is too old to be leading a crack team of Rangers potentially. Sheridan gives him a pre-written letter of voluntary discharge, and asks him to sign his release paper. #81 stands up and says that he just want's to get across the finish line after the Death March, to which Torres responds that 'it's not the finish line, it's the starting line'. #81 responds with that he's going to join his other recruits on parade.

And so ten or so recruits make it through to the final test of strength, stamina, strategy and support for one another - The Death March. Given their orders they have 24 hours to make it back and #81 is assigned team leader, before being choppered in on two Blackhawk helicopters. A few hours after they are dropped off, they rest up for 20 minutes. During their resting they are startled by a sudden eruption of sound and blinding light travelling at great speed along a river, before all trace of the disruption is gone. Continuing their mission they soon come across the possible cause of the commotion. What appears to be some sort of huge metallic like structure lies half buried in the river bed. Thinking that it is some new Army tech, that the enemy Cadre have planted there as part of their mission, they decide to blow a hole into it using explosives to gain entry. Retreating to a safe distance they detonate but when the smoke clears there is not even a scratch on the surface. At which point the heavily armoured, mechanised and standing upright the towering machine unleashes all hell on the recruits, at first scanning the area for signs of life and then delivering with pin point accuracy a hail of high tech bullets, fire and bombs.

What follows is a mission to survive this marauding monster killing machine, as a number of recruits are taken out, or die when falling end over end down a steep cliff face or attempting to traverse a fast flowing river, or driving through a steep rocky valley while being chased down by said machine that is hell bent on taking out every last one of them. In the end it is #81 who saves the day at a mine site using a giant bulldozer and several sticks of dynamite to thwart the machine once and for all, and he does so successfully . . . of course! 

Walking back to camp carrying another recruit #7 (Stephan James) who suffered a compound fracture to his leg he slumps down at the finish line, but the 24 hour period has since long lapsed. He is greeted by Sheridan and Torres who explain that they lost 75% of their men in an attack by these machines and that they have appeared the world over destroying everything and everyone in their wake. Sheridan asks #81 if he can shed any light on how to overcome these machines, to which he responds in the affirmative saying that if you block off the top of the machine with rocks or sand for example, just as he did at the mine site, then this causes them to over heat dramatically, and ultimately explode. Sheridan says that he may just have saved the planet. 

#81 is seen then giving a pep talk to a team of Rangers to motivate them as they go into battle to save Earth, before joining them aboard a Blackhawk helicopter, and promptly falling asleep as the pilot asks the other Rangers if anyone knows his name.

With 'War Machine' Writer and Director Patrick Hughes hardly reinvents the wheel here, but he does lean heavily into the macho all guns blazing man versus otherworldly being movies that trademarked the late 1980's and early 90's, and in particular I'm thinking the 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger actioner 'Predator' here. Alan Ritchson plays the stoic no-nonsense by the book DFQ wannabe Ranger with a sense of realism and believability, and the action sequences are staged in real terrain to add to the authenticity of the scenes being played out. This is not an original film by any stretch, but it does offer the viewer 107 minutes of blood, sweat, tears, explosions and high octane action to warrant your consideration, if this kind of movie floats your boat. and is polished enough to satisfy the harshest critic in this era of green screen technological wizardry that seems to bombard our screens all too frequently these days. 

'War Machine' 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 26th February 2026

The Glasgow Film Festival (GFF) is an annual film festival held in Glasgow, Scotland, and this year runs from Wednesday 25th February through until Sunday 8th March. Now in its 22nd year, the festival began in 2005. By 2015, the festival had seen audience figures top 40,000 for two consecutive years. It is now considered one of the top film festivals in the UK. Each year GFF screens hundreds of titles spanning the spectrum of cinema, from all over the world. The programme is packed with international Premieres and unmissable event cinema, where the audience can see the latest films from modern cine-masters, classics in a fresh new light, and be introduced to the most exciting new voices in world film.

This years Opening Gala film presentation is 'Everybody to Kenmure Street', this UK documentary film is Co-Produced and Directed by Felipe Bustos Sierra. Anti-establishment struggles and activism run in the veins of Glasgow's populace. So when in May 2021, a UK Home Office raid is launched at dawn on the first day of Eid (the end of Ramadan), it triggers one of the most spontaneous acts of civil resistance in recent memory. In Scotland’s most diverse neighbourhood, hundreds of residents rush to Kenmure Street to stop the deportation of their two Muslim neighbours, in a stand-off that lasted eight hours and which demonstrated the power of peaceful solidarity. The Closing Film is 'California Schemin'' and this biographical musical film is Directed and stars James McAvoy in his Directorial debut, and tells the true story of Silibil N' Brains, a rap duo from Dundee who, for three years, pretended to be American in order to be taken seriously by the record industry and ended up touring with Eminem. 

