'SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS' : Tuesday 12th October 2021

Finally, Greater Sydney has come out of three months+ of COVID-19 enforced lockdown on Monday 11th October, and with it movie theatres have reopened. As such, a whole slew of films released elsewhere in Australia and across the world are now available for the avid moviegoer to play catch-up on some of those more recent cinematic releases. The first film that I saw post-lockdown at my local multiplex earlier this week is 'SHANG-CHI AND THE LEGEND OF THE TEN RINGS' - the 25th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, as Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Destin Daniel Cretton, whose previous film making credits take in 'Short Term 12' with Brie Larson and Rami Malek in 2013, 'The Glass Castle' in 2017 with Brie Larson and Woody Harrelson and 'Just Mercy' in 2019 with Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Foxx and Brie Larson. This film has so far grossed worldwide US$404M off the back of a circa US$180M production budget and has generated positive Critical acclaim. 

And so the film opens up setting the scene for how the ten rings came about. It seems that one thousand years ago (plus or minus a few years) Xu Wenwu (Tony Leung) discovers the mystical ten rings which grant the owner of said rings immortality and other worldly powers. He forms the Ten Rings organisation, over throwing kingdoms and toppling governments throughout history to accumulate wealth and power. Fast forward to 1996, and Wenwu searches for Ta Lo, a village that exists in a different dimension and reportedly harbours mythical creatures. He travels through a magical thick bamboo forest to the village entrance but is stopped by guardian Ying Li (Fala Chen). After an initial (sort of) fight between the pair, the two fall in love, and Wenwu foregoes the Ten Rings for a life of normalcy with his new wife and children Shang-Chi (Jayden Zhang) and Xialing (Elodie Fong). When Shang-Chi is seven years old, Li is murdered by Wenwu's enemies, the Iron Gang. Wenwu goes in search of the Iron Gang with the young Shang-Chi and massacres them all except for the leader who was not present at the time. Wenwu then resumes leadership of his organisation again. He makes Shang-Chi undergo brutal martial arts training, but does not allow Xialing to train so she teaches herself in secret, having observed Shang-Chi's training techniques and replicating them, only better! When Shang-Chi is fourteen (Arnold Sun), Wenwu sends him to assassinate the Iron Gang's leader. After fulfilling his mission, a disheartened Shang-Chi runs away to San Francisco and takes on the name of 'Shaun'.

And so we fast fast forward to the present day and Shaun (Simu Liu) is working as a hotel valet car parking attendant with his best friend Katy (Awkwafina), who knows nothing of his past life. Travelling on a bus together, the pair are attacked by members of the Ten Rings organisation, with Razor Fist (Florian Munteanu) who has a machete blade for his right hand, stealing a pendant that Li gave to Shang-Chi when he was a young boy that gives him access to Ta Lo. Wenwu anonymously provides Shang-Chi with the location of Xialing in Macau and, fearing that the Ten Rings will go after Xialing's matching pendant from Li, Shang-Chi decides to go in search of her. Katy, not wanting to be left out and having survived the vicious attack on the bus, imposes herself on Shang-Chi, who reveals his past to her on the flight over to Macau. They find Xialing (Meng'er Zhang) at an underground fight club in Macau, which she formed after escaping from Wenwu. The Ten Rings attack the fight club with Wenwu arriving to capture Shang-Chi, Xialing and Katy. Wenwu takes his daughters pendant.

The three are helicoptered into the Ten Rings compound, where Wenwu uses the pendants to reveal a magical water map leading to Ta Lo. Wenwu explains that he has heard his wife, Li, calling to him and believes she has been held captive in Ta Lo behind a vast sealed gate. He plans to destroy the village by burning it to the ground, unless they agree to release her. When Shang-Chi and Xialing object saying that he must accept that their mother and his wife is dead, he imprisons them with Katy. In an ante-room to the cell where they are locked up, the three meet former actor Trevor Slattery (Ben Kingsley) who previously took on the guise of the Mandarin and was abducted by the Ten Rings for impersonating Wenwu, now becoming a 'court jester' or Shakespearean fool for Wenwu. They also meet his hundun (a legendary faceless furry animal the size of a wombat with wings from Ta Lo) that Slattery has named Morris, who offers to guide them back to his village.

