THE ROSES : Tuesday 9th September 2025

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'THE ROSES' this week at my local multiplex, and this satirical black comedy film is Directed by Jay Roach whose previous Directorial credits take in the three 'Austin Powers' films in 1997, 1999 and 2002, as well as 'Mystery, Alaska' in 1999, 'Meet the Parents' in 2000, 'Meet the Fockers' in 2004, 'Dinner for Schmucks' in 2010, 'Trumbo' in 2015 and 'Bombshell' in 2019. This film is based on the 1981 novel 'The War of the Roses' by Warren Adler, and a remake of the 1989 film, also titled 'The War of the Roses' which starred Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. The film was released in the US, and the UK at the end of August and here in Australia last week, having garnered mixed or average reviews, and so far grossing US$33M off the back of a production budget of just under US$31M.

The film opens up in London, where architect Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch) is dining with colleagues in an upscale restaurant, and wanting to distance himself from the conversation of differing opinions to his own, he ventures into the kitchen and comes face to face with Ivy (Olivia Colman). The pair are instantly drawn to each other, and she tells him that she has a dream of relocating herself to America to start up her own business, to which he responds that he should go with her. Within five minutes of their meeting, they 'bond' in the coolroom.

Fast forward ten years, and Theo and Ivy have relocated to Mendocino, California, and are married and have twin children, Hattie (Delaney Quinn) and Roy (Ollie Robinson). They have differing parenting styles as Ivy spoils the kids with her homemade cakes, ice cream and fun activities, and Theo prioritises their health. 

With Ivy having sacrificed her business plans to raise their children, Theo buys her a piece of run down and long since vacated real estate, albeit overlooking the ocean, with his own money where she can finally open the restaurant she always dreamed of, which she calls 'We've Got Crabs'.

One night, during a severe storm, Theo's newly designed and constructed naval history museum is completely destroyed, just as Ivy's new restaurant is overrun with customers seeking shelter. Due to a glowing review from a renowned food critic, Ivy's business goes from strength to strength, making her the new breadwinner of the family, while Theo loses his job as a result of the naval history museum collapse, and agrees to be a stay-at-home parent. Taking full advantage of it, and jumping in with both feet he puts the kids on a strict regime of diet and regular physical exercise, and even has them sign a commitment to abide by the new regime, which it seems they are happy to abide by, much to Ivy's chagrin. As a result, Ivy begins to feel disconnected from her children's lives, while Theo becomes jealous of Ivy's success, and all the attention she is reaping.

Sensing a rift in their relationship, the pair make several attempts to reconcile, including a romantic weekend trip to New York City and marriage counselling, but all fail miserably. They begin to feel resentment for each other and blame the other for their problems. As a last ditch attempt to save their marriage, Ivy uses the profits from franchising out her restaurant business to give Theo an opportunity to build their dream home, located on a cliff top and overlooking the ocean.

Three years later, their dream house is complete, and the now thirteen year-old Hattie (Hala Finley) and Roy (Wells Rappaport) are prodigies accepted into a prestigious school in Miami on sports scholarships. Without the kids to distract them, Ivy and Theo's frustrations turn into a feud. Ivy mocks and humiliates Theo in front of their friends Barry and Amy (Andy Samberg and Kate McKinnon respectively) and Sally and Rory (Zoe Chao and Jamie Demetriou respectively) during a housewarming party, discrediting his hard work. The next morning Ivy seeks to make amends by cooking him breakfast of blueberry pancakes, but he is not interested and instead goes out for a run. Theo, after saving a beached whale and experiencing an epiphany, realises that you only have one life to live, and that he is not in love with Ivy anymore and therefore wants a divorce. He asks only for the house which he designed and built, but Ivy says that she paid for it and wants to leave him with nothing.

They have a meeting with their divorce lawyers with Theo's friend Barry representing him and a renowned and super tough lawyer Eleanor (Allison Janney) representing Ivy. Barry is inexperienced in divorce law but has experience in property law, which he says is almost the same thing. The pair reach an impasse with neither prepared to budge on the house issue. 

As a result they decide to make each other's lives as uncomfortable as possible using cruel tactics, which results in Theo being blacklisted from architecture throughout the State as a result of Ivy posting an AI generated Deep Fake video of Theo online, and Ivy's restaurants being closed down for health contraventions as a result of Theo grating the hard skin from his toes into her parmesan cheese. Ivy has an allergic reaction after Theo tricks her into eating a mini Black Forest gateau laced with fresh raspberries, and will only cure her with an EpiPen if Ivy signs the papers. She signs as Zendaya rendering the papers useless, but he saves her anyway. 

