What's new in Odeon's this week : Monday 1st January 2024.

As another year draws to a close it's a time to reflect on the cinematic year that was, and the hope for generally better times ahead in 2024, as the world is gripped by two wars raging in Ukraine and Israel, cinema audiences have voted with their feet given the ever increasing cost of living rises, the competition from streaming services, and the fatigue that has seemingly set into the Superhero genre, but saved to a degree by the 'Barbieheimer' effect  This year I have Reviewed forty-seven movies and Previewed 264 feature films and documentaries. All that remains for me to say is the very best to you for a very Happy New Year that is safe, healthy and prosperous, and wherever you are in the world, get out and watch a movie at your local multiplex or local independent movie theatre and support all those working tirelessly in front and behind the camera. Thanks for your ongoing support over the past twelve months and I look forward to bringing you more of the same content in the year ahead.

This week then we have just two new cinematic offerings coming to a big screen Odeon near you, with the first being a sports comedy drama film that tells the story of how, with the 2014 World Cup qualifiers approaching, down-on-his-luck coach Thomas Rongen tries to turn the American Samoa soccer team into winners. And this is followed up by dark comedy fantasy film about a mild mannered family man who finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it either of the two latest release new films kick starting the new year 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.

'NEXT GOAL WINS' (Rated M) - is an American sports comedy-drama film Directed by Taika Waititi, who also Co-Writes, Co-Produces and has a cameo role in the film. It is based on the 2014 documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison. Taika Waititi's previous feature film credits take in the likes of his 2007 debut with 'Eagle vs. Shark', then 'Boy' in 2010, 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' in 2016, 'Thor : Ragnarok' in 2017, 'JoJo Rabbit' in 2019 and 'Thor : Love and Thunder' in 2022. This film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Toronto International Film Festival in mid-September 2023 and was released Stateside in mid-November, has so far recovered approaching US$8M from its production cost of US$14M and has generated mixed or average critical reviews.

Here then, Dutch American football coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) faces the option of being fired or accepting an almost impossible task - to convert the American Samoa national team, considered one of the weakest football teams in the world, into an elite squad and to have them qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Also starring Oscar Kightley, Rachel House, Will Arnett, Elisabeth Moss, Luke Hemsworth and Kaitlyn Dever.

'DREAM SCENARIO' (Rated MA15+) - is an American black comedy fantasy film Written and Directed by the Norwegian Kristoffer Borgli in only his second feature film outing following 2022's 'Sick of Myself'. This film is Produced by Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen, Nicolas Cage, and a couple of others. It saw its World Premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September last year and went on wide release from the end of November having so far grossed US$7M at the Box Office and garnering generally positive reviews. Here a hapless family man, Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams. However, when his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, he's forced to navigate the consequences of his newfound stardom. Also starring Julianne Nicholson and Michael Cera.

With just two 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-

POOR THINGS : Tuesday 26th December 2023.

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'POOR THINGS' at my local independent movie theatre this week, and this black comedy fantasy film is Co-Produced and Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos whose prior feature film offerings take in his debut in 2001 with 'My Best Friend' and which he would follow up with 'Dogtooth' in 2009, and then his first English language film 'The Lobster' in 2015, 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer' in 2017 and 'The Favourite' in 2018. This film is based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Alasdair Gray. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Venice International Film Festival in early September this year where it won the Golden Lion. It was released Stateside earlier this month and is scheduled to be released in the UK on 12th January, having so far grossed US$6M against a production budget of US$35M and garnering universal critical acclaim.

The film opens up in London, Victorian era England where scientist and surgeon Dr. Godwin 'God' Baxter (Willem Dafoe) is performing surgery on a cadaver to an audience of students, who under their breath deride his monstrous appearance. One such student, Max McCandles (Ramy Youssef) is singled out to become his assistant on the strength of a paper he wrote which grabbed the attention of Baxter. McCandles is welcomed to the grand home of Baxter where he meets with the Doctor's maid Mrs. Prim (Vicki Pepperdine). McCandles is tasked with recording the progress made by Baxter's ward - a childlike young woman named Bella (Emma Stone, who also Co-Produces here), whose intelligence is rapidly developing almost by the day. 

In time, Baxter tells McCandles that the woman who was heavily pregnant at the time, had committed suicide by throwing herself off a bridge into the River Thames, and that she had died only moments before he retrieved the body and that rigour mortis had not yet set in. He resurrected her lifeless corpse by replacing her brain with the brain of her still-living baby, resulting in her now having the mind of an infant child. 