This years programme includes sixteen World, European and International Premieres, sixty-eight UK Premieres, and eighteen Scottish Premieres. The Audience Award, which is the only award presented at the GFF, comprises the following titles :-

* 'Live A Little' - from Sweden, Norway and Denmark this road drama film is Written and Directed by Fanny Ovesen.

* 'Atropia' - from the USA is a war satire film Written and Directed by Hailey Gates, and starring Alia Shawkat, Callum Turner, Chloe Sevigny, Chloe East, Tim Blake Nelson, Channing Tatum and Tim Heidecker.
* 'Bouchra' - from Italy, Morocco and the USA and this adult computer-animated arthouse drama film is Co-Written, Co-Directed and Co-Stars Orian Barki and Meriem Bennani.

* 'First Light' - from the Philippines and Australia, this drama film is Directed by James J. Robinson
* 'The Last One For The Road' - from Italy and Germany this drama road film is Co-Written and Directed by Francesco Sossai.
* 'Nino' - from France and this drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Pauline Loques.
* 'On A String' - from the USA this musical drama comedy film is Written, Directed and also stars Isabel Hagan.

* 'Rebuilding' - from the USA, this neo-Western drama film is Written and Directed by Max Walker-Silverman and stars Josh O'Connor, Lily LaTorre, Meghann Fahy and Amy Madigan.
* 'A Place For Her' - from France and is Written and Directed by Melisa Godet.
* 'Pasa Faho' - from Australia this comedy drama film is Written and Directed by Kalu Oji.

For more details on the above named films, the other film sections being showcased, and a whole lot of other good stuff too, you can visit the official website at : http://www.glasgowfilmfest.org

With five new release movies to tease you out to your local Odeon this coming week, we kick off with the seventh films in this slasher horror franchise in which a new Ghostface killer targets Sidney Prescott's daughter. Then we have a drama film where a man and his son arrive at a rave lost in the mountains of Morocco - they are searching for their daughter and sister, who disappeared months ago. Next up there is a romantic comedy drama film that tells the story of a man, who after being left at the altar in Rome, decides to go on his honeymoon alone, ultimately with life changing consequences. This is followed by a historical musical drama offering whereby a woman, revered by her followers as the female Christ reborn preaches gender and social equality as the founder of the devotional sect the Shakers; before closing out the week with an Aussie doco about the northern New South Wales town of Lismore, prone to acute flooding and its most recent disaster in 2022 that has many residents asking should I stay, or should I go?

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.

'SCREAM 7' (Rated MA15+) - this American slasher horror film is Co-Written and Directed by Kevin Williamson who also penned 'Scream', 'Scream 2' and 'Scream 4' in 1996, 1997 and 2011 respectively. Those first six films in this franchise grossed worldwide a total US$912M from combined production budgets of US$177M, with this instalment costing US$40M to produce.

Sidney Prescott (Neve Campbell) has built a new life for herself in the quiet town of Pine Grove, Indiana, having survived several Ghostface murder sprees in the past, until a new Ghostface killer begins to target her daughter Tatum Evans (Isabel May), forcing her to face her past to end the killings once and for all. Jasmin Savoy Brown, Mason Gooding, David Arquette, Matthew Lillard, and Courteney Cox all reprise their roles from the previous films. The film is released in the US, the UK and here in Australia this week. 

'SIRAT' (Rated M) - is a Spanish and French Co-Production that is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Oliver Laxe whose prior feature films are 'You Are All Captains' in 2010, 'Mimosas' in 2016 and 'Fire Will Come' in 2019. Here, a father Luis (Sergi Lopez) and his son Esteban (Bruno Nunez Arjona) arrive at a rave deep in the mountains of southern Morocco. They are searching for Marina, daughter and sister, who vanished five months ago at one of these endless, sleepless parties. Surrounded by electronic music and a raw, unfamiliar sense of freedom, they hand out her photo again and again. Hope is fading, but they push through and follow a group of ravers heading to one last party in the desert. As they venture deeper into the burning wilderness, the journey forces them to confront their own limits. The film had its World Premiere showcasing in mid-May last year in the main competition of the Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Jury Prize. It was released in Spain in early June 2025 and in France in mid-September 2025, and is released this week here in Australia having so far grossed US$11M from a production budget of US$7.5M and garnering universal critical acclaim having so far collected twenty-nine wins and a further 104 nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit, with some of those nods still pending a final outcome.

