What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 1st December 2022.

The 26th edition of Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (aka POFF - Pimedate Oode FilmiFestival) took place from Friday 11th November until Sunday 27th November this year in the winter wonderland of Tallinn and Tartu in Estonia. Started in 1997, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival has grown into one of the biggest film festivals in Northern Europe and busiest regional industry platforms, hosting more than 1000 guests and industry delegates and over 160 journalists. The festival screens around 250 feature films and more than 300 short films and animations and sees an attendance of about 80,000 people annually. As of 2014 the festival holds the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations) accreditation for holding an international competition programme which puts the festival into the A-category of film festivals, alongside fourteen other such festivals in the world. 

In Official Competition were twenty-three feature films, comprising :-

* '578 Magnum' - from Vietnam and Directed by Dung Luong Dinh.

* 'A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On' - from Albania, Portugal, Greece and Kosovo and Directed by Gentian Koci.

* 'And Yet We Were All Blind' - from France and Directed by Beatrice Pollet.

* 'Ann' - from Ireland and Directed by Ciaran Creagh.

* 'Bungalow' - from Canada and Directed by Lawrence Cote-Collins.

* 'Cold as Marble' - from Azerbaijan and France and Directed by Asif Rustamov.

* 'DUCKS - an Urban Legend' - from Israel and Directed by Shahar Rozen.

* 'Ginji The Speculator' - from Japan and Directed by Ryuichi Mino.

* 'Driving Mum' - from Iceland and Estonia and Directed by Hilmar Oddsson. 

* 'Hit Big' - from Finland and Estonia and Directed by Jukka-Pekka Valkeapaa.

* 'Jailbird' - from Italy and Ukraine and Directed by Andrea Magnani.

* 'Lucky Girl' - from Ukraine and Germany and Directed by Marysia Nikitiuk.

* 'Night' - from Norway and Directed by Mona J. Hoel.

* 'Piece of My Heart' - from Netherlands and Belgium and Directed by Dana Nechushtan.

* 'Plastic Symphony' - from Slovakia, Poland and the Czech Republic and Directed by Juraj Lehotsky.

* 'River of Desire' - from Brazil and Directed by Sergio Machado.

* 'Sanaa' - from India and Directed by Sudhanshu Saria. 

* 'Sashenka' - from Ukraine and Directed by Olexandr Zhovna.

* 'Servus Papa, See You in Hell' - from Germany and Directed by Christopher Roth.

* 'Stiekyt' - from South Africa and Directed by Etienne Fourie.

* 'The Fox' - from Germany and Austria and Directed by Adrian Goiginger.

* 'The Punishment' - from Chile and Argentina and Directed by Matias Bize.

* 'The Wastetown' - from Iran and Directed by Ahmad Bahrami.

The winners and grinners of this years Official Competition were :

* The Grand Prix Award of €20,000 was presented to the Director and Producer of 'Driving Mum'.

* The Best Director Award of €5,000 was presented to Ahmed Bahrami for 'The Wastetown'.

* The Best Cinematography Award of €1,000 was presented to Adrian Teijido for 'River of Desire'.

* The Best Script Award was presented to Shahar Rozen and Dudu Busi for 'DUCKS - an Urban Legend'.

* The Best Actor Award was presented to Gurban Ismailov for 'Cold as Marble'.

* The Best Actress Award was presented to Antonia Zegers for 'The Punishment'.

* The Best Original Score Award was presented to Tonu Korvits for 'Driving Mum'.

* The Best Production Design Award was presented to Michael Schindlmeier for 'Servus Papa, See You in Hell'.

Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival awarded the legendary German Actor Udo Kier with the festival's Lifetime Achievement Award for decades-spanning artistic and cultural contribution to world cinema. The second Lifetime Achievement Award went to the Polish film legend, film and theatre Director Krzysztof Zanussi who is the author of more than forty films, and the third Lifetime Achievement Award goes to the Estonian Director and Producer Peeter Urbla who has played an important part in creating and advancing the Estonian film industry.

For the full list of all the feature films and short films that played at this years Black Nights Film Festival, plus the other competitions and the winners thereof - First Feature, Baltic Competition, Rebels With a Cause, the Critic's Picks Competition and the POFF Shorts, you can go to the official website at : https://poff.ee/

Turning attention then to this weeks nine new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we start off with the first of three Christmas offerings this week that sees a group of mercenaries attack the estate of a wealthy family, leaving Santa Claus to step in to save the day, and Christmas. Then we turn to the first of a trio of Aussie films featured this week, with the first a horror offering about an aspiring documentarian and two conservationists who venture into the Outback to record the animals displaced by bushfires where they discover a terrifying new species. Next up is a British comedy horror where Pete is cautiously excited about reuniting with his college crew for a birthday weekend, but, one by one, his friends slowly turn against him. This is followed by our second Aussie film - a comedy about estranged immigrant brothers who must set aside their seven-year long silence and embark on a cross-California road trip with a flatulent dog and a valuable family artifact to rescue their terminally ill sister. Then we have a French romantic thriller that sees a young American journalist stranded in present-day Nicaragua who falls for an mysterious Englishman who appears to be her best chance of escape, but he could be in more danger than she is. The second of our Christmas features is an American Biographical telling of the inspiring story behind the writing of the beloved Christmas carol and its author, Henry Wadsworth Longfellow; and our third Christmas movie outing this week is an American comedy romance in which we follow Jesse as she attempts to get over her breakup just before the holiday season starts, but her former boyfriend’s family surprises the heartbroken woman with an interesting invitation, and what happens next stuns everyone. And closing out the week we have a pair of doco's - the first an Italian English language film that charts the life and times of a famed Italian shoemaker who created shoes for Hollywood stars during the silent film era and beyond; and then the final Aussie film that takes us on a journey to one of the most beautiful places in the world - Far North Queensland, Australia showcasing the landscape from land, air and sea.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the nine 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.

