A QUIET PLACE : PART II - Tuesday 1st June 2021.

'A QUIET PLACE : PART II' which I saw this week is an M Rated eagerly anticipated long awaited American horror follow-up to 2018's 'A Quiet Place' which grossed US$341M off the back of a US$20M production budget, and was Co-Written, Directed and starred John Krasinski. For this sequel John Krasinski returns to the Directors chair and he also wrote, Co-Produced and once again has a small role in this film, even though his character was killed off in the first film. This film saw its World Premier screening in New York City back on 8th March 2020, with a worldwide release set from 20th March 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was rescheduled to 4th September 2020. It was then changed to 23rd April 2021 and then changed again to 17th September 2021. After three postponements, it was moved earlier in the year to last week. This film was made for US$61M, has so far grossed US$90M and has generated largely positive Critical acclaim. Apparently, in May of this year Emily Blunt revealed that her husband John Krasinski has an idea for a third instalment. 

The film kicks off on Day One of the alien attack, over a year before the events of the first film. The Abbott family are attending their son Marcus' (Noah Jupe) baseball game. Lee Abbott (John Krasinski) has just returned from a general store where he has picked up a supply of fresh oranges for the mid-game break. He sits with his daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds) and his wife Evelyn (Emily Blunt) talking with another Dad, Emmett (Cillian Murphy) about how the game is unfolding. Mid-game the players and the spectators notice a burning object in the skies above their town hurtling towards the Earth. 

Panic ensues and most attempt to get outta there quickly by retreating to their cars and driving off. Lee drives off with Regan and Evelyn drives off with her two sons, agreeing to meet back at their farm house. Needless to say it doesn't end well for the townsfolk when many are systematically attacked indiscriminately by rampaging blind aliens with hypersensitive hearing and seemingly impenetrable armour like skin. The Abbott's are able to get out alive, but only just having been chased down by one such alien, who dispenses with the local Police Officer instead. 

We then fast forward to day 474 since the aliens arrived on Earth and wiped out much of the population, including Lee who sacrificed himself at the end of the first film while attempting to save Regan and Marcus from an approaching alien creature. Regan had discovered that the aliens are vulnerable to high-frequency audio feedback, and devised a means of transmitting her cochlear implant hearing aid's noise through a microphone and radio, so allowing Evelyn to shoot the creatures dead while in their vulnerable state. And so with Lee dead, we pick up where the last film left off. The Abbott family, together with their newborn son leave the farm for good, with the barn burning and only what they can carry between them. Evelyn is carrying an oxygen cylinder for the newborn baby and Regan has retrieved a portable guitar amplifier and microphone with which to fend off any alien attack. They head off down the sand path in search for what might remain of human communities at which they can reestablish themselves.

The Abbott's come to what looks like an abandoned train yard and enter a fenced-off area. Evelyn treads on a trip wire causing a bunch of cans and bottles tied to a rope to come crashing down. She orders Regan and Marcus to 'run' as an alien is alerted by the jangling noise. Marcus runs over a bear trap and his foot is caught. He screams out in agony which only further serves to attract an alien. Evelyn is able to shoot it dead as it approaches and then she frees her son who can now barely walk. 

The family runs into an abandoned steel foundry just as another alien approaches. Inside, with the alien giving chase, they run into Emmett, who hurriedly takes them to his bunker under the foundry, and they all hide in a giant cauldron until the coast is clear. Later that evening when Marcus has had his injuries attended to, he and Regan hear a radio signal broadcasting the song 'Beyond the Sea' on a loop. Regan comes to the conclusion that it is a clue meant to lead survivors to a radio tower on a nearby island. 

She decides to venture out alone, much to Marcus' chagrin, to go there in secret and transmit the high-frequency noise her hearing aid produces, allowing anyone picking up the signal to use it to thwart the aliens. After realising that Regan has left, Evelyn begs Emmett to go find her and bring her back. He eventually catches up with Regan inside the wreckage of an old train carriage and saves her from an alien.  He tells her they will be returning at once. However, after explaining her plan to him and appealing to his sense of duty he reluctantly agrees to help complete her mission. Back at Emmett's bunker, Evelyn leaves Marcus and her baby for just a couple of hours to go in search of much needed needed medical supplies, including oxygen for the baby, and bandages and medication to treat Marcus' injured foot and ankle. While she is gone, Marcus decides to explore the foundry by torchlight. He is startled when he comes across the corpse of Emmett's deceased wife, sending him reeling backwards in shock and knocking over several objects on a nearby table. This alerts a nearby alien to his location. He runs quickly back to the bunker, bundles up the baby, grabs the oxygen cylinder and then inadvertently locks himself and the baby inside the cauldron.

