What's new in Odeon's this week : Wednesday 1st January 2020

And so as we bid a fond farewell to 2019 with 2020 upon us and the festive season drawing to a close already, all that remains for me to say is a big thanks to all movie buffs, film fanatics, and followers of all things cinematic out there who have given my Blog the time of day over the past twelve months with your readership and interest. There have been many movies to celebrate and enjoy over the past year, some of which have been reviewed here at my humble little Blog, Odeon Online, and many many more that have seen a theatrical release in Australia have been Previewed here too. Looking forward to more of the same in 2020 from big screen blockbusters, to small independent features, to foreign language offerings all taking in horror, drama, thrillers, comedy, thought provoking documentaries and any combination thereof, you can rest assured that they will all be covered here at Odeon Online. Until then, sincerest Best Wishes to you all, wherever you may be reading this, for a very happy, healthy, safe and prosperous New Year.

To herald in the new year, we have three latest cinematic releases coming to an Odeon near you. We kick start 2020 with a British Director returning to his London gangland comedy crime caper  roots featuring an all star cast that sees an American expat looking to offload his marijuana empire but not before attracting the unwanted nefarious attention of a bunch of underworld crims. This is followed by an oft filmed version of a famed nineteenth century novel about four sisters who now as young adults have all left home but are brought back together to face challenging and changing times. And we wrap up the weeks new offerings with an animated spy comedy film about a debonair and suave international super spy and his smart and inventive, albeit less than debonair and suave sidekick, who need to rely on each other more than ever to save the world from a cyber madman.

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 most welcome 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.

'THE GENTLEMEN' (Rated  MA15+) - British Director, Producer and Screenwriter Guy Ritchie is no stranger to the British crime drama often tinged with a hint of tongue in cheek comedy, a la 'Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels', 'Snatch', 'Revolver' and 'RocknRolla' which have helped propel its emerging stars into mainstream success - including Jason Statham, Tom Hardy, Idris Elba and Vinnie Jones. Here Guy Ritchie, is going back to his London gangland genre roots with his latest crime comedy offering that he Directs, Co-Produces, wrote the Screenplay for and also came up with the story with Ivan Atkinson and Marn Davies.

The story here follows American expat Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) who has created a highly profitable marijuana empire in London. When word gets out that he is looking to cash out his business, it triggers plots, schemes, bribery and blackmail by those attempting to steal his domain out from under him. Also starring an ensemble cast that takes in Hugh Grant, Henry Golding, Charlie Hunnam, Jeremy Strong, Colin Farrell, Eddie Marsan and Michelle Dockery, is released in the UK today also, and not in the US until the back end of January.

'LITTLE WOMEN' (Rated G) - this American coming-of-age period drama film is written for the screen and Directed by Actress, Screenwriter and now second time film maker following 2017's highly acclaimed 'Lady Bird', Greta Gerwig. This is the eighth big screen adaptation of the 1868 novel of the same name by Louisa May Alcott. The film cost US$40M to produce, has so far grossed US$36M, was released in the US on Christmas Day, and has garnered universal acclaim from Critics. Following the lives of the four March sisters, Amy (Florence Pugh), Jo (Saoirse Ronan), Beth (Eliza Scanlen) and Meg (Emma Watson), as they come of age and leave the family home in 1860's New England and in the aftermath of the American Civil War. Though all very different from each other, the March sisters stand by each other through both difficult and changing times. Also starring Meryl Streep as Aunt March, Laura Dern as Marmee March, Bob Odenkirk as Father March with Timothee Chalamet, Tracy Letts, Chris Cooper and James Norton.

'SPIES IN DISGUISE' (Rated PG) - is an American computer animated spy comedy film based loosely on Lucas Martell's 2009 animated short film 'Pigeon: Impossible', and is Directed by Nick Bruno and Troy Quane in their Directorial debuts. Here, super spy Lance Sterling (voiced by Will Smith) and scientist Walter Beckett (Tom Holland) are almost exact opposites. Lance is smooth, suave and debonair, and the world has come to rely on him for saving it from dangers most grave. Walter on the other hand is not, but Sterling has come to rely on him for his technical smarts and inventive thinking to devise all manner of awesome gadgets to accomplish his world saving missions in spite of himself. But when events take an unexpected turn, Walter and Lance suddenly have to rely on each other in a whole new way. And if this odd couple can't learn to work as a team, the whole world is in peril from cybernetic madman Tristan McFord (Ben Mendelsohn). Also starring Rashida Jones, Karen Gillan, and DJ Khaled, the film was released Stateside on Christmas Day and has so far earned US$38M at the Box Office.

With three new release movies 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-

STAR WARS : THE RISE OF SKYWALKER - Monday 23rd December 2019.