With Baxter's blessing, McCandles asks for Bella's hand in marriage, on the condition that that the pair never leave the house, because of the bad influences, dangers and violence that exists in the world outside the security of their own home. Bella accepts but, desiring freedom to explore the world and experience adventures in her own right as her mind matures, runs off with foppish lawyer Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo) who was brought in by Baxter to execute a marriage contract, and who became infatuated with Bella upon their first meeting. Reluctantly Baxter agrees to let Bella go. Godwin starts a new experiment with a young woman named Felicity (Margaret Qualley), whose intelligence is developing at a much slower pace than Bella's did.

So Bella and Wedderburn embark on a grand adventure, starting in Lisbon, Portugal where the two have frequent sex. Bella becomes difficult for Duncan to control as she is not yet mature enough to engage in polite social etiquette and just speaks her mind on a whim. So he smuggles her onto a cruise ship for a change of scenery. Once on board, she becomes friendly with passengers Martha (Hannah Schygulla) and Harry (Jerrod Carmichael) who open her mind to philosophy. Wedderburn becomes increasingly exasperated and begins drinking more heavily and gambling. 

During a stop at Alexandria, Egypt, where Harry and Bella are enjoying a lavish lunch, Harry shows Bella the miserable plight of the locals, the abject poverty in which they live and the resultant death of numerous young children and babies, at which Bella becomes distraught and sobs uncontrollably. Returning to her cabin she finds Wedderburn passed out on their bed in a drunken stupor covered in cash from his gambling winnings. Wracked with guilt over the poverty she witnessed she collects up all the cash and donates away the winnings, which are in turn stolen by a couple of opportunistic crew members whom Bella believed she could trust to do the right thing and pass on the cash to the people who desperately needed it the most.

Unable to afford the remaining trip, the pair are kicked off the ship at Marseille, France after which they make their way to Paris. Having run out of money, Bella begins working at a brothel clearing twenty French francs per client, which only serves to further enrage Wedderburn resulting in his mental breakdown, and which finally leads her to abandon him. At the brothel, she comes under the tutelage of Madame Swiney (Kathryn Hunter), has no shortage of clients and befriends fellow prostitute Toinette, (Suzy Bemba) who introduces her to socialism.

Meanwhile, back in London, Baxter is terminally ill. He asks McCandles to locate Bella and to return her to him. McCandles does so after tracking down Wedderburn, who has been confined to an institution following his breakdown. Upon her return to London, Bella reconciles with Baxter and renews her vows with McCandles. The two are interrupted by Wedderburn and General Alfie Blessington (Christopher Abbott) at the alter on their wedding day, at which Baxter is giving away Bella. 

Blessington, who calls Bella by her former name of Victoria, reveals that they were married before her disappearance and that he has come to reclaim her after Wedderburn posted an ad with a picture of Bella in the newspaper. Bella abandons Max at the alter before exchanging their vows to learn of her past life. She quickly comes to the realisation that her former husband has a violent and sadistic streak and that she had in fact committed suicide to escape their unhappy marriage and to save her unborn child from a life of misery. He basically imprisons Bella to the confines of his mansion and threatens her at gunpoint to submit to genital mutilation after which he will plant his seed inside her, and demands she drink a chloroform-laced cocktail to sedate her for the procedure. She tosses the cocktail in his face, causing him to shoot himself in the foot before succumbing to the chloroform. 

Baxter dies peacefully with Bella and McCandles at his side, with his final words being that his surgery is now hers and that his life has been interesting. Bella decides to carry on Baxters work with the help of McCandles, Toinette and Mrs. Prim. Blessington is seen on the operating table where his brain is swapped with that of a goat, while Felicity's intelligence is finally improving. Bella is seen in the garden of her London home with a cocktail in one hand and studying from a book for her final medical exams. 

For me 'Poor Things' failed to land in the same way that it does with the majority of other critics who have given the film its almost universal blessing. That said, you can't help but admire Director Yorgos Lanthimos and his creation of a steampunk bizarro world of OTT characters, locales and emotions writ large mostly by a never been better and a career defining performance by Emma Stone, an equally far removed from his usual roles Mark Ruffalo, and the always dependable Willem Dafoe channeling Doctor Frankenstein. The production values and costume designs are all top notch and look as though Lanthimos squeezed out very cent from his US$35M production budget to bring us a film that looks greater than the sum of its parts. However, this film is hard to pigeon hole, and at a run time of 141 minutes and a film that feels more like an absurdist sex comedy than an intellectual coming of age fantasy drama I couldn't help but feel just a little meh! after all the explicit sex scenes and the vividly rendered set pieces.

'Poor Things' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Tuesday 26th December 2023.

