What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 28th October 2021.

By way of an early heads up, the 68th Sydney Film Festival launches on Wednesday 3rd November and runs through until Sunday 21st November and takes place in various cinema venues around Sydney and online over nineteen days and nights, showcasing the greatest, strangest and most exciting works that cinema has to offer. The Opening Night film is 'Here Out West' that brings stories from eight talented Western Sydney writers that intertwine poignantly through themes of family and place in a groundbreaking film that reframes the Australian experience, and is Directed by Fadia Abboud, Lucy Gaffy, Julie Kalceff, Ana Kokkinos and Leah Purcell who join the creative collaboration to bring the writers' unique stories to the screen. The Closing Night film is Writer, Director and Co-Producer Wes Anderson's 'The French Dispatch' starring an ensemble cast led by Bill Murray, Tilda Swinton, Timothee Chalamet, Owen Wilson, Elizabeth Moss, Benicio del Toro, Adrien Brody, Lea Seydoux, Frances McDormand, Jeffrey Wright, Liev Schreiber, Willem Dafoe, Edward Norton and Saoirse Ronan amongst others. 

Twelve films are selected for the Official Competition, which celebrates 'courageous, audacious and cutting-edge' cinema with an AU$60K cash prize. Sydney Film Festival also presents seven other cash awards over the course of the festival. Those films in Official Competition are :-

* 'Bad Luck Banging or Loony Porn' - from Romania, Luxembourg, the Czech Republic and Croatia in Romanian with English subtitles this film is Directed and Written by Radu Jude. The film won the Golden Bear at this year Berlin International Film Festival in June, and is about a school teacher who faces a very public scandal after a personal sex tape goes viral.

* 'Drive My Car' - from Japan and Co-Written and Directed by Ryusuke Hamaguchi this film won three awards at this years Cannes Film Festival including Best Screenplay and the FIPRESCI (the International Federation of Film Critics) Prize, and tells the story of a stage Actor and Director who seemingly is happily married to his playwright wife. Then one day she disappears.

* 'The Drovers Wife : The Legend of Molly Johnson' - from Australia and Directed, Written, Co-Produced and starring Leah Purcell in this period Western about a determined mother protecting her children – a searing reimagining of Henry Lawson’s classic with an Indigenous female viewpoint.

* 'Flee' - from Denmark, France, Sweden and Norway and Directed and Co-Written by Jonas Poher Rasmussen this documentary fuses animation and archival material to tell the story of a gay Afghan refugee in Denmark who kept his painful past a secret for two decades. This film was awarded the Grand Jury Prize : Documentary at the Sundance Film Festival in January this year.

* 'The Hand of God' - from Italy and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Paolo Sorrentino this deeply personal film is an exquisite reflection on family, sport, love, desire, tragedy and cinema against the backdrop of 1980's Naples. This film won the Grand Jury Prize, at the Venice International Film Festival in September.

* 'Limbo' - from the UK and Directed by Ben Sharrock this film centres on four asylum seekers who are staying on a remote island in Scotland, and taking cultural awareness classes, while awaiting the processing of their refugee claims. The film has won eight awards and a further fifteen nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. 

* 'Memoria' - from Colombia, Thailand, UK, Mexico, France, Germany, Qatar, and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Apichatpong Weerasethakul this film tells the story of a woman from Scotland (Tilda Swinton), while traveling in Colombia, begins to notice strange sounds. Soon she begins to think about their appearance. The Director won the Jury Prize at the Cannes Film Festival this year. 

* 'Petite Maman' - from France and Directed and Written by Celine Sciamma about an eight-year-old girl, who has just lost her beloved grandmother and is helping her parents clean out her mother's childhood home. One day, her mother leaves suddenly, and the young girl meets a girl her age as she's building a tree house in the woods.

* 'Quo Vadis, Aida?' - is an international co-production Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Jasmila Zbanic that here sees a UN translator in Srebrenica in Bosnia and Herzegovina attempting to save her family as conflict rages around them in 1995. The film has thus far collected twenty award wins and a further eighteen nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. 

* 'The Story of My Wife' - from Hungary, Germany, Italy and France this romantic drama film is Directed and Written by Ildiko Enyedi and tells the story of a sea Captain who makes a bet in a cafe with a friend, to marry the first woman who enters the place. Starring Lea Seydoux and Gijs Naber.

* 'There is No Evil' - from Germany, the Czech Republic and Iran, this film is Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Mohammad Rasoulof, here four stories that are variations on the crucial themes of moral strength and the death penalty that ask to what extent individual freedoms can be expressed under a despotic regime. This film has so far won fifteen awards and another nine nominations including the Golden Bear for Best Film at the 2020 Berlin International Film Festival. 

* 'Undine' - is a German and French romantic fantasy drama production Directed and Written by Christian Petzold that here tells the story of Undine, who works as a historian lecturing on Berlin's urban development, and when the man she loves leaves her, an ancient myth catches up with her that tells her she must kill her former lover and return to the water. Starring Paula Beer and Franz Rogowski the film has collected eight award wins and another sixteen nominations including the FIPRESCI Prize and the Silver Bear for Paula Beer for Best Actress at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2020.

