What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 1st December 2016.

From Werewolves, to Vampires, to Zombies and from blood suckers to flesh eaters and everything in between, we seem to have an insatiable appetite for the genre as evidenced by the hundreds of films that have been made over the years pitching them pesky critters individually against poor unsuspecting humans, against aliens from some galaxy far far far away and against each other in cross over offerings. With the release of this weeks 'Underworld : Blood Wars' I did some digging around in the archives. The first time a Werewolf appeared at the cinema was back in 1913 in a eighteen minute film called aptly 'The Werewolf'. The next offering came along in 1925 in 'Wolf Blood', with 'Werewolf of London' in 1935 representing the first mainstream Hollywood Werewolf movie, and since then as we know the floodgates opened across all undead blood curdling shapeshifting alternatives over the last one hundred years or so. As for the Vampire genre, many believe that the F.W. Murnau Directed and Max Schrek starring 1922 film 'Nosferatu' was the first cab of that rank, although further research would indicate that in fact there were a number (as many as twenty) films featuring Vampires that were produced before 'Nosferatu' going back a decade or so. The 1932 offering 'White Zombie' is accredited by many to be the first feature length Zombie film with Bela Lugosi in the lead role. For this Blogger, my personal favourites across the three genres remain the 1981 classic 'An American Werewolf in London', 'From Dusk till Dawn' from 1996 and '28 Days Later' from 2002 . . . and lets not forget 'The Walking Dead' either!

This week there are seven new films to kick-off your Summer of Cinema (at least if you live in the Southern Hemisphere) beginning with the fifth instalment in this horror action franchise that sees the eternal battle of werewolves and vampires still raging; then we move to a couple of Aussie offerings the first of which is an office based ZomCom and the second a historical biopic of Australia's Most Wanted of close to two hundred years ago. We then move to another historical biopic but of more recent times set in the African world of a high stakes board game; before moving to a psychic mystery serial killer thriller and a French RomCom of a short and a tall and a little and a large couple getting together and overcoming the difference between them. We then wrap up with an animated feature of cutesy multi-coloured dolls that first appeared over fifty years ago and here get their first big screen treatment trying to save their world.

When you have sat through your film of choice over the coming week, remember that we'd love to hear your views and opinions of the film just seen, so leave us a Comment below this or another Post - whether it be for any film Previewed below, or any of those others still out on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed here previously. Meanwhile, enjoy your movie!

'UNDERWORLD : BLOOD WARS' (Rated MA15+) - I must confess that I have not seen any of the 'Underworld' horror action series of films, and this latest instalment 'Blood Wars' marks the fifth film in the franchise. The first film 'Underworld' was released in 2003 based on characters and the Screenplay co-created and co-written by Len Wiseman and Danny McBride. 'Underworld : Evolution' came next in 2006, 'Underworld : Rise of the Lycans' in 2009, 'Underworld : Awakening' in 2012 and now 'Blood Wars'. Len Wiseman Directed the first two films, and cast his then wife, Kate Beckinsale as the principal character Selene, and he has acted as Co-Producer on all films since. Beckinsale has appeared in all films except 'Rise of the Lycans' which as the third instalment is a prequel to the first film. So far the first four films were made for a combined US$177M and grossed collectively close to US$460M. A sixth film is already in development, and Beckinsale is said to reprise her role once more.

And so to this instalment which is Directed by Anna Foerster and sees Death Dealer Selene (Kate Beckinsale) continuing in her struggle against the Lycan clan and the Vampires who betrayed her. With both sides vying for her blood and that of her daughter, so that a Lycan/Vampire hybrid can be created, Selene must work with her only allies David (Theo James) and his father Thomas (Charles Dance) as they attempt to bring an end to the eternal war between Lycans and Vampires, but at what cost ultimately? Also starring Tobias Menzies and Trent Garrett replacing the Scott Speedman character from previous films. The film is not released in the US until early January.

'THE MENKOFF METHOD' (Rated M) - this situational workplace comedy is Directed by David Parker and is set in a Data Processing Centre of a major Australian banking corporation. David Cork (Lachlan Woods) is a daydreaming processing clerk whose real interest lies in the world of Japanese Manga and he secretly draws away his time at work recreating his favoured character, female superhero Foxy Chaos, and imagined scenes. Things take a turn for the worse when the CEO is suddenly dumped and the replacement enlists the wisdom of an HR 'expert' to help drives some efficiencies in the workplace and change the culture. That 'expert' is Russian Max Menkoff (Noah Taylor) and he comes with a groundbreaking 'method' of increasing productivity among the workforce. But, Menkoff comes with some baggage including a background in the KGB, a couple of henchmen, an assassin after his blood, and a secret formula that turns David's fellow colleagues into a horde of mindless zombies. Only David it seems and Ruby Jackson (Jessica Clarke) from Corporate Head Office stand in the way of Menkoff. Described as 'part spy movie, part anime, part office comedy - and all heart'!

'THE LEGEND OF BEN HALL' (Rated M) - this Australian historical drama film tells the true story of notorious Aussie bushranger Ben Hall who lived from 1837 until 1865 and was shot dead at the age of 27 by Police. He carried out many audacious raids across central New South Wales and his death was mired in controversy at the time, even though he was not directly responsible for any deaths himself, although his associates were. His life is one of folklore legend and the subject of many ballads and films. Produced and Directed by Matthew Holmes, and starring Jack Martin as Ben Hall this film tells the story of Hall being on the run for two years and with the long arm of the law closing in, with the only option seeming to be that of surrender. When he is drawn back into the world he knows best by an old friend John Gilbert (Jamie Coffa) and with new gang recruit John Dunn (William Lee) the there men soon become Australia's most wanted, following a series of robberies resulting in the deaths of two Policemen. With an estranged son, an ex-wife, the passing of new Government laws, and being sold out to the authorities by a seemingly trusted friend - the future doesn't look so promising for Ben Hall!

