THE SMASHING MACHINE : Tuesday 14th October 2025

I saw the M Rated 'THE SMASHING MACHINE' earlier this week at my local multiplex, and this American biographical sports drama film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Edited by Benny Safdie whose previous feature film Directing credits, with his brother Josh, are their debut 'Daddy Longlegs' in 2009, 'Lenny Cooke' in 2013, 'Heaven Knows What' in 2014, 'Good Time' in 2017 and 'Uncut Gems' in 2019. This film is Benny Safdie's first solo Directing feature. The film had its World Premiere showcasing in the main competition of this years Venice International Film Festival in early September where it won the Silver Lion. It was released in the US and here in Australia on 2nd October, cost US$50M to produce, has so far recouped US$17M in Box Office receipts and has generated positive critical reviews. 

The film opens with Mark Kerr being interviewed, who explains to the interviewer his success in Ultimate Fighting Championship, before he leaves for his next bout. Based on the true story of pioneering mixed martial arts/UFC fighter Mark Kerr (Dwayne Johnson, who also Co-Produces here), who helped grow the sport’s popularity in its early days, this film is set between 1997 and 2000. In 1999, Mark is at home with his girlfriend, Dawn Staples (Emily Blunt), with whom he shares a complicated and frequently fractured relationship. Mark scolds her lightly for making a bulking shake incorrectly by using skimmed milk instead of his recently switched to full cream milk and only using half a banana instead of the two that he demands, but then apologises. He prepares for a fight while being coached by his very good friend and mixed martial artist and pro-wrestler Mark Coleman (Ryan Bader), and stumbles in and out of drug use while meeting Japanese officials regarding his pay.

Mark sits in his locker room with Mark Coleman in Tokyo under the influence and in anticipation of his imminent bout with Igor Vovchanchyn (Oleksandr Usyk), when Dawn arrives unexpectedly. They begin to argue as Kerr ignores her, while trying to focus intently on his bout. After losing his latest fight drastically, he quietly leaves and returns downtrodden to his locker room and begins sobbing. It is his first loss. 

Back home, his relationship with Dawn further deteriorates and he overdoses the next morning. Dawn frantically calls Coleman, who jumps on the first available flight to visit his friend in hospital. Coleman tells him that he needs to change, which Mark agrees with. He enters rehab, and upon his finishing the course he collects up his syringes, his injectable substances and his painkillers and promptly discards them in a dumpster. However, his rehab only added further strain to his relationship with Dawn, eventually resulting in her leaving and Mark leaving to train with Bas Rutten (Bas Rutten), a mixed martial artist, kickboxer and professional wrestler. 

Mark performs extremely well under Bas' coaching, getting back into the peak of physical fitness, and winning his first fight. He later reconciles with Dawn, which to the chagrin of Bas, results in Mark leaving camp. 

Mark and Dawn have another falling out over her hedonistic habits, and they have a big tit-for-tat argument resulting in Mark breaking up with Dawn and asking her to go the bedroom, pack a bag and leave. A distraught Dawn tries to shoot herself in the head but is prevented from doing so by Mark, who holds her tightly until she calms down. A couple of days later in Japan, at the 2000 Pride Grand Prix semi-finals, a distracted Mark loses his next fight brutally against Igor Vovchanchyn, as he has flashbacks of Dawn and other moments throughout his life and career, and is unable to focus, both physically and mentally, on the bout. 

Coleman eventually wins the 2000 Pride Grand Prix, while Mark receives stitches to his chin. He sits in the shower, smiling and laughing before it cuts to the present day, showing the real Mark Kerr shopping at a grocery store. It is revealed that Mark and Dawn reconciled their differences and got married in Las Vegas ten days after his loss at the 2000 Grand Prix, and that they were married for six years and share a son together. He retired in 2009, and while mostly unknown today, is one of the biggest pioneers in the MMA world.

With 'The Smashing Machine' Writer and Director Benny Safdie has crafted a sports biographical drama offering that certainly looks the part, is high on emotion, and offers two standout performances from Dwayne Johnson and Emily Blunt, but sadly this is where the positives draw to an abrupt halt. Aside from being a pioneer of early MMA/UFC Mark Kerr led what appears to be a fairly unremarkable life to the point where today he is virtually unknown for his contribution to the sport. He had a fairly comfortable life it seems living in a modest, but by no means a palatial home, while frequented by his on again off again relationship with Dawn, and his regular substance abuse and addiction to pain killers all of which contributed to his volatile personality. He was always polite, courteous and selfless when in the public eye, but behind closed doors - often a different story, and Johnson captures these traits perfectly within the film. But, I came away feeling just a little shortchanged by the repetitive nature of this film, and the underwhelming story that centred on just three years of this mans life when he had achieved much before 1997 and after 2000, up until his eventual retirement in 2009. 

'The Smashing Machine' warrants three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

BLACK ADAM : Tuesday 25th October 2022.