It's hard to believe that Christmas is upon us once again, and as such it would be remiss of me not to wish my global readership all the very best wishes for a Merry, Happy and safe Christmas, wherever you are in world, whatever it is you do to celebrate the occasion, and whoever you share it with. Thanks for your ongoing support over the past twelve months - it is your viewership that makes my reviews and previews of the latest release new movies worthwhile, and I look forward to doing more of the same throughout 2024. Until then, Merry Christmas, best wishes and complements of the season, from Sydney, Australia. 

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.

Turning the attention then back to the final seven new release movies of 2023, we kick start with a dark comedy fantasy offering about the fantastical evolution of a young woman brought back to life by a brilliant and unorthodox scientist, and who then embarks on a whirlwind adventure across the continents with a lawyer. Then we have the fifteenth film in the DCEU and a sequel charting the continuing story of the King of Atlantis who must join forces with his brother to overcome an old foe who has become more powerful over time and who threatens the world order and their underwater kingdom. Next up we have a British film that tells the story of a humanitarian who helped save hundreds of Central European children from the Nazis on the eve of World War II. We then turn to an American RomCom of a seemingly perfect couple, but after an amazing first date something happens that turns their fiery attraction ice cold. This is followed by a film that centres on two young people's bond that leads to marital infidelity and ultimately crime. And closing out the week we have a pair of animated features - the first from the House of the Mouse about a young girl who wishes on a star and gets a more direct answer than she bargained for when a trouble-making star comes down from the sky to join her; and then we have a family of ducks who try to convince their overprotective father to go on the vacation of a lifetime.

'POOR THINGS' (Rated MA15+) - is a black comedy fantasy film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos whose prior feature film offerings take in his debut in 2001 with 'My Best Friend' and which he would follow up with 'Dogtooth' in 2009, and then his first English language film 'The Lobster' in 2015, 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer' in 2017 and 'The Favourite' in 2018. This film is based on the 1992 novel of the same name by Alasdair Gray. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Venice International Film Festival in early September this year where it won the Golden Lion. It was released Stateside earlier this month and is scheduled to be released in the UK on 12th January, having so far grossed US$4M against a production budget of US$35M and garnering universal critical acclaim.

Here then, the incredible story and fantastical evolution of Bella Baxter (Emma Stone, who also Co-Produces here), as a young woman brought back to life by the brilliant and unorthodox scientist Dr. Godwin Baxter (Willem Dafoe). Under Baxter's protection, Bella is eager to learn. Hungry for the worldliness she is lacking, Bella runs off with Duncan Wedderburn (Mark Ruffalo), a slick and debauched lawyer, on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, Bella grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for self-discovery, equality and sexual liberation. Also starring Ramy Youssef, Christopher Abbott, Jerrod Carmichael and Margaret Qualley. 

'AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM' (Rated M) - this American Superhero film is based on the DC character of Aquaman, is the fifteenth and final instalment in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe) with the new chapter in the DC Universe kicking off with 'Superman : Legacy' slated for a 2025 release under the new joint Chairmanship of James Gunn and Peter Safran, with James Gunn Directing. This film is the sequel to 2018's 'Aquaman' which grossed US$1.15B off the back of a production budget of US$160M making it the most successful film to date in the DCEU, and is once again Co-Produced, based on a story and Directed by Australian film maker James Wan. Several years after the events of the first film, Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa) is forced to protect Atlantis and his loved ones from devastation after an ancient power is unleashed by David Kane/Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) obtaining the cursed Black Trident. In order to achieve this, he will have to seek help from an unlikely ally, his half-brother Orm Marius aka Ocean Master (Patrick Wilson). Also starring Nicole Kidman, Amber Heard, Dolph Lundgren, Randall Park and Temuera Morrison. The film went on general release in the US last week, has so far grossed US$14M off the back of a production cost of US$205M and has generated mixed reviews.

'ONE LIFE' (Rated PG) - is a British biographical drama film Directed by James Hawes in his feature film debut although he has been Directing both single and multiple episodes of TV series for a number of years taking in the likes of 'Doctor Who', 'Merlin', 'Penny Dreadful', 'Black Mirror', 'The Alienist', 'Snowpiercer' and 'Slow Horses' most recently. This film is based on the book 'If It’s Not Impossible…The Life of Sir Nicholas Winton' by Barbara Winton and tells the story of British stockbroker Nicholas Winton (Anthony Hopkins, and Johnny Flynn as the young Winton) as he looks back on his past efforts to help groups of Jewish children in German-occupied Czechoslovakia to hide and flee in 1938–39, just before the beginning of World War II, in an operation that came to be known as 'Kindertransport'. Also starring Helena Bonham Carter, Lena Olin, Jonathan Pryce, Romola Garai, Alex Sharp and Samantha Spiro. The film had its World Premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival on 9th September, and is released in the UK on 5th January.

