What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 16th April 2026

The 18th Milwaukee Film Festival takes place this year from Wednesday 16th April, up to and including Thursday 30th April, in the US city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Named one of the coolest film festivals in the world by MovieMaker Magazine, the Milwaukee Film Festival is one of the Midwest’s largest film festivals, and one of Milwaukee’s most-beloved cultural events. Founded in 2008, Milwaukee Film is a community-powered arts nonprofit organisation dedicated to creating world-class cinematic experiences that entertain, educate, and engage curious audiences. It is the fifth largest film festival in the US in terms of attendance, the number of films screened and festival length, and is proud to be known for its world-class hospitality. The Milwaukee Film Festival spotlights bold new voices, acclaimed filmmakers, unique stories, and work made in Milwaukee that resonates far beyond the screen. So reads the official website.

This years Opening Night film presentation is 'Ueck', from the USA and this documentary is Directed by Steve Farr and Michael T. Vollmann. Milwaukee legend, Bob Uecker, the former Major League baseball player, Hall of Fame sportscaster, comedian, and Actor has seen it all and made us laugh along the way. Though Ueck passed away in January 2025, this documentary persists as a testament to his legacy, giving audiences intimate access to his life, work, family, and friends, amplifying his humour and heart for future generations. The Closing Night film is 'Power Ballad' from the USA and is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by John Carney. When Rick (Paul Rudd), a past-his-prime wedding singer, meets fading boy-band star Danny (Nick Jonas) during a gig, the two bond over music and a late-night jam session. But when Danny turns one of Rick’s songs into the hit that reignites his career, Rick sets out to reclaim the recognition he believes he deserves. 

The Centrepiece film is 'The Big Cheese', and this documentary is Co-Produced and Directed by Sara Joe Wolansky. In the high-pressure world of international cheesemongering, Adam Moskowitz aims to send the first American to claim the top prize at the Mondial du Fromage competition in France. While the European model for this 'sommelier of cheese' profession eclipses its stateside counterpart in societal support, Moskowitz, and his alter-ego Mr. Moo, believe scrappy American ingenuity can take the wheel.

In the North American Independents Programme, there are thirteen titles being showcased, detailed in brief as follows :-

* 'Blue Heron' - from Canada and Hungary this drama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Sophy Romvari is her feature film Directorial debut. 

* 'Carolina Caroline' - from the USA and Directed by Adam Carter Rehmeier and starring Samara Weaving, Kyle Gallner and Kyra Sedgwick.

* 'Erupcja' - from the USA and Poland this drama romance film is Co-Written, Co-Produced, photographed, Directed and Edited by Pete Ohs and stars Charli XCX, Will Madden and Lena Gora.

* 'I Want Your Sex' - from the USA and this comedy film is Co-Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Edited by Gregg Araki, and stars Cooper Hoffman, Mason Gooding, Olivia Wilde, Daveed Diggs and Charli XCX.

* 'If I Go They Will Miss Me' - from the USA, this drama film is Written, Directed and Edited by Walter Thompson-Hernandez.

* 'Late Fame' - from the USA this drama film is Directed by Kent Jones and stars Willem Dafoe, Greta Lee and Edmund Donovan.

* 'Lucky Lu' - from the USA and Canada, this drama film is Written and Directed by Lloyd Lee Choi.

* 'Mad Bills to Pay' - from the USA and this comedy drama film is Written and Directed by Joel Alfonso Vargas.

* 'Maddie's Secret' - from the USA this comedy film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and stars John Early, with Eric Rahill, Kate Berlant, Conner O'Malley and Vanessa Bayer.

* 'She's The He' - from the USA, this comedy is Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Siobhan McCarthy.

* 'Space Cadet' - from Canada this family animated film is Directed by Kid Koala.

* 'The Travel Companion' - from the USA, this comedy film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Co-Directed by Travis Wood and Alex Mallis, and starring Tristan Turner, Anthony Oberbeck and Naomi Asa.

* 'Vanilla' - from Mexico, and this drama comedy film is Written and Directed by Mayra Hermosillo.

For the descriptors of the aforementioned films, plus the details of the other films strands being showcased, plus a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.mkefilm.org

Turning the attention then back to this weeks four new movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, we kick off with a supernatural horror film in which a young girl wakens in a 3,000 year old sarcophagus having been missing for eight years, and while her parents joy at having their daughter back, this quickly turns into a living nightmare. Next up is an action offering in which an interim lawman in a small mid-western American town covering up a massive criminal conspiracy. This is followed by a British crime thriller where an unexploded WWII bomb is discovered on a busy construction site in the city of London, as chaos ensues when the military and police begin a mass evacuation. And closing out the week we have a French drama offering about the daily life of an indifferent Frenchman, who is shaken by the death of his mother and a fateful encounter on a beach in 1930's Algeria.

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

'LEE CRONIN'S THE MUMMY' (Rated MA15+) - this American supernatural horror film is Written and Directed by Lee Cronin in only his third feature film making outing following 'The Hole in the Ground' in 2019 and 'Evil Dead Rise' in 2023. This film is a reimagining of 'The Mummy' series which began way back in 1932 with the Universal Studio's 'The Mummy' right up to the most recent iteration in 2017 with 'The Mummy' as part of Universal's planned and subsequently ditched Dark Universe series, when the film was panned by critics and was a Box Office failure. 

The young daughter, Katie Cannon (Natalie Grace), of a journalist Charlie Cannon (Jack Reynor) disappears into the desert without a trace. Some eight years later, the broken family is shocked when she is returned to them, as what should be a joyful reunion turns into a living nightmare. Also starring Laia Costa as Charlie's wife Larissa and Veronica Falcon as Larissa's mother Carmen. The film is released Stateside this week too. 