'THE QUEEN OF KATWE' (Rated PG) - this biographical sports drama is Directed by Mira Nair (who has previously brought us 'Mississippi Masala', 'Monsoon Wedding', 'Amelia' and 'The Reluctant Fundamentalist'), and is based on the true story of Phiona Mutesi (Madina Nalwanga) who grew up in the slums of Katwe on the outskirts of Kampala in Uganda. Raised by her single mother Nakku Harriet (Lupita Nyong'o), the young generally happy Phiona one day wanders into a missionary classroom enticed by the promise of free porridge. There she meets Robert Katende (David Oyelowo) who teaches soccer and chess. Out of curiosity Phiona approaches the game and soon becomes intrigued and learns the intricacies of chess over time, becoming a top player and winning several local competitions and tournaments. Her newly learned skills puts her on a trajectory to even greater success at the World Chess Olympiad, and with that success comes life changing events in a way that she never thought possible. The film screened at TIFF this year in September before release Stateside later that month. Made for US$15M, it has so for grossed US$10M.

'SOLACE' (Rated MA15+) - this film has been kicking around for a while having been filmed in 2013. Planned as a sequel to David Fincher's highly acclaimed 1995 film 'Se7en' but along the way that notion was scrapped, the story re-written, and here we have 'Solace'. Directed by Brazilian Afonso Poyart the film first Premiered in Turkey way back in April 2015, then was shown at TIFF in September of that same year and was due for release in September of this year. That got pushed back, and the film finally gets it's US release on 16th December, two weeks after it's Australian limited release. Telling the story of a retired psychic doctor John Clancy (Anthony Hopkins) who teams up with FBI Special Agent Joe Merriweather (Jeffrey Dean Morgan) to track down a serial killer Charles Ambrose (Colin Farrell). Clancy however, wants nothing to do with the case having isolated himself from the world after the death of his child two years before, and the collapse of his marriage. He changes his mind after having visions of the untimely and violent demise of Merriweather's partner Special Agent Katherine Cowles (Abbie Cornish). What Clancy doesn't count on though is that Ambrose has more powerful psychic abilities than he does, which gives the killer the upper hand and keeps him well out in front of the doctor. The film has so far taken US$22M.

'UP FOR LOVE' (Rated M) - this French RomCom Is Directed by Laurent Tirard and is a remake of a 2013 Argentinian/Brazilian film titled 'Corazon de Leon'. Here Diane (Virginie Efira) is a successful lawyer who divorced her husband two years before. One day she loses her mobile phone and then receives a call from the guy who found it. That man is Alexandre (Jean Dujardin) - an architect who sounds like the prefect gentleman and a charming witty man. Over the phone the two hit it off and agree to meet up the next day. Diane heads off to her first date with great expectations only to be confronted by a man who is knee high to a grasshopper and whom she towers over. Needless to say love conquers all, and Diana tries to put her prejudices and her pre-conceived notions aside in the name of love, life and finding that perfect partner!

'TROLLS' (Rated G) - this animated feature from Dreamworks is based on the doll with the furry combed up hair originally created in 1959 by Danish fisherman and woodcutter Thomas Dam that became one of the biggest selling toy fads of the '60's, and subsequently went through various reincarnations in the '70's, '80's and '90's. Now in 2016 they have been given the big screen treatment in this CGI comedy musical Directed by Mike Mitchell and Walt Dohrn for a budget cost of US$125M that has so far raked in US$275M. Featuring a who's who of voice talent 'Trolls' tells the story of the Troll Village being invaded by the Bergens (large unhappy creatures who can only feel happiness by eating a Troll) and the Village being taken captive. Poppy (voiced by Anna Kendrick) is the happiest Troll ever born to Trolldom who joins forces with Branch (voiced by Justin Timberlake), an over-cautious grumpy Troll. Between them set off on a journey to rescue their Troll families and friends, but along the way must deal with various adventures, challenges and mishaps whilst putting up with one another just long enough to ensure the success of their mission. Also starring Zooey Deschanel, Russell Brand, John Cleese, Gwen Stefani, Christoper Mintz-Plasse, James Corden and Jeffery Tambor.

Well in the week ahead there really is something for everyone from cutesy colourful coiffed characters to zombies, werewolves and vampires to biographical drama to French comedy and psychic serial killers on the lose. With such a choice on offer there is every reason to get out to your local cinema to catch any one or more of these films as Previewed here, or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous weeks. When you have done so, share your cinematic opinions with your like minded fellow readers. In the meantime, I'll see you at the Odeon in the coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 27th November-3rd December 2016.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Lucy Liu does on 2nd December - check out my tribute to this Birthday Girl turning 48, at the end of this feature.