Ivy then tries to shoot him with their home defence gun in response, with Theo ducking for cover behind the kitchen benches. They chase each other around the house as Ivy shoots randomly, with Theo smashing Ivy's beloved oven that once belonged to Julia Child in the process. Overwhelmed, and talking through a locked door, Theo admits he still loves Ivy despite everything that has happened between them. Ivy says she feels the same way, puts down the gun, Theo opens the door and the two embrace. 

As the pair collapse on the bed and become intimate, a gas leak is seen spreading through the house due to the damage that Theo inflicted on Ivy's oven. Unaware of the situation, Theo commands their smart home system to turn on the fire, at which the screen cuts to white. 

For me 'The Roses' would be up there as one of the best comedies of the year so far, and that's saying something! Watching Olivia Colman hand out her acerbic barbs and dropping the c-word on several occasions is a delight, and seeing Benedict Cumberbatch like he's just swallowed the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary delivering his quick witted well spoken retorts is a lesson in the command of the English language, and all credit to the scriptwriter Tony McNamara. Director Jay Roach has delivered a film that while perhaps not up there with its more bleak 1989 predecessor, he has crafted a nonetheless entertaining and modern 21st century take on a marriage in crisis, and the fallout thereof. The film has several moments of genuine humour, a number of farcical set pieces peppered throughout by a few occasions of emotional heft that help lift this remake above the also rans.

'The Roses' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 4th September 2025

The 50th annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF), this year runs from Thursday 4th through until Sunday 14th September, in the Canadian city of Toronto, Ontario. It is a chance for audiences and industry professionals to celebrate with the best of Canadian and global cinema, special events and talks with stars, plus TIFF's Industry Conference. TIFF is a not-for-profit cultural organisation dedicated to presenting the best of international and Canadian cinema and creating transformational experiences for film lovers and creators of all ages and backgrounds. Its mission to transform the way people see the world through film . . . so reads the official website.

This years Opening Film presentation is 'John Candy : I Like Me' Directed and Co-Produced by Colin Hanks, and this documentary film is a portrait of John Candy, the Canadian Actor who began his career on the sketch comedy series 'Second City Television' before becoming one of the most popular and beloved stars of comedy films until his death of a heart attack in 1994. The Closing Film is 'Peak Everything' Written and Directed by Anne Emond and this romantic comedy is about a kennel owner from Montreal who suffers from depression and climate anxiety, and after buying a light therapy box to counter his symptoms, he falls in love with the customer service representative who helps him set up the device over the phone, and sets off to Sudbury to find her. 

There are twenty-two feature films in this years Gala Presentations section, and these are detailed in brief below :-

* 'Adulthood' - from the USA and this comedy drama film is Co-Produced, Directed and stars Alex Winter, together with Kaya Scodelario, Billie Lourd and Josh Gad.

* 'The Choral' - from the UK and this historical comedy drama film is Co-Produced and Directed by Nicholas Hytner and stars Ralph Fiennes, Alun Armstrong and Simon Russell Beale.

* 'Driver's Ed' - from the USA and this comedy film is Directed by Bobby Farrelly and stars Sam Nivola, Molly Shannon and Kumail Nanjiani.

* 'Eleanor the Great' - from the USA and this drama film is Co-Produced and Directed by Scarlett Johansson in her Directorial debut, and stars June Squibb, Erin Kellyman, Jessica Hecht and Chiwetel Ejiofor. 

* 'Eternity' - from the USA and this fantasy romantic comedy is Directed by David Freyne, and stars Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner and Da'Vine Joy Randolph.

* 'Fuze' - from the UK and this crime thriller heist film is Directed by David Mackenzie, and stars Arron Taylor-Johnson,  Theo James, Sam Worthington and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

* 'Glenrothan' - from the UK and this drama film is Co-Produced, Directed and stars Brian Cox and Alan Cumming, and is Cox's feature Directing debut.

* 'Good Fortune' - from the USA and this comedy film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and stars Aziz Ansari alongside Seth Rogen, Keke Palmer, Keanu Reeves and Sandra Oh, and is Ansari's feature Directorial debut.

* 'Hamnet' - from the UK and the USA and this historical drama film is Co-Written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by Chloe Zhao, and stars Jessie Buckley, Paul Mescal, Joe Alwyn, Emily Watson and Jacobi Jupe. 

