What's new in Odeon's this week - Thursday 19th March 2015.

The weeks fly by when you're having fun and watching movies, and it's even more true I think when you write about them too. Here in downtown Adelaide in South Australia, I have found two movie theatres within walking distance of my humble little dwelling that offer film festivals, current releases and live entertainment spread over ten screens in two theatres, 200 metres from each other and in the heart of a busy bustling bar, restaurant, and cafe strip . . . how good is that, and I'm wondering how to I fit in all of my favourite things? Enough though of my ramblings - what of this weeks latest film offerings?

First up there is the second instalment of another futuristic dystopian Sci-Fi world plucked from the pages of an international best seller aimed squarely at the teen market but attracting more discerning adult bums on seats too; then the action hero of the moment has churned out another formulaic hunt 'em down, beat 'em up offering that looks increasingly like this ageing protagonist is just cashing in another pay cheque; and finally a famed art house auteur making a historical piece on a shoestring budget that has quirky eccentric bold & beautiful painted all over it.

When you have caught your movie of choice in the week ahead of those films new to cinemas, or, those still doing the rounds on general release, write a comment for the legions of Odeon Online fans out there and share your thoughts in the Comments Box below this, or any other Post. Enjoy your film!

INSURGENT (Rated M) - the first book in this series by Veronica Roth - 'Divergent' hit our big screens in 2014 and was made for US$85M and brought home US$289M in the final analysis. Clearly enough of a hit to ensure this sequel, with one more to go in 2016 - although that might be split over two films too as is the way these days it would seem (think 'Potter', 'Twilight' and 'Hunger Games'). Directed now by Robert Schwentke for US$110M here we see the characters torn asunder and divided far & wide joining them now three days after we last saw them. Beatrice 'Tris' Prior (Shailene Woodley) is on the run with Four (Theo James), with Janine Matthews (Kate Winslett) as the leader of the Erudite faction hot on the heels and determined to hunt them down.

Tris and Four need to reassemble the crew and uncover what Abnegation sacrificed their lives to safeguard and why Erudite will stop at nothing to prevent them from moving forward and uncovering the truth. As the once strong and solid Faction system in a post-apocalyptic Chicago crumbles away and the powers remaining fight for power and supremacy, Tris must overcome numerous mental and physical challenges of her own that reveal secrets of her past, the key to the future, and what she must do to protect those she loves. You know it will end on a cliffhanger, so be prepared for more unanswered questions to ensure you come back for the next instalment 12 months from now. Also starring those returned from last time and a few new faces - Ansel Elgort, Naomi Watts, Jai Courtney, Ashley Judd and Maggie Q amongst others.

BIG EYES (Rated M) - quirky left field Director Tim Burton has made a little film for just US$10M based on the real life painting fraud of the 1950's and 60's of Margaret Keane - the painter of those famed pictures of waif like children with large over exaggerated bulging eyes. Struggling to make ends meet after a divorce Margaret (Amy Adams) meets up with kindly gregarious ladies man and fellow painter Walter Keane (Christophe Waltz) and before you can say 'fake or forgery' the two are an item. Recognising the talent in the paintings and using his canny marketing skills and a polished sales pitch Walter sets about selling these paintings anywhere and everywhere he can . . . signing his own name to the artwork while Margaret is at home locked up bashing out big eyed painting after big eyed painting. Oblivious to her husbands signatory ruse things come to a head that result in the couple divorcing in a bitter court battle that exposes Walter as an artistic fraud, while Margaret strives to clear her name, reclaim her artwork, safeguard her financial future and rebuild her life. Intense and colourful - like the paintings!

RUN ALL NIGHT (Rated MA15+) - you can easily be forgiven for thinking that 60 something action star Liam Neeson has phoned this one in too for the sake of a big pay day to be reminded of his previous tough guy kick-ass anti-hero offerings 'Taken' and all its sequels, 'Non-Stop' and more recently 'A Walk Among The Tombstones'. This one though seems to promise a little more as Jimmy Conlon (Neeson) is a down on his luck, no hope boozing ex-mob hit man has been that once was best mates with his mob-boss Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris). When the mob orders a hit on Jimmy's estranged son Michael (Joel Kinnaman), Jimmy must go head to head with the mob, with his old friend Maguire, corrupt cops, hired killers and other undesirables to protect himself and his son whom he hardly knows. Loyalties will be tested, Jimmy will utilise his own 'particular set of skills', heads will be cracked, bullets will be chewed, shit will get blown up, cars trashed and the body count is likely to rise in good old mob gangster style. What's not to like?

Three films this week to tease, cajole, and entice you out to your local movie theatre and in front of a big screen. Share your thoughts with your like minded friends at Odeon Online and keep going to the movies.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-