IT : CHAPTER TWO - Tuesday 10th September 2019.

'IT : CHAPTER TWO' is Rated MA15+  and here it is - the sequel to the hugely popular and successful 'IT' supernatural horror film of 2017 based on the 1986 Stephen King novel of the same name, which I saw earlier this week. That first instalment raked in US$701M at the global Box Office off the back of a production budget of US$35M making it the highest-grossing R-Rated horror film of all-time, the highest-grossing horror film internationally and the highest-grossing horror film of all time. The film also received positive reviews, with many Critics calling it one of the best Stephen King adaptations, and along the way it picked up eight award wins and a further 43 nominations from around the awards and festival circuit. This film saw its Premier screening in Los Angeles at the end of August, and went on general release in the US and here in Australia last week. Off the back of a Production Budget of circa US$70M, the film has so far grossed US$221M and has generated for the most part positive Press. Both instalments have been Directed by Argentinian Andy Muschietti.

It is 2016 and we open up at the Derry Carnival at night, with fair ground rides, side stalls and attractions aplenty to occupy anyone and everyone. At the carnival we are introduced to Adrian Mellon (Xavier Dolan) and his boyfriend Don Hagarty (Taylor Frey) who are attacked by a group of homophobic youths on their way home. Beating the pair up on the street out of view from the general public, the youths man handle a semi-conscious Mellon over a bridge and into the fast flowing river below. Hagarty, distraught, gives chase to his struggling boyfriend only to see him rescued from the river by Pennywise, who in turn kills him. Hagarty looks on helpless and horrified from the opposite riverbank. And so, twenty-seven years after the Losers Club defeated Pennywise the Clown (Bill Skarsgard), IT returns to terrorise the town of Derry, Maine once again. Later that same night Mike Hanlon (Isaiah Mustafa) overhears the incident on a Police scanner of a dismembered body found down by the riverbank, and rushes to the scene.

Mike quickly realises that 'IT' has returned. He calls the other members of the Losers Club who have now all gone their separate and independent ways and have carved out successful careers for themselves away from Derry, all except Mike who has remained in Derry throughout all the passing years. He calls Bill Denbrough (James McAvoy) now a successful mystery thriller writer based in LA and married to a famous Actress; Richie Tozier (Bill Hader) now a successful stand-up comedian also based in LA; Ben Hanscom (Jay Ryan) now a successful architect living in Nebraska and having slimmed down and toned up from the fat kid that he was; Eddie Kaspbrak (James Ransone) who is now a successful risk assessor working for a major firm in New York City; Stanley Uris (Andy Bean) who is now a successful accountant working in Atlanta; and Beverly Marsh (Jessica Chastain) who has become a successful fashion designer working in Chicago. They all take Mike's call, although need prompting to remember who Mike is as most are forgetful about their childhoods and disturbed by the calls, but agree to return given that they all swore a blood oath to reunite in Derry if Pennywise ever resurfaced. Stan, however, commits suicide after his call by slashing his wrists while taking a bath at home. Without knowing of Stanley's recent death, the Losers reunite at a local Chinese restaurant in Derry and slowly begin to remember their past over a few beers and a meal together, but then become terrified by a relentless onslaught of disturbing visions and horrific taunts implanted in their sub-conscious but seemingly very real, created by IT.

Once outside the restaurant after the horrifying visions have subsided, Beverly tries to connect with Stanley only to reach his distraught wife who informs her that he committed suicide. Richie and Eddie have already seen and heard enough, and decide to leave while Mike reveals to Bill that he met with a Native American tribe who showed him a vision of IT arriving to Earth from the stars decades ago, and informed him of the 'Ritual of Chud', the means to destroy IT forever. Bill and Mike are able to convince Richie and Eddie to stay and finish what was started. Henry Bowers (Teach Grant), having survived his apparent death, had been confined to a mental hospital for killing his father and two friends back in 1989, and with the help of IT, he escapes, intent of seeing off the Losers Club finally, one by one.

For the Ritual of Chud to be successful, each Loser must find an artifact of some personal significance from their past. Beverly goes to her old home and finds the love letter Ben wrote for her, though she still believes Bill wrote it. A Mrs. Kersh (Joan Gregson) now lives there - a seemingly sweet and gentle old lady who invites Beverly in for a nice cup of tea, but minutes later it turns out that Mrs. Kersh is anything but, as an insidious monster manifests itself and rampages through the house attacking Beverly who hallucinates other visions of Pennywise before finally escaping.

Bill meanwhile comes across a second hand shop where in the window is his old bike from when he was a kid. He goes into the store and is greeted by the shop keeper played in cameo by Stephen King who sells Bill back his bike for US$300 - steep, but as a successful author he knows that he can afford it. Bill then cycles back to his former house and goes to the storm drain where his younger brother Georgie (Jackson Robert Scott) was killed in October 1988 and recovers his paper boat before meeting a boy named Dean (Luke Roessler), who tells Bill that he lives in Bill's old house and often hears voices coming up through the drain in the bath. 

