What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 18th June 2026.

The 34th annual Raindance Film Festival takes place this year from Wednesday 17th June through until Friday 26th June in central London, England. Raindance Film Festival is the largest independent film festival in the UK and is based in the heart of London’s buzzing West End film district. The festival was established in 1992 and showcases feature film and shorts by filmmakers from around the world to an audience of film executives and buyers, journalists, fans and filmmakers. Each year, Raindance attracts some 16,000 visitors including about five hundred industry professionals into London. Raindance Film Festival is officially recognised by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences USA, the British Academy of Film and Television Arts and the British Independent Film Awards. Selected shorts will qualify for Oscar and BAFTA considerations. 

This year the festival will open with the UK Premiere of Michel K. Parandi’s Sci-Fi thriller 'April X', and close with the European Premiere of Kirsty Bell’s documentary 'Eddie Cochran: Don’t Forget Me', with a further eighty-three narrative and documentary features, 112 short films and twenty-seven immersive projects. Forty-eight of the features, 56% of the total, come from first-time Directors.

In the Best International Feature category, are the following ten films :-

* 'April X' - from the USA and Romania and Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Michel K. Parandi. A high octane, near future thriller about twins Bax and April. When April goes missing, Bax searches every dark corner of the post Soviet cityscape trying to find her, ultimately descending into madness. 

* 'Born to Lose' - from the USA and Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Joseph Zentil. A young biker grapples with his father's troubled legacy and escalating debts to a local gangster. As he races to restore a vintage motorcycle to save himself, he must confront family secrets and forge his own identity. International Premiere.

* 'Frank' - from Estonia and Written and Directed by Tonis Pill. Following a serious domestic violence incident, 13 year old Paul arrives in an unfamiliar town where in his pursuit of happiness he makes one bad decision after another. His seemingly inevitable downfall is thwarted, however, by a strange disabled man. UK Premiere.

* 'Jardines Del Bosque' - from Mexico and Co-Written and Co-Directed by Alex Barragan, Diego Barragan, and Co-Produced and scored by Alex Barragan and Edited by Diego Barragan. Three friends remember the summer of 2014 when they were preteens and an older girl from their neighbourhood disappeared one day without a trace. As their search intensifies, what began as an innocent game of detectives slowly turns into a dark mystery that changes them forever. World Premiere.

* 'Lost Land' - from Japan, France, Malaysia and Germany and Written, Directed and Edited by Akio Fujimoto. The film follows four-year-old Shafi and his nine-year-old sister Somira, Rohingya refugees, who embark on a perilous journey from a refugee camp in Bangladesh to Malaysia to reunite with their family. UK Premiere.

* 'My Daughter's Hair' - from Iran and Directed by Hesam Farahmand. Tohid and his wife and children have an average life. Until a very simple event shatters the story of their lives. UK Premiere.

* 'No Lastname' - from Iran and Written and Directed by Mohammed Reza Sattari. During the COVID-19 pandemic, an undocumented family living on society's margins struggles with poverty, grief and emotional collapse. As death and desperation close in, fragile relationships begin to fracture. World Premiere.

* 'PARO - The Untold Story of Bride Slavery' - from India and the USA and Co-Written and Directed by Gajendra Ahire. Sold at thirteen, stripped of her children, and betrayed by every promise of safety, Chand’s final act of defiance transforms unimaginable suffering into a powerful call for justice and change. UK Premiere.

* 'Silent Rebellion' - from Switzerland and Co-Written and Directed by Marie-Elsa Sgualdo. 15-year-old Emma, pregnant after a rape, defies her repressive rural Protestant community to carve a path of self-determination, transforming trauma into a catalyst for emancipation while confronting the moral hypocrisy of the village and the spectre of World War II around her. UK Premiere.

* 'Tokyo Nightfall' - from Japan and Written, Directed and Edited by Yuto Shimizu. After his sister Anna dies by suicide following a traumatic encounter in high school, Amenashi drifts through grief and guilt. Drawn to a clandestine mass-suicide gathering in Tokyo, he enters a nightclub where he and two friends confront entrapment, despair, and the buried emotions that bind them to life. World Premiere.

