THE FLASH : Tuesday 13th June 2023.

I saw the M Rated 'THE FLASH' at an early screening this week two days ahead of its official worldwide release. This much hyped and eagerly awaited American Superhero film is based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is intended to be the thirteenth instalment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and is Directed by Andy Muschietti whose previous feature film making credits take in his debut with 2013's 'Mama', then the Stephen King novel adaptation of 'It' in 2017 and 'It Chapter Two' in 2019. This film is released in the US this week also, following multiple delays caused by Director changes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and post-production setbacks. It had a production budget of about US$220M, and has garnered mixed or average reviews.

The film opens up with a Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) late for work and hurriedly walking into his local cafe to collect his usually pre-prepared breakfast from the obliging female assistant working the counter, but on this day she is off sick and so his breakfast has not been prepared. He painstakingly looks at his watch and gives the young male assistant his order who would rather pass the time of day chatting than prep up his morning sustenance. Barry's phone rings and it is Batman's trusted butler and assistant Alfred (Jeremy Irons) demanding that he is urgently needed in Gotham City to attend a robbery at a hospital where the thieves have made off with a suitcase containing vials of a deadly virus. While waiting for his order Barry reluctantly asks whether Batman can attend to the scene or Wonder Woman even, but both are it seems indisposed. Barry makes his exit to the bathroom and appears out in the street as The Flash. What follows is The Flash's superspeed run to Gotham City to attend to the hospital that has seen a huge sinkhole appear immediately outside and the entire wing of the hospital about to come crashing down into it. Of course high up in the hospital tower is a suite containing several new born babies, a nurse and a therapy dog who all go crashing out the plate glass window as the side of the building begins to topple. But, with The Flash on the scene he is able to save all the babies, the nurse and the dog and bring them to safety on the ground. 

In the meantime the Batman (Ben Affleck) has arrived on his Batbike and is chasing down the villains through the streets of Gotham, amongst much vehicular carnage, the exchange of rapid gunfire, mortars and burning rubber. Eventually, Batman brings the last villain to heel while dangling off a bridge with the villain holding onto Batman by his fingertips and Alfred blurting down the phone to not allow the case of virus vials to fall into the river. Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) appears and using her lasso of truth hauls Batman and the villain to safety. Job done, the city saved and the three part ways with The Flash returning to the cafe just a few minutes later for the assistant to hand over his custom made breakfast. 

Barry then goes to work and is chastised by his boss for being late - a perpetual habit it seems. Later, as The Flash, Barry revisits his childhood home where he fondly remembers his parents Nora (Maribel Verdu) and Henry (Ron Livingstone). Nora sends Henry out to the local supermarket to buy an extra can of tomatoes for a special pasta sauce she is making. With the young Barry upstairs in his bedroom, he sees his father return and hears his mother scream out. Rushing down to the kitchen, Barry sees his mother slumped against the kitchen cabinet with a knife sticking out of her stomach and his father holding the knife yelling out for Barry to call 911. However, Henry is accused of her murder and imprisoned, with the trial set for tomorrow. Barry speaks with Henry over the phone, with Henry telling his son that the court case is a foregone conclusion and that all the odds are firmly stacked against him, just before the phone call is cut off automatically.

Racked with emotional turmoil, Barry inadvertently runs at such a speed that he travels back in time, and upon returning to the present day has a conversation with Bruce Wayne about it, saying that he can change the past and save his mother and father, and that he could do likewise for Bruce and save his parents too. But Bruce explains that if you mess with the past you can cause untold damage to the future, and to drop the idea. At that Bruce jumps back into his Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 and drives off. Despite Bruce's warnings The Flash goes back to the time of Nora's death, and changes the outcome so that she lives.

When The Flash attempts to get back to the present-day, he winds up in an alternate 2013 where Nora is alive. Barry greets his parents warmly and settles down for dinner over a bowl of pasta, but through the kitchen window he sees his past self approaching the house. He quickly dashes outside and intercepts his younger self. After explaining the realities of time travel to a bewildered younger Barry, he realises he is in the day of the lab accident that bestowed upon Barry his powers - 29th September. And so the older Barry takes the younger Barry to the Central City Police Department where he helps give his younger self his powers during a freak storm in which a lightning bolt strikes the side of the building through a window and smashing a mix of chemical bottles spilling all over him, but in the process, the older Barry looses his powers. Older Barry attempts to train younger Barry in the use of his powers but has trouble doing so, as his younger self is a lot more impetuous. Later with the pair out in the city, they learn via TV news broadcasts, of General Zod’s (Michael Shannon) invasion on Earth. And so the two Barry’s go to Wayne Manor in the hopes of locating Batman, as the pair need all the help they can get if they are to save our little green planet from destruction.

Entering the somewhat run down and neglected Wayne Manor, they find an alternate version of Bruce Wayne (Michael Keaton) who has long since given up on crime fighting since Gotham has become one of the safest cities in the country. However, explaining the predicament the two Barry's now find themselves in, they convince him to help them find Superman who is being held captive in a Russian base high up in the Arctic Circle. 

Upon gaining entry to the base they eventually find the massive steel sphere that Superman is encased in. Instead though of finding Superman, they find his cousin Kara Zor-El (Sasha Calle) who is physically weakened and mentally drained, but they rescue her anyway. After doing so and escaping through the roof of the base, Kara quickly recovers her powers when exposed to the sun's solar energy, and she almost single handedly dispenses with the small army of Russian soldiers guarding the base. The older Barry asks Bruce to help him get his powers back by recreating the accident that bestowed him those powers in the first place. The first attempt fails and nearly kills Barry prompting Kara aka Supergirl, to fly Barry into the storm and get struck by lightning which has the desired effect.

