What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 31st May 2018.

In May, the world bid a fond farewell to number of stars of the silver screen and the small screen. In brief, shown below, is my passing tribute to those stars who leave an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, and in particular the world of film and television. May you all Rest In Peace, and thanks for the memories.

* Clint Walker : Norman Eugene 'Clint' Walker was born on May 30th 1927 and died on May 21st 2018, aged 90. He was an American Actor and Singer who gained his first big screen role in an uncredited appearance in the 1954 film 'Jungle Gents' as a Tarzan type character. Thereafter he came to the attention of Cecil B. DeMille who cast him alongside Charlton Heston, Yul Brynner and Edward G. Robinson in the epic 'The Ten Commandments'. Next up he was cast in the role for which he is perhaps best remembered as Cheyenne Bodie in 1957 in two episodes of hit Western television series 'Cheyenne' edited together too make a feature length film 'The Travellers'. The TV series 'Cheyenne' ran over seven series from 1955 through to 1963 with Walker playing the title character in all 108 episodes. He also appeared as that same character in a 1960 episode of 'Maverick', in the 1991 made for television film 'The Gambler Returns : The Luck of the Draw' and in a single episode of 'King Fu : The Legend Continues' in 1995. The Actor would go on to star in many Westerns over the following years including 'Fort Hobbs', 'Yellowstone Kelly', 'Requiem to Massacre', 'Gold of the Seven Saints', 'The Night of the Grizzly', 'More Dead Than Alive', 'Sam Whiskey', 'The Great Bank Robbery', 'Yuma', 'Hardcase', 'The Bounty Man', 'Baker's Hawk', 'The White Buffalo' and in a single episode of the epic television series of 1978's 'Centennial'. In the meantime, he also starred in Frank Sinatra's only Directorial effort, the WW2 actioner 'None But The Brave' in 1965, and then there was also his role as Samson Posey in the classic wartime 'The Dirty Dozen' in 1967 with an all star cast; the short-lived TV series spanning just thirteen episodes in the title role of 'Kodiak' as Alaskan State Patrolman Cal 'Kodiak' McKay, and his last screen role lending his voice to the character of Nick Nitro in 1997's 'Small Soldiers'. All up Walker had 42 Acting credits to his name in a career spanning five decades. He was inducted into the Hall of Great Western Performers at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum in Oklahoma City in 2004.

* Margot Kidder : Margaret Ruth Kidder was born on October 17th 1948 and died on May 13th 2018, aged 69. She was an American/Canadian Actress and a political, environmental and anti-war Activist. Kidder gained her big screen debut in the 1969 docudrama 'The Best Damn Fiddler from Calabogie to Kalahari'. This was followed up a year later by Norman Jewison's 'Gaily, Gaily' and then Brian de Palma's 'Sisters' in 1973, slasher horror flick 'Black Christmas' in 1974 and 'The Great Waldo Pepper' alongside Robert Redford in 1975. However, it was to be her role cast as Lois Lane in the 1978 'Superman' movie alongside Christopher Reeve as Clark Kent (aka 'Superman') that really propelled Kidder into the limelight. She reprised the role alongside Reeve in 1980's 'Superman II', 1983's 'Superman III' and 1987's 'Superman IV : The Quest for Peace'. 1979 saw another big ticket outing in the shape of the 'The Amityville Horror' in which Kidder starred alongside James Brolin as real life Kathy and George Lutz respectively. That film recouped US$87M from its US$5M Production Budget and spawned numerous sequels and reboots over the years. Following her mainstream success with the 'Superman' franchise and 'Amityville' her career took a somewhat stagnant pause although she remained active in feature films and television throughout the '80's, '90's and 2000's up until last year, but mostly in B-Grade features, made for television films, guest appearances on single or several episodes of TV series and the theatre. Her last four films were for Writer and Director Frank D'Angelo - these being 2014's 'The Big Fat Stone', 2015's 'No Deposit', 2016's 'The Red Maple Leaf' and 2017's 'The Neighbourhood' which was to be her final acting role. All up Kidder amassed 135 Acting credits to her name, and was the recipient of seven award wins and a further eight nominations.

This week there are just three new release movies coming to your local Odeon. We kick off with the second Directorial outing for this Aussie jobbing stuntman that also features his younger brother and an all star cast in a comedy crime offering about an unassuming businessman who gets into a spot of bother down Mexico way with the local drug cartel while learning that his wife back home is carrying on with one of his bosses who has hired his ex-Mercenray brother to keep him safe. We then move to a French foreign language biographical film about a famed painter at the turn of the last century who takes a leave of absence to escape Paris for the far flung remote reaches of Tahiti to rediscover his mo-jo . . . and that he does in more ways than one! And the week wraps up with a historical retelling of a 1976 passenger aeroplane hijacking that had the world on the edge of its seat before it all ended abruptly in a hail of bullets one week later.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the three latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are here warmly invited to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.

'GRINGO' (Rated MA15+) - here Aussie Stuntman, Actor and only second time Director of a full length feature film, Nash Edgerton brings us this American comedy crime caper, which he also Co-Produced. Nash Edgerton is the older brother of Actor, Director, Writer and Producer Joel Edgerton. Nash's previous feature length Directing credit was the 2008 Australian thriller 'The Square', and he has worked as Stunt Coordinator or Stuntman in numerous Hollywood movies over the years and occasionally acts too.  For this film Nash has assembled an all star cast that takes in David Oyelowo, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Thandie Newton, Sharlto Copley, Harry Treadaway, Paris Jackson and brother Joel amongst others. The film was released in the US in early March, has received mixed or average Reviews, and has so far taken US$6M at the Box Office.

