What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 3rd April 2025

In 2025 the Doha Film Institute presents QUMRA Festival in its eleventh year (although in 2020 due to the COVID-19 outbreak the festival was cancelled and went online) and runs this year from the 4th to the 9th April. Qumra is a unique initiative dedicated to providing mentorship, nurturing talent, and fostering hands-on development for filmmakers from Qatar, the region and beyond. 

Celebrating the art of cinema with a curated selection of remarkable feature-length films from the region and across the world, each film is supported by Doha Film Institute and reflects a commitment to championing diverse voices and fostering cultural dialogue. Audiences will embark on a cinematic journey through compelling stories that inspire, entertain, and unite.

This year, Qumra is honoured to share six remarkable feature-length films from the region and beyond. This years programme is a true celebration of the power of storytelling—offering original and unique perspectives on cultures, experiences, and ideas that help us see the world in new ways. Those six films are :-

* 'East of Noon' - from the Netherlands, Egypt and Qatar, and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Hala Elkoussy. The films follows 19-year-old Abdo, a musical prodigy who dares to challenge the rigid order of his elders. The eccentric showman Shawky rules their isolated community through a theatrical blend of performance and fear, while Galala, the village storyteller, offers solace with fables of the sea - an unseen place that exists only in myth. As Abdo's rebellious spirit grows, he begins to use music as a weapon of resistance, disrupting the fragile balance of power and exposing the system's vulnerability to the unrelenting force of youth.

* 'Demba' - from Senegal, Germany and Qatar, and Directed and Written by Mamadou Dia. Demba is about to retire after 30 years of service at the city hall in his small town in Northern Senegal. That hot summer, as the two-year anniversary of his wife's passing approaches, he realises he just can't 'shake it off'. As his mental health deteriorates, he discovers a new connection with his once-estranged son.

* 'Moondove' - from Lebanon, the Netherlands and Qatar and Directed, Written, Produced and photographed by Karim Kassem. Three stories in the mountains of Lebanon metaphysically converge to illustrate stories of memory, loss and love. A remote village faces an uncertain future - their harvest is over, but a relentless drought threatens both the land and their very way of life. As the community prepares for its annual play, this year the almost prognostically titled 'Departures', the performance takes on a deeper meaning - reflecting their fears of change, loss, and the possibility of leaving behind all they have ever known.

* 'Rising Up at Night' - from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Belgium, Germany, Burkina Faso and Qatar, and Directed, Written and photographed by Nelson Makengo. Kinshasa, the capital city of seventeen million people, is plunged into darkness and insecurity as its inhabitants struggle to access the light. In a relentless quest, Kudi mobilises the people of his neighbourhood, Kisenso, to buy the stolen cable so that electricity can be restored in time for the festivities. At Christmas, Kudi turns into Santa Claus. Flashes of light and hope illuminate the streets of Kinshasa. On Mount Mangengenge, a sacred site, Pastor Gedeon preaches the light of Christ as the way to faith and light. Meanwhile, young Davido is looking for shelter after his house was flooded by the Congo River. He kills time by working out and waiting for the river to recede from his neighbourhood.

* 'MA - Cry of Silence' - from Myanmar, South Korea, France, Singapore, Norway and Qatar, and Directed and Co-Produced by The Maw Naing. In 2022, Myanmar remains engulfed in civil war following the military coup of 1st February 2021. Mi-Thet, a young Burmese woman, is working in a garment factory in Yangon, far from her native village. Wages have not been paid for the past two months, and a group of workers are leading a strike. But soon, the strikers are attacked by the henchmen of the military regime, leaving Mi-Thet terrified by her past trauma.

* 'Red Path' - from Tunisia, France, Belgium, Poland, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, and Directed, Co-Written and Co-Produced by Lotfi Achour. In the ruggedly beautiful, yet isolated arcadian landscape of central Tunisia, 14-year-old Ashraf's life is suddenly shattered when a group brutally murders his cousin and forces him to carry a horrific message back to his family. As he struggles to process his internal trauma, he finds himself completely abandoned externally by the authorities and the very people who should protect him. Alone in his grief, Ashraf is left to make sense of a world that offers neither justice nor solace - only silence.