'NORMAL' (Rated CTC) - is an American action film that is Directed by Ben Wheatley whose prior feature film making efforts take in his debut in 2009 with 'Down Terrace' and which he would follow up with the likes of 'A Field in England' in 2013, 'High Rise' in 2015, 'Free Fire' in 2016, 'Happy New Year, Colin Burstead' in 2018, 'Rebecca' in 2020 and 'Meg 2 : The Trench' in 2023. Here, for Sheriff Ulysses (Bob Odenkirk, who also Co-Wrote the story and is Co-Producer), his provisional posting to the quaint Midwestern American town of Normal, Minnesota, was meant to be a welcome respite from both his marital woes and recent moral injuries in the line of duty. But when a botched bank robbery interrupts the municipality's tranquil pace, a dark secret is inadvertently exposed, and Ulysses soon discovers that the town is anything but its namesake. Also starring Henry Winkler and Lena Headey. The film Premiered in the Midnight Madness programme at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September last year, and is released in the US this week also.

'FUZE' (Rated M) - this British crime thriller heist film is Co-Produced and Directed by David Mackenzie whose previous feature film Directorial output includes 'Young Adam' in 2003, 'Hallam Foe' in 2007, 'Perfect Sense' in 2011, 'Hell or High Water' in 2016, 'Outlaw King' in 2018 and 'Relay' in 2024. Here, set in modern day London, the film unfolds after an unexploded World War II bomb is unearthed at a busy construction site, forcing a massive citywide evacuation. Amid the escalating tension and chaos, a daring criminal operation is set in motion, one that uses the evacuation as cover for a meticulously planned heist. As authorities race against time to contain the crisis, alliances blur and moral boundaries are crossed. Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, Sam Worthington, Gugu Mbatha-Raw and Honor Swinton Byrne. The film Premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September last year at the Gala Presentations section, was released in the UK earlier this month, and has generated mixed or average critical reviews.

'THE STRANGER' (Rated M) - is a French drama film Written and Directed by Francois Ozon, whose prior prolific film output take in the likes of 'Water Drops on Burning Rocks' in 2000, '8 Women' in 2002, 'Swimming Pool' in 2003, 'Potiche' in 2010, 'In the House' in 2012, 'Frantz' in 2016, 'Everything Went Fine' in 2021, 'Peter von Kant' in 2022, and 'When Fall is Coming' in 2024. This film is based on the 1942 novel of the same bane by Albert Camus. Here, set in Algiers, in 1938, Meursault (Benjamin Voisin), a quiet and unassuming employee in his early thirties, attends his mother's funeral without shedding a tear. The next day, he begins a casual affair with Marie (Rebecca Marder), a work colleague. He quickly slips back into his usual routine. However, his daily life is soon about to be disrupted by his neighbour, Raymond Sintes (Pierre Lottin), who draws Meursault into his shady dealings. Until one blisteringly hot day, a tragic event occurs on a beach. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the Venice International film Festival in early September last year where it was in official competition for the Golden Lion, it then opened in France in late October and only now is it released here in Australia having so far grossed US$7M and garnered universal critical acclaim. 

With four 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 at Odeon's this week : Thursday 31st July 2025.

The 14th BlackStar Film Festival takes place this year from Thursday 31st July through until Sunday 3rd August in the US city of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. BlackStar creates the spaces and resources needed to uplift the work of Black, Brown and Indigenous artists working outside of the confines of genre. The festival does this by producing year-round programmes including film screenings, exhibitions, an annual film festival, a filmmaker seminar, a film production lab, and a journal of visual culture. These programmes provide artists opportunities for viable strategies for collaborations with other artists, audiences, funders, and distributors. The festival prioritises visionary work that is experimental in its aesthetics, content, and form and builds on the work of elders and ancestors to imagine a new world. BlackStar elevates artists who are overlooked, invisibilised or misunderstood and celebrate the wide spectrum of aesthetics, storytelling and experiences that they bring to new audiences, as well as place it in dialog with other past and contemporary work, so reads the official website.

This year there are 90+ films being showcased from around the world, including twenty World Premiere screenings and thirteen North American Premieres. Those films being screened in the Feature Narrative section are as given below :-

* 'Don't Cry, Butterfly' - from Vietnam, Singapore, Philippines and Indonesia, and is Directed by Du'o'ng Dieu Linh. Tam, a hardworking staff member at a wedding venue, finds out about her husband’s affair on live TV. Instead of confronting him, she seeks to win back his love with the help of a powerful spell master.

* 'Sugar Island' - from Spain and the Dominican Republic, and Directed by Johanne Gomez Terrero. Makenya, a Dominican-Haitian teenager, navigates an unwanted pregnancy and the harsh labour that defines her world.

* 'Hanami' - from Switzerland, Portugal and Cape Verde and Directed by Denise Fernandes. On a remote volcanic island that everybody wants to leave, little Nana learns how to stay.

* 'Next Life' - from the USA and Mexico and Co-Produced, Directed, photographed and Edited by Tenzin Phuntsog. A Tibetan family seeks moments of 'temporary happiness' while living in exile in suburban America. As their father suffers from a mysterious inner pain rooted in childhood trauma, they turn to Buddhist teachings on death and rebirth. North American premiere.

* 'Compensation' - from the USA and is Co-Produced, Directed and Co-Edited by Zeinabu Irene Davis. A portrait of the struggles of Deaf African Americans and the complexities of loving relationships at the bookends of the 20th century.

* 'All That's Left of You' - from Germany, Cyprus, Palestine, Jordan, Greece, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Directed by Cherien Dabis. After a Palestinian teen gets swept up into a West Bank protest, his mother recounts their family’s story of hope, courage and relentless struggle that led them to this fateful moment.

* 'White House' - from Brazil and Directed by Luciano Vidigal. De is a Black teenager from Chatuba, a Rio de Janeiro favela. He receives the news that his grandmother, Almerinda, is in the terminal stage of Alzheimer’s disease. He and his two best friends, Adrianin and Martins, decide to make the most of the last days of life with her.

* 'Viet and Nam' - from Vietnam, Philippines, Singapore, France, Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and the US, and Directed by Minh Quy Truong. In the underground coal mines, Nam and Viet, young miners, face danger and darkness. One prepares to leave for a new life, but they must find Nam’s father’s remains, a soldier lost in a faraway forest, retracing the past through memories.

* 'Carissa' - from South Africa and Co-Produced and Directed by Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar and Edited by Devon Delmar. A young woman who dreams of leaving small village life to live in the city breaks away from her grandmother’s home only to be drawn into the care of her grandfather’s mountain rooibos plantation.