Ben goes to the town's high school and finds his old yearbook page, which Beverly was the only person to sign. Eddie goes to a pharmacy and recovers an inhaler. Richie goes to an abandoned arcade where he finds a game token, but afterwards is confronted in the town's park by Pennywise whose taunts him with threats to reveal his dirty little secret to the world. After all have managed to evade individual encounters with IT, the Losers use a shower cap retrieved from their secret forest childhood clubhouse for Stan, and Mike finds the rock that started their fight against the Bowers gang all those years ago.

Back at the guesthouse where all but Mike are staying, Bill and Beverly share a kiss before a skateboard caked in blood and with a message written on the underside comes rolling down the staircase. Bill recognises the board from his earlier encounter with young Dean, and realises that IT is going after Dean, and chases him to the carnival in an attempt to save the boy. He sees Dean disappear into the Clown Funhouse, and into a maze of mirrors and glass panels. There he comes across Dean but on the other side of a glass panel and therefore out of reach, as Pennywise appears on the other side of Dean, also separated by a glass panel. Pennywise repeatedly slams his head against the glass panel so cracking it and so giving him access to the boy, who then devours him. 

Traumatised by his failure to save both Georgie and Dean, he returns to the run down abandoned house at 29, Neibolt Street, to murder IT alone. Bowers attacks and wounds Eddie by stabbing him in the face with his knife, but survives and in turn pulls the knife from his severely bloodied cheek and stabs Bowers in the chest. Mike is at the library waiting for the other Losers to rendezvous with him there, and is attacked by Bowers but is killed by Richie arriving just in time. The rest of the Losers depart for the Neibolt house to aid Bill, as they had always vowed to stick together to thwart IT.

Once inside the house, it is seen to have fallen further into a state of disrepair and seemingly horrors awaiting at every turn and in every decrepit room. After confronting various horrors all conjured up by IT, the group descends into an extensive cavern buried deep beneath the house and through the sewers in order to complete the Ritual. 

In forming a circle, holding hands and repeating a chant directed by Mike, the group seem to have early success, until IT reveals that he is able to withstand the Ritual, unaffected. IT takes on a giant, spider-like form with Pennywise's head, and pressures Mike into revealing to the Losers that the Natives who attempted the Ritual in the past all died in the process. 

The Losers are then all individually thrown into nightmarish scenarios that they must endure, but from which they all manage to escape from before arriving back inside the cavern from whence they came. Richie is hypnotised and elevated by IT's hypnotic 'deadlight' eyes and is about to be killed, but Eddie comes to his rescue and is immediately impaled by IT's razor sharp spider legs in the process. 

The Losers regroup and come to the realisation that IT can be killed if they stand up to IT, face their fears, show IT that they are no longer afraid and make IT feel smaller than he actually is. They surround and berate IT repeatedly with a barrage of insults making IT shrink physically and weaken mentally until they are able to tear out IT's heart and crush it so extinguishing all life from IT. At this point, the cavern begins to implode and Eddie dies from his injuries despite Richie's attempts to save him. The remaining group now need to race against time to exit the rapidly crumbling cavern and get back to the surface before it all comes crashing down around them and on top of them. They do so just about, and exit through the front door of 29, Neibolt Street, before the house collapses in on itself in a heap of old timbers and dust. 

The remaining Losers return to the quarry where they once swam together and jump in from the cliff top high above the lake to wash off the dust, the dirt, debris and blood. Sometime later, the Losers all individually receive posthumous letters from Stanley, detailing that he thought he would've held them back, but knew they could defeat IT if they were brave enough without him. Mike is seen to be packing up his belongings into his car as he decides to move out of Derry to start a new life.

Also starring as their younger selves are Jaeden Martell (aka Jaeden Lieberher) as the younger Bill,  Sophia Lillis as the younger Beverly, Jeremy Ray Taylor as the younger Ben, Finn Wolfhard as younger Richie, Chosen Jacobs as younger Mike, Jack Dylan Grazer as younger Eddie and Wyatt Oleff as younger Stanley. All those portraying their younger selves reprise their roles from the first film.

I did enjoy 'IT : Chapter Two', but not quite as much as Chapter One and felt that it meandered somewhat and at a running time of two hours and 49 minutes could have done with  little more scrutiny in the editing suite I thought. That said, Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise remains as menacing and as devilishly dastardly as he did in the first instalment, and the now adult members of the Losers Club are well cast and seem to share a nervous chemistry that just heightens their on-screen presence, interspersed with flashbacks to their younger selves that serves to recapture the essence of the first film. Director Andy Muschietti doesn't hold back on the gore, the monster effects, and the horror scares that you can see coming from a mile away but still deliver the necessary jolt to maintain the interest throughout. Certainly worth the price of your movie ticket to see the conclusion to the story that comes full circle, albeit a little too long, melodramatic at times and just a tad predictable in places.

'IT : Chapter Two' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

MOLLY'S GAME : Tuesday 6th February 2018.

