What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th May 2022.

The 23rd annual Jeonju International Film Festival took place recently between 28th April and 7th May in South Korea showcasing a total 217 films from fifty-seven countries. Of these 123 were international films and ninety-four were Korean films, with 143 being feature films and seventy-four being short films. Sixty-one of these saw their World Premier screening, while four had their International Premier, sixty-three their Asian Premier and forty-seven their Korean Premier. Launched in 2000 as a non-competitive film festival with partial competition, it introduces independent and experimental films to focus on the alternative course of contemporary film art.

This years Opening Night Film was 'After Yang' from the USA and Directed and Edited by Kogonada and starring Colin Farrell and Jodie Turner-Smith in the Asian Premier of this fiction drama. The Closing Night Film was 'Full Time' from France and Written and Directed by Eric Gravel and starring Laure Calamy in the Asian Premier of this fiction drama. 

Ten films compete in the International Competition section at JIFF, and these were as follows :-

* 'Actual People' - from the USA and Directed, Written, Co-Produced and starring Kit Zauhar in her Directorial debut this fiction drama saw its Asian Premier screening.

* 'Album for the Youth' - from Argentina is Written, Directed and Edited by Malena Solarz in her second feature film outing, this fiction drama saw its Asian Premier showcasing.

* 'Aleph' - from the USA, Croatia and Qatar is Written, Directed, Co-Produced and Edited by Iva Radivojevic in her second feature film offering, this documentary had its Asian Premier. 

* 'Geographies of Solitude' - from the USA and is Directed, Co-Produced, filmed, Co-Edited and Co-Sound Designed by Jacquelyn Mills in her second documentary film that saw its Asian Premier screening. This film won the International Grand Jury Prize with a cash prize of KRW20M.

* 'A Human Position' - from Norway and Written, Directed, Co-Produced and Edited by Anders Emblem in his second feature film outing, this fiction drama saw its International Premier. 

* 'Medusa' - from Brazil and is Written, Directed and Co-Scored by Anita Rocha Da Silveira in her second feature film offering, this fiction drama had its Asian Premier.

* 'Raydio' - from Taiwan and Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Zhan Kaidi in his feature film making debut, this fiction drama saw its International Premier.

* 'The Silence of the Mole' - from Guatemala and Written and Directed by Anais Taracena in her film making debut this documentary film had its Asian Premier screening. This film won the Special Jury Prize with a cash prize of KRW10M.

* 'Tokyo Kurds' - from Japan and is Directed by Hyuga Fumiari in his film making debut, this documentary film saw its International Premier.

* 'Unrest' - from Switzerland and Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Cyril Schaublin in his second feature film, this fiction drama had its Asian Premier showcasing. This film won the Best Picture Prize with a cash prize of KRW10M.

For the full low down on all films showcased at the 23rd JIFF, the awards, and a whole bunch more, you can visit the official website at : https://eng.jeonjufest.kr/

This week to tease you out to your local Odeon on a chilly Autumnal evening, we have five new movies that kick off with an American biographical drama that follows a boxer-turned-priest who inspired countless people during his journey from self-destruction to redemption. Next up is a Sci-Fi horror drama about a young girl who tries to understand how she mysteriously gained the power to set things on fire with her mind. This is followed by an Italian drama film of fifteen-year-old girl whose close-knit family falls apart after her father abandons them in Calabria. Then we turn to two doco's to close out the week - first from France about an eighteen-year-old woman who travels the world to meet young activists who have already helped the world with their perseverance and selflessness; and finally a music doco that explores the creative relationship and songs from two of Australia's foremost singers, songwriters and composers as they embark on a UK tour and nurture the songs that went into their last two studio albums.

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

'FATHER STU' (Rated M) - this American biographical drama film is Written and Directed by Rosalind Ross in her Directorial debut. Mark Wahlberg Co-Produces here and stars as Father Stu, having gained 14kgs in six weeks to portray the lead character by consuming about 7,000 calories a day, and further he ploughed 'millions and millions of dollars' of his own money into the production mainly because of the shoot going over schedule and the rights to the accompanying music. The film was released in the US in mid-April, has garnered mixed reviews from critics and has so far grossed US$19M. 