For more information on the above named six films being featured, plus the Industry Programme, the Master Classes being held plus a whole lot more, you can go to the official website at : https://www.dohafilminstitute.com/qumra

Looking then at this weeks four new movies coming to a big screen Odeon close to your home, we launch with an action comedy of when the girl of his dreams is kidnapped, this mild-mannered everyman turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back. This is followed by a fantasy adventure comedy offering that sees four misfits suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination, but to get back home, they'll have to master this world while embarking on a quest with an unexpected, expert crafter. Next up we turn back to the late '70's where a teenager discovers the underground post-punk music scene in Christchurch, New Zealand, and looking to impress someone, he attempts his own songs. And closing out the week we have an animated film about a half dog and half man, who is sworn to protect and serve as he doggedly pursues the feline supervillain Petey the Cat.

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.

'NOVOCAINE' (Rated MA15+) - is an American action comedy film Directed by Dan Berk and Robert Olsen whose prior feature film Directing collaborations take in 'Body' in 2015, 'Stake Land II' in 2016, 'Villains' in 2019 and 'Significant Other' in 2022. This film has received generally positive reviews from critics, and has so far grossed US$29M from a production budget of US$18M since its US release in mid-March.

When the girl of his dreams Sherry Margrave (Amber Midthunder) is kidnapped, everyman and assistant manager at a San Diego credit union Nathan 'Novocaine' Caine (Jack Quaid) turns his inability to feel pain into an unexpected strength in his fight to get her back after she is kidnapped on Christmas Eve by a bunch of thugs dressed in Santa suits. Also starring Ray Nicholson, Jacob Batalon, Betty Gabriel and Matt Walsh. 

'A MINECRAFT MOVIE' (Rated PG) - this fantasy adventure comedy film is Directed by Jared Hess, whose previous film making output includes 'Napoleon Dynamite' in 2004, 'Nacho Libre' in 2006, 'Don Verdean' in 2015, 'Masterminds' in 2016 and the animated 'Thelma the Unicorn' in 2024. Here, four misfits - Garrett 'The Garbage Man' Garrison (Jason Momoa), Henry (Sebastian Hansen), Natalie (Emma Myers) and Dawn (Danielle Brooks), find themselves struggling with ordinary problems when they are suddenly pulled through a mysterious portal into the Overworld - a bizarre, cubic wonderland that thrives on imagination. To get back home, they'll have to master this world while embarking on a magical quest with an unexpected, expert crafter, Steve (Jack Black). The film was originally set for a release date in late May 2019 but in late April of that year the film was delayed until early March 2022. Then in early October 2020 it was removed from the release schedule due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and in early April 2023 after being undated for over two years, the film was given its current release date of this week here in Australia and the US. It cost US$150M to produce, and was filmed in New Zealand. 

'HEAD SOUTH' (Rated MA15+) - is a New Zealand coming of age comedy film Written and Directed by Jonathan Ogilvie, whose prior feature film offerings take in 'Emulsion' in 2006, 'The Tender Hook' in 2008, and 'Lone Wolf' in 2021. In 1979, Angus (Ed Oxenbould), alone for a couple of weeks with his world-weary father, is drawn into the underground post-punk music scene in Christchurch, New Zealand. Desperate to fit in with this magnetic but fickle subculture, Angus distances himself from his true friends and lies about his musical abilities to his new 'friends'. Caught out by his own deceit he must become the musician he pretended to be. With the support of his friends, especially the talented Kirsten (Benee), Angus navigates self-doubt, derision, harmful behaviour and a family tragedy to take the stage for the first time with his band 'The Daleks'. The film saw its World Premiere screening as the Opening Night Film at the Rotterdam International Film Festival in late January 2024 and was released in its native NZ at the end of October last year. Also starring Marton Csokas.