'SOLO MIO' (Rated PG) - this American romantic comedy drama film is Directed by two of the eight brothers Chuck and Dan Kinnane and Written by two more Patrick and John Kinnane with Kevin James, who also stars, and is Edited by a fifth brother Pete Kinnane. Here then, after a wedding disaster leaves a groom Matt Taylor (Kevin James) stranded in Rome, having been jilted at the alter by his fiancee Heather (Julie Ann Emery) he is left heartbroken, down trodden and all alone in the world's happiest city. However, with help from a determined local Gia (Nicole Grimaudo) and a few meddling couples, his ruined honeymoon becomes an adventure that he never expected. The film was released Stateside earlier this month, has so far grossed US$22M from a production budget of just US$4M and has garnered mixed or average reviews.

'THE TESTAMENT OF ANN LEE' (Rated M) - is a historical musical drama film that is Co-Written and Directed by Mona Fastvold in only her third feature film Directorial outing following 2014's 'The Sleepwalker' and 'The World to Come' in 2020. Based on real events, Ann Lee (Amanda Seyfried), the founding leader of the devotional sect known as the Shaker Movement in the late 18th Century, is proclaimed as the female Christ by her followers. This film depicts her establishment of a utopian society in New England, USA, and the Shakers' worship through song and dance. Also starring Lewis Pullman, Thomasin McKenzie, Christopher Abbott and Tim Blake Nelson. The film Premiered in the main competition at last years Venice International Film Festival in early September where it was nominated for the Golden Lion, was released in the US on Christmas Day, and here in Australia and the UK this week, having garnered positive critical reviews and so far recovering US$3M from its US$10M production costs.

'FLOODLAND' (Rated M) - this Australian documentary is Co-Written and Directed by Jordan Giusti in his first feature length film. Lismore in northern New South Wales is situated 734kms north of Sydney and 200kms south of Brisbane in Queensland, and is Australia’s flood capital, priding itself on historic resilience in the face of immeasurable deluge. In 2022, in the face of persistent flooding the people and properties of Lismore are shattered by the most expensive climate disaster in Australia’s history. But as the climate crisis rises tides, uncomfortable truths boil to the surface, leaving residents wondering if their precarious way of life can survive a changing world. Following a rich cast of characters through the aftermath, hope arrives with new love and the founding of a groundbreaking First Nations trauma centre. However, as the adrenaline fades, residents living on the floodplain are pushed to breaking point. Politicians, councillors and grassroots activists clash over the fate of Lismore. Inequality fractures the tight-knit community as a government buyback scheme stalls, and the resilience of the town is tested. In the struggle for the soul of Lismore, however, Bundjalung leaders emerge with a different vision, where First Nations knowledge plays a vital role in healing, planning and respecting the Clarence, Richmond and Tweed Rivers. At a crossroads, the residents must choose whether to grit it out, adapt, or abandon Lismore altogether.

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-

CRIME 101 : Wednesday 18th February 2026.

I saw the M Rated 'CRIME 101' this week, and this UK and US Co-Produced crime thriller film is Written for the screen and Directed by Bart Layton whose previous film credits take in the 2012 documentary 'The Imposter' and 2018's 'American Animals'. This film is based on the 2020 novella of the same name written by Don Winslow. The film premiered in London at the back end of last month, was released here in Australia and the US last week, has so far grossed US$30M from a production budget of US$90M and has generated largely positive critical reviews.

Set in Los Angeles, Mike Davis (Chris Hensworth) is an elusive and meticulously disciplined jewel thief who carefully plans his robberies to avoid violence, and leaving any signs of his DNA evidence while escaping via US Route 101 (a major north–south highway that traverses the states of California, Oregon, and Washington on the West Coast of the USA). Intercepting a diamond delivery carrying decoy gems, he steals US$3M in genuine diamonds, but is shaken after being grazed by an unexpected bullet fired by one of the men he is stealing from. As a result of being somewhat rattled, he calls off a planned robbery on a high end jewellery store in Santa Barbara, but his fence, Money (Nick Nolte), enlists volatile young biker Ormon (Barry Keoghan) in his place.

Meanwhile, LAPD Detective Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) links the diamond theft to Mike's string of unsolved robberies and suggests a lone suspect is responsible, but his theory is dismissed by his partner Tillman (Corey Hawkins) and his superiors. Preparing another heist, Mike pays Devon (Devon Bostick), a hacker, for information on Sharon Colvin (Halle Berry), a high-end insurance broker to the super wealthy. Long undervalued by her firm with whom she has worked for eleven years and has been promised a promotion to Partner, which never seems to eventuate, Sharon is further frustrated when a new colleague closes a lucrative deal with the wealthy Steven Monroe (Tate Donovan). After Ormon violently carries out the Santa Barbara job on his own, Mike cuts ties with Money, who instructs Ormon to intercept Mike's next heist.