Supergirl and Batman join the two Barry's in attempting to defeat Zod, who by now has begun the process of destroying Earth. During the battle with Zod, Supergirl learns that Zod killed the infant Kal-El when his pod got knocked off course. She is naturally enraged. Just as Supergirl overpowers Zod and seemingly gains the upper hand, Zod manages to kill her and take a sample of her blood which he will use to revitalise the dying planet Krypton. Batman meanwhile sacrifices himself to save the Barry's.

The younger Barry insists he travel back in time to save them both and does so multiple times but keeps failing, each time becoming a slightly darker unhinged version of himself, and as the time continuum becomes increasingly fragmented. The older Barry tries to reason with the dark Flash but his attempts prove futile in the Speed Force as the multiverse begins to implode, but not before older Barry has visions of alternate Supermen (Christopher Reeve, Adam West, George Reeves and Nicolas Cage). A future version of Dark Flash then arrives to kill his younger self, so saving the multiverse and restoring the equilibrium. 

In the aftermath, Barry fixes the timeline and reconciles himself with his mother's death. Back in the present day new evidence is provided in Henry's court case so earning him his freedom. Outside the court house Barry is met by his former girlfriend, Iris West (Kiersey Clemons) who asks him out on date at which he quickly responds with a resounding yes, after which Bruce Wayne pulls up in his Vision Mercedes-Maybach 6 who is not the Ben Affleck version of the character, but the George Clooney version. If you sit in your seat right until the end credits have rolled, you'll see a scene in which Barry is assisting a very drunken Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) while telling him of his recent experiences. 

'The Flash' is arguably one of the best DCEU big screen adaptations to date and Director Andy Muschietti has proved himself more than capable in helming a cinematic extravaganza such as this. The action sequences are exactly what we have all come to expect from a Superhero movie, and the CGI rendering whilst not perfect is passable. Ezra Miller is well cast in the role of dual Barry Allen's/The Flash and seeing Michael Keaton reprise his role as Batman for the first time in thirty years is a real trip down memory lane, whilst nods to former Batmen and Supermen also adds to the nostalgia, but is probably there more for the fan service than to add any weight to the plot lines. There are moments of real humour and emotion interspersed between the action set pieces that help elevate this final instalment in the DCEU, before new joint CEO's James Gunn and Peter Safran's new franchise - the DCU rolls out, above many of the also-rans that have gone before. The final act is long and drawn out however, and overly repetitive, and just how many more films do we need to have in this genre that feature a multiverse for Chrissakes - after all we've had two in the last two weeks, plus a whole bunch more in recent years. Nonetheless, 'The Flash' is certainly worth the price of your movie ticket. 

'The Flash' 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 15th June 2023.

The 22nd annual Transilvania International Film Festival kicked off on Friday 9th June and runs through until Sunday 18th June. Founded in 2002, the Transilvania International Film Festival is the first and largest international film festival in Romania and one of the most important film events in the region, with over 100,000 participants at each edition. The festival takes place every year in the heart of Transilvania, in Cluj-Napoca, a modern city with a rich history. Open to the general public as well as industry professionals, the festival shows over 250 films and its programme includes cine-concerts, concerts, as well as art exhibitions and meeting opportunities between filmmakers and the Romanian audience. Transilvania IFF has taken on the mission of discovering new voices in cinema and hosts two international competitions - feature fiction and feature documentary - dedicated to first and second-time Directors, as well as an annual showcase of contemporary Romanian cinema. The festival also screens the most anticipated and award-winning films of the season, provocative and controversial productions, and includes a strong section dedicated to children and film education, so reads the official website.

The Opening Night Gala feature film presentation is 'Northern Comfort' from Iceland, the UK and Germany and is Co-Written and Directed by Hafsteinn Gunnar Sigurosson and stars Timothy Spall and Lydia Leonard. It's hard to publicly admit your fears, especially when it's a fear of flying and you've already bought holiday tickets with your new boyfriend. In preparation for her trip, Sarah signs up for an exclusive course designed to cure her fear of flying, the final test being a round trip flight from London to Reykjavik. What sounds good on paper soon gives way to a wave of paranoia as turbulence hits that turns the journey into a race against the clock at the end of which, literally, every man flies for himself. The Closing Night film is 'Asteroid City' Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Wes Anderson and with an all star cast set in the 1950's in an American desert town, this sci-fi romantic comedy takes place at an astronomy conference where students and their parents witness some strange events that will forever change the course of history and mankind.

British Actor Timothy Spall and Australian Actor Geoffrey Rush will be honoured at the festival with Lifetime Achievement Awards, with American Writer, Producer and Director Oliver Stone also attending to showcase his latest documentary film 'Nuclear Now'. 

Those feature films in the fiction category competition are as follows :-

* 'The Barbarians' - from Argentina and France and Directed by Andrew Sala.

* 'Like A Fish On The Moon' - from Iran and Directed by Dornaz Hajiha.

* 'Carbon' - from Moldova and Directed by Ion Bors.

* 'The Cake Dynasty' - from Denmark and Directed by Christian Lollike.

* 'Daughter of Rage' - from Nicaragua and Mexico and Directed by Laura Baumeister.

* 'Banger' - from The Czech Republic and Directed by Adam Sedlak.

* 'Family Time' - from Finland and Sweden and Directed by Tia Kouvo.

* 'Stillness in the storm' - from Spain and Directed by Alberto Gastesi.

* 'Upon Entry' - from Spain and Directed by Alejandro Rojas and Juan Sebastian Vasquez.

* 'Charcoal' - from Brazil and Argentina and Directed by Carolina Markowicz.

* 'Noemie Says Yes' - from Canada and Directed by Genevieve Albert.