The group escapes in Razor Fist's souped up 4WD and drive through the bamboo forest with the trees rapidly closing in behind them en route to Ta Lo. They drive through a portal hidden within a water fall which sees them exit in a separate dimension and into Ta Lo, with a myriad of Chinese mythological creatures all around them. There they meet Ying Nan (Michelle Yeoh), Li's sister, and aunt to Shnag-Chi and Xialing. Nan explains the history of Ta Lo, saying that thousands of years ago, the village was attacked by the soul-eating Dweller-in-Darkness and its guardians, but was saved by a Chinese dragon called the Great Protector who helped seal the Dark Gate to the Dweller's world. Nan further states that the Dweller-in-Darkness has been influencing Wenwu to believe Li is still alive so that he will open the Dark Gate. Shang-Chi, Xialing, and Katy join the villagers in training and preparing for Wenwu's imminent arrival, using weapons they have fashioned from dragon scales. 

Wenwu and the Ten Rings heavies arrive and attack the villagers. Wenwu overpowers Shang-Chi and forces him into the nearby lake where he slowly sinks to the bottom unconscious. Wenwu then attacks the Gate with the rings. This gives some of the Dweller's guardians the chance to escape, and through the onslaught the Ten Rings heavies, now abandoned by Wenwu, join forces with the villagers to fight them off. Shang-Chi is revived by the Great Protector, which flies out of the lake to battle the marauding guardians. Wenwu and Shang-Chi come head to head once again and Shang-Chi gains the upper hand, but chooses to spare Wenwu. The Dweller-in-Darkness bursts out of the weakened Gate and attacks Shang-Chi. Wenwu saves Shang-Chi, bequeathing him the rings before being killed by the Dweller-in-Darkness. Shang-Chi, the Great Protector, Xialing, and Katy battle and kill the Dweller-in-Darkness. Afterwards, Shang-Chi and Katy return to San Francisco where they are summoned by the sorcerer Wong (Benedict Wong) to the Sanctum Sanctorum, with more divulged in the mid-credits scene. 

With nods to 'Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' in some of the fight sequences, the return of Trevor Slattery apologising for the misstep of the racial stereotypes of his impersonation of The Mandarin in 'Iron Man 3', and the reference to the Sanctum Sanctorum in the final mid-credits scene, together with the well crafted action set pieces, the usual dose of MCU humour, emotion and a smattering of pathos all make for an enjoyable Asian-centric addition to the MCU canon. The performances by Leung especially as the antagonist with heart is the stand out role for me, with Liu, Zhang and Awkwafina all giving solid enough performances but still clearly finding their way, which will undoubtedly come in subsequent Shang-Chi instalments, and cross-over films within the ever expanding MCU. And in the Director's chair, Cretton here makes effective use of flashbacks to move the story arc forward in a way that most other Marvel films have not, while keeping this origin story grounded and relatable. The ending when it comes however, feels protracted and over the top with too heavy a reliance on CGI dragons, mythical creatures, and a battle in which not a drop of blood is shed and everyone who dies does so off screen. The film does not reach the dizzy heights that 'Black Panther' did in 2018, but nonetheless, as your first visit to the cinema post-lockdown you could do a lot worse. 

'Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

LOCKED DOWN : Tuesday 11th May 2021.

'LOCKED DOWN' is an M Rated romantic comedy heist film which I saw earlier this week. Directed by Doug Liman whose prior film making credits include 'Swingers', 'The Bourne Identity', 'Mr. & Mrs. Smith', 'Edge of Tomorrow', 'American Made' and 'Chaos Walking' most recently. The screenplay was written by Steven Knight in July 2020, financed, and filmed entirely during the COVID-19 pandemic over just an eighteen day period in October 2020 for a budget of about US$3M. The film was released in the US on HBO Max in January 2021, and has garnered mixed or average Reviews so far.

And so here, Linda (Anne Hathaway) and Paxton (Chiwetel Ejiofor) are locked down during the COVID-19 pandemic in their very cosy modern terrace house somewhere in London, sometime in the first half of 2020. They are a disgruntled couple who have agreed to go their separate ways once the lock down is over, for reasons of having grown apart after ten years together, although the stimulus for the break-up seems to rest more with Linda who has grown weary of Paxton's lack of enthusiasm, lack of focus and constant down at heal, woe is me attitude. For while Linda has climbed the corporate ladder to become the UK CEO of a very successful fashion company, Paxton has struggled to find meaningful work for the last ten years since he was arrested and charged with assault. As a result, his only work is that of a delivery driver, at which he has been furloughed because of the lock down. Paxton is forced to sell his beloved motorbike which he sees as an extension to himself, to make ends meet. 

On a Zoom call with Paxton's half-brother David (Dule Hill) and his wife Maria (Jazmyn Simon) in the US, Linda breaks the news of their pending separation, and we also learn that at some point in the recent past both Linda and Maria got it on together in a wine induced one night stand, which remains a secret between them, and which Linda would rather forget, but not so it seems on Maria's part. Linda meanwhile sets up a Zoom call with four of her UK based senior management team to advise them all that they are being terminated with immediate effect because of the economic downturn and the business being unable to sustain their positions moving forward, although in reality that decision was made pre-pandemic back in December at a company junket in Paris. 