* 'Homebound' - from India and Written for the screen and Directed by Neeraj Ghaywan, and starring Ishaan Khatter, Vishal Jethwa and Janhvi Kapoor.
* 'John Candy : I Like Me' - from the USA and this documentary film is Co-Produced and Directed by Colin Hanks, and stars John Candy.

* 'Lilith Fair : Building a Mystery' - from Canada and this documentary film is Directed by Ally Pankiw, and focuses on female solo musicians and female-led bands, including Sarah McLachlan (the founder of this music festival), Sheryl Crow, Brandi Carlile, Bonnie Raitt, Jewel, Olivia Rodrigo, Indigo Girls and Emmylou Harris are among those interviewed.

* 'No Other Choice' - from South Korea this black comedy thriller film is Co-Written for the screen, Produced and Directed by Park Chan-wook, and stars Lee Byung-hun.

* 'Nuremberg' - from the USA and this historical drama film is Written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by James Vanderbilt and stars Remi Malek, Russell Crowe, Michael Shannon, Richard E. Grant, Colin Hanks, Leo Woodall, and John Slattery. 

* 'Palestine 36' - from Palestine, the UK, France, Denmark, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Jordan and this historical drama film is Written and Directed by Annemarie Jacir, and stars Robert Aramayo, Billy Howle, Liam Cunningham and Jeremy Irons.

* 'Peak Everything' - from Canada and this RomCom is Written and Directed by Anne Emond and stars Patrick Hivon, Piper Perabo and Connor Jessup.

* 'A Private Life' - from France and this black comedy mystery film is Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Rebecca Zlotowski and stars Jodie Foster, Daniel Auteuil, Virginie Efira, Mathieu Amalric and Vincent Lacoste.

* 'Roofman' - from the USA and this crime comedy drama film is Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Derek Cianfrance and stars Channing Tatum, Kirsten Dunst, Ben Mendelsohn, Peter Dinklage, Juno Temple, LaKeith Stanfield, Lily Collins and Tony Revolori. 

* 'She's Got No Name' - from China and Hong Kong and this crime drama film is Co-Produced and Directed by Peter Chan and stars Zhang Ziyi.

* 'Sholay' - from India and this 1975 originally released epic action adventure film is Directed by Ramesh Sippy and stars Dharmendra, Sanjeev Kumar, Hema Malini and Amitabh Bachchan. 

* 'Swiped' - from the USA and this biographical drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Rachel Lee Goldenberg and stars Lily Collins, Dan Stevens, Myha'la, Jackson White and Ben Schnetzer.

* 'Two Pianos' - from France and this romantic drama film is Written and Directed by Arnaud Desplechin and stars Francois Civil, Nadia Tereszkiewicz, Charlotte Rampling and Hippolyte Girardot.

The Tribute Awards will be presented to amongst others Guillermo Del Toro as the recipient of the Director's Award, to Jodie Foster as the recipient of the Share Her Journey Groundbreaker Award, and the South Korean Actor Lee Byung-hun as recipient of a Special Tribute Award. 

For the full details of the aforementioned films featuring in the Gala Presentations section, plus the other films appearing in the Special Presentations programme, the Centrepiece section, TIFF Docs, Discovery, Platform, Midnight Madness and the Short Cuts strands, plus a whole lot of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : https://tiff.net/about-the-festival

Turning the attention back on this week six hot new release movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, we kick off with an action comedy offering in which a mercenary takes on the job of tracking down a target on a plane but must protect her when they're surrounded by people trying to kill both of them. Next up we have a black comedy film about an outwardly perfect couple's simmering jealousy boils over when the husband's career implodes, revealing cracks in the facade of their ideal family life. Then we turn to a black comedy drama where something bad happened to Agnes, but life must go on . . . for everyone around her, at least. This is followed by a supernatural horror offering centring on a husband and wife team of paranormal investigators who must try to vanquish a demon from a family's home. Up next is a musical comedy based on an Off-Broadway stage production which is based on a 1988 film which sees a high school senior, trying to survive and fit in with her new peers, the beautiful but cruel Heathers, but she also must contend with an unstable boy who pushes her to the limit. And closing out the week we have an animated fantasy drama film that follows Jesus' life from ministry beginnings through crucifixion, resurrection, as seen through Apostle John's eyes.

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 week ahead.

