What's new in Odeon's this week - Thursday 2nd October 2014.

With the Australian School Holidays drawing to a close but a long weekend looming, there are three new films this week to entice you out from in front of the small screen to take a comfy chair in front of a big screen with all the surround sound, Hi-Def audio visual mastery that you know and love at the movies! Coming your way then this week is a supernatural horror chiller that is a spin-off from an earlier supernatural horror chiller that takes the story back to its origins; then we have a retelling of a very well established horror icon of the big screen and popular culture mashed up with a whole lot of action, fantasy and drama along the way; and then there is a long awaited murder mystery thriller from an acclaimed Director and starring an acclaimed Director and Actor in its lead.

Some solid new content here for the coming week, and much more equally solid viewing that has been released in recent weeks and still going strong at the Box Office. This weeks choices are however, for a more mature audience methinks. When you have seen your movie of the week, or any of those Reviewed/Previewed in prior weeks, drop a line in the 'Comments' section immediately following this or any other Post, and let me and my other ardent Reader know what you think! Enjoy your Odeon experience!

GONE GIRL (Rated MA15+) - Directed by the acclaimed David Fincher, and written for the screen by the author of the book, Gillian Flynn, 'Gone Girl' tells the story of seemingly happily married couple Nick and Amy Dunne (Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike respectively). On their fifth wedding anniversary Nick Dunne returns home during the day to see signs of a violent struggle in the household, and reports that wife Amy is missing. With mounting pressure from the Police who suspect kidnapping or worse, and the media on his doorstep creating a frenzy at every turn, the picture of a seemingly beautiful, happy, loving marriage starts to crack, and the main suspect here is husband Nick.

The media attention is because wife Amy is the famous inspiration behind a children's book, and Nick is behaving in a way that is uncharacteristic of someone in his position. But, is he just being stoic and putting on  brave face while his world crumbles around him, or, is he hiding his secret relief that he may finally be rid of her? Also starring Neil Patrick Harris as former lover of Amy, Desi Collings, you'll have to watch this film as it twists and turns, and perhaps, not everything is quite as it seems. With strong performances from its principle cast, an acclaimed Director, a gripping story and critical acclaim so far heaped upon it, 'Gone Girl' is a must see in the week ahead!

ANNABELLE (Rated MA15+) - frequent Cinematographer but only third time Director, John R. Leonetti brings us 'Annabelle' a horror chiller spin-off and prequel origin story to 2013's 'The Conjuring'. A regular collaborator with Australian Director, Producer and Screenwriter James Wan who bought us 'Saw', 'Insidious' and is Directing 'Fast & Furious 7', we should have a strong pedigree here. This film sees John Form (Ward Horton) and his wife Mia (Annabelle Wallis) expecting their first child together. John buys a beautiful rare vintage china doll adorned in a white wedding gown as a present for expectant Mia, much to her surprise and delight. Soon afterwards the house is invaded by a group of satanists who violently attack John and Mia, and their neighbours leaving a trail of blood and destruction in their wake. John and Mia survive and relocate to another house to put that awful memory behind them. What they don't realise though, is that the satanic miscreants conjured up a demonic force to inhabit Annabelle with such evil malevolence that their lives will quickly descend into Hell on Earth!

DRACULA : UNTOLD (Rated M) - Dracula has been around in the movies for almost as long as the movies have been around. In 2014 he gets a makeover, but not so much of the horror kind, but more of the dramatic action fantasy kind. The 1922  'Nosferatu', Directed by F.W. Murnau still stands tall as the probable originator of Dracula on screen with Max Schrek delivering more than a convincing turn as the fanged menace. Tod Browning's 1931 'Dracula' with Bela Lugosi raised the bar equally high, and that has been rarely attained again. Don't expect any of that mastery from this retelling of the story underwritten by a US$100M budget and more green screen CGI effects that you can wave a silver crucifix at. This is based on the legendary Bram Stoker character and takes the Transylvanian Prince back to his 15th Century roots and how he became Count Dracula in the first place. Vlad Teppes (Luke Evans) is the Prince and troubled ruler struggling to protect his family, his people and his lands from Sultan Mehmed (Dominic Cooper) who demands 1,000  of the kingdom's boys (including Vlad's own son) for his army. To save his son and his family, Vlad journeys to Broken Tooth Mountain where lives Caligula (Charles Dance) an ex-Roman Emperor and now ancient sorcerer where a deal is struck that will give Vlad the strength of 100 men, the power to thwart his enemies, and the speed of a falling star. But all of this comes at a price - including a thirst quenching appetite for human blood. Rallying against his enemies, Vlad must accept his destiny that will eventually see him rise up for all eternity as 'Dracula'.

Once again, there you have it - not quite something for everyone, but certainly something for the more discerning and the more mature viewer this week. Check out a film, and share your views and opinions right here with the rest of the movie going world!

Movies - see as many as you can!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-