'MOLLY'S GAME' which I saw on Tuesday evening this week is Written and Directed, in his fimmmkaing debut, by Aaron Sorkin, who has here based his first film on the memoir 'Molly's Game: From Hollywood's Elite to Wall Street's Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker' by Molly Bloom. The Molly Bloom in question here is a former American poker entrepreneur who in April 2013 was charged with running a high-stakes poker game that originated in the Viper Room in Los Angeles and attracted wealthy individuals and business tycoons, sports figures, Hollywood celebrities including Tobey Maguire, Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio and Macauley Caulkin amongst others, and the Russian Mob. She was cleared of many charges and sentenced in 2014 to one year of probation, a $1,000 fine, and 200 hours of community service. The film Premiered at TIFF back in early September last year, and went on release in the US on Christmas Day 2017 and has received much critical acclaim for Sorkin's screenplay and the performances of its principal cast. Costing US$30M to make, the film has so far grossed US$50M, has received much positive press, and has garnered so far three wins and 33 other nominations, some which are still at the decision pending stage including the Academy Award and BAFTA nod for Best Adapted Screenplay. Aaron Sorkin's other big screen writing credits include 'A Few Good Men', 'The American President', 'Charlie Wilson's War', 'The Social Network' (for which he won an Academy Award), 'Moneyball' and 'Steve Jobs', as well a television's highly successful 'The West Wing' series amongst others.

And so based on a true story, this crime drama stars Jessica Chastain as Molly Bloom, a world class moguls skier who while qualifying for the 2002 Winter Olympic Games suffers a serious injury so ending her Olympic aspirations. Licking her rounds and instead of moving to law school as was her original plan, she moves to Los Angeles and gets a job as a bottle service waitress at a night club. She's making an OK wage plus tips, and in time meets Dean (Jeremy Strong) who runs an unsuccessful real estate business by day, but a hugely successful underground poker game by night. At first Molly becomes his office manager and Girl Friday, running chores and needless errands, but soon he gets her involved in running his poker games, all in secret and not to tell a soul. Going in she is clueless about the game, but quickly learns the language, the hands, the stakes and the personalities involved in Dean's games which include the rich and famous, movie stars, sports players, music personalities, wealthy businessmen from whom she starts to earn big tips.

As Molly begins to ingratiate herself to the regular players so the tips become from more frequent and more sizeable. She is good at what she does and keeps everything above board, maintaining meticulous records and strong (strictly business) relationships, all the while learning the intricacies of the game and the players. The most successful of whom is Player X (Michael Cera) playing a composite of some high profile Hollywood A-List Actor types. Molly aims to keep on the right side of Player X, for he has the pulling power to attract more high wealth players to Dean's games. In time however, Dean observes that Molly is becoming more independent at managing and running the games and is making plenty of money in tips - a fact that he is secretly jealous with. And so Dean delivers Molly an ultimatum, which is not to her liking, and so Dean fires her.

Molly has made a substantial sum in tips over the years, and so is hardly destitute. Musing over her new unemployed status, she decides that she is good enough at running such poker games, has a network of players who would gladly follow her, and has the credibility to make a real go of it. And so she rents a penthouse in a hotel, hires the tables and the staff to run the games, organises the catering and a well stocked bar and begins to secretly spread the word about her high stakes poker games. Player X, along with those others from Dean's games, defect over to Molly's game, and she becomes increasingly successful amassing more money from tips. All is good, until she learns that Player X has covertly been covering the losses of an initially conservative but increasingly compulsive poker player who has lost up big in recent weeks, ultimately costing him his marriage. Molly is none too pleased with Player X's unethical behaviour and the two fall out. Player X returns to Dean's game, taking all the other players with him. Overnight, Molly has gone from hero to zero!

Molly decides upon a change of scenery and heads to New York to begin a new underground poker game with a new bunch of high net worth individuals. Again, Molly proves successful, amassing enough players to be able run multiple games every week. However, in time things begin to take their toll. Despite her apparent success Molly is unable to cover her losses, when players lose and cannot afford to pay up. Her dealer convinces her to begin taking a percentage of large pots so as to be able to recover her potential losses - a fact that she is at first reluctant to undertake, but sees the sense in it and agrees.

One of her players is arrested and convicted for running a Ponzi Scheme which in turn leads to an investigation into Molly's poker games and who the other players involved were/are. At about this time, the pressure is mounting and Molly takes to drugs and alcohol to settle her nerves and ease the stress. Another player, Douglas Downey (Chris O'Dowd) who is infatuated with Molly, introduces wealthy individuals from the Russian Mafia to her game, although Molly is unaware of their mob connections. At the same time Molly is approached by the Italian Mafia who offer to coerce money from players who have racked up debts with Molly, but she politely declines. A few days later at the start of the two week Christmas break period, Molly is attacked in her apartment where she is held at gunpoint, badly beaten, robbed of her cash and jewels and her mother threatened with her life.

Having nursed her wounds and remained holed up in her apartment for two weeks over the Christmas break gradually healing, Molly is ready to return to her poker games. A phone call comes through from Downey in a panic warning her that the FBI is about to descend upon her, as a result of his informing on her. All of her assets are seized and she returns home to live with her mother Charlene (Claire Rankin).