'STAR WARS : THE RISE OF SKYWALKER' has an M Rating, and so it is with much fanfare, hype and anticipation that the final instalment in the epic space opera franchise which I saw earlier this week and which had its humble beginnings way back in 1977, finally draws to a close. 'The Rise of Skywalker' marks the third instalment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following 2015's 'The Force Awakens' and 2017's 'The Last Jedi', and the final episode of the nine-part 'Skywalker Saga'. The 'Star Wars' franchise has spawned multiple films and animated movies and television series. The original trilogy was released between 1977 and 1983, the prequel trilogy between 1999 and 2005, and a sequel trilogy began in 2015, and comes to an end this year with the release of this film. In between the sequel films, two anthology films were released, 2016's 'Rogue One' and 2018's 'Solo: A Star Wars Story', both set between the prequel and original trilogies. The combined global Box Office revenue of the films equates to over US$9B and is currently the second-highest-grossing film franchise, behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 'Star Wars : The Force Awakens' currently sits at the top of the sales ladder with US$2.07B, followed by 'Star Wars : The Last Jedi' at US$1.33B, then 'Rogue One : A Star Wars Story' at US$1.06B with 'Star Wars : Episode I : The Phantom Menace' also in the one billion dollar club at US$1.03B. This films sees J.J. Abrams returning to the Directors and Screenwriters chair following his success with 'The Force Awakens' and after the ousting of Colin Trevorrow following creative differences with the Studio and a breakdown in his relationship with Producer Kathleen Kennedy. The film saw its worldwide release last week, has so far taken US$517M off the back of a production budget in the region of US$275M and has garnered generally mixed reviews.

Set a year following the events of 'The Last Jedi', the surviving Resistance led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher) intercept a mystery message beamed across the galaxy by the apparently dead Emperor Palpatine (Ian McDiarmid). Meanwhile Kylo Ren (Adam Driver), the Supreme Leader of the First Order locates just one of two Sith wayfinder devices that directs him to the planet of Exegol, in the Unknown zone. Arriving there, Ren finds an almost physically disabled Palpatine rigged up to some sort of vast life support machine who proceeds to tell him that he created Snoke (the former Supreme Leader of the First Order whom Ren sliced in half at the waist in the last film) as a puppet to control the First Order and lure Ren to the dark side. Palpatine reveals a secret army of Star Destroyers and tells Ren to find and kill Rey (Daisy Ridley), who is still undergoing Jedi training with General Leia Organa, so that he can take his rightful place as the Emperor.

In the meantime, Finn (John Boyega), Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac), and Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo) receive official word from a spy within the First Order confirming Palpatine's return. Rey uncovers notes in Luke Skywalker's Jedi texts about a Sith wayfinder device that will help them locate Palpatine. Rey, Poe, Finn, Chewbacca, BB-8, and C-3PO (Anthony Daniels) all leave for the planet Pasaana to seek the wayfinder, while R2-D2 stays with Leia. Arriving on Pasaana, the group comes across a once in every 42 year carnival with the locals out partying like it's 1999.

Ren quickly learns where Rey is located through their shared bond of the Force and travels there with his Knights of Ren. When an advance party of Knights arrive the group are quickly given shelter by Lando Calrissian (Billy Dee Williams) who directs them to the wayfinder's last suspected location. Rey and the others discover the skeletal remains of assassin Ochi, his ship, and a dagger inscribed with Sith text, which C-3PO's programming forbids him from deciphering.

Sensing that Ren is rapidly approaching, Rey goes out into the desert to confront him. The First Order captures the Millennium Falcon, takes Chewbacca prisoner, and Ochi's dagger which Chewie had stowed away in his satchel. Rey slices through the wing of Ren's advancing ship causing it to bounce across the desert dunes and explode into ball of flame. However, Ren walks away from this completely unharmed and in attempting to save Chewbacca, Rey inadvertently destroys a First Order transporter with Force lightning in a stand-off with Ren. The group escapes on Ochi's old, yet still serviceable ship, assuming Chewbacca was killed in the resultant explosion.

Poe reluctantly suggests traveling to Kijimi to have the Sith text extracted from C-3PO's memory banks, although he has bittersweet memories of his time on this planet and vowed never to return . . . but when duty calls! The process wipes C-3PO's memory, but reveals coordinates to a wayfinder on Kef Bir. Rey, through her Force sense, sees that Chewbacca is in fact still alive, and the group mounts a rescue mission. While Ren searches for Rey, on Kijimi the group infiltrates his Star Destroyer with the help of Zorii Bliss, a seemingly former love interest of Poe's. Rey recovers the dagger and has visions of Ochi killing her parents with it, while Finn and Poe rescue Chewbacca. Ren   informs Rey again through their shared bond of the Force that she is Palpatine's granddaughter and that Palpatine had ordered Ochi to find Rey as a child, but her parents hid her on Jakku to keep her safe. Finn and Poe get into a firefight with a bunch of stormtroopers and are captured and ordered for immediate execution. General Hux (Domhnall Gleeson) thwarts the execution squad and reveals himself as the spy, allowing the group to escape on the retrieved Falcon. Hux is promptly executed as the known spy in the ranks for treason by Allegiant General Pryde (Richard E. Grant).

The group land on the windswept planet of Kef Bir. Jannah (Naomi Ackie), a Resistance sympathiser, leads them to the remains of the second Death Star, where Rey locates the wayfinder having traversed massive ocean swells to get there. Ren, having tracked the group to Kef Bir, and not far behind Rey destroys her newly found wayfinder and asks her to help him overthrow Palpatine.