'DOG MAN' (Rated G) - this American animated film is Written for the screen and Directed by Peter Hastings and is based on Dav Pilkey's children's graphic novel series 'Dog Man'. It is a spin-off and story within a story of 2017's 'Captain Underpants: The First Epic Movie' and the second film in the 'Captain Underpants' franchise. Hastings made his feature film Directorial debut with the Disney animated 'The Country Bears' in 2002, and he has also Written and Directed many animated TV series episodes in the intervening period. When a police officer and his faithful police dog get injured in the line of duty, a harebrained but life-saving surgery fuses the two of them together, and Dog Man is born (voiced by Peter Hastings). As Dog Man learns to embrace his new identity, he must stop feline supervillain Petey the Cat (Pete Davidson) from cloning himself and going on a crime spree. Also starring the voice talents of Lil Rel Howery, Isla Fisher, Billy Boyd, Ricky Gervais and Stephen Root. It has garnered generally favourable critical reviews and has so far grossed US$132M from a US$40M production budget since its release Stateside at the end of January. 

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 in Odeon's this week : Thursday 13th October 2016.

Dan Brown is an American author of thriller adventure fiction, who has sold over 200 million books and had his works translated into 52 languages. His first book was released in 1998 - 'Digital Fortress' a stand alone novel about government surveillance of electronically stored information on the private lives of citizens, and the possible civil liberties and ethical implications of using such technology. This stand alone novel was followed up in 2001 by 'Deception Point' another stand alone story of a meteorite found within the Arctic Circle that may provide proof of extraterrestrial life, and attempts by the antagonists to prevent the evidence against it from becoming public. In 2000 Brown first introduced us to the character of Robert Langdon - a Harvard Professor of Symbology and Religious Iconology in 'Angels & Demons' which was subsequently made into a film in 2009, interestingly after the second novel in the Robert Langdon series 'The Da Vinci Code' which as a book was released in 2003 and as a film in 2006. Brown penned 'The Lost Symbol' next and that book was published in 2009 but was overlooked for the Hollywood treatment in skipping to 'Inferno' - the fourth novel in the Robert Langdon series, which is released this week and Previewed as below. So far all three instalments have been Directed by Ron Howard, with Tom Hanks in the lead role as Robert Langdon. A fifth book in the series is due for release in September 2017 titled 'Origin'. Brown's Robert Langdon books have been international best sellers, and the first two films in the series have grossed over US$1.2B.

This week then we have five new movies coming to your local Odeon, kicking off with the third big screen adaptation from a series of books by an acclaimed author featuring an acclaimed character portrayed by an acclaimed Actor at the hands of an acclaimed Director involving ancient mysteries, curious symbols, a game of cat and mouse, and a life or death situation confronting half the planet. This is followed up by a true crime telling of a late 90's heist that is just too far fetched to be believed - but it really happened, perhaps with a little comedic poetic licence thrown in for good measure here. We then turn attention to an Asian action adventure featuring an unlikely buddy pairing brought together to thwart an evil foe and rescue a maiden in distress, before returning home to our own Aussie backyard and another true crime telling of a pre-meditated partially publicised murder that went ahead when those that could have prevented it . . . chose not to! We then wrap up with a Spanish foreign language film from another acclaimed Director, about a mothers quest to reconnect with her estranged daughter.

When you have sat through your film of choice this week, feel free to drop us a line or two here at Odeon Online, by leaving your own critique in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your movie experience.

'INFERNO' (Rated M) - Dan Brown, the author upon which this film is based, has so far had two other Robert Langdon adaptations committed to the big screen - 'The Da Vinci Code' in 2006 which made US$758M from its US$125M budget outlay, and 'Angels and Demons' in 2009 which returned US$486M from its US$150M budget. 'Inferno' is the third movie outing for Harvard Professor of Symbology, Robert Langdon as reprised once again by Tom Hanks and with Director Ron Howard at the helm. David Koepp wrote the screenplay.

This time we see Langdon waking up in a hospital in Italy with no recollection of how he got there or where he is. He also has no explanation for the origin of a macabre object found stashed away in his belongings. Eventually he teams up with young doctor, Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones) whom Langdon hopes will help him recover his lost memory, but when a threat against his life eventuates the two are propelled into breakneck chase across Florence. Armed with the just a few meagre clues pointing to Dante's 14th Century epic dark masterpiece 'Inferno', Langdon and Brooks race against time to solve the puzzle which may or may not help them save the world from they threat of a virus capable of wiping out half the global population - as planted by transhumanist scientist Betrand Zorbrist (Ben Foster). Also starring Omar Sy and Irrfan Khan.

