What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 18th October 2018.

As reported a couple of weeks ago now, the Adelaide Film Festival is now in full swing running from 10th through until 21st October 2018. The official website reads that the 'Adelaide Film Festival (ADL Film Fest) is an eleven-day celebration and exploration of Australian and international screen culture with a unique program of screenings, forums and special events. The event has rapidly established itself as one of the boldest and most innovative in the country and has made a name for itself internationally as a platform for exciting new talent in the Australian industry'. It goes on further to add 'the youngest but most dynamic national screen event, Adelaide Film Festival was established in 2003 and was placed in Variety’s list of “50 Unmissable Film Festivals”. It is Australia’s premier film event, launching new films, art and interactive projects to national and international audiences'. 

This year’s Adelaide Film Festival showcases seventeen World Premier screenings and thirty Australian Premieres, including four Venice Award Winners & Grinners and a solid representation of films from Australia's emerging talent pool of Directors. The full festival schedule consists of over 130 feature films, animated features, documentaries, short films, virtual-reality works and various installations, with well over forty percent of films being presented having been Directed by women.

The opening night film on 10th October was 'Hotel Mumbai' based on the 2008 terror attacks in that Indian city, with the closing night screening on 21st being 'Can You Ever Forgive Me' with Melissa McCarthy playing agents type as celebrity writer turned forger Lee Israel.

Other noteworthy screenings garnering much buzz around the festival circuit are : 

* 'Arctic' - Directed by Joe Penna and starring Mads Mikkelsen.
* 'At Eternity's Gate' - Directed by Julian Schnabel and starring Willem Dafoe, Mads Mikkelsen and Oscar Isaac.
* 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs' - Directed by Joel and Ethan Coen and starring an ensemble cast.
* 'Beautiful Boy' - Directed by Felix Van Groeningen and starring Timothee Chalamet and Steve Carell, and released in Australia next week.
* 'Celeste' - Directed by Ben Hackworth and starring Radha Mitchell.
* 'Emu Runner' - Directed by Imogen Thomas in her feature film debut and starring Rhae-Kye Waites.
* 'Ghost Stories' - Directed by Andy Nyman and Jeremy Dyson and starring Andy Nyman and Martin Freeman, and released in Australia next week.
* 'I Am Mother Work In Progress' - Directed by Grant Sputore and starring Hilary Swank.
* 'Knife + Heart' - Directed by Yann Gonzalez and starring Vanessa Paradis.
* 'Lean on Pete' - Directed by Andrew Haigh and starring Charlie Plummer and Steve Buscemi, and released in Australia next week.
* 'Leave No Trace' - Directed by Debra Granik and starring Thomasin McKenzie and Ben Foster.
* 'The Nightingale' - Directed by Jennifer Kent and starring Aisling Franciosi and Sam Claiflin.
* 'The Old Man & the Gun' - Directed by David Lowery and starring Robert Redford, Casey Affleck and Sissy Spacek.
* 'Puzzle' - Directed by Marc Turtletaub and starring Kelly Macdonald and Irrfan Khan.
* 'Roma' - Directed by Alfonso Cuaron and starring Yalitza Aparicio.
* 'Shoplifters' - Directed by Hirokazu Kore-eda and starring Lily Franky and Sakura Ando.

You can of course gain a far greater insight into all the goings on at this years ADL Film Fest, and the full lo-down on the aforementioned films and all the others too, by checking out the official website at : https://adelaidefilmfestival.org/

Coming to your local Odeon in the week ahead then, we have three new release movies to tease you out to your nearby multiplex or independent theatre. We kick off the week with the fourth big screen adaptation of this film after the 1937 original and remakes in 1954, 1976 and now in 2018. Helmed by a first time Director and seasoned Actor and co-starring a hugely successful singer in her screen debut this film tells the story of a star that begins to shine brightly for one whilst it fades for the other and the life altering consequences for both. We then turn to a gritty Aussie drama about an outlaw motorcycle gang and the fallout after the leader is released from prison to discover a very different club to the one he left behind when he was sent down. And finally this week we wrap up with a documentary about a British fashion icon still going as strong today as she did when she helped ignite the Punk Rock scene in mid-'70's Britain.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the three latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release and 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 coming week.