Two years later, and Molly has published her book recounting her story, her rise, her downfall and naming a number of names associated with her games. In the meantime, Molly is arrested by the FBI together with thirty or so others as part of a money laundering scheme and illegal sports gambling operation in cahoots with the Mafia. She seeks out the support of Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba) a high profile and very expensive New York lawyer who is reluctant at first to take her case. He however, agrees to help her after learning that she has over US$2M in unclaimed gambling debts and after reading her book which indicates to him that there is insufficient evidence pointing to criminal activity or wrongdoing to warrant a prison sentence.

While this is going on and the trial is awaited, Molly's estranged father Larry (Kevin Costner) who is a noted clinical psychologist, seeks out Molly having read about, and heard about her case in the news, in an attempt to reconcile with his only daughter. He admits that he was over bearing, domineering and demanding of her as a child, but that it was out of love and wanting the best for her in life. However, Larry has a skeleton in his cupboard that only Molly knew about, albeit subconsciously, and this is why he treated her differently to his two older sons who have both gone on to carve out very successful careers for themselves.

Bloom was looking down the barrel of a maximum penalty of ten years in prison, and a US$1.5M fine. On the day of the court hearing, Molly pleads guilty to a lesser charge for her involvement in the operation and was sentenced to a years probation, a US$1,000 fine, and 200 hours of community service much to her and Larrry's surprise, with the Judge practically dismissing the case on the grounds that there was little evidence to demonstrate any real criminal activity.

'Molly's Game' is a solid Directorial debut for Sorkin and has all his usual trademarks of rapid fire dialogue; sports, celebrities and underworld dealings; a strong female protagonist in Chastain and an equally strong support from Idris Elba. The film runs long at 140 minutes, but it moves along at a good pace and seldom leaves you wanting. You do however, need to pay attention as the film darts back and forth from the present day back to Molly's early childhood years learning to perfect her skiing moves under her ever present, demanding and relentless father, and her rebellious teenage years that influenced what she was to become. Then there is the language of the game itself and the images that flick up on the screen of winning hand combinations; then not to forget the confident quick paced dialogue delivered by lawyer Charlie Jaffey in conversation with Molly or defending her case to the Prosecutor's or plea bargaining; and then finally the back to front nature by which the film plays out which we see in flashbacks. The film is entertaining enough and well worth the price of your ticket entry for Chastain's performance alone if nothing else, and to see her sparring with Idris Elba, but in between the moments of razor sharp quickly delivered narrative and exposition, and the action of the poker table and its myriad of players, the film does drag its heels somewhat which elevates the film to the ranks of top card game movies, but doesn't surpass them.

-Steve, at Odeon Online- 

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 1st February 2018.

You may have noticed that I was missing in action these past few weeks. Well, yes I was, holidaying in South-East Asia to be exact and more specifically in Laos and Thailand, but now I have returned to all things cinematic with my first update since early in January. In the meantime, though, what have I missed? In terms of cinematic offerings 'All The Money In The World', 'The Darkest Hour', 'The Shape Of Water', 'I, Tonya', 'The Post' and 'Sweet Country' to name but a few. As these are still doing the rounds on general release, watch out for my future Reviews here at Odeon Online as I catch up.

Also Awards Season continued with the Golden Globe Awards, the International AACTA Awards and the Screen Actors Guild Awards all occurring in my overseas absence. In summary here is an abridged list of those winners & grinners in case you missed it.

International AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards - 5th January 2018 presented by Daniel MacPherson from The Avalon, Hollywood, Los Angeles.
* 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' - Winner, Best Screenplay to Martin McDonagh, Best Film and Best Supporting Actor to Sam Rockwell.
* 'I, Tonya' - Winner, Best Actress to Margot Robbie and Best Supporting Actress to Alison Janney.
* 'The Darkest Hour' - Winner, Best Actor to Gary Oldman.
* 'Dunkirk' - Winner, Best Director to Christopher Nolan.

Golden Globe Awards - 7th January 2018 presented by Seth Meyers from the Beverly Hilton Hotel, Beverly Hills.
* 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' - Winner, Best Actress to Frances McDormand, Best Supporting Actor to Sam Rockwell, Best Drama Film, and Best Screenplay to Martin McDonagh.
* 'Lady Bird' - Winner, Best Musical of Comedy Film, and Best Actress to Saoirse Ronan.
* 'The Darkest Hour' - Winner, Best Actor to Gary Oldman.
* 'The Disaster Artist' - Winner, Best Actor to James Franco.
* 'I, Tonya' - Winner, Best Supporting Actress to Alison Janney.
* 'The Shape of Water' - Winner, Best Director to Guillermo del Toro and Best Original Score to Alexandre Desplat.
* 'Coco' - Winner, Best Animated Feature.
* 'In The Fade' - Winner, Best Foreign Language Film.

Screen Actors Guild Awards - 21st January 2018 presented by Kristen Bell from the Shrine Auditorium, Los Angeles.
* 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' - Winner, Best Actress to Frances McDormand, Best Supporting Actor to Sam Rockwell and, Outstanding Performance by a Cast.
* 'The Darkest Hour' - Winner, Best Actor to Gary Oldman.
* 'I, Tonya' - Winner, Best Supporting Actress to Alison Janney.
* 'Wonder Woman' - Winner, Best Performance by a Stunt Ensemble.
* Life Time Achievement Award - Winner, Morgan Freeman.