Here, mild-mannered U.S. businessman Harold Soyinka (David Oyelowo) works for a medical technology firm that has developed the 'weed pill' (a medical marijuana that has been simplified into a pill format.) Harold's bosses, Elaine Markinson (Charlize Theron) and Richard Rusk (Joel Edgerton), travel with him to Mexico to handle the mass production of the product. Harold fakes his own kidnapping in order to reap benefit from the company policy of paying out US$2M if anything was to happen to him in Mexico during a business trip. He learns too that his wife has left him as she is having an affair with Richard. While out drunk, Harold gets kidnapped for real by the cartel, who hold a grudge against his bosses and the company for cutting them out of their plans. Richard hires his brother Mitch (Sharlto Copley), who just happens to be an ex-mercenary, to keep Harold safe. Crossing the line from law-abiding citizen to wanted criminal, Harold must survive an increasingly dangerous situation that asks the question whether he is in over his head, or two steps ahead?

'GAUGUIN' (Rated M) - this biographical French foreign language offering is Directed and Co-Written by Edouard Deluc and recounts the story of French post-impressionist artist Paul Gauguin (Vincent Cassel) who lived from 1848 until 1903. Here, it is Paris, 1891 and feeling decidedly smothered by the political and bourgeois atmosphere underlying Paris at the time, with everything seemingly artificial and conventional, the artist decided that he needed to review his motivation and find a realism to renew his art. Failing to convince his wife Mette (Pernille Bergendorff) and his five children to follow him to the island paradise of Tahiti, he sets out alone. Upon arrival, he elects to settle down in Mataiera, a village far from Papeete, debunking himself to a native straw and mud hut. He soon finds his mo-jo, painting and carving in a style close to the primitive art specific to the island. During his two-year stay (he came and went over a ten year period during his latter life) Gauguin experienced solitude, poverty, heart problems and other trials and tribulations, but also happiness in the arms of Tehura (Tuhei Adams), a beautiful young, thirteen year old, native girl who helped regenerate his zest for life and had a lasting impact on his art.

'ENTEBBE' (Rated CTC) - aka '7 Days In Entebbe' in the US, this is an American crime drama Directed by Brazilian Jose Padilha (also known for the Brazilian crime drama films 'Elite Squad' and 'Elite Squad : The Enemy Within' and the 2014 'RoboCop' reboot.) This film concerns 'Operation Entebbe' - a successful counter terrorist hostage rescue mission carried out by Commandos of the Israel Defence Forces at Entebbe Airport in Uganda on 4th July 1976. The events of this hostage situation have been committed to film on three previous occasions - 1976's 'Victory at Entebbe', 1977's 'Raid on Entebbe' and the Israeli 1977 film 'Operation Thunderbolt'. Here, in this dramatisation, two Palestinian and two German terrorists, Brigitte Kuhlmann (Rosamund Pike) and Wilfried Bose (Daniel Bruhl) hijacked Air France Flight 139 en route from Tel Aviv, Israel to Paris, France via Athens, Greece. They held the 248 passengers and crew hostage at Entebbe Airport and demanded a ransom of US$5M for the aeroplane and the release of 53 Palestinian and pro-Palestinian militants, forty of whom were prisoners in Israel. After relocating all hostages to a disused airport building, the hijackers separated all Israelis and several non-Israeli Jews from the larger group and forced them into a separate room. Over the following two days, 148 non-Israeli hostages were released and flown out to Paris. Ninety-four, mainly Israeli passengers along with the twelve Air France crew, remained hostage and were threatened with death. The rescue operation mounted by the Israel Defence Force took a week to plan and just ninety minutes to execute. This that true story. Also starring Eddie Marsan as Shimon Peres, Lior Ashkenazi as Yitzhak Rabin and Angel Bonanni as Yonatan Netanyahu and Nonso Anomie as Idi Amin. The film has generated mixed or average Reviews at best and grossed so far US$7M since its release in the US in mid-March.

With three new release films out this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. Meanwhile, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 24th May 2018.

The 71st Cannes Film Festival which opened on 8th May drew to a close on Saturday evening 19th May. This year, Cate Blanchett acted as the Jury President for those twenty-one feature films competing for the prestigious Palme d'Or. The opening film was by Iranian Director and Screenwriter Asghar Farhadi with his Spanish language psychological thriller 'Everybody Know's' starring Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, with the closing film, and screening out of competition, was Terry Gilliam's lifetime in gestation on again off again passion project 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote' starring Jonathan Pryce and Adam Driver.

The prestigious Palme d'Or was awarded out of twenty-one films in competition to 'Shoplifters' - a Japanese family drama edited, written, and Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda. Set in Tokyo, this film centres on a family who rely on shoplifting as they cope with a life of poverty, whilst unofficially adopting a seemingly abused homeless girl with the Police beginning a search for the missing child. Beating out the competition in this category were the likes of 'Burning' from South Korea and starring Steven Yuen; 'BlacKkKlansman' from the USA, Directed by Spike Lee and starring Adam Driver, Topher Grace and Harry Belafonte, which took out the second most coveted award - the Grand Prix; 'Everybody Knows' as aforementioned; 'Under the Silver Lake' from the USA and starring Andrew Garfield, Topher Grace, and Riley Keough; and 'The Image Book' a French/Swiss Co-Production Directed by Jean-Luc Godard which won the Special Palme d'Or. Judges for this award also included Ava DuVernay, Lea Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, Denis Villeneuve and Andrey Zvyagintsev.