Rey and Ren duel on the wreckage of the downed Death Star amidst ever mounting seas. Leia, now dying, calls to Ren through the Force, distracting him, and Rey impales him with her light sabre. Sensing Leia's death, Rey heals Ren's life threatening injury and exiles herself on Ahch-To. There, Luke's Force spirit encourages Rey to face Palpatine, and he gives her Leia's lightsaber and his old X-wing so that she can get off the island.

Rey leaves for Exegol, using the wayfinder from Ren's ship. Still on Kef Bir Ren speaks with a vision of his father Han Solo (Harrison Ford), ultimately seeing the error of his ways and throwing away his lightsaber assumes his true his identity as Ben Solo. Palpatine sends one of his Star Destroyers to destroy Kijimi as a show of force.

At the Resistance base, the group reconvene minus Rey, and learn that Leia has since died. R2-D2 restores C-3PO's memory. After a brief period of mourning, the assembled Resistance follow Rey's coordinates to Exegol. Meanwhile, there she confronts Palpatine and he demands she kill him to transfer his spirit into her so that she can claim her rightful place as the ruler over the galaxy. Lando in the meantime has mustered reinforcements from across the galaxy to join the battle. Ben arrives to help Rey, overpowering the Knights of Ren. Recognising that Rey and Ben are a rare Force dyad, Palpatine drains their power to reinvigorate himself. He attacks the entire Resistance fleet with Force lightning and sends Ben careering backwards into a deep ravine.

Rey, weakened, hears the voices of past Jedi, who lend her their strength. Palpatine attacks her with his lightning, but Rey deflects it back at him using the Skywalker lightsabers, killing him and herself in the process. Ben has picked himself up, dusted himself down and clambered out of the dark depths of the cavernous ravine into which he was thrust, and revives Rey by transferring his life force into her. They kiss, and Ben dies. The Resistance destroys the remainder of Palpatine's vast armada of attack ships. As the Resistance celebrates its great victory, Rey visits the now long abandoned Lars homestead on Tatooine. There she buries the Skywalker lightsabers in the sand, having built her own.

'Star Wars : The Rise of Skywalker' is all style over substance for me. It's impressively filmed with more than its fair share of action set pieces to keep the viewer entertained, and these are all delivered with spectacle and an eye for attention grabbing detail. But conversely, the film is way to busy thrusting us from one fight sequence to another without seemingly any let up whether its one on one, group on group, the Sith on the Jedi, or The First Order on the Resistance, its relentless at the expense of any further character development, imagination, emotion or time to really comprehend what just went before.  And what's with the indestructible Kylo Ren/Ben Solo who should have died from his injuries on at least three separate occasions by my reckoning only to bounce back each time completely unscathed - like he's Wile E. Coyote! This final instalment is entertaining enough but it treads largely down a familiar path that we have seen before over the course of its eight predecessors. The end when it comes feels rushed to get there, and it will offer few surprises as the end is the title of the film, and our heroine of the last three films rises as Skywalker somewhat unpredictably. Worth seeing on a big screen with glorious surround sound, but don't go in with too high an expectation to see anything especially new or inventive in the storyline narrative.

'Star Wars : The Rise of Skywalker' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 26th December 2019.

The 32nd European Film Awards were presented in Berlin, Germany on Saturday 7th December by the European Film Academy - an initiative of a group of European filmmakers who came together in Berlin on the occasion of the first presentation of the European Film Awards in November 1988. The Academy, under the name of European Cinema Society, was officially founded by its first President, the Swedish Director Ingmar Bergman, as well as 40 filmmakers from all over Europe. The European Film Awards takes place every second year in Berlin, while they are presented every other year in another European city. In 1996, German film maker Wim Wenders took over the presidency from Ingmar Bergman. With the awards the Academy actively pursues attracting the interest of the audience in European cinema, promoting its cultural and artistic qualities, and regaining the public's confidence in its entertainment value.

This years winners and grinners at the 32nd European Film Awards were as follows :-

* Best Film 
Awarded to 'THE FAVOURITE', beating out 'Les Miserables', 'An Officer and a Spy', 'Pain and Glory', 'System Crasher' and 'The Traitor'.
* Best European Comedy
Awarded to 'THE FAVOURITE', beating out 'Tel Aviv on Fire' and 'Ditte & Louise'.
* Best Director
Awarded to YORGOS LANTHIMOS for 'THE FAVOURITE', beating out Roman Polanski for 'An Officer and a Spy', Pedro Almodovar for 'Pain and Glory', Celine Sciamma for 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' and Marco Bellocchio for 'The Traitor'.
* Best Actress
Awarded to OLIVIA COLEMAN for 'THE FAVOURITE'.
* Best Actor
Awarded to ANTONIO BANDERAS for 'PAIN AND GLORY'.
* Best Documentary
Awarded to 'FOR SAMA', Directed by Edward Watts and Ward el-Kateab.
* Best Animated Feature
Awarded to 'BUNUEL IN THE LABYRINTH OF THE TURTLES' Directed by Salvador Simo.
* Best Screenwriter
Awarded to CELINE SCIAMMA for 'PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE'.
* Best Cinematographer
Awarded to ROBBIE RYAN for 'THE FAVOURITE'.
* Best Editor
Awarded to YORGOS MAVROPSARIDIS for 'THE FAVOURITE'.
* Best Costume Designer
Awarded to SANDY POWELL for 'THE FAVOURITE'.
* Best Make-Up and Hairstyling
Awarded to NADIA STACEY for 'THE FAVOURITE'.
* Best Production Designer
Awarded to ANTXON GOMEZ for 'PAIN AND GLORY'.
* Best Composer
Awarded to JOHN GURTLER for 'SYSTEM CRASHER'.
Best Sound Designer
Awarded to EDUARDO ESQUIDE, NACHO ROYO-VILLANOVA, and LAURENT CHASSAIGNE for 'A TWELVE-YEAR NIGHT'.
* Best Visual Effects
Awarded to 'ABOUT ENDLESSNESS'.