'ANYONE BUT YOU' (Rated MA15+) - this American RomCom is Co-Written and Directed by Will Gluck whose previous feature film offerings take in his debut with 'Fired Up' in 2009 followed by 'Easy A' in 2010, 'Friends with Benefits' in 2011, 'Annie' in 2014 and 'Peter Rabbit' and 'Peter Rabbit 2 : The Runaway' in 2018 and 2021 respectively. Despite an amazing first date, Bea (Sydney Sweeney) and Ben's (Glen Powell) initial attraction quickly turns sour. However, when they unexpectedly find themselves at a destination wedding in Sydney, Australia, they pretend to be the perfect couple to keep up appearances. Also starring Alexandra Shipp, Dermot Mulroney, Rachel Griffiths and Bryan Brown. The film cost US$25M to produce and was released Stateside last week. 

'COUP DE CHANCE' (Rated PG) - is a French comedy drama film Written and Directed by Woody Allen who has made fifty feature films since his debut in 1966 with 'What's Up, Tiger Lily?' and whose other credits take in the likes of 'Annie Hall', 'The Purple Rose of Cairo', 'Hannah and her Sisters', 'Crimes and Misdemeanors', 'Bullets Over Broadway', 'The Curse of the Jade Scorpion', 'Match Point', 'Vicky Cristina Barcelona', 'Blue Jasmine' and 'Cafe Society' amongst many others. All up Allen has been the recipient of 143 award wins including four Oscar wins and another 223 nominations during his long and distinguished career. Here then, Fanny (Lou de Laage) and Jean (Melvil Poupard) look like the ideal married couple. They’re both professionally accomplished, they live in a gorgeous apartment in an exclusive neighbourhood of Paris, and they seem to be in love just as much as they were when they first met. But when Fanny accidentally bumps into Alain (Niels Schneider), a former high school classmate, she’s swept off her feet. They soon see each other again and get closer and closer, ultimately leading to marital infidelity and . . . violence. The film saw its World Premiere at this years Venice International Film Festival in early September, was released in France later that same month, has so far grossed US$6M and has garnered generally favourable reviews.

'WISH' (Rated PG) - this American animated musical fantasy film is Produced by Walt Disney Animation Studios and is Directed by Chris Buck and Fawn Veerasunthorn (in her feature Directorial debut). Chris Buck's prior feature film offerings are his Directing debut with 'Tarzan' in 1999, then 'Surf's Up' in 2007, 'Frozen' in 2013 and 'Frozen II' in 2019. Here, young Asha (voiced by Ariana DeBose) makes a wish so powerful that it's answered by a cosmic force, a little ball of boundless energy called Star. With Star's help, Asha must save her kingdom from King Magnifico (Chris Pine) and prove that when the will of one courageous human connects with the magic of the stars, wondrous things can happen. Also starring the voice talents of Alan Tudyk, Victor Garber, Natasha Rothwell, Evan Peters and Ramy Youssef. The film cost about US$190M to Produce, has so far grossed US$129M since its US release at the end of November and has generated mixed or average reviews. 

'MIGRATION' (Rated G) - is an American animated adventure comedy film Produced by Illumination and Directed by Benjamin Renner whose previous feature film making credits take in 'Ernest & Celestine' in 2012 and 'The Big Bad Fox and Other Tales' in 2017. The story follows a family of mallards who try to convince their overprotective father Mack (voiced by Kumail Nanjiani) to go on a vacation of a lifetime and attempt to migrate from New England to Jamaica. However, with the best laid plans quickly going awry when they get lost and wind up in New York City. The experience soon inspires them to expand their horizons, open themselves up to new friends, and accomplish more than they ever thought possible. Also starring the voices of Elizabeth Banks, Awkwafina, Keegan-Michael Key, David Mitchell, Carol Kane, Caspar Jennings, Tresi Gazal, and Danny DeVito. The film was released Stateside on 22nd December, has so far grossed US$21M off the back of a US$72M production budget and garnered generally positive reviews. 

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-

WONKA : Tuesday 19th December 2023.

I saw the PG Rated 'WONKA' earlier this week, and this musical fantasy film is Co-Written, based on a story and Directed by Paul King in his fourth feature film outing following his 2009 debut with 'Bunny and the Bull', then 'Paddington' in 2014 and 'Paddington 2' in 2017. This film tells the origin story of Willy Wonka, a character in the 1964 iconic novel 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' by Roald Dahl - one of the best selling children's books of all time. It had its World Premiere showcasing in London on 28th November, and was released in the UK on 8th December and here in Australia and the US last week, cost US$125M to produce, has so far grossed US$162M and has generated largely positive reviews.

