What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 17th October 2024

The 31st annual Austin Film Festival takes place this year from Thursday 24th October through until Thursday 31st October, in Austin, Texas, USA. The Austin Film Festival, since its inception in 1994,  furthers the art and craft of storytelling by inspiring and championing the work of writers, filmmakers, and all artists who use written and visual language to tell a story. We were the first organisation of its kind to focus on the writer’s contribution to film and television, and we pursued this focus with the intention of creating not only a community for writers to engage with one another, but to build a bridge from craft to career. We have been lucky enough to build a family of storytellers from multiple mediums, who come together in both a pursuit and celebration of story. Currently in our 31st year, we are best known for our annual Film Festival and Writers Conference which plays host to the largest screenwriters conference in the world, featuring over 200 panelists and panels that, along with film and television, now also explore storytelling mediums such as plays, podcasts, and digital series. Partnered with a film programme that has welcomed artists on the front lines of shaping culture, we are proud not only of our festival’s ability to celebrate story at such a scale, but the opportunities it provides for story development and career advancement - so reads the official website.

This years Opening Night Film presentation is 'The Piano Lesson' from Writer and Director Malcolm Washington, stars Samuel L. Jackson, John David Washington, Corey Hawkins and Danielle Deadwyler and centres around a family who clash over an heirloom piano. The battle between brother and sister, one hopes to sell it, the other refuses to give it up, unleashes haunting truths about how the past is perceived and who defines a family legacy. The Closing Night Film is 'The Room Next Door' Written and Directed by Pedro Almodovar and stars Julianne Moore and Tilda Swinton. Here Ingrid and Martha were close friends in their youth, when they worked together at the same magazine. Ingrid went on to become an autobiographical fiction novelist while Martha became a war reporter. After years of being out of touch, they meet again in an extreme but strangely sweet situation.

Of the twenty-two feature films being presented in the 'Marquee' section the following titles are included, among others :-

* 'The Knife' - from the USA and Written, Directed and starring Nnamdi Asomugha with Melissa Leo, Aja Naomi King and Manny Jacinto.

* 'Unstoppable' - from the USA and Directed by William Goldenberg and starring Jharrel Jerome, Jennifer Lopez, Don Cheadle, Bobby Cannavale and Michael Pena. 

* 'September 5' - from the USA and Co-Written and Directed by Tim Fehlbaum and starring Peter Sarsgaard, John Magaro and Ben Chaplin.

* 'The Brutalist' - from the USA, the UK and Hungary and Co-Written and Directed by Brady Corbet and starring Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce and Joe Alwyn.

* 'Lake George' - from the USA and Written and Directed by Jeffrey Reiner and starring Shea Whigham, Carrie Coon, Glenn Fleshler and Max Casella.

* 'Bird' - from Ireland and Written and Directed by Andrea Arnold and starring Nykiya Adams, Franz Rogowski and Barry Keoghan.

* 'The Order' - from the USA and Directed by Justin Kurzel and starring Jude Law, Nicholas Hoult, Tye Sheridan, Jurnee Smollett and Marc Maron.

* 'A Real Pain' - from the USA and Written, Directed and starring Jesse Eisenberg with Kieran Culkin. 

* 'Blitz' - from the UK and Written and Directed by Steve McQueen and starring Saoirse Ronan, Paul Weller, Elliott Heffernan and Harris Dickinson.

* 'Nickel Boys' - from the USA and Co-Written and Directed by RaMell Ross and starring Ethan Herisse, Brandon Wilson, Hamish Linklater, Fred Hechinger, Daveed Diggs, and Aunjanue Ellis-Taylor.

* 'The Last Showgirl' - from the USA and Directed by Gia Coppola and starring Pamela Anderson, Jamie Lee Curtis, Dave Bautista, Brenda Song, Kiernan Shipka and Billie Lourd.

* 'Maria' - from the USA and Directed by Pablo Larrain and starring Angelina Jolie, Kodi Smit-McPhee, Alba Rohrwacher, Pierfrancesco Favino and Valeria Golino.

* 'Nightbitch' - from the USA and Written and Directed by Marielle Heller and starring Amy Adams, Scoot McNairy, Arleigh Patrick Snowden, Emmett James Snowden and Zoe Chao.