'FIGHT OR FLIGHT' (Rated MA15+) - is an action comedy film Directed by James Madigan in his feature film Directorial debut, although he has been the Second Unit Director on the likes of 'G.I. Joe : Retaliation', 'RED 2', 'Insurgent', 'Allegiant', 'The Meg', 'Bill and Ted Face the Music', 'Snake Eyes' and 'Transformers : Rise of the Beasts' more recently. This film premiered in the UK at the end of February this year, was released in the US in early May, has received positive critical reviews and has so far grossed US$4M at the Box Office. 

Exiled American agent Lucas Reyes (Josh Hartnett) is given one last chance to redeem himself. The assignment (should he choose to accept it) is to track down and identify a mysterious, international high-value asset known only as 'The Ghost' (Charithra Chandran) on a flight from Bangkok to San Francisco. Complicating matters, the plane is filled with assassins from around the world who are assigned to kill them both. The pair must work together in a fight for their lives. At 37,000 feet, the stakes have never been higher. 

'THE ROSES' (Rated MA15+) - this satirical black comedy film is Directed by Jay Roach whose previous Directorial credits take in the three 'Austin Powers' films in 1997, 1999 and 2002, as well as 'Mystery, Alaska' in 1999, 'Meet the Parents' in 2000, 'Meet the Fockers' in 2004, 'Dinner for Schmucks' in 2010, 'Trumbo' in 2015 and 'Bombshell' in 2019. This film is based on the 1981 novel 'The War of the Roses' by Warren Adler, and a remake of the 1989 film, also titled 'The War of the Roses' which starred Michael Douglas and Kathleen Turner. Here, life seems easy for picture-perfect couple Ivy (Olivia Colman) and Theo Rose (Benedict Cumberbatch) - successful careers, a loving marriage, great kids. But beneath the facade of their supposed ideal life, a storm is brewing, as Theo's career nosedives while Ivy's own ambitions take off, a tinderbox of fierce competition and hidden resentment ignites. Also starring Andy Samberg, Kate McKinnon and Allison Janney, the film was released last week Stateside. 

'SORRY, BABY' (Rated M) - is an American black comedy drama film that is Written, Directed and starring Eva Victor in her film making debut. The film saw its World Premiere screening at the Sundance Film Festival in late January this year, went on release in the US at the end of June, has so far grossed US$3M and has generated universal critical acclaim. Here then, something terrible happened to Agnes (Eva Victor) while studying at college in a graduate programme. But life goes on for everyone else. When a friend visits on the brink of an important milestone, Agnes realises how stuck she's been, in this story of finding your way after your world comes crashing down. Also starring Naomi Ackie, Lucas Hedges, Kelly McCormack, John Carroll Lynch and Louis Cancelmi. 

'THE CONJURING : LAST RITES' (Rated MA15+) - this American supernatural horror film is Directed by Michael Chaves who made his feature film Directing debut with 2019's 'The Curse of La Llorona' and which he would follow up with 'The Conjuring : The Devil Made Me Do It' in 2021 and 'The Nun II' in 2023. This is the ninth film in the 'Conjuring Universe' which launched in 2013, and those first eight films in the franchise have grossed a worldwide Box Office haul of US$2.28B from combined production budgets of US$208M. Here, once again the film is based on the true-life investigations of Lorraine (Vera Farmiga) and Ed Warren (Patrick Wilson) the paranormal investigators and authors, who in 1986 attempt to vanquish a real life haunting by a demon in the home of the Smurl family occupied by father Jack (Elliot Cowan) and mother Janet (Rebecca Calder) and their four children. Also starring Mia Tomlinson and Ben Hardy. The film is released in the US this week too.

'HEATHERS : THE MUSICAL' (Rated MA15+) - this comedy musical film is based on the Off-Broadway production of 2014 which is based on the movie of the same name from 1988. This film of the stage play is Directed by Andy Fickman, whose previous big screen credits take in the likes of 'She's the Man' in 2006, 'The Game Plan' in 2007, 'Race to Witch Mountain' in 2009, 'You Again' in 2010, 'Parental Guidance' in 2012, 'Paul Blart : Mall Cop 2' in 2015, 'Playing with Fire' in 2019, 'One True Loves' in 2023, and 'Don't Turn Out the Lights' also in 2023. Here, in welcoming the viewer to Westerberg High, where Veronica Sawyer (Alisa Davidson) is just another one of the nobodies dreaming of a better day. But when she's unexpectedly taken under the wings of the three beautiful and impossibly cruel Heathers - weak-willed cheerleader Heather McNamara (Teleri Hughes), bulimic and petty but repressed Heather Duke (Vivian Panka) and 'mythic bitch' Heather Chandler (Madison Firth) - her dreams of popularity finally start to come true. Until Jason 'JD' Dean (Simon Gordon) shows up - the mysterious teen rebel who teaches her that everyone fears being a nobody, but its murder being a somebody! The film was released on the internet in late 2022, and in cinemas in the UK and Ireland in mid-2023, and only now does it get a showing in Australia.