* 'Sabbatical' - from South Africa and Directed by Karabo Lediga. A banker returns unannounced to her childhood home and her overbearing mother, whom she hardly visits. Unbeknownst to her mother, a life-changing secret brought her back, threatening to upend their relationship forever. North American premiere.

* 'Love, Brooklyn' - from the USA and Co-Produced and Directed by Rachael Abigail Holder. Three longtime Brooklynites navigate careers, love, loss and friendship against the rapidly shifting landscape of their beloved city.

* 'Killer of Sheep' - from the USA and Directed, photographed and Edited by Charles Burnett. A mosaic of Black life in the Watts neighbourhood of Los Angeles, where Stan, a father worn down by his job in a slaughterhouse, and his wife seek moments of tenderness in the face of myriad disappointments. Released in 1977 this is a Retrospective premiere.

For the full schedule of the other film strands being showcased, plus a whole lot more good stuff, you can go to the official website, at : https://www.blackstarfest.org/festival/

This week we have six new movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, starting off with an Aussie horror film in which after moving to the countryside, a supernatural encounter starts to transform a couple's love, their lives, and their flesh. Next up we have an American action comedy that has a group of gun totting mercenary types take a lavish wedding hostage, but, they have no idea what they are in for as the Maid of Honour is actually a secret agent. Then we turn to a French comedy drama offering about a retiree living in Burgundy who expects her grandson for the holidays but a mistake ruins her plans, and she falls into a depression until her best-friend's son is released from prison. This is followed by an American comedy drama film that tells a story of love, friendship, grief and healing, about a New York based writer who adopts a Great Dane that belonged to a late friend and mentor. Then, we have another French comedy drama film about how a specialist in modern art, receives a letter according to which a painting by Egon Schiele had been discovered in Mulhouse, in the Alsace region of France. And closing out the week we have an Aussie doco about a remarkable Christian hymn, written in ancient Greek musical notation during the time of the Roman Empire, and how it has been resurrected for the modern era.

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

'TOGETHER' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian and US horror Sci-Fi romance film from Writer and Director Michael Shanks in his feature film making debut. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Sundance Film Festival in late January this year, goes on general release in Canada, the UK, the US, here in Australia and a handful of other territories from this week and for the rest of the world throughout August, September and October. 

Years into their relationship, Tim and Millie (real life married couple Dave Franco and Alison Brie, who also both Co-Produce here) find themselves at a crossroads as they move to the country, abandoning all that is familiar in their lives except each other. With tensions already flaring, a nightmarish encounter with a mysterious, unnatural force in a remote cave threatens to corrupt their lives, their love, and their flesh as that strange mystery substance creates a disturbingly powerful magnetic attraction between them. Also starring Damon Herriman. The film has generated positive critical reviews.

'BRIDE HARD' (Rated M) - this American action comedy offering is Directed by Simon West whose previous feature film making credits include his Directing debut in 1997 with 'Con Air' which he would follow up with the likes of 'The General's Daughter' in 1999, 'Lara Croft : Tomb Raider' in 2001, 'The Mechanic' in 2011, 'The Expendables 2' in 2012 and 'Wild Card' in 2015. Here, Sam (Rebel Wilson) is a world-class secret agent but a terrible maid of honour. After blowing off bridal duties for an international spy mission, she's demoted to bridesmaid at her childhood best friend's wedding. What should've been a weekend of reconnecting and celebration turns into a five-star death trap when armed mercenaries crash the big day. Sam's the only one who can save the bride, and hopefully earn back the trust she lost along the way. Dodging bullets and trying not to ruin the floral arrangements, Sam takes on the ultimate wedding crasher, realising that sometimes the toughest mission isn't taking down the bad guys, but showing up for the people who matter the most. Also starring Anna Camp, Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Stephen Dorff. The film was released in the US on 20th July and has garnered generally negative press. 

'WHEN FALL IS COMING' (Rated M) - is a French comedy drama film Co-Written and Directed by Francois Ozon whose prior feature film credits most recently are 'Summer of 85' in 2020, 'Everything Went Fine' in 2021, 'Peter von Kant' in 2022 and 'The Crime is Mine' in 2023 with 'L'Etranger' currently in production for a 2026 release. Here then, Michelle (Helene Vincent) is enjoying a peaceful retirement in a Burgundy village, close to her longtime friend Marie-Claude (Josiane Balasko). When her Parisian daughter Valerie (Ludivine Sagnier) drops off her son Lucas (Garian Erios) to spend school vacation with his grandma, Michelle, stressed out by her daughter, serves her toxic mushrooms for lunch. Valerie quickly recovers, but forbids her mother from seeing her grandson anymore. Feeling lonely and guilty, Michelle falls into a depression, until Marie-Claude's son gets out of prison. The film was released in its native France in early September last year, on limited release in the UK from mid-March and the US early April and only now is released in Australia having so far grossed US$6.7M at the Box Office and generating largely positive critical reviews.

'THE FRIEND' (Rated M) - this American comedy drama offering is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Co-Directed by Scott McGehee and David Siegel, the pairing of which have given rise to other features including their 1993 debut with 'Suture' followed by 'The Deep End' in 2001, 'Bee Season' in 2005, 'Uncertainty' in 2008, 'What Maisie Knew' in 2012, and 'Montana Story' in 2021. This film is based on the 2018 novel by Sigrid Nunez. Writer and teacher Iris (Naomi Watts) finds her comfortable, solitary New York life thrown into disarray after her closest friend and mentor Walter (Bill Murray) dies suddenly and bequeaths her his beloved 70kg weighing Great Dane. The regal yet almost uncontrollable beast, named Apollo (Bing), immediately creates practical problems for Iris, from furniture destruction to eviction notices, as well as more existential ones, his looming presence constantly reminding her of her friend's problematic choices in both life and death. Yet as Iris finds herself unexpectedly bonding with the animal, she begins to come to terms with her past, her lost friend, and her own creative inner life. Also starring Carla Gugino, Constance Wu and Owen Teague. The film has so far grossed US$4.2M since its release in the US and Canada in early April this year, and has garnered generally positive press.

