What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 2nd April 2026

The 44th Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF) takes place this year from Friday 3rd April through until Saturday 18th April, in the Belgian capital city of Brussels. The BIFFF offers more than just horror movies. It is first and foremost a genre film festival that is open-minded, and offers a great deal of variety. Its programme serves up thrillers, science fiction films, fantasy films, black comedies, action films, as well as many other genres. As one of the most famous genre film festivals in the world, the BIFFF does not limit itself to screening feature films and shorts. In the course of its sixteen days, almost twenty peripheral activities will be on offer. The programme includes the famous vampire ball, the must-see make-up competition, an art exhibition, as well as many other surprising events. During the festival, you can enjoy more than a hundred features and shorts and get the opportunity to discover a truly unique audience. Thanks to the master classes held by prestigious guests, lively debates, exceptional exhibitions, and breathtaking animations, this is not merely a festival you are going to attend. It is an experience like no other! So reads the official website.

The main International Competition of the festival consists of eight to ten feature films each year. In this section you’ll find the cream of the crop in terms of recent fantastic features from around the globe. The selected films can win the grand prize of the festival, the Golden Raven, or one of two Silver Ravens, two incentive prizes for film Directors that show great potential. Those films in this main competitive category are :-

* 'Back to the Past' - from Hong Kong and China, and this action Sci-Fi film is Directed by Jack Lai and Yuen Fai Ng.

* 'Gaua' - from Spain, and this fantasy horror film is Written and Directed by Paul Urkijo Alijo.

* 'Imposters' - from the USA and this Sci-Fi psychological horror film is Written and Directed by Caleb Phillips. European Premiere.

* 'Never After Dark' - from Japan and this mystery ghost story is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Dave Boyle. European Premiere.

* 'Nirvana The Band The Show The Movie' - from Canada and this time travel Sci-Fi comedy film is Written and stars Matt Johnson and Jay McCarrol and is Directed by Matt Johnson.

* 'Saccharine' - from Australia and this crime horror thriller film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Natalie Erika James.

* 'The Home' - from the USA and this horror film is Co-Written and Directed by James DeMonaco, and stars Pete Davidson, John Glover and Bruce Altman.

* 'The Red Mask' - from the USA and this black comedy slasher film is Directed by Ritesh Gupta.

* 'Tristes Tropiques' - from South Korea and this action thriller film is Written, Produced and Directed by Hoon-jung Park.

* 'Whistle' - from Ireland and the USA and this supernatural horror mystery film is Directed by Corin Hardy and stars Dafne Keen, Nick Frost and Sophie Nelisse.

For the descriptors of the above named films, plus the full details of the the other competitive strands being showcased, together with a summary of each of the 132 films being screened over the duration of the festival, and a whole heap of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.bifff.net

Turning the focus back on this weeks five new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we launch with a comedy drama in which estranged siblings reunite after years apart, forced to confront unresolved tensions and reevaluate their strained relationships with their emotionally distant parents. Then we have a RomCom where a happily engaged couple get put to the test when an unexpected revelation sends their wedding week way off track. This is followed by a film from Iraq that tells the story of while people across 1990's Iraq struggle to survive, a nine-year old girl has been selected to prepare a cake to celebrate President Saddam Hussein's birthday. Next up is a Vietnamese horror offering where a young woman returns to her family's dyeing workshop after years of being ostracised, only to be confronted by a supernatural entity. And closing out the week we have an Aussie doco about ten young dance hopefuls who score the chance of a lifetime to audition for a London dance theatre company under the guidance of a renowned choreographer.

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

'FATHER MOTHER SISTER BROTHER' (Rated M) - is a comedy drama anthology film Written and Directed by Jim Jarmusch whose filmography takes in his feature film debut with 'Permanent Vacation' in 1980, which he would follow up with the likes of 'Stranger than Paradise' in 1984, 'Down by Law' in 1986, 'Dead Man' in 1995, 'Ghost Dog : The Way of the Samurai' in 1999, 'Broken Flowers' in 2005, 'Only Lovers Left Alive' in 2013 and 'The Dead Don't Die' in 2019. This film Premiered in the main competition at last years Venice International Film Festival at the end of August where it won the Golden Lion. It has generated mostly positive critical reviews and has so far grossed US$7.5M following its US release on Christmas Eve last year. It is released in the UK and Ireland next week.