This week we launch with a true story based around the world of high stakes poker, and one particular lady who runs underground tournaments but ultimately gets in way deeper than she ever could have imagined, and then we turn to a 1950's London era high profile fashion designer and how his overbearing and controlling quirks, foibles and routines ultimately succumb to the love of a (perhaps not so) good woman. Next up is an LA based crime drama heist action offering of cat & mouse as the good cops go after the renegade bad dudes intent own robbing the Federal Reserve amidst explosions aplenty, a hail of bullets, close quarter combat and lots of effing and blinding; before wrapping up with a complete change of pace in the form of a documentary from the National Geographic people about one woman's efforts spanning six decades to learn more about our nearest relative from the animal kingdom.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the four latest release films 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 here warmly invited 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 experience during the week ahead.

'MOLLY'S GAME' (Rated M) - Written and Directed in his fimmmkaing debut, Aaron Sorkin, has here based his first film on the memoir 'Molly's Game: From Hollywood's Elite to Wall Street's Billionaire Boys Club, My High-Stakes Adventure in the World of Underground Poker' by Molly Bloom. The Molly Bloom in question here is a former American poker entrepreneur who in April 2013 was charged with running a high-stakes poker game that originated in the Viper Room in Los Angeles and attracted wealthy individuals and business tycoons, sports figures, Hollywood celebrities including Tobey Maguire, Ben Affleck, Leonardo DiCaprio and Macauley Caulkin amongst others, and the Russian Mob. She was cleared of many charges and sentenced in 2014 to one year of probation, a $1,000 fine, and 200 hours of community service. The film Premiered at TIFF back in early September last year, and went on release in the US on Christmas Day 2017 and has received much critical acclaim for Sorkin's screenplay and the performances of its principal cast. Costing US$30M to make, the film has so far grossed US$46M, has received much positive press, and has garnered so far three wins and 33 other nominations, some which are still at the decision pending stage including the Academy Award and BAFTA nod for Best Adapted Screenplay.

And so based on a true story, this crime drama stars Jessica Chastain as Molly Bloom, a world class moguls skier who while qualifying for the 2002 Winter Olympic Game suffers a serious injury so ending her Olympic aspirations. Licking her rounds and instead of moving to law school as was her original plan, she moves to Los Angeles and in time she become involved in the running of underground high stakes poker games for the world of the rich and famous, where she makes plenty of money in tips. Fast forward and with her accumulated knowledge of the game of poker and the network of high profile connections made, Molly goes it alone and proves to be very successful at her new found vocation in life. When things go south for Molly in LA she heads to New York to start afresh, and there too she proves successful, attracting the interests in the Russian Mob. At this point the FBI begin sniffing around into her affairs culminating in them shutting down her operations. She enlists the help of high profile and highly priced lawyer Charlie Jaffey (Idris Elba) to help clear her name, while at the same time penning her memoir. Kevin Costner, Michael Cera and Chris O'Dowd also star.

'PHANTOM THREAD' (Rated M) - this historical drama film set in the world of the 1950's London high fashion scene was Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Paul Thomas Anderson and stars Daniel Day-Lewis in reportedly his last film role after announcing his retirement last year. Day-Lewis is Reynolds Woodcock, a renowned fashion designer famed for creating garments and dresses for members of the high society. He is controlling and obsessive in his nature and a creature of habit and routine. His business partner is his sister Cyril Woodcock (Lesley Manville) who manages his affairs, directs the day to day operations and who exerts enormous influence over his life. Until Reynolds falls for waitress Alma Elson (Vicky Krieps) and in time she moves in with him acting as his muse, assistant and lover. This angers Cyril initially, but she comes around as Alma wins her over. The couple bicker and fight almost constantly because of her perceived failings under Reynold's controlling and demanding regime, but ultimately love conquers all, and despite the differences and the challenges that lie ahead their devout love for one another will overcome the most difficult hurdles. Made for US$35M the film has so far grossed US$11M, has received high Critical praise and has garnered to date 26 award wins and another 69 nominations including six Academy Award and four BAFTA nominations yet to be announced. 

'DEN ON THIEVES' (Rated MA15+) - Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Christian Gudegast, this American action heist drama film was released Stateside in mid-January and has so far taken US$33M from its US$30M Budget outlay, and is the recipient of generally mixed Reviews. The story here follows Nick O'Brien (Gerard Butler) a hard-drinking leader of the 'Regulators', an elite unit of the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department. Ray Merrimen (Pablo Schreiber) an ex-Marine and recently paroled leader of the 'Outlaws', a gang of former military men who use their expertise and tactical skills to evade the law. O'Brien and Merrimen have history together and its not all good, with the former investigating the latter for months and the latter holding a grudge against the former for killing one of his crew. O'Brien, Merrimen and their respective teams soon find themselves on a direct collision course in a classic and perhaps predictable game of cat & mouse as the criminals hatch a scheme for a seemingly impossible heist, on the city's Federal Reserve Bank. The film also stars O'Shea Jackson Jnr. and 50 Cent.