I saw the M Rated 'BLACK ADAM' earlier this week, and this American Superhero film is based on the DC Comics character of the same name, is a spin-off from the 2019 film 'Shazam!' and is the eleventh film in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). It is Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra whose prior film making credits include his debut in 2005 with 'House of Wax', then four films with Liam Neeson - those being 'Unknown' in 2011, 'Non-Stop' in 2014, 'Run All Night' in 2015 and 'The Commuter' in 2018, with 'The Shallows' in 2016 and 'Jungle Cruise' most recently in 2021. This film was originally slated for a Christmas 2021 release but was moved from that date due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then given an end of July 2022, release date, but was then moved again, having seen its World Premiere in Mexico City on 3rd October and was released here in Australia, the US and a number of other territories from last week, having cost in the region of US$195M to produce, has so far recouped US$156M, and has garnered mixed or average critical reviews. 

The film opens up in 2,600 BC long before the ancient city of Rome and the empire of Babylon came into being. We are taken back to the city of Kahndaq where the tyrannical King, Akh-Ton (Marwan Kenzari) rules with an iron fist and has his subjects mine for the rare precious blue metal 'Eternium' in open mines with their bare hands. When he has sufficient supplies he crafts the crown of Sabbac which bestows great power on whoever shall wear the crown. After attempting to stage a revolt by the downtrodden and weary slaves, a young slave boy is given the powers of Shazam by the Council of Wizards because he is deemed pure of heart to wield those powers, so transforming him into Kahndaq's heroic champion, who allegedly kills Ahk-Ton and brings and early end to his reign. 

History lesson over, and we fast forward to the present day Kahndaq which is under marshall law overseen by the ruthless Intergang. We then meet up with archaeologist and University Professor Adrianna Tomaz (Sarah Shahi) who tries to locate the Crown of Sabbac with the help of her brother Karim (Mo Amir) and their colleagues Samir (James Cusati-Moyer) and Ishmael (Marwan Kenzari). As Adrianna obtains the crown hidden deep in a cavernous cave buried within a mountain, Intergang members appear and ambush them, demanding that she hand over the crown. As Adrianna is held at gunpoint on her knees, she reads an incantation on a tombstone laying beneath her that awakens Teth-Adam (Dwayne Johnson), whom she believes to be Kahndaq's champion, from a long overdue rest and recuperation. Adam immediately sets about slaughtering just about all of the Intergang army.

Shortly afterwards US government official Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) has caught wind that Teth-Adam is on the rampage and deems that he is a threat to world peace and contacts the Justice Society of America (JSA) - Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) to bring him into custody, and forcibly if need be. The JSA arrives in time to stop Teth-Adam from causing yet more destruction to Kahndaq than he has already caused, and Intergang's troops. The JSA explains to Adrianna that Adam was not a saviour who was laid to rest in a tomb, but a madman who was imprisoned and entombed for all eternity.

Ishmael reveals himself as Intergang's leader to Karim and overheard by Adrianna's teenage son Amon (Bodhi Sabongui). Ishmael shoots Karim in the stomach and a chase ensues with Amon, who steals the crown to prevent Ishmael getting his grubby hands on it, but Ishmael gets the better of young Amon and captures him, but not before Amon had switched the crown in his back pack for a set of school books. Adam, Adrianna, and the JSA who now have possession of the crown intend to use it to trade for Amon. They reach Ishmael, holed up in his abandoned mine headquarters who reveals that he is the last descendant of King Ahk-Ton and, wanting his rightful place on the throne, demands the crown, which Adrianna willingly gives up in order to save Amon's life. Ishmael betrays his part of the deal and shoots at Amon, and Adam, trying to save Amon, loses control and destroys the mine encampment with his power, killing Ishmael in the process. 

Wracked with guilt, Adam flees to the ruins of Ahk-Ton's palace, where he explains to Hawkman that the legends of Kahndaq's champion were in fact wrong, and it was Adam's son Hurut (Jalon Christian) who was granted the powers of Shazam and became Kahndaq's champion. Knowing that Hurut was invincible, Ahk-Ton's assassins were instructed to execute Hurut's family, including Adam and Hurut's mother. Hurut granted Adam his powers in order to save his father's life, and Ahk-Ton's assassins immediately killed the depowered Hurut. An enraged Adam then slaughtered all of the king's men, Ahk-Tok and destroyed Kahndaq's palace. He was subsequently deemed unworthy by the Council of Wizards and entombed within the Rock of Eternity. Feeling incapable of becoming a true hero, Adam surrenders, by uttering the word 'Shazam'. 

The JSA takes him to a secret Task Force X black site located deep under the sea under the pack ice. Dr. Fate, who is able to see into the future, has a premonition of Hawkman's impending death. As the JSA returns to the city, they realise that Ishmael intentionally made Adam kill him while he was wearing the Crown of Sabbac so that he could be reborn as the host of the demon Sabbac, who rises from the underworld to claim his throne. 

Sabbac commands the Legions of Hell to terrorise Kahndaq, with Adrianna and Karim initially fighting them off while Amon rallies the people of the city to join in the fight. The JSA prepares to face Sabbac in Ahk-Ton's ruins, but Dr. Fate creates a magical force field that prevents Hawkman, Cyclone, and Atom Smasher from entering. He reveals that Hawkman's death can be avoided with his own sacrifice. Dr. Fate fights Sabbac on his own and uses his astral projection to release Adam after talking to him in his cryo sleep and asking him to wake-up and come to their aid. Sabbac kills Dr. Fate, resulting in the force field disappearing, and so allowing the others to join in the fight. Just as Sabbac is about to overpower and dispense with the JSA, Adam arrives and joins the battle. With help from Hawkman using Dr. Fate's helmet, Adam kills Sabbac. 