* 'The Uncle' - from Croatia and Directed by David Kapac and Andrija Mardesic.

For the full details relating to the complete run down of films and retrospectives being showcased at this years Transilvania International Film Festival, you can go to the official website at : https://tiff.ro/en

This week then to tease you out to your local Odeon on a chilly Winter's evening, we have six new movies, kicking off with the thirteenth film in the DCEU that sees Barry Allen using his super speed to change the past, but his attempt to save his family creates a world without Superheroes, forcing him to race for his life in order to save the future. This is followed by a New Zealand horror offering that after mysteriously inheriting an abandoned coastal property, this young family accidentally unleash an ancient, long-dormant creature that terrorised the entire region, and his own ancestors for decades. Next up is a Canadian RomCom about a married couple who are excited to have some alone time while their twin daughters are away at camp, but unfortunately for them, their romantic week becomes a series of sexual adventures to re-energise their relationship. Then we turn to an Aussie doco about a proud Aboriginal woman and her journey to unearth the truth about her past, and to reconcile the two sides of her family. Following on from this we have an American comedy drama about a novelist's long-standing marriage which is suddenly upended when she overhears her husband give his honest reaction to her latest book; and closing out the week we have a CG animated feature set in a city where fire, water, land, and air residents live together, a fiery young woman and a go-with-the-flow guy discover something elemental - how much they actually have in common.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the six latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the week ahead.

'THE FLASH' (Rated M) - this much hyped and eagerly awaited American Superhero film is based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It is intended to be the thirteenth instalment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and is Directed by Andy Muschietti whose previous feature film making credits take in his debut with 2013's 'Mama', then the Stephen King novel adaptation of 'It' in 2017 and 'It Chapter Two' in 2019. This film is released in the US this week also, following multiple delays caused by the Director changes, the COVID-19 pandemic, and post-production setbacks. It had a production budget of about US$220M.

Worlds collide when Barry Allen, aka The Flash (Ezra Miller) uses his superpowers to travel back in time in order to change the events of the past. But when his attempt to save his family inadvertently alters the future, Barry becomes trapped in a reality in which General Zod (Michael Shannon) has returned, threatening annihilation, and there are no Super Heroes to turn to. That is, unless Barry can coax a very different Batman (Michael Keaton) out of retirement and rescue an imprisoned Kryptonian, Supergirl (Sasha Calle) albeit not the one he's looking for. Ultimately, to save the world that he is in and return to the future that he knows, Barry's only hope is to race for his life. Also starring Ron Livingstone, Kiersey Clemons, Ben Affleck, Jeremy Irons, Temuera Morrison, Gal Gadot and Nicolas Cage. 

'THE TANK' (Rated MA15+) - is a New Zealand horror thriller offering Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Scott Walker in his second feature film offering following 2013's 'The Frozen Ground'. Set in 1978, Ben Adams (Matt Whelan) lives in Oakland, California with his wife Jules (Luciane Buchanan) and their young daughter Reia (Zara Nausbaum). After mysteriously inheriting an abandoned coastal property in Oregon from his late mother (who never once mentioned owning the site) Ben and his family accidentally unleash an ancient, long-dormant creature that terrorised the entire region - including his own ancestors - for generations. The film saw a limited release in the US towards the end of April before streaming later that week, and is now released here in Australia 

'THE END OF SEX' (Rated MA15+) - this Canadian romantic comedy film is Directed by Sean Garrity whose previous feature film making efforts include his 2001 debut with 'Inertia', then 'Lucid' in 2005, 'Zooey & Adam' in 2009, 'Blood Pressure' in 2012, 'After the Ball' in 2015 and 'I Propose We Never See Each Other Again After Tonight' in 2020. Here then, we have a married couple Josh (Jonas Chernick who also wrote the screenplay) and Emma (Emily Hampshire), both in their 40's and both feeling the pressures of parenting and adulthood, who decide to send their kids to winter camp for the first time for a week so that they can embark on a series of sexual adventures to reinvigorate their relationship. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the TIFF in early September last year, has so far collected just US$55K at the Box Office and has generated mixed or average reviews so far. 

'THE LAST DAUGHTER' (Rated PG) - this Australian documentary film is Co-Directed by Brenda Matthews, a proud Wiradjuri woman living in Bundjalung Country, Queensland, Australia, in her debut feature film making effort and Australian American film maker Nathaniel Schmidt. As a child, Brenda Matthews was handed over to a white family to be raised, before eventually being returned to the Aboriginal family she no longer knew. Decades later, she feels disconnected from both halves of her life. But the traumas of her past do not lie quietly buried. She remembers her white parents with fondness, especially their daughter who was around her age. Now an adult, Brenda searches for her foster family and the truth behind her government ordered abduction. In the process she uncovers long-buried secrets and government lies, whilst reconciling her past and the two sides of her family. 

'YOU HURT MY FEELINGS' (Rated M) - is an American comedy drama film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Nicole Holofcener whose prior feature film making credits include her debut in 1996 with 'Walking and Talking', then 'Lovely & Amazing' in 2001, 'Friends with Money' in 2006, 'Enough Said' in 2013 and 'The Land of Steady Habits' in 2018. Beth (Julia Louis-Dreyfus who also Co-Produces here) struggles with a lack of self-confidence and her marriage with unsuccessful therapist Don (Tobias Menzies) is affected by a betrayal. Before this, they had a peaceful but co-dependent relationship, which makes their only child Elliott (Owen Teague) uncomfortable. Beth's sister Sarah (Michaela Watkins) helps her cope with the pain, possibly because of her own struggles with husband Mark (Arian Moayed), who is a struggling actor. The film has garnered universal critical acclaim and has so far grossed US$4M since its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival at the end of January and its US release in late May. 