One day while Paxton is feeling especially sorry for himself, his boss Malcolm (Ben Kingsley) calls him with the offer of three days work for £200 per day cash as a driver for high value deliveries, due to the limited number of drivers currently being available. The only catch is that Paxton will have to go under an assumed name because of his prior criminal record. He needs to make a snap decision there and then on the spot, which he does so reluctantly on the condition that Malcolm promotes him afterwards to an office based administrative role, after numerous years of dead end driving. Malcolm says that he'll have his fake security ID and name tag sent over to his home tomorrow (Wednesday) for his first collection from Selfridges on Thursday, Harvey Nichols on Friday and Harrods on Saturday. 

On Wednesday Malcolm contacts Paxton saying the he texted him his assumed name and that the security ID and name badge are on their way over. Paxton retrieves his new identity to discover that he has been given the name of Edgar Allen Poe, as was suggested by Martin (Sam Spruell) a Co-Worker of his who has spent the last seven years working in dispatch and there is absolutely no love lost between the two. Paxton is none too pleased with having to front up with the name of a famous 19th Century American poet and writer, but agrees to proceed nonetheless, surmising that todays 'kids' working security won't have heard of Edgar Allen Poe anyway. Meanwhile, Linda is on a Zoom call with her boss Guy (Ben Stiller) who is locked down in the Vermont countryside in the US together with the other CEO's from around the world. Guy offers her a new position back home in the United States to which she is taken aback and stalls her decision making process until after lock down has lifted to buy herself some time. 

Linda is tasked with clearing out her firms inventory from Harrods on Saturday evening, as there is now no-one else able to complete the task. After arriving home after his first pick up and drop off on Thursday, Paxton reveals that he has a job at Harvey Nichols on Friday and Harrods on Saturday. Linda quickly comes to the conclusion that their delivery schedules at the store overlap, and Paxton would not get past the security protocols that Linda set up three years prior when she worked there. Linda on Friday organises a call with the new Head of Security at Harrods, Michael Morgan (Stephen Merchant) who brings in her former co-worker Kate (Mindy Kaling) who paves the ways for Linda's almost uninterrupted access to the department store after hours the next day. 

Linda discloses to Paxton that there is a £3M diamond in the vault at Harrods that has been sold to an anonymous buyer, and the store keeps a duplicate on-display. That anonymous buyer Linda learns from Essien (Claes Bang) the owner of the company she works for, is a drug dealing, money laundering, probably murdering international criminal king-pin, and once the diamond is returned to a vault on New York's Wall Street will probably remain untouched and unseen by anyone for years. And so Linda and Paxton agree to take the real diamond for themselves and send the fake one to the buyer in New York City, splitting the sale between themselves and the National Health Service, three ways equally at £1M each. 

Upon making it to the famed Knightsbridge department store on Saturday evening, both under separate cover, Linda meets with former co-worker Charlotte (Lucy Boynton) at the security check in, with Paxton waiting outside to be ushered in. After some very loose checking in procedures, Linda and Paxton (Edgar Allen Poe) make their way to Harrods famed food hall which is being cleared out and closed down. There they help themselves to all the lavish ingredients for a £5K picnic up on the rooftop of the store before 7:30pm and their designated time for collection of the inventory and the diamond. 

Linda and Paxton retrieve the diamond from the vault and swap it out with the fake. However, they are confronted by Donald (Mark Gatiss), a former co-worker of Linda's she fired earlier in the week. Donald had alerted the Police after learning of Paxton's fake identity. Linda reveals their plan, and Donald agrees to lie for them, out of respect and love for Linda and being anti-establishment (especially at this time!). 

In exiting the store, a repeated message comes across the internal Public Address system for Edgar Allen Poe to return to the security gate immediately. Fearing the worst that the Police are lying in wait, the pair make a hurried dash for a security guarded rear entrance when Security Guard Mark (Marek Larwood) approaches brandishing Paxton's security ID that he left earlier at the main entrance, and promptly hands it over saying that he'll need it to gain access to Heathrow to put the diamond on the plane to New York. Linda and Paxton breathe a sigh of relief, and ride off into the night on Paxton's motorbike home via Heathrow Airport. 

The pair, who originally had planned to go their separate ways post lockdown, decide to reevaluate their relationship, now that they are each £1M better off and the burden of money woes, and both being stuck in jobs from which they gained no satisfaction, is effectively over. Then, on Paxton's birthday, the COVID lockdown is extended by another two weeks.