The three remaining JSA departs on good terms with Adam, who accepts his new role as the protector of Kahndaq and takes on a less old fashioned name replacing Teth-Adam with Black Adam. In a mid-credits sequence, Amanda Waller communicates with Adam and warns him against leaving Kahndaq. Adam says that there is no one on Earth who can defeat him, to which Waller responds that she was not referring to someone from this world. Superman (Henry Cavill) arrives shortly thereafter and suggests that they should talk!

'Black Adam' is an entertaining enough romp that is heavy, very heavy, on the CGI action sequences and the OTT violence that lurches from one action set piece to the next with a frenzied frequency that after a while seems to all meld into one elongated tale of 'shoot first, ask questions . . . never'! Sure, the myriad of action scenes are well realised but when you come to appreciate that nobody or nothing can ever harm the indestructible Adam, it all becomes a bit ho hum! Dwayne Johnson's big bold badass antihero superhero delivers all the kicks, punches and death blows that you would expect of him, and delves sufficiently into his back story to make his character arc relatable, but that is where the characterisation ends and the exposition sadly falters for the four new superhero types that this film introduces us to. For fans of Dwayne Johnson and big spectacle relentless comic book action then this film is for you, but for those of us who saw it under the pretext of a new dawn in the DCEU, then you are likely to be a tad disappointed. 

'Black Adam' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard out of a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

SKYSCRAPER : Tuesday 17th July 2018.

'SKYSCRAPER' just has American action drama written all over it with none other than all conquering hero Dwayne Johnson as the hunk of beef cake set to save the world, or the skyscraper in question at least, from a bunch of gun toting, no good pesky terrorist types. Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Rawson Marshall Thurber whose previous Directing credits include 'DodgeBall : A True Underdog Story', 'We're the Millers', and 'Central Intelligence' also with Dwayne Johnson, the film went on general release in the US and Australia last week. Described by many a Critic, including this Blogger, as a fusion of 'Towering Inferno' from 1974 and 'Die Hard' from 1988, the film cost US$125M, has so far grossed US$74M and has received mixed Reviews, although Dwayne Johnson's performance has been largely praised. The film is released in the China market on 20th July.

The story here surrounds former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader and U.S. war veteran Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson) who in the opening segment set ten years before, is engaging in a night time hostage situation with a crack team of Special Op's personnel. A father has taken his wife and children hostage and is holed up at home threatening to kill 'em all. In bursts Sawyer through the wall and we see the father with his back to us, holding his young son and sobbing. Sawyer lowers his weapon, because he can see that the father is unarmed, and asks the perpetrator to stand down. At which point, the father releases the child, turns around and is seen to be wearing an explosive vest with the detonator in his hand, which he releases, and . . . . kaboom! Next up, the badly injured Sawyer is being stretchered into hospital, with an attractive female surgeon looking on saying that everything's gonna be just fine!

We next meet Sawyer in the present day. He is an amputee having lost a lower leg in that bomb blast ten years previously, who now assesses security and safety for skyscrapers for a living. He's on assignment in Hong Kong with his family living in the said skyscraper, known as 'The Pearl' - the world tallest building at 220 storeys. The construction process is nearing completion, although the upper floors from 94 onwards remain uninhabited, save for Sawyer and his wife Sarah who just happens to be the attractive female surgeon who patched him up ten years ago (Neve Campbell), daughter Georgia (McKenna Roberts) and younger son Henry (Noah Cottrell), who have been put up temporarily while Will conducts his business within the property.

Sawyer is that day to present his safety findings to Zhao Long Ji (Chin Han) a local multi-gazilionaire and owner of the skyscraper, for the purposes of finalising the buildings insurance requirements. Sawyer passes all the elements of his assessment except for the control base located a mile away in a secure facility, which he has not yet been able to inspect, but is set to do so the next day.

Later that night, when Sawyer is on the ground with a former colleague from his FBI days, who as it turns out has double crossed his friend and wound up dead at Sawyers hands after a confrontation involving close hand to hand combat within the confines of an apartment, an international terrorist kingpin Kores Botha (Roland Moller) and his group of merry men break into the building. The mercenaries torch the 96th floor which blocks access to the upper floors, while at the same time switching off all the hi-tech cutting edge fire suppressant devices so allowing the flames to spread rapidly to upper levels. Pretty soon the building is burning out of control and with the flames rising quickly.

The local Police spring into action headed up by Inspector Wu (Byron Mann) who suspect that Sawyer is in fact the main ring leader in the terrorist attack, because only he had access to security data contained on a tablet given to him earlier by Zhao to access the control base in order to review the security and safety protocols.

However, that tablet was stolen from Sawyer by Botha's ground based partners headed up by Xia (Hanna Quinlivan) who have in the meantime gained access to the control base, taken out everyone working there and disabled and over ridden all systems within the tower. The Police needless to say are hot on Sawyer's heels and chasing him down. Sawyer has meanwhile evaded arrest at the base of the skyscraper and is looking upward in disbelief at the inferno that has erupted high above the ground, and in which his family are trapped.