In the Un Certain Regard category this year, in which eighteen films were showcased and overseen by Jury President Benicio del Toro, the Un Certain Regard Award was bestowed upon Swedish drama film 'Border' Directed and written for the screen by Ali Abbasi. This film staved off competition from the likes of 'Angel Face' from France starring Marion Cotillard; 'Donbass' from the Ukraine and the opening film in this selected category; 'The Dead and the Others' from Portugal and Directed by Joao Salaviza and Renee Nader Messora which won the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize; 'Rafiki' from Kenya; 'Girl' from Belgium; 'Long Day's Journey into Night' from China; 'Manto' from India; and 'Die, Monster, Die' from Argentina.

For more, you can go to : www.festival-cannes.com

This week we have just two new release movies coming to your local Odeon, and they couldn't be more polar opposite if they tried! First up is the second stand alone film in a massive movie franchise spanning now forty years about a young up & coming space cowboy from a galaxy far far away who many of us have grown up with - and this is his origin story. We then have a change of pace and coming back down to Earth, to rural England in the late '50's and one woman's dream of opening her own country book store which is thwarted by many of the local residents who have very different ideas.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the two latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online. You are here cordially invited to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and meanwhile, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.

'SOLO : A STAR WARS STORY' (Rated MA15+) - described as a 'Space Western' this second film in the Star Wars standalone anthology series follows on the heels of 'Rogue One : A Star Wars Story' released in 2016 and is set prior to the events in 'A New Hope'. That first standalone instalment was Directed by Gareth Edwards and took in excess of US$1B at the global Box Office off the back of a US$200M Budget outlay. This film Premiered in Los Angeles on 10th May, was shown at the Cannes Film Festival on 15th May and gets its US release this week too. Filming began in January 2017 under the Directing leadership of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and after almost five months of principle photography were fired from the set due to creative differences. They were replaced by Ron Howard who completed the last four weeks or so of principle photography and about another five weeks of reshoots. Lord and Miller are credited as Executive Producers. Made for a reported US$250M, early Reviews have indicated generally positive press.

This film, as the name implies, centres on a young Han Solo (Alden Ehrenreich) and his adventures with his Wookie partner, best friend and first mate aboard the Millennium Falcon, Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo). Also starring Donald Glover as Lando Calrissian, a smuggler on the rise and whom Solo meets with for the first time; Woody Harrelson as Tobias Beckett, a criminal and mentor to Solo; Emilia Clarke as Qi'ra, a long time childhood friend of Solo's; with Paul Bettany as crime lord Dryden Vos, and Thandie Newton as Val. Jon Favreau voices Rio Durant, Linda Hunt voices Lady Proxima and Anthony Daniels cameo's as Tak.

'THE BOOKSHOP' (Rated PG) - this British, German and Spanish Co-Production is based on the 1978 novel of the same name by Penelope Fitzgerald and is helmed and Written for the Screen by Spanish Film Director Isabel Coixet. The film Premiered at the Valladolid International Film Festival in Valladolid, Spain in late October last year, has received generally positive Reviews picking up twelve Award wins and a further 32 nominations from around the film festival circuit and so far grossing US$3.5M in Box Office receipts. Set in the English coastal town of Hardborough, in Suffolk in 1959, Florence Green (Emily Mortimer) a middle aged widow, decides to open a book shop in 'The Old House', a rather dilapidated damp abandoned old residence that's said to be haunted by numerous ghosts. After much local opposition and many sacrifices, she eventually opens the doors on her bookshop which goes well for the first year and then sales begins to wane. Edmund Brandish (Bill Nighy), a local, is Florence's best customer and meanwhile Violet Gamart (Patricia Clarkson) also wants The Old House in which to set up an Arts Centre. What ensues is a political minefield spearheaded by Gamart's nephew, an MP, that Florence must navigate through if she is to preserve her beloved book shop, or succumb to local pressures that may leave her little choice but to move on.

With just two new release films out this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

DEADPOOL 2 : Friday 18th May 2018.

'DEADPOOL 2' which I saw hot on the heels of its Australian release on Friday evening in a packed theatre, is based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name who first appeared in the 1991 publication of 'The New Mutants'. Here we have the sequel to the Critically and financially successful 2016 antihero Superhero film 'Deadpool' which off the back of a budget of US$58M grossed worldwide US$783M and collected 28 award wins and another 75 nominations from around the awards circuit. Despite the first films success, plans were already underway for a follow up film even before the release of the initial 'Deadpool' introductory instalment, with 'Deadpool 3' already in development. That first film was Directed by Tim Miller, although he did not return for this segment due to creative differences with Co-Producer, Co-Writer and Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds. Instead David Leitch signed on to Direct (whose previous Directorial outings include 'Atomic Blonde' and the upcoming 2019 'Fast & Furious' spin off 'Hobbs & Shaw'). Although a Marvel Comics character, Deadpool does not belong in the world of The Avengers or the MCU, but rather sits within the 'X-Men' franchise, and as such this is intended to be the eleventh film in that series. The film cost US$110M, and at the time of writing has grossed US$426M, and received positive press.

And so Ryan Reynolds returns as Wade Wilson/Deadpool as the wisecracking potty mouthed physically scarred practically invincible fourth wall breaking mercenary who for the last couple of years, since the end of the first film, has spent his time globetrotting his way around the world killing bad dudes as a one man army. However, one of his key targets gets away, as Deadpool is preoccupied with thoughts of his anniversary with his girlfriend and fiancee Vanessa (Morena Baccarin). That night, having agreed to start a family together, the target who got away tracks down Wilson to his apartment with all guns blazing. In the firefight Vanessa is fatally wounded by the target, who in turn is reduced to mincemeat by an oncoming truck in an act of revenge. Wilson though blames himself for Vanessa's death, and six weeks later blows himself and his apartment to oblivion.