When an injury ends his amateur boxing career, Stuart Long (Mark Wahlberg) moves to Los Angeles to find money and fame. While scraping by as a supermarket clerk, he meets Carmen (Teresa Ruiz), a Sunday school teacher who seems immune to his bad-boy charm. Determined to win her over, the longtime agnostic starts going to church to impress her. However, a motorcycle accident leaves him wondering if he can use his second chance to help others, leading to the surprising realisation that he's meant to be a Catholic priest. Also starring Jacki Weaver, Mel Gibson and Malcolm McDowell. 

'FIRESTARTER' (Rated MA15+) - is an American Sci-Fi horror film Directed by Keith Thomas in only his second feature film making outing following 2019's 'The Vigil', is based on the novel of the same name by Stephen King and is a reboot of the 1984 feature film of the same name which starred a young Drew Barrymore, Martin Sheen, George C. Scott and David Keith. Here then a couple - Andy McGee (Zac Efron) and Vicky McGee (Sydney Lemmon) desperately try to hide their daughter, Charlie (Ryan Kiera), from a shadowy federal agency that wants to harness her unprecedented gift for turning fire into a weapon of mass destruction. Her father taught her how to defuse her power, but as Charlie turns eleven years of age, the fire becomes harder and harder to control. When a mysterious operative finally tracks down the family, he attempts to capture Charlie once and for all, but she has other plans. Also starring Kurtwood Smith and Michael Greyeyes, the film is released Stateside and in Australia this week. 

'TO CHIARA' (Rated M) - is an Italian language drama film Written and Directed by Jonas Carpignano in his third feature film after 'Mediterranea' in 2015 and 'A Ciambra' in 2017. The film saw its World Premier showcasing at the July 2021 Cannes Film Festival in the Director's Fortnight section where it received positive critical acclaim. The Guerrasio family and their friends gather to celebrate Claudio (Claudio Rotolo) and Carmela's (Carmela Fumo) oldest daughter's 18th birthday. There is a healthy rivalry between the birthday girl and her 16-year-old sister Chiara (Swamy Rotolo), as they compete on the dancefloor. It is a happy occasion, and the close-knit family is in top form, until later that evening a car nearby explodes, her father flees and the next day the family patriarch is missing. Chiara decides to investigate and as she gets closer to the truth, she is forced to decide what kind of future she wants for herself.

'BIGGER THAN US' (Rated M) - this French documentary film is Written, Directed and Co-Produced by Flore Vasseur in only her second film making outing following 2017's 'Meeting Snowdon'. The film follows the journey of Melati Wijsen, who decides to go journey across the globe to meet her peers, young activists just like her, who already have managed to have a huge impact in their fields thanks to their convictions, determination and selflessness. Melati can feel that the clock is ticking and that change is too slow. She wants, she needs to understand what is preventing change. To join forces. And to come up with her new plan. The film Premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in mid-July last year, and saw a stepped release in other territories thereafter, with the US release on 1st April and now getting a limited showing in Australia from this week. 

'THIS MUCH I KNOW TO BE TRUE' (Rated M) - this music documentary film is Directed by Andrew Dominik whose previous Directorial credits include 'Chopper' in 2000, 'The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford' in 2007, 'Killing Them Softly' in 2012 and the Nick Cave documentary 'One More Time with Feeling' in 2016. Here he teams up with Nick Cave again to explore the creative relationship and songs from Cave and Warren Ellis' last two studio albums, 'Ghosteen' and 'Carnage'. Shot on location in London & Brighton, this document of their first ever performances of these albums, filmed in spring 2021 ahead of their UK tour, we see the two, accompanied by singers and string quartet, as they nurture each song into existence. The film features a special appearance by close friend and long-term collaborator, Marianne Faithfull, capturing the mood and spirit of the pair as they move through a new, optimistic phase.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 18th February 2021.

The 50th International Film Festival Rotterdam was held from 1st through to 7th February in various locations in and around Rotterdam, the Netherlands. Since its foundation in 1972, it has maintained a focus on independent and experimental filmmaking by showcasing emerging talents and established auteurs. The festival also places a focus on presenting cutting edge media art and arthouse film, with most of the participants in the short film programme identified as artists or experimental filmmakers. 

This years opening night feature presentation was 'Riders of Justice' from Denmark and Directed by Anders Thomas Jensen and stars Mads Mikkelsen, Nicolas Bro, Lars Brygmann and Nikolaj Lie Kaas. The films tells the story of a former soldier who returns home to care for his daughter after his wife died in a tragic train accident. However, when a survivor of the wreck surfaces and claims foul play, he begins to suspect his wife was murdered and embarks on a mission to find those responsible.