Sawyer spies a nearby crane on an adjacent construction site and heads for it, planning on getting close. He ascends perilously with the Police giving chase and the world's news camera's and the gathered crowds looking on. Now high above the ground, Sawyer takes a giant leap of faith that defies all the odds off the extended crane arm into a shattered window to gain access . . . which of course he does successfully, by his fingertips!

Sawyer is soon reunited with his family who have fled from their apartment floor and were making their way through a giant greenhouse atrium occupying several floors and housing lush greenery, waterfalls and natural features. This area is also rapidly becoming engulfed in flame but the family, now reunited, manage to escape, except for daughter Georgia who is being chased down by two of Botha's goons. Sawyer is able to get his wife and son to an elevator who use it to free fall to safety engaging the emergency brakes to stop their rapid decent just at the right moment of course. They get to the ground unscathed and help the Police identify Botha as a result of an encounter with him earlier in the day.

Meanwhile as Sawyer is rescuing his daughter from Botha's henchmen, he is caught by Botha himself and ordered to gain access to a solid titanium door behind which Zhao has retreated for safety and to safeguard an all important memory stick. That stick contains incriminating evidence against the kingpin terrorist concerning extortion running into millions and money laundering on a global scale. If Sawyer is unable to gain access as the leading security expert on the job, then Botha will throw his daughter off the roof - 220 storeys up!

This leaves no alternative for Sawyer but to comply, but to gain access he must override the security access controls hidden behind the massive air conditioning turbines that drive the properties carbon neutral heating and ventilation system. To do this, he must scale the outside of the building, using a length of rope secured from a window fitting and good ol' duct tape which he tapes sticky side out to both his hands and feet for extra grip. Clever stuff! He overrides the system thereby opening the door to Zhao's inner sanctum, temporarily.

Sawyer narrowly makes it back inside when his planned journey back goes awry and he is left dangling upside down with a rope yanking on his prosthetic leg, which of course gives way. But our hero can't plunge to his death from nearly 200 storeys up, so some quick thinking and deft manoeuvring sees Sawyer clamber back inside, and wedge his kevlar leg in the now closing doors of Zhao's strong room for him to gain access. The two hatch a plan to thwart Botha and rescue Georgia from the roof top, where Botha and his goons plan to parachute off to make their getaway.

In a close quarter gun fight inside the actual 'Pearl' Sawyer is able to overpower all the goons and dispense with them using his own particular set of skills, leaving the last man standing, Botha. The terrorist now uses Georgia to negotiate his own escape, but is kicked out of the building through a hole in the floor while holding a hand grenade. He is blown to pieces seconds later. Sawyer holds onto his daughter while flames lick all around them and there is nowhere left for them to escape to. On the ground Sarah retrieves the stolen tablet after a shoot out with the Police and overpowering Xia and the mercenaries at the parachute landing site. She realises that she can override the shutdown of the hi-tech fire extinguishing system built into the skyscraper by rebooting the computer system. This she does, and the system kicks in dousing the flames quickly, so saving Sawyer and his daughter from certain death. The family are reunited back on the ground and everyone is happy.

This is a fairly predictable by the numbers all action thriller that offers no surprises and really is straight out of the 'Towering Inferno' and 'Die Hard' play book. There are even some scenes that are direct obvious derivatives of those two films that clearly has inspired this film, not that the Director need apologise for this fact, as I guess there will be a whole new audience out there who are unfamiliar with those two movies. In Sawyer, we have a hero who clearly knows no fear, who's bravado knows no bounds, and is prepared to spray a can of Whoop Ass on anyone getting in the way of his family. And to this end he muttered the lines 'I love you' to his wife and kids about a hundred times during this film, which I found just a little OTT and clearly the scriptwriter here was struggling for meaningful dialogue amidst all the action set pieces when it was Sawyer all alone against the world! Johnson is clearly the big draw card here and it is his film alone, unlike Newman and McQueen in 'The Towering Inferno' and Willis and Rickman in 'Die Hard' who paired off against each other admirably and shared equal screen time. You need to see this on the big screen for all the vertigo inducing action, but as for the story and the originality, there is very little new to see here that hasn't been done already.

'Skyscraper' merits two claps of the clapperboard from a potential five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th July 2018.

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in July in the spa town of Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The Karlovy Vary Festival is one of the oldest in the world and has become Central and Eastern Europe’s leading film event. Wikipedia reports that the pre-war dream of many enthusiastic filmmakers materialised in 1946 when a non-competition festival of films from seven countries took place in a neighbouring spa town of Marianske Lazne in the Karlovy Vary Region, and Karlovy Vary. Above all it was intended to screen the results of the recently nationalised Czechoslovak film industry. After the first two years the festival moved permanently to Karlovy Vary. The Karlovy Vary IFF first held an international film competition in 1948. Since 1951, an international jury has evaluated the films.

This years event, which marked the 53rd year, ran from 29th June through until 7th July, with the annual awards ceremony taking place on Saturday 7th July. The statistics from this years festival reveal that according to event organisers, the festival was attended by just over thirteen thousand accredited visitors. Of that number almost eleven thousand had Festival Passes, four hundred were filmmakers, nearly twelve hundred were film professionals, and there were 630 journalists. From the industry, close to fourteen hundred were film buyers, sellers, distributors, film festival programmers, representatives of film institutions, and other industry professionals with 550 coming from overseas. Thirty-five films saw their world premiere, while eight had their international premiere and seven their European premiere.

