What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 1st September 2022.

The 79th annual Venice International Film Festival launches on Wednesday 31st August and runs through until Saturday 10th September. It is one of the world's longest established film festivals and is held on the island of the Lido in the Venice Lagoon, Venice, Italy. Venice is considered one of the 'Big Five' International Film Festivals worldwide - the other four being Cannes, Berlin, Toronto and Sundance. 

This years Opening Night film is 'White Noise' from the US and UK and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Noah Baumbach and starring Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, Raffey Cassidy, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Don Cheadle, with the Closing Night film being 'The Hanging Sun' from Italy and Directed by Francesco Carrozzini and starring Charles Dance, Peter Mullan and Jessica Brown Findlay.

In the Main International Competition this year there are twenty-three titles competing for a number of prizes including the Golden Lion (awarded to the Best Film screened in competition), the Grand Jury Prize (awarded to the second Best Film), Silver Lion (awarded to the Best Director), Special Jury Prize (awarded to the third Best Film), the Volpi Cup for Best Actor and Best Actress, the Golden Osella (awarded for Best Screenplay or Best Technical Contribution) and the Marcello Mastroianni Award (presented to an emerging Actor or Actress). This year Jury President for the Main Competition is Julianne Moore. 

Included in the twenty-three titles are the following :-

* 'All the Beauty and the Bloodshed' - from the US, this documentary film is Directed and Co-Produced by Laura Poitras and examines the life and career of photographer and activist Nan Goldin and her efforts to hold Purdue Pharma, owned by the Sackler family, accountable for the opioid epidemic.

* 'The Banshees of Inisherin' - from Ireland, the US and UK and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Martin McDonagh with Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Kerry Condon and Barry Keoghan telling the story of a conflict that arises between two friends when one of them abruptly ends their friendship, with alarming consequences for both of them.

* 'Bardo (or False Chronicle of a Handful of Truths)' - from Mexico and Co-Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Alejandro Gonzalez Inarritu. The film follows a renowned Mexican journalist and documentary filmmaker who returns home and works through an existential crisis as he grapples with his identity, familial relationships and the folly of his memories.

* 'Blonde' - from the US and written for the screen and Directed by Andrew Dominik and starring Ana de Armas, Adrien Brody, Bobby Cannavale and Xavier Samuel. Following a traumatic childhood, Norma Jeane Mortenson becomes an actress in the Hollywood of the 1950's and early '60's. She becomes world famous under the stage name 'Marilyn Monroe'.

* 'Bones & All' - from the US, Italy and the UK and Directed and Co-Produced by Luca Guadagnino and starring Timothee Chalamet, Taylor Russell, Mark Rylance, Michael Stuhlbarg and Chloe Sevigny. The film follows cannibalistic lovers, Maren and Lee, as they embark on a road trip across 1980's America.

* 'The Eternal Daughter' - from the US and UK and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Joanna Hogg with Tilda Swinton, Carla-Sophia Davies and Joseph Mydell. A middle-aged daughter and her elderly mother must confront long-buried secrets when they return to their former family home, a once-grand manor that has become a nearly vacant hotel brimming with mystery.

* 'Love Life' - from Japan and France and Written and Directed by Koji Fukada. The film revolves around Taeko and her husband Jiro, who decide to care for her son’s long-lost father when he reappears, deaf, ill and homeless.

* 'Monica' - from the US and Italy and Co-Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Andrea Pallaoro and starring Patricia Clarkson, Trace Lysette, Emily Browning, and Adriana Barraza and centres around a woman who returns home to care for her dying mother.

* 'Other People's Children' - from France and Written and Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski and starring Virginie Efira and tells the story of a middle-aged teacher who starts a new relationship which creates a close bond with the four year old daughter of her new partner.

* 'The Son' - from the UK, US and France and written for the screen, Directed and Co-Produced by Florian Zeller and starring Hugh Jackman, Laura Dern, Vanessa Kirby and Anthony Hopkins. Peter has a busy life with new partner Emma and their new baby, but all this is thrown into disarray when his ex-wife Kate turns up with their seventeen year old son, Nicholas.

* 'Tar' - from the US and Germany and Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Todd Field and starring Cate Blanchett, Julian Glover and Mark Strong. Here Cate Blanchett stars as a renowned conductor and composer in the international world of classical music, Lydia Tar.

* 'The Whale' - from the US and Directed and Co-Produced by Darren Aronofsky and starring Brendan Fraser, Sadie Sink, Samantha Morton and Ty Simpkins. A 275kg weighing middle-aged man named Charlie tries to reconnect with his 17-year-old daughter. The two grew apart after Charlie abandoned his family for his gay lover, who later died. Charlie then went on to binge eat out of pain and guilt.