IFFR's trade mark Tiger Competition celebrates the innovative and adventurous spirit of up-and-coming filmmakers from all over the world. The competition was founded in 1995 with the aim of discovering, raising the profile of and rewarding up-and-coming international film talent. The Tiger Award is accompanied by a €40K cash prize, to be shared between the Director and Producer of the winning film. Two Special Jury Awards worth €10K are also presented for exceptional artistic achievement within the competition.

This years winner of the Tiger Award was presented to P. S. Vinothraj in his Directorial debut for the Indian film 'Pebbles' about a poverty-stricken father and son who wander a southern Indian landscape where anger and frustration burn hotter than the sun. Two Special Jury Award prizes were presented to Pascal Tagnati for his Directorial debut feature film 'I Comete - A Corsican Summer' from France exploring a cross-section of life in a Corsican village where tradition is revered, observing the locals throughout one summer; and presented to Norika Sefa for her Directorial feature film debut 'Looking for Venera' from Kosovo about Kosovan teenager Venera, struggling to go her own way in a strongly patriarchal situation. All three films saw their World Premier screening at IFFR. 

The films selected for the Big Screen Competition are presented to an audience jury composed of five film lovers. Together they determine which film they think deserves to be shown in movie theatres across the Netherlands and broadcast on television after the festival. The winner of the Big Screen Award wins a cash prize of €30K, half of which goes to the distributor who decides to buy the film. And this years winner, from a line up of fourteen films, was 'El perro que no calla' ('How to Be a Man') Directed by Ana Katz from Argentina.

The Audience Award is given to the filmmaker of the film in the official selection with the highest average vote in the audience poll. The winning filmmaker will receive a €5K prize! This years winner was announced as Jasmila Zbanic for her film 'Quo Vadis, Aida?' from Bosnia and Herzegovina from a line up of thirty-five films in total. 

The Critics FIPRESCI Award is given to the best film in the Tiger Competition. The jury assembles members of the Federation Internationale de la Presse Cinematographique (FIPRESCI), which consists of international film journalists, and this years win went to 'The Edge of Daybreak' from Thailand by Director Taiki Sakpisit in his feature film making debut. The film had its World Premier screening. The Critics KNF Award is given by the 'Circle of Dutch Film Journalists' with this year the Award went to the best film in the Tiger Short Competition being the twenty-seven minute short film 'Manifesto' from Norway and Directed by Ane Hjort Guttu. This film saw its International Premier showcasing. 

For the full line up of awards presented, plus all the news, views and reviews from this years 50th IFFR, you can visit the official website at : https://iffr.com/en

And so turning attention back to this week, we have six latest release new movies coming to your local Odeon. And we start off with a drama offering about a Korean American family who move to rural Arkansas in the '80's in search of a new life and the American Dream. This is followed by an American crime thriller about a Deputy Sheriff sent to Los Angeles who becomes embroiled in the search for a serial killer who is terrorising the city. Next up is an English film about a teenage lad who spends his summer listening to heavy metal music and trying to get along with his librarian mum, and we then close out the week with three documentaries, the first of which concerns a handful of men who search for the rare, expensive and delicious white Alba truffles deep in the forests of Piedmont, Italy. Then the second is an in depth exploration of the life and work of an acclaimed musician who never shied away from the political and social turbulence of his era. And we wrap up the week with an Aussie doco charting the first thirty years of an influential and acclaimed dance company that has its roots firmly set in Aboriginal culture. 

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

'MINARI' (Rated PG) - is an American drama film Written and Directed by Lee Isaac Chung whose previous feature film credits are 'Munyurangabo', 'Lucky Life', 'Abigail Harm' and the documentary 'I Have Seen My Last Born'. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Sundance Film Festival at the end of January 2020, winning both the US Dramatic Grand Jury Prize and the US Dramatic Audience Award, and in the meantime has collected fifty-four award wins and a further 142 nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit including three Screen Actors Guild Award nominations, ten Critics' Choice Movie Award nominations, six Independent Spirit Award nominations, and a Golden Globe Award nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. Needless to say the film has been universally acclaimed, and was released theatrically in the US last week. 

Set during the 1980's a Korean American family moves from California to a rural plot of land in Arkansas in search of its own American Dream. Amidst the challenges of this new life in the strange and rugged Ozarks, they discover the undeniable resilience of family and what really makes a home. Starring Steven Yeun as the father Jacob Yi, Han Ye-ri as mother Monica, Alan Kim as their son David, Noel Kate Cho as daughter Anne and Youn Yuh-jung as Monica's mother Soon-ja who travels from Korea to help out the struggling new farmers with their children. Also starring Will Patton. 

