What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 23rd July 2026

The 10th Cinema Rediscovered Film Festival takes place this year at venues in and around Bristol, in South West England, and is proudly the UNESCO City of Film from Wednesday 22nd through until Sunday 26th July. With 70+ events including screenings of newly restored films (incl. seventeen UK Premieres), rediscoveries and film-on-film rarities plus projection tours, cinema walks, improv workshops, a FREE interactive BFI National Archive exhibition and lots more. The 10th edition is made possible thanks to the support of the BFI Audience Projects Fund, awarding National Lottery funding, and principal sponsors Park Circus (global film distributor) and STUDIOCANAL (Europe’s leading film and television studio, with worldwide production and distribution capabilities) . . . . . so reads the official website.

This years film strands include :

* 50 Years of Aardman - in Aardman’s 50th anniversary year, Cinema Rediscovered presents a trio of events celebrating the world-famous Bristol-based animation studio with special guests Aardman co-founders Peter Lord and David Sproxton. Expect a deep dive into the playfully mischievous world of 'Morph', one of the first characters created by the studio who went on to entertain generations with his slapstick antics, and get insights into the creation of visionary musician Peter Gabriel’s iconic 1986 'Sledgehammer' music video featuring innovative stop-motion animation by Aardman and the Brothers Quay. Finally, there is the 40th anniversary screening of Channel 4’s 1986 cult animated shorts programme 'Sweet Disaster' showcasing five animated short films that explored Cold War anxieties through 'animated visions of the apocalypse'. Those five short films are : 'Babylon', 'Dreamless Sleep', 'Paradise Regained', 'Conversations by a Californian Swimming Pool' and 'Death of a Speechwriter'.

* Comics Come Alive - over the past few decades, the mainstream cinema has been dominated by America’s DC and Marvel Comics movie franchises. This strand brings together a selection of live-action film adaptations from a range of alternative comic-book sources - some may be familiar and hopefully some will surprise. Those included within this section are : 'Danger : Diabolik' from Italy and Directed in 1968 by Mario Bava and based on Milanese sisters Angela and Luciana Giussani’s iconic popular 1960's comic, 'Danger : Diabolik' is a stylish cult classic riffing off the Bond phenomenon, now newly restored. Then there is 'Josie & The Pussycats', 'Ghost World', 'Scott Pilgrim vs. The World', 'Oldboy', 'American Splendor', and 'Modesty Blaise'.

* Reframing Film - invites you to delve deeper into the programme, experience film on film and join in conversations with creatives involved in film programming, projecting, archiving and more. Those films included here are 'Corridors of Freedom' (1987 from South Africa), 'The Movie Orgy' (1968 from the USA and Directed by Joe Dante and remastered), 'Marry the Girl' (1935 from the UK) and 'Sporting Love' (1936 from the UK), 'The Jackal of Nahueltoro' (1969 from Chile), 'Exorcist II : The Heretic' (1977 from the USA and Directed by John Boorman), 'The Adventures of Prince Achmed' (1926 from Germany), and 'Whistle Down the Wind' (1961 from the UK and Directed by Bryan Forbes).

* Restored and Rediscovered - bringing together a selection of the latest new restorations and rediscoveries presented on the big screen, many premiering at the festival and many with special guests. Those titles included here are : 'Nostalgia', 'The Unfaithful Wife', 'My Brother's Wedding', 'African Jim', 'The Sacrifice', 'The Party - Nature Morte', 'Dead Mountaineer's Hotel', 'Leaving Las Vegas', 'In Which Annie Gives it Those Ones', 'Days and Nights in the Forest', 'The Butcher', 'Accident', 'Mirage', 'The Widow', 'Pastor Hall', 'The System', 'Nadja', 'Obsession', 'Queen Kelly', 'La Paga', 'The Arch', 'Trees Lounge', 'Billy Liar' and 'In The Soup'. Many of these titles have their UK Premiere screening. 

* Rogue Hollywood - bleak, unsettling but endlessly rewarding, these films are testament to a period when some in the Hollywood mainstream went very rogue and provide a fascinating snapshot of America which resonates today. Those films in this strand are : 'Looking for Mr. Goodbar', 'Hardcore', 'Mikey & Nicky', 'Taxi Driver', 'Cruising' and 'Hustle'. 

* Vive Le Cinema - celebrate that place where we come together to share the emotional thrills and magic that only film can deliver. These four films have at their heart The Cinema: the essential space where film comes alive : 'Goodbye : Dragon Inn', 'Les Sieges de l'Alcazar', 'Closed Circuit' and 'Matinee'. 