'VIOLENT NIGHT' (Rated MA15+) - this American Christmas fantasy black comedy action film is Directed by Tommy Wirkola whose previous feature film making offerings include 'Dead Snow' in 2009, 'Hansel & Gretel : Witch Hunters' in 2013, 'Dead Snow 2 : Red vs. Dead' in 2014, 'What Happened to Monday' in 2017 with Noomi Rapace, Glenn Close and Willem Dafoe, and 'The Trip' in 2021 with Noomi Rapace again. This film saw its World Premiere at the New York Comic Con on 7th October and is released in the US and here in Australia this week.

An elite team of mercenaries, led by a Mr. Scrooge (John Leguizamo) breaks into a family compound on Christmas Eve, taking everyone hostage inside. However, they aren't prepared for a surprise combatant, namely, one Santa Claus (David Harbour) who is on the grounds at the same time, and he's about to show why this Nick is no saint. Also starring Cam Gigandet and Beverly D'Angelo. 

'CARNIFEX' (Rated M) - is an Australian horror thriller film Directed by Sean Lahiff in his feature film making debut although he has Directed five short films since 2003 and Edited some thirty-five screen productions - from short films, to TV series, documentaries and feature films. As Australia recovers from unprecedented bushfires, Bailey (Alexandra Park) an aspiring documentary maker joins conservationists Grace (Sisi Stringer) and Ben (Harry Greenwood) as they travel deep into the Australian outback to track and record animals in the aftermath of the fires. As night falls, the well-equipped trio discover a new terrifying species, which is now intent on tracking and hunting them.

'ALL MY FRIENDS HATE ME' (Rated MA15+) - this British comedy horror film is Directed by Andrew Gaynord in his feature film making debut. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2021, was released in the UK in early March and this week is released in Australia, having so far grossed just US$81K. It's Pete's (Tom Stourton who also Co-Wrote here) 31st birthday and the old gang from college are throwing him a party at a country estate owned by his friend George (Joshua McGuire). During what's meant to be a joyful weekend reunion, Pete finds himself increasingly unnerved by his friends' inside jokes and snarky comments. As the atmosphere goes from awkward to terrifying to downright surreal, Pete is pushed to the breaking point. Is he being paranoid or is he the butt of some elaborate joke?

'BROTHERS FROM MALTA' (Rated PG) - this Australian comedy film is Co-Written, Co-Produced, Directed, Edited and also stars Julian Galea whose previous feature film making credits are 'Love to Paradise' in 2017 and 'Made in Malta' in 2019. Estranged immigrant Maltese brothers Joe (Julian Galea) and Charlie (James Galea) must break their seven-year grudge when they're forced to road trip across California with a gassy dog and a precious family heirloom to rescue their dying sister Josephine (Liza Galea). Also starring Mike Fergusson and Torrey Richardson.

'STARS AT NOON' (Rated MA15+) - this French romantic thriller film is Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Claire Denis whose previous feature film making outings take in 'Beau travail' in 1999, 'White Material' in 2009, 'Bastards' in 2013, 'Let the Sunshine In' in 2017, and 'Both Sides of the Blade' earlier this year. This film is based on the 1986 novel 'The Stars at Noon' by Denis Johnson and was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at this years Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Grand Prix. A young American journalist, Trish (Margaret Qualley) stranded in present-day Nicaragua falls for an enigmatic Englishman, Daniel (Joe Alwyn) who seems like her best chance of escape. She soon realises, however, that he may be in even greater danger than she is. Also starring Benny Safdie, Danny Ramirez and John C. Reilly. The film has received generally favourable Reviews, was released in the US in late October and not in France until early May next year, and has so far grossed just US$3K at the Box Office.

'I HEARD THE BELLS' (Rated PG) - this American biographical film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Joshua Enck in his Directorial debut. Known as 'America’s Poet', Henry Wadsworth Longfellow (Stephen Atherholt) leads an idyllic life, until the day his world is shattered by tragedy. With a nation divided by Civil War and his family torn apart, Henry puts down his pen, silenced by grief. But it’s the sound of Christmas morning that reignites the poet’s lost voice as he discovers the resounding hope of rekindled faith that ultimately leads him to writing the Christmas carol 'I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day' based on his 1863 poem 'Christmas Bells'. 

'CHRISTMAS WITH THE CAMPBELLS' (Rated CTC) - is an American comedy romance Directed by Clare Nierderpruem in only her second feature film offering since 2018's 'Little Women' although in the intervening years she has Directed  a number of made for TV movies. When Jesse (Brittany Snow) gets dumped right before the Christmas holidays by her boyfriend Shawn (Alex Moffat), his parents convince her to still spend Christmas with them, and Shawn's handsome cousin (Justin Long), while Shawn is away. The film is released Stateside this week too, and is Co-Written and Co-Produced by Vince Vaughn.