Wilson's body parts are picked up and put back together by Colossus (Stefan Kapicic, returning as the mutant who can transform his body into organic steel) at the X-Mansion (cue various nods to the 'X-Men' film franchise and a blink and you'll miss it cameo appearance by several key X-Men players, and see if you can spot the bust of Stan Lee). Recovering and healing at the stately X-Mansion, Wilson (now a trainee X-Man), Colossus and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand, also returning, as the mutant who can detonate atomic bursts from her body), respond to an alert involving the Police authorities and an unstable young teenage mutant Russell Collins, aka Firefist (Julian Dennison, who made his last appearance in 2016's New Zealand feature 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople') who has the ability to violently generate and command fire and flame from his hands.

The standoff is taking place outside an orphanage (aka a Mutant Reeducation Centre) where Russell has been raised and tortured by the Headmaster (Eddie Marsan) and the staff. Russell is threatening revenge for the years of abuse and torture he and the other kids have suffered. Deadpool kills one of the staff, and is then prevented from harming anyone else by Colossus. Wilson and Russell are arrested and fitted with collars which prevent their mutant powers from manifesting themselves, and then locked up in a special mountain prison for mutants, known affectionately as The Icebox. Meanwhile, in a future world, a man returns home to find his house and wife and daughter incinerated.

That man is a time travelling cybernetic mutant soldier named Nathan Summers, aka Cable (Josh Brolin, enjoying his second outing in as many weeks as a Marvel antagonist hot on the heels of his portrayal as Thanos in 'Avengers : Infinity War'). He is out for revenge, for reasons that at this point are unclear to us, by his quarry is young Russell, locked up in the slammer with Wilson. Cable, with all his hi-tech futuristic weaponry and half 'Terminator' style cyborg (which Wilson describes as 'a grumpy old fucker with a Winter Soldier arm') is able to break into the prison with relative ease. Wilson attempts to defend Collins as much as he can with his diminished powers, and ultimately Wilson and Cable blow themselves out of the prison wall sending them cascading down a frozen mountain side. Before hand, Russell overhears Wilson exclaiming that he has no care for the young mutant lad. As Wilson crashes through a frozen lake and sinks to the bottom, he has a vision of Vanessa saying to him to look after the young boy and help him, before dragging himself out of the freezing depths.

With The Icebox semi-destroyed, the authorities have to transport a number of inmates to another facility. Wilson and Weasel (T.J. Miller returning as Wilson's best friend and owner of the bar often frequented by him and other like minded mercenaries) recruit a 'crack' team of other mutants with super powers of some description which he tables as being 'forward thinking and gender neutral' and aptly names the 'X-Force'.

On the new team are Bedlam (Terry Crews who can generate electricity at will), Shatterstar (Lewis Tan, an alien with martial arts skills), Zeitgeist (Bill Skarsgard who has acidic breath), Neena Thurman aka Domino (Zazie Beetz who can manipulate luck), Vanisher (Brad Pitt who is invisible) and Peter aka Peter (Rob Delaney a caring husband and beekeeper who has no superpowers but came along responding to the ad. because he thought it sounded fun and exciting).

The newly formed X-Force mount a daring mission to break Russell out of the prison convoy while preventing Cable from gaining access. They parachute in from a plane, but while coming in to land in gusty conditions, all but Deadpool and Domino are killed in laugh out loud grisly comedic circumstances during their decent or immediately upon landing. Deadpool and Domino mount the truck, chased by Cable who soon makes his way on board.

Immediately a close quarter hand to hand fight breaks out with Domino at the wheel of the now rogue truck and Cable and Deadpool punching, kicking, shooting and stabbing each other out the back. Russell meanwhile is able to break free from his confinement and he sets fellow inmate Cain Marko aka Juggernaut (voiced and acted through MoCap by Ryan Reynolds as a mutant with superhuman strength, durability and healing powers) who agrees to repay the young lad by helping him to kill the abusive Headmaster at the orphanage. Juggernaut destroys the truck hurling them all asunder.

Domino 'luckily' is catapulted into a giant inflatable panda which breaks her fall, Cable winds up under a heap of rubble, and Deadpool is literally ripped in two at the waist by Juggernaut, leaving Russell and his new friend and ally Juggernaut, to escape and make their way to search out the Headmaster. Russell, knowing that he doesn't have a friend in Deadpool having overheard that previous conversation, gives him the two finger salute with the royal fuck you, before existing stage left with his new all powerful best mate.

Being carried home by Domino, back pack style, Wilson is forced to patiently wait for his new legs to grow, which sets up another laugh out loud comedic routine as he sits on the couch with Blind Al (Leslie Uggams) with baby legs setting up a Sharon Stone 'Basic Instinct' moment all of his own. Cable emerges in the room calling a truce to their hostilities and explains why he is hunting down Russell. It seems that in the future, it was the adult Firefist, who killed Cable's wife and daughter by incinerating them in their apartment. Now Cable wants revenge and to kill Russell before his first kill gives him the taste for more, and to prevent him from that merciless future act.