The lonely Mike strikes up a relationship with an attractive stranger, Maya (Monica Barbaro), after she rear-ends his car, while he had stopped at a red light. He realises he is being tracked by Ormon, who threatens Devon into revealing that Sharon is connected to Mike's plan. Sharon rejects Mike's attempt to recruit her as an accomplice, and Mike spots Ormon, confronting him in a 24/7 convenience store after a high-speed chase; realising he had been sent by Money, Mike warns Ormon to stay away. Separating from his unfaithful wife Angie (Jennifer Jason Leigh), Lou finds himself joining Sharon's yoga class in an attempt to get fit, and just to try something new, and rents a new apartment by the beach. He discovers the car Mike used in the diamond robbery, and a microscopic trace of blood inside which is a match to Mike's juvenile record with his birth name, James.

Denied a promotion once more, Sharon reluctantly agrees to help Mike. Demanding a US$3M share, she provides inside information on an illicit diamond purchase Monroe has arranged to make with US$11M in cash, for his upcoming wedding at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel. Lou is suspended for refusing to help cover up the Police shooting of another jewel thief, but continues with his investigation and tracks down Mike's foster mother. Ormon breaks into Sharon's apartment and viciously interrogates her, who turns to Lou for help and admits everything, and quits her job after openly criticising her boss in front of the new female broker. Wary of Mike's secretive nature, Maya ends their relationship after he reveals he will be leaving town for an undisclosed period of time on business, as a 'software developer'.

The briefcase of diamonds arrives with a courier and Mike takes the place of Monroe's private security guard, completely unaware that Lou is posing as the courier himself. Driving to the hotel, the pair strike up a conversation about cars. Mike admits that he prefers the older American cars of the '60's and '70's, cars with character stating that his favourite films is Steve McQueen's 'Bullitt' and his Ford Mustang. Lou confides that his favourite McQueen movie is 'The Thomas Crown Affair', to which Mike replies that he missed that one. Arriving at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel the two of them deliver the briefcase to Monroe and his fiancee in the wedding suite. Mike seizes the cash at gunpoint, but Lou retrieves a concealed gun in the briefcase and reveals himself as a Police Officer. Their standoff is interrupted by Ormon, disguised as a hotel Butler delivering room service. Demanding the case, he shoots and wounds Monroe, but Mike kills Ormon before he can shoot Lou. Lou allows Mike to escape albeit empty-handed, and tells him to get out of town and to not come back, and then forces Monroe and his fiancee to support his story as he frames Ormon for Mike's string of robberies. 

Later after the dust has seemingly settled, Lou meets up with Sharon at their yoga class. Having stolen the decoy gems taken into evidence from Mike's earlier heist, Lou swapped them with real diamonds from the briefcase, which he gives to Sharon to start a new life. Mike had sent a text message to Sharon with a photo and an address for 'The Cop'. Showing Lou the photo he comments that he doesn't know where that is. Lou arrives at the apartment block and takes the elevator down to the parking garage, and discovers that Mike has left him his vintage Chevy Camaro. Easily finding the keys behind the sun visor, he turns on the engine and gingerly drives it out of the garage and onto the street where he opens it up, with a big grin on his face. Mike sends Maya a childhood photo which she receives at her desk at her place of work, asking her for a second chance. Realising that Mike must be in the building she rushes for the door.

'Crime 101' doesn't reinvent the west coast USA crime thriller noir playbook, but it does pay homage to the some of the classics from yesteryear including 'Heat', 'Thief' and 'To Live and Die in LA'. The characterisation and their respective back stories are well realised; the performances by Hemsworth, Ruffalo, Keoghan, Berry and Barbaro are all on point; the action set pieces are well choreographed; the story is well conceived and entertaining enough, and the Direction and Cinematography are stylish and assured. At 140 minutes, however, I felt that this elongated runtime could have been shortened by fifteen minutes or so, particularly as the film seemed to drag it heels somewhat in the mid-section, but that's my only gripe. 'Crime 101' is certainly worth the price of your cinema entry, and if a modern take on classic crime noir is your thing, then you won't be disappointed.

'Crime 101' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 19th February 2026.

