In the feature film category, and in particular the Headliner strand, this section has big names, big talent, red carpet Premieres and gala film events with major and rising names in cinema, and takes in the following titles :-
* 'Over Your Dead Body' - Directed by Jorma Taccone, and starring Samara Weaving, Jason Segel, Timothy Olyphant, Juliette Lewis, Paul Guilfoyle and Keith Jardine. A dysfunctional couple head to a remote cabin to supposedly reconnect, but each has secret plans to kill the other. World Premiere.
* 'Ready or Not 2 : Here I Come' - Directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, and starring Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Shawn Hatosy, Nestor Carbonell, David Cronenberg and Elijah Wood. After surviving the Le Domas attack, Grace faces the next level of the deadly game – now with her estranged sister Faith. With four rival families hunting them, Grace must survive, protect her sister, and claim the High Seat that rules it all. World Premiere.
For the film strands being showcased including the Narrative Feature Competition and the Documentary Feature Competition, plus the TV line-up, together with a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.sxsw.com
And so turning the attention then back on this weeks seven hot new release movies coming to your local Odeon, we kick off with a psychological drama film from a first time Director, starring his returning Dad, in which a troubled recluse whose estranged brother arrives to convince him to come home and reunite with his family. This is followed by a horror comedy that follows the attempts at containing a parasitic fungus that leaks out of an abandoned military base. Next up is a Canadian horror offering that has a podcaster caring for her dying mother who becomes haunted by ominous audio recordings. Then we have an American horror film where a young couple take a hike in the woods when they encounter a hulking, monstrous figure who abducts the girlfriend to raise her as his own child. Following on we have a psychological drama thriller where a socially awkward tween endures the ruthless hierarchy at a water polo camp, where his anxiety spirals into psychological turmoil over the Summer. Next we turn to a romantic drama film where after serving a seven year jail term, a woman attempts to reconnect with her young daughter but faces resistance from everyone except a bar owner with ties to her child; before closing out the week with an animated sports comedy film in which an anthropomorphic goat who aspires to become the greatest of all time at a basketball-like sport known as roarball.
'ANEMONE' (Rated M) - this UK and US Co-Produced psychological drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Rowan Day-Lewis in his feature film making debut, and is Co-Written and stars his father Daniel Day-Lewis in his welcome return to acting since his 'retirement' after 'Phantom Thread' in 2017. The film had its World Premiere at the New York Film Festival in late September last year, was released wide in US movie theatres in mid-October, in the UK in early November and only now is it released here in Australia. It has garnered mixed or average critical reviews, and has so far grossed US$1M off the back of a US$14M production budget.
Here, looking to reunite with his brother Ray Stoker (Daniel Day-Lewis), Jem Stoker (Sean Bean) departs from his suburban life in Sheffield where he lives with his wife Nessa (Samantha Morton) and son Brian (Samuel Bottomley), and ventures deep into the Northern English woods. Burdened by past events that shook them both during their active duty in Northern Ireland during the 'Troubles', Ray now lives a reclusive life as a hermit in a forested shack detached from the outside world. As the pair reconnect, their shared history comes to the fore, igniting a delicate dance of accusations, secrecy, and a hope for redemption.
'COLD STORAGE' (Rated MA15+) - is a French and US Co-Produced horror comedy film Directed by Jonny Campbell, and is based on the 2019 novel of the same name Written by David Koepp who also wrote the Screenplay. Here Travis 'Teacake' Meachan (Joe Keery) and Naomi Williams (Georgina Campbell), two young employees of a self-storage company built on the site of an old US military base, have their wildest night shift ever when a parasitic fungus escapes from the lowest sub-level of the base, where it was sealed by the government decades before. As the temperature rises underground, this highly contagious and rapidly mutating microorganism multiplies and unleashes its brain-controlling, body-bursting terrors on the facility's inhabitants, human and otherwise. With time running out, it's down to Teacake and Naomi, with the help of a grizzled retired bioterror operative Robert Quinn (Liam Neeson), to contain the merciless menace and prevent the explosive extinction of all human kind. Also starring Lesley Manville, Vanessa Redgrave and Sosie Bacon. The film was released in the USA on 13th February, in the UK on 20th February and here in Australia and New Zealand this week, having garnered generally positive critical reviews and so far grossing US$2.2M.
'UNDERTONE' (Rated CTC) - this Canadian horror film is Written and Directed by Ian Tuason in his feature film making debut. Here, Evy (Nina Kiri), a woman who hosts a paranormal podcast with her friend Justin (Adam DiMarco), where she is the skeptic to his believer. After Evy moves back home to become the caregiver to her dying mother (Michele Duquet), she and Justin are sent recordings by a married couple experiencing paranormal noises in their home, drawing Evy into fear and paranoia. The film saw its Premiere screening at the Fantasia International Film Festival in late July last year, where it won the gold audience award for Canadian films. It has generated largely positive critical reviews, cost US$500K to produce and is released this week too in the US.