'THE STOLEN PAINTING' (Rated M) - is a French comedy drama film Co-Written and Directed by Pascal Bonitzer who made her feature film Directorial debut with 'Encore' in 1996 and would follow this up with other titles including 'Nothing About Robert' in 1999, 'The Great Alibi' in 2008, 'Looking for Hortense' in 2012, 'Right Here Right Now' in 2016 and 'Spellbound' in 2019. Set in present day Paris, brash forty-something year old Andre Masson (Alex Lutz), a hotshot modern art appraiser at prestigious high-end auction house Scottie’s, receives word that a painting by Egon Schiele may have been found in a young factory worker’s home in the Alsatian city of Mulhouse. Though highly sceptical, Andre travels to view the canvas with his ex-partner Bettina (Lea Drucker) who is also an expert valuator, only to be convinced of its authenticity as a masterwork long assumed destroyed by Nazi's during WWII. For Andre, the ramifications of this once-in-a-lifetime find for his career and for his contentious relationship with his less-than-reliable intern Aurore (Louise Chevillotte), will prove both unexpected and transformative. The film was released in in France in early May 2024, has worked the US film festival circuit in the meantime and only now does it get a release date here in Australia, having so far grossed US$2.8M.

'THE FIRST HYMN' (Rated G) - this Australian documentary film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Mark Hadley in his screen debut. This is the story of an ancient scrap of papyrus uncovered in the deserts of Egypt that contains the remnants of the oldest known Christian hymn. In its lyrics Professor John Dickson discovers evidence of beliefs some say Christians never held this early in history. However, uncovering this ancient treasure is only the first step. With the help of world-renowned Christian composers, Chris Tomlin and Ben Fielding, Professor Dickson sets out on an epic journey to record the First Hymn as a modern worship song for the new millennium.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th October 2023.

The 50th edition of Film Fest Gent launched on Tuesday 10th October and runs through until Saturday 21st October. Since its first edition in 1974, Film Fest Gent has grown into the largest film festival in Belgium with more than 100,000 visitors every year. For decades, Film Fest Gent has put the spotlight on film music, which makes it unique on the film festival calendar. Since 2001, Film Fest Gent has presented the World Soundtrack Awards, a series of prizes for the best soundtrack for films and television. The festival propagates film and visual culture to a broad audience and supports film and film music talent. Each year, those people who visit the city of Ghent are offered a challenging programme of films, talks, concerts and much more. Film Fest Gent highlights filmmakers and the collective experience of cinema. Presenting their films to a diverse audience of professionals and film lovers, the festival offers a platform to upcoming and established talent.

The Opening Night Film of the festival is 'Holly' from Belgium and Directed by Fien Troch and offers an intriguing portrait of a 15-year-old girl named Holly. After she seems to have predicted a deadly school fire, people begin to seek out Holly for consolation. The Closing Night Film is 'The Boy and the Heron' from Studio Ghibli and is Directed by Hayao Miyazaki. Here, A young boy named Mahito yearning for his mother ventures into a world shared by the living and the dead. There, death comes to an end, and life finds a new beginning.

There are twelve films in the Official Competition, and these are detailed in brief below :-

* 'All Dirt Roads Taste of Salt' - from the USA and Directed by Raven Jackson in her feature film debut. The film tells the story of an African-American woman from Mississippi who moves gently through a poetic mosaic of memories.

* 'Astrakan' - from France and Directed by David Depesseville in his feature film making debut. A naturalistic character study that exposes the uneasy growing pains and tensions between a taciturn orphan boy and his adoptive family in the French countryside.

* 'Omen' - from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Belgium, South Africa, The Netherlands and Germany and Directed by Baloji in his feature length debut. This film explores the weight of Congolese belief systems on the fate of four so called 'devil children' accused of being witches and sorcerers, who, banned from their social circles, engage in a fiery battle to throw off that hellish label.

* 'Critical Zone' - from Germany and Iran and Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Edited by Ali Ahmadzadeh. Here, we follow a good-hearted drug trafficker in Tehran by night, a city desperate for redemption and furious in its resistance to the current regime.

* 'The Delinquents' - from Chile, Argentina, Brazil and Luxemburg and Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Rodrigo Moreno. Not stealing to be rich, but to be free. An Argentine bank employee takes the risk of his life in this twisty, mild crime comedy.

* 'Here' - from Belgium and Written and Directed by Bas Devos. Here, the filmmaker casts his patient and human gaze upon a Romanian construction worker strolling through Brussels and its nature. A surprising city symphony that pays tribute to the invisible, and to mosses.

* 'Io Capitano' - from Italy, Belgium and France and Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Matteo Garrone. The film follows two Senegalese teenagers as they transit from Dakar to Sicily. A hallucinatory odyssey through the hopeful eyes of the young migrants.

* 'Past Lives' - from the USA and Written and Directed by Celine Song in her feature film debut, and starring Greta Lee, Teo Yoo and John Magaro. The film shows the power of human connection - romantic or otherwise and muses on the choices made and not made.

* 'Poor Things' - from the USA, Ireland and the UK and Co-Produced and Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos, and starring Emma Stone, Willem Dafoe and Mark Ruffalo. Focusing on a young Victorian woman who, after being crudely resurrected by a scientist following her suicide, runs off with a debauched lawyer to embark on an odyssey of self-discovery and sexual liberation.

* 'The Siren' - from Belgium, France, Germany and Luxemburg and Directed by Sepideh Farsi. Banned from her homeland Iran, the Director returns to a conflict from her teenage years, the Iran-Iraq War that plunged the port city of Abadan into state of besiege in 1980. But even in times and places where everyone and everything threatens to be destroyed, there is hope. A 14-year-old boy and a wooden boat make sure of that.

* 'Smoke Sauna Sisterhood' - from Estonia and Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Anna Hints. In the darkness of the sauna, women share their most intimate secrets. The drops of sweat that glide off their bodies, take away their shame and while they rinse off their stories from the past they regain a sense of community that strengthens them for the outside world.

* 'Sweet Dreams' - from Indonesia, The Netherlands, France and Sweden and Written and Directed by Ena Sendijarevic. Tumultuous events triggered by the death of a Dutch sugar plantation owner who ends up leaving his Indian Ocean island estate to his young illegitimate son - the child of his Indonesian housemaid.