'THE LITTLE THINGS' (Rated M) - is an American crime thriller Directed, Written and Co-Produced by John Lee Hancock who previous film making outings include 'The Rookie', 'The Alamo', 'The Blind Side', 'Saving Mr. Banks', 'The Founder' and 'The Highwaymen'. The film cost US$30M to make, has so far generated mixed or average Reviews and has recouped US$13M of that initial budget investment since its release Stateside at the end of January. Here, Kern County Deputy Sheriff Joe 'Deke' Deacon (Denzel Washington) joins forces with Los Angeles Sheriff's Department Sgt. Jim Baxter (Rami Malek) to search for a serial killer who's terrorising Los Angeles. As they track the culprit, suspect #1 Albert Sparma (Jared Leto), Baxter is unaware that the investigation is dredging up echoes of Deke's past, uncovering disturbing secrets that could threaten more than his case. For his performance, Leto received Best Supporting Actor nominations at the Golden Globes and Screen Actors Guild Awards.

'DAYS OF THE BAGNOLD SUMMER' (Rated M) - this British film is Directed by 'The Inbetweeners' star Simon Bird in his feature film making debut. It saw its World Premier screening at the Locarno Film Festival back in August 2019, went on release in the UK in early June last year and only now does it arrive at Australian cinemas. The film is based on the graphic novel by Jeff Winterhart, features a soundtrack by Belle & Sebastian, and has garnered positive Press so far. The film centres around the somewhat precarious relationship between well-meaning single librarian mother Sue Bagnold (Monica Dolan) and her black-clad teenage son Daniel (Earl Cave), who'd rather listen to the death metal sounds of Metallica than his mother. Daniel was meant to spend the summer in Florida visiting his Dad, but is now stuck with Mum following the trip's cancellation. Over the course of the six week summer break, will mother and son be able to find some common ground from which they can begin to relate to each other and reignite the fun times they used to have together? Also starring Rob Bryden, Tamsin Greig and Alice Lowe.

'THE TRUFFLE HUNTERS' (Rated M) - this Italian documentary film is Directed and Written by Michael Dweck and Gregory Kershaw who also take on the roles of Cinematographers here too. The film has garnered universal critical acclaim since its World Premier screening at the Sundance Film Festival back in January 2020. This week it gets its release in Australia and in the US on 5th March. Deep in the forests of Piedmont, Italy, a handful of men, seventy or eighty years of age, hunt for the rare and expensive white Alba truffle—which so far has resisted all of modern science's efforts at cultivation. They're guided by a secret culture and training handed down through generations, as well as by the noses of their cherished and expertly trained dogs. They live a simpler, slower pace of life, in harmony with their loyal animals and their picture perfect country-side, that seemingly comes straight out of the pages of a fairy tale. 

'ZAPPA' (Rated MA15+) - Directed and Co-Produced by Alex Winter - the Actor, film maker, Producer and Writer who has thirty-seven directorial, twenty-eight acting, sixteen Producer and eleven writing credits to his name including as Bill, in three 'Bill & Ted' films, here brings us this highly acclaimed documentary exploring the life of musician Frank Zappa. He died in 1993 at the age of 52, but during his career as a rock guitarist, orchestral composer, music producer, innovative filmmaker, businessman, and social and political commentator he left an indelible mark on his chosen path in life that continues to amaze with over sixty albums of music from rock to orchestral, in addition to innumerable films, concerts and other accomplishments. With unfettered access to the Zappa family trust and all archival footage, this film explores the private life behind the mammoth musical career that never shied away from the political turbulence of its time.

'FIRESTARTER : THE STORY OF BANGARA' (Rated M) - this Australian documentary film is Directed and Written by Wayne Blair and Nel Minchin and charts the birth and spectacular growth to where this Australian dance company is today as it enters its fourth decade. It recognises Bangarra’s early founders and tells the story of how three young Aboriginal brothers – Stephen, David and Russell Page – turned the newly born dance group into one of Australia’s leading performing arts companies. Through the eyes of the Page brothers and company alumni, 'Firestarter' explores the loss and reclaiming of culture, the burden of intergenerational trauma and crucially, the extraordinary power of art as a messenger for social change and healing.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-