* The European Discovery Critics Award
Presented to 'LES MISERABLES' Directed by Ladj Ly.
* The Peoples Choice Audience Award
Presented to 'COLD WAR' Directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.
* The University Award
Presented to 'PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE' Directed by Celine Sciamma.
* The European Achievement in World Cinema Honorary Award
Presented to JULIETTE BINOCHE, the Fresh Actress, artist and dancer.
* The Lifetime Achievement Honorary Award
Presented to WERNER HERZOG, the German Director of film and opera, Producer, Actor, Author and Screenwriter.

For the full low down on all the glitz and glamour of the 32nd European Film Awards, you can visit the official website at : https://www.europeanfilmawards.eu

Turning to Christmas week, we have six latest release new movies gracing your local Odeon on Boxing Day. We kick start the filmic festive season with this black comedy satire on Nazi Germany during WWII brought to us by New Zealand's finest and funniest film maker working today. Then we turn to a sequel of a 2017 film that was a sequel to a 1995 film featuring a group of teenage kids thrust into a video game and emerging as avatars of themselves destined to locate a pair of aged lost friends and escape the game back to their own reality. We then join a whole bunch of felines based on a long running and hugely successful stage play of the same name, featuring an A-list cast made to look like said felines with a specific mission in mind . . . sounds puuurrrrrr-fect! Next up is a British story from an acclaimed Director about a family struggling with life in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, but just as some light at the end of the tunnel emerges so too is there a risk that the tunnel is going to cave in at any moment. This is followed up by a French historical drama about two women on a remote island - one about to enter an arranged marriage and the other sent over to paint her portrait - and the relationship that develops between the pair over time. And we close out the week with another French offering about a famed cinema Actress living in Paris and the publication of her memoir, her Screenwriter daughter with whom she has a somewhat fractured relationship, and the truths that emerge when the daughter visits her mother from the US.   

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the six 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 most welcome 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 coming week. 

'JOJO RABBIT' (Rated M) - judging by the trailers for this American satirical black comedy that is a send up of Nazi Germany during WWII, this film looks hilarious. Directed, Co-Produced, Written and starring New Zealand's very own Taika Waititi, whose last film outing was the highly acclaimed 'Thor : Ragnarok' and before that 'The Hunt for the Wilderpeople'. This film is based on Christine Leunens's 2008 novel 'Caging Skies', and had its world Premiere showing at TIFF in early September where it won the top prize, the 'Grolsch People's Choice Award' before its wider release in the US in mid-October and in New Zealand in late October. The film has divided Critics, however, most seem to be praising the performances, the humour, the screenplay and the heart-warming story. Made for US$14M the film has so far grossed US$26M.

Here lonely German lad Johannes 'Jojo' Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis), a Hitler Youth recruit finds out that his single mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. He must then question his beliefs, while dealing with the intervention of his imaginary friend, an idiotic version of Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi). The film also stars Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, Alfie Allen, and Sam Rockwell.

'JUMANJI : THE NEXT LEVEL' (Rated PG) - is an American fantasy adventure comedy film Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Written by Jake Kasdan, and is the second sequel to the 1995 film 'Jumanji', following 2017's 'Jumanji : Welcome to the Jungle' and the overall fourth instalment of the Jumanji franchise. Jake Kasdan also Directed 'Jumanji : Welcome to the Jungle' which grossed US$962M at the worldwide Box Office off the back of a US$90M budget investment, and before that 'Sex Tape', 'Bad Teacher' and 'Walk Hard : The Dewey Cox Story' amongst a few others. Unknown to his friends, Spencer (Alex Wolff) kept the pieces of the Jumanji video game and one day repaired the system in the basement of his grandfather Eddie's (Danny DeVito) house. When Spencer's friends Bethany Walker (Madison Iseman), Fridge (Ser'Darius Blain), and Martha Kaply (Morgan Turner) arrive, they find Spencer missing and the game running and decide to re-enter Jumanji to save him. Spencer's grandfather Eddie and his friend Milo Walker (Danny Glover) hear the commotion and inadvertently get sucked into the game too before any of Spencer's friends can select their avatars. With a new quest offered to them by Nigel Billingsley (Rhys Darby), the teenaged friends must help Eddie and Milo get used to their in-game avatars, get them to help find Spencer and Bethany, and escape Jumanji once again and for all. Also starring and reprising their roles from the previous instalment are Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Nick Jonas with Awkafina and Colin Hanks also joining the castlist.