'SALVATORE : SHOEMAKER OF DREAMS' (Rated G) - this Italian English language documentary film is Directed by Luca Guadagnino, the acclaimed Director behind 'Call Me By Your Name', 'Suspiria', 'Becket' and the recently released 'Bones and All'. This film saw its World Premiere at the Venice Film Festival in early September 2020, was released in the US in early November this year and now gets a limited showcasing in Australia. Narrated by Michael Stuhlbarg the film charts the life of Italian shoemaker Salvatore Ferragamo, who in the early 20th century, as impoverished teenage Italian cobbler sailed from Naples to America to seek a better life. He settled in Southern California, and became Hollywood's go-to shoemaker during the silent film era and the iconic films of the period. In 1927, he returned to Italy and founded in Florence his namesake luxury brand. The film has so far taken just US$19K in Box Office receipts.

'BEYOND THE REEF' (Rated G) - this Australian documentary film is Executive Produced and Directed by Luke Wheatley whose previous documentary offerings are 'Plant Delicious' and 'Grounded' and fourteen episodes of the TV series 'The 48 Hour Destination'. Raised in Townsville, Queensland, Australia but currently based in Los Angeles, Shuang Hu has built a huge following on social media. In this film Shuang returns to her home state to showcase the wonders of Far North Queensland to young audiences, experiencing many new adventures for the very first time. Shuang’s journey starts with one of the oldest and most beautiful ecological habitats in the world - The Great Barrier Reef. Her scuba training along the outer edge of the reef sees her nerves give way to amazement, as the colour and energy of the underwater world unfolds before her. Shuang’s adventure continues inland where she explores the oldest rainforest in the world - the Daintree. From a boat ride down a crocodile-infested river, swimming under ancient waterfalls to rafting down the wild Barron Gorge rapids, the adventure becomes action-packed before calming down to a feast of local culinary delights. Travelling by land, air and sea, Shuang discovers the area’s history, its secrets, and humanity’s relationship with the region.

With nine 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-

SHE SAID : Tuesday 22nd November 2022.

I saw the M Rated 'SHE SAID' earlier this week, and this American biographical drama film is Directed by Maria Schrader whose prior film making credits are 'Love Life' in 2007, 'Stefan Zweig : Farewell to Europe' in 2016 and 'I'm Your Man' in 2021, as well as helming the Netflix mini-series 'Unorthodox' which won the Director the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series, Movie or Dramatic Special in 2020. This film is based on the 2019 book of the same name by The New York Times journalists Jodi Kantor and Megan Twohey titled 'She Said : Breaking the Sexual Harassment Story That Helped Ignite a Movement'. The film saw its World Premier screening at the New York Film Festival on 13th October and was released in the US and here in Australia last week having garnered generally positive reviews. Costing US$32M to bring to the big screen, the film has so far grossed just US$3.6M.

The film opens up in 1992 with a young girl in her early twenties walking her dog along a secluded beach somewhere on the Irish coastline. She comes across a galleon anchored just off the coastline and a small vessel approaching the beach with two or three 18th Century looking sailors marching onto shore and depositing a chest. The young girl has stumbled across a film set, and before long she has a job wrangling extras on that same film set. We then cut to that same young girl running frantically down a street, sobbing and clutching at her torn clothing. 

Fast forward to 2017, and New York Times journalist Jodi Kantor (Zoe Kazan) receive a tip that actress Rose McGowan was sexually assaulted by Hollywood Producer Harvey Weinstein back in the early nineties. Kantor speaks with McGowan who initially declines to comment saying that she and The Times are hardly the best of friends, but later calls Kantor back and describes a situation in which Weinstein raped her when she was 23. Kantor also speaks with actresses Ashley Judd and Gwyneth Paltrow, who describe their own sexual encounters with Weinstein, but both ask not to be named in the article for fear of career limiting reprisals. Somewhat frustrated by a lack of progress in her investigations, the Editor of The Times, Rebecca Corbett (Patricia Clarkson) suggests to Megan Twohey (Carey Mulligan) who is just back from maternity leave, to either continue hounding Donald Trump, recently elected to POTUS or to assist Kantor with her investigations into Weinstein. Twohey agrees to help Kantor. 

Twohey traces a woman who worked as an assistant to Weinstein at Miramax some twenty years previously and then suddenly disappeared. The woman says that she waited twenty years for this moment but then tearfully declines to speak on the matter due to a signed Non-Disclosure Agreement between herself and Weinstein. Twohey later pulls up at the home of the former CFO of Miramax who invites her in. Standing in the hallway with his wife, she asks about former payouts by Weinstein against his accusers, but he is reluctant to divulge any information about the matter. She is also rejected by the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission after enquiring about information surrounding these payouts. She then speaks to a former member of the District Attorney's office about why criminal complaints against Weinstein were dropped so quickly and she learns that Weinstein had deep rooted social connections with the DA's office.