'LIGHT OF THE WORLD' (Rated PG) - this hand drawn animated fantasy drama film is Directed by Tom Bancroft and John J. Schafer, and is Bancroft's second feature film outing following 'Saleem' in 2023, and Schafer's Directorial debut. It is AD30 and everyone is expectantly awaiting the coming Messiah. While Jesus (voiced by Ian Hanlin) isn't exactly what they imagined, there is something special about this man. Soon, John (Benjamin Jacobson), James (Dylan Leonard), Andrew (Vincent Tong), Peter (Sam Darkoh), and their new friends begin to follow Jesus on an unexpected adventure, told through the eyes of his beloved young friend, the Apostle John. From the beginning of Jesus' ministry through his crucifixion and resurrection, the film illustrates how Jesus of Nazareth changed the world forever and still changes lives today. The film is released in the US and here in Australia this week, and in all other territories either this week or by the end of this month.

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 coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

BOMBSHELL : Tuesday 21st January 2020.

'BOMBSHELL' which I saw earlier this week is an M Rated American biographical drama film Directed by Jay Roach whose previous Directorial credits take in 'Blown Away', the three 'Austin Powers' instalments, 'Mystery, Alaska', 'Meet the Parents', 'Meet the Fockers', 'Dinner for Schmucks', 'The Campaign' and 'Trumbo' more recently. The film was released in the US in mid-December, has received generally positive Reviews, and has so far grossed US$35M from its US$32M production budget. Among its haul of fifteen award wins and 53 other nomination so far, the film has at the 92nd Academy Awards, earned three nominations: received two nominations at the 77th Golden Globe Awards; four at the 26th Screen Actors Guild Awards and three at the 73rd British Academy Film Awards.

Here, the film centres upon the female Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), and journalist and television commentator Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) in Manhattan, and their sexual harassment allegations on 6th July 2016 against the founder of Fox News Roger Ailes (John Lithgow). Ailes heads up Fox News, the #1 ranking conservative news channel on television which he built from the ground up. Kelly is one of the most popular newscasters on primetime news and is a co-moderator of the 2016 Republican Presidential debate, in which Trump is running, supported by Ailes and the Fox News channel.

On the day of the debate, Kelly becomes physically sick and vomits several times. She rests up in her hotel bedroom for five hours before the debate goes live. Awake and somewhat refreshed she questions Donald Trump on several recorded derogatory comments he has made about women in the past. In retaliation, he Tweets insults about her, and other supporters of Trump follow suit. One reporter sneaks into Kelly's back yard at their home to photograph her daughter through the closed windows, prompting Kelly's husband, Douglas (Mark Duplass), to see off the intruder. Later when Kelly is recounting this to Ailes in his office he says that perhaps someone tried to poison her on the day of the debate by spiking her Starbucks coffee. Fox then hires a security crew for Kelly.

Carlson meanwhile is removed unceremoniously from the popular daily morning show 'Fox and Friends' and relegated to a much less popular afternoon timelsot with a cut in her pay too. Swamped by sexist comments on and off the air, Carlson meets with lawyers who tell her how Rudi Bakhtiar (Nazanin Boniadi) - a Fox News Channel general correspondent, reporting on major international news stories was fired after accusing Brian Wilson (Brian d'Arcy James) - a former anchor reporter for Fox News Channel of sexual harassment back ten years ago, and the matter was largely swept under the carpet by Ailes. At Carlson's behest, they plan to file a harassment suit against Ailes but tell her that she'll need evidence and testimony from other women who have been similarly harassed over the years.

Kayla Pospisil (an amalgam of real life Fox News characters for the purpose of the film as portrayed by Margot Robbie) is Fox's newest hire, who works with Carlson, but soon accepts a job on 'The O’Reilly Factor'. Bill O'Reilly (Kevin Dorff) fires her on her first day on the job. Feeling sorry for herself she gets drunk and sleeps with Fox's Jess Carr (Kate McKinnon) after a night on the town in which Carr offers Pospisil plenty of inside advice on how to navigate the cutthroat world of television news. When they wake up, Pospisil says she's not a lesbian and is surprised to see Carr's Hillary Clinton poster stuck to her fridge door. Asked why a liberal lesbian would work for Fox, Carr says she applied for numerous jobs over the years, but Fox hired her, and now no one else will.