'CATS' (Rated G) - is a British and American Co-Produced musical fantasy film based on the stage musical of the same name by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which saw its Premier West End show in May 1981 and, which in turn was based on the 1939 poetry collection 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cat's' by T. S. Eliot. The film is Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Written for the screen by Tom Hooper—in his second musical film following 2012's 'Les Misérables', and whose other notable film credits include 'The King's Speech' and 'The Danish Girl'. Here Hooper has amassed an ensemble cast to bring to life a tribe of cats called the 'Jellicles' who over the course of a single night, must make what is known as 'the Jellicle choice' and decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. With a Production Budget of US$90M the live action cast includes James Cordon, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Ian McKellen, Rebel Wilson, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, Francesca Hayward, Ray Winstone and Les Twins. The film was released in the US last week, has so far grossed US$11M and has received generally negative press, and following many poor reviews, Universal Studios notified movie theatres on opening day that an updated Digital Cinema Package with 'some improved visual effects' would be available for download on 22nd December, urging them to replace the current print as soon as possible. Studio executives and theatre owners said that the decision to release a modified version of a film already on general release was 'unheard of'. Make of that what you will!

'SORRY WE MISSED YOU' (Rated MA15+) - this British, French and Belgian Co-Produced drama film is Directed by the acclaimed English film maker Ken Loach, who at the tender rage of 83 is still making award winning films. Some of his more noteworthy back catalogue of films include 'Kes', 'Riff-Raff', 'The Wind that Shakes the Barley', 'Looking for Eric', and 'I, Daniel Blake' most recently. It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, where Loach appeared to promote the film at Cannes, stating that it would be his final film to compete at the festival. It received the audience award for best European film at the 2019 San Sebastian International Film Festival in September. Ricky Turner (Kris Hitchen) and his wife Abby (Debbie Honeywood) and two kids Seb (Rhys Stone) and Lisa Jane (Katie Proctor) have been fighting an uphill battle against debt since the 2008 financial crash. An opportunity to wrestle back some independence appears with a shiny new van and the chance to run a franchise as a self employed delivery driver. It's hard work, and his wife's job as a carer is no easier. The family unit is strong but when they are pulled in different directions everything reaches breaking point. The film has received generally positive Reviews since its release in France, Belgium and the UK at the back end of October.

'PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE' (Rated M) - here this French historical drama film is Directed and Written by Celine Sciamma. It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Queer Palm at Cannes, becoming the first film Directed by a woman to win the award. Sciamma also won the award for Best Screenplay at Cannes. The film has thus far accumulated ten award wins and another thirteen nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit and has garnered universal Critical Reviews since its release in France in mid-September. Set in France in 1760, arriving on an isolated island of the Brittany coast, Marianne (Noemie Merlant) is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Heloise (Adele Haenel), a young woman who has recently left the convent. Because she is a reluctant bride-to-be, Marianne arrives under the guise of a companion, observing Heloise by day and secretly painting her by firelight at night. As the two women observe each other from a distance, intimacy and attraction are ignited as they share Heloise's first moments of freedom. Heloise's portrait soon becomes a testament to their love.

'THE TRUTH' (Rated PG) - this French drama offering Written and Directed by Japan's Hirokazu Kore-eda is his first feature film set outside of his native Japan and not in his native language. Kore-eda is the highly acclaimed Director behind last years multi-award winning 'Shoplifters'. The film saw its world Premier screening at the Venice International Film Festival in late August, was released in Japan in early October, and arrives in Australian cinema's at Christmas time, having generated generally favourable Reviews along the way. Fabienne (Catherine Deneuve) is one of the great stars of French cinema. She reigns amongst men who love and admire her. However, she has a somewhat challenging relationship with her daughter Lumir (Juliette Binoche), a Screenwriter. When Lumir and her husband Hank (Ethan Hawke) return to Paris with their young child, things come to a head with the release of Fabienne’s memoir, and as a consequence the reunion between mother and daughter quickly turns confrontational as truths are told, accounts are settled and love and resentment are confessed.

With six new release movies 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-

THE GOOD LIAR : Tuesday 17th December 2019.

I saw 'THE GOOD LIAR' earlier this week, which is an MA15+ rated American crime thriller and is Directed and Co-Produced by the Oscar winning Bill Condon whose previous Directing credits take in the likes of 1987's 'Sister, Sister' (his debut feature film), 1998's 'Gods and Monsters', 2004's 'Kinsey', 2006's 'Dreamgirls', 'The Twilight Saga : Breaking Dawn - Parts 1 and 2', 2013's 'The Fifth Estate', 2015's 'Mr. Holmes' and 2017's Disney's live action remake of 'Beauty and the Beast'. Here Condon collaborates with Sir Ian McKellen for the third time in the male leading role opposite female lead Helen Mirren. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Nicholas Searle, was released in the UK in early November, in the US in mid-November, and in Australian cinemas at the end of November having taken US$28M off the back of a Production Budget of US$10M, and has garnered mixed or average Reviews along the way so far.