Meanwhile, Emmett tells Regan that he has located a boat to get them across to the island. Under cover of darkness the pair search a marina for a suitable vessel, when they are attacked by a group of feral humans who attempt to take Regan with them, while binding Emmett with fishing net to which is tied cans and bells. While the ferals are walking down the jetty with Regan, Emmett motions to her to dive into the water, leaving him to deliberately attract two aliens that set about slaughtering the ferals. One alien falls into the water and flails about while another becomes trapped on a boat. By now Emmett is in the water himself watching the carnage unfold before him. He realises the aliens cannot swim. 

Regan secures a boat and the two escape. Regan and Emmett arrive at the island and find a colony of human survivors living a near normal existence. The community's leader (Djimon Hounsou) explains that when the government discovered the aliens were unable to swim, the National Guard moved as many people as possible to the islands, but when people began to selfishly fight to get aboard, the aliens attacked and destroyed all but two of the twelve boats scheduled to leave. 

In the bunker, Marcus and the baby begin to run out of oxygen in the cylinder and the cauldron is airtight. Marcus loses consciousness. Almost at the point of suffocation Evelyn returns carrying her much needed medical supplies and two full oxygen cylinders. Hearing the cacophony Evelyn distracts the alien by firing a bullet at one of the cylinders which explodes in a ball of flame enveloping the alien. But, the alien comes out the other side almost unscathed, so she disorients it by setting off the overhead sprinkler system and then saves Marcus and her young son by clambering into the cauldron but being mindful not to lock them inside. The three share the oxygen tank to survive while the alien waits outside.

The next day, Emmett discovers an alien has drifted to the island on a boat, carried along by the tide. Just as Emmett races to alert the island folk it emerges and starts slaughtering everyone in its path. Emmett, Regan, and the leader lure the alien to the radio station, but upon entering the leader is grabbed from behind and killed by the alien which then follows Regan and Emmett inside. Emmett sustains an injury to his leg by being clawed by the alien when he attempts to distract it, but Regan is able to play the high-pitched sound from her implant through the radio station's internal speakers so weakening the alien. She then walks towards the alien and brings down a heavy pole through its head, killing it outright. At the same time in the bunker, Marcus picks up the signal and routes it through his portable radio, weakening the alien waiting outside. He approaches holding the radio aloft and shoots it with Evelyn's revolver, killing it. Regan leaves her hearing aid on the radio station microphone, allowing anyone picking up the correct frequency to use the noise to fight them darn pesky no good aliens.

'A Quiet Place : Part II' is a great sequel to a great movie, and in this second instalment Director and Writer John Krasinski has crafted a scary, emotional, tense, taut, lean monster feature that ups the action, the suspense and the feeling of dread in a truly immersive piece of film making that proves he is no one trick pony. Emily Blunt's Evelyn here takes a back seat to the action (albeit remaining as equally grounded and more in protective maternal mode) that is more centered upon Millicent Simmonds Regan and newcomer Cillian Murphy's Emmett as the pair venture out to find salvation from the marauding alien monsters. Noah Jupe's Marcus also puts in a convincing turn as both son and daughter ultimately lay to waste an alien foe so saving themselves and a pair of incapacitated adults in the process. The production values are top notch, and both the Editor and Cinematographer deserve a special mention for the part they play in crafting three varying story lines into a coherent whole. My only gripe would be that the origin and what motivates the alien creatures to randomly kill every human in sight is not touched upon - at all, and as such it feels that Krasinski has all too little to say about them anyway, or that they are poorly conceived, or that for the audience he would rather let the slicing and dicing of their human prey do the talking. That said, 'A Quiet Place : Part II' is certainly well worth the price of your cinema ticket, and if these first two films in the series is anything to go by, then bring on 'A Quiet Place : Part III'.

'A Quiet Place : Part II' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard, from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 27th May 2021.

The 2021 MTV Movie & TV Awards were broadcast on Sunday 16th and Monday 17th May. It was the 29th edition of the awards and the fourth to jointly honour movies and television, and the first to feature a second night, which was devoted exclusively to awards in reality television. The American Actress and Comedian Leslie Jones hosted the ceremony on the Sunday and on the Monday the American Actress, stand-up Comedian and podcast, radio and TV host Nikki Glaser also hosted an event titled 'MTV Movie & TV Awards : Unscripted', for awards going to reality television shows. The ceremony took place in the Hollywood Palladium, Los Angeles, California.

While the bulk of the awards were presented to TV series, those winners and nominees in the movie categories are as given below :-

Best Movie

* Awarded to 'TO ALL THE BOYS : ALWAYS AND FOREVER', beating out 'Borat Subsequent Moviefilm', 'Judas and the Black Messiah', 'Promising Young Woman' and 'Soul'.

Best Performance in a Movie

* Awarded to CHADWICK BOSEMAN for 'Ma Rainey's Black Bottom', beating out Sacha Baron Cohen for 'The Trial of the Chicago 7', Daniel Kaluuya for 'Judas and the Black Messiah', Carey Mulligan for 'Promising Young Woman' and Zendaya for 'Malcolm & Marie'.