For the complete programme of films and events and other goings-on at this years Sydney Film Festival, you can go to the official website at : https://www.sff.org.au

Turning attention back to this weeks four new releases coming to your local Odeon, we launch with the twelfth instalment in this classic horror franchise, and a direct sequel to 2018's film which was a direct sequel to the very first instalment back in 1978 that sees that this nightmare isn't over as unstoppable killer Michael Myers escapes from Laurie Strode's burning trap to continue his ritual bloodbath, but this time the masked slayer has the people of Haddonfield to contend with who are intent on ending his reign of blood soaked terror. Next up is another horror offering (it's that time of year after all!) set in small-town Oregon where a teacher and her brother, the local sheriff, discover that a young student is harbouring a dangerous secret with frightening consequences. Next up is a black and white film set in the 1920's that follows the unexpected reunion of two high school friends, whose renewed acquaintance ignites a mutual obsession that threatens both of their carefully constructed lives. And closing out the week we have an animated feature about an awkward middle-schooler and Ron, his new walking, talking, digitally-connected robot device. Ron's malfunctions set against the social media age launch them on a journey to learn about the true meaning of friendship.

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 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.

'HALLOWEEN KILLS' (Rated MA15+) - is the twelfth film in this franchise and a direct sequel to 2018's 'Halloween' which served as a direct sequel to John Carpenter's classic 1978 'Halloween' set forty years after Michael Myers killing spree. 2018's film was made for US$10M and returned a handsome US$256M at the global Box Office, making this instalment a no brainer. Like its predecessor, this film is again Co-Written and Directed by David Gordon Green, who shares a writing credit with Danny McBride and Scott Teems. 'Halloween Kills' saw its World Premiere screening at the Venice International Film Festival on 8th September, following a year delay due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was released in movie theatres in the US two weeks ago on 15th October. The film has so far grossed US$92M off the back of a US$20M production budget and has generated mixed reviews from Critics. 

Set minutes after the events of the last film, here Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) left masked killer Michael Myers (James Jude Courtney and Nick Castle) locked-in and surely burning to death in Laurie's basement. Laurie is rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, believing she finally killed her lifelong tormentor. But when Michael manages to free himself as a result of the fire brigade arriving on the scene in record time, his ritual bloodbath resumes, starting off with the very firefighters who were dispatched to save the house. As Laurie fights her pain and prepares to defend herself against him, she inspires all of Haddonfield to rise up against the unstoppable monster. The Strode women join a group of other survivors of Michael's first rampage who decide to take matters into their own hands, forming a vigilante mob that sets out to hunt Michael down, once and for all. Also starring Will Patton and Anthony Michael Hall. The third and final instalment 'Halloween Ends' is set for release on 14th October 2022. 

'ANTLERS' (Rated MA15+) - this supernatural horror film is Directed by Scott Cooper whose previous film making credits take in his debut feature 'Crazy Heart' in 2009 with Jeff Bridges whose performance won his the Best Actor Award at the Oscars, then 'Out of the Furnace' in 2013 with Christian Bale, 'Black Mass' in 2015 with Johnny Depp and 'Hostiles' in 2017 with Christian Bale again. Based on Nick Antosca's short story 'The Quiet Boy', the screenplay was Co-Written by him and Cooper and the film is Co-Produced by Guillermo del Toro and David S. Goyer. The film was previously set for a release date of mid-April 2020 but was removed from the release calendar due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was subsequently rescheduled to mid-February this year before being removed from the release calendar again, and now it finally arrives this week in the US and Australia. Here then Julia Meadows (Keri Russell), a school teacher in a small town in Oregon, and her brother, Paul (Jesse Plemons), the local Sheriff, become concerned about one of her students, a young boy named Lucas Weaver (Jeremy T. Thomas) who is secretly keeping a supernatural creature inside his house. Also starring Graham Greene, Scott Haze, Rory Cochrane and Amy Madigan. The film has garnered mixed or average reviews. 

'PASSING' (Rated PG) - is a black and white drama film Written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by English Actress Rebecca Hall in her film making debut. This film is based on the 1929 novel of the same name by Nella Larsen, and the title of the film and the book refers to African-Americans whose skin colour was/is light enough to be perceived as 'white', the practice of which is referred to as 'passing'. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Sundance Film Festival back in January this year, gets a limited release in the US and Australia this week before streaming on Netflix from 10th November. Here then, mixed-race childhood friends reunite in middle class adulthood and become increasingly involved with one another's lives and insecurities. While Irene (Tessa Thompson) identifies as African-American and is married to a black doctor, Brian (Andre Holland), Clare (Ruth Negga) 'passes' as white and has married a prejudiced, but wealthy white man, John (Alexander Skarsgard). Also starring Bill Camp, the film has garnered universal Critical acclaim.

'RON'S GONE WRONG' (Rated PG) - Directed by Jean-Philippe Vine and Sarah Smith this computer animated Sci-Fi comedy film and is the first film from London based animation studios Locksmith Animation. The film saw its World Premier screening at the BFI London Film Festival in early October, went on release in the UK on the 15th of this month, followed by the US one week later and now this week is on release in Australia. Here, this is the story of Barney (voiced by Jack Dylan Grazer), a socially awkward middle-schooler and Ron (voiced by Zach Galifianakis), his new walking, talking, digitally-connected device, which is supposed to be his 'Best Friend out of the Box.' Ron's hilarious malfunctions eventually draws the attention of a shady executive who wants to protect his company's stock price at all costs, while set against the backdrop of the social media age, which launches the pair into an action-packed journey in which boy and robot come to terms with the wonderful messiness of true friendship. Also starring the voice talents of Olivia Colman, Ed Helms, Justice Smith, Rob Delaney and Kylie Cantrall, the film has generated mostly positive Reviews.

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 at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-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-