The 76th Berlin International Film Festival (The Berlinale) is currently in full swing having opened on Thursday 12th and concluding on Sunday 22nd February. The Berlinale is a unique place of artistic exploration and entertainment. It is one of the largest public film festivals in the world, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from around the globe each year. For the film industry and the media, the eleven days in February are also one of the most important events in the annual calendar and an indispensable trading forum. The Berlin International Film Festival enjoys an eventful history. The festival was created for the Berlin public in 1951, at the beginning of the Cold War, as a 'showcase of the free world'. Shaped by the turbulent post-war period and the unique situation of a divided city, the Berlinale has developed into a place of intercultural exchange and a platform for the critical cinematic exploration of social issues. To this day it is considered the most political of all the major film festivals . . . .  so reads the official website.

This years Opening Night film presentation was 'No Good Men' from Germany, France, Norway, Denmark and Afghanistan and is Directed by Shahrbanoo Sadat. Afghanistan, 2021, shortly before the Taliban’s return to power. Naru, the only camerawoman at Kabul’s main TV station, is struggling to retain custody of her three-year-old son. After leaving her serially cheating husband, she has become convinced that no good men exist in her country. Naru is therefore caught off guard when Qodrat, Kabul TV’s most important journalist, offers her a career opportunity. As the two criss-cross the city reporting on its last days of freedom, sparks fly between them and Naru starts to doubt her conviction. World Premiere.

During the Opening Ceremony, Malaysian Actress Michelle Yeoh was awarded the Honorary Golden Bear.

The following films were selected for the Main Competition for the Golden Bear to be announced on 20th January, overseen by this years Jury President, German filmmaker Wim Wenders :-

* 'At the Sea' - from the USA and Hungary and this drama film is Co-Produced and Directed by Kornel Mundruczo, and starring Amy Adams, Murray Bartlett, Chloe East, Dan Levy and Rainn Wilson.

* 'Dao' - from France, Guinea-Bissau and Senegal, this drama film is Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Alain Gomis.

* 'Dust' - from Belgium, Greece, Poland and the UK, this drama offering is Directed by Anke Blonde.

* 'Everybody Digs Bill Evans' - from Ireland and the UK, this biographical drama film is Directed by Grant Gee and stars Anders Danielsen, Bill Pullman, Barry Ward and Laurie Metcalf.

* 'Home Stories' - from Germany, this coming of age family drama film is Written and Directed by Eva Trobisch.

* 'In a Whisper' - from France and Tunisia, this drama film is Written and Directed by Leyla Bouzid.

* 'The Loneliest Man in Town' - from Austria, this docufiction drama film is Co-Produced and Directed by Tizza Covi and Rainer Frimmel, is Written by and Co-Edited by Tizza Covi and photographed by Rainer Frimmel. 

* 'Josephine' - from the USA, this thriller drama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Beth de Araujo, and stars Gemma Chan, Channing Tatum and Mason Reeves.

* 'Flies' - from Mexico, and this comedy drama film is Co-Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Co-Edited by Fernando Elmbcke.

* 'My Wife Cries' - from Germany and France, this drama film is Written, Directed and Edited by Angela Schanelec.

* 'A New Dawn' - from France and Japan, this animated drama film is Written and Directed by Yoshitoshi Shinomiya.

* 'Nightborn' - from Finland, France, Lithuania and the UK, this fantasy horror film is Co-Written and Directed by Hannah Bergholm and stars Seidi Haarla, Rupert Grint, Rebecca Lacey and John Thomson.

* 'Nina Roza' - from Belgium, Bulgaria, Canada and Italy, this drama offering is Written and Directed by Genevieve Dulude-De Celles.

* 'Queen at Sea' - from the UK and the USA, this drama film is Written, Directed and Edited by Lance Hammer, and stars Juliette Binoche, Tom Courtenay, Anna Calder-Marshall, Florence Hunt and Steven Cree.

* 'Rose' - from Austria and Germany, this drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Markus Schleinzer and stars Sandra Huller.

* 'Rosebush Pruning' - from Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, this satirical tragicomedy thriller film is Directed by Karim Ainouz, and stars Callum Turner, Riley Keough, Elle Fanning, Jamie Bell, Tracy Letts, Pamela Anderson, Elena Anaya and Lukas Gage.

* 'Soumsoum : The Night of the Stars' - from Chad and France, this drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Mahamat-Saleh Haroun.

* 'Salvation' - from France, Greece, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Sweden and Turkey, this drama offering is Written and Directed by Emin Alper.

* 'Yellow Letters' - from Germany, France and Turkey, this political drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Ilker Catak.

* 'We Are All Strangers' - from Singapore, this drama film is Written, Produced and Directed by Anthony Chen. It's the final film in Chen's 'Growing Up' trilogy, following 2013's 'Ilo Ilo' and 2019's 'Wet Season'.

