What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 17th March 2016.

This year has already got off to a strong start in the big screen live action comic book adaptation department with Marvel's Co-Produced 'Deadpool' released earlier in February to big critical acclaim and substantial Box Office, returning so far US$684M off its US$58M Budget. If you haven't yet seen Ryan Reynolds in his fine fourth wall breaking, sarcastic, violent, no holds barred turn as Wade Wilson, I strongly recommend you do, and, you can read my Review between these pages. But what else can we expect in 2016 from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and its counterpart the DC Extended Universe.

• 'Batman v Superman : Dawn of Justice' - DC - release date 24th March - Directed by Zack Snyder for US$250M and starring Ben Affleck and Henry Cavill  as Batman & Superman respectively.
• 'Captain America : Civil War' - Marvel - release date 28th April - Directed by Anthony & Joe Russo and starring Chris Evans, Robert Downey Jnr., Jeremy Renner, Scarlett Johansson and a whole bunch of familiar others.
• 'X-Men : Apocalypse' - Marvel - release date 19th May - Directed by Bryan Singer and starring James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Jennifer Lawrence and all our favourite X-Men.
• 'Suicide Squad' - DC - release date 4th August - Directed by David Ayer and starring Will Smith, Jai Courtney, Jared Leto, Margot Robbie and Joel Kinnaman.
• 'Doctor Strange' - Marvel - release date 27th October - Directed by Scott Derrickson and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Rachael McAdams and Tilda Swinton.

So this year that 's Marvel 4 : DC 2. With the Marvel Cinematic Universe entering is Third Phase now and with a very successful proven track record to back it up, and DC just launching, the latter still has much to prove and will be pinning many of its future Extended Universe hopes and dreams on the critical and commercial success of its two outings this year. Time will tell, and only you can make a difference! 

This week we have four new release films coming to a cinema screen near you that traverse most genres - modern day action, historical horror,  family drama and animated animals in an imagined world. First up then is a follow up to a shoot 'em up, blow it up, all guns blazing do or die terrorist offering that first saw the light of day Stateside in 2013 and now makes it way Britside for more of the same crowd pleasing guns, bombs, destruction and terrorism writ large in another nations capital. Then an edge of your seat historical horror offering bringing something new to a sub-genre that has been largely left alone for sometime now in favour of more zombie type fare. This is followed up by a family drama of long buried secrets, an estranged son, a father to be remarried and a remote logging community facing up to the economic realities of life; and last up another animated classic in the making from the house of the mouse that is already doing great things.

In the week ahead when you have visited your favourite movie theatre and sat through your film of choice with your popcorn, bucket of brown fizzy sugar syrup, or choc top and marvelled at the sights and sounds of the big screen, remember to share your thoughts and opinions with your like minded movie going friends here at Odeon Online, by leaving a Comment in the box below this or any other Post.  In the meantime, enjoy your movie.

LONDON HAS FALLEN (Rated MA15+) - In 2013 two films were released concerning a terrorist attack on the White House - 'Olympus Has Fallen' and 'White House Down' - the former of which 'London Has Fallen' is the follow-up was Directed and Produced by Antoine Fuqua for US$70M and it made US$161M in the final analysis. This time around Babak Najafi is on Director duty with several Actors reprising their roles from that first film. Released on March 4th in the US this film cost US$60M to make and has so far recovered US$46M. Essentially what's going down here is another good excuse to blow shit up in London this time, with many notable landmarks and places of historical significance succumbing to them thar pesky no-good terrorist types.

This time it's a Pakistani arms dealer and terrorist leader Aamir Barkawi (Alon Moni Aboutboul) who is #6 on the FBI's Most Wanted List. He was believed to be dead, but not so, and he resurfaces in Yemen two years later with his son and right hand henchman Kamran Barkawi (Waleed Zuaiter) who swear revenge for that attack that wiped out members of the family, friends and relatives. Meanwhile many of the worlds leaders converge on London for the State Funeral of Prime Minister James Wilson. And so, US President Benjamin Asher (Aaron Eckhart reprising), Secret Service Director Lynne Jacobs (Angela Basset reprising) travel to the UK with Special Agent in charge of Presidential Protection Mike Banning (Gerard Butler reprising) as do the political leaders of Japan, Canada, France, Italy, Germany and the new British PM. It's not long before said political leaders start to get popped off and London goes into lock down as the place gets the shit blasted out of it en route to capturing the US President alive and executing him publicly in front of a global audience. Only one man can stand in the way, and riding his white steed down Whitehall is Agent Banning with all guns blazing. It's gonna be loud, proud and in yer face as Uncle Sam gets its can of whoop ass out once again and overcomes adversity. Morgan Freeman (reprising), Robert Forster (reprising),  Radha Mitchell (reprising), Melissa Leo (reprising) and Jack Earle Haley all star too.

THE WITCH (Rated MA15+) - in his Directorial debut and also Written by Robert Eggers this film has garnered much critical acclaim since its world premier at Sundance in January 2015, and its Special Presentation screening at TIFF in September last year. It then went out in cinema release in the US in February this year and has so far made US$21M off its meagre US$1M budget. Set in 1630 New England, the film tells the story of a remote Puritan living family of father, mother, and five  children whose life is thrown into disarray when the youngest child suddenly and mysteriously disappears, whilst under the watchful charge of the eldest daughter. Living on a farm on the edge of the woods there are evil forces at work that the family may feel are real, or they may be imagined. As things get progressively worse for the family, with the eldest daughter eventually being accused of witchcraft, the family is put to the ultimate test and their strength, loyalty, love and conviction is stretched to the very limit.

THE DAUGHTER (Rated M) - also in his Directorial debut and Written too for the screen by Simon Stone, this promising turn by the Australian Actor is based on the 19th Century Henrik Ibsen play 'The Wild Duck'. With an ensemble Aussie cast this film tells the story of the estranged son  Christian (Paul Schneider) living now in America summonsed home by his father Henry Neilson (Geoffrey Rush) to act as his best man at his forthcoming wedding to his former housekeeper Anna (Anna Torv). Arriving back at a no-name logging town in the present day Neilson also announced that he has to close the mill he owns as the economy closes in. What unfolds as Christian reconnects with old family and childhood friends is the disclosure of a long held family secret that has far reaching implications on Christian, Henry, Anna and those others on the periphery that include Sam Neill, Miranda Otto, Ewen Leslie and Odessa Young. Can things be made right again in light of the revelations made?

ZOOTOPIA (Rated PG) - representing the 55th animated feature film from the house the mouse built - Walt Disney Animated Pictures and released to critical acclaim and Box Office records in many territories upon release, 'Zootopia' has so far made US$312M since it opened in early February in Europe. Directed by Byron Howard and Rich Moore and and Jared Bush, this film features the voice talents of Jason Bateman in a lead role as Red Fox Nick Wilde a seasoned con-artist who forges an unlikely alliance with a Rabbit named Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) a newly appointed first rabbit Police Officer to the ZPD as they seek to thwart those behind several missing predatory civilians. Also starring the voice talents of J.K.Simmons, Idris Elba, Shakira and Octavia Spencer amongst others, this film is sure to resonate with young and old and has had much praise bestowed upon it for its strong script, voice work and CGI animation.

Four films this week stretching across action, horror, thriller and animation - what's not to like about this weeks latest releases? Something for everyone well and truly, so there can be no excuse for not catching a film in the week ahead. When you have done so, drop us a line or two - see you at the Odeon in the meantime!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-