Willy Wonka (Timothee Chalamet), an aspiring magician, inventor, and chocolatier, arrives by boat in Europe to establish his chocolate shop at the famed Galeries Gourmet. Burning through his meagre savings of just twelve silver sovereigns on his first day in the big city, he is offered an overnight stay at Mrs. Scrubitt's (Olivia Colman) boarding house by her henchman Bleacher (Tom Davis), and signs a lengthy contract despite orphan Noodle's (Calah Lane) warning about the need to read the fine print, which he merely glances over and duly signs. The cost of his one night stay is one silver sovereign, which Wonka commits to paying the next night and then he'll be on his way. 

To pay off his debt, the next day Wonka introduces 'hoverchocs' chocolates that make his customers fly at Galeries Gourmet. Facing mockery from three rival chocolatiers - Arthur Slugworth (Paterson Joseph), Gerald Prodnose (Matt Lucas) and Felix Fickelgruber (Mathew Baynton) who call the Chief of Police (Keegan-Michael Key) to confiscate his earnings for disrupting their businesses and conducting his business without a chocolate shop. 

Returning to Mrs. Scrubitt's later that evening with not a penny to his name and unable to pay for his board and lodging, Mrs. Scrubitt announces that the cost of Wonka's one night stay has escalated to 10,000 silver sovereigns due to the fees and penalties imposed on him under the terms of the agreed contract as signed by him. Wonka is therefore ordered to work in a launderette in the bowels of the her building from which there is no escape, and for the next twenty-seven years being the length of time it will take him to pay of his debt. He therefore joins five other captives all locked up for similar reasons, including Noodle. He learns of a 'Chocolate Cartel' from Abacus Crunch (Jim Carter) an accountant as one of the other five, of a plot involving the rival chocolatiers. Wonka makes Scrubitt and Bleacher fall in love by faking a story of how Bleacher is in fact an Austrian Prince, and facilitates his escape to sell chocolate with the help of Noodle, who will receive a lifetime supply of chocolates for her efforts. 

The Cartel exploits the Chief of Police's weakness for chocolate to force Wonka to leave town while Wonka tells Noodle that his passion for chocolate stems from his late mother (Sally Hawkins), who gave him one last chocolate bar, and vowed to be there with him when he became successful. Wonka tells Noodle about the theft of his chocolates by an enigmatic orange man with green hair who steals them from him at night and has been doing so for about the last four years. To produce his signature chocolate, Wonka needs a supply of giraffe milk, and so joined by Noodle, the pair visit the local zoo at night and once they have befriended and calmed Abigail the giraffe, Wonka begins milking her, filling up a small urn. 

Together with the other four captives, the group embark on selling chocolates to ultimately pay off their debts while using the underground storm drain covers to evade Scrubitt, the Cartel and the Chief. Trapping an Oompa Loompa named Lofty (Hugh Grant) as the thief in a upturned glass bell jar, Wonka discovers that the Oompa Loompa seeks pay back for the four cocoa beans Wonka took years ago under Lofty's watch while he napped on the remote island home of the Loompas. Lofty ingeniously dupes Wonka, so facilitating his escape.

Using the monies raised from selling his chocolates, the group of captives open Wonka's dream chocolate shop in the Galaries Gourmet opposite the three owned by the Cartel, The Chief and the Chocolate Cartel, informed of Wonka's endeavours and now unable to arrest him since he has a legitimate shop, denounce him to Scrubitt. Infusing his chocolates with Yeti sweat, Scrubitt incites chaos among the customers through a side effect being the rapid growth a multi-coloured facial hair among men, women and children. The customers quickly revolt, leading to the complete destruction of Wonka's new store. 

Facing much adversity, Wonka reluctantly agrees to the Cartel's offer to leave town by ship to pay off everyone's debts, and never to make chocolate again. Everyone is released from the launderette except for Noodle. Cartel member Slugworth pays Scrubbit to keep her there indefinitely. Before jumping off the dynamite rigged boat with Lofty, Wonka has a conversation with him during which in dawns on him that Noodle is Slugworth's niece. Noodle, who was reported dead to her birth mother Dorothy, was sold by Slugworth to Scrubitt in order to eliminate her claim to the family fortune. After rescuing Noodle with the help of the group, they devise a strategy to obtain the Cartel's incriminating set of real accounts rather than the fake set. 