* 'Wolfram' - from Australia, this Western drama film is Directed by Warwick Thornton, and is the sequel to his 2017 film 'Sweet Country'. Starring Deborah Mailman, John Howard and Matt Nable. 

* 'Yo (Love Is a Rebellious Bird)' - from the USA, this documentary film is Co-Produced and Co-Directed by Anna Fitch and Banker White, with Banker White also lensing the film and Editing.

For the descriptors of the above named films in the Main Competition section, plus the other award categories, and a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.berline.de

Looking ahead then to this weeks seven new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon close to you, we kick off with a documentary featuring long-lost footage from Elvis Presley's legendary Las Vegas residency in the 1970's, woven together with rare 16mm footage from Elvis on Tour. This is followed by a British slapstick comedy parody set in 1931 in which a new porter forms an odd bond with the youngest daughter of a well-known UK family, and as the Davenport family, headed by Lord and Lady Davenport, deals with the epic disaster of the wedding of their eldest daughter to her caddish cousin. Then we turn to a drama offering that tells the story of a mother and her non-binary teenager, as they visit the teenagers gay grandfather in Amsterdam. Next up we have an erotic comedy drama about a timid man, who meets a confident biker gang leader, who initiates him into a submissive relationship, challenging his mundane existence and prompting personal growth through their unconventional dynamic. Following on, there is a Canadian mockumentary about a pair of hapless non-musicians and their plan to book a show at the Rivoli, a famed Toronto bar and restaurant, that goes horribly wrong, and they wind up accidentally travelling back to the year 2008. Up next is a documentary that chronicles Paul McCartney’s life and career during the 1970's following the breakup of 'The Beatles'; before closing out the week with a survival thriller film which follows two friends who become trapped in a remote lagoon with a vengeful orca. 

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

'EPiC : ELVIS PRESLEY IN CONCERT' (Rated PG) - is a documentary film about Elvis Presley that is Co-Produced and Directed by Baz Luhrmann, and is a follow-up to his 2022 biographical film 'Elvis'. Baz Luhrmann's previous feature film making credits include his debut 'Strictly Ballroom' in 1992 which he would follow up with 'Romeo + Juliet' in 1996, 'Moulin Rouge!' in 2001, 'Australia' in 2008, 'The Great Gatsby' in 2013 and the aforementioned 'Elvis' in 2022. 

The film features long-lost footage from Presley's legendary Las Vegas residency in the 1970's, woven together with rare 16mm footage from Elvis on Tour, and precious 8mm from the Graceland archive, plus recordings of Elvis telling 'his side of the story' rediscovered during Luhrmann's research for his Best Picture Oscar-nominated 2022 film 'Elvis'. It Premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September last year, and had its first advanced US screenings at Presley's former mansion, Graceland, on 8th January this year on what would have been his 91st birthday. It will then be released exclusively in IMAX theatres from 20th February before being released wide to the general public one week later on 27th February. It has generated universal critical acclaim.

'FACKHAM HALL' (Rated M) - this UK and US period slapstick comedy parody film is is Directed by Jim O'Hanlon and is Co-Written by British comedian, screenwriter and TV personality Jimmy Carr. Here, a new porter Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) forms an odd bond with the youngest daughter, Rose Davenport (Thomasin McKenzie) of a well-known UK family. As the Davenport family, headed by Lord and Lady Davenport (Damien Lewis and Katherine Waterston respectively), deals with the epic disaster of the wedding of their eldest daughter to her caddish cousin. Also starring Emma Laird, Lizzie Hopley, Tom Felton, Tom Goodman-Hill and Jimmy Carr. The film was released in the US in early December, in the UK in mid-December and is released here in Australia this week having so far grossed US$2M and garnered mixed or average reviews. 

'JIMPA' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian, Finland and Netherlands Co-Produced drama film that is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Sophie Hyde, who made her feature film Directorial debut with '52 Tuesdays' in 2014 and which she would follow up with 'Animals' in 2019 and 'Good Luck to You, Leo Grande' in 2022. Here, Hannah (Olivia Colman), together with her nonbinary teenager, Frances (Aud Mason-Hyde), travel to Amsterdam to visit her gay father Jim, known as Jimpa (John Lithgow). When Frances wishes to stay with their grandfather for a year, Hannah is forced to re-examine her parenting and her past. Also starring Daniel Henshall. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the 2025 Sundance Film Festival, has generated mixed or average reviews and has so far grossed just US$24K.