'A STAR IS BORN' (Rated M) - this much hyped musical romantic drama film is Directed by first timer Bradley Cooper who also Co-Produced, Co-Wrote and stars alongside Lady Gaga in her big screen debut. This is the fourth version of the original 1937 film production of the same name and starred Janet Gaynor and Frederic March, with remakes coming in 1954 by Director George Cukor with Judy Garland and James Mason in the lead roles, and then again in 1976 Directed by Frank Pierson and starring Barbra Streisand and Kris Kristofferson. The 1976 version of the film made US$80M from its US$6M Production Budget and won one Oscar and was nominated for three others, collected five Golden Globe wins and two BAFTA nominations amongst others. This film Premiered at the Venice Film Festival in late August, went on general release in the US two weeks ago, cost US$36M, and has received widespread Critical acclaim with particular praise for Cooper's and Gaga's performances and the chemistry between the pairing, the cinematography, the musical score and Cooper's Direction.  Box Office receipts currently stand at US$136M.

Here seasoned and successful musician Jackson Maine (Bradley Cooper) discovers and ultimately falls in love with struggling singer Ally (Lady Gaga). She has just about given up on her dream to make it big as a singer until Jackson coaxes her out of a drag bar where she moonlights as a singer and into the spotlight at one of his own concerts. But, as Ally's career takes off and success comes knocking, the personal side of their relationship is taking its toll, as Jackson fights an ongoing battle with his own internal demons. Also starring Sam Elliott, Dave Chappelle, Andrew Dice Clay and Alec Baldwin.

'1%' (Rated MA15+) - Written and starring Matt Nable, this outlaw motorcycle gang drama is Directed in his debut feature by Stephen McCallum and was first screened at the Toronto International Film Festival back in August 2017, and only now does it get its homegrown release in Australia. Filmed in Perth, Western Australia, the film tells the story of of hard as nails gang leader Knuck (Matt Nable) who is released from prison after serving three years. He returns as President of the Copperheads Motorcycle Club expecting to just pick up where he left off three years ago. But, in the intervening years, things have changed. The new pretender Paddo (Ryan Corr) is a generation younger than the old school Knuck, and has turned around the club from a raw, rough and tumble outfit to a well oiled smooth running and viable criminal business. With Knuck back on the scene and trying to stamp his Presidential authority on the gang once more, friendships will be tested, loyalties divided and the scene set for bloodshed, betrayal and a battle for supremacy. Also starring Aaron Pedersen, Abbey Lee, Simone Kessell and Josh McConville.

'WESTWOOD : PUNK, ICON, ACTIVIST' (Rated M) - here this Documentary feature film is Directed by Lorna Tucker and charts the life and times of British fashion icon Vivienne Westwood. Released in the UK back in March this year and having been screened both at the Sydney and Melbourne Film Festivals, the film now gets a limited release in Australia. Credited with lighting the touch paper in the mid-'70's on the British Punk Rock movement with ex-partner and Sex Pistols' Manager Malcolm McLaren, Dame Vivienne Westwood has been reworking and reinventing the British fashion scene ever since with many of the more distinctive looks of our time. Blending archival footage, thoughtful reconstruction, and revealing testimonials with Westwood's fascinating network of contributors we are taken on a journey from her years growing up in postwar Derbyshire to the runways of Paris and Milan that have coloured her success, whilst at the same time she fights to protect the integrity of the brand she has created, her unwavering principles and her legacy in a business driven by consumerism, profit and global expansion.

With three new release films 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 in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 5th - 11th March 2017.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Matt Nable does on 8th March - check out my tribute to this Birthday Lad turning 45, at the end of this feature.