* 'White Noise' - from the UK and US and written for the screen, Directed and Co-Produced by Noah Baumbach with Adam Driver, Greta Gerwig, Raffey Cassidy, Andre Benjamin, Alessandro Nivola, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Don Cheadle. Here, Jack Gladney, professor of Hitler studies at The-College-on-the-Hill, husband to Babette, and father to four children/stepchildren, is torn asunder by 'the Airborne Toxic Event', a cataclysmic train accident that casts chemical waste over his town.

In addition, the Golden Lion for Lifetime Achievement Award will this year be presented to the American screenwriter and Director Paul Schrader, and the French Actress Catherine Deneuve.

For all details on the full line up of films in and out of competition, plus a whole lot more besides, you can go to the official website at : https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2022

This week then with six new movies gracing a big screen at your local Odeon, we kick start with a dark fantasy offering about a reclusive academic, who, while on a conference in Istanbul, discovers a Djinn who offers her three wishes in exchange for his freedom. Next up we have a prequel to a successful 2009 psychological horror film that this time around sees a young 'child', who after successfully escaping from an Estonian psychiatric facility, travels to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. This is followed by a British psychological drama about a young woman living on the fringes of society who becomes intoxicated by a stranger who overwhelms her quiet life. Then we turn to a French romantic drama about a woman who's life spirals out of control when she becomes involved in a passionate love triangle. We then have a Norwegian comedy about a small-town loner with a flair for horses and explosives, who struggles to find his place in society while coping with unrequited love for his neighbour, and we close out the week with an Aussie doco filled with fun and joy that shows kids how to move, nourish, respect and embrace their bodies.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the six latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or 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.

'THREE THOUSAND YEARS OF LONGING' (Rated M) - is a dark fantasy film Co-Written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by George Miller whose previous feature film making credits include his 1979 debut with 'Mad Max', then 'Mad Max 2', 'Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome', 'The Witches of Eastwick', 'Lorenzo's Oil', 'Babe : Pig in the City', 'Happy Feet' and 'Happy Feet Two', with 'Mad Max : Fury Road' his most recent offering before this one, and with the 'Mad Max' spin-off 'Furiosa' currently filming and due for a 2024 release. This film is based on the 1994 short story by A.S.Byatt titled 'The Djinn in the Nightingale's Eye'. It saw its World Premiere showcasing at this years Cannes Film Festival in late May, was released in the US on 26th August, cost US$60M to produce, has so far earned back US$3.2M and garnered mixed reviews from critics.

A lonely scholar, Dr. Alithea Bonnie (Tilda Swinton), who is suffering from hallucinations of demonic beings, purchases an old lamp at the Grand Bazaar in Istanbul and accidentally unleashes a Djinn (Idris Elba) that was trapped within it. Djinn offers to grant Alithea three wishes if they are her heart’s desire, but Alithea argues that because she's a scholar of story and mythology, she knows all the cautionary tales of wishes gone wrong, and accuses Djinn of being a trickster. Djinn proceeds to tell her the stories of how he ended up trapped in the lamp three times, with the final one moving Alithea to the point where she wishes for Djinn to have sex with her. Afterwards, Djinn and Alithea move to London together, but Djinn slowly becomes weak due to spending too much time outside the lamp, so Alithea is forced to trap him again, though every three months he is released to spend time with her.

'ORPHAN : FIRST KILL' (Rated MA15+) - this psychological horror film is Directed by William Brent Bell whose other films from the same genre take in his debut offering 'Stay Alive' in 2006 and then 'The Devil Inside' in 2012, 'Wer' in 2013, 'The Boy' in 2016, 'Brahms : The Boy II' in 2020 and 'Separation' in 2021. This film serves as a prequel to the 2009 film 'Orphan' which was Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and took US$79M off the back of a US$20M production budget. Here, after orchestrating a brilliant escape from an Estonian psychiatric facility, Leena Klammer (Isabelle Fuhrman) a thirty-one year old murderous sociopath who looks like a nine year old child due to a medical condition, travels to America by impersonating the missing daughter of a wealthy family. Yet, an unexpected twist arises that pits her against a mother, Tricia Albright (Julia Stiles) who will protect her family from the murderous 'child' at any cost. Also starring Rossif Sutherland and Hiro Kanagawa, the film has so far grossed US$6.5M since its opening Stateside in mid-August and has garnered mixed or average Reviews. 

'TRUE THINGS' (Rated MA15+) - is a British psychological drama film based on the 2011 novel 'True Things about Me' by Deborah Kay Davies, and is Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Harry Wootliff in only her second feature film making outing following 2018's 'Only You'. Kate (Ruth Wilson) is sleepwalking through life when a chance sexual encounter with a charismatic stranger Blond (Tom Burke) awakens her. High on infatuation she finds herself inexplicably drawn to this mysterious man. Hoping he will provide the escape she so desperately desires, she embarks on an emotionally dangerous journey that slowly begins to consume her. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Venice Film Festival back in September last year, was released in the UK in early April this year, and has generated largely positive critical reviews. Also starring Hayley Squires. 