Film Fest Gent seeks to offer a platform to all kinds of films. Short films and feature films, fiction films and documentaries, brand new high-profile projects and classics that have earned their place in film history, small competition films and big audience pullers . . . opposites that complement each other and each has its own section of the festival to inhabit. For more, you can go to the official website at : https://www.filmfestival.be/en

This week there are six new cinematic releases coming to a big screen Odeon near you, kicking off with a French offering that is set in the 1930's, and follows an Actress who gains notoriety after getting acquitted of murder for self-defence. This is followed by another French film about an author who returns to his hometown of Cognac for the first time in 35 years to help promote a distillery, and, he is also there to face the memories of his first love, with the people and places he returns to evoking many feelings from the past. Then we turn to a music film experience of the Eras Tour concert, performed by the one and only global singing and songwriting icon that is Taylor Swift. Following on from this we have a British horror offering about mysterious and violent incidents that occur during a family's 1938 cruise aboard a famed ocean liner whose events strangely connect to another family's fate on the same cruise ship in the present. Next up we have an Australian film about a rogue journalist who unearths the sordid secrets of an infamous socialite family for the scoop of a lifetime whilst unwittingly dredging up family trauma of his own; before closing out the week with an Aussie doco that charts the highs and lows of our nation alongside our most celebrated individual tennis tournament.

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

'THE CRIME IS MINE' (Rated MA15+) - is a French crime comedy film Written and Directed by Francois Ozon whose first feature film was 'Sitcom' in 1998 although he had been making short films and documentaries since 1988. His other more notable features include 'Criminal Lovers' in 1999, 'Water Drops on Burning Rocks' in 2000, '8 Women' in 2002, 'Swimming Pool' in 2003, 'Potiche' in 2010, 'In the House' in 2012, 'Frantz' in 2016 and 'Everything Went Fine' in 2021. This film is a loose adaptation of the 1934 play 'Mon crime' by Georges Berr and Louis Verneuil, which has been adapted into two American films, 1937's 'True Confession' and 1946's 'Cross My Heart'. It has garnered positive reviews and cost US$14.5M to produce.

Set in 1930's Paris, France Madeleine Verdier (Nadia Tereszkiewicz), a pretty, young, penniless and talentless Actress, is accused of murdering a famous movie Producer. Helped by her best friend Pauline Mauleon (Rebecca Marder), a young unemployed lawyer, she is acquitted on the grounds of self-defence. A new life of fame and success begins, until the truth comes out. Also starring Isabelle Huppert and Dany Boon. 

'LIE WITH ME' (Rated M) - is a French film Co-Written and Directed by Olivier Peyon whose previous feature film credits take in his 2006 debut with 'Les petites vacances' and which he would follow up with the likes of 'Latifa : A Fighting Heart' in 2017 and 'Tokyo Shaking' in 2021. This film is based on the 2017 novel of the same name by Philippe Besson. Here, novelist Stephane Belcourt (Guillaume de Tonquedec) agrees to be the guest of honour at a celebration for a famous brand of Cognac, even though he doesn't drink alcohol. When Stephane returns to his home town, Charente, for the first time in 35 years, he meets Lucas (Victor Belmondo), the son of his first love, Thomas Andrieu (Julien De Saint Jean). Stephane and Lucas go on a sometimes painful journey of discovery about who Thomas really was and why he did what he did throughout his life. The film has generated largely positive press.

'TAYLOR SWIFT : THE ERAS TOUR' (Rated PG) - this American concert film documents 'The Eras Tour', a 2023/2024 concert tour by singer-songwriter Taylor Swift. Directed by Sam Wrench, Produced by Taylor Swift, it is scheduled to have its World Premiere on 11th October and be released in theatres worldwide this week. Costing about US$15M to produce, the film was met with significant ticket demand, amassing a record US$37M in its first day of pre-sales in the US, and going on to generate US$100M in global pre-sales as of 5th October, becoming the most profitable concert film in history. The Eras Tour is the sixth headlining concert tour by Swift which began in Glendale, Arizona, on 17th March this year and is set to conclude in 2024. The show spans over three hours, with a set list of 44 songs divided into ten distinct acts that conceptually portray Swift's ten studio albums. The film was recorded at the first three of six Los Angeles shows of the tour from 3rd to 5th August this year at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, California.

'HAUNTING OF THE QUEEN MARY' (Rated R18+) - is a British horror film Co-Written and Directed by Gary Shore in only his second feature film making outing following 2014's 'Dracula Untold'. This film explores the mysterious and violent events surrounding one family's voyage on Halloween night in 1938, on the ocean going luxury cruise liner The Queen Mary, and their interwoven destiny with another family onboard the infamous ocean liner in the present day. Starring Alice Eve, Joel Fry and Lenny Rush, the film was first released in Italy in mid-July, then in the UK from mid-August and has garnered mostly positive reviews.

'SLANT' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian comedy mystery drama film is Produced and Directed by James Vinson in his feature film making debut. Set in Melbourne, Victoria in late 1999, here career-crazed journalist Derek Verity (Michael Nikou) is tasked with writing his first expose piece on the mysterious disappearance of a mother-turned-infamous-socialite. But when a dark family secret of his own threatens to destabilise his career, the scribe’s ambition drives him to get the scoop at all costs, causing his personal and professional lives to violently collide. Also starring Sigrid Thornton, Pia Miranda, Kate Lister, Ryan A. Murphy and Ra Chapman. The film won the Best Australian Feature Film at the 2022 annual Melbourne Monsterfest.

'AUSTRALIA'S OPEN' (Rated M) - is an Australian documentary film Co-Written and Directed by Ile Bare whose previous documentary offerings are 'The Silent Epidemic' in 2010, and and 'The Leadership' in 2020. Every January in the blistering heat of Melbourne, Victoria, the Australian Open tennis tournament commands global attention, but when off-court drama steals the show, Australia itself becomes part of the spectacle. The film charts the tournament’s rise as it inadvertently reveals Australia’s divisions to the world. Through telling archive, compelling play and heavy-hitting interviews, this documentary captures the poetry and power of the tournament - because at the Australian Open, there is always more than a game at stake.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 19th May 2022.