Do you also share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Singer/Songwriter or Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming seven days? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully written and presented Blog, here are the more notable and noteworthy icons of the big screen, and the small screen, that you will recognise, and that you might just share your birthday with in the week ahead. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Sunday 5th March

• Eva Mendes - Born 1974, turns 43 - Actress
• Dean Stockwell - Born 1936, turns 81 - Actor | Writer | Director
• Matt Lucas - Born 1974, turns 43 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director | Singer    

Monday 6th March

• Rob Reiner - Born 1947, turns 70 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor | Songwriter | Composer
• Tom Arnold - Born 1959, turns 58 - Actor | Writer | Producer
• Alan Davies - Born 1966, turns 51 - Actor | Writer | Television Personality  

Tuesday 7th March  

• Bryan Cranston - Born 1956, turns 61 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director | Singer
• Matthew Vaughn - Born 1971, turns 46 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Peter Sarsgaard - Born 1971, turns 46 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Rachel Weisz - Born 1970, turns 47 - Actress | Producer  

Wednesday 8th March 

• Aidan Quinn - Born 1959, turns 58 - Actor | Producer
• Matt Nable - Born 1972, turns 45 - Actor | Writer
• Freddie Prinz Jnr. - Born 1976, turns 41 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• James Van Der Beek - Born 1977, turns 40 - Actor | Producer | Writer  

Thursday 9th March 

• Jean Marc-Vallee - Born 1963, turns 54 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor | Editor
• Oscar Isaac - Born 1979, turns 38 - Actor | Singer
• Juliette Binoche - Born 1964, turns 53 - Actress  

Friday 10th March  

• Sharon Stone - Born 1958, turns 59 - Actress | Producer | Writer
• Chuck Norris - Born 1940, turns 77 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Paul Haggis - Born 1953, turns 64 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Jon Hamm - Born 1971, turns 46 - Actor | Producer | Singer
• Rafe Spall - Born 1983, turns 34 - Actor   

Saturday 11th March

• Jerry Zucker - Born 1950, turns 67 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Peter Berg - Born 1964, turns 53 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor
• Terrence Howard - Born 1969, turns 48 - Actor | Producer | Singer
• Johnny Knoxville - Born 1971, turns 46 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Thora Birch - Born 1982, turns 35 - Actress | Producer

Matthew Nable was born on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, an area taking in Palm Beach in the north (where famed Aussie beachside soap opera 'Home and Away' is set, and partially filmed) down to Manly in the south (a distance of about 30kms) with its famed 2kms strip of golden ocean surf beach that rivals Bondi as a beachside destination for locals and tourists alike. The author of this Blog also lives on the Northern Beaches of Sydney, and it is not uncommon to see Matt Nable working out at the gym where I also train, or out and about in Manly or the surrounding suburbs. Hence this weeks Tribute, keeping it local! As a young lad, Nable would often find his existence uprooted as he moved from army base to army base across Australia with his serving soldier father, growing up under the watchful eye of the might of the Australian military. His father also worked as a trainer for the Australian National Rugby League Team - The Kangaroo's, and Matt's younger brother Adam went into the League professionally. Matt played for the Manly-Waringah Sea Eagles Club making five appearances in 1991 and 1992. He then played for the South Sydney Rabbitohs in 1995 making three appearances. He then moved to England for two years playing first for Carlisle and then the London Broncos. After this he turned his back on Rugby League and tried his hand at Amateur Boxing competing for the State Light-Heavyweight title. Following this he worked as a personal fitness trainer and in beer sales.

He gave all of this up to follow his dream to become a Writer. With the help and encouragement of his friend and mentor, Australian novelist Thomas Keneally, he wrote a Screenplay based on his unpublished novel 'The Final Winter' a story that focuses around Grub who is the captain of the Newtown Jets football team in the early 1980's and his determination to uphold what rugby league traditionally stood for while dealing with his own identity crisis. In 2007 the film of Nable's Screenplay was released with Nable playing the lead role of Grub. The film was critically praised, although did little at the Box Office.

Following this, 2008 saw a role in an American Police drama made for television movie - 'SIS' ('Special Investigation Squad'). This was followed up with seven episodes on Australian major crime drama series 'East West 101', and then Australian drama film '33 Postcards' with Guy Pearce in 2011, and high octane actioner 'Killer Elite' that same year featuring Robert De Niro, Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Ben Mendelsohn and Dominic Purcell.