The Grand Prix award which is accompanied by a Crystal Globe statuette and US$25K in prize money went to 'I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History As Barbarians' and is a Co-Production between Romania, the Czech Republic, Germany, France and Bulgaria, and is Directed by Romanian film maker and Screenwriter Radu Jude. The film attempts to comment on this quote spoken in the Council of Ministers during the Summer of 1941 which started the ethnic cleansing on the Eastern Front.

The Special Jury Prize went to 'Sueño Florianópolis' a Argentina, Brazil and French Co-Produced comedy Directed by Ana Katz, for which Mercedes Moran also won the award for Best Actress, and is also picked up the Award of International Film Critics. Other awards went to Barry Levinson for his 1988 film 'Rain Man' as voted under the Pravo Audience Award, and also both Barry Levinson and Tim Robbins were awarded a Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema. Robert Pattinson also collected the Festival Presidents Award.

For more information, you can go to the official website at : www.kviff.com

This week we have three new cinematic offerings coming to your local Odeon, kick staring with a high rise action thriller that seems to be a mash up between earlier action disaster flicks aided and abetted by the worlds most bankable action star of the moment. We then move to a duo of Aussie films - the first is a psychological thriller tale of writers block as experienced by a hugely successful first time novelist now struggling with her follow up novel, and how the arrival of long lost friend over a quiet weekend retreat digs up secrets from the past that were perhaps best being kept hidden. And secondly, a Sci-Fi action offering of alien invasion taking occupation of our humble little blue planet, but did them pesky space invader types count on a rag tag bunch of gun totting Aussies to make life difficult for them?

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

'SKYSCRAPER' (Rated M) - this just has American action drama written all over it and none other than all conquering hero Dwayne Johnson as the hunk of beef cake set to save the world, or the skyscraper in question at least, from a bunch of gun toting, no good pesky terrorists types. Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Rawson Marshall Thurber whose previous Directing credits include 'DodgeBall : A True Underdog Story', 'We're the Millers', and 'Central Intelligence' also with Dwayne Johnson, the film goes on general release in the US and Australia this week.

The story here surrounds former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader, U.S. war veteran and amputee Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson) who now assesses security for skyscrapers for a living. He's on assignment in Hong Kong with his family living in the said skyscraper, known as 'The Pearl'. When he finds the tallest, safest building in the world suddenly under attack by terrorists and he's the head of security, Sawyer must spring into action, However, the situation is complicated more when he's accused of masterminding the attack and has been framed for it. A wanted man on the run inside a monster building, Sawyer must track down those responsible, clear his name and somehow rescue his family, who are now trapped inside the building, above the line of fire. Sounds like a mash up of the first 'Die Hard' instalment and 'Towering Inferno'. Prepare to suspend all belief. Also starring Neve Campbell and Noah Taylor, the film cost US$125M.

'THE SECOND' (Rated MA15+) - this is the first original feature length film put out by those streaming people at Stan, and is released in cinemas concurrently. This Australian film, shot in Queensland, was shown at the recent Sydney Film Festival and is Directed by first timer Mairie Cameron. Described as a steamy psycho-thriller, the like of which you would ordinarily hardly call your typical Aussie movie, here the film centres on an unnamed Writer and author of a worldwide best selling sexually charged autobiographical first novel (Rachael Blake), but crafting her second novel is far from as straightforward. Now the Writer has everything - fame, fortune and a doting new boyfriend . . . and writers block! Attempting to meet her deadline, the Writer and her publisher boyfriend (Vince Colosimo) take a long weekend retreat to her family's country estate. However, when a beautiful friend from the past arrives on the scene unexpectedly (Susie Porter) a secret history shared between the two presents a challenging predicament with potentially dangerous consequences. Over the weekend, the women straddle from tenderness to hostility and back again, as rivalry, teenage memories and a dark secret from their history all come to bear. Also starring Martin Sacks and Susan Prior.

'OCCUPATION' (Rated M) - this Australian made action Sci-Fi is Written and Directed by Luke Sparke and follows his feature film Directorial debut of 2016, 'Red Billabong', with 'Occupation 2' already in the works and slated for a 2019 release, before even the release of this first instalment in Australia this week and the US next week. Following the annihilation of their small remote Australian community by an overwhelming airborne attack, a rag tag group of civilians evade capture but quickly come to the realisation that they are now among the last remaining survivors of an alien invasion that has taken over the planet. As what is left of humanity falls under global occupation, they form a domestic army to retaliate against a vastly superior enemy foe. On the front lines of the battle for Earth, they may just be our last hope and salvation. Starring Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, Jacqueline Mackenzie and Stephanie Jacobsen.

With three new release films out 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-

What's new in Odeon's this week - Thursday 1st June 2017

The 70th annual Cannes Film Festival has just wrapped closing twelve days of film extravaganza down on the French Riviera running from 17th until 28th May inclusive. Spanish film Director and Screenwriter Pedro Almodóvar was the President of the Jury for the Festival and Italian Actress Monica Bellucci hosted the opening and closing ceremonies. 'Ismael's Ghosts' by French Director Arnaud Desplechin, was the opening film for the Festival, and 'The Square' by Swedish Director Ruben Ostlund, was the closing film.