Kantor receives an anonymous tip-off about three former Weinstein assistants who may have been abused - a Rowena Chiu (Angela Yeoh), Zelda Perkins (Samantha Morton) and Laura Madden (Jennifer Ehle). Kantor flies out to confront each of them individually. She is unable to meet with Chiu in Silicon Valley in San Francisco as she is out of the country for some weeks but speaks with her husband who is clueless about what Kantor is eluding to. Perkins in Wales, UK recounts an incident in which Chiu had a breakdown due to a sexual encounter with Weinstein while working at the London Office. Madden who is living in Newquay, Cornwall, England and is about to undergo a double mastectomy surgery initially declines to speak with Kantor, but changes her mind after a representative of Weinstein reaches out to her after a couple of decades to discourage her from speaking to reporters about her experience. We subsequently learn that it was Madden who was in the opening scene back in 1992 as the young impressionable 21 years old extras wrangler who was later seen fleeing down the street in tears. 

Weinstein learns of the investigation and sends one of his lawyers, Lanny Davis (Peter Friedman) in an attempt to appease the journalists, Corbett and the Executive Editor of The Times, Dean Baquet (Andre Braugher), but declines to go on the record and denies any and all wrongdoing. The lawyer acknowledges a number of past financial settlements (less than forty) but declines to say how many exactly. Kantor receives an anonymous tip to speak with Irwin Reiter (Zach Grenier), one of Weinstein's former accountants who says (without going on the record that the number is somewhere between eight and twelve). At a subsequent meeting in a restaurant over dinner he opens up his mobile phone and disappears to the bathroom saying for her to do with it what she will. On it, it shows her an internal memo that circulated at Miramax in 2015 detailing abuse allegations from a former employee, which Kantor photographs and sends to Twohey and Corbett. Reiter returns a few minutes later, picks up his phone and leaves. 

The Times advises the Board at Miramax of the soon to be released article and asks for a statement within two days, but Weinstein counters saying that he needs two weeks, but Baquet stands firm saying that he has two days. Weinstein denies the allegations and pressures the journalists to name their sources, with the Producer continually asking is they have spoken with Gwyneth Paltrow and if she is named within the article which Twohey repeatedly says no! He also threatens to talk to other publications, including Variety and The Hollywood Reporter to discredit the story. Weinstein eventually releases a statement acknowledging that he's caused pain to others in the past and that he is taking a leave of absence from Miramax. Kantor and Twohey attempt to convince their sources to go on the record but they all initially decline. Just before the publication of the article, Kantor receives phone calls from Judd and Madden who agree to be named, believing it is the right thing to do.

The New York Times publishes the article on 5th October 2017. In a pre-credits script following the article's publication, 82 women come forward with their own allegations against Weinstein, leading to workplace and legal reforms. Weinstein is currently serving a 23-year prison sentence for rape and sexual assault in New York, with additional charges pending in Los Angeles and London. 

I have to say that I was left wanting more from 'She Said'. It lacks the necessary Oooomph! that we saw in 'Bombshell' or 'Spotlight' for instance and what we're left with is a fairly pedestrian procedural by the numbers account of what went down to bring Harvey Weinstein crashing down. It's all about e-mails, telephone calls, clandestine meetings and dogged investigative journalism that may have been the way it played out in real life, but there is hardly a thrilling moment in this film apart from a sequence when Twohey receives a call late one night from an anonymous caller saying that he is going to rape her, murder her and dump her body in the Hudson River, and when Kantor leaves the restaurant after meeting with Reiter and is followed for a few short steps by a menacing looking black SUV that quickly speeds off when she turns around. The performances of Mulligan and Kazan especially are top notch aided admirably by Clarkson and Braugher who all keep the story grounded in a journalistic, personal and emotional journey that never lets a story get in the way of the unflinching truth. Sure it's an important subject that needed to be told, and much good has come from it that is still fresh in the mind of the collective audience, but perhaps this film is two or three years premature as the Weinstein case is still unfolding, and we have yet to see the full ramifications of his actions against countless women he has wronged.

'She Said' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 24th November 2022.

The second edition of the Red Sea International Film Festival runs this year from Thursday 1st December through until Saturday 10th December and is held in Jeddah in western Saudi Arabia. The RSIFF is for film lovers, filmmakers, and the global film industry. The Red Sea Film Foundation is an independent, non-profit organisation created to support the film industry in Saudi Arabia in the production and distribution of films, as well as education on cinema. The Foundation’s initiatives support the ambitious plans for the Kingdom in the entertainment industries, with its pillars of a vibrant society, an ambitious nation and a thriving economy. This festival is a unique and powerful platform for celebrating film, connecting cultures, and expanding our horizons. Much more than a film-watching event - it is a diverse and comprehensive platform that celebrates every facet of filmmaking. These ideas of celebration, connection, and cultural exchange made their way into this year’s theme : 'FILM IS EVERYTHING'. A bold, cinematic, progressive and cultural ten-day festival for film lovers, storytellers, and industry professionals from around the globe, so the official website reads.

The Opening Night Gala film presentation is 'What's Love Got To Do With It?' Directed by Shekhar Kapur and stars Lily James and Shazad Latif in the story of two people from different cultures who fall in love. The Closing Night film is Khaled Fahd’s Saudi feature 'Valley Road', about a man from a Saudi village who is believed to have a disability; and only his sister recognises his difference is what elevates him.