'BOTH SIDES OF THE BLADE' (Rated MA15+) - is a French romantic drama film based on the 2018 novel 'Un tournant de la vie' by Christine Angot who with Claire Denis Co-Wrote the screenplay while Denis also Directs here. Her previous film making credits take in her debut in 1988 with 'Chocolat' and then 'Trouble Every Day' in 2001, 'The Intruder' in 2004, 'White Material' in 2009, 'Bastards' in 2013, 'Let the Sunshine In' in 2017 and 'High Life' in 2018. Sara (Juliette Binoche) and her husband Jean (Vincent Lindon) return home from vacation to a wintry Paris, where Sara works as a radio presenter. Jean, is a former professional rugby player with a prison record. One day, Sara glimpses her estranged ex-boyfriend Francois (Gregoire Colin) on the street, flooding her with emotion. Francois, who was also once a close friend to Jean, is opening a sports agency to recruit young rugby players and contacts Jean to work with him as a talent scout. The re-entrance of Francois into their lives threatens the relationship Sara and Jean have had for ten years. The film had its World Premiere showcasing in mid-February this year at the Berlin International Film Festival, where it competed for the Golden Bear, while Denis received the Silver Bear for Best Director. This film is released in its native France this week too having received generally favourable reviews. 

'EVERYBODY HATES JOHAN' (Rated M) - this Norwegian comedy film is Directed by Hallvar Witzo in his feature film making debut although he has also Directed several short films and numerous episodes of local television series in the meantime. This film is about about Johan Grande (Pal Sverre Hagan), a loner with a penchant for horses and explosives who was never accepted as part of his local community, his nevertheless somewhat adventurous life, and his long-lasting battle to win over the love of his life, Solvor (Ingrid Bolso Berdal) who he accidentally blew up a bit in his teens. 

'EMBRACE : KIDS' (Rated G) - is an Australian documentary film Written, Produced and Directed by Taryn Brumfitt in her second documentary feature film following 2016's 'Embrace : The Documentary'. This film brings together a vibrant collection of stories from young people and famous friends alike, who share their experiences about body image, bullying, gender identity, advocacy, representation and more. It aims to improve the body image of young people across Australia and the world. Aimed at an audience of 9-14 year olds, but equally engaging for adolescents, teachers, and parents, this film inspires, educates, and advocates for a world where we are not held back by the perceptions and misconceptions we have about the way we look. Instead, young people are encouraged to figure out what makes them unique and special, and use that as a spark for change.

With six new release movie offerings 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 at your local Odeon in the coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 25th August 2022.

The 2022 London FrightFest Film Festival begins on Thursday 25th August and runs through until Monday 29th August. FrightFest staged its first event in 2000 at the Prince Charles Cinema, off London's Leicester Square, with its August Bank Holiday weekend date remaining a fixture ever since. The objective of FrightFest was to provide the UK with a horror fantasy festival of similar stature to the market leaders in Europe, Sitges in Spain and Brussels in Belgium. FrightFest has since evolved into a community where audiences and guests alike travel from all over the world to be part of the event's unique atmosphere. As its name implies FrightFest's main focus is on the horror film genre, however, the event regularly features documentaries, science fiction and thriller films.

This years Opening Night film sees the World Premier of 'The Lair' from the UK as Directed by Neil Marshall, with the Closing Night film being the European Premier of 'Fall' from the USA and Directed by Scott Mann. 

There are numerous World Premier, International Premiers, European Premiers and UK Premier screenings happening at this years FrightFest out of the total 70+ films being showcased. Here, is a quick overview of those World Premiers.

* 'The Visitor from the Future', from France and Directed by Francois Descraques.

* 'Scare Package II : Rad Chad's Revenge', from the USA and Directed by Aaron B. Koontz, Alexandra Barreto, Anthony Cousins, Jed Shepherd and Rachele Wiggins.

* 'Night Sky', from the USA and Directed by Jacob Gentry.

* 'Midnight Peepshow', from the UK and Directed by Jake West, Airell Anthony Hayles, Andy Edwards and Ludovica Musumeci.

* 'She Came from the Woods', from the USA and Directed by Erik Bloomquist.

* 'Mastemah', from France and Directed by Didier D. Daarwin.

* 'Wolf Manor', from the UK and Directed by Dominic Brunt.

* 'The Price We Pay', from the USA and Directed by Ryuhei Kitamura and starring Emile Hirsch and Stephen Dorff.

* 'Terrifer 2', from the USA and Directed by Damien Leone.

* 'Burial', from the UK and Directed by Ben Parker and starring Harriet Walter and Tom Felton.

* 'Croc!', from the UK and Directed by Paul W. Franklin.

* 'The Eyes Below', from France and Directed by Alexis Bruchon.

* 'Raven's Hollow', from the UK and Directed by Christopher Hatton.