Carefully constructed in the form of a triptych, the three stories all concern the relationships between adult children, their somewhat distant parent (or parents), and each other. Each of the three chapters takes place in the present, and each in a different country. In 'Father', siblings Emily and Jeff (Mayim Bialik and Adam Driver) make a dutiful trek to their father (Tom Waits) somewhere in rural USA, whose destitution may be an act; in 'Mother', Charlotte Rampling presides over ritual tea with daughters Lilith (Vicky Krieps) and Timothea (Cate Blanchett) in Dublin, Ireland; and in the third 'Sister Brother', Skye (Indya Moore) and Billy (Luka Sabbat) sift through the residue of their parents lives in Paris, France. Also starring Sarah Greene and Francoise Lebrun.

'THE DRAMA' (Rated MA15+) - this American RomCom is Written and Directed by Kristoffer Borgli who made his feature length film Directorial debut with 2017's 'Drib', and which he would follow up with 'Sick of Myself' in 2022 and 'Dream Scenario' in 2023. Here, a happily engaged couple - Emma Harwood (Zendaya) a bookstore clerk from Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Charlie Thompson (Robert Pattinson) a British museum Director - just days before their wedding, has their relationship shaken when one partner learns of unsettling truths about the other which sends their wedding week off the rails. The film also stars Mamoudou Athie and Alana Haim, and is released this week too in the US.

'THE PRESIDENT'S CAKE' (Rated M) - is an Iraq, Qatar and US Co-Produced drama film Written and Directed by Hasan Hadi, in his feature film making debut. Set in the 1990's, it’s 'draw day' across Iraq, when schools select students for the honour of bringing items to their mandatory local celebrations of President Saddam Hussein’s birthday. Nine-year-old Lamia (Baneen Ahmad Nayyef) lives in the historic marshes with her spirited grandmother, Bibi (Waheed Thabet Khreibat). Before school, Bibi teaches Lamia clever tricks to avoid being chosen for the president’s cake. However, when Musa (Ahmad Qasem Saywan), the authoritative teacher, calls Lamia’s name for the most challenging task - the birthday cake - she has no choice but to accept. Refusing could mean imprisonment or even death. The film had its World Premiere showing at the Directors' Fortnight section of last years Cannes Film Festival in mid-May where it won the section's Audience Award and the Camera d'Or. It had its US release in early February, has garnered widespread critical acclaim and has so far generated US$2M in Box Office receipts. 

'THE CORPSE 2' (Rated MA15+) - this Vietnamese supernatural horror film is Directed by Pom Nguyen and serves as a prequel to the 2025 film 'The Corpse' which was also Directed by Nguyen. Here, a young woman, Minh Nhur returns to her family's dye workshop after years of exile, only to confront supernatural phenomena and the brutal truth behind her mother's death and a blood pact from the past. As karma comes full circle, can Minh Nhur escape the grip of the evil that surrounds her? The film was released in its native Vietnam in mid-March and has garnered average reviews.

'DANCE FOR YOUR LIFE' (Rated PG) - is an Australian documentary film Co-Produced, Directed, photographed and Edited by Luke Cornish in only his second feature length film after 'Keep Stepping' in 2022. Here, ten young Australian dancers from Australia's leading commercial dance school - Brent Street Performing Arts School in Sydney, compete for a spot with an international dance company, traveling to London to audition for Shapehaus Dance Theatre under choreographer and Artistic Director Dean Lee. The film serves as a powerful testament to the transformative power of dance, where every leap is a story, every setback a lesson and every moment a chance to be seen. 

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 26th September 2019.

The 45th Saturn Awards as presented by the Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy and Horror Films honours the best in Science Fiction, Fantasy, Horror, and other genres belonging to genre fiction in film, television, home media releases, and local theatre productions from March 1st 2018 through to July 7th 2019, and was held on September 13th 2019, in the historic nightclub Avalon Hollywood in Hollywood, California.

'Avengers : Endgame' led the nominations for films with fourteen, followed by 'Aladdin' with nine, 'Us' with eight, 'Aquaman' and 'Mary Poppins Returns' each with six, and 'Bad Times at the El Royale' and 'A Quiet Place' each with five. Numerous others films across the qualifying genres also received four, three and two nominations also.