For the full line up of all the feature narratives, documentaries, short films, animated films, the other award categories, and a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can go to the official website at : http://www.raindance.org/festival

Looking ahead to this weeks five new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we kick off with an American thriller in which an aged Robin Hood grapples with his past life while in the hands of a mysterious woman after being critically injured. Next up we have an American animated adventure comedy drama film that sees another sequel to this hugely popular franchise, in which Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the rest of the gang's jobs get exponentially harder when they go head-to-head with a new threat to playtime. Then we turn to an Australian coming of age romantic supernatural horror film where two star-crossed teenage boys must escape a violent entity that takes the form of the person they desire most - each other. This is followed by a French offering in which a wealthy heiress whose plan to stage a landmark concert is derailed by the clashing egos of the virtuosos recruited for the performance. And closing out the week we have a real life drama about Supermodel Kate Moss who embarks on a journey of self-discovery when acclaimed artist Lucian Freud offers to paint her portrait.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five 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 coming week.

'THE DEATH OF ROBIN HOOD' (Rated MA15+) - this American thriller offering is Written and Directed by Michael Sarnoski who made his first feature in 2021 with the multi-award winning film 'Pig' and which he would follow up with 'A Quiet Place : Day One' in 2024. He is set to Write and Direct a live-action film adaptation of the video game 'Death Stranding', which is currently in active development with a release date yet to be announced. This film is a dark adaptation of the 17th-Century ballad 'Robin Hood's Death', by an unknown Writer.

After being seriously injured in a brutal battle that he thought would be his last, Robin Hood (Hugh Jackman) finds himself being nursed back to health by a mysterious woman, Sister Brigid (Jodie Comer). As he recovers, he begins to reckon with his violent past of crime and murder, and as feelings of regret set in, Robin finds an unexpected chance at salvation. Also starring Bill Skarsgard as Little John, with Murray Bartlett and Noah Jupe, The film saw its World Premiere screening at the Sydney Film Festival earlier this month and is released here in Australia and the US from this week.

'TOY STORY 5' (Rated G) - is an American animated adventure comedy-drama film Produced by Pixar Animation Studios for Walt Disney Pictures, and is Co-Written and Directed by Andrew Stanton, whose prior feature film making credits take in his 2003 debut with 'Finding Nemo' and which he would follow up with 'WALL-E' in 2008, 'John Carter' in 2012, 'Finding Dory' in 2016 and 'In the Blink of an Eye' released earlier this year. This film is the fifth main instalment in Pixar's 'Toy Story' film series and the sequel to 2019's 'Toy Story 4'. Including the spin-off film 'Lightyear' from 2022, those five films have grossed almost US$3.3B at the worldwide Box Office from combined production budgets of US$720M. Here then, after Woody (voiced again by Tom Hanks) left Bonnie (Scarlett Spears) to help abandoned toys find owners, Jessie (Joan Cussack) becomes the leader of Bonnie's room, with Buzz Lightyear (Tim Allen) as her second-in-command. However, a now-eight-year-old Bonnie has become enamoured of her new favourite plaything, a frog-like tablet named Lilypad (Greta Lee). Also starring the voice talents of Conan O'Brien, Tony Hale, Bonnie Hunt, Ernie Hudson and Keanu Reeves. The film is released Stateside this week also.

'LEVITICUS' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian romantic coming of age supernatural horror film is Written and Directed by Adrian Chiarella in his feature film Directing debut. The film explores the dark consequences of religious fanaticism when two teenage boys - Naim (Joe Bird) and Ryan (Stacy Clausen), subjected to a radical conversion therapy ritual, are hunted by a supernatural entity that takes the form of the person they desire most - each other. Also starring Mia Wasikowska, Ewen Leslie and Nicholas Hope. It saw its World Premiere showcasing at this year Sundance Film Festival at the end of January, and is released here in Australia and the USA this week, having garnered universal critical acclaim.

'THE MUSICIANS' (Rated PG) - is a French musical comedy drama film Co-Written and Directed by Gregory Magne in only his third feature film making outing following 'L'air de rien' in 2012 and 'Perfumes' in 2019. Wealthy heiress Astrid Carlson (Valerie Donzelli) finally succeeds in fulfilling her late father’s dream - to bring together four Stradivarius (two violins, a viola and a cello) for a unique concert, eagerly expected by music lovers around the world. But Lise Carvalho (Marie Vialle), George Massaro (Mathieu Spinosi), Peter Nicolescu (Daniel Garlitsky), and Apolline Dessartre (Emma Ravier), the four virtuosos recruited for the occasion, are incapable of playing together. The rehearsals are one ego crisis after another. With no solution in sight, Astrid decides to go and find the only person who, in her eyes, can still save the event, Charlie Beaumont (Frederic Pierrot), the composer of the score. The film was released in its native France in early May 2025, and only now does it arrive in Australian cinemas thirteen months hence.