* 'Mean Spirited', from the USA and Directed by Jeff Ryan.

* 'Cult of VHS', from the USA and Directed by Rob Preciado.

* 'The Ghosts of Monday', from Cyprus and Directed by Francesco Cinquemani. 

* 'Sorry About the Demon', from the USA and Directed by Emily Hagins.

* 'Everybody Dies By The End', from the USA and Directed by Ian Tripp and Ryan Schafer.

* 'Hounded', from the UK and Directed by Tommy Boulding.

* 'Eating Miss Campbell', from the UK and Directed by Liam Regan.

* 'Cerebrum', from the UK and Directed by Sebastien Blanc.

* 'The Group', from the UK and Directed by Will Higo.

* 'Walking Against the Rain', from the UK and Directed by Scott Lyus.

* 'Bite', from the UK and Directed by James Owen.

* 'Powertool Cheerleaders vs. The Boyband of the Screeching Dead', from the UK and Directed by Pat Higgins.

* 'Daughter', from the USA and Directed by Corey Deshon and starring Casper Van Dien.

* 'Wolfkin', from Luxembourg and Directed by Jacques Molitor.

* 'The Ghost Writer', from the UK and Directed by Paul Wilkins.

* 'Stalker', from the UK and Directed by Steve Johnson.

* 'New Religion', from Japan and Directed by Keisho Kondo.

* 'The Once and Future Smash + End Zone 2', from the USA and Directed by Sophia Cacciola and Michael J. Epstein.

For all the other Premier screenings, plus details of the full line-up of other events all taking place in and round the 23rd London FrightFest film festival, you can go to the official website at : https://www.frightfest.co.uk/

Turning to this weeks latest release movies, of which there are seven to grace your big screen Odeon, we launch with a story of a father and his two teenage daughters who find themselves hunted by a rogue lion intent on proving that the African plains have just one apex predator. Then we turn to an Aussie film about a young girl who after witnessing a violent crime, summons an imaginary dragon to help process her anger and protect her on her journey into womanhood. This is followed by a Swedish offering that proves that food is the way to the heart in this story of love, food, friendship and second chances. Next up we have an Iranian film about a middle-aged couple and their two sons who embark on a road trip across the Iranian countryside to get to the Turkish border. Following on from this is a horror thriller concerning a young woman who is courted and swept off her feet, only to realise that a gothic conspiracy is unfolding around her. And we close out the week with two documentaries - the first about a pair of intrepid scientists and lovers who died in a volcanic eruption doing the very thing that brought them together - unraveling the mysteries of volcanoes by capturing the most explosive imagery ever recorded. The second details the 2020 assassination attempt of the Russian opposition leader and former presidential candidate in which he was poisoned with a military-grade nerve agent.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the seven latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or 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.

'BEAST' (Rated MA15+) - is an American survival thriller film Directed by Baltasar Kormakur whose prior Directorial outings take in the likes of his big screen debut 'Go LazyTown' in 1996 then 'A Little Trip to Heaven' in 2005, 'Inhale' in 2010, 'Contraband' in 2012, '2 Guns' in 2013, 'Everest' in 2015 and 'Adrift' in 2018. The film was released in the US last week, has so far recouped US$5M from its US$36M production budget and has generated mixed or average Reviews.

Dr. Nate Samuels (Idris Elba), a recently widowed husband returns to South Africa, where he first met his wife, on a long-planned trip with his two young daughters Meredith (Iyana Halley) and Norah (Leah Sava Jeffries) to a game reserve managed by an old family friend and fellow wildlife biologist Martin Battles (Sharlto Copley). However, what begins as a journey of healing soon turns into a fearsome fight for survival when a lion, a survivor of bloodthirsty poachers, with a craving for human flesh begins stalking them and killing anyone in its path.

'BLAZE' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian crime drama filmed in and around Sydney is Co-Written and Directed by Del Kathryn Barton in her feature film making debut. Here, twelve-year-old Blaze (Julia Savage) is raised by her caring father, Luke (Simon Baker). When she witnesses a brutal crime on the streets, Blaze is faced with conflicting emotions of debilitating fear and a desire for justice. As she spirals uncontrollably, Luke does his best to help her through this crisis, but to little effect. An unlikely saviour enters the picture, a dragon that provides solace and courage to Blaze as she finds a path forward. Also starring John Waters, Yael Stone and Josh Lawson. The film saw its Australian premier screening at the recent Sydney Film Festival and was released in the US in early June before its wider release in Australia this week.

'TUESDAY CLUB' (Rated M) - is a Swedish comedy romantic drama Directed by Annika Appelin in her feature film making debut and tells the story of Karin (Marie Richardson) who with Sten (Bjorn Kjellman) are celebrating their 40th wedding anniversary with a huge bash. While their friends toast to their happiness, Karin discovers that Sten has been unfaithful. Karin has spent her life taking care of her husband and their daughter, and now everything is shattered into pieces. An old friend talks her into joining a cooking class led by Henrik (Peter Stormare), a renowned chef. In the kitchen, amidst spices, amazing food, old and new friends, more than one of Karin’s long-lost passions are reborn. Suddenly, she finds herself in a position where she has to re-evaluate her life and the choices she has made.