For the full synopsis of these films, plus the others in the Marquee section and the other film strands being showcased, together with a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can go to the official website at : https://austinfilmfestival.com/

This week to tease you out to your local Odeon, there are no fewer than nine new release movies coming to a big screen close to home, kicking off with a crime thriller about a man diagnosed with a rapidly evolving form of dementia, and so this contract killer gets the chance to redeem himself by saving the life of his estranged son. Then we have a horror offering about a global pop sensation who is about to embark on a new world tour, and who begins to experience increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Next up is an Aussie drama in which a desperate woman kidnaps and enforces rehab on her violent brother in a last-ditch effort to save their lives. This is followed by a Vietnamese fantasy horror inspired by the famous fairy tale Tam Cam, this reimagining follows Cam, the half-sister of Tam, as she navigates a dark and twisted world filled with familiar yet terrifying new characters and elements. Then we turn to a German biographical film about Hilde Coppi, who along with her husband Hans Coppi belonged to Red Orchestra, a German resistance group to Nazism. Following on, we have an Aussie doco taking us from the Tiwi Islands to Melbourne, Victoria and back again, as four young women who seek to make it in elite sport must face uncertain futures; before another Aussie offering - this time an animated feature about how after a series of misfortunes, a snail-collecting, melancholic misfit learns how to find confidence within herself amid the clutter of everyday life. Next is an American historical drama that takes us back to 19th century New England where courage, hope, war, and true love collide in a tale of epic proportions, before closing out the week with a long thought to be lost documentary from an acclaimed Director that charts the recording, promotion and touring of this popular Rock & Roll bands fifth studio album in 1982.

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.

'KNOX GOES AWAY' aka 'ASSASSINS PLAN' aka 'A KILLER'S MEMORY' (Rated M) : is an American crime thriller film Co-Produced, Directed and starring Michael Keaton who made his Directorial debut in 2008 with 'The Merry Gentleman'. This film saw its World Premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2023, had a limited cinema release in the US in mid-March this year, has so far grossed US$654K and has garnered mixed critical reviews.

The film follows a contract killer John Knox (Michael Keaton) with a rapidly evolving form of dementia, who vows to spend his final days attempting to redeem himself by saving the life of his estranged adult son Miles (James Marsden). The film also stars Ray McKinnon, Marcia Gay Harden and Al Pacino.

'SMILE 2' (Rated MA15+) - this American psychological supernatural horror film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Parker Finn, who also helmed the 2022 first instalment 'Smile' in his feature film debut which went on to gross US$217M worldwide from a production budget of US$17M. Here then, about to embark on a new world tour, global pop sensation Skye Riley (Naomi Scott) begins to experience increasingly terrifying and inexplicable events. Overwhelmed by the escalating horrors and pressures of fame, she must face her dark past to regain control of her life before it spirals out of control. Also starring Rosemarie DeWitt, Kyle Gallner, Lukas Gage and Raul Castillo. It is released in the US this week too.

'HE AIN'T HEAVY' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian drama film Witten and Directed by David Vincent Smith in his feature film making debut. Here, Jade (Leila George) has never been able to travel overseas. She’s too worried about her meth-addicted brother Max (Sam Corlett), always on call to take him to hospital or provide first aid after he’s self-harmed. In desperation, she finally confines Max in a room inside the rural house left by their grandmother. But then Jade’s mother (Greta Scacchi) arrives, and she’s appalled that her son is caged up like an animal. This film is based on the short film by Smith from 2019 'I'm Not Hurting You', and it saw its World Premiere screening at this years Sydney Film Festival in June. 

'THE SISTERS' (Rated MA15+) - this Vietnamese fantasy horror thriller film is is Co-Written and Directed by Tran Huu Tan and centres around a  series of unexplained missing cases and disturbing deaths which start to occur in a faraway village when the Chief's dead daughter comes back to life, unveiling shocking secrets of the village's Forest Demon and the ritual of human sacrifice related to the prosperity of the Chief's family. Staring Cuong Quoc as the Village Chief and Lam Thanh My and Rima Thanh Vy as the sisters Cam and Tam respectively. 