'JANE' (Rated Exempt) - this American Biographical Documentary film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Brett Morgan and saw its World Premiered at TIFF in September last year. Telling the story of Jane Goodall, a British primatologist, ethologist, anthropologist, and UN Messenger of Peace. She is considered to be the world's foremost expert on chimpanzees, and is best known for her 55+ year study of social and family interactions of wild chimpanzees since she first went to Gombe Stream National Park, Tanzania in 1960. She is the founder of the Jane Goodall Institute, and she has worked extensively on conservation and animal welfare matters. She has served on the board of the Nonhuman Rights Project since its founding in 1996. This film, taken from over one hundred hours of never before seen footage that had been buried in the National Geographic archives for over fifty years, charts the young Jane Goodall, untrained, but steadfast in her beliefs that challenge the male dominated scientific views of the time with her chimpanzee research that ultimately revolutionises peoples understanding of the natural world in which we live. Critically acclaimed the film has so far picked up 23 award wins and another 23 nominations, and goes on release at limited screens around Australia this week.

With four 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 cinephiles afterwards here at Odeon Online, and meanwhile, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 2nd March 2017.

The 89th annual Academy Awards were held on Sunday evening 26th February 2017 at the Dolby Theatre in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California hosted for the first time by Television Personality Jimmy Kimmel. Awards were presented in 24 categories in front of a global audience of several hundred million viewers, with the who's who of film and television talent announcing the winners on the night including Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, Halle Berry, Mark Rylance, Leonardo DiCaprio, Brie Larson, Alicia Vikander, Javier Bardem, Amy Adams, Seth Rogen, Michael J. Fox, Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Charlize Theron, Samuel L. Jackson, Warren Beatty, and Faye Dunaway. The night was not without incident, which will go down in Oscar history, when the wrong Best Picture Winner was announced after the Producers of 'La La Land' were into their acceptance speeches and had to hand their golden statues to the Producers of 'Moonlight' as the rightful recipient of this most prestigious and coveted award. All that aside, the usual glitz and glamour was on show for all the world to see on this Hollywood Night of Nights, which yielded the following list of winners & grinners in the main categories:-

* Best Picture : 'Moonlight' (eventually!)
* Best Director : Damien Chazelle for 'La La Land'
* Best Animated Feature Film : 'Zootopia'.
* Best Foreign Language Film : 'The Salesman' (from Iran)
* Best Actor : Casey Affleck for 'Manchester by the Sea'
* Best Actress : Emma Stone for 'La La Land'
* Best Supporting Actor : Mahershala Ali for 'Moonlight'
* Best Supporting Actress : Viola Davis for 'Fences'
* Best Original Screenplay :  'Manchester by the Sea' by Kenneth Lonergan
* Best Adapted Screenplay : 'Moonlight' by Barry Jenkins
* Best Original Score : 'La La Land'
* Best Original Song : 'La La Land' - 'City of Stars'
* Best Visual Effects : 'The Jungle Book'.

All up 'La La Land' took out six Oscars out of the fourteen it was nominated for, with Best Cinematography and Best Production Design in addition to those four mentioned above; 'Moonlight' took out three; 'Manchester by the Sea' and 'Hacksaw Ridge' each took out two, with the latter picking up Best Editing and Best Sound Mixing gongs.

This week there are five new release films kicking off with an ageing ailing Superhero action offering that sees a popular mutant character bow out for the last time, together with his mentor, but he won't go down without a fight! Then we turn to an Australian period piece coming of age drama set in remote Western Australia and based on  much loved book; then a modern political intrigue thriller set in the corridors of power in Washington D.C.; followed by a WWII couple trying to turn the tide against Hitler's onslaught by writing postcards, and wrapping up with Groundhog Day revisited for this student who has a few things to work out.

Remember too that you are cordially invited to record your own relevant and constructive movie going thoughts and observations by leaving a Comment below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and meanwhile, enjoy your movie experience this week.

'LOGAN' (Rated MA15+) - Hugh Jackman has been playing the character of James 'Logan' Howlett aka 'Wolverine' aka 'Weapon X' for the past seventeen years and has appeared in nine 'X-Men' films including this latest release which he says will be his last outing as the titular wisecracking adamantium clawed Superhero. He first appeared in 2000's 'X-Men' and then in 2003's 'X2', then in 2006 in 'X-Men : The Last Stand'. In 2009 Logan got his first stand alone feature in 'X-Men Origins : Wolverine' and was Directed by Gavin Hood bringing in US$374M at the global Box Office. 'X-Men : First Class' followed in 2011, then 'The Wolverine' in 2013 another stand alone feature Directed by James Mangold and bringing in US$415M in worldwide receipts. 'X-Men : Days of Future Past' was released in 2014, and then 'X-Men : Apocalypse' in 2016. All up those first eight 'X-Men' films in which Wolverine/Logan has appeared have generated US$3.6B at the Box Office from a budget outlay of US$1.2B. Now 'Logan' is back in his final instalment (allegedly) and is once again Directed by James Mangold and this time on a US$127M budget in this third stand alone offering and the tenth film in the 'X-Men' franchise. The film premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival a few weeks ago and gets its worldwide release this week. Early reports have been very positive, with some saying it is the best 'X-Men' film to date.