'HIT THE ROAD' (Rated PG) - is an Iranian road comedy drama film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Panah Panahi in his feature film debut. The film tells the story of an chaotic yet tender Iranian family on a road trip across the rugged landscape driving to the Turkish border to smuggle their young adult son out of the country, while bonding over memories of the past, grapple with fears of the unknown, fuss over their sick dog and generally getting on one another's nerves. Only the mysterious older brother remains quiet. The film has picked up eight award wins (including Best Film at both the London and Singapore Film Festivals) and a further eleven nominations including for the Camera d'Or at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival. It was released in the US in late April this year, has so far grossed US$890K and is now released in Australia from this week. 

'THE INVITATION' (Rated MA15+) - this American supernatural horror film is Co-Written, Executive Produced and Directed by Jessica M. Thompson in only her second feature film making outing following 'The Light of the Moon' in 2017 although she has Directed a number of short films and six episodes of the TV series 'The End' in 2020. Here  then following the death of her mother and having no other known relatives, Evie (Nathalie Emmanuel) takes a DNA test, and discovers a long-lost cousin she never knew she had. Invited by her newfound family to a lavish wedding in the English countryside, she's at first seduced by the sexy aristocrat host but is soon thrust into a nightmare of survival as she uncovers twisted secrets in her family's history and the unsettling intentions behind their sinful generosity. Also starring Thomas Doherty, Hugh Skinner, Stephanie Corneliussen, Alana Boden and Sean Pertwee. The film opens Stateside this week too. 

'FIRE OF LOVE' (Rated PG) - is a Canadian and American Co-Produced documentary film Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Sara Dosa whose prior documenary outings include her debut in 2014 with 'The Last Season' and 'The Seer and the Unseen' in 2019. The film follows the lives and careers of daring French volcanologists Katia and Maurice Krafft, who ultimately died in a 1991 volcanic explosion on Mount Unzen in Japan, via archival footage. The film has garnered widespread critical acclaim, has collected seven award wins and another eleven nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit, and has so far taken US$1.2M at the Box Office since its World Premier screening at the Sundance Film Festival back in January and its early July release in the US. 

'NAVALNY' (Rated M) - this American documentary film is Directed by Daniel Roher whose previous feature length doco's are 'Ghosts of our Forest' in 2017 and 'Once Were Brothers' in 2019, as well as helming several short documentary films since 2011. The film tells about the events related to the poisoning of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny and the subsequent investigation into the poisoning. On 20th August 2020, Navalny was poisoned with a Novichok nerve agent. Falling sick during a flight from Tomsk to Moscow, he was hospitalised in serious condition. Navalny was taken to a hospital in Omsk after an emergency landing there, and put in a coma. Two days later, he was evacuated to the Charite hospital in Berlin, Germany. The use of the nerve agent was confirmed by five Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) certified laboratories. Navalny blamed Russian President Vladimir Putin for his poisoning, while the Kremlin has repeatedly denied any involvement. The film has garnered universal critical acclaim, saw its World Premier screening at the Sundance Film Festival back in January this year where it picked up two awards, went on release in the US in mid-April and has so far grossed US$43K. 

With seven new release movie offerings 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 at your local Odeon in the coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

NOPE : Tuesday 16th August 2022.

I saw 'NOPE' earlier this week and this eagerly awaited highly anticipated M Rated American Sci-Fi horror film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Jordan Peele whose two previous film making outings were the highly acclaimed 'Get Out' in 2017 and 'Us' in 2019. The film saw its World Premier showcasing in Los Angeles on 18th July, was released Stateside on 22nd July and here in Australia on 11th August having so far grossed US$117M from its production budget of US$68M and has garnered generally positive critical reviews. The films title was rumoured to be an acronym for 'Not Of Planet Earth' or 'Not Our Planet Earth' based on the movie poster, but Peele later revealed that the title speaks to the reaction he hoped to garner from audiences.

The film opens up with a short clip of the popular 1998 TV sitcom 'Gordy's Home' being recorded on a  soundstage before the titular chimpanzee animal actor (Terry Notary) attacks several of its human co-stars after being startled when a balloon bursts on set. We later see the full extent of the attack in flashback as the show's youngest actor, Ricky 'Jupe' Park (Jacob King), cowers under a table and watches the bloodbath unfold but is unharmed, though naturally traumatised by the experience. The chimp finds Jupe and extends his bloodied hand for a fist bump, before being shot dead by authorities.