'ELEMENTAL' (Rated PG) - is an American computer-animated romantic comedy-drama film Produced by Walt Disney Pictures and Pixar Animation Studios, distributed by Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures and is Directed by Peter Sohn whose only other Director credit was with the 2015 Pixar animated film 'The Good Dinosaur'. 'Elemental' is the twenty-seventh feature film released by Pixar and is set in a world inhabited by anthropomorphic elements of nature. The story follows fire element Ember Lumen (Voiced by Leah Lewis) and water element Wade Ripple (Mamoudou Athie), who meet and fall in love after Wade is summoned by a plumbing accident at a convenience store owned by Ember's bigoted father Bernie (Ronnie del Carmen). While they cannot touch each other, Ember and Wade protect their identity against strong men and women and their own family while they attempt to make their relationship work. Following its World Premiere screening at the Cannes Film Festival at the end of May, the film has garnered mixed or average early reviews so far on a film that cost US$200M to produce. It is released this week too Stateside. 

With six new release movie offerings this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

IT : CHAPTER TWO - Tuesday 10th September 2019.

'IT : CHAPTER TWO' is Rated MA15+  and here it is - the sequel to the hugely popular and successful 'IT' supernatural horror film of 2017 based on the 1986 Stephen King novel of the same name, which I saw earlier this week. That first instalment raked in US$701M at the global Box Office off the back of a production budget of US$35M making it the highest-grossing R-Rated horror film of all-time, the highest-grossing horror film internationally and the highest-grossing horror film of all time. The film also received positive reviews, with many Critics calling it one of the best Stephen King adaptations, and along the way it picked up eight award wins and a further 43 nominations from around the awards and festival circuit. This film saw its Premier screening in Los Angeles at the end of August, and went on general release in the US and here in Australia last week. Off the back of a Production Budget of circa US$70M, the film has so far grossed US$221M and has generated for the most part positive Press. Both instalments have been Directed by Argentinian Andy Muschietti.

It is 2016 and we open up at the Derry Carnival at night, with fair ground rides, side stalls and attractions aplenty to occupy anyone and everyone. At the carnival we are introduced to Adrian Mellon (Xavier Dolan) and his boyfriend Don Hagarty (Taylor Frey) who are attacked by a group of homophobic youths on their way home. Beating the pair up on the street out of view from the general public, the youths man handle a semi-conscious Mellon over a bridge and into the fast flowing river below. Hagarty, distraught, gives chase to his struggling boyfriend only to see him rescued from the river by Pennywise, who in turn kills him. Hagarty looks on helpless and horrified from the opposite riverbank. And so, twenty-seven years after the Losers Club defeated Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgard), IT returns to terrorise the town of Derry, Maine once again. Later that same night Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa) overhears the incident on a Police scanner of a dismembered body found down by the riverbank, and rushes to the scene.

Mike quickly realises that 'IT' has returned. He calls the other members of the Losers Club who have now all gone their separate and independent ways and have carved out successful careers for themselves away from Derry, all except Mike who has remained in Derry throughout all the passing years. He calls Bill Denbrough (James McAvoy) now a successful mystery thriller writer based in LA and married to a famous Actress; Richie Tozier (Bill Hader) now a successful stand-up comedian also based in LA; Ben Hanscom (Jay Ryan) now a successful architect living in Nebraska and having slimmed down and toned up from the fat kid that he was; Eddie Kaspbrak (James Ransone) who is now a successful risk assessor working for a major firm in New York City; Stanley Uris (Andy Bean) who is now a successful accountant working in Atlanta; and Beverly Marsh (Jessica Chastain) who has become a successful fashion designer working in Chicago. They all take Mike's call, although need prompting to remember who Mike is as most are forgetful about their childhoods and disturbed by the calls, but agree to return given that they all swore a blood oath to reunite in Derry if Pennywise ever resurfaced. Stan, however, commits suicide after his call by slashing his wrists while taking a bath at home. Without knowing of Stanley's recent death, the Losers reunite at a local Chinese restaurant in Derry and slowly begin to remember their past over a few beers and a meal together, but then become terrified by a relentless onslaught of disturbing visions and horrific taunts implanted in their sub-conscious but seemingly very real, created by IT.

Once outside the restaurant after the horrifying visions have subsided, Beverly tries to connect with Stanley only to reach his distraught wife who informs her that he committed suicide. Richie and Eddie have already seen and heard enough, and decide to leave while Mike reveals to Bill that he met with a Native American tribe who showed him a vision of IT arriving to Earth from the stars decades ago, and informed him of the 'Ritual of Chud', the means to destroy IT forever. Bill and Mike are able to convince Richie and Eddie to stay and finish what was started. Henry Bowers (Teach Grant), having survived his apparent death, had been confined to a mental hospital for killing his father and two friends back in 1989, and with the help of IT, he escapes, intent of seeing off the Losers Club finally, one by one.

For the Ritual of Chud to be successful, each Loser must find an artifact of some personal significance from their past. Beverly goes to her old home and finds the love letter Ben wrote for her, though she still believes Bill wrote it. A Mrs. Kersh (Joan Gregson) now lives there - a seemingly sweet and gentle old lady who invites Beverly in for a nice cup of tea, but minutes later it turns out that Mrs. Kersh is anything but, as an insidious monster manifests itself and rampages through the house attacking Beverly who hallucinates other visions of Pennywise before finally escaping.

Bill meanwhile comes across a second hand shop where in the window is his old bike from when he was a kid. He goes into the store and is greeted by the shop keeper played in cameo by Stephen King who sells Bill back his bike for US$300 - steep, but as a successful author he knows that he can afford it. Bill then cycles back to his former house and goes to the storm drain where his younger brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) was killed in October 1988 and recovers his paper boat before meeting a boy named Dean (Luke Roessler), who tells Bill that he lives in Bill's old house and often hears voices coming up through the drain in the bath. 