The Festival is divided into eleven sections, with each programme expertly curated by a team of internationally renowned programmers, delivering the best in Arab and world cinema, television, and VR to engaged Saudi and global audiences. The Red Sea Competition values all cinematic forms, from narrative to animation and documentary, featuring works from Asia and Africa, including the Arab world. It presents challenging cinematic works with innovative filmmaking and great storytelling by emerging and established voices, celebrated with generous prizes awarded by an international jury. There are fourteen feature films in competition, these being :-

* 'A Childless Village' - from Iran and Directed by Reza Jamali. Kazem, an elderly film-maker, tried to shoot a documentary twenty years before this film takes place in a remote Azeri village where the women, who were all childless, were presumed to be sterile. His film was never completed, and the village women, anxious to preserve their dignity, burnt the footage. Two decades later, when it is established that it is the men who were and are infertile, Kazem decides to go back with his camera.

* 'A Summer in Boujad' - from Morocco, France and Belgium and Directed by Omar Mouldouira. Seven years after the death of his mother, thirteen-year-old Karim has left Paris for Morocco with his father Messaoud, who has remarried and decided to return to his homeland. After a year at a French boarding school in Casablanca, Karim joins the newly blended family – including his new half-brother, stepmother and his father’s mother-in-law - for the summer in Boujad, a small town in central Morocco.

* 'Before Now and Then' - from Indonesia and Directed by Kamila Andini. Set in West Java, Nana finds refuge in a second marriage after losing her family to war in the 1940's. Then, she befriends her second husband's mistress, Ino, together seeking for the meaning of freedom.

* 'Dirty Difficult Dangerous' - from France, Italy, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Qatar and Directed by Wissam Charaf. Set in Beirut, Lebanon, an impossible love story unfolds between an Ethiopian housemaid and a Syrian refugee whose body is undergoing mysterious changes.

* 'Hanging Gardens' - from Iraq, Palestine, Egypt, UK and Saudi Arabia and Directed by Ahmed Yassin Al Daradji. When a young Iraqi rubbish picker rescues an American sex doll from the Baghdad dumps, he crosses into a perilous red zone, where friends become enemies and nothing is certain in an explosive mix of love, war and madness.

* 'Harka' - from Tunisia, France and Saudi Arabia and Directed by Lotfy Nathan. Ali is barely making a living selling contraband gasoline. The young impoverished Tunisian all of a sudden finds himself in charge of his two sisters following the death of his father. 

* 'Mountain Onion' - from Kazakhstan and Directed by Eldar Shibanov. The story of the growing up of eleven-year-old Dzhabai, who sells mountain onions on the highway, and who finds his mother with his idol, a truck driver. He then goes off to a remote corner of China with his little sister for the so called Golden Viagra for his father, so that he can regain his position as the man of the family.

* 'Next Sohee' - from South Korea and Directed by July Jung. High school student Sohee starts a job training at a call centre, but she faces the pressure of greedy company only interested in their balance sheet, which ultimately leads to her death. Detective Oh Yu-jin, who has something in common with Sohee starts to follow the clues to reveal the truth.

* 'Nezouh' - from the UK, Syria and France and Directed by Soudade Kaadan. Even as bombs fall on Damascus, Mutaz refuses to flee to the uncertain life of a refugee. His wife, Hala, and daughter, Zeina, must make the choice whether to stay or leave.

* 'Our Lady of the Chinese Shop' - from Angola and Directed by Ery Claver. When a Chinese merchant brings to a neighbourhood of Luanda a peculiar holy plastic figure of Our Lady, a mourning mother will seek peace, a committed barber starts a new cult and a stray kid will look for revenge for his lost friend.

* 'Raven Song' - from Saudi Arabia and Directed by Mohamed Al-Salman. At the age of thirty, Nasser is drifting, convinced his father doesn't understand him. His life comes into sharp focus, however, when he is diagnosed with a brain tumour. At the same time, he meets and becomes infatuated with a striking but enigmatic young woman and must make some rapid decisions before he undergoes risky neurosurgery.

* 'Shimoni' - from Kenya and Directed by Angela Wanjiku Wamai. A teacher newly released from prison after seven years renegotiates the confines of the physical world while forced to face his nightmare in the flesh.

* 'The Last Queen' - from Algeria, France and Saudi Arabia and Directed by Damien Ounouri and Adila Bendimerad. In 1516, Algerian King Salim Toumi accepted the help of feared pirate Aroudj Barbarossa to liberate Algiers from Spanish occupation, only to die in mysterious circumstances once the city was secure. The next day, Barbarossa proposed marriage to Salim's Queen Zaphira, having already vowed to his crew that he intended to take Salim's palace, horse and wife. Zaphira, who may or may not have existed but, whose passion and determination became the stuff of legend - proved more than a match for him.

* 'Within Sand' - from Saudi Arabia and Directed by Mohammed Alatawi. When 'Snam' gets ambushed by a group of thieves and leave him for dead, he finds himself lost in the Saudi desert. While his pregnant wife, Halla is about to give birth to their first child, he finds himself being followed by a lone wolf.