For the summaries of all the aforementioned films being showcased, plus a whole heap of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.watershed.co.uk/cinema-rediscovered

Turning the focus back to this weeks four new cinematic offerings coming to your neighbourhood big screen Odeon, we launch with a political satire in which a young Russian filmmaker becomes an unlikely advisor to Vladimir Putin as he rises to power in post-Soviet Russia, navigating the new era's complexities and chaos. Then we turn to an Aussie horror set in the scorching summer of 1986, three best friends' celebration at a beach house turns into a blood-soaked fight for survival. Next up we have a French period drama where four cousins who inherit a house in rural Normandy, retrace the steps of their ancestors in 19th-Century Paris; and closing out the week we have a New Zealand doco about a charismatic Samoan opera star who sang his way from humble origins in Samoa onto the world's greatest opera stages.

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.

'THE WIZARD OF THE KREMLIN' (Rated MA15+) - this English language French political satire film is Co-Written and Directed by Olivier Assayas, and is based on the 2022 novel of the same name by Giuliano da Empoli. Assayas previous feature filmography includes 'Irma Vep' in 1996, 'Demonlover' in 2002, 'Clouds of Sils Maria' in 2014, 'Personal Shopper' in 2016, 'Wasp Network' in 2019 and 'Suspended Time' in 2024. This film had its World Premiere in the main competition at the Venice International Film Festival in late August last year where it was nominated for the Golden Lion. 

Set in early 1990's Russia, amid post-Soviet chaos, a brilliant young man, Vadim Baranov (Paul Dano), charts his path. First an artist, then a reality TV Producer, he becomes the spin doctor to a rising KGB agent, Vladimir Putin (Jude Law). At the heart of power, Baranov shapes the new Russia, blurring the boundaries between truth and lies, belief and manipulation. Only the magnetic Ksenia (Alicia Vikander) is beyond his control, tempting him away from this dangerous game. Years later, after retreating into silence and shrouded in mystery, Baranov finally opens up, revealing the dark secrets of the regime he helped build. Also starring Will Keen, Tom Sturridge and Jeffrey Wright. The film was released in its native France in late January and in the US in mid-May, has generated mixed or average reviews, and has so far grossed US$8M at the Box Office. 

'PENNY LANE IS DEAD' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian dark comedy horror thriller film Written and Directed by Mia'kate Russell in her feature length Directorial debut. Set during the hot summer months of 1986, the story starts with a party at a beach house, at which Penny Lane (Bailey Spalding) is celebrating her university acceptance with her best friends Toni (Tahlee Fereday) and Amy (Alexandra Jensen). Uninvited guests arrive, a prank goes wrong, and events descend into mayhem and violence. Also starring Steve Le Marquand, Ben O'Toole and Fletcher Humphrys. The film saw its Premiere screening at the Adelaide Film Festival, in South Australia in mid-October last year.

'COLOURS OF TIME' (Rated M) - this French and Belgian Co-Produced period drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Cedric Klapisch, who made his feature film making debut in 1992 with 'Reins du tout' and which he would follow up with the likes of 'Family Resemblances' in 1996, 'The Spanish Apartment' in 2002, 'Russian Dolls' in 2005, 'Chinese Puzzle' in 2013, 'Back to Burgundy' in 2017, and 'Rise' in 2022. Here, four distant cousins are part of a wider family group which can be traced to the last occupant of a house in rural Normandy abandoned in 1944. Seb (Abraham Wapler), Abdel (Zinedine Soualem), Celine (Julia Piaton) and Guy (Vincent Macaigne), discover there the existence of Adele Vermillard (Suzanne Lindon), their ancestor who in 1895 aged 20 left her native Normandy for Paris in search of her mother. While exploring the house, left untouched since the 1940's, they excavate the life of their ancestor - photos and paintings from the end of the 19th Century are preserved in the house, along with letters to Adele which help them form a picture of her story. On her journey to Paris Adele becomes friends with the brothers Anatole (Paul Kircher), a painter and Lucien (Vassili Schneider), a photographer, who accompany her in the search for her parents. The film had its World Premiere showcasing at the Cannes Film Festival in late May 2025, and was released in France on that same day. The film cost US$17.5M to produce, has so far recovered US$9M and has generated positive critical acclaim.

'TENOR : MY NAME IS PATI' (Rated PG) - this New Zealand biographical documentary film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Rebecca Tansley who made her first doco in 2015 with 'Crossing Rachmaninoff' and would follow this up with 'The Heart Dances - the Journey of The Piano : the Ballet' in 2018 and 'Semele' in 2021. This film charts the story of Pene Pati and his brother Amitai Pati, and their against-the-odds journey from humble beginnings in Samoa to platinum-selling success in the trio Sol3 Mio and on to the world’s greatest opera stages. Bursting with humour, heart and soaring performances, the film reveals the resilience born of adversity, the richness of family and culture, and the rewards that come from following an unlikely dream. 

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-