Best Comedic Performance

* Awarded to LESLIE JONES for 'Coming 2 America', beating out Eric Andre for 'Bad Trip', Annie Murphy for 'Schitt's Creek', Issa Rae for 'Insecure' and Jason Sudeikis for 'Ted Lasoo'.

Best Music Documentary

* Awarded to 'BTS – BREAK THE SILENCE : THE MOVIE', beating out 'Ariana Grande : Excuse Me, I Love You', 'Framing Britney Spears', 'The Bee Gees : How Can You Mend a Broken Heart', 'Biggie : I Got a Story to Tell', 'Billie Eilish : The World's a Little Blurry', 'Demi Lovato : Dancing with the Devil', 'Tina', 'Shawn Mendes : In Wonder' and 'Taylor Swift : Miss Americana'.

Of the TV awards 'WANDA VISION' won four for Best Show, Best Performance in a Show going to Elizabeth Olson, Best Villain going to Kathryn Hahn and Best Fight going to 'Wanda vs. Agatha'. 'THE FALCON AND THE WINTER SOLDIER' picked up two awards for Best Hero going to Anthony Mackie and Best Duo going to Falcon and the Winter Soldier. Best Breakthrough Performance was awarded to REGE-JEAN PAGE for 'Bridgerton' and Most Frightened Performance went to VICTORIA PEDRETTI for 'The Haunting of Bly Manor'.

The Comedic Genius Award was presented to SASHA BARON COHEN and the MTV Generation Award was presented to SCARLETT JOHANSSON. 

For the complete low down on all the glitz and glamour, the winners and the also rans across all categories, you can go to the official website at : https://www.mtv.com/movie-and-tv-awards

This week we have five latest release new films coming to your local Odeon, and we launch with a sequel to a critical and commercial horror film success from 2018 that leaves a mother and her three children to venture forth beyond their farmhouse and into an unknown world, where blind monsters with an acute sense of hearing are not the only terrors that lie in wait on unsuspecting prey - there are other humans too! Next up we have the origin story of teenaged Estella who has a dream of becoming a fashion designer, having been gifted with talent, innovation, and ambition all in equal measures, but, life seems intent on making sure her dreams never come true, leading her down a life of crime with a particular liking for Dalmatian fur. And we close out the week with three documentary films - the first is an up close and personal look at the life and times of one of Australia's most famed indigenous Actors as he approaches the end of his life. This is followed by the exploits of a true underdog of the European soccer scene who in 2004 upset the status quo by winning the European Championship against all the odds; and we close out the week with an in-depth account of the last survivors of those who participated in Hitler's Third Reich and the impact of what they left behind. 

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new movies 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.

'A QUIET PLACE : PART II' (Rated M) - is an eagerly anticipated long awaited American horror follow-up to 2018's 'A Quiet Place' which grossed US$341M off the back of a US$20M production budget, and was Co-Written, Directed and starred John Krasinski. For this sequel John Krasinski returns to the Directors chair and he also wrote, Co-Produced and once again has a small role in this film, even though his character was killed off in the first film. This film saw its World Premier screening in New York City back on 8th March 2020, with a worldwide release set from 20th March 2020, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic it was rescheduled to 4th September 2020. It was then changed to 23rd April 2021 and then changed again to 17th September 2021. After three postponements, it was moved earlier in the year to this week.

Following the deadly events at home in which Lee Abbott (John Krasinski) was killed by the blind monsters with an acute sense of hearing, the Abbott family now headed up by mother Evelyn (Emily Blunt), with her three children, the deaf Regan (Millicent Simmonds), Marcus (Noah Jupe) and their new born baby must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture into the unknown, they quickly realise that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path. Also starring Cillian Murphy, Djimon Hounsou and John Krasinski in newly filmed flashback sequences set before the events of the first film. 

'CRUELLA' (Rated PG) - this American crime comedy-drama film is Directed by Craig Gillespie whose previous film making outings include 'Lars and the Real Girl', 'Million Dollar Arm', 'The Finest Hours' and 'I, Tonya' most recently in 2017. This film is based on the character Cruella de Vil, introduced in Dodie Smith's 1956 novel 'The Hundred and One Dalmatians' and specifically on the version from the Walt Disney 1961 animated film 'One Hundred and One Dalmatians'. It is the third live-action film in the '101 Dalmatians' franchise which were '101 Dalmatians' released in 1996 and '102 Dalmatians' released in 2000 both with Glenn Close playing Cruella de Vil. Those first two instalments grossed a total US$505M off the back of production budgets amounting to a combined US$160M. Set in 1970's London during the punk rock movement, we here follow Estella de Vil (Emma Stone), an ambitious and aspiring fashion designer, and explores the path that will lead her to become a notorious and dangerous criminal, with a penchant for Dalmatian fur, known as Cruella de Vil. Also starring Emma Thompson, Mark Strong, Paul Walter Hauser, Emily Beecham, Joel Fry and Kirby Howell-Baptiste. The film is scheduled to be released theatrically and simultaneously available on Disney+ with Premier Access this week too in the US.