Do you also share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Singer/Songwriter or Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming seven days? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully written and presented Blog, here are the more notable and noteworthy icons of the big screen, and the small screen, that you will recognise, and that you might just share your birthday with in the week ahead. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Sunday 27th November

• Kathryn Bigelow - Born 1951, turns 65 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Robin Givens - Born 1964, turns 52 - Actress | Producer
• William Fichtner - Born 1956, turns 60 - Actor | Producer
• Sharlto Copley - Born 1973, turns 43 - Actor | Producer  

Monday 28th November

• Randy Newman - Born 1943, turns 73 - Composer | Singer | Songwriter
• Joe Dante - Born 1946, turns 70 - Director | Producer | Actor | Editor
• Ed Harris - Born 1950, turns 66 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
• Judd Nelson - Born 1959, turns 57 - Actor  | Producer | Writer
• Alfonso Cuaron - Born 1961, turns 55 - Director | Producer | Writer | Editor | Cinematographer
• Ryan Kwanten - Born 1976, turns 40 - Actor
• Mary Elizabeth Winstead - Born 1984, turns 32 - Actress | Producer

Tuesday 29th November

• Anna Faris - Born 1976, turns 40 - Actress | Producer | Singer
• Joel Cohen - Born 1954, turns 62 - Director | Producer | Writer | Editor
• Tom Sizemore - Born 1961, turns 55 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Andrew McCarthy - Born 1962, turns 54 - Actor | Director
• Don Cheadle - Born 1964, turns 52 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Singer
• Lucas Black - Born 1982, turns 34 - Actor  

Wednesday 30th November

• Ridley Scott - Born 1937, turns 79 - Director | Producer
• Terrence Malick - Born 1943, turns 73 - Director | Producer | Writer
• David Mamet - Born 1947, turns 69 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Mandy Patinkin - Born 1952, turns 64 - Actor | Singer
• David Yates - Born 1963, turns 53 - Director | Producer
• Ben Stiller - Born 1965, turns 51 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Singer
• Mark Foster - Born 1969, turns 47 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Gael Garcia Bernal - Born 1978, turns 38 - Actor | Director | Producer | Writer  

Thursday 1st December

• Woody Allen - Born 1935, turns 81 - Director | Writer | Actor
• Larry Charles - Born 1956, turns 60 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Jeremy Northam - Born 1961, turns 54 - Actor | Singer
• Bette Midler - Born 1945, turns 71 - Actress | Producer | Director | Singer
• Zoe Kravitz - Born 1988, turns 28 - Actress  

Friday 2nd December

• Lucy Liu - Born 1968, turns 48 - Actress | Producer | Director  

Saturday 3rd December

• Julianne Moore - Born 1960, turns 56 - Actress | Singer
• Daryl Hannah - Born 1960, turns 56 - Actress | Producer
• Amanda Seyfried - Born 1985, turns 31 - Actress | Singer
• Jean-Luc Godard - Born 1930, turns 86 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor | Editor | Cinematographer
• Brendan Fraser - Born 1968, turns 48 - Actor | Producer

Lucy Alexis Liu was born in Jackson Heights, Queens, New York City to mother Cecilia who worked as a biochemist and father Tom Liu who was a civil engineer and sold digital clock pens. Her parents came separately from China via time in Taiwan before meeting in New York. She has an older brother Alex and an older sister Jenny. Liu learned Mandarin at home and began learning English from five years of age. She attended the public Joseph Pulitzer Middle School in Jackson Heights and graduated from Stuyvesant High School in New York in 1986. From there she attended New York University before moving to the University of Michigan from where she graduated with a Bachelors Degree in Asian languages and cultures.

While in her final year at the University of Michigan she scored the lead role in a college production of 'Alice in Wonderland' and her performance was hailed a great success. Spurned on by this, she decided to pursue more acting opportunities. In 1990 she auditioned for 'Miss Saigon' on Broadway. She made her stage debut in 'Fairy Bones' in 1992. Her break into television came in 1991 with an episode on 'Beverly Hills 90210' with a string of television appearances following throughout the '90's including 'L.A. Law', 'Home Improvement', 'Hercules : The Legendary Journeys', 'ER', 'Nash Bridges', 'The X-Files', 'NYPD Blue', on 22 episodes of 'Pearl' and then she scored a role in the main cast of 'Ally McBeal' which for Liu ran for 72 episodes between 1998 and 2002.

Liu's big screen debut came in the Honk Kong production of 'Rhythm of Destiny' in 1992, with a short 25 minute film, 'Protozoa' following for Director Darren Aronofsky. A small part in 'Bang' came before 'Jerry Maguire' with Tom Cruise, 'Gridlock'd' with Tim Roth, 'City of Industry' with Harvey Keitel, 'Flypaper' with Vincent D'Onofrio, 'Payback' with Mel Gibson, 'True Crime' with Clint Eastwood and 'Play It To The Bone' with Woody Harrelson and Antonio Banderas seeing out the decade.

'Shanghai Noon' opened up the new decade with Jackie Chan and Owen Wilson, followed by the big screen adaptation of the late '70's television series 'Charlie's Angels' with Liu appearing next to Drew Barrymore and Cameron Diaz as Alex Munday - one of three Angels of the title. The film made US$264M and spawned a sequel in 2003 - 'Charlie's Angels : Full Throttle' in which Liu reprised her role, with that film bringing in US$259M. 

'Hotel' followed for Director Mike Figgis, and then 'Ballistic : Ecks vs Sever' in 2002 which was critically panned and a commercial disaster, subsequently appearing on many 'most hated films' and 'worst ever movie' lists. That same year year came 'Cypher', and then 'Chicago' with Richard Gere which raked in six Academy Awards plus another 49 award wins and a further 121 nominations together with a Box Office haul of US$307M. 