Cable agrees to give Wilson thirty seconds to convince Russell not to kill the Headmaster, otherwise Cable will kill Russell this time. Deadpool, Domino, Colossus, Negasonic Teenage Warhead and her girlfriend Yukio (Shiori Kutsuna, a female ninja, ronin and samurai of Japanese origin who wields a fierce electric whip) arrive to thwart Russell and Juggernaut, but are overpowered by the might of Juggernaut, while Russell begins torching the orphanage and hunting down the Headmaster. During the fracas as Colossus goes head to head and toe to toe with Juggernaut, Cable and Deadpool are given time to try and reason with Russell.

After Deadpool's arguments seem to fail, Cable takes a shot at Russell, but Deadpool jumps in front of the oncoming bullet and takes it for the team. He dies because he has the collar around his neck which diminishes his powers to self heal. Meanwhile, Juggernaut has been dispensed with into a swimming pool, with a sixty thousand volt electricity cable rammed up his arse. Seeing the sacrifice that Deadpool made to save Russell, the young mutant does not kill the Headmaster, so altering the future, so that Cable's family lives.

Cable then uses the last charge he has available to return himself to the future by turning it back in time just a few minutes to the time when they all arrived at the orphanage. Cable surreptitiously places a lead commemorative coin over his heart. That coin had previously belonged to Vanessa which she gave to Wilson on their anniversary night, and which Deadpool had lost to Cable during their fight at The Icebox. This time, when Deadpool takes the bullet intended for Russell, he will be saved by the strategically placed coin. The Headmaster witnesses this and continues to rant and rave abuse at Russell and the gathered X-Force team. Russell is beginning to have a change of heart towards killing the Headmaster, when he is mowed down at speed by Deadpool's good friend, taxi-driver and wannabe Superhero Dopinder (Karan Soni) in his yellow cab. The group leave the scene of devastation, with Cable remaining on as a new recruit to the X-Force. As they do, Juggernaut is seen in the background lifting himself out of the swimming pool.

In true Marvel tradition, there are not one, not two, three or four even but five no less mid-credits sequences. The first sees Negasonic Teenage Warhead and Yukio repair Cable's time-travelling device for Wilson, handing it over and saying that maybe that wasn't such a good idea. He uses it to save the lives of Vanessa and X-Force member Peter; kill the much maligned and misrepresented 'X-Men Origins : Wolverine's' version of Deadpool; and then kill actor Ryan Reynolds while he has just finished reading the script for his 2011 film 'Green Lantern' with the outgoing words 'You're welcome Canada!'

I did enjoy 'Deadpool 2' but not quite as much as the first instalment. Maybe because that first feature was so new and fresh and unlike any Superhero film we had seen before, and this second film treads familiar territory and we know what to expect from the wise arse quick witted invincible Deadpool. That said, this is funny, crass, politically and socially incorrect, graphically violent and there are plenty of cleverly placed dialogue wisecracks that poke nods to numerous other movies that would serve any geek well, including 'RoboCop', 'Yentl', 'Basic Instinct', 'Logan', 'Interview with the Vampire' and references aplenty to other Superhero films in both the MCU and the DCEU. This film belongs naturally to Ryan Reynolds who proves himself again to be a comedic talent and action hero all in one and both Josh Brolin and Julian Dennison who are both cast very well and who both veer off in different directions when you least expect it, proving that the bad guys can turn out good, and the good guys can turn out bad. There is also plenty of other character development too in the form of Domino, Dopinder and even Weasel whose limited screen time is utilised to maximum effect to advance the story plot rather than provide simple window dressing. This is as rapid fire as the first film but with added villains; a better story; some moments of emotion; lots of tongue firmly planted in cheek outrageous humour; and a bucket full of gory bloody violence and dismembered body parts to satisfy all lovers of the genre . . . . and if this isn't for you, then stay away! Josh Brolin has signed on for four films in this franchise, which may include 'Deadpool 3' if it gets made and a planned 'X-Force' spin off series. Watch this space!

This film is worthy of four claps of the clapperboard, out of a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

CHAPPAQUIDDICK : Tuesday 15th May 2018.

'CHAPPAQUIDDICK' which I saw this week is an American drama film based on the real life events surrounding the 1969 Chappaquiddick Incident. Directed by John Curran whose most recent Directorial outing was the 2013 Robyn Davidson Western Australian adapted story 'Tracks' with Mia Wasikowska, he here Directs this account of the true story which is described as 'a single-vehicle car accident that occurred on Chappaquiddick Island, Massachusetts, on Friday, July 18, 1969. The late night accident was caused by Senator Ted Kennedy's negligence, and resulted in the death of his 28-year-old passenger, Mary Jo Kopechne, who was trapped inside the vehicle'. Further it states that 'according to his testimony, Kennedy accidentally drove his car off the one-lane bridge and into a tidal channel. He swam free, left the scene, and did not report the accident to the police for ten hours; Kopechne died inside the fully submerged car. The next day, the car with Kopechne's body inside was recovered by a diver, minutes before Kennedy reported the accident to local authorities. Kennedy pleaded guilty to a charge of leaving the scene of a crash causing personal injury, and later received a two-month suspended jail sentence'. The film Premiered at TIFF last September, had its US release in early April, and went on general release in Australia last week, having so far grossed US$17M at the Box Office off the back of a US$14M Production Budget, and garnered generally positive Reviews along the way.

Through factual accounts, laid out in the inquest from the investigations in 1969, the film examines the mysterious events and subsequent fall out around the drowning of aspiring political strategist and Kennedy insider Mary Jo Kopechne (Kate Mara) after Ted Kennedy (Jason Clarke) drove his car off the infamous Dike Bridge on Chappaquiddick Island. It is July 18th 1969, coincidentally, just two days after the Apollo 11 took off for the Moon landing that saw Neil Armstrong step foot on the surface on 21st July.