'PILLION' (Rated R18+) - this UK and Irish Co-Produced erotic comedy drama film is Written and Directed by Harry Lighton in his feature film making debut, and is based on the 2020 novel 'Box Hill' by Adam Mars-Jones. Colin (Harry Melling) is an introverted gay man living with his parents in Bromley, London, letting life pass him by. That is, until Ray (Alexander Skarsgard), the impossibly handsome leader of a motorcycle club, takes him on as his submissive. Ray uproots Colin from his dreary suburban life, introducing him to a community of kinky, queer bikers and taking all sorts of virginities along the way. But as Colin steps deeper into Ray’s world of rules and mysteries, he begins to question whether the life of a 24/7 submissive is for him. Has he found his calling, or has he simply swapped one form of suffocation for another? Also starring Douglas Hodge and Lesley Sharp. The film saw its Premiere in the Un Certain Regard section at last years Cannes Film Festival, where it won the section's Best Screenplay prize, alongside nominations for the Camera d'Or and the Queer Palm. It was released in the UK at the end of November last year, has received wide spread critical acclaim so far collecting fourteen award wins and a further 29 nominations from around the awards and festival circuit, and has so far recovered US$2M from its US$1M production budget. 

'NIRVANNA : THE BAND THE SHOW THE MOVIE' (Rated M) - is a 2025 Canadian time travel mockumentary-adventure film Directed by Matt Johnson from a screenplay by Johnson and Jay McCarrol. The film is based on Johnson and McCarrol's 2007–2009 web series 'Nirvana the Band the Show', as well as its 2017–2018 sequel television series 'Nirvanna the Band the Show'. The film stars Johnson and McCarrol as fictionalised versions of themselves in a band called 'Nirvanna the Band' as they attempt to book a gig at the Rivoli, a bar and restaurant in Toronto, despite the fact that they have never actually written or recorded a single song, nor taken any steps to contact the Rivoli's management about booking a show. A new plan to play the Rivoli gone wrong and accidentally sends Matt, Jay, and their friend/cameraman Jared back in time to the year 2008, leaving them stranded unless they can find a way to get back to the future. The film Premiered at the South by Southwest Film & TV Festival in early March last year, and had its Canadian Premiere in the Midnight Madness programme at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, where it won the People's Choice Award, Midnight Madness. It has garnered generally favourable critical reviews.

'PAUL MCCARTNEY : MAN ON THE RUN' (Rated M) - this UK and US Co-Produced documentary film is Co-Produced and Directed by Morgan Neville whose previous documentary output includes his Academy Award winning '20 Feet from Stardom' in 2013, 'Best of Enemies : Buckley vs. Vidal' in 2015, 'Won't You Be My Neighbour' in 2018, 'Roadrunner : A Film About Anthony Bourdain' in 2021, and 'Piece by Piece' in 2024. This film charts Paul McCartney's extraordinary life following the breakup of 'The Beatles' in 1970 and how the love he shared with Linda became his foundation and influenced a journey that resulted in the formation of 'Wings' and a second decade's musical catalogue of timeless classics. With access to never-before-seen footage of Paul and Linda's home videos and photos, as well as new interviews, and featuring archival interviews with his Beatles and Wings bandmates, Linda McCartney, Mick Jagger, Chrissie Hynde, Sean Ono Lennon and Mary and Stella McCartney. The film Premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in late August last year, and has a limited cinematic release for one night only this week before moving to streaming on Prime Video on the 27th of this month. The film coincides with the 2025 album, 'Wings', and the book 'Wings : The Story of a Band on the Run'.

'KILLER WHALE' (Rated M) - this Australian and US Co-Produced survival thriller film is Co-Written and Directed by Jo-Anne Brechin who helmed her first feature film 'Zelos' in 2017 and would follow this up with 'Paper Champions' in 2020. After a life-shattering tragedy, Trish (Mel Jarnson) tries to comfort her best friend, Maddie (Virginia Gardner), by taking her on a spectacular adventure to a secluded lagoon while holidaying in Thailand. Their peaceful retreat soon becomes a terrifying fight to stay alive when the ocean's most bloodthirsty predator, a killer whale, seeks vengeance for a brutal life in captivity having only recently been released into the wild. The film was released in mid-January and has generated less than positive reviews.

With seven 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-

IS THIS THING ON? : Tuesday 10th February 2026

I saw the M Rated 'IS THIS THING ON' earlier this week, and this American comedy drama film is Co-Written for the screen, Co-Produced, Directed and stars Bradley Cooper in his third Directorial outing following 'A Star is Born' in 2018 and 'Maestro' in 2023, as well as his numerous acting and Producing credits. This film is based loosely on the life of English comedian John Bishop, who was given a story credit on the film, after he met Will Arnett and told him about the night he decided to become a stand-up comedian, and how ultimately it helped save his marriage. The film had its World Premiere as the closing film of the New York Film Festival on 10th October last year, was released in the US on 19th December and here in Australia last week, has so far grossed US$12M and has garnered generally positive critical reviews. 