We then fast forward to the the present day, and ranch owner Otis Haywood Sr. (Keith David) trains and handles horses for Hollywood film and TV productions, under the name of Haywood's Hollywood Horses Ranch. One bright sunny day he is out riding one of his horses, Ghost, and is killed by a quarter coin that pierces his eye and lodges in his brain that seemed to fall inexplicably from the sky. His adult children Otis Jr. - 'OJ' (Daniel Kaluuya) and Emerald 'Em' (Keke Palmer) inherit the ranch. OJ tries to keep the business afloat and protect his father's legacy, while Em seeks fame and fortune in Hollywood, and is happy to sell up. 

Some six months later, while filming a TV commercial with well known and highly regarded cinematographer Antlers Holst (Michael Wincott), one of the horses reacts violently when a crew member startles it suddenly, resulting in the Haywoods being fired from the project. The ranch's financial situation begins to worsen and OJ is forced into selling several of his horses to the now adult Jupe (Steven Yuen), who owns and operates the nearby 'Jupiter's Claim', a small Western theme park and neighbour of the Haywood's, where he exploits his story of the 'Gordy's Home' attack for profit. Jupe offers to buy the ranch from the Haywood's, an offer which Em encourages OJ to accept.

Later the Haywood's notice their electricity supply fluctuating, the mobile phones cutting out and their horses vanishing and violently reacting to a seemingly unknown presence. OJ is the first to see in the clouds above the ranch an unidentified flying object shaped like a flying saucer that has been swallowing up their horses and spitting out any inorganic material, which caused their father's death. Motivated by a desire for wealth and fame, the siblings decide to document evidence of the UFO's existence, and engage Fry's Electronics (a big box consumer electronics store) employee Angel Torres (Brandon Perea) to set up surveillance cameras around the property, all pointing up towards the sky. One night while monitoring the night sky, more electrical interference and a praying mantis on one of the cameras prevent them from securing any clear footage. The next day as Angel secretly monitors the footage from his workplace he observes a nearby cloud that never moves. He rushes over to the ranch with his video footage and together they draw the conclusion that this is the place where the UFO is hiding. 

Jupe starts up a new live show, the 'Star Lasso Experience' in Jupiter's Claim and plans to use a horse, Lucky, as bait to entice the UFO, having previously fed it the horses he had bought from the Haywoods. In front of an audience of about forty made up of  his staff and paying guests, he says that for a number of consecutive Friday evenings at 6:13pm the UFO manifests itself from the skies above. The UFO duly arrives about a hour early and quickly devours Jupe and the whole audience. OJ draws the conclusion that the UFO is not a spaceship, but a predatory, territorial creature which eats anything that looks directly at it. Utilising similar methods to those used to break and train horses, OJ believes they can influence the creature's behaviour to capture footage of it without being killed themselves. They call the creature 'Jean Jacket' after the first horse that Em learned to ride, and they then decide to hire Holst for assistance. Holst initially refuses, but eventually reconsiders after hearing about the Jupiter's Claim incident broadcast on national news that has the Police and authorities baffled as to how forty or so people can just disappear en masse. 

To avoid Jean Jacket's adverse effects on electronics, Holst brings a hand-cranked IMAX film camera to capture footage. With Angel, the group of four hatch a plan to bait Jean Jacket and watch a field of inflatable scattered tube men props for electrical malfunctions to deduce its location in the sky above the ranch. However, a TMZ reporter trespasses onto the ranch and despite being asked to turn around and go back from whence he came by Em he continues onward with his own hand held camera. He is thrown from his electric motorbike when it suddenly powers down within close proximity to Jean Jacket. He in turn is devoured by Jean Jacket while laying injured on the ground but not before begging OJ to film the event. OJ rides off from the scene on Lucky. Though Holst captures footage of Jean Jacket, he lets himself be eaten along with his smaller hand held hand cranked camera, forcing the remaining three to flee. Angel survives an attack from Jean Jacket by wrapping himself in a tarp and binding it with barbed wire, causing the creature to unfurl from its saucer shape and into something more resembling a jellyfish.

OJ lures Jean Jacket away from Em, while she rushes to Jupiter's Claim on the downed motorbike immobilised by the TMZ reporter, and untethers its giant balloon cowboy mascot. She uses an attraction's analog camera located in a wishing well to photograph Jean Jacket as it flies directly overhead and attempts to consume the balloon, which then explodes seemingly killing it. With the picture as proof of the creature's existence and reporters pulling up, Em sees an unharmed OJ ride to Jupiter's Claim on Lucky. 

'Nope' is Jordan Peele's third feature film making outing and here once again he doesn't disappoint, providing the viewer with a mash up of Sci-Fi, horror and Western genres that when combined offer a film that is bigger than the sum of its parts. It is action spectacle writ large with stunning cinematography, just the right amount of humour, a cast on its A-game, and a thrill and chill ride that will maintain the attention throughout its 135 minute run time that never leaves you wanting. The film is entertaining, fun and offers up a few well placed jump scares, despite the ending feeling rushed toward and leaving a number of questions unanswered. For me, 'Nope' gets a resounding Yep!

