What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 16th July 2026.

The 9th Malaysian International Film Festival (MIFFest) takes place this year from Saturday 18th July through until Saturday 25th July, in the Malaysian capital city of Kuala Lumpur. Since its establishment in 2016, MIFFest has offered a range of opportunities and platforms for filmmakers to showcase their work and connect with industry professionals. Set against Malaysia’s vibrant backdrop, MIFFest aims to be the premier cinematic hub in Southeast Asia. The one-week festival provides a platform for creatives to showcase their work, nurtures emerging talent, and features exceptional films from around the world. MIFFest opens a window to the world, offering audiences the chance to embark on a cinematic journey through films from diverse countries and cultures. At MIFFest, we believe in the power of film to inspire, connect, and transform . . . . . so reads the official website.

This years Opening Film presentation is 'BAGA : Tomorrow Belongs To No One' from Malaysia and Written, Produced and Directed by Ariff Zulkarnain. Set in a conservative seaside village on Malaysia’s East Coast, BAGA follows Jani and Melur, two young lovers trapped between inherited realities and dreams of escape. When an unexpected pregnancy forces them into a difficult choice, Jani turns to the drug trade in a desperate attempt to secure their future. As love collides with addiction, poverty, and tradition, the couple must confront the cost of survival in a community where opportunities are scarce and every choice carries consequences. The Closing Film is 'Yellow Letters' from Germany, France and Turkey and is Co-Written and Directed by Ilker Catak. Life is good for Derya and Aziz, a celebrated artist couple from Turkey, until an incident at their play’s premiere. Suddenly targeted by the state and struggling to balance their ideals with life’s necessities, their marriage is pushed to a breaking point.

In the Official Competition - the Malaysia Golden Global Awards recognises filmmakers for their significant performances throughout the entire year, in the categories of Best Film, Director, New Director, Actor, Actress, Supporting Actor, Supporting Actress, Screenplay and Cinematography, as well as the Lifetime Achievement Award, the Audience Choice Award, the New Hope Award and the Award for Excellent Achievement in Film. There are ten feature films, as shown in brief below :-

* 'Ah Girl' - from Singapore and this coming-of-age drama is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Ang Geck Geck Priscilla. 

* 'Aisha Can't Fly Away' - from Egypt, France, Germany, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Sudan, this drama is Co-Written and Directed by Morad Mostafa.

* 'Becoming Human' - from Cambodia, and this drama film is Written and Directed by Polen Ly.

* 'Broken Voices' - from the Czech Republic, this drama film is Written and Directed by Ondrej Provaznik. 

* 'Girl' - from Taiwan and this drama film is Written and Directed by Shu Qi.

* 'Lucky Lu' - from the USA and Canada and this social drama film is Written and Directed by Lloyd Lee Choi.

* 'Riverstone' - from Sri Lanka, this drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Lalith Rathnayake.

* 'Silent Rebellion' - from Switzerland, Belgium and France, this drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Marie-Elsa Sgualdo.

* 'The Red Hangar' - from Chile, Argentina and Italy, this political thriller film is Co-Produced and Directed by Juan Pablo Sallato.

* 'The Waves Will Carry Us' - from Malaysia and Taiwan, this drama film is Written and Directed by Lau Kek-Huat.

For the summaries of the aforementioned films in Official Competition, plus the full details of the other films being showcased, and a whole lot of other good stuff, you can go to the official website at : http://www.miffest.com.my

Turning the attention then back to this weeks two new movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, we kick off with a much hyped, eagerly awaited and hotly anticipated fantasy action film based on an ancient Greek poem in which following the Trojan War, the protagonist here faces a dangerous voyage back to his homeland meeting various mythical creature during his ten year journey back to reunite with his wife and son. And this followed by a CGI animated offering that is the third cinematic adaptation from an acclaimed novella of the mid-twentieth century which follows an animal revolution as pigs seize power and the farm descends into a ruthless dictatorship as the truth is rewritten and dissent is crushed.

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.

'THE ODYSSEY' (Rated M) - is an epic fantasy action film Written, Produced and Directed by Christopher Nolan, who I'm sure requires no introduction, suffice to say his prior screen credits include his 1998 feature debut with 'Following' which he would follow up with the likes of 'Memento' in 2000, the Batman 'Dark Knight' trilogy from 2005 until 2012, 'Inception' in 2010, 'Interstellar' in 2014, 'Dunkirk' in 2017, 'Tenet' in 2020 and 'Oppenheimer' in 2023. This film is an adaptation of Homer's ancient Greek epic poem the 'Odyssey', that together with his 'Illiad' are regarded as the foundational works of ancient Greek literature. With a production budget estimated to be in the region of US$250M, the film is among the most costly of Nolan's career, and the first to be shot entirely on IMAX's 70mm film cameras. The film saw its World Premiere screening in London earlier this month, and is set for a worldwide release this week. 

The film follows Odysseus (Matt Damon), the legendary Greek king of Ithaca, on his ten year long and perilous journey home following the Trojan War, chronicling his encounters with mythical beings such as the Cyclops Polyphemus (Bill Irwin), Sirens, and the nymph Calypso (Charlize Theron), while attempting to reunite with his wife, Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and his son Telemachus (Tom Holland). Also starring Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong'o, Zendaya, Benny Safdie, Jon Bernthal, John Leguizamo, Samantha Morton, Himesh Patel, Corey Hawkins, Mia Goth, Logan Marshall-Green, Elliot Page and James Remar. 

'ANIMAL FARM' (Rated PG) - this animated comedy film is Co-Produced, Directed and stars Andy Serkis, the acclaimed English Actor and film maker whose prior Directorial credits take in 'Breathe' in 2017, 'Mowgli : The Legend of the Jungle' in 2018, 'Venom : Let There Be Carnage' in 2021 and the upcoming 'Lord of the Rings : The Hunt for Gollum' slated for a 2027 release. His film acting credits are many and varied, perhaps best known however, for his animation and voice work for computer-generated characters such as Gollum in 'The Lord of the Rings' film trilogy (2001–2003) and 'The Hobbit : An Unexpected Journey' in 2012, 'King Kong' in the eponymous 2005 film, and Caesar in the 'Planet of the Apes' reboot series (2011–2017). This film is loosely based on the 1945 novella by George Orwell, and is the third adaptation of the novella, following the 1954 animated film and the 1999 live-action film. Here then, the film traces how a movement for equality is systematically corrupted. As the pigs consolidate control, truth is erased, dissent is crushed, and the farm descends into a ruthless dictatorship, so fulfilling Orwell’s warning about the dangers of communism. Starring the voice talents of Seth Rogen, Gaten Matarazzo, Kieren Culkin, Glenn Close, Steve Buscemi, Woody Harrelson, Jim Parsons and Kathleen Turner. It premiered at the Annecy International Animation Film Festival in early June 2025, and was released in the USA and Canada on 1st May this year having so far grossed US$6M from a production budget of US$35M and has garnered generally negative critical reviews. It is released here in Australia, the UK and Ireland this week. 

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-