'Kill Bill Volumes 1 and 2' for Director Quentin Tarantino followed in 2003 and 2004 with Liu playing head of the Tokyo Yakuza O-Ren Ishii. '3 Needles', bounty hunter autobiography 'Domino' for Tony Scott, 'Lucky Number Slevin' with Bruce Willis, 'Rise : Blood Hunter', and then the Dreamworks animated smash hit 'Kung Fu Panda' to which Liu would lend her voice talents as Master Viper  - a role she would reprise in 2011 in 'Kung Fu Panda 2', in 2016 in 'Kung Fu Panda 3' and reportedly in the upcoming 'Kung Fu Panda 4' which has been announced. Liu also lent her voice talents to the character of Silvermist in five DisneyToon Studios productions of 'Tinker Bell' in 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012 and 2014 - all direct to DVD releases.

During the decade there were also further television show appearances on the likes of 'Futurama', 'King of the Hill', 'Game Over', 'The Simpsons', 'Sex and the City', 'Ugly Betty', 'Cashmere Mafia' and 'Dirty Sexy Money'.

'Nomads', 'Detachment', 'The Trouble With Bliss' and 'The Man with the Iron Fists' bring us up to date in terms of live action films. Since then there has been Liu's recurring role as Joan Watson on televisions 'Elementary' opposite Jonny Lee Miller's Sherlock Holmes in this modern day retelling of the Sherlock Holmes mysteries set in New York. The series has so far run for 103 episodes over five seasons and has picked up five award wins along the way and another eighteen nominations. There has also been 'Southland' and 45 episodes across three seasons of the television series spin off 'Kung Fu Panda : Legends of Awesomeness' running from 2011 through to 2016 so far. Next up is 'Future World' due in 2017 Directed by and starring James Franco.

All up Liu has 88 Acting credits to her name, three as Director and three as Producer. She has garnered fourteen award wins and another 28 nominations so far in her career.

When she's not working in film and television Liu works as an artist across several media showcasing her skills as a painter, photographer and collage artist. She attended the New York Studio for drawing, painting and sculpture from 2004 to 2006 and through a number of exhibits since has donated the profits to UNICEF. She works across other charitable organisations too including breast cancer research and education, as an ambassador for UNICEF, she supports gay and lesbian marriage equality and the Human Rights Campaign. She speaks Mandarin, Italian, Spanish, some Japanese and English of course. In August 2015 Liu welcomed to the world her first child - a boy Rockwell Lloyd born via a gestational surrogate.

Lucy Liu - busy, busy, busy; TV, Film, live action and animation featuring lots of voice work; keeps fit with rock climbing, skiing and horse riding; is proficient in the martial art of Kali-Eskrina-Silat (knife and stick fighting); is an acclaimed artist; is a spiritualist and is interested in all things metaphysical; and sits on the US Committee of 100 forging stronger links between the US and Greater China. Keep doing what you're doing Lucy and we'll keep watching - Happy Birthday to you, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

NOCTURNAL ANIMALS : Tuesday 22nd November 2016.

'NOCTURNAL ANIMALS' which I saw in the week was written for the Screen, Co-Produced and Directed by fashion designer Tom Ford whose previous fashion credits include time as the creative brains behind Gucci, Yves Saint Laurent and then his own label Tom Ford. This is only the second Directorial outing for the man who is already making a name for himself in the world of cinema. Ford set up his own Production Company, Fade to Black, in 2005 and his debut as Director came in 2009 with 'A Single Man' with Colin Firth in the lead role. That film picked up 34 award wins and another 52 nominations including an Oscar nod for Firth in the Best Lead Actor category and it made US$25M from its US$7M budget outlay. Now Ford is back with his second film that has already been widely acclaimed having won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival in early September this year. The film was made for US$22M and so far grossed US$6M and is based on the 1993 novel 'Tony & Susan' by Austin Wright.

'Nocturnal Animals' tells the story of successful Los Angeles art gallery owner Susan Morrow (Amy Adams) who at the beginning of the film is seen hosting the launch of a new display in her gallery attended by all of LA's beautiful people, movers & shakers and people that matter. The opening sequence over which the credits roll is particularly 'revealing' and for some possibly confronting, but it's all in the name of 'art'. After the end of the evening we see Susan drive up to the gates of her private estate - all glass, concrete and stainless steel - very austere, very wealthy and quite lifeless. Susan lives there with her husband Hutton (Armie Hammer), and an entourage of maids, a butler, a driver and all the trappings of success. But underneath this facade lies a struggling businessman whose financial fortunes are dwindling and he needs to secure a deal in New York to keep their heads above water. He's booked on a flight out to New York the next day, a Saturday - putting paid to plans for Susan to have a quite weekend away at their beach house. Already there is a sense that all is not well between them.

That morning, a package is delivered to the Morrow household marked for Susan's attention. Opening the brown paper wrapping Susan gains a paper cut, and has the Butler finish off the unwrapping, then orders the household staff to take the weekend off - all of them. The contents of the package are seen to be a manuscript from her long estranged ex-husband Edward Sheffield (Jake Gyllenhaal) - a man whom she left nineteen years earlier after just a couple of years of marriage. Edward has typed a note asking her to read the yet unpublished novel which he has titled 'Nocturnal Animals' and dedicated it to her. He always used to call Susan a nocturnal animal on account of the fact that she hardly ever sleeps - a habit she has to this day, and he calls for her opinion when she has finished reading. He states that he will be in Los Angeles later the following week and would welcome the chance to meet up over dinner to renew acquaintances and gain her opinion of his manuscript.