The film opens up with two unconnected ageing people keying in their personal details, likes and dislikes into the same online dating service. It is 2009. Sometime later and a connection has been made, a remote relationship has been established and a rapport has been built. The next step is to meet in person, face to face, and so a date is set over dinner. Here we are introduced to Roy Courtnay (Ian McKellen) and Betty McLeish (Helen Mirren) who have enjoyed a successful first lunch date, during which we learn that Roy's wife passed away three years ago and Betty's husband one year ago. Upon exiting the restaurant, Betty is picked up by her grandson Steven (Russell Tovey) and Roy says he'll catch a train back to his apartment in the city. When Betty is out of view, Roy's friend and colleague Vincent (Jim Carter) picks him up and they drive off together.

As it turns out we quickly discover that Roy is in fact a long term conman who has a successful track record in convincing people to part company with their money off the back of some financial investment scam through deception, creating fake identities and misinformation. Betty is a former Oxford Professor, who has an accumulated wealth of 2.7 million pounds sterling, and as such Roy is practically salivating at the prospect of these easy pickings.

Having spent a day together, Roy puts on a convincing act that he has a dodgy knee, and can barely make it up the stairs to his apartment. Betty takes pity and encourages Roy to stay at her place in the spare room, much to Steven's chagrin, and Betty's disapproval of Steven's mistrust of Roy.

Meanwhile, Roy and Vincent run an investment scam with their mark Bryn (Mark Lewis Jones) and his partner Beni (Lucian Msamati) - using fake Russian investors to part company with UK£800K while the other four each put in a combined UK£200K. The fake Russians however, reneg on the deal as a result of a comment made by Bryn, setting up another meeting at a later date in which Bryn apologises and the four agree to up their investment from UK£50K each to UK£100K as a gesture of their commitment. After the funds are transferred via a sharing of accounts using keypads connected to a bank, and the group are about to toast their success, the meeting is raided by Police leaving Bryn and his colleague to flee the scene. The Police raid is revealed to also be a scam, leaving the group to share the spoils of a UK£200K confidence trick.

One day later on when Roy has seemingly taken up permanent residence in Betty's house, she collapses from a mini-stroke. Her Doctor pays a house visit and says she needs to take it easy, and having suffered a series of these mini-strokes over time, needs bed rest or she could possibly be dead within a year. To aid her recovery, Betty suggests a European holiday taking in Berlin, France and Italy, but kicking off in Berlin. Roy eventually agrees. During the trip, during which time Steven is studying in Berlin and acts as their surrogate tour guide, he speaks in German which Roy seems to understand - and then claims ignorance. Steven takes the couple to a flat that Roy instantly recognises although doesn't let on, and reveals that 'Roy Courtnay' was a young British Army officer who was killed there in 1948 by a Nazi war criminal he was tracking, according to Soviet records. This causes Roy to explain that his real name is/was Hans Taub (Laurie Davisdon), who was Roy's German translator, and that he stole Roy's identity so that he could leave Germany and pass himself off as a British citizen. Betty appears to accept his explanation and dismisses Steven's objections.

Whilst in Berlin, one afternoon when Roy is feeling tired, Betty takes her leave and goes off exploring alone. We see here walk up to an old looking house, that is now a library. Upon her return to the hotel she reveals cuts and grazes to her hands where she seemingly took a fall on a gravel pathway. Roy attended to her bloodied hands, and they agree to return home to England ending their holiday prematurely.

For a while now Roy has been attempting to convince Betty that she should invest some of her money into a sure fire double your money offshore trading account, so that he can secretly scam her out of her life savings. Vincent has been masquerading as Roy's financial advisor and has had several meetings to establish the scam at Betty's home. After returning from Berlin, Roy and Betty plan to transfer their money and to pool their resources into an offshore joint account as recommended by Vincent. Vincent, on the eve of the transfer, suggests to Roy that he should leave at least some of the money for Betty to help with her medical condition, but Roy dismisses the idea and insists that he'll leave Betty financially defrauded just like his previous victims. Vincent reluctantly agrees and the next day bears witness to the couple transferring their money into the joint offshore account, totalling in excess of UK£5M.

As they celebrate their financial union over a glass of champagne, Roy takes a message from his son Robert who is attending a trade fair in London from his home in Australia, and wants to meet with his dad later that evening for dinner. Roy is estranged from his son, disapproving of his lifestyle and the fact that he designs kitchens for a living, but agrees to go and meet his son.

Betty sees Roy off at the train station, and he goes to his apartment and polishes off a bottle of Scotch, with no sign of his son Robert, whom we've worked out by now doesn't really exist. Roy discovers that he no longer has the keypad needed to access their joint account and that he must have left it at Betty's house. He calls the bank seeking to have the funds transferred to another account, but is told that the only way of transferring funds securely is via the keypad, and that the bank will happily dispatch a new keypad but that will take three days to arrive at least. By now Roy is panicking. Roy returns to Betty's house to reclaim it, only to find that the house has been stripped bare of all fixtures and furnishings and Betty waiting for him in a lone armchair in the lounge holding his lost keypad. Betty confronts Roy with the keypad by siphoning off UK£50K into her own private account each time he tells a lie, with the account balance declining rapidly before Roy's very eyes as the untruths come blurting out.