'MY NAME IS GULPILIL' (Rated M) - this Australian documentary film is Directed and Co-Produced by Molly Reynolds whose prior film making credits take in 'Twelve Canoes', 'Still Our Country', 'Another Country', and 'ShoPaapaa' most recently in 2020. David Gulpilil is an iconic figure of Australian cinema and has been for fifty years, since his breakout role in Nicolas Roeg's 'Walkabout' in 1971. His mesmerising, electrifying presence has leapt off the big screen and changed Australian screen representation forever. The only Actor to appear in both of the two highest-grossing Australian films of all time, 'Crocodile Dundee' and 'Australia'. Gulpilil is known throughout the world for his unforgettable performances - from his breakthrough 'Walkabout' to films including 'Storm Boy', 'Mad Dog Morgan', Peter Weir’s 'The Last Wave', 'The Tracker', 'Rabbit-Proof Fence', 'The Proposition' and his Cannes Best Actor award-winning role in Rolf de Heer’s 'Charlie’s Country'. Integral to the telling of so many legendary screen stories, Gulpilil, now nearing the end of his life having been diagnosed with lung cancer in early 2017, to which his Doctors gave him six months to live. Now four years later, he generously shares his own story with us as the Actor, dancer, singer and painter takes us boldly on the journey that is his most extraordinary, culture-clashing life.

'KING OTTO' (Rated G) - this sports documentary film is Directed and Co-Produced by Christopher Andre Marks in his full length doco debut having Directed two short films previously - the seven minute documentary 'Tiger Hood' in 2015 and the fifteen minute comedy 'Being Richard Kensington' in 2013 - both of which he also Produced and wrote. This documentary charts how in the summer of 2004, audiences looked on in disbelief as the Greek National Football Team, a country that had never previously won a single match in a major tournament, took down the giants of world football to become the unlikeliest of European Champions. The architect behind this unprecedented triumph was legendary German football coach 'King' Otto Rehhagel. After accomplishing every major success in Germany, he made the bold decision to leave all he knew behind and work in a foreign country with the underachieving Greek National Team. This is the story of how these two contrasting cultures came together to speak the same language and write a new chapter of Greek mythology.

'FINAL ACCOUNT' (Rated M) - is a German-language British-American documentary film Directed Produced and lensed by Luke Holland, who died shortly after filming completed on June 10, 2020. Holland's previous film making credits were two TV movie doco's only - 1993's forty-six minute 'Good Morning, Mr. Hitler' and 2000's one hour long 'I Was a Slave Labourer'. This film follows the last living generation of German participants in Adolf Hitler's Third Reich. Over a decade in the making, it raises vital, timely questions about authority, conformity, complicity and perpetration, national identity, and responsibility, as men and women ranging from former SS members to civilians in never-before-seen interviews reckon with – in very different ways – their memories, perceptions and personal appraisals of their own roles in the greatest human crimes in history. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Venice International Film Festival in September last year, and has garnered generally favourable Reviews. 

With five 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 coming week, at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Odeon's closed, productions halted, movies delayed : the impact of the coronavirus!

Usually on a Wednesday I would report on the latest release new movies coming to an Odeon near you in Australia during the week commencing tomorrow. But as cinemas all around the country and elsewhere are temporarily closed, this week and for the foreseeable future this is not to be. So, as the world remains in lockdown, self isolation is the new de rigueur, and all but twenty of the worlds countries are suffering from the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus outbreak that has seen large social gatherings forbidden, stores and businesses shut their doors indefinitely, millions of people now working from home or stood down, the global economy on an ever descending downward spiral, borders closed, airlines grounded, and all but essential services and retailers still operating. And, as at the time of writing, there is no end in sight! All that we know is that this global pandemic will pass . . . eventually, but who knows when, and who knows what the world will look like on the other side?

In Australia, movie theatres across the land closed their doors some three weeks ago now, as they did in many other countries around the world. At around about the same time television and film productions were halted indefinitely or cancelled altogether and the Studios who had their movies slated for imminent release have moved back those scheduled release dates to later in the year, or next year, or to some future unspecified date.

So, in case you were wondering what the status is of the big movies originally scheduled for release during the coming months, here is what we know of them so far :-

* 'THE HUNT' - this Blumhouse produced horror thriller is Directed by Craig Zobel and stars Betty Gilpin, Amy Madigan, Hilary Swank, Emma Roberts, Ethan Suplee, and Ike Barinholtz and was released Stateside on 13th March. One week later it was pulled from any further theatrical releases and it was then made available on digital streaming services.