Pospisil later is invited to Ailes' office, for an impromptu 'interview'. Ailes one condition in fast tracking a career is that he asks for undivided loyalty from his people, and he asks Pospisil to consider a way in which she can demonstrate her loyalty. He asks her to stand up and do a 'twirl' and then makes her lift her skirt to show him her underwear, on the basis that TV news is a 'visual medium'. He compliments her on her figure. She later tells Carr, who says she can't get involved for fear of drawing undue attention to herself as a lesbian in the very male dominated and conservative workplace.

Carlson broadcasts on air that she supports the semi-automatic assault weapons ban, although a news poll live to air indicates that 89% of the audience do not, prompting Ailes to summons her. She's fired and is given no clear reasons for why. She decides to sue Ailes. He meets with his wife, Beth (Connie Britton), and attorneys Susan Estrich (Allison Janney) and Rudy Giuliani (Richard Kind), and naturally vehemently denies the absurd allegations. All female staff members are asked to stand with Fox, and most do, but Kelly doesn't comment, secretly weighing up her options.

When the law suit is filed and made public in the newspapers and on the news channels around the country, Carlson's hopes and expectations are quickly splintered when no other women come forward. Viewers quickly turn on her saying that her allegations are made up hearsay and carry no weight. Kelly however, attempts to find other women, including Pospisil, who were sexually harassed by Ailes or O’Reilly.

Pospisil over the phone to Carr one evening says she obeyed Ailes sexual advances to safeguard her career but now has regrets and wants to come forward. Kelly in turn speaks up about her own sexual harassment claims against Aisles and learns that 22 other women will too. Estrich is called out of the room expecting Carlson to settle out of court, but returns confronting Ailes and his wife, with the news that Carlson has secretly recorded their conversations over the course of a whole year, and on that basis she will win the case against him. 

Ailes meets with Fox co-creator Rupert Murdoch (Malcolm McDowell) and his two sons Lachlan (Ben Lawson) and James (Josh Lawson), who tell him he'll be fired, and hands him a written note with a severance payment as a first and final offer, no further discussion. Ailes asks to break the news with Murdoch back at the office in front of his team personally, but Rupert refuses. When Murdoch arrives at the Fox News Offices, stands up in front of the gathered staffers and says he's taking over Fox as interim CEO, Carr remains silent. Pospisil, knowing she'll be fired, walks out the door and quits on the spot.

Meanwhile, Carlson is awarded US$20M in damages and an apology from Fox but cannot speak about her case. The closing credits reveal that Fox paid out a further US$50M in compensation to the Fox victims of sexual harassment and abuse, and that between them Ailes and O'Reilly received US$65M in severance payments. Ailes died on 18th May 2017.

This is a thought provoking, darkly satirical, yet infinitely entertaining and informative film about the horrific events of years of bigotry and sexual harassment that unfolded at Fox News just a few short years ago, which makes it all the more relevant, all the more fresh in the mind and all the more compelling to watch. The four key cast members are all excellent in their roles, with Theron nailing her portrayal of Kelly in every detail, Robbie outstanding as the enthusiastic young gun who gets in way too far over her head, Kidman stoic as the determined put upon Carlson who is short changed as a character and could have done with more screen time with Theron and Robbie, and of course Lithgow as the morally corrupt and all powerful big boss of them all, and who ultimately gets his comeuppance. The production values are first rate, the script smart, the dialogue snappy and the film moves along at a good pace. Director Jay Roach here weaves a true story that needs to be told, and one that needs to be seen as the launchpad for the #MeToo movement that was also the subject of a seven part TV miniseries last year 'The Loudest Voice' with Russell Crowe in a highly acclaimed portrayal of Roger Ailes. Certainly worth the price of your cinema ticket.

'Bombshell' warrants four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard, from a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 16th January 2020

The 9th AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) International Awards were held in Los Angeles, California at the Mondrian Hotel on Friday 3rd January 2020. These awards honour the best achievements in film excellence, regardless of geography, across seven categories, namely, Best Film, Best Direction, Best Screenplay, Best Lead Actor, Best Lead Actress, Best Supporting Actor and Best Supporting Actress, and pay tribute to our international screen peers and celebrate fellow Australians working in screen internationally. The Awards are determined by AACTA’s International Chapter who vote across the seven categories. The AACTA International Chapter is made up of 190 Australian screen professionals with distinguished international credentials.

