What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 9th February 2017.

The 70th British Academy Film Awards will be presented on Sunday evening 12th February at London's Royal Albert Hall with Stephen Fry hosting the ceremony for the twelfth time. Those up for the prized BAFTA (British Academy of Film and Television Arts) Awards, in the major categories are :-

* BEST FILM : 'Arrival', 'I, Daniel Blake', 'La La Land', 'Manchester By The Sea' and 'Moonlight'.
* BEST DIRECTOR : Dennis Villeneuve for 'Arrival', Ken Loach for 'I, Daniel Blake', Damien Chazelle for 'La La Land', Kenneth Lonergan for 'Manchester By The Sea' and Tom Ford for 'Nocturnal Animals'.
* BEST LEAD ACTOR : Ryan Gosling for 'La La Land', Casey Affleck for 'Manchester By The Sea',  Jake Gyllenhaal for 'Nocturnal Animals', Andrew Garfield for 'Hacksaw Ridge' and Viggo Mortensen for 'Captain Fantastic'.
* BEST LEAD ACTRESS : Amy Adams for 'Arrival', Emma Stone for 'La La Land', Emily Blunt for 'Girl On The Train', Natalie Portman for 'Jackie' and Meryl Streep for 'Florence Foster Jenkins'.
* BEST SUPPORT ACTOR : Aaron Taylor Johnson for 'Nocturnal Animals', Mahershala Ali for 'Moonlight', Hugh Grant for 'Florence Foster Jenkins', Dev Patel for 'Lion' and Jeff Bridges for 'Hell or High Water'.
* BEST SUPPORT ACTRESS : Hayley Squires for 'I, Daniel Blake', Michelle Williams for 'Manchester By The Sea', Naomie Harris for 'Moonlight', Nicole Kidman for 'Lion' and Viola Davis for 'Fences'.
* BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY : Paul Leverty for 'I, Daniel Blake', Damien Chazelle for 'La La Land', Kenneth Lonergan for 'Manchester By The Sea', Barry Jenkins for 'Moonlight' and Taylor Sheridan for 'Hell or High Water'.
* OUTSTANDING BRITISH FILM : 'American Honey', 'Denial', 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them', 'I, Daniel Blake', 'Notes on Blindness' and 'Under the Shadow'.
* BEST SPECIAL VISUAL EFFECTS : 'Arrival', 'Doctor Strange', 'Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them', 'The Jungle Book' and 'Rogue One : A Star Wars Story'.
* BEST ANIMATED FILM : 'Finding Dory, 'Moana', 'Kubo and the Two Strings' and 'Zootopia'.
* BEST FOREIGN LANGUAGE FILM : 'Dheepan', 'Julieta', 'Mustang', 'Son of Saul' and 'Toni Erdmann'
* RISING STAR AWARD : Laia Costa (seen recently in 'Victoria' and soon in 'Newness'), Lucas Hedges (seen most recently in 'Manchester By The Sea'), Tom Holland (about to be seen in 'The Lost City of Z' and 'Spider-Man : Homecoming'), Ruth Nega (about to be seen in 'Loving'), and Anya Taylor Joy (seen recently in 'The Witch', 'Morgan' and 'Split')

This week there are four new release films to tempt you out to your local air conditioned multiplex. Kicking off with big screen adaptation of a successful stage play adapted from a early '80's novel, this film has created much buzz for its award winning Director and Star who appeared on the Broadway stage with this in 2010 and now sits in front of, and behind the camera to bring us this story of 1950's era dreams, disappointments and decisions that have far reaching implications for one man and those closest to him. We then switch to a #1 best selling erotic novel - the first in a trilogy that just had to be committed to the big screen, and after the commercial success of that first cinematic outing here comes the second instalment. Then this weeks foreign language offering sees a German comedy drama that has won much critical acclaim for this story of a fractured father and daughter relationship that takes the fathers alter ego to patch things up. We wrap up the week with a British comedy drama about a drug addicted busker trying to break his habit, by teaming up with a stray ginger feline that sees a reversal of fortune for the former, and a home and all the attention for the latter.

When you have sat in a darkened enclosed space with a bunch of complete strangers for two hours all looking in the same direction, then you are warmly invited to share your movie going experience with your like minded Cinephiles here in the Blogosphere. Leave your relevant, brief and thoughtful observations in the Comments section below this or any other Post - as always we'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, enjoy your movie, wherever it takes you.