The group set up a distraction at the local cathedral involving Father Julius (Rowan Atkinson) - a priest in cahoots with the Cartel and who is also addicted to chocolate, and Abigail who crashes a funeral for a local dignatory. This enables Wonka and Noodle to infiltrate the Cartel's base located directly under the cathedral, where they are confronted by the Cartel and almost drowned in thousands of gallons of released melted chocolate. Through the use of hoverchocs, Wonka enables Lofty to rescue them and unveils the Cartel's misdeeds. Exposing their actions to the authorities and the public, they release the Cartel's chocolate reserves through a fountain, which Wonka sprinkles his unique ingredients into, and so wrecking the Cartel's business once and for all. 

The Cartel, levitated uncontrollably by the super strength hoverchocs, meet their downfall, and the Police arrests their now seriously overweight Chief for his part in their business dealings, as duly recorded in the official set of accounts. The crowd revels in tasting Wonka's chocolate fountain, and Wonka has a vision of his mother in the crowd as they blow each other a kiss. He then unwraps his mother's chocolate bar, discovering a Golden Ticket with a message that says chocolate is best shared. Sharing his mother's chocolate with friends, Wonka helps Noodle reunite with her mother Dorothy whom they traced to a library close by and settles his debt with Lofty. 

With Lofty now ready to return to his island home, Wonka ask him to join him as his Chief Taster and to enjoy a lifetime of free chocolate, to which Lofty readily agrees. Wonka then acquires an abandoned castle to commence building a new chocolate factory. In a mid-credits scene, we see what became of the five members of Wonka's group and how Scrubitt and Bleacher are arrested after their attempt to destroy evidence of sabotaging Wonka's shop backfires.

I have to say that I had fairly low expectations going in to see 'Wonka' but came out having been pleasantly surprised. Here Director Paul King has crafted an origin story worthy of its predecessors with top rate production values, song and dance routines that don't feel over bloated or simply space fillers but help move the story along and showcase Timothee Chalamet's singing and dancing abilities that only serve to prove his versatility as a notable screen presence. This soft centred film has heart, whimsy and has genuine moments that made me chuckle even if the plot is a little thin on the ground, but that said you'll be hard pressed not to be carried along by this live action family friendly film that is a perfect fit for the festive season. 

'Wonka' 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 21st December 2023.

The 36th European Film Awards, presented by the European Film Academy to recognise achievements in European filmmaking, were held in Berlin on Saturday 9th December at the Arena Berlin - this being the twenty-second time that the awards ceremony have taken place in Germany. 

The European Film Awards, presented jointly by the European Film Academy and European Film Academy Productions, honour the greatest achievements in European cinema. The awards are presented across 24 categories, with the main ones being detailed as below :-

Best Film - awarded to 'Anatomy of a Fall' from France and Directed by Justine Triet, beating out 'Fallen Leaves', 'Green Border', 'Me Captain' and 'The Zone of Interest'.

Best European Director - awarded to Justine Triet for 'Anatomy of a Fall'.

Best European Screenwriter - awarded to Arthur Harari and Justine Triet for 'Anatomy of a Fall'.

Best European Actor - awarded to Mads Mikkelsen for 'The Promised Land', beating out Thomas Schubert for 'Afire', Jussi Vatanen for 'Fallen Leaves', Josh O'Connor for 'La chimera' and Christian Friedel for 'The Zone of Interest'.

Best European Actress - awarded to Sandra Huller for 'Anatomy of a Fall', beating out Eka Chavleishvili for 'Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry', Alma Poysti for 'Fallen Leaves', Mia McKenna-Bruce for 'How to Have Sex', Leonie Benesch for 'The Teachers' Lounge' and Sandra Huller for 'The Zone of Interest'. 

European Cinematography - awarded to Rasmus Videbaek for 'The Promised Land'.

European Editing - awarded to Laurent Senechal for 'Anatomy of a Fall'.

European Production Design - awarded to Emita Frigato for 'La chimera'.

European Costume Design - awarded to Kicki Ilander for 'The Promised Land'.

European Original Score - awarded to Markus Binder for 'Club Zero'.

European Sound - awarded to Johnnie Burn and Tarn Willers for 'The Zone of Interest'.

European Visual Effects - awarded to Felix Berges and Laura Pedro for 'Society of the Snow'.

Best Make-up & Hair - awarded to Ana Lopez-Puigcerver, Belen Lopez-Puigcerver, David Marti and Montse Ribe for 'Society of the Snow'.

European Animated Feature Film - awarded to 'Robot Dreams' Directed by Pablo Berger, beating out 'The Amazing Maurice', 'Chicken for Linda!', 'A Greyhound of a Girl' and 'White Plastic Sky'.