This years winners and grinners of the seven aforementioned awards were :

* AACTA International Award for Best Film
Presented to BONG JOON HO for 'PARASITE', beating out 'The Irishman', 'Joker', 'The King' and 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood'.
* AACTA International Award for Best Direction
Presented to QUENTIN TARANTINO for 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood', beating out Martin Scorsese for 'The Irishman', Todd Phillips for 'Joker', Sam Mendes for '1917' and Bong Joon Ho for 'Parasite'.
* AACTA International Award for Best Screenplay
Presented to TAIKA WAITITI for 'Jojo Rabbit', beating out 'The Irishman', 'Joker', 'Parasite' and 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood'.
* AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actor
Presented to ADAM DRIVER for 'Marriage Story', beating out Christian Bale for 'Ford V. Ferrari', Robert De Niro for 'The Irishman', Joaquin Phoenix for 'Joker' and Antonio Banderas for 'Pain and Glory'.
* AACTA International Award for Best Lead Actress
Presented to SAOIRSE RONAN for 'Little Women', beating out Awkwafina for 'The Farewell', Renee Zellweger for 'Judy', Charlize Theron for 'Bombshell' and Scarlett Johansson for 'Marriage Story'.
* AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actor
Presented to BRAD PITT for 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood', beating out John Lithgow for 'Bombshell', Al Pacino for 'The Irishman', Joe Pesci for 'The Irishman' and Song Kang-Ho for 'Parasite'.
* AACTA International Award for Best Supporting Actress
Presented to MARGOT ROBBIE for 'Bombshell', beating out Nicole Kidman for 'Bombshell', Margot Robbie for 'Once Upon A Time In Hollywood', Toni Collette for 'Knives Out' and Florence Pugh for 'Little Women'.

You can get the inside word on both these International AACTA Awards and the homespun awards that were presented on 4th December 2019 in Sydney and as covered in an earlier edition to this Blog site, by visiting the official website at : https://www.aacta.org

Turning back to the week ahead, and the five latest release new movies coming to your local Odeon, we have the third instalment in a buddy cop action comedy franchise that has been absent from our screens for seventeen years now, but gets dusted off, polished up and given a make over that sees our two titular heroes face off against a bad dude all guns blazing, tyres screeching and high octane action aplenty. Then we turn to a tale of a certain doctor who has an uncanny knack of being able to converse with animals and his adventures to a mythical island to find a cure for an ailing queen. Next up is a true story of a sexual harassment case in the very recent past involving two renowned female news anchors and the head of a prominent television news channel. This is followed by a biographical doco exploring the achievements of a former leader of the old Soviet Union, before closing out the week with an Australian story of a young lads love of go-karting and his bid for the national title.

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.

'BAD BOYS FOR LIFE' (Rated MA15+) - here we see the third instalment in the 'Bad Boys' buddy cop action comedy franchise that first launched in 1995 with 'Bad Boys' Directed by Michael Bay, then 'Bad Boys II' in 2003 also Directed by Michael Bay, which between them brought in a global Box Office take of US$415M off the back of a combined US$149M production budget. This film is Directed by the Belgian pairing of Adil El Arbi and Billall Fallah who are also on board to Direct the currently in development 'Beverly Hills Cop 4' with a returning Eddie Murphy.  All three films in this franchise have been Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer with Don Simpson Co-Producing the first outing and Will Smith this latest offering. All three films have paired up the two buddy cops in question, Will Smith and Martin Lawrence.

And so, the formerly inseparable duo of Inspector Marcus Burnett (Martin Lawrence) and Detective Lieutenant Michael 'Mike' Lowery (Will Smith) is falling apart at the seams. An aging Burnett has become a Police Inspector while Lowery, suffering a midlife crisis, is assigned to head up 'AMMO', a 'young guns' group of millennial cops with whom he has absolutely nothing in common. Both of them reunite once again when a fierce cartel mob boss, whose brother they defeated years earlier, makes a retaliation effort on Mike just as both he and Marcus are about to officially retire from the Police Force. Also starring Vanessa Hudgens, Alexander Ludwig, Charles Melton, Paola Nunez, Joe Pantoliano and DJ Khaled. You can expect car chases, explosions, lots of gun play, close quarter hand to hand combat, more explosions, scantily clad girls and a thumping soundtrack - everything that should appeal to your average sixteen year old male moviegoer. Enjoy the ride!