Set in a near future world where the mutant population is dwindling, with no new mutant births in over twenty years. With it Professor X's (Patrick Stewart) dreams of a brave new world featuring a new stage of mutant evolution have slowly died. Logan (Hugh Jackman) has settled into a life as a limo driver somewhere on the Mexican border and scrapes together a meagre living while hustling medication for an increasingly infirm and ageing Professor X whom he cares for in a ram shackle home shared with Caliban (Stephen Merchant) who looks after and attends to the ailing Professor whose telepathic powers have now become unstable with his advancing years. Logan too is ageing and his powers aren't what they used to be. Logan's efforts at lying low and trying to escape his legacy are thwarted with the sudden arrival of mystery woman Gabriella (Elizabeth Rodriguez) who seeks his help for Laura Kinney (Dafne Keen) a young eleven year old girl with powers very similar to Logan's own - after all, she is a female clone created from his blood. Dark forces are hot in pursuit of young Laura and so Logan is drawn back into the centre of the action as he seeks to protect the young girl despite his failing abilities. Richard E. Grant and Boyd Holbrook also star.

'JASPER JONES' (Rated M) - based on the 2009 book of the same name by author Craig Silvey, this Australian drama film was made for AU$5.5M, is Directed by Rachel Perkins, and stars a line up of fine Aussie acting talent. Set in the mid 1960's in a remote Western Australian mining town, Charlie Butkin (Levi Miller) a bookish early teenage lad is visited unexpectedly on Christmas evening by Jasper Jones (Aaron L. McGrath) - a mixed white/Aboriginal rebellious outcast in the community who pleads with Charlie for his help. Jasper leads Charlie to a clearing in the bush where hanging from a tree, very dead and battered is Jaspers girlfriend. With Jasper fully aware that he is likely to be blamed for the girls death, he plans a cover up with Charlie. What ensues over the following week is an investigation, finger pointing, speculation and suspicion that will consume the whole community. Meanwhile, Charlie's coming of age story involves him facing up to the tragedy of his family break-up, him meeting his first true love and what it means to be really courageous. Also starring Toni Collette, Hugo Weaving, Matt Nable, Angourie Rice and Dan Wyllie.

'MISS SLOANE' (Rated M) - this political thriller set in Washington D.C. is Directed by John Madden, cost US$13M to make, was released Stateside in late November last year and has received generally positive Reviews and garnered its lead actress, Jessica Chastain, a Golden Globe nomination. Set amidst the power play of political activists, Elizabeth Sloane (Chastain) is revered as a political lobbyist without equal, who always wins and is known for her cunning and her never say die attitude. However, when she is confronted by the most powerful political opponent of her career, she comes to realise that perhaps there is more to life than winning. Also starring John Lithgow, Mark Strong, Sam Waterston and Gugu Mbatha-Raw.

'ALONE IN BERLIN' (Rated M) - this WWII fictionalised drama is based on the 1947 novel of the same name by Hans Fallada which is based on real life couple Otto and Elise Hempel, is Directed by Vincent Perez and Premiered at the February 2016 Berlin International Film Festival and began its staggered worldwide release in Germany in September last year, eventually arriving Down Under this week. Telling the story of Otto and Anna Quangel (Brendan Gleeson and Emma Thompson respectively) who upon learning of the death of their only son, begin their personal quest to undermine the Nazi's and Adolf Hitler. The couple start writing postcards with messages urging people to stand and protest against Hitler and his Nazi's, and then placing the cards in prominent places where they will attract the most attention. Police Inspector Escherich (Daniel Bruhl) is tasked with finding the originator of the postcards, and seeing that justice is served as only the Gestapo know how to serve it.

'BEFORE I FALL' (Rated M) - based on the 2010 book of the same name by Lauren Oliver, this drama film is Directed by Ry Russo-Young and surrounds Samantha Kingston (Zoey Deutsch), a high school senior student who on 12th February, discovers that she may be living the last day of her life over and over and over again, until she gets it right! Knowing that you only had one day left on this mortal coil, what would you do, where would you go, who would you see, what would you say. Amidst all of these questions and others, she must unfathom the mystery surrounding her death and discover the true meaning of everything she may yet lose over the course of one inexplicable week. The film has received generally positive Reviews.

That's it for this week! Five films to tempt you out to your local movie theatre with a comic book adaptation, three book adaptations and a work of fiction  Plenty of varied choice then, and remember to share your views with your like minded cinephiles. In the meantime, I'll see you somewhere, sometime at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THE HUNTSMAN - WINTER'S WAR : Tuesday 12th April 2016.

THE HUNTSMAN : WINTER'S WAR which I saw in the week, is the sequel to the 2012 movie 'Snow White and the Huntsman' which off the back of its US$170M budget made US$397M. Directed by first timer Cedric Nicolas-Troyan who was the VFX specialist on the first film, and filmed in England, this next instalment was released in the UK on 4th April and opens in the US on 22nd April, and has so far made US$19M off its US$115M budget.