For the Short Film Competition details and the other programme strands, plus a whole lot more besides, you can go to the official website at : https://redseafilmfest.com/en/

Turning attention back to this weeks eight new release movies gracing a big screen Odeon near you, we kick start with a murder mystery that is a stand alone sequel to a successful 2019 film that sees our famed Southern US detective traveling to a Greek island for his latest case. Then we have a young couple who travel to a remote island to eat at an exclusive restaurant where the chef has prepared a lavish menu, with some shocking surprises. Next up is a story of first love between a young woman learning how to survive on the margins of society, and an intense and disenfranchised drifter. This is followed by a historical telling of a Queen who in 1402 is ruling over Sweden, Norway and Denmark through her adopted son, but a conspiracy is in the making and the Queen finds herself in an impossible dilemma that could shatter her life's work. Following on we have a darker version of the classic children's fairy tale of a wooden puppet that transforms into a real living boy; before a story of a real estate agent, who after reaching a crossroads in her life, decides to trade in her career for one in the spotlight as a Dolly Parton impersonator. Then we turn to a cinephiles roller-coaster ride through the rise, fall and re-birth of projected film; before closing out the week with an animated action adventure offering that sees the legendary Clades family of explorers whose differences threaten to topple their latest and most crucial mission.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the eight 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.

'GLASS ONION : A KNIVES OUT MYSTERY' (Rated M) - this American murder mystery film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Rian Johnson whose previous film making credits take in his big screen debut with 'Brick' in 2005, then 'The Brothers Bloom' in 2008, 'Looper' in 2012, 'Star Wars : Episode VIII - The Last Jedi' in 2017 and 'Knives Out' in 2019, to which this film is a standalone sequel. This film had its World Premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in mid-September this year and is scheduled to have a one-week limited theatrical release from this week before its streaming release on 23rd December by Netflix. It has received positive reviews from critics and cost US$40M to produce.

Tech billionaire Miles Bron (Edward Norton) invites his friends, including Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig) for a 'murder mystery party' getaway on Glass Onion, his private Greek island. However, when someone turns up dead for real, Blanc must crack the case and discover who the killer is. Also starring Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jnr., Jessica Henwick, Dave Bautista, Kate Hudson, Ethan Hawke, Natasha Lyonne, Hugh Grant, Yo-Yo Ma and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. 

'THE MENU' (Rated MA15+) - is an American black comedy horror film Directed by Mark Mylod whose prior feature film making efforts are his debut in 2002 with 'Ali G Indahouse', then 'The Big White' in 2005, with 'What's Your Number?' in 2011 being his last big screen offering before this one. In the meantime he has also Directed multiple episodes of 'The Royle Family', 'Entourage', 'Game of Thrones', 'Shameless' and 'Succession'. This film saw its World Premier screening at the Toronto International Film Festival in mid-September this year, before its release in the US last week and here in Australia this week. Here then, young couple Margot (Anya Taylor-Joy) and Tyler (Nicholas Hoult) travel to a remote island to eat at Hawthorne, an exclusive restaurant run by celebrity chef Julian Slowik (Ralph Fiennes), who has prepared a lavish molecular gastronomy menu where food is treated as conceptual art, but his approach to cuisine has some shocking surprises for the wealthy guests. Also starring Hong Chau, Janet McTeer and John Leguizamo, it has received generally favourable reviews. 

'BONES AND ALL' (Rated MA15+) - this coming-of-age romantic cannibal road horror film is Directed by Luca Guadagnino whose previous film making credits take in the likes of his 1999 debut with 'The Protagonists', then 'I Am Love' in 2009, 'A Bigger Splash' in 2015, the much awarded and lauded 'Call Me By Your Name' in 2017 and 'Suspiria' in 2018. This film is based on the 2015 novel of the same name by Camille DeAngelis and saw its World Premier showcasing at at this years Venice International Film Festival in early September where it won the Silver Lion for Best Direction. This is a story of first love between Maren (Taylor Russell), a young woman learning how to survive on the margins of society, and Lee (Timothee Chalamet), an intense and disenfranchised drifter; a liberating road odyssey of two young people coming into their own, searching for identity and chasing beauty in a perilous world that cannot abide who they are. The film also stars Mark Rylance, Michael Stuhlbarg, Andre Holland, Chloe Sevigny and David Gordon Green, and has generated largely positive reviews. 

'MARGRETE : QUEEN OF THE NORTH' (Rated MA15+) - this Danish historical drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Charlotte Sieling whose previous feature film making efforts are 'Above the Street, Below the Water' in 2009 and 'The Man' in 2017. This film was one of the largest productions in the history of Danish cinema, enjoying the largest budget ever for a Danish-language feature film coming in at about US$10M. It premiered in its native Denmark in mid-September 2021 and has generated largely positive Reviews, but this has failed to make a dent in its Box Office takings, so far recovering just US$46K of its production budget. The year then is 1402. Queen Margrete (Trine Dyrholm) has achieved what no man has managed before. She has gathered Denmark, Norway and Sweden into a peace-oriented union, which she single-handedly rules through her young, adopted son, Erik (Morten Hee Andersen). The union is beset by enemies, however, and Margrete is therefore planning a marriage between Erik and an English princess. An alliance with England should secure the union's status as an emerging European power but a breathtaking conspiracy is under way that can tear Margrete and all she believes in apart. 