And so the winners and grinners from this years Saturn Awards were as follows :

* Best Comic to Film Motion Picture, awarded to 'Avengers : Endgame'

* Best Science Fiction Film, awarded to 'Ready Player One'

* Best Fantasy Film, awarded to 'Toy Story 4'

* Best Horror Film, awarded to 'A Quiet Place'

* Best Action or Adventure Film, awarded to 'Mission : Impossible - Fallout'

* Best Thriller Film, awarded to 'Bad Times at the El Royale'

* Best Animated Film, awarded to 'Spider-Man : Into the Spider-Verse'

* Best Independent Film, awarded to 'Mandy'

* Best International Film, awarded to 'Burning'

* Best Actor, awarded to Robert Downey Jnr. for Tony Stark/Iron Man in 'Avengers : Endgame'

* Best Actress, awarded to Jamie Lee Curtis for Laurie Strode in 'Halloween'

* Best Supporting Actor, awarded to Josh Brolin for Thanos in 'Avengers : Endgame'

* Best Supporting Actress, awarded to Zendaya as MJ in 'Spider-Man : Far From Home'

* Best Performance by a Young Actor, awarded to Tom Holland for Peter Parker/Spider-Man in 'Spider-Man : Far From Home'

* Best Director, awarded to Jordan Peele for 'Us'

* Best Breakout Director, awarded to Ari Aster for 'Hereditary'

* Best Writing, awarded to Bryan Woods, Scott Beck and John Krasinski for 'A Quiet Place'

* Best Production Design, awarded to Charles Wood for 'Avengers : Endgame'

* Best Editing, awarded to Jeffrey Ford and Matthew Schmidt for 'Avengers : Endgame'

* Best Make Up, awarded to John Blake and Brian Sipe for 'Avengers : Endgame'

* Best Special Effects, awarded to 'Avengers : Endgame'

* Best Costume Design, awarded to Michael Wilkinson for 'Aladdin'

* Best Music, awarded to Marc Shaiman, for 'Mary Poppins Returns'.

And so this week we have five new release movie offerings coming to your local Odeon. Kicking off with a ZomCom set in small town America where the dead rise up from their graves and go on the rampage leaving the local Police and the living to save the day from an ensemble cast of the undead and those very much alive. We then turn to a drama film surrounding a young lad whose mother is killed in a bombing incident, a stolen painting, and how both changed his life forever. Next we turn attention to a horror film set in the late '60's about a discovery of a book, whose stories contained therein start to take on a deadly and very real life of their own. With a change of pace next we have an Australian biopic of a true story of the first, and so far only, female jockey to win the famed Melbourne Cup horse race; before closing out the week with the story of a young lad from Cambodia who seeks a better life in Bangkok only to be sold as slave labour on a Thai fishing boat where violence and death are all too commonplace.

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.

'THE DEAD DON'T DIE' (Rated MA15+) - this American ZomCom is Directed and Written by Jim Jarmusch whose previous film making credits take in 1984's 'Stranger Than Paradise', 1986's 'Down by Law', 1995's 'Dead Man', 1999's 'Ghost Dog : The Way of the Samurai', 2003's 'Coffee and Cigarettes', 2005's 'Broken Flowers', 2013's 'Only Lovers Left Alive' and 2016's 'Paterson'. The film saw its World Premier screening at this years Cannes Film Festival in May where it was the opening night film and also in competition for the prestigious Palme d'Or, went on general release in the US in mid-June, has so far grossed US$14M and has received generally mixed or average Reviews so far.

With an ensemble cast that takes in Bill Murray, Adam Driver, Steve Buscemi, Tilda Swinton, Danny Glover, Caleb Landry Jones, Iggy Pop, Chloe Sevigny, Rosie Perez, Selena Gomez, Carol Kane, Tom Waits and RZA, the story centres on the sleepy small rural town of Centerville, where something is amiss. The moon hangs large and low in the sky, the hours of daylight are becoming less predictable, and animals are beginning to exhibit somewhat disturbing behaviour. News reports are scary, and scientists are concerned, but no one foresees the strangest and most dangerous repercussion that will soon start plaguing Centerville. With the dead rising from their graves and feasting on the living, the citizens must band together and wage war on the marauding undead to survive.