With Hutton flying off to New York, Susan settles down and cautiously opens the manuscript and starts reading. The story centres around Tony Hastings (Jake Gyllenhaal) - an easy going unassuming mild mannered everyman who is heading off to West Texas in the car with his wife Laura (Isla Fisher) and teenage daughter India (Ellie Bamber) for a few days R&R, and they have chosen to drive through the night. On a deserted stretch of highway late into the night, Tony is forced off the road by three young local hoons out to cause some trouble, resulting in two badly dented cars and a blown front tyre to Tony's Merc. The hoons - Ray (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), Lou (Karl Glusman) and Turk (Robert Aramayo) come on strong saying that it was Tony's fault, and demand that they exit the car so that they can replace the blown tyre with the spare, trying to lull the family into a false sense of security. At first Ray plays the tough guy, then he winds down showing sympathy for their predicament, then ramps up his anger again, and so it continues as Laura and India get roughed up, and Tony is punched and kicked. Tony is defenceless against the might of three hoons and powerless to do anything when Ray and Turk drive off in Tony's car with a screaming Laura and India bundled against their wills into the back seat. Tony is ordered into Ray's car with Lou and told to drive down an old dirt track and out into the desert where he is abandoned.

A few hours later as dawn breaks Ray and Turk return to where Lou dumped Tony hoping to locate him under the pretence that his wife is asking after him. Tony cowers behind a rocky outcrop hidden form view and silent until the pair drive off, fearing for his own life. He sets off on foot across the desert scrubland, making it to a road which he follows until he reaches a house, and calls the Police. Sometime later Detective Bobby Andes (Michael Shannon) arrives on the scene having been assigned the case. He has Tony retrace his steps in the Police car down the highway back in the direction from where he came from, in an attempt to find his wife and daughter, and to confirm Tony's story, having already found his car in a creek. They come to an abandoned shack down a dirt track and discover the naked bodies of Laura and India - murdered and raped. Tony is overcome with emotion and guilt having not been strong enough to stand up to the thugs who did this.

At this point Susan stops reading shocked by the savage nature of the book and the raw emotion flowing through the pages. She remembers her meeting with Edward all those years ago and announcing to her mother their intentions to marry. Susan's opinionated, strong willed and forthright mother, Anne Sutton (Laura Linney) suggests that Edward is not her equal in so many respects and that it would be foolish for them to marry knowing that it will be short-lived. She does it anyway, rebelling against her parents wishes and for her love of Edward who has so many other qualities anyway. Susan speaks with Hutton upon his arrival at the hotel in New York at 4:00am in the morning. He is in a lift going up to his room on the 31st floor, when she overhears the lift attendant announce the floor number to a woman in the lift, and she surmises that Hutton is having an affair - a fact that she was already suspicious off. She continues reading.

Fast forward a year and Andes contacts Tony asking him to identify Lou who has been charged as an accomplice to the rape and murder of Laura and India. Tony makes a positive ID, and Lou is arrested. Turk was shot dead in a robbery gone awry leaving only Ray still to be brought in for questioning. Andes arrests Ray taking Tony along for the ride and to positively ID Ray.

They question the suspect in a car identical to Tony's Merc and drive along the same dirt track and pass by the shack to jog Ray's memory, but he pleads his innocence and claims to know nothing of Tony or any murder or rape. Later Andes calls Tony with the news that Ray has been released because the evidence against him is only circumstantial. During that same conversation, Andes asks Tony how far he is prepared to go to see that justice is served. As a result Tony drives over immediately to meet Andes in a roadside Cafe where Andes announces that he has a year to live having been diagnosed with acute lung cancer, and his early retirement is being forced upon him now. Andes wants to see this case closed and is prepared to take the law into his own hands no matter what the consequences are, but wants to know that Tony is in. Tony agrees, and the two perpetrators are bought to an isolated house handcuffed. Andes releases their handcuffs while Tony reluctantly holds them at gunpoint and in a moment of distraction the two run off. Lou is shot in the back by Andes making his escape, but Ray has fled. The two head off in opposite directions with the aim of closing in on Ray ultimately, believing that he would have gone back to his shack.

Susan puts down the book and recalls her troubled marriage to Edward and how she is desperately unhappy and wants out. Edward pleads with her not to give their love away, but it seems that everything her mother warned Susan about years before is now coming home to roost. Despite Edwards best intentions, Susan is already carrying on with Hutton, and in a final act of treachery against Edward she aborts her pregnancy of his child - a fact she tried to conceal from Edward, but which he all too soon afterwards discovered, and with which she has had to live all these years.

Susan continues reading the closing chapters where Tony tracks down Ray asleep in his shack. Tony again holds Ray at gunpoint, with Ray goading him that he doesn't have the strength to pull the trigger. Ray admits to killing his wife and raping his daughter. The two have a violent confrontation that sees Ray with two bullet wounds in his chest, and Tony getting thumped over the head with an iron bar. Tony comes around hours later with the sun glaring through the open door. His head is badly injured and he can barely see. He stumbles through the door tripping over Rays lifeless body. Outside Tony stumbles through the desert scrub and falls to his knees discharging a bullet into his own stomach from the gun he is still carrying.

Susan finishes reading the manuscript and sends an email to Edward congratulating him on his writing efforts and suggests that they should meet to discuss further, and meet for old time's sake. Throughout the film we are told of Edwards writing aspirations, and his desire to become an author but never quite having the right ingredients to make it - this was one of the reasons for their split years earlier. He responds later that night with a when and where. Susan arranges a meeting place at an up market restaurant and readies herself, seeing their meeting as a reconciliation perhaps and of better times ahead for them both. Susan arrives first and is seated at the table and orders a drink patiently waiting for Edward to arrive. And she waits, and she waits, and she waits, ordering more drinks until the last guests depart and the restaurant is empty. Fade to black!

