What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 26th May 2016.

The 69th annual Cannes Film Festival wrapped up last Sunday 22nd May, having commenced on 11th May amidst all the pomp & ceremony, the film world glitterati and glamourati, the movers & shakers, and the stars from in front of, and behind the camera in what must rank as the film festival to be seen at for anyone who's anyone in the movie business. The festival opened with Woody Allen's 47th film 'Cafe Society' showing out of competition, and Ken Loach's 'I, Daniel Blake' closing the festival and in main competition.

With Australian Director, George Miller acting as President for the Jury for the main competition with 21 films all competing for the prestigious Palme d'Or, and another 18 in the Un Certain Regard category and several other groupings including short films, those made by students at film school, the International Critics Week and the Directors Fortnight, those serving on the various judging panels would have had their work cut out - life's tough, but someone's gotta do it I guess! Listed below are the main winners & grinners of this years awards at Cannes, and therefore those to watch out for when they make it to a screen near you :-

In main competition :

• Palme d'Or : 'I, Daniel Blake' - Directed by Ken Loach
• Grand Prix : 'It's Only the End of the World' - Directed, Produced and Written for the Screen by Xavier Dolan
• Jury Prize : 'American Honey' - Directed and Written by Andrea Arnold
• Best Directors : Olivier Assayas for 'Personal Shopper' tied with Cristian Mungiu for 'Graduation'.

Un Certain Regard :

• Un Certain Regard Award : 'The Happiest Day in the Life of Ollie Maki' - Directed by Juho Kuosmanen
• Jury Prize : 'Harmonium' - Directed and Written by Koji Fukada
• Special Prize : 'The Red Turtle' - Directed and Co-Written by Michael Dudok de Wit
• Best Director : Matt Ross for 'Captain Fantastic', which he also wrote.

Out of competition :

• 'The BFG' - Directed by Steven Spielberg with Mark Rylance, and Ruby Barnhill
• 'Money Monster' - Directed by Jodie Foster with George Clooney and Julia Roberts
• 'The Nice Guys' - Directed by Shane Black with Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling (refer below)
• 'Cafe Society' - Directed by Woody Allen with Steve Carell and Kristen Stewart
• 'The Wailing' - Directed by Na Hong-jin with Kwak Do-won and Hwang Jung-min
• 'Blood Father' - Directed by Jean-Francois Richet with Mel Gibson and Erin Moriarty
• 'Gimme Danger' - Directed by Jim Jarmusch with Iggy Pop and 'The Stooges'
• 'Train to Busan' - Directed by Yeon Sang-ho with Gong Yoo and Jung Yu-mi.

And so coming closer to home what can you expect in the week ahead? Well, actually three films to give you another reason to get amongst it at your local movie theatre.  First up the follow-up to a classic fantasy novel made into several films over the years, but this follow up relates specifically to the most recent 2010 blockbusting version reuniting an all star cast, familiar characters, and all the visual spectacle that this world can muster at the hands of a different Director. Then there is a throw back to the 70's buddy comedy mystery conspiracy thriller movie that brings together two heavy hitters hamming it up to great effect with big hair, wide lapels and flared pants, before winding up with a record breaking New Zealand comedy chase drama that sees the young and the old pitting their wits together as they go on the run cross country to evade the authorities.

As ever, and with heaps of great filmic choice now out on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed in this and previous Posts at this humble little Blog, feel free to share your thoughts, opinions and observations after you have sat through your film of choice this week. Leave a Comment in the section below this or any other Post - we'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, enjoy your film.

'ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS' (Rated PG) - Tim Burton's 2010 'Alice in Wonderland' from the classic Lewis Carroll works follows a long line of films, television movies, short films, and various derivatives based on the esteemed works that date back all the way to 1903. Burton's works would however, be arguably the most successful to date having won two Academy Awards for Best Costume Design and Art Direction as well as 32 others wins and 62 further nominations, not to mention is US$1.03B Box Office haul ranking it #23 on the highest all time grossing movies list. It was inevitable therefore that the follow up film also based on Carroll's works would eventually transpire. And so it has, but without Tim Burton in the Director's chair, instead electing to take on a Producer role and allow James Bobin to take the helm whilst reuniting the cast from the first film with a budget of US$170M.

And so Alice Kingsleigh (Mia Wasikowska) has spent the last few years sailing the seas and returns to London having to make a decision that may determine her life's destiny. Coming across Absolem, the caterpillar (voiced by Alan Rickman in his last film appearance), she eventually winds up once again in Wonderland where she discovers that all is not well and the Hatter (Johnny Depp) is behaving more madly than ever falling into a depression over the death of his family. Reuniting with her old friends the Cheshire Cat (Stephen Fry), the White Rabbit (Michael Sheen), the White Queen (Anne Hathaway), Tweedledee and Tweedledum (Matt Lucas), she decides that she needs to go back in time to save those she knows and loves. She steals a device from Time himself (Sacha Baron Cohen) so that she can go back, but while there encounters the younger Hatter and the evil Red Queen (Helena Bonham Carter) and learns what made her friends and enemies who they are today, whilst also potentially confirming her own destiny back home - but, it's a race against the ticking clock. Also starring Rhys Ifans, Timothy Spall, Toby Jones, John Sessions, Barbara Windsor and Paul Whitehouse.

'THE NICE GUYS' (Rated MA15+) - Directed and Co-Written by Shane Black and having received its Premier at the Cannes Film Festival just over a week ago, it's US release last Friday and arriving on our Australian shores this coming week, this buddy comedy mystery film set in late-70's Los Angeles has so far received much critical acclaim, and US$14M from its US$50M outlay. Starring Russell Crowe as Jackson Healy a street smart, hard hitting shoot first ask questions later enforcer for hire teams up unwittingly with Holland March (Ryan Gosling) - a down on his luck worse cop ever private eye. When the two join forces unexpectedly to track down a missing young girl Amelia Kutner (Margaret Qualley), they quickly learn that are equally dangerous unscrupulous individuals hot of her trail too, and that there is much more to this case than simply a missing person. Various persons wind up dead during the course of their investigation and they uncover a criminal conspiracy that goes all the way to the top! Also starring Kim Bassinger and Keith David.

'HUNT FOR THE WILDERPEOPLE' (Rated PG) - this New Zealand produced film that cost NZ$3M to make broke Box Office records when it opened in New Zealand on 31st March setting a new record for the highest grossing first week of any New Zealand film ever. The film Premiered in competition at this years Sundance Film Festival back in January and now reaches our shores with close to NZ$10M under its belt. Directed by Taika Waititi who also wrote the Screenplay based on the 'Wild Pork and Watercress' book by Barry Crump this film tells the story of rebellious young Ricky (13 year old Julian Dennison in his third acting role) who is sent away by Child Welfare Services to live in the country with a foster Aunt and Uncle. When the foster Aunt Bella passes away suddenly the child welfare people want to send Ricky into care, but he hot foots it in protest with grumpy opinionated foster Uncle Hec (Sam Neill) in pursuit. Fearing the worst, the child welfare people think that Hec has abducted Ricky in his grief, and so a national manhunt begins which brings the young lad and the old codger together as they pit their wits against authority as they attempt to thwart those that are likely to send them both away to someplace that neither wants to go.

Three new films that offer comedy, drama, fantasy, action and some big name players to tempt you out on a cool near Winter's evening, as well as a a raft of great cinematic content still out there on general release. Do yourself a favour and catch a movie in the week ahead, and, I'll see you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-