The US Senator for Massachusetts, Ted Kennedy following a televised interview, calls his cousin (and his 'fixer') Joe Gargan (Ed Helms) to organise a number of hotel rooms on Martha's Vineyard for the affectionately named 'Bolier Room Girls' (a team of female staff members who worked in Senator Robert F. Kennedy's 1968 Presidential campaign, and who were now in turn loyal to Ted's campaign). Ted Kennedy drives by car and short ferry boat crossing to Chappaquiddick Island where he teams up with Joe and Attorney General Paul Markham (Jim Gaffigan) for a yacht race, in which he comes in ninth place due to a misguided tack. After the race he goes to a beach house with Joe, Paul, the Boiler Room Girls, one of whom is Mary Jo Kopechne, and various other friends and staffers for dinner and drinks.

Kennedy later leaves the party with Mary Jo driving a 1967 Oldsmobile Delmont 88. After a brief stop under the stars to chat about the legacy of the Kennedy clan and the expectations he must live up to, he attempted to cross the Dike Bridge (which did not have any safety railings at the time). Kennedy lost control of his vehicle on a blind bend approaching the bridge and crashed in to the Poucha Pond inlet, which was a tidal channel on Chappaquiddick Island. Kennedy escaped from the overturned vehicle, and, by his own account, dived below the surface several times, attempting without success to reach and rescue Kopechne. Ultimately, he swam to shore and left the scene, with Kopechne still trapped inside the vehicle gasping for air and unable to get out of the upturned vehicle.

Soaked through, he walks back to the beach house, and speaks in private with Joe and Paul, saying that his Presidential campaign has just ended. They drive to the scene of the accident and both dive in and try in vain to recover Mary Jo, but to no avail, with Kennedy looking on, distraught, from the bridge. Joe and Paul commandeer a row boat tied up nearby and ferry Kennedy across the water to nearby Edgartown insisting that he turn himself into the Police immediately. Instead, upon arrival back on the mainland, he heads to his hotel room, where he washes, suits up and calls his father Joe Kennedy Snr. (Bruce Dern) who is in very ill health and explains what just happened. Barely able to speak having suffered a stroke, Joe mutters one word down the phone to his son - 'alibi'! He wanders around making sure he is seen by another hotel guest at 2:20am and then retires to his room where he attempts to sleep. The next morning, the vehicle is discovered where it landed by a father and son out on an early morning fishing trip off the bridge. They alert the police straight away who arrive within minutes.

The local Chief of Police and the Fire Department recover Kopechne's body from the vehicle, and quickly discover that the car is registered to Ted Kennedy. Joe and Paul come to the realisation that Ted has not yet turned himself in, and further insist that he must do so. Agreeing, albeit somewhat reluctantly, Kennedy makes a call from a private pay phone where no one can listen in, or overhear, to mobilise his legal team and then he and Paul go to the Edgartown Police Department, and wait for the return of Police Chief Arena (John Fiore).

After reading a prepared statement to Chief Arena which he asks not be released to the already awaiting Press, Kennedy travels to the Kennedy Compound (a six acre waterfront property on Cape Cod along Nantucket Sound in Hyannis Port, Massachusetts). There he meets with his wheelchair bound disabled father Joe who registers his disappointment with his son for bringing his family into disrepute.

Later Kennedy meets with his legal team headed up by Robert McNamara (Clancy Brown) who attempt to show Kennedy in a sympathetic light to gain national favour, despite some very questionable decisions by the Senator. Fortunately, the historic Moon landing is about to happen which is likely to deflect the national headlines away from the Chappaquiddick Incident buying the legal team much needed time to gather their thoughts and devise a PR plan to defuse the whole sorry matter.

Things however, soon backfire as a result of holes in Kennedy's written statement, it being leaked to the Press by an over zealous Police Chief, faux medical diagnosis, stating initially that Mary Jo was driving, and him choosing to wear a neck brace to Mary Jo's funeral in an attempt to retrieve some of his tarnished image - an act that he was much ridiculed for. Joe becomes increasingly frustrated and angered by Kennedy and his actions, believing that it lessens the death of Kopechne and has turned the whole issue into a circus. As Joe attempts to resign, Kennedy asks that he drafts his resignation speech which he intends to read out over a live national television broadcast later that night.

Finally, Joe can see that Kennedy is doing the right thing and agrees. The Kennedy's Presidential Advisor and speechwriter Ted Sorensen (Taylor Nichols) writes an apologetic speech for Kennedy concurrently, which the Senator decides to read over the television broadcast instead of Gargan's resignation speech. As the credits roll, we learn that a week following the incident, Kennedy pleaded guilty to leaving the scene of the accident and was given a suspended sentence of two months in jail, denying that he was driving whilst under the influence of alcohol and that there was any impropriety between he and Kopechne. We further learn that he did not run for President in 1972 or 1976, but did run in 1980 in which he was defeated. He would later go on to serve in the US Senate up until the time of death in 2009 having begun his political career in 1962.