On the plus side 'Locked Down' works because of the chemistry and obvious good time that our two principle Actors, Hathaway and Ejiofor, clearly had during the making of this film, and watching a bunch of other A-listers phone in it via Zoom calls - Stiller, Bang, Kingsley and Merchant all adds a weight to the proceedings which should not be under estimated. The zeitgeist too is captured pretty well too with businesses shuttered, company layoffs, working from home, forced isolation, Zoom technical challenges, pot-clanging tributes, and the frustrations, anxieties and boredom of being holed up for two weeks and more in a confined space with the same person. On the down side the film really labours the ever declining relationship between Linda and Paxton during the first two-thirds, and then seems to remember that somewhere in the plot there is a diamond heist that needs to be crammed into the remaining third, and when it comes it is so underwhelmingly delivered and hurriedly conceived that it feels like an afterthought. But then I guess to write a script, get it financed and green lit, amass a cast and crew, go into production, shoot, edit and release a major motion picture in just about six months flat speaks volumes about what Director Doug Liman has been able to pull off, but also is telling as to what this film might have been given more time. It's not a great film, but it's also not that bad either.

'Locked Down' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THE JUNGLE BOOK : Tuesday 10th May 2016.

I finally got around to seeing the highly acclaimed 'THE JUNGLE BOOK' this week - four weeks or so after its Australian release date, and this film does not disappoint. Released by Disney Studio's and based on the much loved original classic animated Disney feature film from 1967, and the noted works of Rudyard Kipling of the same name, this film remains true to the earlier film and the pages of Kipling's book, but is updated with all the latest modern technology that movie making can throw at it. Disney released a live action adaptation of the book and the film back in 1994 with Jason Scott Lee as an older Mowgli which received critical acclaim and a Box Office of US$43M from its US$30M production budget. Then there was an animated feature sequel to the 1967 film released in 2003 under the banner of 'The Jungle Book 2' with Hayley Joel Osment voicing Mowgli - this film was criticised for the sub-standard plot and the quality of animation, although it made US$136M off its US$20M budget.

As so to this 2016 release this time Directed by Jon Favreau for Walt Disney Pictures at a cost of US$175M which has so far returned US$786M and is still out widely on general release. Shot entirely in a sound stage in downtown Los Angeles, although you wouldn't know it, the film relies completely on CGI and motion-capture technology to portray the animals and the jungle setting, and it does so with a photo-realism that continues to push the boundaries of anything we have seen before. The quality of film making is quite extraordinary, and the visual impact of what has been created on screen is stunning in every detail.

As for the performances, Mowgli (Neel Sethi) was plucked from absolutely nowhere following an extensive search of literally thousands of hopefuls from across the US, UK, NZ, and Canada, and aside from a brief glimpse of his father (Ritesh Rajan) to tell Mowgli's back story, there are no other human characters in the film. As for the animals, the voice talents of an ensemble cast play out here with convincing realism.

First up there is Bagheera, the Black Panther (Ben Kingsley) who finds an infant Mowgli in the jungle, and takes him to a wolf pack headed up by Akela (Giancarlo Esposito) where he is raised as a man-cub by Indian wolf Raksha (Lupita Nyong'o) amongst the pack learning the ways of the wolves. Then there is the antagonist of the jungle, who resents man, and is intent on seeing Mowgli off before he can do him and the other animals further harm - Shere Khan, the Bengal Tiger (Idris Elba). This essentially sets the tone of the film, as Mowgli makes the decision to leave the wolf-pack that he has grown up with to search for the man-village where he can grow as an adult away from the danger of Shere Khan.

Bagheera agrees to accompany Mowgli through the thick and dangerous jungle to the man-village, to help protect his young charge from the stalking tiger. Along the way however, there is trouble in the jungle in the form off others who would prey on the man-cub including a huge Indian python Kaa (Scarlett Johansson) who hypnotises the young boy with the intention of eating him. Fortunately, Mowgli is rescued just in time by a passing sloth bear Baloo (Bill Murray) and the two form an unlikely friendship.

When Bagheera reunites with Mowgli and Baloo, they agree that the journey must continue for Mowgli's best interests, to which Baloo reluctantly agrees but under some duress. As they prepare to leave to continue their trek to the man-village Mowgli is captured by a group of monkeys who present him to their leader in a ruined temple atop a mountain, which the monkeys can scale easily, but no so for Bagheera and Baloo in hot pursuit. King Louie (Christopher Walken) is a Bornean orangutang-like Gigantopithecus, who wants Mowgli to bring him the 'red-flower' (fire) so that he can be just like man and wield that power over others. Narrowly escaping, it is here that Mowgli learns that Shere Khan has killed Akela and now watches over the wolf-pack waiting for Mowgli to return to exact his revenge. Then Shere Khan, will dispense with the man-cub and safety and security will be restored to the jungle.