This gripping, beautifully rendered story within a story offers the viewer two carefully interwoven genres - that of a shiny privileged people melodrama and a gritty modern day Western as the two distinct tales go back and forth with an interconnectedness that speaks of revenge, betrayal, love, loss,  loneliness and sadness. Amy Adams is excellent as the detached soulful Susan, Gyllenhaal equally so in his dual roles as the try hard Edward and the intense Tony, and Shannon too as the cancer riddled laconic seen it all rural Cop coughing up a lung whilst determined to see justice served in his last case. Tom Ford despite his only two cinematic offerings to date has proven himself as a master of the craft with a stylish, haunting and distinctive film that will leave you pondering over the ending long after the credits have rolled. It's as though his experience in the world of fashion has morphed to the world of cinema in two easy straightforward seamless strides with beautiful people giving a faultless performance clothed up in a visually stunning story.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM : Monday 21st November 2016.

'FANTASTIC BEASTS AND WHERE TO FIND THEM' which I caught earlier this week takes place in the 'Potterverse', albeit some 70 years or so before the advent of Harry Potter, Ron Weasley and Hermione Grainger and their exploits at Hogwarts across eight groundbreaking films taken from the seven source novels by one J.K.Rowling. 'Fantastic Beasts . . . ' was written by J.K.Rowling and published in 2001 under the the pseudonym of the fictitious author Newt Scamander about the magical creatures in the Harry Potter universe. It claims to be Harry Potter's copy of the textbook of the same name as referenced in 'Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone' - required reading for first year students to Hogwarts. The Screenplay for the film was written by Rowling in her screenwriting debut, and Co-Produced by her too. This is the first spin-off of the Harry Potter series and said to be the first of five films. Directed by David Yates who also Directed to critical acclaim and huge commercial Box Office receipts 'Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix', '. . .  and the Half Blood Prince' and '. . .  and the Deathly Hallows Parts 1 and 2', this film was made for US$180M and went on general worldwide release last week, and has so far grossed US$261M.

Set in 1926 New York and Newt Scamander (Eddie Redmayne) arrives in The Big Apple nearing the end of his travels around the world to seek out, rescue and document the fantastical and magical creatures that share our world, albeit generally hidden from view. He's in NYC for only a brief time, and while walking the streets getting his bearings he comes across a corner where Mary Lou Barebone (Samantha Morton) is up on her soapbox warning the gathered crowd of on-lookers about the dangers of wizards and witches who exist among the general population. Mary Lou is the sinister dark leader of the New Salem Philanthropic Society whose mission in life is to dispense with pesky wizards and witches. She operates under the guise of a shelter and soup kitchen for young street kids. Mary Lou has three children of her own - each troubled in some way - Credence (Ezra Miller) the mysterious and brooding adopted son; Modesty (Faith Wood-Blagrove) the youngest adopted daughter who is not all she seems; and Chastity (Jenn Murray) the oldest of the three.

While listening intently to the ramblings of Barebone, a Niffler (a black furry cross between a beaver and a duck billed platypus) escapes from Newt's deceptively nondescript leather suitcase, and goes on the rampage secretly stealing anything shiny and bright it can line its impossibly deep pouch with. On the search for the speedy little critter, Newt inadvertently bumps into Jacob Kowalski (Dan Fogler) a 'No-Maj' (the American term for a Non-Magical human, aka, a 'Muggler' in Great Britain) carrying a matching suitcase to Newts, loaded with hand crafted pastries and baked goods to show the Bank Manager with whom he has an appointment with to secure a loan on a new bakery store. Whilst attempting to retrieve the Niffler, Newt is being watched by Tina Goldstein (Katherine Waterston) a demoted Auror (an employee of the Ministry of Magic whose purpose is to chase down and apprehend Dark Wizards). Tina promptly arrests an unsuspecting Newt for being an unregistered Wizard and carts him off promptly to MACUSA (Magical Congress of the United States of America) in the hope that this arrest will see her regain her old job. Needless to say it doesn't.

Back in Kowalski's apartment after being rejected by the Bank Manager for a loan, a number of creatures escape from Newt's suitcase, that got switched in the ensuing fracas whilst Newt was chasing the Niffler. This in turns leads Newt on the search for his escaped beasts (large and small) that takes him all over New York City, aided by Kowalski as the unassuming accomplice.

Tina meanwhile is now on the run having raised the suspicions of Percival Graves (Colin Farrell) - the Director of Magical Security at MACUSA. Graves has a hidden agenda however, and is in cahoots with Credence Barebone and offers him a way out of his downtrodden abusive existence at the hands of his adoptive mother Mary Lou, in exchange for him locating the host of the Obscurus (a dark and powerfully destructive force that young magical children sometimes inadvertently manifest to hide their powers). One such Obscurus has been running amok in New York causing widespread destruction as was seen in the opening scene of the film.

With Newt, Kowalski and Tina on the run, the three rest up in Tina's apartment with her free-spirited mind-reading sister Queenie (Alison Sudol) - who instantly falls for Kowalski and vice versa. Newt and Kowalski disappear down into the hidden depths of Newt's suitcase and emerge down below in a cavernous menagerie of wild creatures, fantastic beasts and unusual animals of many differing types and sizes - all of which have been rescued, cared for, nursed back to health or hidden from danger. Here Newt and Kowalski spend some time getting to know each other and the latter gains an insight into the magnitude of the formers work, whilst encountering the myriad of fantastical beasts. They then re-emerge and seek to recapture the Niffler and a Erumpent (a massive Rhino like beast, that will trash anything in its path, and has a deadly liquid in its horn). The pair are successful, and then they stow away again in the suitcase to be taken off to MACUSA by Tina with the view of clearing their names now that all escaped beasts have been successfully recaptured.