This year there were nineteen films in Official Competition all competing for the much prized Palme d'Or. Among those were : 'In the Fade' by Director Faith Akin and starring Diane Kruger; 'The Meyerowitz Stories' Directed by Noah Baumbach and starring Adam Sandler, Ben Stiller, Dustin Hoffman and Emma Thompson; 'Okja' by Director Bong Joon-ho and starring Tilda Swinton, Jake Gyllenhaal and Paul Dano; 'The Beguiled' by Director Sofia Coppola and starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman, Kirsten Dunst and Elle Fanning; 'Wonderstruck' by Director Todd Haynes and starring Julianne Moore and Michelle Williams; 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer' by Director Yorgos Lanthimos and starring Colin Farrell, Nicole Kidman and Alicia Silverstone; 'You Were Never Really Here' by Director Lynne Ramsay and starring Joaquin Phoenix; 'Good Time' by Ben and Josh Safdie and starring Robert Pattinson and Jennifer Jason Leigh; 'Happy End' by Director Michael Haneke and starring Isabelle Huppert; and competition winner of the Palme d'Or 'The Square' Directed by Ruben Ostlund and starring Elisabeth Moss, Dominic West and Claes Bang.

In official competition the other winners and grinners were : Grand Prix awarded to French drama film '120 Beats Per Minute' by Director Robin Campillo; Best Director awarded to Sofia Coppola for 'The Beguiled'; Best Actress awarded to Diane Kruger for 'In the Fade'; Best Actor awarded to Joaquin Phoenix for 'You Were Never Really Here'; Best Screenplay awarded to Yorgos Lanthimos and Efthymis Filippou for 'The Killing of a Sacred Deer' and Lynne Ramsay for 'You Were Never Really Here'. Nicole Kidman was awarded a special 70th Anniversary Prize, had three films in competition this year, and a special 70th anniversary screening of Jane Campion's mystery television drama series 'Top of the Lake : China Girl' being the second season of the acclaimed series which Kidman stars in and which goes to air in September this year. Kidman was also unofficially crowned this years 'Queen of Cannes'.

Coming back down to Earth, this week there are just three new release films coming to your local multiplex or independent theatre. We kick off with this eagerly awaited fourth film in this Extended Universe for one particular female Superhero that we have seen before on the big screen just last year, but here she gets her very own origin story and what a whip cracking yarn it promises to be. We then move to bronzed babes and buffed bodies patrolling the beach, saving lives and catching crims in this big screen feature film based on a popular long running television series of the nineties, before wrapping up this week with a late '70's story of one middle aged Mum bringing up her young teenage lad with the help of her two 'adopted' and much younger mother figure friends.

When you have sat through your film entertainment of choice sometime somewhere in the coming seven days, be reminded to share your thoughts with your like minded cinephiles here at Odeon Online. Simply leave your relevant, concise and pertinent views, opinions and observations of any of the three movies as Previewed below, or those as Reviewed and Previewed between these humble pages previously, in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you as always, and meanwhile, enjoy your filmic experience.

'WONDER WOMAN' (Rated M) - the beginnings of the DC Comics Superhero known as 'Wonder Woman' first appeared in the October 1941 edition of All Star Comics #8 and her origin story tells us that she was sculpted from clay by her mother Queen Hippolyta and given life by Aphrodite, along with superhuman powers as gifts by the Greek Gods. The character is a founding member of the Justice League, demigoddess, and warrior princess of the Amazonian people. In her homeland, she is Princess Diana of Themyscira, and outside of it, she is known by her civilian identity Diana Prince. And so now 'Wonder Woman' gets her very own feature length stand alone movie, having taken seventy years to first appear in 2016's 'Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice' although by then Diana Prince was a fully formed bona fide Superhero. This stand alone feature Directed by Patty Jenkins takes us back one hundred years or so to the origins of the character at the time of the First World War, albeit she is an immortal warrior over five thousand years old. The film cost US$120M to make, is released in the US and China this week too, and is the first Superhero film to be Directed by a woman with a female protagonist. 'Wonder Woman' is the fourth film in the DC Extended Universe after 'Man of Steel', the aforementioned 'Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice' and 'Suicide Squad'.

Set at about the time of the First World War, the Amazon princess Diana (Gal Gadot), who is living on the remote island of Themyscira, meets American military pilot Steve Trevor (Chris Pine) when he washes ashore having crashed his aircraft somewhere offshore. After learning from him about the ongoing events of World War I, and the huge conflict that is erupting around the world, she leaves her home for the first time, venturing to London and the battlefields of Europe to bring an early end to the war, and in so doing becomes 'Wonder Woman' realising her full powers and her full potential. Also starring Connie Nielsen as Queen Hippolyta; Robin Wright as General Antiope, the sister of Hippolyta and Diana's aunt; David Thewlis as Ares, the treacherous son of Zeus and half-brother of Diana; and Danny Huston as General Erich Ludendorff, an ambitious and iron fisted general of the German Army. The film is Co-Prodiced by Zack and Deborah Snyder and the story was Co-Written by Zack Snyder. Wonder Woman will also be back in this November's release of 'Justice League'.