'DOLITTLE' (Rated PG) - is an American fantasy adventure film based on the the character of Doctor Dolittle created by Hugh Lofting, and chiefly in his 1922 book 'The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle' - the second book in a series of fifteen published between 1920 and 1952. This film is Directed and written for the screen by Stephen Gaghan who previously Directed 'Abandon' in 2002, 'Syriana' in 2005 and 'Gold' in 2016. Following his wife’s death seven years ago, the eccentric John Dolittle (Robert Downey Jnr.), the famed doctor and veterinarian of Victorian England, hermits himself away behind the high walls of Dolittle Manor with only his menagerie of animals for friendship. However, when Queen Victoria (Jessie Buckley) falls seriously ill, a reluctant Dolittle is forced to set sail on an epic adventure to a mythical island in search of a cure, in the process rediscovering his wit and bravery as he crosses old adversaries, encounters wondrous creatures and comes across new worlds. Also starring Harry Collett, Antonio Banderas, Michael Sheen and Jim Broadbent in live action roles, and lending their voice talents to a myriad of talking animals is the ensemble cast of Emma Thompson, Rami Malek, John Cena, Tom Holland, Octavia Spencer, Ralph Fiennes, Selena Gomez, Marion Cottillard, Carmen Ejogo and Frances de la Tour. The film is released Stateside this week too, and cost US$175M to bring to the big screen. There have been several big screen adaptations of this beloved character over the years, most notably in 1967's 'Doctor Dolittle' starring Rex Harrison, and in 1998 'Dr. Dolittle' and it's 2001 sequel 'Dr. Dolittle 2' both starring Eddie Murphy.

'BOMBSHELL' (Rated M) - this American biographical drama film is Directed by Jay Roach whose previous Directorial credits take in 'Blown Away', the three 'Austin Powers' instalments, 'Mystery, Alaska', 'Meet the Parents', 'Meet the Fockers', 'Dinner for Schmucks', 'The Campaign' and 'Trumbo' more recently. Here, the film centres upon the female Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly (Charlize Theron), and journalist and television commentator Gretchen Carlson (Nicole Kidman) in Manhattan and their sexual harassment allegations on 6th July 2016 against the founder of Fox News Roger Ailes (John Lithgow). Also starring Margot Robbie, Allison Janney, Mark Duplass, Malcolm McDowell, Kate McKinnon and Connie Britton. The film was released in the US in mid-December, has received generally positive Reviews, and has so far grossed US$30M from its US$32M production budget. Roger Ailes died on 18th May 2017 after being fired in July 2016 for engaging in multiple sexual harassment cases with 23 known victims and becoming an adviser to the Donald Trump Presidential campaign, where he assisted with debate preparation.

'MEETING GORBACHEV' (Rated G) - this 2018 biographical documentary film is Directed by the German Actor, Film and Opera Director, Screenwriter and Author Werner Herzog and the British documentary film-maker Andre Singer about the life of Mikhail Gorbachev, the eighth and last leader of the Soviet Union. The film features three interviews between Herzog and Gorbachev, conducted over the span of six months, discussing his many achievements including the talks to reduce nuclear weapons, the reunification of Germany and the dissolution of his country. It saw its World Premiere screening at the Telluride Film Festival in early September 2018 and then its further showing at TIFF ten days later. Only now does it get a limited release in Australia, having garnered generally average Reviews and a Box Office haul so far of just US$252K.

'GO!' (Rated PG) - this Australian sports and coming of age story is Directed by Owen Trevor in first feature film outing having Directed various short films and 26 episodes of televisions famed 'Top Gear' from 2008 through 2012. This teen focused story is set in world of go-karting and follows Jack (William Lodder), a fourteen year old lad who moves with his mother (Frances O’Connor) to a small town in Western Australia. Jack, despite not having his driver’s licence, has a tendency to take his mother’s car and spin doughnuts in nearby vacant carparks. Then one day when he’s invited to a birthday party at the local go kart track, he discovers his appetite for speed and his new found calling in life. His natural talent is noticed by Patrick (Richard Roxburgh), the owner of the track and a former racer. But Patrick has to teach Jack to control his recklessness if the teen has any chance of winning the national championships, and defeating arrogant rival Dean (Cooper Van Grootel).

With five 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-