The 77th annual Venice International Film Festival is currently being held, running from 2nd through to 12th September, albeit in an abridge format because of the ongoing impact of COVID-19. Australian Actress Cate Blanchett has been appointed as the Jury President for this years Main Competition, with other jury members including Matt Dillon (the American Actor), Joanna Hogg (the British Director and Screenwriter), Christian Petzold (the German Director and Screenwriter) and Veronica Franz (the Austrian Director and Screenwriter). Two Italian films were chosen to open and close this years festival - 'The Ties' Directed by Daniele Luchetti opens the festival, and 'You Came Back' Directed by Stefano Mordini, will close.
The following films are amongst the eighteen features selected to be in the Main International Competition this year.
* 'And Tomorrow the Entire World' from Germany and France this political drama film is Directed by Julia von Heinz.
* 'The Disciple' from India is a drama film Directed, Written and Edited by Chaitanya Tamhane, with Alfonso Cuaron Executive Producing.
* In Between Dying' is an Azerbaijan, Mexico, United States Co-Production that is Directed, Co-Written, Co-Produced and Edited by Hilal Baydarov.
* 'Lovers' from France, this thriller is Directed by Nicole Garcia and stars Benoit Magimel and Stacy Martin.
* The Macaluso Sisters' is an Italian drama film Directed and written for the screen by Emma Dante based on her own 2014 play of the same name.
* 'Miss Marx' from Italy and Belgium, this English language biographical period drama film is Written and Directed by Susanna Nicchiarelli and stars Romola Garai, Patrick Kennedy, John Gordon Sinclair, Felicity Montagu and Emma Cunnliffe.
* 'New Order' is a Mexican and French Co-Production that is Directed, Written, Co-Produced and Co-Edited by Michel Franco.
* 'Nomadland', from the USA is Written, Directed, Edited and Co-Produced by Chloe Zhao and stars Frances McDormand and David Strathairn.
* 'Notturno' from Italy, France and Germany is a documentary film Directed, Written, Co-Produced and lensed by Gianfranco Rosi.
* 'Pieces of a Woman' is an Hungarian, American and Canadian Co-Produced drama film Directed by Kornel Mundruczo, Executive Produced by Martin Scorsese and starring Vanessa Kirby, Shia LaBeouf, Ellen Burstyn, Sarah Snook and Benny Safdie.
* 'Quo Vadis, Aida?' - is an internationally Co-Produced war drama film Written and Directed by Jasmila Zbanic.
* 'Wife of a Spy' is a Japanese historical romantic drama film Directed and Co-Written by Kiyoshi Kurosawa.
* 'The World to Come' is an American drama film Directed by Mona Fastvold and starring Vanessa Kirby, Katherine Waterston, Casey Affleck, Christopher Abbott and Jesse Plemmons.
For all the latest news and views from this years Venice International Film Festival, you can check out the official website at : https://www.labiennale.org/en/cinema/2020
This week then we have five latest release new movies gracing your local Odeon screen. We start with the third instalment in a franchise that saw its humble beginnings back in 1989, with its follow up offering coming two years later, and its been almost thirty years since this pair of would-be slacker rock legends graced our screens, but here they are again, setting off in their time travelling phone booth to save the known universe. We then move to a Moroccan film about the unlikely bond that develops between two very different women that could just bring about their salvation. Next up we have a home invasion tale surrounding a young teenage girl out to thwart a group of convicts on the run after they invade the weekend getaway home she and her family are staying in searching for a special key. This is followed by a sequel to a 2019 film about young love and the trials and tribulations surrounding this couple, and whether the guy is really meant to be with the girl. And we close out the week with an Australian documentary film about a much loved Australian country music icon, and his wife in particular who struggled for years to gain the recognition she deserved to be regarded as a singer/songwriter in her own right.
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.
'ADAM' (Rated PG) - in her Directorial debut, and Co-Written by Maryam Touzani she has here crafted a moving and heart-warming story of food, friendship and female empowerment, set against the backdrop of a modern-day Casablanca medina. This Moroccan drama film saw its selection in the Un Certain Regard category at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival. Exploring the unlikely friendship between two very different women, one a lonely widow and the other unmarried and pregnant – whose paths cross in a tiny bakery. Initially closed off from the world, the widowed Alba (Lubna Azabal) is reluctantly charmed by pregnant Samia’s (Nisrin Erradi) eagerness to lend a hand with baking. When conservative values threaten both women’s freedoms as Samia struggles to prepare for her growing baby, the bond they grow to share could be the saving of them both.
'BECKY' (Rated R18+) - this American action thriller film is Directed by Jonathan Milott and Cary Murnion and was due to have its World Premier screening at the Tribeca Film Festival in April of this year. That showcase was cancelled due to COVID-19 and was subsequently released via VOD, on some digital platforms and in drive-in theatres in the US in early June. Now its gets a limited showing in Australia, having taken US$1M at the Box Office so far, and having garnered mixed or average Reviews thus far. Here courageous, determined and rebellious Becky Hooper (Lulu Wilson) tries to reconnect with her father Jeff (Joel McHale) during a weekend getaway at a lakefront house. But the trip soon takes a turn for the worse when convicts on the run, led by the merciless Dominick (Kevin James), suddenly invade the home in search of a special key stashed away somewhere on the property.
'AFTER WE COLLIDED' (Rated M) - is the sequel offering to 2019's 'After', and this American romantic drama film is Directed by Roger Kumble and is based on the 2014 new-adult fiction novel of the same name by Anna Todd. Is Hardin Scott (Hero Fiennes Tiffin) really the deep, thoughtful guy that Tessa Young (Josephine Langford) fell madly in love with, or has he been a stranger all along? She wishes she could walk away. It's just not that simple. Not with the memory of the passionate nights they spent together. Still, Tessa's not sure she can endure another broken promise. She's focused on her studies and just starting an exciting new internship at Vance Publishing. She's also being pursued by Trevor Matthews (Dylan Sprouse), a handsome new co-worker who is exactly the kind of guy she should be with. Hardin knows he made a mistake, possibly the biggest one of his life. He wants to right his wrongs and overcome his demons. He's not going to lose Tessa without a fight. But can, and will, he change?
'SLIM & I' (Rated PG) - Directed and Written by Kriv Stenders, whose previous film making credits take in 'Red Dog', 'Kill Me Three Times', 'Red Dog : True Blue', 'Australia Day' and 'Danger Close : The Battle of Long Tan' most recently last year. Here this Aussie documentary film tells the story of Australia's Queen of Country Music, Joy McKean, who takes us on a journey through her life revealing the story of her career, her decades of touring around Australia, her marriage of more than fifty years to Slim Dusty (the icon of Australian country music who recorded 106 albums throughout his career spanning seven decades), and her determination to be recognised as a performer and songwriter in her own right.
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 week ahead, at your local Odeon.
-Steve, at Odeon Online-
-Steve, at Odeon Online-