'GUILLERMO DEL TORO'S PINOCCHIO' (Rated M) - is a stop-motion animated musical fantasy film Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Guillermo Del Toro with Mark Gustafson sharing the Director credit, and is based on the 1883 Italian novel 'The Adventures of Pinocchio' by Carlo Collodi. The film saw its World Premiere at the BFI London Film Festival in mid-October this year, was released in select cinemas in the US on 9th November, before its streaming release on 9th December by Netflix, cost US$35M to produce and has received universal critical acclaim. A wooden puppet, Pinocchio (voiced by Gregory Mann) comes to life and dreams of becoming a real boy in 1930's Fascist Italy. When Pinocchio comes to life, however, he turns out not to be a nice boy but instead the opposite, causing mischief and playing mean tricks. But at its core, Pinocchio is a story of love and disobedience as Pinocchio struggles to live up to his father's expectations, learning the true meaning of life' Also starring the voice talents of Ewan McGregor, David Bradley, Christoph Waltz, Tilda Swinton, Ron Perlman, Finn Wolfhard, Cate Blanchett, Burn Gorman, Tim Blake Nelson and John Turturro.  

'SERIOUSLY RED' (Rated M) - this Australian drama film is Directed by Gracie Otto in her feature film making debut. Here, Red (Krew Boylan) is at a crossroads in her life. A vivacious and hilarious redhaired woman grappling with high expectations and low self-esteem, she pours herself a cup of ambition and trades her 9-to-5 career in real estate for a life under the spotlight as a Dolly Parton impersonator. After misreading her work party's dress code, Red tumbles outta bed into a new world of tribute artists and impersonators in her wild and messy journey that includes romancing a Kenny Rogers impersonator. Red has to lose herself in order to find herself. Also starring Bobby Cannavale, Daniel Webber, Rose Byrne, Celeste Barber and Jean Kittson. 

'SPLICE HERE : A PROJECTED ODYSSEY' (Rated CTC) - is an Australian documentary film Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Edited by Robert Murphy. The film explores the single greatest change in the history of cinema - the digital shift from recording and projecting movies on film. Now ten years on from this momentous transition, film maker and projectionist Rob Murphy shares his personal journey to find out what has really happened to film. The journey starts in Australia and then expands geographically and thematically as Rob ventures into the projectionist underground, meeting the champions of projected film and lesser known heroes behind the scenes. We discover that the digital revolution has not just changed the way we see movies but is becoming a threat to how we will remember them.

'STRANGE WORLD' (Rated M) - this American computer-animated science-fiction action-adventure film is Produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios, is the 61st animated film produced by the studio, and is Directed by Don Hall whose other feature film Director credits are 'Winnie the Pooh' in 2011, 'Big Hero 6' in 2014 and 'Raya and the Last Dragon' in 2021. The film chronicles the legendary Clades family, mainly Searcher Clade (voiced by Jake Gyllenhaal) who has always been a farmer and has never had the bravery of his family of explorers, but they are forced to tackle their latest and most crucial mission as they must rely on each other and forced to put away their differences while in an uncharted and treacherous land of Avalonia to find a special creature that awaits. Also with the voices of Dennis Quaid, Jaboukie Young-White, Gabrielle Union and Lucy Liu. It is released Stateside this week too. 

With eight 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-

BLACK PANTHER : WAKANDA FOREVER - Monday 14th November 2022.

I saw the M Rated 'BLACK PANTHER : WAKANDA FOREVER' this week, and this American Superhero film is based on the Marvel Comics character of Black Panther, as portrayed by Chadwick Boseman in the 2018 film 'Black Panther', and who tragically died from colon cancer in 2020. This is the sequel to that 2018 film and is the thirtieth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and is once again Directed and Co-Written by Ryan Coogler. The film saw its World Premier screening in Hollywood on 26th October, was released worldwide last week having cost US$250M to produce and having so far grossed worldwide US$401M, has generated largely positive critical acclaim and is the final film in Phase Four of the MCU.

The film opens up with Princess Shuri (Letitia Wright) frantically trying to synthetically recreate in her lab the heart-shaped herb that could potentially save the life of her dying brother King T'Challa of Wakanda. The Queen Mother of Wakanda Ramonda (Angela Bassett) enters the lab with tears in her eyes proclaiming that her son, Shuri's brother and the King of Wakanda, T'Challa, has passed away and now joins their ancestors. 

We then fast forward a year and a joint expedition force by the CIA and US Navy Seals is somewhere in the mid-Atlantic Ocean. Deep down on the seabed is a vibranium detecting machine that has located a source of the world's strongest metal thought previously to exist only in Wakanda. The expedition is attacked and wiped-out by a group of blue-skinned water breathing ocean dwelling superhumans led by Namor (Tenoch Huerta) the King of the underwater city of Talokan. The CIA later lay claim that Wakanda was responsible for the attack on the mid-Atlantic expedition. Later, Queen Ramonda is invited to attend something resembling the United Nations where she is pressed by other countries to share their vibranium, but she flatly refuses believing that they would use it against Wakanda and to bring about widespread destruction. 

On the first anniversary of T'Challa's death, Ramonda takes Shuri out into the bush so they they can grieve together and burn their funeral ceremonial robes on the camp fire as is the custom. Namor appears out of the river confronting them both, having easily evaded Wakanda's advanced security systems. Blaming Wakanda for the vibranium race, he gives them an ultimatum - deliver to him the scientist responsible for the vibranium-detecting machine, or he will attack Wakanda without mercy.