* 'A QUIET PLACE : PART II' - the follow up film to John Krasinski's hugely successful 2018 horror  thriller film is Directed and Written once again by John Krasinski, and stars his wife Emily Blunt with Cillian Murphy, Noah Jupe, Millicent Simmonds, Djimon Hounsou and Krasinski in newly film flash backs. The film was scheduled for an 19th March release, and has since been delayed until 4th September 2020.

* 'PETER RABBIT 2 : THE RUNAWAY' - this live action computer animated comedy film is based on the characters created by Beatrix Potter over one hundred years ago, and is the sequel to 2018's 'Peter Rabbit'. Directed by Will Gluck and starring in live action roles are Domhnall Gleeson, Rose Byrne and David Oyelowo with voices provided by James Cordon, Margot Robbie, Elizabeth Debicki, Lennie James, Sam Neill, Ewen Leslie and Damon Herriman. This film was also scheduled for a 19th March release and has since been put back until 15th January 2021.

* THE PERSONAL HISTORY OF DAVID COPPERFIELD' - this comedy drama offering based on the original story by Charles Dickens was released in the UK in late January, and is Directed, Co-Produced, and Co-Written for the screen by Armando Iannucci, and stars Dev Patel, Tilda Swinton, Peter Capaldi, Hugh Laurie, Ben Whishaw, Paul Whitehouse, Benedict Wong, Aneurin Barnard, Gwendoline Christie, and Morfydd Clark. The film was scheduled for a release in Australia on 26th March. Earlier that month the film was pulled from its further release schedule, and a re-release date has yet to be confirmed. This Reviewer saw an early screening of the film however, back in February at Sydney's Open Air Cinema, so you can check out my Review, to see what you missed.

* 'MULAN' - this Disney live action remake of their 1998 animated feature film was initially scheduled for a 26th March release, but that has now been pushed back to an unspecified future date. Directed by Niki Caro and starring Liu Yifei, Donnie Yen, Jason Scott Lee, Jet Li, and Tzi Ma.

* 'THE NEW MUTANTS' - this Superhero horror film intended to be an instalment of the 'X-Men' franchise has been plagued by release date delays, but the most recently publicised date was for an 3rd April release time frame which has now been pushed back to an unspecified date, although expected to be some time in later 2020. Directed by Josh Boone and starring Maisie Williams, Anya Taylor-Joy, Charlie Heaton, Blu Hunt and Henry Zaga as the five new young mutants.

* 'ARTEMIS FOWL' - this Sci-Fi adventure offering is a Disney film based on the 2001 book of the same name by Eoin Colfer, Directed by Kenneth Branagh and stars Ferdia Shaw in the title role with Josh Gad, Colin Farrell and Judy Dench. Scheduled for a 3rd April release, this film has been pulled from its cinematic release and will instead air on Disney+ at an as yet undisclosed date.

* 'NO TIME TO DIE' - the 25th instalment in the James Bond franchise is Directed by Cary Fukunaga and starring Daniel Craig for the final time as Bond with Christoph Waltz, Rami Malek, Ralph Fiennes, Ben Whishaw, Lea Seydoux, Naomi Harris, Ana de Armas, and Rory Kinnear. Originally slated for a 9th April release this latest instalment has been pushed back officially to 12th November 2020.

* 'ANTLERS' - this supernatural horror offering with Guillermo del Toro and David S. Goyer both taking Co-Producer credits was due for a release on 16th April, but has subsequently been pushed back to some future undisclosed date in 2020. Directed by Scott Cooper and starring Keri Russell, Jesse Plemmons, Amy Madigan, Graham Greene and Jeremy T. Thomas.

* 'PROMISING YOUNG WOMAN' - is a black comedy drama offering Directed, Co-Produced and Written by Emerald Fennell and starring Carey Mulligan, Alison Brie, Clancy Brown, Christopher Mintz-Plasse and Alfred Molina. Originally set for a 16th April release, this film is still publicised for this date, but that seems highly unlikely at this stage, pending advice from the distributor.

* 'ANTEBELLUM' - is an American horror drama film that was slated for release on 24th April, but a new date for its release has yet to be announced. Directed by Gerard Bush and Christopher Renz and starring Janelle Monae, Jena Malone, Jack Huston and Gabourey Sibide.

* 'BLACK WIDOW' - this MCU Superhero gets her own standalone film despite being killed off in 'Avengers : Endgame'. With Scarlett Johannson as Black Widow, with Florence Pugh, David Harbour, William Hurt, Ray Winstone, Rachel Weisz and Robert Downey Jnr as Iron Man/Tony Stark. Directed by Cate Shortland this is the 24th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and launches the MCU Phase Four and is set after the events of 'Captain America : Civil War'. Originally set for a 1st May release, this film has been pushed back with as yet, no date specified.