It is at this point that Betty reveals her history to Roy, that including her medical condition, is all fake. Her real name is Lili, and she and Roy have met six decades before as German teenagers in 1943 - when Hans was tutoring her in English. During their last session, however, the fifteen year old Hans raped Lili following a humiliating encounter with her three older sisters a short time earlier. After her parents dismissed Hans from continuing his tutoring lessons, he denounced Lili's father to the German authorities as a traitor for which he was executed for treason - the result of which drove Lili's mother to commit suicide. Following the deaths of their parents, Lili's sisters were killed in an explosion just two weeks before the suicide of Adolf Hitler in a Berlin bunker. After these tragic events, Lili made her own way to England once the war had ended.

Lili goes onto explain that she has been fully aware of his plan to con her out of her savings all along, and how Steven, who is in fact the partner of Lili's real grandson Michael, is quite the private investigator and had managed to track Roy/Hans' criminal history, aided by Lili confirming his identity based on an old locket containing a snippet of Hans' hair and comparing the DNA to a cut of hair she took from Roy, when she was cutting his hair one time. Additionally, she reveals that Vincent had betrayed Roy after being confronted with her knowledge of their crimes, and how as a result, if reported to the authorities, he would languish in jail. A situation that Vincent was understandably keen to avoid. Roy begs for forgiveness and states how much he genuinely loves her. Having transferred all of Roy's money to her own account, Lili prepares to leave the house only for Roy to attack her after locking the door. She manages to ward him off just long enough for her to make a quick phone call alerting Beni and a colleague whom he previously cheated, who were waiting outside. Upon leaving the house, she says that she has left UK£100K in Roy's offshore account, which will reimburse the sum he swindled out of Beni, leaving Roy penniless. Roy is then heard being beaten up by the pair of men.

'The Good Liar' has a plot that is far too convoluted, too complicated and way too detailed to sit within the realms of anything resembling realistic, but is elevated by the noteworthy pairing of McKellen and Mirren whose simple and grounded riffing off each other provides for some moments of levity, emotion and depth that anchors the otherwise implausible cumbersome cat-and-mouse storyline. Ultimately it's a film about buried secrets, lies and deception, revenge and double-cross with moments of unexpected violence thrown in for good measure that for the most part is good fun, but, a far cry from the Hitchcock influences it attempts to emulate. Don't expect too much from this film, and you can easily wait for this one to come along on your small screen streaming service and save yourself the price of cinema entry.

'The Good Liar' warrants three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard, from a potential five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 19th December 2019.

The Gotham Independent Film Awards are American film awards, presented annually to the makers of independent films at a ceremony in New York City. The city was first nicknamed 'Gotham' by native son Washington Irving (short story writer, essayist, biographer, historian, and diplomat of the early 19th century), in an issue of 'Salmagundi' (a 19th-century satirical periodical created and written by Irving, his oldest brother, William, and James Kirke Paulding, and served to lampoon New York City culture and politics), published on November 11, 1807. Part of the Independent Filmmaker Project (IFP), 'the largest membership organisation in the United States dedicated to independent film' (founded in 1979), the awards were inaugurated in 1991, and so 2019's awards ceremony mark their 28th year, and were presented on Monday 2nd December.

This years winners and grinners of a Gotham Award, were as follows :-

* Best Feature Film
Awarded to 'MARRIAGE STORY', beating out 'The Farewell', 'Uncut Gems', 'Waves' and 'Hustlers'.
* Best Documentary Film
Awarded to 'AMERICAN FACTORY', beating out 'Apollo 11', 'The Edge of Democracy', 'One Child Nation' and 'Midnight Traveller'.
* Best Actor
Awarded to ADAM DRIVER for 'Marriage Story', beating out Willem Dafoe for 'The Lighthouse', Adam Sandler for 'Uncut Gems', Aldis Hodge for 'Clemency' and Andre Holland for 'High Flying Bird'.
* Best Actress
Awarded to AWKWAFINA for 'The Farewell', beating out Elisabeth Moss for 'Her Smell', Mary Kay Place for 'Diane', Florence Pugh for 'Midsommar' and Alfre Woodard for 'Clemency'.
* Best Screenplay
Awarded to NOAH BAUMBACH for 'Marriage Story', beating out 'The Farewell', 'High Flying Bird, 'Midsommar' and 'The Last Black Man in San Francisco'.



* Breakthrough Actor
Awarded to TAYLOR RUSSELL for 'Waves', beating out Julia Fox for 'Uncut Gems', Aisling Franciosi for 'The Nightingale', Chris Galust for 'Give Me Liberty', Noah Jupe for 'Honey Boy' and Jonathan Majors for 'The Last Black Man in San Francisco'.
* Breakthrough Director
Awarded to LAURE DE CLERMONT-TONNERRE for 'The Mustang', beating out Kent Jones for 'Diane', Joe Talbot for 'The Last Black Man in San Francisco', Olivia Wilde for 'Booksmart' and Phillip Youmans for 'Burning Cane'.
* The Audience Award
Presented to 'MARRIAGE STORY'.
* Gotham Tributes
Presented to Producer Glen Basner, Actress Laura Dern, Director Ava DuVernay and Actor Sam Rockwell.

