What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 23rd November 2023.

The 20th Edition of the Marrakesh International Film Festival this year takes place between Friday November 24th and Saturday 2nd December, in Marrakesh, Morocco. After more than twenty years, the Festival is a place of expression and discovery that takes up the challenges of diversity, exchange and enrichment. It is also an opportunity for Morocco to welcome and pay tribute to great personalities of the world of film. The event attracts a large audience, both national and international, and benefits from a strong reputation and its prestigious image. The official selection features an international competition of first and second features dedicated to the discovery of filmmakers from around the world, as well as a wide selection of films of different genres from nations worldwide. The Festival’s several sections include Galas, Special Screenings, the 11th Continent—a section dedicated to bold and innovative films—a Panorama of Moroccan Cinema and Cinema for Young Audiences. 

This 20th edition of the festival opens with Director, Co-Producer and Co-Writer  Richard Linklater’s fast-paced action comedy 'Hit Man', starring Glen Powell as an undercover Houston Police Officer who poses as a reliable hitman to arrest those trying to hire him until he tries to save a woman in need.

This years Jury for the Official Competition line-up is comprised of the American Actress and Producer Jessica Chastain, as Jury President, ably aided by the likes of the French Actress Camille Cottin; the Australian Actor and Director Joel Edgerton; the British Director, Screenwriter and Producer Joanna Hogg and the Swedish Actor Alexander Skarsgard.

During the Festival Closing & Award Ceremony, five prestigious prizes are awarded by the Jury to films selected in Competition. Those prizes are the Festival Grand Prize which awards US$50K to be shared between the Director and Producer, the Best Directing Prize, the Jury Prize, the Best Performance by a Actress, and the Best Performance by an Actor. The Official Competition, a selection of first and second feature films, reveals new talent in world cinema. Of the fourteen films in competition, ten are by first-time Directors, of whom eight are women. The films in the running for the Etoile d’Or explore a variety of cinematic genres, from modern fable, documentary, and film noir to political farce, romance and family drama. Those films in Official Competition are as follows :-

* 'Banel & Adama' - freom France, Senegal and Mali and Directed by Ramata-Toulaye Sy.

* 'Bye Bye Tiberias' - from Palestine, France, Belgium and Qatar and Directed by Lina Soualem.

* 'City of Wind' - from France, Mongolia, Portugal, the Netherlands, Germany and Qatar and Directed by Lkhagvadulam Purev-Ochir.

* 'Disco Afrika : A Malagasy Story' - from France, Madagascar, Mauritius, Germany, South Africa and Directed by Luck Razanajaona.

* 'Dormitory' - from Turkey, Germany and France and Directed by Nehir Tuna.

* 'Excursion' - from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Serbia, France, Norway and Qatar and Directed by Una Gunjak.

* 'Hounds' - from Morocco, France, Belgium, Qatar and Saudi Arabia and Directed by Kamal Lazraq.

* 'The Mother of All Lies' - from Morocco, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Qatar and Directed by Asmae El Moudir.

* 'The Other Son' - from Colombia, France and Argentina and Directed by Juan Sebastian Quebrada.

* 'Phantom Youth' - from Kosovo and France and Directed by Luana Bajrami.

* 'Prison in the Andes' - from Chile and Brazil and Directed by Felipe Carmona.

* 'Silent Roar' - from the UK and Directed by Johnny Barrington.

* 'Toll' - from Brazil and Portugal and Directed by Carolina Markowicz.

* 'Tuesday' - from the USA and the UK and Directed by Daina O. Pusic. 

For all the other details on the film strands being showcased at this years festival, plus the flagship programme of the Marrakech International Film Festival, the 'In Conversation With . . . ' series gives audiences the chance to meet some of the biggest names in cinema from around the world, including in this years line-up - Simon Baker, Willem Dafoe, Mads Mikkelsen, Viggo Mortensen and Tilda Swinton. For this, and a whole lot more, you can go to the official website at : https://marrakesh-festival.com/en/home/

Turning the attention then back to this weeks four new movies due for release, we launch with an epic historical drama offering from an acclaimed Director based on the true story of a famed French military commander and political leader charting his rise to power and his relationship with his mistress and later wife. Then we have an Aussie psychological thriller about two young female backpackers, who take jobs at a remote Australian Outback hotel and bar where they become disturbed by the male customers. Next up is another psychological thriller offering about a college sophomore student who goes on a date with the older man, but she finds that in real life he doesn't live up to the man she has been flirting with over texts. And closing out the week there is an Aussie biographical music doco that explores the mysterious world of the musical genius, of brilliant musicians as well as transformational story-telling, the mystery of prodigy and the impact of music on the brain.