'BAYWATCH' (Rated MA15+) - this film is based on the hugely popular and internationally successful American action drama series about the Los Angeles County Lifeguards who patrol the beaches of Los Angeles County, California, starring David Hasselhoff and Pamela Anderson that ran for eleven series over 242 episodes from 1991 through until 2001. The show led to a spin-off, 'Baywatch Nights' from 1995 to 1997 over two seasons, and three direct to video films: 'Baywatch the Movie : Forbidden Paradise' in 1995; its sequel 'Baywatch : White Thunder at Glacier Bay' in 1998; and 2003 reunion film 'Baywatch : Hawaiian Wedding'. Now in 2017 and at a budgeted US$69M 'Baywatch' the big screen feature film is upon us. Directed by Seth Gordon, and starring Dwayne Johnson as Mitch Buchannon (formerly played by Daivid Hasselhoff) the overzealous, keen, athletic leader of an elite group of lifeguards patrolling Emerald Bay in Florida, and Zac Efron as  Matt Brody, a disgraced former Olympic swimmer turned wannabe lifeguard who is seen as a PR lifeline to convince the city not to further cut its funding to the Baywatch squad. At the upcoming try-outs for new lifeguard positions, Matt Brody is one of three hopefuls but he soon clashes with headstrong Mitch Buchannon. However, the pair must soon put there differences aside when drugs, the murder of a city dignitary, and an unscrupulous business woman threaten the local Baywatch community. Also starring Kelly Rohrbach as C.J. Parker (formerly played by Pamela Anderson). The film has so far taken US$29M since its release in the US on 25th May and has received less than positive press so far.
 
'20th CENTURY WOMEN' (Rated M) - Mike Mills wrote and Directed this semi-autobiographical comedy drama film for just US$7M which was released Stateside on 28th December 2016 and has so far recovered US$6M. The film has won ten awards and been nominated for a further 68 including Best Original Screenplay at this years Academy Awards and two Golden Globe nods for Best Motion Picture and Best Actress for Annette Benning. Set in Santa Barbara in Southern California in 1979, this film tells the story of Jamie (Lucas Jade Zumann) a young teenager and his relationship with his determined single mid-fifty year old mother Dorothea Fields (Annette Benning). She enlists the help and support of household lodger Abbie (Greta Gerwig) a free spirited new wave artist and Julie (Elle Fanning) a street smart and overly confident neighbour to aid in Jamie's upbringing and introduction to the world at a time of cultural change and rebellion. Also starring Billy Crudup, the film has received positive Reviews from Critics.

Three films this week all with women at the core - 'Wonder Woman', '20th Century Women' and 'Baywatch' featuring scantily clad swimsuit wearing lifesaving babes that any self respecting guy would want their life saved by, no doubt! Whatever your chosen realm of movie escapism is this week, be sure to share your thoughts with us here afterwards, and in the meantime, I'll see you somewhere, sometime, in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 30th June 2016.

At the mid-way point in the year now, I got to thinking about the big blockbuster fare we have seen so far in 2016, and where these sit in the grand scheme of Box Office rankings. Judging by the Top 10 released so far this year with their current all time placing and total haul as shown, a couple of things seem to ring true. Firstly, we appear to have an insatiable appetite for comic book heroes, secondly, we have an almost unquenchable thirst for well made animation and CGI, and finally only one of these is based on a real story. In order of all time Box Office rankings so far, taken from Box Office MoJo, there is :-

• 'Captain America : Civil War' - #12 with US$1.148B
• 'Zootopia' - #25 with US$1.017B
• 'The Jungle Book' - #37 with US930M
• 'Batman v. Superman : The Dawn of Justice' - #46 with US$873M
• 'Deadpool' - #62 with US$779M
• 'The Revenant' - #141 with US$533M
• 'X-Men : Apocalypse' - #146 with US$524M and still on general release.
• 'Kung Fu Panda 3' - #150 with US$519M and still on general release.
• 'Warcraft : The Beginning' - #218 with US$412M and still on general release.
• 'Finding Dory' - #228 with US$398M and still on general release.

For your further interest those films released in late 2015 but still doing the rounds into 2016 that also made a significant contribution were 'Star Wars : The Force Awakens' at #3 with US$2.068B, 'Spectre' at #43 with US$881M, 'The Hunger Games : Mockingjay Part 2' at #96 with US$654M and 'The Martian' at #101 with US$630M. A big year so far with big films doing big things at the Box Office. With more comic books heroes and more animation and cutting edge CGI coming our way in the latter half of the year, we'll have to go see for ourselves and pay our money to determine what's hot and what's not at the movies as the year plays out. 

To this weeks new release films then. These kick-off with three master story tellers - combining their talents as Author, Director and Studio to bring us a tale of good versus evil, little and large, young and old coming together where the real world clashes with one of fantasy in this live action rendition of this much loved childrens classic. Then, an action comedy buddy teaming where a couple of unlikely school buddies reunite after two decades to thwart an evil enemy to save the world, before wrapping up with two foreign language films about two women of different generations in Sicily connected by one absent man and a game of cat and mouse that ensues as they begin to bond; and a story of one mans struggle to find work in recession struck France, support his family and the moral questions he has to deal with when he does eventually get a job.