'THE GOLDFINCH' (Rated M) - this American drama film is Directed by the Irish theatre, television and film Director John Crowley whose previous film making credits include 'Boy A', 'Is Anybody There', 'Closed Circuit' and 'Brooklyn'. This story is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Donna Tartt, and is lensed by the acclaimed Roger Deakins. The storyline here follows Theodore Decker (Oakes Fegley) who was thirteen years old when his mother was killed in a bombing at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. Now eight years on the older Theo (Ansel Elgort) has seen this tragedy alter the course of his life, sending him on a spiralling odyssey of grief and guilt, reinvention and redemption, and even love. Through it all, he holds on to one tangible piece of hope from that terrible day - a 1654 painting by Dutch painter Carel Fabritius of a goldfinch chained to its perch, which he retrieved directly in the aftermath of the fateful bombing. Also starring Nicole Kidman, Sarah Paulson, Luke Wilson, Jeffrey Wright, Aneurin Barnard and Finn Wolfhard. The film saw its World Premier screening at TIFF earlier this month, went on general release Stateside on 13th September, cost US$45M to make, has so far recovered just over US$6M and has garnered mixed or average Reviews at best.

'SCARY STORIES TO TELL IN THE DARK' (Rated M) - this American horror film is Directed by Norwegian film maker, Producer and Screenwriter Andre Ovredal whose previous screen credits include 'Trollhunter' and 'The Autopsy of Jane Doe'. Here Guillermo del Toro is given a Co-Producer credit together with a co-credit for devising the story based up on the children's book series of the same name by Alvin Schwartz. Here, the shadow of the wealthy Bellows family has loomed large in the small town of Mill Valley, Pennsylvania for generations. It is 1968 and in a mansion that young Sarah Bellows turned her tortured life and horrible secrets into a series of scary stories. These terrifying tales soon have a way of becoming all too real for a group of unsuspecting teens who stumble upon Sarah's spooky home. Starring Zoe Colletti, Michael Garza, Gabriel Rush, Austin Zajur, Natalie Ganzhorn, Dean Norris, Gil Bellows and Javier Botet, the film was released in the US in mid-August, cost US$28M to make, has so far grossed US$93M and has generated mostly positive Press.

'RIDE LIKE A GIRL' (Rated PG) - in her first full length feature film debut here acclaimed Australian Actress Rachel Griffiths Directs and Co-Produces this true story of Michelle Payne - the first female jockey to win the famed 'race that stops a nation' - The Melbourne Cup in 2015. As a little girl, Michelle Payne dreams of the impossible, winning The Melbourne Cup — horse-racing's toughest race run over two-miles. The youngest of ten children, Michelle is raised by single father Paddy (Sam Neill) on a horse farm near Ballarat in Victoria. She leaves school at fifteen to become a jockey (like eight of her other siblings) and after early failures she finds her feet, but a family tragedy, followed by her own near fatal horse fall all but bring a premature end to her dream. But with the love of her dad and her brother Stevie (played by her real life brother Stevie Payne who has Down Syndrome), Michelle (Teresa Palmer) is determined not to give up. Against staunch medical advice, and the protests of her siblings, she rides on, and meets the Prince of Penzance - the horse she would ultimately ride to victory. Together they overcome impossible odds for a shot at her dream - to ride in the 2015 Melbourne Cup, at odds of 100 to one. Also starring Magda Szubanski, Mick Molloy, Aaron Glenane, Sophia Forrest and Sullivan Stapleton.

'BUOYANCY' (Rated M) - Directed by Aussie Rodd Rathjen in his first feature length film outing following a number of largely successful short films, his film here spoken in Khmer and Thai won the Panorama Prize by Berlinale's Ecumenical Jury. Telling the story of fourteen year old Chakra (Sarm Heng in his first film appearance) who leaves the heavy toiling in the Cambodian rice paddies to go in search of factory work in Bangkok. After paying smugglers to ferry him over the border, the boy is instead traded to a seafood trawler as a slave where the violence and murder meted out on his fellow captors is a routine occurrence, all under the watch of ruthless and sadistic captain Rom Ran (Thanawut Kasro). Chakra learns to grow up very quickly and soon realises that his only bid for freedom may mean becoming as violent as his captors. The film has been lauded for it gripping portrayal of the South East Asian fishing industry punishing reality, and the nuanced performance of its first timer lead in youngster Sarm Heng.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Monday 26th December 2016.

It's been another year of movie Reviews, Previews, Birthday Tributes and sadly a few obituaries along the way. In the last twelve months I have Posted 62 Reviews of the films I have seen at the Odeon, and I have Previewed 218 new release films to give you the inside word on what's hot (and perhaps what's not!) and coming to a movie theatre near you. I thank-you for you ongoing support of this humble little movie Blog that in recent weeks has seen my all time visits surpass 51,000 as our global reach expands. And so with a slew of new release films coming your way this week and in the weeks and months ahead, 2017 promises to be more of the same, but different! Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year, and I look forward to seeing you in 2017 at the movies and at this Blog. Happy New Year!