* 'SPIRAL' (aka 'SPIRAL : FROM THE BOOK OF SAW') - is a horror film that is the ninth instalment in the 'Saw' franchise and is Directed by Darren Lynn Bousman, Written by Chris Rock and also starring him too alongside Samuel L. Jackson and Max Minghella. It was due for release on 15th May, but has since been pushed back indefinitely.

* 'THE WOMAN IN THE WINDOW' - this psychological thriller is Directed by Joe Wright, and written for the screen by Tracy Letts who also stars together with Amy Adams, Gary Oldman, Anthony Mackie, Bryan Tyree Henry, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Julianne Moore. Originally scheduled for a 15th May release, but has been pushed back to an as yet undisclosed date.

* 'F9' (aka 'FAST & FURIOUS 9') - this ninth instalment in the hugely successful and popular action franchise is this time around Directed by Justin Lin and reunites Vin Diesel with Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Chris 'Ludacris' Bridges, Charlize Theron, Helen Mirren amongst others and introduces John Cena as the bad guy. Due for a 22nd May release, but this has now be delayed until 2nd April 2021.

* 'WONDER WOMAN 1984' - this sequel to 2017's successful 'Wonder Woman' film and the ninth film in the DCEU, is Directed as before by Patty Jenkins and stars Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman/ Diana Prince with Chris Pine, Kristen Wiig, Pedro Pascal, Robin Wright and Connie Nielsen. Slated for a 5th June release but has now been pushed back to 14th August 2020.

* 'GREYHOUND' - this WWII American war film was written for the screen by Tom Hanks and also stars him too in the lead role as Commander Ernest Krause in this story of The Battle of the Atlantic which took place in early 1942 - only a few months after the US entered WWII. Directed by Aaron Schneider and also starring Stephen Graham, Elisabeth Shue, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Rob Morgan. Initially scheduled for a 11th June release, this film has been pushed back indefinitely with no date as yet publicised.

* 'CANDYMAN' - is a supernatural slasher film Directed by Nia DaCosta and Co-Written by Jordan Peele, and is a direct sequel to the 1992 film of the same name and the fourth film in the 'Candyman' franchise, based on the short story 'The Forbidden' by Clive Barker. Initially slated for an 11th June release, the film has since been put back to 25th September 2020.

* 'TOP GUN : MAVERICK' - this follow up to 1986's 'Top Gun' film with Tom Cruise as Pete 'Maverick' Mitchell sees the intrepid Navy pilot return in this sequel that was originally scheduled for a 24th June release that has since been delayed until 23rd December 2020. Directed by Jospeh Kosinski and also starring Miles Teller, Jon Hamm, Ed Harris, Val Kilmer and Jennifer Connelly.

* 'FREE GUY' - this Sci-Fi action comedy film is Directed by Shawn Levy and stars Ryan Reynolds (who also Co-Produces) and Taika Waititi, Joe Keery and Lil Rel Howery. Slated for a 3rd July release, this has now been pushed back until 11th December 2020.

* 'GHOSTBUSTERS : AFTERLIFE' - this supernatural comedy offering is a direct sequel to 'Ghostbusters' from 1984 and 'Ghostbusters II' from 1989, and the fourth film in the franchise. Directed by Jason Reitman and starring Mackenna Grace, Finn Wolfhard, Carrie Coon, Paul Rudd, Bokeem Woodbine, Tracy Letts, and reprising their roles from the first films Bill Murray, Dan Aykroyd, Ernie Hudson, and Sigourney Weaver. Set for a release date of 10th July, this has now been pushed back to 5th March 2021.

* 'MORBIUS' - based on the Marvel Comics Superhero character of the same name this is the third film in Sony's Marvel Universe that was intended for a July release date, but this has now been put back until 19th March 2021. Directed by Daniel Espinosa and starring Jared Leto as Michael Morbius with Matt Smith, Jared Harris, Tyrese Gibson and Michael Keaton.

* 'TENET' - this action thriller film is Directed, Co-Produced and Written by Christopher Nolan with an all star cast taking in John David Washington, Robert Pattinson, Elizabeth Debicki, Clemence Poesy, Michael Caine, Kenneth Branagh and Aaron Taylor-Johnson. It remains at this time still scheduled for a 17th July release - being the fifth Nolan film to be released in the third weekend of July, which has been hailed as his 'lucky date ' as his prior four projects went on to achieve strong box office returns. This of course remains to be seen, or if indeed 'Tenet' will also get pushed back.

* 'THE FRENCH DISPATCH' - is a comedy drama film Directed and Co-Written by Wes Anderson with an all star ensemble cast including Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Elisabeth Moss, Frances McDormand, Lea Seydoux, Edward Norton, Willem Dafoe, Christoph Waltz, Owen Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Timothee Chalamet and Saoirse Ronan. The film was originally scheduled for a July 24th release, but has since been postponed until 16th October 2020.