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

'NAPOLEON' (Rated MA15+) - this US and UK Co-Production is an epic historical drama film Co-Produced and Directed by Ridley Scott, who I'm sure need no introduction, suffice to say he has helmed numerous critically acclaimed films over the years including his debut in 1977 with 'The Duellists' followed by the likes of 'Alien', 'Blade Runner', 'Thelma & Louise', 'Gladiator', 'Black Hawk Down', 'American Gangster', 'Prometheus', 'The Martian', 'The Last Duel' and 'The House of Gucci' most recently. This film is scheduled to be released in the US, the UK and here in Australia this week before streaming on Apple TV+ at a later date. It cost US$130M to produce. 

A look at the French military commander Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix, who also Co-Produces here) who lived from 1769 until 1821, his origins and his swift, ruthless climb to Emperor and his inevitable fall from grace, viewed through the prism of his addictive and often volatile relationship with his wife and one true love, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby).

'THE ROYAL HOTEL' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian psychological thriller film Co-Written and Directed by Kitty Green, whose first feature documentary film was 'Ukraine Is Not a Brothel' in 2013 which she would follow up with another documentary 'Casting JonBenet' in 2017 and her debut feature film 'The Assistant' in 2019. This film saw its World Premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in early September and also screened at the Toronto International Film Festival the following week before its wide release in the US in early October having so far grossed US$877K and generating largely positive reviews. Here then, two young American backpackers, Hanna (Julia Garner) and Liv (Jessica Henwick), take temporary live-in jobs at The Royal Hotel, a remote Australian Outback mining town bar run by Billy (Hugo Weaving). Soon, they find themselves trapped in an unnerving situation that grows rapidly out of their control as they become increasingly agitated by the male patrons. Also starring Toby Wallace and Daniel Henshall. 

'CAT PERSON' (Rated MA15+) - this psychological thriller film is Directed by Susanna Fogel and is based on 2017 short story of the same name by Kristen Roupenian. Fogel's previous feature film credits take in her debut with 'Life Partners' in 2014 and 'The Spy Who Dumped Me' in 2018, and she is also credited with Co-Writing 2019's 'Booksmart' and 2021's 'The Addams Family 2'. Here, 20-year-old sophomore college student Margot (Emilia Jones) has a brief relationship with Robert (Nicholas Braun), an older man who frequently visits the movie theatre where she works, who she met over an online dating app. and who may just turn out to be a murderer. The film also stars Isabella Rossellini, Hope Davis and Michael Gandolfini, had its World Premiere showcasing at the Sundance Film Festival back in late January, was released Stateside in early October and has so far grossed just US$324K off the back of a US$12M production budget having garnered mixed or average reviews. 

'A MUSICAL MIND : A PORTRAIT IN PROCESS' (Rated M) - is an Australian biographical music documentary Co-Written and Directed by Scott Hicks whose previous feature film making credits take in his 1974 debut with 'The Wanderer' and which he would follow up with the likes of 'Shine' in 1996, 'Snow Falling on Cedars' in 1999, 'Hearts in Atlantis' in 2001, 'No Reservations' in 2007, 'The Boys Are Back' in 2009, 'Fallen' in 2016 and most recently 'My Name's Ben Folds - I Play Piano'. Sparked by the impending 25th anniversary of the Academy award-winning blockbuster 'Shine', this vivid theatrical film explores the power of the musical brain. Featuring exclusive, intimate footage of super-star international musicians in their private worlds, it opens an intriguing portal into the musical mind. A glimpse into the private worlds and elite musical processes of four superstar musicians - Daniel Johns, Ben Folds, Simon Tedeschi and David Helfgott whose story inspired 'Shine', brought together through their connection with the blockbuster movie 'Shine' and its Director Scott Hicks.

With four 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-