'FROM HILDE, WITH LOVE' (Rated MA15+) - is a German autobiographical film Directed by Andreas Dresen and is based on true events set in early 1942 in Berlin, where Hilde Coppi (Liv Lisa Fries), a young medical assistant, became part of a rebel group that was later known as the 'Red Orchestra'. There she met and fell in love with Hans Coppi (Johannes Hegemann), who later became her husband. They enjoyed a wonderful summer together, despite the danger of their activities and the risk of being caught. Eventually captured by the Gestapo, Hilde was imprisoned while pregnant. She gave birth to a son in Barnimstrasse women's prison, and soon after, she was condemned to death. In her final months, being a mother gave her the strength to face her destiny. The film saw its Premiere screening at this years Berlin International Film Festival back in February and is released in its native Germany this week too.

'LIKE MY BROTHER' (Rated G) - this Australian documentary film is Directed by Sal Balharrie and Danielle MacLean and is Written by Sal Balharrie. This personal portrayal of the lives of four Indigenous Australian girls from the remote Tiwi Islands, whose love for football propels them to dare to dream - to shatter conventions, tread uncharted territories, and shoulder the hope of a community in their pursuit to play in the AFLW (Australian Football League Womens). Filmed over six years, the documentary follows Freda, Jess, Julie, and Rina as they face the challenges of social and physical obstacles in their way. Their shared aspiration turns into a reality for some, but those lucky enough to realise their dream are quickly confronted by the profound cultural shift of relocating to Melbourne, to become elite athletes, playing for the Essendon Football Club. Throughout their journey, the players are tested by the delicate balance between their love for footy and the obligations to family and their community back home.

'MEMOIR OF A SNAIL' (Rated M) - is an Australian adult stop-motion animated tragicomedy film Written, Produced and Directed by Adam Elliot, whose five films, both shorts and a feature, have collectively participated in over seven hundred film festivals and have received over one hundred awards, including an Academy Award for 'Harvie Krumpet' in 2003. This is Elliot's second feature film following 'Mary and Max' in 2009. Here, Grace Pudel (voiced by Sarah Snook) is a lonely misfit with an affinity for collecting ornamental snails and an intense love for books. At a young age, when Grace is separated from her fire-breathing twin brother Gilbert (voiced by Kodi Smitt-McPhee), she falls into a spiral of anxiety and angst. Despite a continued series of hardships, inspiration and hope emerge when she strikes up an enduring friendship with an elderly eccentric woman named Pinky (Jacki Weaver), who is full of grit and lust for life. The film also stars the voice talents of Eric Bana, Magda Szubanski, Tony Armstrong and  Nick Cave. It had its World Premiere at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in mid-June this year where it won the Cristal Award for a Feature Film.

'THE HOPEFUL' (Rated PG) - this US and Australian Co-Produced drama film is Co-Produced and Directed by Kyle Portbury in only his second full length film offering following his documentary 'The Mountain Within' in 2009. Here, following the War of 1812, William Miller (Bill Lake) sets off on a quest for meaning that unravels a profound truth with the power to transform everything. His revelation sparks a fire in Ellen Harmon (Tommie-Amber Pirie), who braves fierce resistance to champion the cause. And through her witness the message begins to take hold. Her preaching grows beyond prophecy and develops into a more holistic vision for how Christians should live and worship. We see blossoming the seeds of a new global movement of faith - the Seventh-day Adventist Church.

'TOM PETTY : HEARTBREAKERS BEACH PARTY' (Rated M) - is a1983 Tom Petty documentary once believed to be lost, and Directed by Academy Award winner Cameron Crowe in his Directorial debut. The documentary was filmed in 1982 and 1983 as Petty’s band recorded, promoted, and toured their fifth studio album, 'Long After Dark'. Heartbreakers Beach Party had been unavailable for years until a 16mm print was found earlier this year and restored to include nineteen minutes of archival footage and commentary from Crowe himself. In addition to Crowe and Petty, members of the Heartbreakers—Mike Campbell, Howie Epstein, Stan Lynch, and Benmont Tench—and Stevie Nicks all appear in the doco. The film is getting a very limited release - showing for two nights only on 17th and 20th October in selected cinema's. 

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-