When Mowgli returns to his wolf-pack he carries the red-flower to help guide his way at night through the terrain of the jungle, but in doing so glowing embers spark a forest fire which threatens to engulf the animal kingdom. Shere Khan waits knowing that the time will come, and upon his arrival the fight breaks out resulting in Mowgli running towards the fire while Bagheera, Baloo, Raksha and the wolf-pack try to fend off the powerful tiger.

As Shere Khan fends off his attackers, he follows Mowgli into the burning forest, but Mowgli is smart and knows some human tricks of his own to thwart the determined and advancing tiger. Needless to say only one will be victorious and one will perish in the flames of the red flower now raging. I am sure you know the story by now and how it all ends, and how the animal kingdom is restored to peace and well being for all - including the man-cub.

Also starring the voice talents of Garry Shandling, Sam Raimi and Jon Favreau with a number of reworked musical numbers that you'll instantly recognise from your own childhood memories, this is a film for kids of all ages that surprises and delights every step of the way. It is faithful to the story we all know & love, but brings it right up to date with thrilling action, a few jump scares, groundbreaking technical effects, a real sense of wonder and a heartwarming story that stands the test of time. A must see, on the big screen, catch it while you still can and you won't be disappointed. A sequel has already been announced for release sometime between 2017 and 2019 with Favreau said to return to Directing duty, with Neel Sethi reprising his role as man-cub, Mowgli.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 8th October 2015.

What's not to like about a Film Festival, and as mentioned previously in these Blog Pages, Adelaide screens its very own, beginning next Thursday 15th October. Over the past two weeks I've mentioned some of the content that will be screening over ten days, but this week I thought I'd highlight some of the smaller offerings and genres that will nonetheless find an audience and add to the diverse and exciting programme on offer. There is a 'Focus on Latin America' with 'Aurora' and 'Hopefuls' both having their Australian Premiers, and  'Cartel Land' that will be of particular interest if you have seen the recently released 'Sicario'. There are Documentaries too with 'Desert Migration', 'A Syrian Love Story' and 'We Are Many' all having their Australian Premier and 'Best of Enemies' and 'Requiem for an American Dream' both promising to be thought provoking and stirring. Of the musical genre 'Landfill Harmonic' and 'Songman' both Premier in Australia and '808'  invites us into the drum machine that was and is the cornerstone of modern music. On the sporting front 'Steve McQueen : The Man & Le Mans', 'Hitting the Apex', 'Our Last Tango' and 'Meru' all get their Australian Premier too, with Horror fans being kept satisfied with 'Tag' from Japan, 'Deathgasm' from New Zealand and 'Turbo Kid' from Canada. And of course there's a raft of short films too. For all the details go to : https://adelaidefilmfestival.org

This week there are three films to get you out and about to your your local independent theatre or mega screen multiplex, and kicking off those offerings there is an ensemble cast recounting the true life story and true life crimes of one of the FBI's Most Wanted Men back in Boston back in the day when the mob ruled, it was survival of the fittest, and justice was a matter of shoot first and ask questions later. Next up is a feel good comedy when two unsuspecting people are thrown together behind the wheel of a car that made me think 'Driving Miss Daisy' revisited in a different time, a different place and different circumstances; and finally a comedy drama about the life long friendship between two women whose life is turned up side down by life shattering news.

Tempted therefore with drama, comedy and comedy drama? If so, get out amongst it, catch one of this weeks new release offerings, or any one of a whole host of movies still doing the rounds or on the festival circuit, and then share your views, opinions, and observations with your like minded cinephile friends here at Odeon Online. We'd love to hear from you, so leave a Comment in the box directly below this or any other Post, and in the meantime, enjoy your film.

BLACK MASS (Rated MA15+) - this true crime true life American thriller is Directed by Scott Cooper and based on the life and times of the Boston based Irish American mobster James Joseph 'Whitey' Bulger as portrayed here by Johnny Depp. Born in 1929, this films kicks off in 1975 when Bulger allegedly began serving as an FBI informant against the other Boston mobster clan - the Italian American Patriarca family. In exchange for Bulger's inside information and his tip-offs the FBI largely turned a blind-eye to his activities which allowed the mobster to carry on his racketeering, trafficking, laundering, murdering and therefore profiteering ways unhindered. This carried on for almost 20 years until 1994 when his FBI handler, John Connolly (Joel Edgerton) tips him off about a pending indictment under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act, and so for the next 16 years Bulger went on the run evading the authorities at every turn it seems, until his eventual arrest in 2011.