'DOLLY' (Rated MA15+) - is an American horror film that is Written, Co-Produced, and Directed by Rod Blackhurst, and is based on his 2022 short film 'Babygirl'. His previous feature film output takes in 'Here Alone' in 2016, the crime documentary 'Amanda Knox' also in 2016, 'Blood for Dust' in 2023 and the 2024 documentary 'The Tennessee 11'. When Macy (Fabianne Therese) and Chase (Seann William Scott) become separated, Macy finds herself in Dolly's (Max the Impaler) lair at the whim of a psychotic killer. She must fight for survival after being abducted by a deranged, monster-like figure who wants to raise Macy as their child. Also starring Ethan Suplee. The film had its World Premiere at the Fantastic Fest on in mid-September last year and was released in the US last week, having garnered mixed or average reviews, and so far grossing US$474K.
'THE PLAGUE' (Rated MA15+) - this US and Romanian psychological drama thriller film is Written and Directed by Charlie Polinger in his feature film making debut. In the summer of 2003, at an all-boys summer water polo camp, led by Coach 'Daddy Wags' (Joel Edgerton), socially anxious twelve-year-old Ben (Everett Blunck) struggles to fit in amidst a ruthless social hierarchy. When he befriends Eli (Kenny Rasmussen), a lonely, acne-ridden outcast shunned by the others for allegedly carrying a contagious 'plague', Ben becomes entangled in a cruel, escalating ritual of scapegoating and fear. As the lines between teasing and real harm blur, Ben is forced to confront his own complicity and the terrifying cost of belonging. The film had its World Premiere at last years Cannes Film Festival in mid-May in the Un Certain Regard section, was released Stateside in early January, has generated largely favourable critical reviews, has collected nine award wins and another thirty-two nominations from around the awards and festival circuit, and has so far grossed US$685K.
'REMINDERS OF HIM' (Rated M) - is an American romantic drama film Directed by Vanessa Caswill in only her second feature film Directorial outing following 'Love at First Sight' in 2023. This film is based on the 2022 novel of the same name by Colleen Hoover, who also Co-Wrote the Screenplay and has a Co-Producer credit too. Following a perfect outing with her boyfriend, Kenna Rowan (Maika Monroe) makes an unbearable mistake that sends her to prison. Seven years later, Kenna returns to her hometown in Wyoming, hoping to rebuild her life and earn the chance to reunite with her young daughter, Diem (Zoe Kosovic), whom she has never known. When Diem's custodial grandparents Grace and Patrick Landry (Lauren Graham and Bradley Whitford respectively) adamantly refuse Kenna's attempts to see her daughter, Kenna discovers unexpected compassion, and then something truer and deeper, with former NFL player and local bar owner Ledger Ward (Tyriq Withers). As their secret romance develops, so do the dangers for both of them, leading Kenna toward heartbreak and, ultimately, the hope for a second chance. The film is released in the US this week too.
'GOAT' (Rated PG) - this American animated sports comedy film is Directed by Tyree Dillihay in his feature film making debut. The story follows Will Harris (voiced by Caleb McLaughlin), a small goat with big dreams who gets a once-in-a-lifetime shot to join the pros and play roarball, a high-intensity, co-ed, full-contact sport dominated by the fastest, fiercest animals in the world. Will's new teammates aren't thrilled about having a little goat on their roster, but Will is determined to revolutionise the sport and prove once and for all that 'smalls can ball'! Also starring the voice talents of Gabrielle Union, Aaron Pierre, David Harbour, Nick Kroll, Stephen Curry, Patton Oswalt, Jelly Roll and Jennifer Hudson amongst others. The film had its World Premiere screening in LA in early February, was released in the US in mid-February, has so far grossed US$147M off the back of a US$85M production budget and has generated largely positive critical reviews.
And so turning the attention then back on this weeks seven hot new release movies coming to your local Odeon, we kick off with a psychological drama film from a first time Director, starring his returning Dad, in which a troubled recluse whose estranged brother arrives to convince him to come home and reunite with his family. This is followed by a horror comedy that follows the attempts at containing a parasitic fungus that leaks out of an abandoned military base. Next up is a Canadian horror offering that has a podcaster caring for her dying mother who becomes haunted by ominous audio recordings. Then we have an American horror film where a young couple take a hike in the woods when they encounter a hulking, monstrous figure who abducts the girlfriend to raise her as his own child. Following on we have a psychological drama thriller where a socially awkward tween endures the ruthless hierarchy at a water polo camp, where his anxiety spirals into psychological turmoil over the Summer. Next we turn to a romantic drama film where after serving a seven year jail term, a woman attempts to reconnect with her young daughter but faces resistance from everyone except a bar owner with ties to her child; before closing out the week with an animated sports comedy film in which an anthropomorphic goat who aspires to become the greatest of all time at a basketball-like sport known as roarball.
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.
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-
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