What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 1st October 2015.

Last week I mentioned that the Adelaide Film Festival kicks off in mid-October with a raft of local, national and international films in competition and being showcased for the first time, gaining their Australian Premier and in some cases a Worldwide Premier. Every genre is offered crafted by the likes of Scott Hicks, Jocelyn Moorhouse, Todd Haynes, Peter Greenaway and starring such acclaimed names as Michael Caine, Harvey Keitel, Kate Winslet, Hugo Weaving, Anthony LaPaglia, Cate Blanchett, Julianne Moore, Lily Tomlin, Colin Farrell, John C. Reilly, Michael Keaton, and Mark Ruffalo amongst others. What's not to like? Check out more at : http://adelaidefilmfestival.org

This week there are four new movie releases kicking off with a survival, search & rescue mission stretching across millions of miles from the most acclaimed Sci-Fi Director of our time; Shakespeare retold for the first time on film in decades in his bloodiest play; an ageing boss man teaching a young boss woman new tricks in the on-line business world; and an iconic album refreshed and given the insightful epic big screen treatment.

Get along to your local multiplex or local independent theatre in the week ahead, and catch a film, any film, and when you have done so share your thoughts with a few observations, views and opinions in the Comments box immediately below this or any other Post. In the meantime, enjoy your movie.

THE MARTIAN (Rated M) - Ridley Scott is back doing his Sci-Fi best with his latest offering about to hit our big screens with this adaptation of the 2011 novel by Andy Weir of the same name. Co-Produced by Scott this films features an all star cast and was made for US$108M, and filmed on a huge sound stage in Hungary and in Jordan where a desert wadi served as a back drop for the red planet. The film premiered at the recent Toronto International Film Festival on September 11th and is being released worldwide this week.

This film sees a manned mission to Mars go awry when a fierce storm on the Red Planet forces the crew to abandon their mission and head home, leaving co-astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) behind, believed dead. Of course he's not, and so Watney finds himself alone, stranded and millions of miles away from home, on a hostile planet, with very limited resources and no way of getting back to whence he came. Using all his wits, ingenuity, skills, experience and spirit to survive, and signal those back on Earth that he is indeed alive & kicking this is a story of incredible bravery and strength of character in the face of the most impossible odds, and how a whole planet back home gather together to bring their man home. Also staring Jessica Chastain, Kristen Wiig, Jeff Daniels, Michael Pena, Sean Bean and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

MACBETH (Rated MA15+) - Based on Shakespeare's great play, this British big screen adaptation is Directed by Australian, Justin Kurzel and stars Michael Fassbender as the tortured Scottish King, Macbeth. Whilst famed and revered for his fighting prowess on the battlefield and the leadership of his armies, this Duke receives a foretelling by three witches that one day he will become King. Consumed by ambition and growing increasingly impatient he is spurred on by his wife Lady Macbeth (Marion Cotillard) and so murders the King and seizes control of the throne, but subsequently becomes racked by paranoia, guilt, remorse and increasingly tyrannical. Also starring are David Thewlis, Sean Harris, Paddy Considine, and Elizabeth Debicki this is an updated retelling of a classic story told in all its bloody, violent, savage and emotional glory.

THE INTERN (Rated M) - I do wonder about Robert De Niro's filmic choices sometimes, and this would be one of those occasions. When I think of the legend De Niro I think of 'Taxi Driver', 'Casino', 'The Deer Hunter', 'Raging Bull', 'Goodfellas', 'Heat' and 'Cape Fear' and less about 'Analyse This/That' and 'The Fockers' trilogy, and so it is with his latest offering! This film is Directed by Nancy Meyers and cost US$40M to make and here De Niro is Ben Whitaker a retired 70 year old widower and former Business Executive. Realising that retirement ain't all it's cracked up to be, he enlists in a local community outreach programme where seniors will intern at the firm of Jules Ostin (Anne Hathaway) - the founder and CEO of 'About the Fit'  - an online fashion company. Pretty soon Whitaker becomes Mr. Popular around the office with his younger co-workers, including Ostin, and as the story unfolds the moral of this comedy is make time for family, respect you elders, recognise experience, and acknowledge the wisdom of others - lessons in life for us all methinks! Rene Russo and Adam DeVine also star.

ROGER WATERS THE WALL (Rated M) - I was at College when this groundbreaking album - 'The Wall' by Pink Floyd went to #1 as the 70's clicked over into the 80's. I still have that double album on vinyl, I have the CD, I watched the 1982 Bob Geldof starring movie of the album numerous times, and I've downloaded the album digitally, and after 35 years this record is still as fresh now as it was then. It has stood the test of time, and so with Rogers Waters the former front man for the concept band performing the album in its entirety coupled with his intimate immersive insights and unscripted Q&A with former band mate Nick Mason, this is a not to be missed music film event of a true classic iconic album that still has something to say, and still has a worldwide audience. This film has a limited release, so catch it when & where you can.

As is often the case, there is plenty of variety in this weeks latest release offerings - SciFi, Shakespeare, Comedy and Music, and there's also plenty more great content still out on general release as Reviewed and Previewed within the pages of this Blog. When you have checked out your film of choice, share your thoughts with your fellow readers here, and then we'll do it all again next week.

See you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-