Starring with Depp and Edgerton there is Benedict Cumberbatch as William Michael 'Billy' Bulger, five years younger than his brother Whitey and an American Democratic Politician who was the President of the Massachusetts Senate from 1978 to 1996. There is also Kevin Bacon as FBI boss to Connolly Charles McGuire, and the likes of Juno Temple, Corey Stoll, Dakota Johnson and Peter Sarsgaard amongst others. Bulger was convicted for his part in 19 murders and a whole swathe of other significant criminal activities in 2013 and is currently serving two life sentences. The film was made for US$53M and has so far recouped all of that at the time of writing. A must see for lovers of distinctly adult true crime serious film making with three sizzling performances that you just know Depp, Cumberbatch and Edgerton will deliver.

LEARNING TO DRIVE (Rated M) - This American comedy brings together again Director Iasbel Coixet with Patricia Clarkson and Ben Kingsley as Wendy Shields and Darwan Singh Tur respectively. Here Shields is a successful book editor and critic recently split form her husband and in her new found capacity needs to fend for herself, become more independent and get a life. So, she decides she needs to learn to drive. She hires a gentle Indian Sikh cab driver to teach her the skills of driving and in doing she she learns that he is being forced into an oncoming arranged marriage while hers has just gone down the tubes. What follows behind the wheel of Darwans car is a voyage of discovery for them both as they learn valuable lessons in friendships, relationships, life and starting over. This film Premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in September 2014 and was released Stateside in August this year.

MISS YOU ALREADY (Rated M) - this US British comedy drama is Directed by Catherine Hardwicke  and is based on the BBC Radio 4 Play 'Goodbye' by Morweena Banks. It stars Drew Barrymore as Jess and her life long best mate Milly (Toni Collette) as they have grown up side by side and shared loves, life, experiences and just about everything in between. Jess lives on a houseboat in London with her boyfriend Jago (Paddy Considine) and she is desperate for a child, often secretly envious of Milly whose fast paced career life and perfect family seems more and more out of reach with each month that passes. As Jess' challenge presents a threat to the long term friendship that has endured over many years, two life changing events occur almost simultaneously - Jess falls pregnant, finally, and Milly learns she has breast cancer. How will this news effect them as individuals, as close friends and those around them as sadness turns to joy, and joy to sadness as their resolve is tested and everything they hold dear is bought into play. Be prepared to have your heart strings pulled by two equally strong performances! Dominic Cooper stars as Milly's husband Kit and Jacqueline Bisset stars at Milly's mother Miranda. Frances de la Tour also stars.

Three films all offering something different, and all decidedly of adult fare for the week ahead. After your film of choice revisit us all here and share your thoughts - good, bad and ugly!

See you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

HUGO : archive from 23rd January 2012.

Saw 'HUGO' tonite at my local multiplex. Martin Scorsese's first family film and he has created a layered, beautiful, rich, rewarding film that easily ranks up there with his earlier master works 'Goodfellas', 'Casino', 'The Departed' and 'Taxi Driver' but for very different reasons.

A great cast including child actors Asa Butterfield in the lead role at Hugo Cabret and Chloe Grace Moretz as his young friend Isabelle ably supported by Ben Kingsley in the role as the historically cinema significant Georges Melies, Jude Law as Hugo's father, Sacha Baron Cohen as Gustave, the Train Station Inspector, and various other names including Christopher Lee, Frances de la Tour, Richard Griffiths and Ray Winstone.

Set in the 1930's Paris we see the young orphaned Hugo living in the train station  maintaining the clocks to ensure they run on time and are kept in good working order - a kills he learned from his mechanically minded father and uncle. He leads his live in secret, living in the tunnels and passageways that wind their way through the labyrinth that is the busy Gare Montparnasse train station. The one thing that connects Hugo with his dead father (Law) is the automaton that his father began work on but never completed. Over the years Hugo has salvaged the necessary parts to almost complete the task but the one piece needed to bring it back to life is still missing and it's crucial whereabouts remain unknown - the heart-shaped key to restore (mechanical) life.

Working in the train station is an old toy marker, George Melies (Kingsley) who runs a small shop, and who Hugo has a brush with resulting in him being introduced to his god-daugher Isabelle (Grace Moretz). What follows is a series of coincidences that sees Melies contribution to modern cinema finally realised after almost 30 years, the heart-shaped key located and the automaton beautifully restored to 'life', the discovery of who really invented the automaton, and a wonderfully realised final set-piece that (almost) restores faith in humanity.