Ben goes to the town's high school and finds his old yearbook page, which Beverly was the only person to sign. Eddie goes to a pharmacy and recovers an inhaler. Richie goes to an abandoned arcade where he finds a game token, but afterwards is confronted in the town's park by Pennywise whose taunts him with threats to reveal his dirty little secret to the world. After all have managed to evade individual encounters with IT, the Losers use a shower cap retrieved from their secret forest childhood clubhouse for Stan, and Mike finds the rock that started their fight against the Bowers gang all those years ago.

Back at the guesthouse where all but Mike are staying, Bill and Beverly share a kiss before a skateboard caked in blood and with a message written on the underside comes rolling down the staircase. Bill recognises the board from his earlier encounter with young Dean, and realises that IT is going after Dean, and chases him to the carnival in an attempt to save the boy. He sees Dean disappear into the Clown Funhouse, and into a maze of mirrors and glass panels. There he comes across Dean but on the other side of a glass panel and therefore out of reach, as Pennywise appears on the other side of Dean, also separated by a glass panel. Pennywise repeatedly slams his head against the glass panel so cracking it and so giving him access to the boy, who then devours him. 

Traumatised by his failure to save both Georgie and Dean, he returns to the run down abandoned house at 29, Neibolt Street, to murder IT alone. Bowers attacks and wounds Eddie by stabbing him in the face with his knife, but survives and in turn pulls the knife from his severely bloodied cheek and stabs Bowers in the chest. Mike is at the library waiting for the other Losers to rendezvous with him there, and is attacked by Bowers but is killed by Richie arriving just in time. The rest of the Losers depart for the Neibolt house to aid Bill, as they had always vowed to stick together to thwart IT.

Once inside the house, it is seen to have fallen further into a state of disrepair and seemingly horrors awaiting at every turn and in every decrepit room. After confronting various horrors all conjured up by IT, the group descends into an extensive cavern buried deep beneath the house and through the sewers in order to complete the Ritual. 

In forming a circle, holding hands and repeating a chant directed by Mike, the group seem to have early success, until IT reveals that he is able to withstand the Ritual, unaffected. IT takes on a giant, spider-like form with Pennywise's head, and pressures Mike into revealing to the Losers that the Natives who attempted the Ritual in the past all died in the process. 

The Losers are then all individually thrown into nightmarish scenarios that they must endure, but from which they all manage to escape from before arriving back inside the cavern from whence they came. Richie is hypnotised and elevated by IT's hypnotic 'deadlight' eyes and is about to be killed, but Eddie comes to his rescue and is immediately impaled by IT's razor sharp spider legs in the process. 

The Losers regroup and come to the realisation that IT can be killed if they stand up to IT, face their fears, show IT that they are no longer afraid and make IT feel smaller than he actually is. They surround and berate IT repeatedly with a barrage of insults making IT shrink physically and weaken mentally until they are able to tear out IT's heart and crush it so extinguishing all life from IT. At this point, the cavern begins to implode and Eddie dies from his injuries despite Richie's attempts to save him. The remaining group now need to race against time to exit the rapidly crumbling cavern and get back to the surface before it all comes crashing down around them and on top of them. They do so just about, and exit through the front door of 29, Neibolt Street, before the house collapses in on itself in a heap of old timbers and dust. 

The remaining Losers return to the quarry where they once swam together and jump in from the cliff top high above the lake to wash off the dust, the dirt, debris and blood. Sometime later, the Losers all individually receive posthumous letters from Stanley, detailing that he thought he would've held them back, but knew they could defeat IT if they were brave enough without him. Mike is seen to be packing up his belongings into his car as he decides to move out of Derry to start a new life.

Also starring as their younger selves are Jaeden Martell (aka Jaeden Lieberher) as the younger Bill,  Sophia Lillis as the younger Beverly, Jeremy Ray Taylor as the younger Ben, Finn Wolfhard as younger Richie, Chosen Jacobs as younger Mike, Jack Dylan Grazer as younger Eddie and Wyatt Oleff as younger Stanley. All those portraying their younger selves reprise their roles from the first film.

I did enjoy 'IT : Chapter Two', but not quite as much as Chapter One and felt that it meandered somewhat and at a running time of two hours and 49 minutes could have done with  little more scrutiny in the editing suite I thought. That said, Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise remains as menacing and as devilishly dastardly as he did in the first instalment, and the now adult members of the Losers Club are well cast and seem to share a nervous chemistry that just heightens their on-screen presence, interspersed with flashbacks to their younger selves that serves to recapture the essence of the first film. Director Andy Muschietti doesn't hold back on the gore, the monster effects, and the horror scares that you can see coming from a mile away but still deliver the necessary jolt to maintain the interest throughout. Certainly worth the price of your movie ticket to see the conclusion to the story that comes full circle, albeit a little too long, melodramatic at times and just a tad predictable in places.

'IT : Chapter Two' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 5th September 2019.

In August the world bid a fond farewell to a number of stars of the silver screen and the small screen. In brief, shown below, is my passing tribute to those stars who leave an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, and in particular the world of film and television. May you all Rest In Peace, and thanks for the memories . . . . Ningali Lawford, Richard Williams, Peter Fonda, Valerie Harper and Franco Columbu.