After twenty years of marriage and twenty-six years since they first started dating, Alex and Tess Novak (Will Arnett and Laura Dern respectively) have decided on an amicable end to their marriage. They now face an uncertain future as Alex moves out and takes a rental apartment while Tess remains in the family home. They continue to share co-parenting responsibilities with their two young sons Felix (Blake Kane) and Jude (Calvin Knegten). One evening after they have separated Alex finds himself unable to pay the US$15 cover charge at the Olive Tree Cafe, and so puts his name down for the open mic night at the Comedy Cellar, located in the basement of the Cafe. Alex begins to regularly do stand-up comedy routines, and he forms a bond with the other stand-up comic regulars at the cafe. In turn he has a one night stand with Jill (Jordan Jensen), a fellow comic. Tess returns to her passion of volleyball having retired from the sport after representing the USA at a professional level to raise a family. She is later offered a place as Assistant Coach for the 2028 Summer Olympics, and has dinner with Laird (Peyton Manning) a mid-40 year old former Netball player also turned coach, and also divorced. 

After dinner with Laird, he offers to take Tess to the Comedy Cellar which as it happens is the same night that Alex is offered a ten minute slot as a featured act. During his routine Alex opens up about having had sex with another woman for the first time in over twenty years and says that he was never unfaithful to his wife, and comments that he is not very good at it. Laird offers to leave but Tess wants to stay and can't believe her eyes and ears! Outside, Alex and Tess confront each other about moving on so quickly, but the two reconcile, laugh it off and have sex later that night. Later on, at Jude's tenth birthday party the pair seem to reconnect, while having fun with their family and close friends, but choose to maintain a casual distance at this point for fear of confusing their children.

When Alex and Tess see their friends Balls (Bradley Cooper) and Christine (Andra Day) at a coastal weekend getaway Balls confides in Alex that his separation has inspired him to consider the idea of separating from Christine. Balls is a background Actor who has aspirations beyond his talents it seems, but has been offered a role as a ranch hand in Season Four of a Western series being shot in Texas. Meanwhile Christine says that she has been looking down on Alex due to him reminding her of her past self, and his withering away has also led to herself reconsidering her marriage to Balls.

Tess gets upset when she hears from Alex about his hanging up a large blown-up photo of her from behind in mid-flight as a volleyball athlete at his apartment, as she later brings up during an argument that it makes it look like Alex was only in love with an idea of her. The two then accuse each other of not having each others backs during their relationship.

As a result of that argument Alex's next stand up routine is a bitter rant about relationships, where Alex's Dad Jan (Ciaran Hinds) is in the audience, unknown to Alex. After his routine Alex is sat on a step outside the Comedy Cellar having a cigarette, when he sees his Dad exiting. He tells his son that his thinking is dangerous and that two people in a relationship need to rub against each other. The pair embrace and upon parting company Jan tells Alex to include some jokes next time. 

Balls later visits Alex one morning at his apartment and says that he has talked things out with Christine, saying that they are okay with being confused with each other. Balls also says that they killed off his character in the series, but he has written a part with his character coming back as a ghost to wreak havoc on the ranch, which he is going to pitch to the Producers. He and Christine spent nine days in Texas on set and that helped work things out between them. Alex then shows up at Tess' door, saying that he was not unhappy 'with' their relationship, but rather unhappy 'in' their relationship and that he wants to be unhappy with Tess. The two then show up to Felix and Jude's school performance of 'Under Pressure' and Alex and Tess kiss, and seem very happy together in their renewed relationship.

This character study of Generation X'ers has enough comedy, drama and romance to satisfy anyone in the audience of that era, and in Director Bradley Cooper, he has here delivered a grounded, realistic and authentic tale of a couples fateful decision, and their ultimate retrieval from that decision into a stronger, solidified relationship. Laura Dern and Will Arnett give truly standout performances, whereas Cooper's role is under utilised, almost as though he had bitten off more than he could chew in this his third Directorial offering. Whilst this comedy drama is a shift in genre for Director Cooper, and for some I can see it failing to live up to those expectations, this is nonetheless a noteworthy entry in his film making portfolio and as such worthy of your consideration. That said, despite the ups, downs and up again of their relationship, I came away from the movie theatre with a sense that love conquers all, and that's no bad thing.

'Is This Thing On?' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-