For the complete run down on all things Gotham Awards, you can visit the official website at : https://gotham.ifp.org

Turning attention back to this week, we have three new cinematic offerings coming to your local Odeon in the coming week. We kick off with the ninth and final instalment in this epic space opera franchise set somewhere in a galaxy far far away, that saw this massively popular film series first launch 42 years ago that has subsequently spawned spin off movies, television series, video games, novels, comic books, theme park attractions, merchandise and more. The anticipation is reaching fever pitch people! Next up is a story of a recently bereaved Chinese man living in New Zealand who retraces the steps of his courtship with his beloved departed wife seeking to fulfil a dream that she was never able to realise. And we close out the week with another Chinese offering that sees the fourth and final instalment in this martial arts franchise, as our hero travels to San Francisco in the search of a better life for him and his son, only to find deep rooted prejudices towards him and his chosen craft at almost every turn.

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 most welcome 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.

'STAR WARS : THE RISE OF SKYWALKER' (Rated M) - and so it is with much fanfare, hype and anticipation that the final instalment in the epic space opera franchise that saw its humble beginnings way back in 1977, finally draws to a close. 'The Rise of Skywalker' marks the third instalment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, following 2015's 'The Force Awakens' and 2017's 'The Last Jedi', and the final episode of the nine-part 'Skywalker Saga'. The 'Star Wars' franchise has spawned multiple films and animated movies and television series. The original trilogy was released between 1977 and 1983, the prequel trilogy between 1999 and 2005, and a sequel trilogy began in 2015, and will end this year with the release of this film. In between the sequel films, two anthology films were released, 2016's 'Rogue One' and 2018's 'Solo: A Star Wars Story', both set between the prequel and original trilogies. The combined global Box Office revenue of the films equates to over US$9B and is currently the second-highest-grossing film franchise, behind the Marvel Cinematic Universe. 'Star Wars : The Force Awakens' currently sits at the top of the sales ladder with US$2.07B, followed by 'Star Wars : The Last Jedi' at US$1.33B, then 'Rogue One : A Star Wars Story' at US$1.06B with 'Star Wars : Episode I : The Phantom Menace' also in the one billion dollar club at US$1.03B. This films sees J.J. Abrams returning to the Directors and Screenwriters chair following his success with 'The Force Awakens' and after the ousting of Colin Trevorrow following creative differences with the Studio and a breakdown in his relationship with Producer Kathleen Kennedy. The film is released Stateside this week too.

The film once again stars an ensemble cast that includes Carrie Fisher (who although died in late 2016, will appear through the use of unreleased footage from 'The Force Awakens' and 'The Last Jedi'), Mark Hamill, Adam Driver, Daisy Ridley, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Anthony Daniels, Naomi Ackie, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant, Lupita Nyong'o, Keri Russell, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Tran, Ian McDiarmid, and Billy Dee Williams. Set a year following the events of 'The Last Jedi' the surviving Resistance faces the First Order once again as Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega) and Poe Dameron's (Oscar Isaac) journey continues, all the while coming to terms with the past and their own inner turmoil. Meanwhile, with the power and knowledge of generations behind them, the ancient conflict between the Jedi and the Sith reaches its climax, bringing the Skywalker saga to a definitive end.

'ONLY CLOUD KNOWS' (Rated M) - this Chinese romantic drama is Directed by one of China's foremost film makers Feng Xiaogang and stars Huang Xuan as Dongfeng, a middle aged man living in New Zealand. He has been suffering from sorrow and loneliness ever since the death of his beloved wife, Yun (Yang Caiyu). Unable to overcome his grief, Dongfeng decides to retrace the journey he shared with Yun during their courtship, but discovers that she held secrets in her past, as he seeks to fulfill a dream she never had a chance to complete. Also starring Lydia Peckham and Fan Xu, the film is released in the US this week too.

'IP MAN 4' (Rated M) - is a Hong Kong biographical martial arts film Directed and Co-Produced by Wilson Yip. This is the fourth and supposedly final film in the 'Ip Man' film series based on the life of the Wing Chun - grandmaster of the same name, and features Donnie Yen reprising the role. Wilson Yip has Directed all four films in the series, and Donnie Yen has starred as Ip Man in all four too. Donnie Yen is a Hong Kong Actor, martial artist, film Director, Producer, action choreographer, stuntman and multiple-time world Wushu tournament champion, who has displayed skill in an array of other martial arts disciplines including Tai Chi, Boxing, Kickboxing, Jeet Kune Do, Hapkido, Taekwondo, Karate, Muay Thai, Wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Judo and Wing Chun. The first three films in the series grossed a combined US$229M off the back of a total US$61M Production budget. Ip Man’s (Donnie Yen) life remains unchanged after his wife’s death, but he and his son are slowly drifting apart. To seek a better future for his son, Ip Man decides to travel to the U.S. and to San Francisco where his student, Bruce Lee (Danny Chan), has upset the local martial arts community by opening a Wing Chun school. Once there, Ip Man finds the stable, peaceful life abroad is only skin deep. Underneath lies a deep rooted racial discrimination that is far worse than he ever expected. Ip Man re-examines his position and ponders on the reason he took up martial arts in the beginning. Also staring Scott Adkins and Vanness Wu, the film cost US$52M to make, and is released Stateside this week also.

With three new release movies 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-