Okoye (Danai Gurira) convinces Ramonda to allow her to take Shuri with her to locate the scientist - after all what could possibly go wrong? They learn from CIA agent Everett K. Ross (Martin Freeman) that the scientist in question is Riri Williams (Dominique Thorne), a nineteen year old student at MIT, and arrive at the university to confront her, and convince her to come to Wakanda with them. The group is tracked down and pursued first by the FBI and then Namor's warriors, who defeat Okoye before taking Shuri and Williams to the underwater city of Talokan to meet with Namor. Back in Wakanda and Queen Ramonda is angered to say the least that Okoye failed to safeguard Shuri, and so strips her of her title as General of the Dora Milaje. Ramonda then travels of Haiti to locate Nakia (Lupita Nyong'o) who has been living there since the blip and who did not return to Wakanda even for T'Challa's funeral. Ramonda enlists Nakia's help to locate and return Shuri and Riri to Wakanda. 

Namor meets with Shuri and shows her his underwater kingdom of Talokan, which he has protected since the 16th century and is rich with vibranium. Bitter at the surface world that once rejected him, Namor meets with Ramonda and offers an alliance with Wakanda against the other nations of the world but promises to destroy Wakanda first if they don't cooperate. Nakia helps Shuri and Riri escape, and Namor retaliates with an attack against Wakanda's capital city, during which Ramonda drowns while saving Riri. Namor vows to return in a week with his full force, as the citizens of Wakanda are relocated to the mountains for their own safety.

Meanwhile, Ross is arrested by his ex-wife and new CIA Director, Valentina Allegra de Fontaine (Julia Louis-Dreyfus), for covertly exchanging classified intelligence with the Wakandans. Using a remnant of the herb that gave the Talokan's their superhuman abilities from a bracelet given to Shuri by Namor, she reconstructs the heart-shaped herb and ingests it in liquified form, giving her superhuman abilities. She then meets with Killmonger (Michael B. Jordan) in the Ancestral Plane, who urges her to seek revenge. 

With her new super powers Shuri puts on a new upgraded Black Panther suit and is quickly accepted by the other Wakandan tribes as the Black Panther. Despite M'Baku's (Winston Duke) strong desire for peace, Shuri is determined to exact vengeance on Namor for Ramonda's death and orders an immediate attack on Talokan. Preparing for battle, with Ayo (Florence Kasumba) assuming the mantle of General of the Dora Milaje, Shuri bestows the new Midnight Angel body armour upon Okoye, who in turn recruits Dora member Aneka (Michaela Coel) to join her. Riri creates an Iron Man type powered exoskeleton suit to help the Wakandans in battle. 

The Wakandans lure Namor and his warriors to the surface as a battle ensues, with the relentless Talokan's seemingly gaining the upper hand. Shuri traps Namor in a fighter aircraft, intending to dehydrate and therefore weaken him. The aircraft crashes on a desert beach and a fight ensues. Shuri gains the upper hand and releases an explosion which burns into Namor's back causing him to fall onto the sand just out of reach of his life giving ocean. Shuri holds a spear to Namor's throat, but realises the similarities between their life journey's and implores him to yield, offering a peaceful alliance between their nations. Namor accepts, and their fight ends.

Namor's cousin, Namora (Mabel Cadena), is angered at Namor's surrender, but he reassures her that their new alliance will allow them to conquer the surface world at some point in the future. Riri returns to MIT with the blessing of Shuri who extends the warm hand of friendship leaving behind her exoskeleton suit, while Okoye rescues Ross as he is being transported to captivity. In Shuri's absence, M'Baku steps forward to challenge her for the throne. Shuri visits Nakia who has returned to Haiti where she burns her funeral ceremonial robe allowing herself to finally grieve over T'Challa. In a mid-credits sequence, Shuri learns that Nakia and T'Challa had a son who is now eight years old, and that his name is Toussaint (Divine Love Konadu-Sun), who Nakia has been raising in secret away from the trials and tribulations of Wakanda and the throne. Toussaint reveals his Wakandan name is T'Challa, Prince T'Challa the son of King T'Challa.

'Black Panther : Wakanda Forever' pays a fitting tribute to the passing of King T'Challa, aka Black Panther, and indeed Chadwick Boseman that is heartfelt and emotional without being forced or contrived. The roles of Bassett, Huerta, Wright and Nyong'o especially are right on the money with each of them delivering compelling and relatable performances that keep the story grounded with a sense of realism. The CGI effects and the continued world building of Wakanda is impressive enough too, as are the action sequences which are delivered at an effectively staged pace so as to allow for characterisation development to come through in between and which is likely to bode well for the story arc when 'Black Panther III' eventually hits our screens at some future date. That said, the second act stagnates a little and I found my mind wandering and asking myself when was the pace going to pick up, and at 161 minutes runtime, this is over extended by twenty minutes I suggest. 'Wakanda Forever' was unlikely to hit the dizzying heights of the first 'Black Panther' instalment but when it boils down to the continuation of the story and establishing a foundation upon which to further build the next film in the 'Black Panther' franchise, then this film delivers on that premise. As of earlier this month, Director and Co-Writer Ryan Coogler and Kevin Feige, the Chief Creative Officer of Marvel Entertainment were revealed to have discussed a potential third Black Panther film.

'Black Panther : Wakanda Forever' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-