This film is Scorsese's nod to the early history of cinema focusing on Georges Melies enormous contribution to the craft bound together by early friendships, a Paris train station, machines, magic, tragedy & loss. The opening tracking shot is stunning and captures you from the get-go, and from this point on we are on a beautifully realised joy ride that will surprise and delight with every frame.

Oscar worthy for sure and this will not disappoint. At a cost of about US$160M to bring to the screen, this just about recovered it's budget with a haul of US$186M. At the awards ceremonies though for that year it garnered five Academy Awards for Best Cinematography, Best Sound Mixing, Best Sound Editing, Best Visual Effects and Best Art Direction, as well as five other nominations including Best Direction for Martin Scorsese, Best Picture and Best Adapted Screenplay. It also picked up the Best Director Award at the Golden Globes and two other nominations, and at the BAFTA's is picked up Best Production Design and Best Sound Awards and eight other nominations. All up 'Hugo' collected 62 award wins globally and a further 138 nominations.

Fantastic film making proving Scorsese is a master story teller at the top of his game, and for me it was one of the top films of the year. At the time my recommendation was to catch this on the big screen, but you'll now have to make do with the biggest small screen you can find at home and watch it on DVD/Bluray.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

EXODUS : GODS AND KINGS - Tuesday 9th December 2014.

I saw Ridley Scott's latest big screen big budget epic interpretation of the Old Testament story of Moses as told in The Book of Exodus last night. 'EXODUS : GODS AND KINGS' is his US$140M saga starring Christian Bale, Joel Edgerton, Ben Mendelsohn, Sigourney Weaver, Ben Kingsley, John Turturro, Aaron Paul and others amongst its cast of literally thousands. Ridley Scott knows how to craft a story and do it on a big scale - he has a proven track record after all (think 'Alien', 'Blade Runner', 'Robin Hood','Gladiator', 'Prometheus', and 'Kingdom of Heaven') but this could just about be his biggest telling yet - of Biblical proportions you might say!

As the story opens we have two men who have grown up as brothers - Moses (Christian Bale) and Ramses (Joel Edgerton) living in palatial comfort in the Egyptian City of Memphis - it is 1300BC. Seti (John Turturro) is the ruling Pharaoh and father to Ramses who will succeed him, because he is the bloodline, unlike Moses whose story we already know from our own Bible Classes, but is recounted to us later on down the track for the sake of the uninitiated. After a little bit of war mongering that sees Moses and Ramses thrash the Hittite's, and the former saving the life of the latter, the pair return victorious to Memphis. Seti asks that Ramses go to Pithom to meet Viceroy Hegep (a creepily camped-up Ben Mendelsohn on fine form) but Ramses believes it to be beneath him because the Viceroy is overseeing the Hebrew Slaves, and so Moses volunteers to go instead. On arrival Moses is appalled at the conditions the Hebrew Slaves must endure and their treatment at the hands of their captors. Hegep has nothing but contempt for the Hebrews whilst looking down on them from his luxurious palace. . . a fact that does not go unnoticed by Moses.

Whilst at Pithom Moses is invited to meet with the 'elders' - one of whom is Nun (Ben Kingsley) who one evening reveals to Moses his true identity, his parentage and that he himself was born into Hebrew Slavery and cast out in a wicker basket to float downstream on the Nile current as an infant to save him from certain death. Moses finds this hard to believe and leaves in a rage, but not before this secret conversation is overheard by two Hebrews who report this revelation back to Hegep.

Upon returning to Memphis, Moses finds Pharaoh Seti on his death bed, and on passing the throne now ascends to Ramses. Soon afterwards Hegep bursts in seeking private consultation with King Ramses to reveal what he knows of Moses, and muscle his way into the Royal Palace and the good life! Confronting Moses with his new found information, Ramses threatens Palace Servant Miriam to reveal the truth and if she is Moses sister - she denies it but when, with a sword to the arm Moses intervenes, and comes clean that he is Hebrew, and was born into slavery. As a result Ramses banishes Moses to a life in exile and he is set loose in the mountains with a horse and meagre supplies and the chance to say farewell one last time to his sister Miriam and his birth mother. He ventures into the desert battling the elements as he does so, and two would be assassins that we later learn were sent by Ramses.

Nine years go by and Moses is living a contented life as a shepherd in the mountains having married Zipporah (Maria Valverde), and they have a son, Gershom. Chasing three of his wayward sheep one night up a nearby mountain in a severe storm he is caught in a landslide, knocked unconscious and wakes with a broken leg and buried neck deep in mountain sludge. There is a burning bush nearby and a young boy Malak (Issac Andrews, easily the best performance of the film) manifests himself to Moses as the messenger of God with some pearls of wisdom about freeing the Hebrews and leading them back to their promised land.