'MOSS & FREUD' (Rated MA15+) - this UK and New Zealand Co-Produced real life drama film is Written and Directed by James Lucas in his feature film making debut, although he is acclaimed for his Writing and Executive Producing his Academy Award winning short film 'The Phone Call' in 2013. Here, in 2002, at age 28, Kate Moss (Ellie Bamber) is already the greatest fashion icon of our time. Endlessly watchable, never predictable, always natural and utterly unpretentious. Kate shaped a generation. Yet she still yearns to be seen, truly seen. In a bold move, Kate enters Lucian Freud's (Derek Jacobi) the famed British painter and draughtsman, who is regarded as one of the foremost 20th Century English portraitist -  studio. Two British cultural titans converge, and Kate bares herself. Freud's genius explores Kate's hidden depths. Her complexity unfolds. A mesmerising rapport develops. The wild party scene fades whilst self-discovery takes centre stage. Tension mounts. Truths emerge. Kate finds her voice, her strength, her true self. Kate blossoms from supermodel to eternal muse. This is a journey into the heart of an icon. After sittings over the course of many months, the resultant painting was auctioned in 2005 for £3,928,000. The film had its World Premiere screening at the BFI London Film Festival in mid-October last year, was released in the UK in late May, and arrives in select Australian cinemas this week. 

With five 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 week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 16th June 2016.

The Sydney Film Festival, now in its 62nd year draws to a close this coming Sunday evening 19th June, ending 12 days of movie going goodness with the Australian Premier of the Whit Stillman Directed 'Love and Friendship' with Kate Beckinsale, Chloe Sevigny, Xavier Samuel and Stephen Fry based on the Jane Austen novella of letters 'Lady Susan'. Before the curtain rises on Sunday evening there would have been some 250 films shown across Sydney from all around the world, with many receiving their Australian Premier and some their World Premier screening.

Last week I mentioned those films in Official Competition, and those in Special Presentation. This week to give a closing indication of those other features to watch out for, here is a quick synopsis of a few highlights :

• 'SHEPHERDS AND BUTCHERS' - Directed by Oliver Schmitz, Australian Premier with Steve Coogan and Andrea Riseborough with Coogan taking a rare dramatic lead as a lawyer in this 1987 set South African courtroom drama.
• 'MUSTANG' - Directed by Deniz Gamze Erguven, this Turkish film has been highly acclaimed and surrounds five sisters, their unity in the face of adversity, the loss of innocence and the coming of age.
• 'SWISS ARMY MAN' - Directed by Dan Kwan and Daniel Scheinert, Australian Premier with Paul Dano, Daniel Radcliffe and Mary Elizabeth Winstead this is the story of a man stranded on a desert island and a corpse washed ashore.
• 'BORN TO BE BLUE' - Directed by Robert Budreau, Australian Premier with Ethan Hawke as jazz trumpeter Chet Baker in this reimagined bio-pic of this imprisoned, heroine addicted comeback kid who lived from 1929 until 1988.
• 'I SAW THE LIGHT' - Directed by Marc Abraham, Australian Premier with Tom Hiddleston as country music legend singer/songwriter Hank Williams in this bio-pic of the hard drinking man who succumbed to pain killing drugs and alcohol at just 29 years of age in 1953, but left an indelible mark on popular music.
• 'HIGH RISE' - Directed by Ben Wheatley, Australian Premier with Tom Hiddleston, Jeremy Irons and Sienna Miller in this dystopian telling set inside a London apartment tower whose residents descend into savagery when the power fails.
• 'PATCHWORK' - Directed by Tyler MacIntyre, Australian Premier with Tory Stolper, Tracey Fairaway and Maria Blasucci as three girls who share nothing in common until a scalpel wielding maniac slices and dices them and stitches them back together as one.
• 'SING STREET' - Directed by John Carney, Australian Premier with Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Jack Reynor and Lucy Bonton set in a mid-80's Dublin with a thumping classic 80's soundtrack, big hair, wide lapels, fashion victims, emotion and heart wrapped up in the power of music and determination.
• 'NATIONAL BIRD' - Directed by Sonia Kenneback, Australian Premier this documentary traces Daniel, Lisa and Heather who enlisted into the US Drone Programme to identify and track targets from the other side of the world, and the impact of their unsettling work including the death, destruction and maiming that they now have to live with. If you saw 'Eye in the Sky' - see this for the other real life perspective.
• 'BEAST' - Directed by Sam & Tom McKeith, with Garret Dillahunt and Chad McKinney this is a story of a mixed-race boxer in Manila managed by his father, who accidentally kills his opponent in the ring in a rigged fight, and the far reaching consequences for all thereafter.
• 'GOAT' - Directed by Andrew Neel, Australian Premier with Ben Schnetzer and Nick Jonas this tells the story of the increasingly dangerous, violent and humiliating initiation rituals experienced by freshmen into the US College system fuelled by alcohol, sex, drugs and peer group pressure.
• . . . and finally, a Scorsese Retrospective featuring ten films by Martin Scorsese as selected by noted film critic, author and lecturer David Stratton homing in on some of his most celebrated and influential works. Those chosen are 'Mean Streets', 'Taxi Driver', 'Raging Bull', The Aviator', 'Goodfellas', 'Casino', 'The King of Comedy', 'New York, New York', 'The Age of Innocence' and 'Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore'. You can catch all of these at The Art Gallery of New South Wales. For more information on the Sydney Film Festival go to : www.sff.org.au