* Ningali Lawford - born in 1967 and died 11th August 2019, aged 52, Lawford was an Australian indigenous Actress of the Walmadjari people in the Pilbara Region of Western Australia. She trained in dance at the Aboriginal Islander Dance Theatre in Sydney, before making her stage acting debut in 1990 in 'Bran Nue Dae' in Perth, later going on to appear in the Australian feature film of the same name in 2009 starring Geoffrey Rush, Ernie Dingo, Jessica Mauboy and Missy Higgins. It was in 2002 that Lawford made her big screen debut in Phillip Noyce's 'Rabbit-Proof Fence' with Kenneth Branagh, Jason Clarke, David Gulpilil and Deborah Mailman. Her last big screen outing was in last years 'Last Cab to Darwin' with Michael Caton and Jacki Weaver. In the meantime, Lawford had several television appearances in multiple episodes of the series 'The Circuit', then made for TV movie '3 Acts of Murder', then thirteen episodes lending her voice talents to the animated series 'Little J & Big Cuz' and finally on 'Mystery Road' in 2018. Lawford had collected one award win for 'Mystery Road' as part of the Ensemble cast and three nominations for her supporting role in 'Last Cab to Darwin'.

* Richard Williams - born 19th March 1933, died 16th August 2019, aged 86, Williams was a Canadian born English resident from age 22 and was an Animator, voice Actor, Director, Producer and Writer in a career spanning seven decades. His debut came in 1958 with the animated short film 'The Little Island' which garnered Williams his first BAFTA win for Best Animated Short Film. By the early '60's Williams had established his own company, Richard Williams Animation, which completed over 2,500 TV commercials, and won numerous awards and in 1962 he completed his first commercial success, the short film 'Love Me Love Me', narrated by Kenneth Williams. From there he Directed and animated many films over the ensuing years including 'A Lecture on Man', 'The Dermis Probe', 'A Christmas Carol' in 1971 for which he won the Academy Award for Best Animated Short Film, 'Who Framed Roger Rabbit' in 1988 for which Williams was Animation Director and which secured him a Special Achievement Academy Award 'for animation direction and creation of the cartoon characters'. His troubled 31 years in the making of 'The Thief and the Cobbler' in 1995 was not followed up until 2010 with 'Circus Drawings' and his final film 'Prologue' in 2015 which was a critical success and gained many awards and nominations, including an Oscar and a BAFTA nomination for Best Animated Short Film. Added to his work in Direction, Williams also animated the titles of many feature films including 'What's New Pussycat?' and 'The Liquidator' both in 1965, 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum' in 1966, 'Casino Royale' in 1967, 'The Charge of the Light Brigade' in 1968, 'The Return of the Pink Panther' in 1975, and 'The Pink Panther Strikes Again' in 1976. All up Williams had twenty-one credits for his animation, thirteen as Director, eight as Producer, six as Writer and five as Actor, and along the way he collected eleven award wins and two nominations.

* Peter Fonda - born 23rd February 1940, died 16th August 2019, aged 79, Fonda was the product of a Hollywood dynasty - his father the multi-award wining Actor Henry Fonda, his sister the multi-award winning Actress Jane Fonda, his daughter the multi-award winning Actress Bridget Fonda and his nephew the award winning Troy Garity. After a string of early '60's television show appearances, Fonda gained his first big screen outing in 'Tammy and the Doctor' in 1963, and this was followed up that same year by his turn in 'The Victors' in which he secured his first Golden Globe nomination for Most Promising Newcomer. From there, more television appearances followed, with the film 'Lilith' in 1964 and his first lead role in 'The Young Lovers' also that year. By the mid-1960s, Fonda was hardly a stereotypical Hollywood 'leading man'. Playboy magazine reported, Fonda had established a 'solid reputation as a dropout'. He had become outwardly nonconformist and grew his hair long and took LSD regularly, alienating the film making 'establishment'. His first 'counterculture' film was Roger Corman's 'The Wild Angels' in 1966 which he followed up with 'The Trip' a year later again for Corman. These in turn lead to 'Easy Rider' the seminal motorcycle road drama and counterculture landmark film of 1969 Directed by Dennis Hopper, and starring Hopper, Fonda and Jack Nicholson. In 1971 Fonda turned his hand to Directing, and also starred in 'The Hired Hand' with 'The Last Movie' again Directed by Dennis Hopper also coming out that same year. He would also Direct 'Idaho Transfer' in 1973, and 'Wanda Nevada' in 1979. His other more notable film credits take in the likes of 'Race with the Devil', 'Killer Force', 'Futureworld' (a sequel to 1973's 'Westworld'), 'Certain Fury', 'Deadfall', 'Escape from L.A.', 'Ulee's Gold' in 1997 for which Fonda won a Golden Globe Award for his performance and was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actor and a Screen Actors Guild Award. Then there was 'The Limey', 'Ghost Rider', 'Wild Hogs', '3:10 to Yuma', 'The Boondocks Saints II : All Saints Day', 'The Harvest', 'House of Bodies', 'The Runner', 'The Ballad of Lefty Brown', 'Boundaries' and the yet to be released 'The Last Full Measure' and 'The Magic Hours'. His more recent TV appearances include episodes on 'ER', 'Californication', 'CSI : NY', 'Hawaii Five-O', 'Blacklist' and 'Ride with Norman Reedus'. All up Fonda had 116 Acting credits to his name, three as Director, two as Writer, two as Producer and could boast thirteen award wins and a further 21 nominations including Academy Award, Golden Globe, Primetime Emmy and Screen Actors Guild awards and nods.

