What's new in Odeon's this week - Thursday 5th February 2015.

Another week marches on, and so naturally there are more tempting cinematic offerings to entice us from inside our homes to inside a movie theatre. This week though, unlike those recently gone by, there as no Oscar contenders here - those however, have been Reviewed and Previewed in very recent previous weeks and throughout the year, and a raft of which are still out on general release, so, get in there quick for a viewing before the Academy Award curtain goes up on 22nd February!

Two new films only then to grace a big screen near you that combine some big time Hollywood heavyweights - first up we have a card shark remake of a 1974 classic, but will it live up to the standard set way back then, and next a good old English Secret Service espionage story that seems a little more tongue in cheek than Bond and a little more aloof that Austin Powers, but a lot of fun nonetheless with a big action cast, and franchise written all over it!

So whatever your choice of new release movie is this coming week, be sure to share your thoughts and opinions with your friends, film buffs and fellow readers at Odeon Online by Posting your experience below in the Comments box immediately following this, or any other Post. Enjoy your film!

KINGSMAN : THE SECRET SERVICE (Rated MA15+) - based on the comic book 'The Secret Service', this film is Directed by Matthew Vaughan, partly Produced by him and partly Screenwritten by him too. Vaughan has a solid enough pedigree also to be able to handle such comic book big action fare, including 'X-Men : First Class', 'Kick Ass' and 'Layer Cake'. For 'Kingsman' he has amassed a solid ensemble cast that takes in the likes of Colin Firth in the lead, Samuel L. Jackson as the obligatory badass mofo villain of the piece, Michael Caine, Mark Strong, Mark Hamill and relative newcomer Taron Egerton, together with a US$100M production budget.

The story is such that there exists a super secret spy organisation known as the 'Kingsmen' who operate totally undercover and covertly to protect England, Queen, Country and I guess anyone else that might need saving, rescuing and protecting from unscrupulous types that would do us harm. Enter Harry Hart (aka 'Galahad') played by Colin Firth as your very typical English upper crust Gentleman of circa mid-60's dapper appearance whose smooth charming stiff upper lip exterior hides a finely tuned espionage thwarting killing machine interior. He needs to recruit some young upstart no hope street smart kid into the world of 'The Secret Service' and so comes across Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin' (Taron Egerton) who is quickly inducted into the world of 'The Kingsmen', undergoes his highly competitive training regime and is thrust then out into the world to deal with megalomaniac Richmond Valentine (Samuel L. Jackson) as our super spy baddie intent on world domination but suffers a lisp and can't stand the sight of blood . . . go figure! This film gives a nod to the spy thrillers we have all come to know and love heralded by the likes of Bond while taking in Bourne and others along the way . . . and promptly sticks up a middle finger to establish itself as the new kid on the block! Looks like a helluva lot of inventive colourful fun with Firth as you've never seen him before. Bring it on!

THE GAMBLER (Rated MA15+) - James Caan starred in the 1974 original film on which this 2015 version is a remake, this time Directed by Rupert Wyatt. Back then Caan was Alex Freed a literature professor harbouring as secret gambling habit, and now Mark Wahlberg is Jim Bennet - a literature professor harbouring a secret gambling habit. Spot the similarity there? Going heavily into debt (to the tune of $310K) to an underground gambling den owner and a loan shark, Jim Bennet borrows money from his mother Roberta (Jessica Lange) to pay off the debts, but blows it all on a night out on the town with Amy Phillips (Brie Larson) - one of his students whom he has the hots for. When he can't come up with the money to pay of his debts he is kidnapped by the loan shark to whom he owes $50K and given an ultimatum which just might see student hottie Amy, very dead. He then borrows more money form another loan shark, Frank (John Goodman) to take one final punt, win, and so pay of his debts and ride off into the sunset with Amy. Needless to say it is not all as simple as that and Jim has to go through some pain, some soul searching and some double dealing to pull of his grand finale gambling punt and so put that life behind him - will he succeed, and will he kick the habit - I guess you'll just have to go see it!

Two films to tempt, tease and tantalise you out to the movies for some more mature adult type fare that is sure to please on the action front, or if these don't grab you - there is still plenty of great films of all genres doing the rounds that you can still catch if so inclined. Keep watching the movies, and keep reading this Blog - your support of both is much appreciated.

Movies - see as many as you can!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-