What's new in Odeon's this week - Thursday 24th April 2014.

With the school holidays almost done, and Easter fast becoming a fading memory this weeks new offerings are a little thinner on the ground, but still offer something for everyone, as is usually the case. On the one hand we have a sci-fi thriller with some Hollywood heavyweights delving into the depths of A.I. helmed by a first time Director out of the Chris Nolan stable. Then we have a true grit boys own adventure of daring-do up against the odds in this documentary feast for the extreme sportsman and adventurer in the land where it's often white, cold and dangerous! And finally, a Japanese foreign language film that begs the question 'nature or nurture' and which path would you choose?

With a forecasted wet ANZAC long weekend looming what better way to while away a few hours with a movie in a dark place with a bunch of strangers, a bucket 'o' popcorn, and a feast for the senses! Sit back and enjoy!

TRANSCENDENCE (Rated M) - with a strong cast comprising Johnny Depp in the lead role ably supported by Morgan Freeman, Paul Bettany and Cillian Murphy this is Directed by first timer Wally Pfister, who hitherto has been the Director of Photography for one Christopher Nolan (he of recent 'Batman' franchise fame and 'Inception' amongst others). As such, given the cinematic beauty of these films at the hands of Mr. Pfister we should be in for a visual treat - especially given the technologically heavy subject matter. This film is all about Artificial Intelligence, and when tech expert Will Caster (Depp) is shot by extremists and given five weeks to live the only thing to do is to hook Caster's genius grey matter up to the super computer he has developed to create A.I. Needless to say things go awry when more power is needed to support Caster's rapidly developing, all knowing, all seeing, all intelligent brain and the world around us starts to implode. This is likely to be 'man versus machine', 'science over religion', 'evolution over revolution' stuff that will have you debating long after the credits have rolled. This stuff has been committed to celluloid lots of times before in the likes of Kubrick's '2001 : A Space Odyssey', Spielberg's 'A.I.', Disney's 'TRON' and many more - will this stand up to those? You decide!

THE CROSSING (Rated M) - this is the true story of two young Aussie adventurers Clarke Carter and Chris Bray as they set off determined to cross a remote Arctic island in 100 days armed with supplies and their home made kayak's - a mere 1,000 km trek. Having set out in true gung-ho style the lads failed after 58 days having covered just a third of the distance. With true Aussie grit coursing through their veins they collected their wits, determination and exuberance and set forth three years later better equipped, better supplied and better prepared for their 1,000 trek in 100 days. They soon realise however, that the island and Mother Nature are not to be messed with and this documentary film, edited from over 100 hours of Hi-Def footage, charts their epic journey from beginning to end. A story of the human spirit, courage in the face of adversity, adventure and heroics, emotional peaks and troughs and what you have to go through sometimes to reach your goal.

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON (Rated PG) - a Japanese foreign language film set in Tokyo, this tells the story of two very different families - one successful, hardworking, comfortable and well off; and the other hard-up and struggling. Each have a six year old son they have raised and cared for and love, but a phone call one day from the Hospital where they boys were born on the same day reveals that the babies were inadvertently switched at birth. Reluctantly the two families agree to meet and then agree to the exchange of their 'sons' - unprepared for the emotional tsunami that is to follow. Having raised a child for six years how prepared would you be to swap your son for potentially one that is seen as 'inferior', and would you be prepared for your own 'real' son to potentially turn against you aged 6? These questions and more are raised in this thought provoking film that begs the question of 'nature or nurture' - which is stronger, which would you choose?

Three films to tempt your tastebuds this coming week, and three very different cinematic offerings to get you out to your local multiplex or independent. Whichever you choose, enjoy the experience and let me know what you think!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-