* Valerie Harper - born 22nd August 1939, died 30th August 2019, aged 80, Harper was an American Actress of stage, film and television whose career began with an uncredited role in the 1956 movie 'Rock, Rock, Rock!' before taking on various dancing roles on Broadway shows from 1959 through to 1962. Following a number of made for TV films, she appeared in 1974's 'Freebie and the Bean' alongside Alan Arkin and James Cann and was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance as New Star of the Year. 1979's 'Chapter Two' again with James Caan earned her a second Golden Globe nod for Best Supporting Actress. 1980 saw 'The Last Married Couple in America' with George Segal and Natalie Wood and 1984 saw 'Blame it on Rio' with Michael Caine with  string of made for television movies being released in between time and subsequently right up until 2016. Here television appearances too were numerous, with her TV beginnings launching in 1970 on 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show' as Rhoda Morgenstern running for 92 episodes up until 1977, and then in the spin-off across110 episodes on 'Rhoda' from 1974 through until 1978. For her work on 'The Mary Tyler Moore Show', she three times received the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Comedy Series, and later received the award for Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series for her work on 'Rhoda'. She would go on to have guest appearances on a number of series over the years including 'The Love Boat', on 32 episodes of 'Valerie', on thirteen episodes of 'City', six on 'The Office' then 'Melrose Place', 'Sex and the City', 'That '70's Show', 'Family Law', 'Desperate Housewives', on eight episodes of 'The Simpsons', 'Hot in Cleveland', 'American Dad',' 2 Broke Girls' and 'Children's Hospital' most recently. All up Harper has seventy Acting credits to her name, and had garnered twelve award wins and a further eleven nominations throughout her career for her film and television work.

* Franco Columbu - born 7th August 1941, died 30th August 2019, aged 78, Columbu was an Italian born bodybuilder, powerlifter, Actor and author who started his career as a Boxer winning the Amateur Boxing Championship of Italy and then progressing to Olympic weightlifting, powerlifting, and later bodybuilding, winning the title of Mr. Olympia in 1976 and 1981. From 1969 and for an number of subsequent years Columbu was considered to be one of the strongest men in the world. In  1977, Columbu competed in the first World's Strongest Man competition, placing fifth in overall points, which was an especially notable achievement considering Franco weighed much less than the other competitors. After his long term friend Arnold Schwarzenegger retired from bodybuilding competition in 1975 having won the Mr. Olympia title on six successive occasions up to that time, Franco Columbu became the next Mr. Olympia in 1976. After Schwarzenegger's comeback victory in the 1980 Mr. Olympia competition, Columbu followed suit and won the 1981 Mr. Olympia title. His acting career took off in 1976 with an uncredited role in 'Stay Hungry' with Jeff Bridges, Sally Field and Arnold Schwarzenegger and this was followed up by turns portraying himself in 'Pumping Iron', 'The Hustler of Muscle Beach' and 'The Comeback' before three successive outings alongside his bast mate Arnold Schwarzenegger again in 1982's 'Conan the Barbarian', 1984's 'The Terminator' and 1987's 'The Running Man'. In 1993's 'Last Action Hero' starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, the words 'A Franco Columbu film' appear on the opening credits of 'Jack Slater IV' (a film within the film) as a tribute to Columbu, although he does not actually get any screen time.    Following these there was largely a string of B-grade movies that took in 'Big Top Pee-wee', 'Perduta', 'Beretta's Island' (also Written by), 'Taken Alive' (also Written by), 'Doublecross on Costa's Island' (also Directed by), 'Ancient Warriors' and most recently 'One More Round'. All up Columbu has seventeen Acting credits to his name, seven as Producer, two as Director, two as Writer and he also acted as Stuntman on two further Schwarzenegger films 'Eraser' and 'End of Days'. Needless to say Columbu and Schwarzenegger were best friends for the 54 years they knew each other and could be described as brothers from another mother. Columbu also authored several books including 'Coming on Strong', 'The Bodybuilder's Nutrition Book' and 'Franco Columbu's Complete Book of Bodybuilding'.

And so to tempt you out on an early Australian Spring evening we have six new cinematic releases coming to your local Odeon. We kick off with the second and concluding chapter in this horror story that sees our clown faced antagonist return to small town America to wreak terror 27 years after his last visit having emerged stronger and more devilish than last time around. We then move to a drama surrounding an unhinged divorced mother who believes that someone else's little girl is her own and the fallout experienced by the girls parents and the woman when the truth eventually comes out. Next up is a famed 19th century story surrounding four closely knit sisters given a contemporary makeover; before we join a Chinese American family whose now grown up daughter has a special bond with her Grandmother back in China, but when that Grandmother is diagnosed with terminal cancer that family rally round, but keep the truth from Granny by claiming that the family have all converged back home to attend a wedding. This is followed by a film surrounding an old man from the remote Scottish islands who travels to the US to get treatment for a life threatening illness and reconnects with his estranged son and the impacts that this reuniting has on him; and closing out the week we have an Australian comedy about one mans lengthy hike up the Western Australian coastline to win back the heart of his girlfriend and to raise money for charity, but with some unexpected results along the way.

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

'IT : CHAPTER TWO' (Rated MA15+) - and so here it is - the sequel to the hugely popular and successful 'IT' supernatural horror film of 2017 based on the 1986 Stephen King novel of the same name. That first instalment raked in US$701M at the global Box Office off the back of a production budget of US$35M making it the highest-grossing R-Rated horror film of all-time, the highest-grossing horror film internationally and the highest-grossing horror film of all time. The film also received positive reviews, with many Critics calling it one of the best Stephen King adaptations, and along the way it picked up eight award wins and a further 43 nominations from around the awards and festival circuit. Both instalments have been Directed by Argentinian Andy Muschietti.