* 'JUNGLE CRUISE' -  is an action adventure film based on the Disney theme park attraction of the same name. Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Dwayne Johnson (who also Co-Produces), Emily Blunt, Edgar Ramirez, and Jesse Plemmons this film was scheduled for a 24th July release date which has since been pushed back to 30th July 2021.

* 'MALIGNANT' - this horror film is Directed, Co-Produced, and Co-Written by James Wan and stars Annabelle Wallis, Jacqueline McKenzie and Mckenna Grace, and was slated for an 14th August release, which has now been pushed back indefinitely.

* 'ETERNALS' - this Superhero film exists in the MCU and is Marvel's 25th entry into their cinematic universe, Directed by Chloe Zhao and starring Richard Madden, Brian Tyree Henry, Salma Hayek, Barry Keoghan, Angelina Jolie and Kit Harrington as some of the 'Eternals' amongst others - an immortal alien race created by the 'Celestials' who have secretly lived on Earth for over 7000 years, and who reunite to protect humanity from their evil counterparts, the 'Deviants'. Originally scheduled for a 6th November release, and subsequently moved back to 12th February 2021.

And so this just about brings you up to date with many of the movie postponements that have so far been announced, doubtless with more to follow depending on how long this pesky virus thing continues to hang around for. Next week, we'll report on the movie productions that have been halted in their tracks for the imminent future and what this means for their planned release schedule. Stay tuned, keep it here and remain safe . . . indoors!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 19th March 2020.

South by Southwest (SXSW) is an annual conglomeration of parallel film, interactive media, and music festivals and conferences organised jointly that take place annually in mid-March in Austin, Texas, USA. It began in 1987 and has continued to grow in both scope and size every year. The SXSW Film Conference spans five days of conference panels and sessions, and welcomes filmmakers of all levels. The SXSW Film Festival runs for nine days, simultaneously with the SXSW Film Conference, and celebrates raw innovation and emerging talent both behind and in front of the camera. Festival categories include Special Events, Headliners, Narrative Spotlight, Documentary Spotlight, Narrative Competition, Documentary Competition, Visions, Midnighters, 24 Beats Per Second, SXGlobal, Episodic, Festival Favourites, and Short Film Programmes. Scheduled to take place between 13th and 22nd March, this years 34th SXSW was cancelled for the first time in its history on 6th March by the City of Austin because of the 2019/20 international coronavirus outbreak. SXSW organisers said that they were 'devastated' by the cancellation, writing that ''The show must go on' is in our DNA'. They also wrote, 'We are exploring options to reschedule the event and are working to provide a virtual SXSW online experience as soon as possible for 2020 participants'.

A sad but true fact, that in reality makes a lot of sense given the potential size of the audience over the duration of the Festival was likely to top 70,000. One day, they'll make a film about this, no wait, they have that done that already with the likes of 'Outbreak' and 'Safe' both in 1995, and 'Contagion' in 2011 to name but a few.

For more on SXSW, you can visit the official website at : https://www.sxsw.com

Turning attention then back to the latest four new filmic releases coming to an Odeon near you in the week ahead, we launch with a hotly anticipated sequel to a 2018 film in which silence rules the world, and to break it risks death by alien predatory creatures, as the remaining members of one family embark on a perilous journey out into the world from the relative safety of their farmstead. This is then followed up by a historical retelling of the battle fought between two men to bring electric power to the masses as the 19th Century draws to a close. We next have an already highly acclaimed documentary about an area of Los Angeles which contains one of the largest populations of homeless folk in the US, and how one man seeks to unite a group of former felons with a common purpose and give them hope where otherwise there may have been none. And we wrap up the week with a live action CG animated sequel about a bunch of bunny rabbits who venture out into the big wide world and get up to all kinds of mischief before being reunited with their surrogate family and learning a thing or two about themselves.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the four 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 QUIET PLACE : PART II' (Rated M) - this is the eagerly anticipated American horror sequel to 2018's hugely popular and commercially successful 'A Quite Place' which was Directed Co-Written and starred John Krasinski, and went on to gross US$341M off the back off a US$17M production budget. Nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe, a BAFTA and two AACTA's amongst its total haul of 33 award wins and a further 110 nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit, Paramount Pictures announced just a matter of weeks following the release of the first film that a sequel was planned. Krasinski said he considered it 'as a one-off' but that with the sequel planned, he started considering the larger fictional universe to explore possibilities. Come August of that year and Krasinski was writing the script and in February 2019, he was hired to Direct. He also Co-Produces. By late September production had wrapped, and now in mid-March the film gets its wide release . . . . or so was originally planned. But on Thursday 12th March John Krasinski announced 'One of the things I’m most proud of is that people have said our movie is one you have to see all together. Well due to the ever-changing circumstances of what’s going on in the world around us, now is clearly not the right time to do that. As insanely excited as we are for all of you to see this movie .. I’m gonna wait to release the film till we CAN all see it together!' Paramount Pictures also stated 'We believe in and support the theatrical experience, and we look forward to bringing this film to audiences this year once we have a better understanding of the impact of this pandemic on the global theatrical marketplace.' Watch this space for updates once a new release date is locked in.