Recovering, Moses has his calling and leaves his village, his wife, his son and begins his quest to free several hundred thousand Hebrews from their life of slavery and return them to their true home for the first time in 400 years. Using his military skills and experience he musters and trains a small Hebrew army including brother Joshua (Aaron Paul) to wreak as much havoc on Memphis as he can to bring Ramses to his knees and so free the slaves. But this doesn't really go anywhere except to piss Ramses off, and so he starts hanging families daily until the location of Moses and his family are revealed. God then intervenes (again in the form of young lad Malak) who is becoming increasingly agitated by Moses lack of traction, and decides to take the law unto his own hands, and show Egypt exactly what he is capable of.

What follows is the stuff of Biblical legend that we learned in Sunday School, and Scott pulls off the imagery of big screen plague, pestilence, death and destruction with a deft hand. With God now at the end of his tether and a few strong words exchanged between he and Moses we first see the rivers of blood as giant alligators attack every living creature (humans included) close enough to eat, and so turning the Nile crimson. Then the fish all die as a result, but the frogs survive and prosper and like a marching plague spring out of the river and infest everything in their gazillions. If this isn't enough the frogs die in time due to lack of food, and together with all the dead fish floating on the surface rotting away the flies come in vast black swarms covering everything, and laying their eggs in just about everything else. As a result sheep, cattle, goats all die horribly having been infected by disease carrying flies, maggots and other crawling insects. Next up come swarms of locusts in more numbers than you can fathom and devour every living plant in their path, and with the heat turned up to number ten on the dial everything dies and the plague effects the humans who all break out in weeping pustules, boils and soars - even our King Ramses and his family. Still Ramses digs his heels in and will not relent, and continues to beat the downtrodden Hebrews into submission despite warnings from Moses who has reappeared on the scene attempting to forewarn him of Gods further impending wrath. Then comes a darkening of the skies as a violent storm erupts sending down torrents of rain and hailstones the size of golf balls to smash the city into near oblivion. To cap it all off God sends in The Grim Reaper who descends on Memphis turning daylight into nighttime and in so passing snuffs out the lives of every child below the age of 14, unless the front door to the household has been daubed with fresh lambs blood. Needless to say this vital piece of information is known to every Hebrew, but not a single Egyptian, and in the process Ramses young son & heir dies. At this Ramses confronts Moses and orders that he, and his people go, leave the city and return to their homeland.

Here begins the epic journey as Moses leads his followers back to the land of their birth right, but as we know it is no easy journey, and taking a wrong turn on a treacherous mountain track leads them to the Red Sea where further onward passage is impossible. With Ramses now giving relentless chase with his army intent on exacting his revenge now on Moses and the Hebrews once and of all, time is running out. Taking the same passage with a mighty army and horse drawn chariots along narrow mountain tracks Ramses loses half his army in a spectacular land slide. Knowing not what to do, Moses seeks counsel with God but none is forthcoming. Sleeping on the beach of the Red Sea Moses and his followers awake the next morning to see that the waters have subsided, withdrawn and they can now make safe passage through to the other side. As they advance across the now shallow sea so Ramses is closing in with what is left of his army, who give chase across the sand. The final tidal wave scene as the Hebrews reach the other side leaving Ramses and his army at the mercy of the oncoming wall of sea is very well handled and one of the visual highlights of the film. Needless to say - the slaves and Moses reach the shore saved, while Ramses still lives but now washed up on the opposite shore!

Returning to his mountain village to be reunited with his family, Moses and his people continue their journey, but not before we see Moses carving out the Ten Commandments on two tablets of stone with the boy Malak looking down and guiding his thoughts - these will be laws which will govern them when they resettle, and which Moses carves out willingly.

Little in this story will be new to you if you paid attention at School, but it has been Hollywood-ised and it is impressive enough on the big screen when the action comes. In between time though I thought it laboured on, lumbering along and not really giving us anything different than we have seen before in other 'swords & sandals' storytelling - just this has all the latest technical wizardry to create the epic world that Ridley envisions for us. Bale is solid enough as Moses, but for me the jury is still out on Edgerton as Ramses who occasionally blurts out with an Aussie twang, and failed to really ignite his anger and emotion with any real force when it called for it. Weaver as Queen Tuya gets about 47 seconds of screen time, and we meet an 'expert' who has a rational answer for all of God's wrath but sounds decidedly Scottish (actor Ewen Bremner is Scottish granted, but had Egypt conquered Scotland then I wonder?).

All in all this lacked depth, urgency and the ability to really connect with the characters (like we did with Ripley, Maximus or Deckard for example), but delivers in story interpretation, spectacle and grandeur that should be seen on the big screen.



-Steve, at Odeon Online-