This film leaves you exiting the movie theatre with more questions than it answered, but nonetheless it is an intriguing story than moves along at a sober pace as it explores the hours and days immediately following this tragedy, and the at times farcical manner in which Kennedy tries to deal with it. Jason Clarke's central role as the troubled, emotional, battling with his conflicted conscience Senator Kennedy as his political aspirations gradually implode, is first rate and a convincing nuanced performance. As this incident occurred 48 years ago now, I would doubt that anyone under the age of 35 at least would have a clue about Chappaquiddick and what happened on that fateful night in 1969, especially given the overshadowing Moon landing event. So in this respect this history lesson is one that deservedly needs to be told, even though there may be a sprinkling of Hollywood poetic license wrapped up in this cautionary tale of how the power of privilege and entitlement can so easily outweigh tragedy and loss. A little more of Mary Jo's back story would have served the film well, given that her untimely death is the reason, albeit a tragic one, for the whole unfortunate series of events, and whilst Kate Mara's screen time is well delivered, more would have been beneficial in fleshing out her history as a Boiler Room Girl perhaps. Worth seeing for sure, and not necessarily on the big screen, but for a slow burning based on a true event story of the much troubled yet highly regarded Kennedy family, on which much has been written, filmed and speculated over the years, you can't go far wrong with this solid well scripted, attention to detail, thought provoking offering.

This film merits three claps of the clapperboard, from a potential five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 17th May 2018.

The 71st Cannes Film Festival runs this year from 8th to 19th May inclusive with Australia's very own Cate Blanchett named as the Jury President for those twenty-one feature films competing for the prestigious Palme d'Or. This year the opening film is by Iranian Director and Screenwriter Asghar Farhadi with his Spanish language psychological thriller 'Everybody Know's' starring Javier Bardem, Penelope Cruz, Ricardo Darin and Barbara Lennie. The closing film and screening out of competition is Terry Gilliam's lifetime in gestation on again off again passion project 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote' starring Jonathan Pryce, Adam Driver, Stellan Skarsgard, and Olga Kurylenko.

Of the twenty-one films in main competition for the Palme d'Or there are entries from far and wide ranging from Russia, China, Turkey, Iran, South Korea, Lebanon, Japan, Egypt, Kazakhstan, France, Italy and the USA, with nothing this year from the UK or Australia. Included in this list are : 'Burning' from South Korea and starring Steven Yuen; 'BlacKkKlansman' from the USA, Directed by Spike Lee and starring Adam Driver, Topher Grace and Harry Belafonte; 'Everybody Knows' as previously mentioned; 'Under the Silver Lake' from the USA and starring Andrew Garfield, Topher Grace, and Riley Keough; 'The Image Book' a French/Swiss Co-Production Directed by Jean-Luc Godard. Judges for this award also include Ava DuVernay, Lea Seydoux, Kristen Stewart, Denis Villeneuve and Andrey Zvyagintsev.

There are eighteen films in the Un Certain Regard category this year, overseen by Jury President Benicio del Toro spanning an equally diverse geographical spread as the above category and also taking in Kenya, India, Ukraine, Belgium, Germany and Argentina. Included in this list are : 'Angel Face' from France starring Marion Cotillard; 'Donbass' from the Ukraine and the opening film in this selected category; 'The Dead and the Others' from Portugal; 'Rafiki' from Kenya; 'Girl' from Belgium; 'Long Day's Journey into Night' from China; 'Manto' from India; and 'Die, Monster, Die' from Argentina.

Those films being screened out of competition include the Kevin Connolly Directed biographical drama 'Gotti' about the life of New York City mobster John Gotti (John Travolta) and his son. The film also stars Kelly Preston and Stacy Keach. Then there is the Lars von Trier Directed 'The House That Jack Built' starring Matt Dillon as Jack, a highly intelligent serial killer over the course of twelve years. Also starring Bruno Ganz, Uma Thurman and Riley Keough. Terry Gilliam's 'The Man Who Killed Don Quixote' screens as the closing night film, and Ron Howard's 'Solo : A Star Wars Story' the second standalone film in the Star Wars Universe charting the early years and the rise to intergalactic notoriety of one Hans Solo (Alden Ehrenreich).

For more details, go to : festival-cannes.com

This week we have five new movies coming to your local Odeon. We launch with another Marvel character who first emerged onto our screens all foul mouthed, heavily opinionated, guns blazing and almost indestructible just two years ago and here that Superhero is back for a second time to save a young mutant lad from a time travelling cyber assassin, whilst rounding up a new cadre of colleagues to help save the world. We then switch to a post apocalyptic zombie drama about one mans race against time to save his infant daughter from a deadly virus that he is already infected with. Next up is a fantasy drama about a young teenager who lives in a make believe world inhabited by giants that only she can see, but to her they are very real, and must be killed. We then move to a WWII drama that sees a German Officer falling for a young Jewish maid who is also a Secret Agent, and the choices he must make, and the consequences of his decisions. Wrapping up the week is a French foreign language RomCom about a woman going through a mid-life crisis of a failed marriage, no job and about to become a Grandmother, finding salvation and given a second chance by a old flame from her dim and distant past.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are here cordially invited to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and meanwhile, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.

'DEADPOOL 2' (Rated MA15+) - based on the Marvel Comics character of the same name who first appeared in the 1991 publication of 'The New Mutants', here we have the sequel to the Critically and financially successful 2016 antihero Superhero film 'Deadpool' which off the back of a budget of US$58M grossed worldwide US$783M and collected 28 award wins and another 75 nominations from around the awards circuit. Despite the first films success, plans were already underway for a follow up film even before the release of the initial 'Deadpool' introductory instalment, with 'Deadpool 3' already in development. That first film was Directed by Tim Miller, although he did not return for this segment due to creative differences with Co-Producer, Co-Writer and Deadpool star Ryan Reynolds. Instead David Leitch signed on to Direct (whose previous Directorial outings include 'Atomic Blonde' and the upcoming 2019 'Fast & Furious' spin off 'Hobbs & Shaw'). Although a Marvel Comics character, Deadpool does not belong in the world of The Avengers or the MCU, but rather sits within the 'X-Men' franchise, and as such this is intended to be the eleventh film in that series.