The 75th annual Cannes Film Festival kicked off earlier this week on 17th May and runs through until 28th May. The Opening Night film is 'Final Cut' - a French ZomCom Directed, written for the screen, Co-Produced and Co-Edited by Michel Hazanavicius and is a remake of the 2017 Japanese film 'One Cut of the Dead'. In competition for the prestigious Palme d'Or award there are twenty-one feature films for whom the onerous task of selecting the eventual winner falls to Jury President Vincent Lindon, the French Actor, ably supported by Rebecca Hall, Ladj Ly, Jeff Nichols, Noomi Rapace, Joachim Trier, Asghar Farhadi, Jasmine Trinca and Deepika Padukone. 

And so in main competition for the Palme d'Or are included the following feature films :-

* 'Armegeddon Time' from the USA and this drama film is Directed, Written and Co-Produced by James Gray and stars Anne Hathaway, Anthony Hopkins and Jeremy Strong.

* 'Broker' from South Korea, this drama film is Directed, Written and Edited by Hirokazu Kore-eda.

* 'Brother and Sister' from France and Directed and Co-Written by Arnaud Desplenchin and stars Marion Cotillard and Melvil Poudpaud.

* 'Close' from Belgium, Netherlands and France, this drama film is directed and Co-Written by Lukas Dhont and stars Lea Drucker and Emilie Dequenne. 

* 'Crimes of the Future' from Canada, Greece and France is Directed and Written by David Cronenberg and this SciFi body horror film stars Viggo Mortensen, Lea Seydoux and Kristen Stewart. 

* 'Decision to Leave' from South Korea and Directed, Co-Written and Produced by Park Chan-wook. 

* 'Leila's Brothers' from Iran and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Saeed Roustayl, this drama film stars Taraneh Alidoosti in the title role. 

* 'Showing Up' from the USA and Directed and Co-Written by Kelly Reichardt this drama film stars Michelle Williams, Judd Hirsch, Andre Benjamin and Amanda Plummer.

* 'The Stars at Noon' from the USA and France and Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Claire Denis this romantic thriller film stars Margaret Qualley, Joe Alwyn, Danny Ramirez, Benny Safdie, and John C. Reilly.

* 'Tchaikovsky's Wife' is a Russian and French historical drama film Directed and Written by Kirill Serebrennikov, starring Alyona Mikhaylova in the title role and Odin Biron at Pyotr Tchaikovsky.

* ' Tori and Lokita' from Belgium and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by the Dardenne brothers Jean-Pierre and Luc, and this drama film stars Pablo Schils and Mbundu Joely in the title roles respectively. 

* 'Triangle of Sadness' from Sweden, the UK, the USA, France and Greece, this dark comedy film is Directed, Written and Co-Edited by Ruben Ostlund and stars Harris Dickinson, Charlbi Dean and Woody Harrelson.

Out of competition, being showcased are also 'Elvis' from Baz Luhrmann, 'Three Thousand Years of Longing' from George Millar and 'Top Gun : Maverick' from Joseph Kosinski. Additionally Forest Whitaker is to be awarded the Honorary Palme d'Or.

For all the other sections and those films featured therein, plus a whole lot more from the 75th Cannes Film Festival you can go to the official website at : https://www.festival-cannes.com/en/

This week then to tease you out to your local Odeon, we have six new movies from all corners of the world to choose from, kicking off with an American actioner about an average guy as he searches for his wife, who vanished without a trace while the two were at a petrol station. Next up is an Aussie film about a middle aged woman who sets up a house cleaning business staffed by good looking hunky male cleaners, with benefits. This is followed by a UK/Estonian offering about a handsome, soulful young soldier who embarks on a clandestine sexual affair with a charismatic fighter pilot on a Soviet Air Force Base at the height of 1970's Communist rule. Then we turn to a Norwegian supernatural thriller about a group of young children, who during the bright Nordic summer, reveal their dark and mysterious powers when the adults aren't looking. Up next is a French drama about an elderly father who suffers a stroke, and his daughter rushes to his bedside; sick and half-paralysed in his hospital bed, he asks his daughter to help him end his life. And we close out the week with a Russian and Hungarian animated film about a wooden puppet hero who is a skilled circus acrobat who longs to become human when he falls for the ringmaster's daughter.

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

'LAST SEEN ALIVE' (Rated M) - this American action mystery thriller is Directed by Brian Goodman in his third film making effort following 'What Doesn't Kill You' in 2008 and 'Black Butterfly' in 2017, together with sixty-one acting credits over the last twenty-three years. The film is set for a US release in early June. 

Will Spann (Gerard Butler), is driving his soon-to-be ex-wife Lisa (Jaimie Alexander) to her parent's home when she mysteriously disappears without a trace during a stop at a gas station. A frantic Will engages the local police and Lisa's parents in a desperate attempt to find her, but as time passes and suspicion falls on him, he must take matters into his own hands, delving into the town's criminal underbelly while running from the authorities in a race against time to find Lisa.  

'HOW TO PLEASE A WOMAN' (Rated M) - this Aussie drama film is Written and Directed by Renee Webster in her feature film making debut. Here, a fifty-something year old woman Gina (Sally Phillips) has a business idea to launch an all-male house-cleaning service. However, when her business grows out of control, she must acknowledge her own sexuality, if she is to make a new life for herself. Also starring Alexander England and Erik Thomson.

'FIREBIRD' (Rated MA15+) - this UK and Estonian romantic war drama film is Directed, Co-Written and Co-Produced by Peeter Rebane in his feature film making debut, and is based on the memoir 'The Story of Roman' by Sergey Fetisov. The film stars Tom Prior (who also Co-Wrote and Co-Produces here too), and tells the story of Sergey Serebrennikov (Tom Prior), a troubled young private, who is counting down the days until his military service ends. His life is turned upside down when Roman Matvejev (Oleg Zagorodnii) a daring fighter pilot, arrives at the base. Driven by curiosity, Sergey and Roman navigate the precarious line between love and friendship as a dangerous love triangle forms between them and Luisa (Diana Pozharskaya), the secretary to the base commander. As the walls close in, they risk their freedom and their lives in the face of an escalating KGB investigation and the fear of the all-seeing Soviet regime. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the 35th BFI Flare : London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival in mid- March 2021, and went on release in the UK at the end of April this year, having so far grossed just US$174K, garnered mixed or average Reviews and has collected six award wins and another two nominations from around the festival circuit. 