Turning to the upcoming week, we have five new movies arriving at a multiplex near you, that kick start with an epic fantasy adventure when two worlds collide in this battle for supremacy based on a hugely popular video game; then a sequel to a much loved and hugely successful animated aquatic feature from 13 years ago; with up next a bio-pic interpretation of a horn blowing legend from a first time Director who also stars as that legend in this passion project. We then wrap up with a romantic drama that is sure to turn on the water works with emotion, choices and life changing decisions, and fading out with some big name stars shooting, maiming, killing and dancing their way through an action comedy romance that seems yet to find an audience.

When you have watched in wonder at your movie of choice this week, remember that you can always share your thoughts, comments and observations with your fellow readers and cinephiles here at Odeon Online by leaving your own movie critique in the Comments section below this or any other Post - we'd love to hear from you! Enjoy your film in the meantime.

'WARCRAFT : THE BEGINNING' (Rated M) - this is the long awaited film based on the hugely popular and successful Blizzard Entertainment burgeoning franchise of video games, board games, card games, novels, comics and now a full length feature film that can be traced back some 22 years to 1994 when the game launched, and at its peak in 2010 had some 12 million players. Today that number is more in the region of six million subscribers who do battle in the fantasy world of Azeroth occupied by humans but attacked by Orcs as their world of Draenor is set to collapse. In the world of Azeroth also live elves, dwarves, trolls, gnomes . . . and orcs. A self confessed Warcraft Warrior, Director and Screenplay Co-Writer Duncan Jones is the man behind this US$160M epic that opened in the US on 10th June, and has so far grossed US$307M - undoubtedly with many legions of the Warcraft gameplay fans queueing up around the block to get the best seat in their local movie theatre house. With filming having wrapped in May 2014, the movie has been in post-production for almost two years only adding to the anticipation and expectation factor - with the reality proving to be very mixed so far from critics far and wide.

The story here surrounds the peaceful world of Azeroth, whose peace is interrupted by a marauding fearsome race of invaders in the form of orcs from the dying planet of Draenor. Fleeing their own planet through a portal that has opened up connecting the two worlds, the humans inhabiting Azeroth face destruction from the orcs who face extinction if they remain on Draenor. From each side and emerging hero rises who are set to collide in a epic battle that will seal the fate of their families, their people and their world. Starring Travis Fimmel as Sir Anduin Lothar, Toby Kebbel as Durotan, Dominic Cooper as King Llane Wrynn, Ben Foster as Mendivh, Daniel Wu as Gul'dan, Clancy Brown as Blackhand, Robert Kazinsky as Orgrim Doomhammer and Paula Patton as Garona Halforcen amongst an army of otherworldly characters set to battle it out for dominance . . . or will they find a better way?