'MASTERMINDS' (Rated M) - based on the real life North Carolina Loomis Fargo Robbery that occurred in 1997 netting a haul of US$17.3M for its band of misfits (the second largest cash robbery in US history at that time), this crime comedy caper film is Directed by Jared Hess and features a strong cast for its US$25M budget. Here David Scott Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) is a truck driver for armoured security company Loomis Fargo. Ghantt is stuck in a dead beat job, driving around other peoples hard earned cash for living. He strikes up a relationship with co-worker Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig) who persuades him that there is more to life that driving an armoured truck and to think about the possibilities of what lies inside the truck. Pretty soon, a harebrained scheme is devised with the aid of Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson), and lo and behold Ghantt pulls off the heist of a lifetime with over US$17M to show for it. Handing over his stash of cash to his accomplices who have turned the tables on him, Ghantt is double crossed while his former no-good partners in crime go on a wild spending spree leaving a trail of evidence for the authorities to follow. Evading the authorities and the intentions of hit man Mike McKinney (Jason Sudeikis), Ghantt now needs to turn the tide against those he once trusted. Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones also star so reuniting three of this years 'Ghostbusters' ensemble.

'SKIPTRACE' (Rated M) - this Hong Kong/Chinese/American Co-Production is Directed by Renny Harlin who knows how to create an action movie (think 'Die Hard 2', 'The Long Kiss Goodnight', 'Driven', 'Cliffhanger' and 'Deep Blue Sea') and here he teams up legendary Jackie Chan as Hong Kong Detective Bennie Chan who has been on the hunt for notorious underworld mobster Matador, believed to be Victor Wong (Winston Chao) for over ten years now since killing his young partner. When his partners daughter Samantha (Fan Bingbing) lands herself in hot water with Wong's syndicate, Chan must seek out American gambling con-man Connor Watts (Johnny Knoxville) who aside from gambling his way through China's casinos, was witness to a murder in Wong's Macau casino. What follows in a web of intrigue and a race across various countries that sees the pair travel from Russia, to Mongolia, to the Gobi Desert and back to Hong Kong with both the Russian and Chinese mob on their tails. The film opened big in China and has since taken a haul of US$134M.

'JOE CINQUE'S CONSOLATION' (Rated M) - this film adaptation of the non-fiction book by Australian author Helen Garner was published in 2004 and tells the story of her presence at the trials of Australian National University student Anu Singh (Maggie Naouri), and her friend and fellow student Madhavi Rao (Sacha Joseph), who plotted to kill her engineer boyfriend Joe Cinque (Jerome Meyer) by lacing his coffee with Rohypnol and administering a lethal dose of heroine. Singh believed that Cinque had made her ill in the first place so she plots her revenge, which as time passes becomes more macabre and more public. The murder occurred in October 1997 at a dinner party at which some of the guests were aware of the plan to murder Cinque, but chose to do nothing about it, or to forewarn the victim. Directed by Sotiris Dounoukos, this true crime film will leave you asking questions and debating the subject matter long after the credits have rolled.

'JULIETA' (Rated MA15+) - marking Pedro Almodovar's 20th Directed feature film, 'Julieta' is a Spanish production also Produced and Written for the screen by Almodovar based on three short stories from the book 'Runaway' by Alice Munro published in 2004. This film is Spain's entry into the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2017 Academy Awards, and was in competition for the Palme D'Or at this years Cannes Film Festival. Telling the story of Julieta (Adriana Ugarte as the younger, and Emma Suarez as the older) ) who is about to relocate herself from Madrid to Portugal, she runs into Bea (Michelle Jenner) unexpectedly - the childhood friend of her daughter Anita. Bea tells her that her estranged daughter is living in Switzerland and has three children. With this news she decides not to leave Madrid with her boyfriend Lorenzo (Dario Grandinetti) but to rent another apartment in the block in which she raised Anita and commit to writing a ledger that explains the events that led to their separation and estrangement, in the hope that Anita will re-establish contact.

Five films this week to satisfy most tastes if you like action adventure, action comedy, true crime, foreign language and family drama then there is something to quench your film going thirst. When you have sat through your movie of choice in the week ahead, drop us a line here at Odeon Online by sharing your thoughts with your like minded cinephiles. In the meantime, I'll see you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-.