In 2012 Nable took the lead role of Jock Ross in television six part mini-series 'Bikie Wars : Brothers In Arms' - the true story of the lead up, reasons and the repercussions of the 'Milperra Massacre' where two warring Motorcycle Clubs - The Bandidos and The Comancheros faced off in the car park of a western Sydney pub on Fathers Day, 1984. He followed this up that same year with five episodes on 'Underbelly : Badness' as Detective Sergeant Gary Jubelin in this multi-season award winning Television series that takes the viewer through a thirteen episode run in the rise and fall of real life Australian underworld figures as told from both sides of the law. Later that year he appeared as prison guard Villalobos with a convincing American accent in 'K-11'.

Next Nable appeared as Boss Johns in the third movie instalment in the Chronicles of Riddick franchise, in Sci-Fi actioner 'Riddick' alongside Vin Diesel in the title role with Karl Urban. The film returned US$99M from its US$38M budget. 2013 also saw the Aboriginal drama story 'Around the Block' with Christina Ricci, Ruby Rose and Jack Thompson. 'Fell' came next with Nable playing two roles in the outback Australian drama from debut Director Kasimir Burgess.




Western Australian prison break action crime drama 'Son of a Gun' came next in 2014 with Ewan McGregor, Brenton Thwaites and Alicia Vikander, before the seven part television wartime drama mini-series 'Gallipoli' marking the 100th anniversary in 2015 of that epic WWI battle. This in turn gave way to Police drama series 'Winter' with Rebecca Gibney starring as Sydney Homicide Detective Eve Winter, with Nable appearing in all six episodes. Following on from this in 2015 Nable secured himself ten episodes on DC Superhero television series 'Arrow' playing Ra's al Ghul (Arabic for 'Head of the Demon') one of the Batman's greatest enemies. He is the leader of a vast organisation dedicated to purifying the human race and returning the Earth to a more pristine state. He is a master of martial arts and an expert swordsman. Nable reprised his role as Ra's al Ghul on one episode of 2016's 'Legends of Tomorrow'.

Another television mini-series followed in 2016 running over four episodes was Australian swimming drama 'Barracuda' with Nable playing swim coach Frank Torma to high school swimming protege and Olympic hopeful Danny Kelly (Elias Anton). A turn in Mel Gibson's highly acclaimed 'Hacksaw Ridge' came next, and this was followed on two episodes of the first season of American crime drama 'Quarry'. Returning to Australian television he took the lead role in the first season of eight episodes as Detective Gary Hyde in 'Hyde & Seek'.

Paranormal horror thriller 'Incarnate' with Aaron Eckhart and Carice van Houten was released Stateside in early December and has just about recovered its US$5M budget, before a wider release. 'Jasper Jones' was released in Australia on 2nd March with Nable starring alongside Hugo Weaving, Angourie Rise and Toni Collette in this 1965 coming of age story involving the dead body of a young girl, local racism in a small mining community, a marriage break up, first love and the true meaning of courage.

Next up is 'In Cold Light' currently in post-production for a later 2017 release and tells the story of the interrogation of a respected Priest from a boys school by a ruthless Inspector, following the murder of one of the Priest's students. Nable plays the Inspector. This is followed up by bikie film '1%' which Nable also wrote, and is in post-production for release this year and for which Nable bulked up by an additional 15kgs.

All up Nable has 26 acting credits to his name, and two as Writer. He has two award nominations under this belt so far. In addition to writing screenplays and acting in a broad range of film and television roles both at home in Australia and Stateside, he has written two novels - 'We Don't Live Here Anymore' in 2009, and 'Faces in the Clouds' in 2011. He married Cassandra in 2000 and together they have three children.

Matt Nable - came to the acting world later in life but has gained considerable traction over the last ten years since turning attention to it, often plays the tough guy, and is very open about his bipolar disorder which takes its ups and downs on the busy Actor and Writer emotionally, which in turn has helped him with the character development in the roles he has played. Grounded on Sydney's Northern Beaches and equally in demand in Sydney as he is in Hollywood, clearly the future is very bright and the demand is high. Happy 45th Birthday to you Matt, from your local Odeon Online crew.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-