Here we see a number of characters from that earlier instalment reprising their roles including Chris Hemsworth as Eric, the Huntsman; Charlize Theron as Ravenna, the Evil Queen; Nick Frost as Nion a Dwarf; and Sam Claflin as King William. This time joined by Emily Blunt as Freya, the Ice Queen and sister of Ravenna, Rob Brydon as dwarf Gryff and half-brother of Nion, and Jessica Chastain as Sara, a warrior and wife of Eric.

As the film opens we are taken back to time before the death of Raveena at the hands of Snow White, where the Evil Queen learns from the magic mirror that her sister Freya is pregnant with a daughter, and that in time that child's beauty will outshine her own. The mirror also warns of dire repurcussions if that child is harmed in any way. Later as Freya and her lover The Duke of Blackwood plan their escape from Raveena's evil shadow, Freya learns that in fact her lover has murdered their child in its cot, and in her rage she unleashes her hitherto dormant cryokinetic power and kills the Duke. Mourning her loss and vowing to never love again, she abandons her sister and moves to the remote North and builds herself an ice palace and establishes her own kingdom that she can rule over. In time she builds an army of children that she can nurture and train to become skilled huntsman and women, and instills in them all the need to turn their back on love for fear of death by her own hand should anyone betray her wishes. In the meantime, she provides food, clothing, shelter and two particular apt children prove to be her star pupils - Eric and Sara who grow up to be Chris Hemsworth and Jessica Chastain. They fall in love as they reach adulthood much to the disdain of the Ice Queen, who unleashes her wrath on them both - killing Sara and injuring Eric and throwing him into a fast flowing icy river to be washed down stream presumed dead.

We now fast forward seven years, and Raveena is dead killed by Snow White who now rules over the kingdom. But recently Snow White has come under the spell of the magic mirror and its dark powerful force, and so a plan was hatched to remove the mirror to a forest 'Sanctuary' where its powers can be contained. Eric is tracked down by King William and two accompanying dwarves, Nion and Gryff, who recount the tale of woe to the Huntsman and state that only he can retrieve the mirror that disappeared while en route to its final destination at the Sanctuary. Upon orders from Snow White, Eric agrees that the mirror cannot be allowed to fall into the wrong hands and so the search begins with Nion and Gryff in tow, believing that Freya may be after the mirror to harness its power for her own purposes and to expand her kingdom ultimately.

Upon their journey to retrieve the mirror the trio rest up in a local hostelry where a brawl breaks out involving other Huntsmen who recognise Eric from years before when he broke the law by falling in love. As the brawl escalates outside, Eric is aided by a mystery person who fends off the other Huntsmen and they retreat on horseback. That rescuer is Sara, believed to be long dead, but not so - Eric can hardly believe his eyes, but each have a different explanation for their separation having been bewitched by Freya into thinking that Sara had been killed and Eric fled to save his own bacon - each has a conflicting memory of those events.

With Sara now joining the hunt for the magic mirror, the four fall into the hands of two female dwarves Bromwyn (Sheridan Smith) and Doreena (Alexandra Roach) who take them prisoner but agree to release them if they be allowed to join their quest and share in the spoils. They know of a place where the goblins take their valuable treasures that is close to the Sanctuary, but is heavily forested and those that venture in, never venture out. The get in easily enough but getting out is more tricky when marauding goblins descend to thwart their plan to retrieve the mirror. But of course they prevail and the mirror makes it out, covered up to hide its powers and prevent anyone gazing up on it.

The next morning, having slept in an enchanted forest glen and Eric and Sara have reconciled their differences, the group are descended upon by Freya and her army who take the mirror back to the Ice Kingdom, and in the process freeze to the spot Nion and Doreena who by now have started to get acquainted in a dwarf kinda way! Sara retreats with Freya back to the Ice Kingdom having been ordered by Freya to kill Eric - to which she promptly shoots an arrow directly into his chest.

Needless to say, our hero survives and vows to retrieve the mirror and his one true love from Freya and her Ice Kingdom. And so Eric, Gryff and Bromwyn make their way through the frozen wasteland to the mountainous Ice Kingdom, with not much of a plan, but a whole lot of determination and bravado. At the same time Freya reactivates the mirror by reading aloud the inscription along its edge so releasing Raveena who upon her death possessed herself spiritually into the mirror awaiting the day for her to be released. And so she is, having regained her form she is reunited with her sister but has designs of her own on who now should rule over the Ice Kingdom. As the sisters argue with each other over who should reign supreme and to what end, Freya learns that her sister cursed The Duke of Blackwood to kill her child. Eric, Gryff and Bromwyn are captured and at the point of Eric's execution, a number of other Huntsmen whom Eric grew up with up, turn against Raveena and Freya and attempt to kill them both. In her rage, Freya turns against her sister, and using her powers freezes the mirror, at which Eric then throws his axe so breaking the mirror into a thousand pieces and destroying Raveena's spirit. Eric and Sara are reunited, and you guessed it - live happily ever after!

In the final analysis this is everything you would expect it to be, and nothing more. The storyline is inventive enough, the casting is strong with the additions of Jessica Chastain and Emily Blunt, there is sufficient action to maintain the pace, the dwarves add just the right amount of humour along the way and in the end don't forget that this is an early 19th Century children's fairytale updated for a 21st Century audience. It's worth a look, just don't have too high an expectation.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-