That plan doesn't quite pay-off when the three are arrested with Newt being accused of the death of Senator Henry Shaw Jnr. (Josh Cowdery) the son of wealthy Henry Shaw Snr. (John Voight) at the hands of one of the escaped beasts, when in fact it was an Obscurus. As a result Newt's suitcase is ordered to be destroyed containing everything therein, while Newt and Kowalski are locked up in a cell in the bowels of the building, while Tina is interrogated by Graves. Newt is accused of conspiring with Dark Wizard Gellert Grindelwald (one of the most dangerous Wizards of all time, and second only to Lord Voldemort). Newt and Tina are sentenced to immediate execution, and Kowalski is to have his memory obliviated (a spell used to erase a memory of a certain event). However, Queenie with her mind reading powers hatches a cunning plan to help them escape, and they do.

Meanwhile, Graves is applying more pressure on young Credence to locate the young source of the Obscurus. Snooping around Mary Lou's shelter, Credence comes across a wand under Modesty's bed. Mary Lou intervenes and assumes that the wand belongs to Credence and is about to whip him once again, when Modesty reveals it is hers. When Mary Lou is about to vent her displeasure upon Modesty, the Obscurus is released destroying everything within the shelter and killing Mary Lou in the process. Graves arrives after the fact and chastises Credence as a squib (a child born of magical parents, but who has grown with no magical abilities), and therefore renegs on his commitment to teach the young lad in the ways of magic. At which Credence looses his cool and reveals that he is the host of the Obscurus, and in his anger, unleashes widespread destruction on New York.

The Obscurus comes to rest in a subway tunnel, chased down by Newt and Tina, who knows Credence and attempts to calm him down and restore him to his human form. In doing so, Graves arrives with a delegation from MACUSA including Seraphina (Carmen Ejogo) the President of that esteemed and august organisation. It is decided that Credence must be destroyed to keep the magic hidden from the No-Maj. Graves comes on strong with his views to use the Obscurus to expose the magical community to the No-Maj claiming that MACUSA serves to protect them, rather that itself. Seraphina orders that Graves be apprehended, and as a fight breaks out Newt overpowers him with a spell that binds his arms. He drops to his knees now powerless and Newt uses the power of revelio to reveal Graves hidden identity - to be that of Gellert Grindelwald (Johnny Depp).

After Grindelwald is carted off muttering a few words to his captors, setting up the second instalment in this franchise, the MACUSA claim it is now too late, and that too much has happened to keep their secret magical world hidden from the No-Maj. Newt though has one more trick up his sleeve and he summons his Thunderbird to release a potion over the city that will rain down in an almighty storm erasing the memories of these most recent events from the city's No-Maj population. In the meantime, the Wizards will magically go about repairing the city to its former glory before the Obscurus attacked.

In the closing scene, we see Kowalski have his memory obliviated but his bakery dreams come true thanks to a parting gift from Newt. Tina and Newt part company at the dockside with a tear in the eyes before Newt boards his ship bound for England where he is to write his book 'Fantastic Beasts, and where to find them'. He commits to delivering a personal copy to Tina when his work is finished.

I enjoyed 'Fantastic Beasts . . . ' but not as much as I thought I would going in. It has all the touchstones of the Harry Potter world that provide an assurance of familiarity, consistency and continuity, but without the children, making this a more adult oriented offering. It is effects laden as to be expected about a film featuring fantastic beasts, mythical creatures, weird animals and some sort of magic at every turn, and these effects are all very well realised and serve the escapism factor no end, and as such is sure to attract Harry Potter fans the world over. But without these, this film would be pretty one dimensional and over in half the time, with a plot that is pretty simple and relies heavily on the creature features to deliver the films set pieces. For me, the nifty little Niffler steals the show as well as just about everything else it can lay its escaped claws on, with Redmayne playing the goofy, nervous, shy, fish outta water yet highly intelligent Scamander. It is good to see David Yates keeping us grounded in the Potterverse given his success in that space, but at the same time taking us off in a whole new direction with this film, with its more adult themes and underlying messages. For the first of a five film franchise, there is a strong foundation here that hopefully can be built upon for create success moving forward. The second instalment, to be set in Paris is slated for November 2018.

-Steve, at Odeon Online- 

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 24th November 2016

With a Big Mac coming to a big screen near you this week you may well ask 'would you like fries with that?' and the answer would have to be a resounding yes! The film, 'The Founder' charts the early days story of how McDonald's turned into a global giant in the fast food restaurant business ultimately serving 68 million customers every single day across some 36,600 outlets located in 119 countries around the world. From its very humble beginnings as a barbecue restaurant located in San Bernardino, California in 1940 founded by Richard and Maurice McDonald, the business changed to a hamburger model in 1948 using a production line methodology known as the 'Speedee Service System'. The first franchised McDonald's operation opened in Phoenix, Arizona in 1953, and Ray Kroc joined the company as a franchising agent in 1955, and in April of that year Kroc opened the ninth franchised restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. In 1961 the 'McDonalds' trademark was applied for, with the double arched 'M' symbol trademark logo being applied for later that year. In 1961 too, Ray Kroc acquired the McDonald's brothers equity in the business that ultimately led to the worldwide expansion, and the brothers ultimately left the restaurant game. The McDonald's business model is one of real estate investment (owning all of its property valued at some US$16B), an owner operator of restaurants (some 6,000 are wholly owned and operated by the corporation) and a franchiser of restaurants (some 30,500 are franchised operations). Ray Kroc stood down as CEO of the company in 1974 and he bought the San Diego Padres baseball team to keep himself amused. He died of heart failure in early January 1984 aged 81. By 1993 McDonald's had sold over one hundred billion burgers globally, and by 2012 McDonald's was the worlds second largest private employer of labour.