Twenty-seven years after the Losers Club defeated Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgard), IT returns to terrorise the town of Derry once again. Now adults, the Losers have long since gone their separate and independent ways. However, the kids of Derry are disappearing again, so Mike (Isaiah Mustafa), the only one of the group to remain in their hometown, calls the other, now adult members of the Club, home. Damaged by the experiences of their past, they must each conquer their deepest fears to destroy Pennywise once and for all... putting them directly in the path of the Clown that has become deadlier and stronger than ever. Starring as the older and their younger selves of the Losers Club are James McAvoy as Bill Denbrough and Jaeden Martell (aka Jaeden Lieberher) as the younger Bill, Jessica Chastain as Beverly Marsh and Sophia Lillis as the younger Beverly, Jay Ryan as Ben Hanscom and Jeremy Ray Taylor as the younger Ben, Bill Hader as Richie Tozer and Finn Wolfhard as younger Richie, Isaiah Mustafa as Mike Hanlon and Chosen Jacobs as younger Mike, James Ransone as Eddie Kaspbrak and Jack Dylan Grazer as younger Eddie and Andy Bean as Stanley Uris and Wyatt Oleff as younger Stanley. All those portraying their younger selves reprise their roles from the first film. The film is released in the US this week too.

'ANGEL OF MINE' (Rated MA15+) - this American and Australian Co-Produced dramatical thriller is Directed by Kim Farrant in only her second feature film outing following 2015's 'Strangerland'. Seeing its World Premier screening at the recent Melbourne International Film Festival in mid-August, and adapted from the 2008 French movie 'L’Empreinte', here divorced mother Lizzy Manning (Noomi Rapace), an emotionally imbalanced woman battling for custody of her son with her ex-husband Mike (Luke Evans), has her life turned upside down when she crosses paths with Lola (Annika Whitely), a young girl who she believes to be the daughter she lost six years ago in a hospital fire. Unable to let her suspicions go, Lizzy first stalks and then befriends Lola's mother, Claire (Yvonne Strahovski) and her husband Bernard Bradley (Richard Roxburgh) gradually nudging her way into Lola's life, to the bewilderment of her own family. Claire grows suspicious on discovering that this strange woman has begun to systematically follow her little girl, appearing everywhere. As Lizzy's obsession grows ever more intense and her behaviour becomes increasingly disturbing, Claire confronts her, which brings deeply buried secrets to the surface and the shockingly devastating truth.

'LITTLE WOMEN' (Rated PG) - this American drama offering that is the seventh big screen adaptation of the famed Louisa May Alcott's 1868 novel of the same name, but this time has a modern contemporary setting. Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Clare Niederpruem to mark the 150th anniversary of the books first publication, this film was released Stateside in September 2018 and only now does it make it to Australian theatres having taken just US$1.4M at the Box Office to date and garnered mixed or average Reviews. That said, this modern retelling brings a new generation together with their mothers, sisters and friends. From four sisters playing in the attic to women living with purpose, the March sisters - Meg (Melanie Stone), Jo (Sarah Davenport), Beth (Allie Jennings) and Amy (Taylor Murphy) are committed to always supporting one another. Yet, growing up sometimes means growing apart. An aspiring writer, Jo leaves for New York determined to publish a novel. In the wake of rejection upon rejection, her Editor challenges Jo to write about something more engaging - her family. When tragedy brings the sisters back home, sticking together takes on a new meaning. Also starring Lea Thompson, Bart Johnson, Ian Bohen and Lucas Grabeel. An eighth big screen adaptation of 'Little Women' is due for release at Christmas time this year Directed by Greta Gerwig and starring Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh and Eliza Scanlen as the four March sisters.

'THE FAREWELL' (Rated PG) - here we have an American comedy drama Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Lulu Wang apparently loosely based on her own life experiences. Made for just US$3M, the film saw its Premier screening at January's Sundance Film Festival before its wider US release in mid-July having taken so far US$14M and generated mostly widespread critical acclaim. Born in China, Billi Wang (Awkwafina) moved to the US with her father Haiyan Wang (Tzi Ma) and mother Jian Wang (Diana Lin) when she was a child but kept up a close, albeit long-distance, relationship with her beloved grandmother Nai Nai (Zhao Shuzhen), her father’s mother. When Billi learns her grandmother has terminal lung cancer and has been given only a few months to live, she’s distressed that the extended family wants to keep it a secret from Nai Nai, while gathering everyone together in Changchun to say their goodbyes under the ruse of an impromptu wedding.

'RORY'S WAY' (Rated M) - based on the bestselling novel 'La Sonrisa Etrusca' ('The Etruscan Smile') by José Luis Sampedro, this film is Directed by Oded Binum and Mihal Brezis and stars acclaimed British Actor Brian Cox as Rory MacNeil, a rugged old Scotsman who reluctantly leaves his beloved isolated Outer Hebridean island home and travels to San Francisco to seek medical treatment for a life threatening illness. Moving in with his estranged son Ian (J.J. Field) and his wife Emily (Thora Birch), Rory sees his life transformed through a newly found bond with his baby grandson and a romantic interest with the curator of a fine art museum, Claudia (Rosanna Arquette).

'THE NAKED WANDERER' (Rated PG) - in this Australian comedy romance offering Directed and Co-Produced by Alan Lindsay a devastated Jake (Angus McLaren) decides to walk all the way up the Western Australian Indian Ocean coastline for charity, butt-naked. His motivation came about when his girlfriend Jasmine (Megan Hajjar) turned down his proposal to marry. He is driven by media scoundrel Brian King (John Cleese) offer of a $200K incentive to complete the 4,000km walk coupled with him wanting to prove his worth to Jasmine. The walk makes Jake a celebrity, which appeals to Jasmine, but it's too late. Jake has fallen for mesmerising backpacker Valerie (Natasha Liu Bordizzo). A spiteful Jasmine flies in and declares she will marry Jake after all, but he turns Jasmine down and then Valerie vanishes. Also starring Sophie Kennedy Clark and Callan Durlik.

With six new release movies 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-