Four films offering something different once again, which when combined with those still out on general release and doing the rounds equates to plenty of choice across all genres and all age groups. When you have sat through your movie of choice in the coming week, share your thoughts and observations by recording your Comment below this or any other Post - good, bad or ugly - there is no right or wrong answer when it comes to the movies - just the emotion it stirs up in you and the entertainment/enjoyment factor you gained as  a result. Meanwhile, enjoy your film.

'THE BFG' (Rated PG) - The childrens book upon which this film is based was released in 1982 by Roald Dahl and since its release has sold in excess of 40 million copies in the UK alone and sits in the 'Top Lists' of must read children books in many countries. In 1989 the book was made into an animated feature film by Cosgrove Hall Productions, with the voice of David Jason as the 'Big Friendly Giant'. It has since been made into a theatre production, and now in 2016 it gets the full Disney treatment with master story-teller Steven Spielberg on Director duty with a budget of US$140M to bring this beloved story to the big screen in this live action version. The film Premiered out of competition at the recent Cannes Film Festival, and is released in the US on 1st July, and here in Australia the day before. With three key ingredients - Dahl, Disney and Spielberg - this has to be a recipe for success methinks!

The story here surrounds ten year old orphan girl Sophie (newcomer Ruby Barnhill) who encounters the Big Friendly Giant (Mark Rylance), and whilst initially scared at first by the towering giants 24 foot tall frame, soon comes to realise that he is in fact a gentle giant, quite charming, kind hearted and means her no harm, unlike the other giants who have a habit of eating children. As a result this BFG is ostracised by the other giants, and as the relationship between the young girl and the towering giant grows so the unwelcome attention of lesser meaning giants is drawn. These include 'Bloodbottler' (Bill Hader) and 'Fleshlumpeater' (Jemaine Clement) amongst others. The two decide that they must travel to London to meet with The Queen (Penelope Wilton) and convince her to rid the world of the bad giants, who have been attacking the human world, once and for all, but before they can do so they must travel through the wonders and perils of Giant Country.

'CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE' (Rated M) - Directed by Rawson Marshall Thurber and Co-Wriiten for the screen by him too, this action comedy buddy film was made for US$50M, has so far grossed US$84M and stars as its leads Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart, so promises quite a lot, but the film has divided critics. The film follows two guys - one being the guy most likely to succeed at school in the form of athletic wisecracking liked by everyone Calvin Joyner (Kevin Hart) and the other Robbie Weirdicht (Dwayne Johnson) as the overweight downtrodden bullied klutz that nobody likes and everybody hassles because they can. Fast forward twenty years and Calvin is married to his high school sweetheart and works as an accountant, which he hates and gets passed over for promotion. Robbie meanwhile goes by the name now of Bob Stone, has worked out the gym everyday of his life, and is a hulking mass of muscle working for the CIA. The two come together again as a result of a pending High School Reunion, and subsequently Stone enlists Calvin's accounting skills to break some satellite codes, and prevent these falling into the wrong hands. As a result of their pairing, you can count on shoot outs, explosions, bad guys getting wasted, cars getting trashed, and stunts aplenty as the action and the comedy collide, and the world is saved . . . once again! Also tarring Amy Ryan, Aaron Paul with cameos from Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy.

'THE WAIT' (Rated M) - this Italian drama film ('L'ATESSA') was Premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in September last year, released in Italy later than month, in France in December and now reaches Australian cinemas. Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Piero Messina and based on two works by Luigi Pirandello, this tells the story of young woman Jeanne (Lou de Laage) who arrives unexpectedly at the large rambling Sicilian villa of Anna (Juliette Binoche) under the auspices of spending the Easter break with her  boyfriend Giuseppe. Anna is Giuseppe's mother and is not expecting Jeanne, and furthermore Giuseppe is not there and is not expected, but this truth is kept from Jeanne. Whilst Jeanne is invited to stay and wait for her boyfriend, the two begin to form a bond as they both come out from under their respective shells . . . but where is Giuseppe, and why is he not responding to Jeanne's calls and left messages? Binoche's performance especially has been critically hailed, as has the backdrop of the Sicilian scenery, so this could be one to watch out for if you like your foreign language films intense, emotional and with a few surprises in store.

'THE MEASURE OF A MAN' (Rated M) - this French drama film ('LA LOI DU MARCHE') Premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in May 2015 where it was in competition for the Palme D'Or. Directed and Co-Written by Stephane Brize, it tells the story of Thierry (Vincent Lindon) who at age 51 was laid off his job as a factory worker. After eighteen months without work and being given the runaround by recruitment companies, training providers, and employment agencies he secures a job as a store detective. Having struggled to make ends meet and support his disabled son who is in need of round the clock care, he finds himself in a position in his new line of work of having to make decisions about people in very similar situations as his own, with all the moral dilemma's this throws up in working class France. A humbling film of very real life situations experienced by many, for which Lindon has received several Best Actor Awards for his portrayal of Thierry, and the film has garnered all up seven award wins and another seven nominations from around the traps.

Four films this week to tempt you out to your local movie theatre on a cold Southern Hemisphere winter evening to sit in a warm dark place and be entertained for two hours for just $20 or your local equivalent. What's not to like about that prospect? I'll see you at the Odeon in the week ahead!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-