'THE INNOCENTS' (Rated MA15+) - is a Norwegian supernatural thriller film Directed by Eskil Vogt in his second film making outing following 2014's 'Blind'. This film had its World Premier screening at The Cannes Film Festival in July 2021 before being released in its native Norway in late August last year, and only now does it get a limited showing here in Australia. Here then, during the bright Nordic summer, a group of four children become friends during the Summer holidays, and while out of sight of their parents and other adults they learn that they each have dark and mysterious powers which manifests itself when their innocent playtime takes on a more sinister turn and strange things begin to occur. The film has so far picked up nine award wins and a further eight nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit.

'EVERYTHING WENT FINE' (Rated MA15+) - this French drama film is Written and Directed by Francois Ozon and is based on the novel 'Everything Went Well' by Emmanuele Bernheim. When Andre (Andre Dussollier), 85, has a stroke, his daughter Emmanuele Bernheim (Sophie Marceau) hurries to her father’s bedside. When he wakes up diminished and dependent, this vital and curious man who loves life asks his daughter to help him end his life. Also starring Charlotte Rampling and Geraldine Pailhas, the film has garnered generally positive Critical reviews since its World Premier showcasing at the July 2021 Cannes Film Festival, and its subsequent release in its native France at the end of September. 

'PINOCCHIO : A TRUE STORY' (Rated PG) - this animated Russian and Hungarian family fantasy film is Directed and Co-Written by Vasiliy Rovenskiy and is based on the Italian book 'The Adventures of Pinocchio' and its Russian version 'Buratino'. Young Pinocchio (dubbed by Pauly Shore in the English version) runs away from his genius creator Jepetto (Tom Kenny) accompanied by the horse Tibalt (Jon Heder) to see the world and joins the traveling circus run by hustler Modjafocco (Dmitriy Iosifov). He falls in love with Bella (Eliza Martirosova) and with the help of Lucilda (Irina Kireeva) longs to become a real human boy and win over the love of his life.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 28th November 2019

The 45th People's Choice Awards were held on the evening of Sunday 10th November 2019 at the Barker Hangar at Santa Monica Airport, Santa Monica, California. Honouring the best in film, television, music and popular culture over the last twelve months, this years awards ceremony like the 2019 Academy Awards and 2019 Emmy Awards, the People's Choice Awards had no designated Host. Instead, a good number of celebrities graced the stage to not only present but walk audience members and viewers through highlights of pop culture's biggest moments of the year.

You can get the full low down on all the awards categories, the winners and the also-rans, the photo's and the glamour at the official website, at : https://pca.eonline.com

In terms of the film awards, the winners and grinners on the night were as follows :-
* The Movie of 2019
Awarded to 'AVENGERS : ENDGAME' beating out 'Captain Marvel', 'Fast & Furious Presents : Hobbs & Shaw', 'John Wick : Chapter 3 – Parabellum', 'The Lion King', 'Spider-Man : Far From Home', 'Toy Story 4' and 'Us'.

* The Action Movie of 2019
Awarded to 'AVENGERS : ENDGAME' beating out 'Captain Marvel', 'X-Men : Dark Phoenix', 'Godzilla : King of the Monsters', 'Fast & Furious Presents : Hobbs & Shaw', 'John Wick : Chapter 3 – Parabellum', 'Shazam!' and 'Spider-Man : Far From Home'.

* The Comedy Movie of 2019
Awarded to 'MURDER MYSTERY' beating out 'Good Boys', 'The Hustle', 'Little', 'Long Shot', 'Men in Black : International', 'The Upside' and 'Yesterday'.

* The Drama Movie of 2019
Awarded to 'AFTER' beating out 'Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile', 'Five Feet Apart', 'Glass', 'Once Upon a Time in Hollywood', Rocketman', 'Triple Frontier' and 'Us'.

* The Family Movie of 2019
Awarded to 'ALADDIN' beating out 'The Angry Birds Movie 2', 'How to Train Your Dragon : The Hidden World', 'The Lego Movie 2 : The Second Part', 'The Lion King', 'Pokémon : Detective Pikachu', 'The Secret Life of Pets 2' and 'Toy Story 4'.

* The Male Movie Star of 2019
Awarded to Robert Downey Jnr. for 'AVENGERS : ENDGAME'.
* The Female Movie Star of 2019
Awarded to Zendaya for 'SPIDER-MAN : FAR FROM HOME'.
* The Male Action Movie Star of 2019
Awarded to Tom Holland for 'SPIDER-MAN : FAR FROM HOME'.
* The Comedy Movie Star of 2019
Awarded to Noah Centineo for 'THE PERFECT DATE'.
* The Drama Movie Star of 2019
Awarded to Cole Sprouse for 'FIVE FEET APART'.
* The Animated Movie Star of 2019
Awarded to Beyonce for 'THE LION KING'.
* The People's Icon Award for 2019
Presented to Jennifer Aniston.

This week we have five latest release new movies coming to your local Odeon in the week ahead. We start off with a murder mystery whodunit from an acclaimed Director, with an all star cast and a premise that is straight out of classic genre playbook from the '70's and '80's and promises to be a whole lotta fun. We then turn to a British biographical drama telling the story of an acclaimed northern English painter of the first half of the last century renowned for his bleak industrial landscapes, and pictures of 'matchstick' men and women. Next up is an animated feature from the House of the Mouse that is a sequel to its most commercially successful animated film ever from 2013 inspired by Hans Christian Andersen's fairy tale 'The Snow Queen'. We  then have a French foreign language offering recounting the true story of three men who as young boys were physically abused by their local Catholic Priest, and now in their adult years they seek justice to be served for his wrongdoing. And in closing the week we have a much lauded Senegalese supernatural drama rooted in real world social commentary about a rising skyscraper, a discontented workforce, young love and an arranged marriage.