'Nope' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 18th August 2022.

The 75th Edinburgh International Film Festival (EIFF) is currently running from Friday 12th until Saturday 20th August. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival. EIFF presents both UK and international films (all titles are World, International, European, UK or Scottish Premieres), in all genres and lengths. It also presents themed retrospectives and other specialised programming strands. 

This years Opening Night Gala film was 'Aftersun' from the UK and US and is Directed by Charlotte Wells and stars Paul Mescal and Frankie Corio. The Closing Night Gala film is 'After Yang' Directed by Kogonada and stars Colin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith. 

This year EIFF will present 'The Powell & Pressburger Award for Best Feature Film'. This competition is composed of a mix of UK and Irish filmmakers and international talents that honours imagination and creativity in filmmaking. The films selected for our 2022 competition are daring, eclectic and genuinely speak to the creativity that’s central to the works of the award’s namesakes – Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger. 

The films in this strand are :-

* 'Flux Gourmet' - from the UK and Directed by Peter Strickland and starring Asa Butterfield and Gwendoline Christie in this dark comedy horror. UK Premier.

* '99 Moons' - from Switzerland and Written and Directed by Jan Gassmann and starring Valentina Di Pace and Dominik Fellmann in this sensual drama. UK Premier.

* 'Lola' - from Ireland and the UK and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Andrew Legge in his feature film making debut. Starring Stefanie Martini, Emma Appleton, Rory Fleck Byrne and Aaron Monaghan in this Sci-Fi drama. UK Premier.

* 'Fogareu' - from Brazil and France and Co-Written and Directed by Flavia Neves and starring Barbara Colen, Eucir de Souza, Allan Jacinto Santana, Timothy Wilson, Kelly Crifer, Nena Inoue, Vilminha Chaves, Fernanda Vianna and Vilma Montenegro in this drama. UK Premier.

* 'Husband' - from the UK and US and Co-Produced and Directed by Josh Appignanesi and Devorah Baum and starring Josh Appignanesi and Devorah Baum in this drama comedy. World Premier.

* 'Nothing Compares' - from Ireland and the UK and Directed by Kathryn Ferguson, and this documentary covers the period from 1987 to 1992 in the life and times of Sinead O'Connor. Scottish Premier.

* 'Leonor Will Never Die' from the Philippines and Directed by Martika Ramirez Escobar and starring Sheila Francisco, Bong Cabrera, Rocky Salumbides, Anthony Falcon in this comedy action thriller. UK Premier.

* 'Please Baby Please' - from the US and Co-Written and Directed by Amanda Kramer and starring Andrea Riseborough and Harry Melling in this drama. UK Premier.

* 'A Cat Called Dom' - from the UK and Directed and starring Will Anderson and Ainslie Henderson in this documentary animation drama. World Premier.

* 'Mediterranean Fever' from Palestine, Germany, France, Cyprus, Qatar and Written and Directed by Maha Haj and starring Amer Hlehel and Ashraf Farah in this drama. UK Premier.

For all the details on the other strands, the events, and the comings and goings at this years 75th Edinburgh International Film Festival, you can go to the official website at : https://www.edfilmfest.org.uk/edinburgh-international-film-festival

Turning attention back to this weeks six new films gracing your local Odeon, we have one from the US, one from Britain, one from Australia and three from South Korea. Opening up we kick off with a Sci-Fi horror drama set in a future world where humans have adapted to a synthetic environment, with new transformations and mutations, and with it a celebrity performance artist, publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. This is followed by a British comedy drama about a 55-year-old widow, who yearns for some adventure, human connection and some sex - some good sex. Next up is an Aussie thriller centred around a mother and daughter who deals with an uncertain threat that ultimately brings them closer together. And closing out the week we have three offerings from South Korea, the first of which is a drama about baby boxes that are left out (in this case at a church) for people to anonymously drop off their unwanted babies to be found and cared for. Then we turn to a romantic mystery offering about a detective who falls for a mysterious widow after she becomes the prime suspect in his latest murder investigation, before closing out the week with an action drama which plays out after a terror incident occurs mid-flight, leading this passenger jet to declare an emergency.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the six latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or 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.

'CRIMES OF THE FUTURE' (Rated MA15+) - this Sci-Fi body horror film is Written and Directed by David Cronenberg whose previous film making credits include 'Crimes of the Future' in 1970 (not a remake or a sequel, as the theme is unrelated), 'Shivers' in 1975, 'The Brood' in 1979, 'Scanners' in 1981, 'Videodrome' in 1983, 'The Fly' in 1986, 'Naked Lunch' in 1991, 'Crash' in 1996, 'eXistenZ' in 1999, 'A History of Violence' in 2005, 'Eastern Promises' in 2007, 'Cosmopolis' in 2012 and 'Maps to the Stars' in 2014. This film Premiered at this years Cannes Film Festival, where it was in competition for the Palme d'Or and received a six-minute standing ovation. It was released in France towards the end of May and opened in Canada and the US in early June and here in Australia from this week, having so far grossed US$3.5M and generated largely positive critical reviews. 