Now that I've whet your appetite, this week there are just three new movies coming to an Odeon near you. First up is a biographical drama recounting the early story of one of the most recognised brands on Earth, and how it came to be by the art of duplication, and asking 'do you want fries with that?' Then there is a modern day wartime tale of perception versus reality as returning soldiers are paraded as gun toting heroes in front of an audience of millions who won't let the truth get in the way of a good story. And then we wrap up with the first Christmas themed offering of the festive season and this sequel to its 2003 predecessor that puts Santa in a different light completely.

Remember that you are cordially invited to record your Comments below this or any other Post when you have seen your film of choice in the week ahead by sharing your views and opinions - be they good, bad or ugly - with your like minded cinema dwelling friends here at this Blog. Until then, enjoy your movie.

'THE FOUNDER' (Rated M) - Rated M for McDonald's, this is the biographical story of the founder of that global giant fast food retailer and real estate owner McDonald's and its founding father Ray Kroc. Directed by John Lee Hancock, Written by Robert Siegel, Co-Produced by Jeremy Renner and made for just US$7M this tells the story of how Ray Kroc was a travelling salesman back in the early '50's flogging a multi-mixer when he came across a small chain of burger joints owned and operated by Dick and Mac McDonald, who had purchased six of his multi-mixers.

In 1954 the McDonald brothers were looking for a new franchising agent and Kroc offered his services, seeing the potential in the quick service restaurant opportunity to potentially explode across the US. With Kroc wanting to expand rapidly through structured franchising the brothers were less keen, satisfied with a small manageable business yielding a steady but sufficient income. In 1961, out of frustration with the brothers wishes to remain small, Kroc bought the company for US$2.7M plus an annual royalty of 1.9%. And the rest as they say is history, with McDonald's growing into one of the worlds most recognisable brands, with a presence just about everywhere. At the time of Kroc's death in 1984 at the age of 81, McDonald's operated 7,500 outlets in the US alone, were present in 31 countries and turned over back then US$8B a year. Featuring Laura Dern as Kroc's first wife Ethel Fleming, and Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch as Dick and Mac McDonald respectively. The film opens in the US on 16th December.

'BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK' (Rated MA15+) - based on the 2012 book of the same name by Ben Fountain, and Directed and Co-Produced by multi-award wining Ang Lee, this Iraq war drama was made for US$40M, is released in the US earlier this month and in the UK in early January, and has so far recovered US$24M. Starring in his feature film debut English Actor Joe Alwyn as US Army Specialist Billy Lynn, a 19 year old, who after a harrowing battle is brought home temporarily for a victory tour with his fellow soldiers from Bravo Squad in a well executed PR exercise for the US military. The tour culminates at the half-time show of the Dallas Cowboys during the Thanksgiving Day home game, where the Squad are hailed as national heroes. Through flashbacks recounting the realities of that intense battle and fierce firefight we learn that those realities were far different from what the US public were led to believe in the media and how those perceptions are in stark contrast to the tragic consequences suffered by so many young men in the Iraq War. Also starring Kristen Stewart, Chris Tucker, Steve Martin, Vin Diesel, Garrett Hedlund and Tim Blake Nelson. For this film Lee used an unprecedented shooting and projection rate of 120 frames per second in 3D at 4K High Definition resolution, which is the first feature film in history to use such a high frame rate (24 fps is most commonly used). Lee stated that he wanted the film to be an 'immersive' and 'realistic' experience for the viewer into the emotion and realities of the soldiers journey. You can decide if it works for you, or not!

'BAD SANTA 2' (Rated M) - it has taken thirteen years to bring this sequel to our Christmas stockings, with the first offering released in 2003 as Directed by Terry Zwigoff, returning US$77M from its US$23M budget outlay and starring Billy Bob Thornton as the sex addicted alcoholic Bad Santa thief in question. It seems that Billy Bob Thornton has been wanting to make this sequel since 2009, and now seven years later, just in time for Christmas here it is, with Mark Waters this time on Directing duty. Returning at Willie Soke (Thornton) in his liquored up angry state, he teams up with equally angry offsider Marcus Skidmore (Tony Cox) to rob a Chicago Charity on Christmas Eve. Coming along for the ride is Thurman Merman (Brett Kelly) - the chubby but cheerful glimmer of hope in Willie's miserable life. When Willie's mother - the domineering, tough no nonsense Sunny Soke (Kathy Bates) gets involved too all sorts of issues arise including upping the stakes on the gangs aspirations, but sinking to all manner of criminal depths to get there. Willie is further challenged by the Charity Director Diane (Christina Hendricks) whom he instantly falls for, but gets more than he bargained for.

Three films to choose from then this coming week, plus an array of other great cinema content out on general release as Previewed and Reviewed between these pages. Remember to share your views with us all here at Odeon Online when you have sat through your film of choice, and in the meantime, I'll see you sometime over the coming week at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-