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

'KNIVES OUT' (Rated M) - here with a change of pace and genre compared to his last mega budget space opera epic that was 2017's 'Star Wars : The Last Jedi', Rian Johnson writes, Directs and Co-Produces this throw back to the murder mystery whodunit's of yesteryear. Aside from the aforementioned 'Star Wars' instalment, Johnson has also Directed and Written 'Brick' (his big screen debut in 2005), then 'The Brothers Bloom', 'Looper' and helmed several episodes of 'Breaking Bad' in between. In wanting to craft an Agatha Christie inspired type film, Johnson sought the influences from such classic comedic murder mystery crime stories as 'Murder on the Orient Express', 'Murder by Death', 'Death on the Nile', 'The Mirror Crack'd', 'Evil Under the Sun', 'Deathtrap' and 'Clue'. With a budget of US$40M, the film saw its World Premier at TIFF in early September, goes on general release this week, and has generated widespread Critical acclaim.

And so, here we have renowned and wealthy crime novelist Harlan Thrombey (Christopher Plummer) who invites his extended dysfunctional family to his remote mansion on his 85th birthday in hopes of reuniting them all. However, the day after the birthday party, Harlan is found dead by members of the family. The Police, along with experienced Detective Benoit Blanc (Daniel Craig), are called in to investigate. Pretty soon, it becomes clearly evident that everyone in the family is a suspect in his death. With an ensemble cast that also takes in Jamie Lee Curtis, Chris Evans, Michael Shannon, Toni Collette, Don Johnson, Ana de Armas, Katherine Langford, Jaeden Martell, Lakeith Stanfield, Frank Oz, Noah Segan and Riki Lindhome.

'MRS. LOWRY & SON' (Rated PG) - here we have a British biographical drama film Directed by British theatre and film Director Adrian Noble in only his third big screen outing following 1996's 'A Midsummer Night's Dream' and 2015's 'The Importance of Being Earnest'. Timothy Spall is renowned English artist L.S. Lowry who lived from 1887 until 1976 and is famous for painting scenes of life in the industrial districts of North West England in the mid-20th century. Many of his drawings and paintings depict Pendlebury in Lancashire, where he lived and worked for more than forty years, and also Salford and its surrounding areas. This film charts the story of how Lowry lived with his overbearing mother, Elizabeth (Vanessa Redgrave), until her death in 1939. Bed-ridden and bitter, Elizabeth actively tries to dissuade her bachelor son from pursuing his artistic ambitions, whilst never failing to voice her opinion at her disappointment in him. Spall previously played J. M. W. Turner, also a famous painter in the 2014 biographical film 'Mr. Turner' which won him the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor. This film costs US$1.5M to make, saw its Premier screening at the Edinburgh Film Festival in late June, went on general release in the UK at the end of August, and now gets its release in Australia having garnered mixed Review along the way.

'FROZEN II' (Rated PG) - with the massive success of Disney's 2013 animated feature film 'Frozen' which cost US$150M to make and raked in US$1.28B at the global Box Office and picked up a whole swathe of award wins, nominations and records along the way, I guess it was inevitable that a sequel would come along eventually. And so, here we have it! Once again Directed by Chris Buck and Jennifer Lee, here three years after the events of the first film, Elsa (voiced by Idina Menzel) starts to hear a strange sound from the north calling her. Together with her sister Anna (Kristen Bell), Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his reindeer Sven, and Olaf (Josh Gad), they embark on a new journey beyond their homeland of Arendelle in order to discover the origin of Elsa's magical powers and to save their kingdom. Also staring the voice talents of Santino Fontana, Evan Rachel Wood, Alfred Molina, Sterling K. Brown, Jason Ritter and Martha Plimpton. The film saw its Premier screening in Hollywood earlier this month, before its US release last week, and its Australian release this week, having so far taken US$372M at the Box Office.

'BY THE GRACE OF GOD' (Rated CTC) - this French and Belgian Co-Produced drama film is Directed by the much awarded film Director and Screenwriter Francois Ozon. It premiered at the 69th Berlin International Film Festival in February this year and won the Jury Grand Prix, before going on general release in France and Belgium in the latter half of February. It has received generally favourable Reviews and has so far earned US$8M off the back of a US$6.8M Production Budget. The film tells the story of Alexandre (Melvil Poupaud), François (Denis Menochet) and Emmanuel (Swann Arlaud) who were each victimised as children by the venerable and predatory, yet highly respected Father Bernard Preynat (Bernard Verley). As adults, when they discover that their former tormentor has been reassigned and has apparently been shielded all along by a heavenly institution determined on silence, the men, still emotionally wounded and facing near-insurmountable challenges to their faith, begin a movement to bring the Catholic Church to account. Apparently, the Priest portrayed in the film, Bernard Preynat, attempted without success to block the films release in France. In July this year, an ecclesiastical tribunal of the Archdiocese of Lyon announced it had determined that Preynat was 'guilty of criminal acts of a sexual character on minors younger than sixteen' and applied its maximum penalty by defrocking him.

'ATLANTICS' (Rated CTC) - is a Senegal, French and Belgian Co-Produced supernatural romantic drama film made by French Director and Actor Mati Diop in her feature film debut outing. It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, where Diop made history at Cannes, becoming the first black woman to Direct a film featured In Competition. At Cannes, the film won the Grand Prix and has been selected as the Senegalese entry for the Best International Feature Film at next years Academy Awards. In a Senegalese suburb of Dakar that lies along the Atlantic coast, a futuristic-looking tower is about to be officially inaugurated. The construction workers have not been paid for months. One night, the workers decide to leave the country by sea, in search of a brighter future. Among them is Souleiman (Ibrahima Traore), the lover of seventeen year old Ada (Mame Bineta Sane). However, Ada is betrothed to another man. Days later, a fire ruins Ada's wedding and a mysterious fever starts to spread. Ada is unaware Souleiman has returned, and of the implications of his return upon the girlfriends those constructions workers left behind. The film was initially released in Senegal in early August, in France in mid-October and airs on Netflix from this week onwards, having gained universal acclaim along the way. The film is spoken in Wolof - the native tongue of Senegal, the Gambia and Mauritania.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-