European Documentary - awarded to 'Smoke Sauna Sisterhood' Directed by Anna Hints, beating out 'Apolonia, Apolonia', 'Four Daughters', 'Motherland' and 'On the Adamant'.

The Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Vanessa Redgrave, and the European Achievement in World Cinema Award was presented to Isabel Coixet.

For the full synopsis of the aforementioned films, plus those others in contention and a whole lot more, you can go to the official website at : https://europeanfilmawards.eu/

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

This week there are just two new movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, kicking off with a Spanish film based on the true story of how in 1972 the flight of a rugby team crashes on a glacier in the Andes, and for the few passengers who survive the crash find themselves in one of the world's toughest environments to survive. Closing out the week we have a Chinese offering also based on real life events that sees a group of disgraced former cops become vigilante crime fighters in the long hunt for the brutal killer who eluded them years before.

'SOCIETY OF THE SNOW' (Rated M) - is a Spanish survival thriller film Co-Written for the screen and Directed by J.A. Bayona whose previous feature film making credits are 'The Orphanage' in 2007, 'The Impossible' in 2012, 'A Monster Calls' in 2016 and 'Jurassic World : Fallen Kingdom' in 2018. This film is an adaptation of Pablo Vierci's 2009 book of the same name. The film closed the Venice International Film Festival in early September this year in an Out of Competition slot. It is scheduled for release in various territories before streaming on Netflix from 4th January 2024. It was selected as the Spanish entry for the Best International Feature Film at next years Academy Awards.

In 1972, the Uruguayan Air Force Flight 571, chartered to fly a rugby team to Chile, catastrophically crashes on a glacier in the heart of the Andes. Only 29 of the 45 passengers survived the crash and finding themselves in one of the world's toughest environments, they are forced to resort to extreme measures to stay alive. The cast is composed of Uruguayan and Argentine Actors, most of whom are newcomers, and the film cost somewhere in the region of US$70M to produce.

'ENDLESS JOURNEY' (Rated M) - this Chinese crime drama film is Directed by Dai Mo whose prior credits take in 'Fireflies in the Sun' and the online series 'Detective Chinatown'. The story follows a group of former Police Officers on their years long pursuit of a murder suspect. Initially investigating a horrifying rape and murder case, they were imprisoned after a failed interrogation resulted in a suspect's death. Emerging as underdogs post-sentence, they, undeterred, reunite as vigilantes under the team leader's inspiration, Cheng Bing (Zhang Yi). Their dedication and perseverance over a time frame spanning twelve years, unfolds in the film as they uncover the truth. 

With just two 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-

SILENT NIGHT : Tuesday 12th December 2023.

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'SILENT NIGHT' earlier this week, and this American action film is Co-Produced and Directed by John Woo whose prior feature film output includes 'A Better Tomorrow' and 'A Better Tomorrow II' in 1986 and '87, 'The Killer' in 1989, 'Bullet in the Head' in 1990, 'Hard Boiled' in 1992, and then his first Hollywood actioner 'Hard Target' in 1993 followed by 'Broken Arrow' in 1996, 'Face/Off' in 1997, 'Mission : Impossible 2' in 2000, 'Paycheck' in 2003 with 'Red Cliff : Part I' and 'Red Cliff : Part II' in 2008 and 2009 amongst a whole swathe of others. This film is John Woo's first American production since 'Paycheck' twenty years ago, and was released in the US on 1st December and here in Australia last week, has so far grossed US$7.5M and has garnered mixed reviews.

The films opens up with a man wearing a Christmas jersey with a jingle bell dangling from his neck running down the alleyways and streets of a city with bloodied hands and blood stains on his clothes. Meanwhile two cars are involved in rampaging gang related shootout, with the running man clearly intent on tracking them down. He does so, but in the aftermath the gang's leader easily identifiable by the tattoo's of an intricate spiders web covering his neck, head and half his face clambers out of the wreckage of one of the vehicles and shoots the running man in the throat, and leaves him bleeding out. 

The man, we learn is Brian Godlock (Joel Kinnaman), who survives and is operated on and stitched back up in hospital, but his vocal chords are so badly damaged that his is no longer able to speak. We later learn through flashbacks that Brian is an electrician and is living a happy life in the city of Las Palomas, Texas with his wife Saya (Catalina Sandino Moreno) and young son Taylor Michael. On Christmas Eve 2021, Brian and Taylor are using a new bicycle on their front lawn, which Saya is recording on her smartphone. They are caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting in the middle of a gang war and Taylor is killed by a stray bullet, which prompted Brian to chase after the perpetrators. 