As the human species adapts to a synthetic environment, the body undergoes new transformations and mutations. With his partner Caprice (Lea Seydoux), Saul Tenser (Viggo Mortensen), celebrity performance artist, publicly showcases the metamorphosis of his organs in avant-garde performances. Timlin (Kristen Stewart), an investigator from the National Organ Registry, obsessively tracks their movements, which is when a mysterious group is revealed, whose mission it is to use Saul's notoriety to shed light on the next phase of human evolution. Also starring Scott Speedman and Don McKellar.

'GOOD LUCK TO YOU, LEO GRANDE' (Rated M) - is a British sex comedy film Directed and Executive Produced by South Australian Sophie Hyde in only her third feature film outing following '52 Tuesdays' in 2013 and 'Animals' in 2019, although she has also helmed a number of short films, documentaries and TV series in the meantime as well as Writing and Producing. Here then, retired former Religious Education teacher, the fifty-five year old Nancy Stokes (Emma Thompson), whose straight laced husband died two years previously, embarks on a post-marital sexual awakening with male sex worker Leo Grande (Daryl McCormack), and as he draws on his skills and charm, between them they find a surprising human connection. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Sundance Film Festival back in January this year and went on release in the UK in mid-June, has garnered generally positive Critical acclaim and has so far taken US$2M at the Box Office.

'THE GIRL AT THE WINDOW' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian thriller Directed by Mark Hartley in his third feature film making credit after 2006's 'Just Rollin'' and and 2013's 'Patrick : Evil Awakens', although he has Directed, Edited, Written and Produced numerous music videos and video documentaries in the meantime. A troubled teenage girl (Ella Newton) who’s struggling to cope with the accidental death of her father suspects that the mysterious killer stalking her hometown is not only her neighbour but the new romantic interest of her mother (Radha Mitchell). Also starring James Mackay and Vince Colosimo. 

'BROKER' (Rated MA15+) - this South Korean drama film is Written, Directed and Edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda whose previous Directorial credits take in the likes of 'Nobody Knows' in 2004, 'Still Walking' in 2008, 'After the Storm' in 2016, 'Shoplifters' in 2018 and 'The Truth' in 2019. Sang-hyeon (Song Kang-ho) is the owner of a hand laundry and volunteers at the nearby church, where his friend Dong-soo (Gang Dong-won) works. The two run an illegal business together, Sang-hyeon occasionally steals babies from the church's baby box (a place where people (typically mothers) can bring babies, usually newborn, and abandon them anonymously in a safe place to be found and cared for) with Dong-soo, who deletes the church's surveillance footage that shows a baby was left there. They sell the babies on the adoption black market. But when a young mother So-young (Lee Ji-eun) comes back after having abandoned her baby, she discovers them and decides to go with them on a road trip to interview the baby's potential parents. Meanwhile, two detectives, Soo-jin (Bae Doona) and Lee (Lee Joo-young), are on their case and on their trail. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival, where it screened in late May and won the Ecumenical Jury Award and the Best Actor Award for Song Kang-ho. It went on release in its native South Korea in early June, has so far grossed US$15M and has generated largely positive Critical reviews.

'DECISION TO LEAVE' (Rated MA15+) - is a South Korean romantic mystery film Co-Written, Produced and Directed by Park Chan-wook whose previous film making credits include 'Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance', 'Oldboy', 'Lady Vengeance', 'Stoker', and 'The Handmaiden' most recently in 2016. A detective investigating a man's death in the mountains ends up meeting and developing feelings for the dead man's mysterious wife in the course of his exhaustive investigations. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival in May of this year where Park Chan-wook won Best Director. It was released in its native South Korea at the end of May, has so far grossed US$17M and has garnered widespread universal critical acclaim.

'EMERGENCY DECLARATION' (Rated MA15+) - this South Korean disaster action film is Written, Produced, Directed and Edited by Jae-rim Han whose previous film making outings include his debut in 2005 with 'Rules of Dating', then 'The Show Must Go On', 'The Face Reader' and 'The King' in 2017. The film is based on a real aviation disaster in which an aeroplane declared high alert and demanded unconditional landing when an unprecedented terror occurs inflight. The film saw its World Premier screening in the out of competition section of the 74th Cannes Film Festival in mid-July 2021, and was released in cinema's in South Korea earlier this month. Produced with a budget of about US$22M the film has so far recouped about US$11M before being released in the US last week and here in Australia this week. 

With six new release movie offerings 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 at your local Odeon in the coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-