And so Ryan Reynolds returns as Wade Wilson/Deadpool as the wisecracking potty mouthed physically scarred practically invincible mercenary who forms a team of mutants known as 'X-Force' to protect young mutant lad Russell (Julian Denison who made his last appearance in 2016's New Zealand feature 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople') from a time travelling cybernetic mutant soldier named Nathan Summers aka Cable (Josh Brolin, enjoying his second outing in as many weeks as a Marvel antagonist hot on the heels of his portrayal as Thanos in 'Avengers : Infinity War'). Joining Deadpool on the newly formed X-Force are Bedlam (Terry Crews who can generate electricity at will), Shatterstar (Lewis Tan, an alien with martial arts skills), Zeitgeist (Bill Skarsgard who has acidic breath), Neena Thurman aka Domino (Zazie Beetz who can manipulate luck) teamed up with Colossus (Stefan Kapicic who can transform his body into organic steel) and Negasonic Teenage Warhead (Brianna Hildebrand who can detonate atomic bursts from her body). T.J.Miller returns as Weasel, Wade Wilsons best friend and owner of the bar often frequented by Wilson and other like minded mercenaries, as does Morena Baccarin return as Vanessa as Wilsons love interest. If this second instalment is up there with the first, then this will be a must watch, and is sure to do well.

'CARGO' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian post-apocalyptic zombie thriller is written by Yolanda Ramke and is Co-Directed by her and Ben Howling and is based on their own 2013 Sydney shortfilm festival 'Tropfest' seven minute film entry of the same name. The film first Premiered at the Adelaide Film Festival back in October last year and now gets its limited release in theatres in Australia as well as on Netflix. Starring Martin Freeman as Andy Rose who following a violent pandemic is holed up on a houseboat with with Kay Caine (Susie Porter) and their one year old child, Rosie. When an unexpected violent attack kills Kay and leaves Andy infected with a killer virus that will turn him into one of the walking dead within 48 hours, he embarks on a perilous journey to find salvation for his daughter - an Aboriginal tribe and a young indigenous girl being the only means of safe passage into that remote community, but the girl also has her own agenda. Also starring Anthony Hayes, Caren Pistorius, David Gulpilil and Kris McQuade.

'I KILL GIANTS' (Rated PG) - this fantasy drama film is helmed by first time feature film Danish Director Anders Walter who picked up an Academy Award in 2013 for Best Live Action Short Film, 'Helium'. The story is based on the limited series American comic book of the same name released over seven issues from July 2008 onwards and written by Joe Kelly and illustrated by J.M. Ken Nimura. The film Premiered at Toronto in September last year and went on general release in the US in late march and has so far taken just US$184K at the Box Office despite its generally favourable press. Here twelve year old Barbara Thorson (Madison Wolfe) flees from reality, choosing to reside in her imaginary world of fantasy and magic, where she fights with giants to protect her beachside New Jersey hometown, and kills them. Her family does not understand her, her peers at school do not like her and she is bullied, and she irritates the teachers, except for newly arrived school psychologist Mrs. Molle (Zoe Saldana) who takes it upon herself to discover more about young Barbara's 'condition'. Only Sofia (Sydney Wade) recently moved into the neighbourhood and of a similar age, tries to make friends with her, understand her and show some empathy. Also starring Imogen Poots as Barbara's older sister, Karen. Wolfe's performance has in particular been praised.

'THE EXCEPTION' (Rated MA15+) - in his Directorial debut British David Leveaux adapts the 2003 novel by Alan Judd 'The Kaiser's Last Kiss' which was Premiered at TIFF in September 2016, was released in the US in June 2017, the UK in October 2017 and now only gets a limited theatrical release in Australia. The film has so far met with mixed or average Reviews and a Box Office take of just US$804K. It is the early days of WWII and German Officer Stefan Brandt (Jai Courtney) is given a mission to investigate exiled German Monarch Kaiser Wilhelm II (Christopher Plummer). The Kaiser lives in a remote mansion near Utrecht in the Netherlands, and as Germany is taking over Holland, the country's authorities are concerned that Dutch spies may be monitoring the Kaiser. As Brandt begins to infiltrate the Kaiser's life in search of clues, he finds himself drawn into an unexpected and passionate romance with Mieke de Jong (Lily James), one of the Kaiser's maids. But Mieke in time reveals that she is secretly Jewish, and furthermore that she is a British Secret Service Agent. When SS Commander Heinrich Himmler (Eddie Marsan) pays a visit, Brandt must choose between protecting his love and toeing the Nazi party line. Also starring Janet McTeer, Ben Daniels, Mark Dexter and Kris Cuppens.

'AURORE' (Rated M) - in only her second feature length Directorial outing, this French foreign language romantic comedy film (aka 'I Got Life' and 'Fifty Springtimes') was also Co-Written for the screen based on an original idea by Blandine Lenoir and has received generally positive Reviews. Here she crafts the story of Aurore (Agnes Jaoui) a woman in her fifties, menopausal, separated from her husband, loses her job, and finds out that she is about to become a grandmother. Realising that she is being pushed to the very edge of society, she unexpectedly rediscovers a love from her much younger days. Picking herself up by her coat tails, Aurore decides to rebel against the cards she has been dealt and instead grasp this new opportunity to make a new life for herself. Also starring Sarah Suco, Pascale Arbillot, Thibault de Montalembert and Lou Roy-Lecollinet.

With five new release films out this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-