Following the deadly events at home in which husband and father Lee Abbott (John Krasinski) died saving his children from the creature, the remaining Abbott family of Evelyn (Emily Blunt and real life wife of Krasinski), daughter Regan (Millicent Simmonds), and son Marcus (Noah Jupe) must now face the terrors of the outside world as they continue their fight for survival in silence. Forced to venture out in to the unknown, they come to realise very quickly that the creatures that hunt by sound are not the only threats that lurk beyond the sand path. Also starring Cillian Murphy, Djimon Hounsou, and John Krasinski, in newly filmed flashbacks.

'THE CURRENT WAR' (Rated M) - is an American historical drama film Directed by Alfonso Gomez-Rejon in only his third film making outing after 2014's 'The Town That Dreaded Sundown' and 2015's 'Me and Earl and the Dying Girl' although he has acted as Second Unit Director on a number of well known films over the years including 'Lucky Numbers', '21 Grams', 'Babel', 'State of Play', 'Julie & Julia' and 'Argo'. This film saw its World Premier showing at TIFF back in September 2017 and was originally slated for release by The Weinstein Company in December 2017, and then rescheduled for late November 2017. It was pulled from release following the sexual abuse allegations that arose against Harvey Weinstein, the then co-head of the company, and the rest regarding Mr. Weinstein is, a they say, history. After the Weinstein Company was declared bankrupt, and its assets purchased by  Lantern Entertainment, a revised date for release was announced. It was released in late July 2019 in the UK and in late October 2019 in the US, has so far grossed US$12M from its US$30M production budget and has garnered mixed or average Reviews. And so here Thomas Edison (Benedict Cumberbatch) and George Westinghouse (Michael Shannon) two of the greatest inventors of the industrial age, engage in a battle of technology and ideas that will determine whose electrical system will power the new century. Backed by J.P. Morgan (Matthew Macfadyen), Edison dazzles the world by illuminating Manhattan. But Westinghouse, aided by Nikola Tesla (Nicholas Hoult), sees fatal flaws in Edison's Direct Current design. Westinghouse and Tesla bet everything on the risky and dangerous Alternating Current. Also starring Tom Holland, Katherine Waterston and Tuppence Middleton.

'SKID ROW MARATHON' (Rated CTC) - initially released in mid-2017 in the US on the film festival circuit, this inspiring, feel good and heart warming Documentary film is Written and Directed by Mark Hayes. The main figure in this Documentary is Judge Craig Mitchell, who early on in life had designs on becoming a priest, but decided against that and taught at a high school in South Central Los Angeles for seventeen years before deciding to go to law school. He became a Los Angeles Prosecutor in 1994, and then a Judge in 2005. He has issued many jail sentences from the bench, some of them for quite lengthy periods of time. Judge Mitchell's life changed however, when a prisoner recently released whom he had previously sentenced invited him to visit the Midnight Mission in Skid Row in Downtown LA. Mitchell, who has a lifelong passion for running, came up with the idea of starting the Midnight Mission Runners Club. The doc, shot over several years, profiles several individuals whose lives were changed as a result of their participation, and there attendance at several international marathons. This film offers plenty of opportunity for these running club members to tell their stories, and for Judge Mitchell to describe his motivations, which is all the more surprising given that he suffers from a serious spinal condition that led his doctors to advise him never to run again. The film has won 25 awards (every one it was nominated for), went on release in the UK in May 2018, and only now gets a very limited release in Australia.

'PETER RABBIT 2 : THE RUNAWAY' (Rated G) - this computer animated and live action comedy sequel to 2018's successful 'Peter Rabbit' which grossed US$351M off the back of a US$50M budget investment, is once again Directed, Co-Produced, and Co-Written for the screen by Will Gluck, and is based on the beloved characters created by Beatrix Potter at the turn of the twentieth century. Here live action characters Bea (Rose Byrne), Thomas (Domhnall Gleeson) and Percy McGregor (David Oyelowo) and the rabbits have created a makeshift family, but despite his best efforts, Peter Rabbit (voiced by James Cordon) can’t seem to shake off his mischievous reputation. Adventuring beyond the garden, Peter discovers a world where his mischief is appreciated, but when his family risks everything searching for him, Peter must figure out what kind of bunny he really wants to be. Also starring the voice talents of Margot Robbie as Flopsy, Elizabeth Debicki as Mopsy, Colin Moody as Benjamin, Lennie James, Sia, Sam Neill, Ewen Leslie and Damon Herriman. The film is released in the US on 3rd April. Like 'A Quiet Place : Part II' above, the release of 'Peter Rabbit 2 : The Runaway' has now been pushed back due to the global impact of the Coronavirus, to an August 7th US release. Again, watch this space for future updates.

With four 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-