Brian is discharged from hospital on 26th January and returns home with Saya to a lifeless house, with now very sad looking Christmas decorations still hanging up, and presents for their son still under the tree. Brian and Saya grieve over Taylor's death and Saya tries to be emotionally supportive to Brian during his physical recovery, but Brian becomes cold and distant and begins drinking heavily and locking himself away in their garage. Easter comes and goes, and at this point Brian has an awakening and becomes focused squarely on pursuing revenge for Taylor.

Saya becomes emotionally overwhelmed and leaves

Brian, who plans to kill all the gang members involved in Taylor's death on Christmas Eve in 2022. Over the course of the next eight months Brian builds up his strength and stamina through rigorous bodybuilding exercises, familiarising himself with deadly weapons and sharp shooting, self-defence training and mastering his defensive driving skills in his souped-up pre-owned Ford Mustang. 

At one point, Brian visits Detective Dennis Vassel (Scott Mescudi), who offered to help in his son's case, but with the Detective unavailable Brian instead uses this opportunity to gather information on Playa's (Harold Torres) gang and begins reconnaissance on them, collecting evidence that will help put them behind bars (if they live to see the day that is!) Saya attempts to contact Brian, expressing that she and his parents are worried about him, but he continues to ignore her text messages. 

Brian attacks and abducts a member of Playa's gang, hurting and threatening him in an attempt to gather written information on the gang's underworld activities. The thug briefly manages to escape from the garage where he was bound, gagged and strung up only for Brian to subdue him in a fight through the laundry and into the kitchen. Brian later delivers the bound and unconscious thug to Vassel's house, along with a Christmas card, containing his intent to kill Playa and his gang, and a USB stick with the evidence he has collected, along with the thug's bloodstained written contributions to his information. He also sends two of the thug's amputated fingers to Playa, intimidating him.

Brian spends the entire night of Christmas Eve 2022 killing the members of Playa's gang one by one, at times interrupting their crimes in the process. After stealing a cell phone from a thug and using it to record a video of him being shot twice in the back and sending it to Playa, the gang leader sends a group text for his men to return to his HQ. Brian takes the opportunity to trap and kill them all there. 

Following much close quarter combat involving guns, knives, fists, feet and the occasional explosive device as Brian inches ever closer to Playa, he is confronted by Detective Vassel, following up on the information sent by Brian earlier in the day. Initially pointing their drawn weapons at each another, they both silently put them down and agree to work together to finish off Playa. 

Playa's drug-addled girlfriend manages to get the drop on them, shooting them both with an automatic weapon. Brian sneaks around and holds her at gunpoint, as she drops her gun and fakes surrender looking all lost and innocent. When Brian hesitates to kill her, she unveils a hidden sidearm and attacks him with it. Brian is able to plug her with a couple of rounds, one through the forehead, and then confronts Playa. In the shootout between them, Playa manages to get the upper hand and is about to shoot Brian in the neck again, but Detective Vassel shoots Playa, allowing Brian to finish him off by strangling him with his bare hands.

Brian and Detective Vassel fall to the floor and look up at the ceiling and the huge Christmas bauble decorations hanging down from above while they both bleed out dying. Brian sees reflections of his memories of his time with Taylor and hallucinates an alternate future, where he and Taylor are both still alive. Brian experiences visions of Taylor graduating from college and giving Brian a grandson who they bond together with. Saya opens a letter that Brian wrote to her before he went on his Christmas Eve rampage, where he apologises for how cold he had become in their marriage and thanks her for loving him. Brian further tells her that he knows no one can make Taylor's death right, but that he is going to die trying. Saya takes the letter to Taylor's grave, where Brian had earlier brought his previously unopened Christmas present from the year before (a toy train set) that he built and set up around his grave. 

'Silent Night' is a gritty, brutal revenge thriller completely devoid of any dialogue so allowing the Director, John Woo, to let the actions and mannerisms speaks louder than any words can. And on that level he largely succeeds, with any communication between all parties done by text messaging. What lets the film down though is the pacing from when Brian returns home at the end of January to sometime in December when we have an hour or so of our protagonist diving inside a bottle, to his epiphany, to his revenge fuelled training regime, to his intel gathering all intertwined with emotion writ large on the face of a dour looking Kinnaman, before the action kicks into gear finally in the final thirty minutes. And it's in the opening ten minutes and that closing half hour that the John Woo who we all know and love from his often stellar work in defining '80's and '90's action cinema, that represents a return to form for the now 77 year old Director. 

'Silent Night' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-