'FINDING DORY' (Rated G) - the 2003 film 'Finding Nemo' to which this film is a sequel, was hugely successful for Pixar Animation Studios, making US$937M from its US$94M cost to make, standing today as the 35th highest grossing film of all time. It won the Best Animated Feature Oscar together with 46 other award wins and a further 59 nominations for Director & Screenwriter Andrew Stanton and its talented voice cast comprising Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Willem Dafoe, Geoffrey Rush and Alexander Gould as Nemo, the clownfish amongst others. This sequel - 13 years it seems in the making is set six months after the events of that first film and sees Director and Screenwriter Andrew Stanton return once again with a bigger voice cast than before that sees Dory (Ellen DeGeneres) regaining her childhood memories and recounting images of Morro Bay in California. Aided by Nemo (this time voiced by Hayden Rolence) and Marlin (Albert Brooks) she has an epic adventure eventually arriving at Monterey Marine Life Institute, where their lives a diverse collection of sea life, but can Dory and her new friends save her Mum and Dad from captivity so that they can be reunited once more? Also starring the voice talents of Ed O'Neill, Ty Burrell, Diane Keaton, Idris Elba, Eugene Levy, Dominic West, Willem Dafoe, Sigourney Weaver, Bill Hader, Alexander Gould and more.  The film is released in the US the day after its Australian release.

'MILES AHEAD' (Rated M) - Co-Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Starring Don Cheadle as the legendary jazz-trumpeter Miles Davis, this is a real labour of love for the multi-award winning and nominated Actor, who is Directing his first feature film in which he also stars . . . nothing like jumping in off the deep end! Whilst this is essentially a bio-pic Cheadle takes liberties with the timeline and distorts the truth a little here to weave in an engaging story of a past his prime Davis who goes into self imposed exile towards the late 70's whilst dealing with the pain of illness in his hip, a voice roughed up by years of drugs and painkiller abuse, and memories of the past haunting him. One day music journalist Dave Braden (Ewen McGregor) comes knocking on his door to research and write a comeback piece on the music legend, and unwittingly the two forge a relationship over the ensuing days that sees them seek to recover a stolen tape recording of Davis' most recent compositions. Prolific in the jazz scene from the late 40's when he started playing with saxophonist Charlie Parker through its numerous iterations, the great man died in 1991 aged 65. This is Cheadles tribute to the man, the legend, the musician, the artist, and mostly it has received positive reviews.

'ME BEFORE YOU' (Rated M) - based on the 2012 book of the same name by Jojo Moyes, this romantic drama is Directed by Thea Shamrock and centres around a paralysed Will Traynor (Sam Claflin) - a former wealthy banker whose life changed forever two years earlier resulting in him now being wheelchair bound for life. Before the accident he lived life to the full, was an adventurous type, and outgoing but now has become reclusive, cynical and short tempered especially with those hired to look after him. Then Louisa Clark (Emilia Clarke) arrives on the scene - an English lass who drifts from one job to another without any real purpose in life other than to help support her struggling family. When she loses her job at a local cafe, the young, optimistic and quirky Louisa lands a job looking after Will who at first shuns her quirkiness and optimism, but soon the two develop a friendship that in time becomes more. With the clock counting down on a crucial moment in time for Will, Louisa makes it her mission to show Will that life is worth living and that adventures and discovery can still be had even in the face of adversity. Charles Dance and Joanna Lumley also star. The film has so far made US$55M off its US$20M budget - take your box of tissues to this weepie!

'MR. RIGHT' (Rated MA15+) - this action comedy romance is Directed by Paco Cabezas, Written by Max Landis (son of John) and has so far received average reviews at best and since its early April release Stateside has made just US$250K - that should give an indication of this films pulling power! This is however, somewhat surprising given Anna Kendrick as the female lead playing Martha - an eccentric but good natured warm hearted woman who stumbles across Francis (Sam Rockwell) in a convenience store. He feels an instant attraction and so asks Martha out on a date, during which he demonstrates some of his physical abilities and dexterity, and confides that he is in fact an assassin for hire, but now kills those you hire him rather than the intended target. Eventually, Martha comes around to his way of thinking and feels a connection particularly when she sees for herself some of the low-lifes and undesirables that he has to deal with in his line of work. When the past comes back to haunt Francis in the form of Hopper (Tim Roth) the man who trained him in the first place, the two join forces to thwart the evil enemy with over the top unbelievable results that might just account for its Box Office take so far.

Five new release offerings to encourage you out on a cool Winter evening in June, and when you have sat through your preferred movie choice in the coming week, remember to share your thoughts with your like minded movie goers here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-