'FENCES' (Rated PG) - the screen adaptation of this film started its life as a Pulitzer Prize winning 1983 stage play of the same name written by August Wilson who died in October 2005 aged sixty. Wilson died having written the screenplay. The stage play Premiered on Broadway back in 1987 with James Earl Jones in the lead role, won much critical applause then and was highly awarded. Fast track to 2010 and the revival of the Broadway stage show saw Denzel Washington and Viola Davis as the two lead husband and wife characters in a limited season of thirteen weeks. That stage production was nominated for ten Tony Awards, winning three - for Best Revival of a Play, Best Actor in a Play for Washington, and Best Actress in a Play for Davis. In 2013 in an interview with a well known movie magazine, Washington expressed his desire to star in and Direct a big screen adaptation of the play. In early 2016 it was announced that Washington would Direct, Co-Produce and star in that big screen adaptation with Scott Rudin also Co-Producing, as he did with the successful stage play. And here now in our cinemas are the fruits of those efforts with many of those stage Actors reprising their roles for this film production, which has thus far received positive critical recognition, four Oscar and one BAFTA nomination, a Golden Globe win for Viola Davis, a SAG win for Davis and Washington and all up a tally of 39 award wins and 96 further nominations. From its US$24M budget it has so far recovered US$53M.

The story here is set in 1950's Pittsburgh and Troy Maxson (Denzel Washington) lives with his wife Rose (Viola Davis) and their son Cory (Jovan Adepo). Troy works as a waste collector, dreams of the life that may have been as a professional in the Negro Leagues baseball but failed to graduate to Major League Baseball, because of his colour or his advancing years, or both. As the years begin to catch-up on Troy he makes decisions that have far reaching implications upon his family life - impacting his son, his wife, his mentally impaired older brother Gabriel (Mykelti Williamson), and ultimately himself.

'FIFTY SHADES DARKER' (Rated MA15+) - 2015's 'Fifty Shades of Grey' was based on the hugely successful novel of the same name by British author E. L. James, and the first in her erotic romantic drama trilogy of books to be adapted for the big screen.  That first instalment saw a return on a production budget of US$40M of US$571M, despite its generally poor Reviews. Now two years later we have this follow up Directed by James Foley taking over from Sam Taylor-Johnson, that sees the two principal characters of Anastasia Steele (Dakota Johnson) and Christian Grey (Jamie Dornan) reprise their roles as the events of this film follow on from where its predecessor left off. Here we have Anastasia trying to move on from her relationship with Christian, but a wounded and forlorn Christian convinces his former lover to resume their romance but under whatever terms Anastasia deems appropriate. As they begin their so called 'normal' relationship, Christian's past resurfaces that might just tear the couple apart. Also starring Kim Basinger, Luke Grimes and Marcia Gay Harden. The third instalment in the film franchise ('Fifty Shades Freed') was shot back to back with 'Fifty Shades Darker', and is due for release on 9th February 2018.

'TONI ERDMANN' (Rated M) - this German/Austrian Co-Produced comedy/drama had its world Premier at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, has been nominated in the Best Foreign Language Film category at the upcoming Oscars, and it won five major awards at the 29th European Film Awards held in Poland just before Christmas. The film was released in Germany and Austria in mid-July last year and finally arrives in Australian cinemas this week. Costing US$3.2M to make, it has so far taken US$8.3M, and is Directed, Written and Co-Produced by German film Director Maren Ade. The story here is one of estranged father and daughter relationship, with Winfried Conradi (Peter Simonischek) an ageing divorced music teacher who upon the death of his beloved pet dog decides to reconnect with his daughter Ines (Sandra Huller) who is working the corporate life in Bucharest, Romania. Winfried is a practical joker and he annoys his daughter with corny pranks, hi-jinks and jibes about her corporate lifestyle and everything associated with it. When father and daughter reach an impasse, Winfried agrees to go home to Germany. But soon afterwards emerges Toni Erdmann, Winfried's flashy alter ego - disguised in a tacky suit, ill fitting wayward wig and fake teeth. Toni then infiltrates Ines' work circle, claiming to be her CEO's life coach. As Toni, Winfried isn't backward in coming forward, and Ines rises to the challenge as laid down by her father, which helps her see him in  totally different light. In all the madness, Ines begins to see that her eccentric father might just warrant a place in her life after all. A highly acclaimed foreign language offering with a three hour running time.

'A STREET CAT NAMED BOB' (Rated PG) - a British family comedy drama featuring a cat called Bob, Directed by Roger Spottiswoode, and based on the best selling book of the same name by James Bowen. This film was released in the UK in early November, and stars Luke Treadaway as James Bowen - a recovering drug addict who is down on his luck while trying to pick up his life again. With the aid of his trusting support worker Val (Joanne Frogatt) he secures a permanent address. All he needs now is to secure a regular income which he does by busking at Covent Garden, but with very little traction from the thousands of daily passers-by. One day, Bob (Bob the Cat) enters his life, which James assumes to be a lost stray and tries to find its owner without any success. When the cat becomes more of a feature on the housing estate where James lives, the two get to know each more and more, with their lives eventually becoming more and more closely linked with results that James never thought possible.

With four very different films to choose from this week, as well as a raft of other compelling cinema content still out on general release as Reviewed and Previewed between these humble Blog pages, you've got every reason to watch your movie of choice in the week ahead and catch some of that BAFTA and Oscar buzz. When you have done so, share your thoughts! Meanwhile, I'll see you somewhere sometime in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-