Turning to the week ahead, we have seven new release films to tease you out to you local multiplex. Kicking off with a WWII drama of a derring do intelligence officer teaming up with a French Resistance fighter in more ways than one; then a modern day take on the song and dance musicals of yesteryear that is already generating Oscar buzz; and then a bio-pic of influential musical talents of the '60's that helped define an era of what we listed to. We turn next to an Aussie outback story of a teenage lad and a stray dog who form a friendship in this prequel to a much loved film of a few years back. This is followed by a RomCom of an unlikely coupling of an extroverted Billionaire man and his introverted student girlfriend whose parents are hell bent on ensuring their relationship and pending marriage fails before it has begun. We then wrap up with two animated features that sees a strong return to form from the House of the Mouse with a Polynesian offering an adventure story of a highly spirited teenage girl paired up with a Demi-God to fulfil her quest; before we wrap up with this all star voice cast film of a struggling Koala looking to revive the fortunes of his once famed theatre by staging a singing contest to end all singing contests.

With seven features offering everything from war time drama, to nostalgic song & dance routines, to musical bio-pic, to romantic comedy, canine Aussie outback adventure and a couple of strong animated films you have every reason to see a movie during this festive holiday period. When you have done so, share your movie going experience with us here at Odeon Online by leaving your Comment below this or any other Post. As always your constructive, relevant and unbiased thoughts are warmly welcomed. In the meantime, enjoy your film.

'ALLIED' (Rated M) - Directed by Robert Zemickis and Written by Steven Knight based on a story he had been told some thirty years ago during his days around the US, which whilst not confirmed as being true, proved too good to be true not to make a film out of it. And so whilst the notion has been kicking around for thirty years or so, it is only now that his story has been committed to celluloid. Costing US$85M the film opened in the US in late November and has so far made back US$78M, and garnered generally positive reviews since, particularly for its two lead performers.

Here Royal Canadian Airforce Intelligence Officer Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) must travel to Casablanca to assassinate a German Ambassador. He is partnered up with French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard) who fled from France after her resistance group was compromised and killed. During their mission masquerading as man and wife they grow close, and following its success Max asks Marianne to join him back in England, where they settle down, marry and have a daughter together. Fast forward twelve months and Max learns from a Special Operations Executive, that Marianne is in fact suspected of being a German spy, having assumed the identity of the real Marianne, now long since dead. Max therefore needs to learn the truth about Marianne as their relationship is put to the test with the backdrop of war, suspicion, trust and love. Also starring Jared Harris, Matthew Goode and Lizzy Caplan.

'LA LA LAND' (Rated M) - this musical romantic dramedy Written and Directed by Damien Chazelle whose last Directorial outing was the highly acclaimed 'Whiplash' seems to have struck pay-dirt again with this follow up, the equally highly acclaimed 'La La Land'. Praised for its Direction, praised for its two principle leads and praised for its musical numbers, this film harking back to a bygone era of song & dance musicals, cost US$30M to make, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August this year, and saw its US release earlier this month so far taking US$21M. Telling the story of Sebastian Wilder (Ryan Gosling) an aspiring jazz pianist who has dreams of opening his own Jazz Club and Mia Dolan (Emma Stone) an aspiring actress who makes espresso's at the film studios where she works to make ends meet. In their native Los Angeles, following a freak meeting and then being reunited some months later, the pair fall for each other bonding by their common desire to follow their dreams and pursue what they love in their lives. But as success starts to build for them both they are forced into making decisions that will pull at the framework of their affair, and the dreams they have worked together and supported each other in threatens to tear them apart. Also starring J.K.Simmons, Rosmarie DeWitt and John Legend. There is Oscar buzz around this film, so best add it to your list of must-sees!

'GIMME DANGER' (Rated M) - another musical, of sorts, but not as you know it. This bio-pic Written and Directed by Jim Jarmusch (having his second released movie in two weeks following the previously Previewed 'Paterson') is a tribute to quite possibly one of the most influential rock bands of the era - 'The Stooges'. Emerging onto the American music scene in the late '60's with a mix of rock, R&B, blues and jazz with Iggy Pop as the flamboyant, aggressive and powerful front man, The Stooges paved for the way for the punk scene and alternative rock that became the hall marks of the '70's and '80's music landscape. Jarmusch here presents an in depth documentary film charting the bands early rise to fame and notoriety with archival footage and interviews with Iggy Pop and the band members.

'RED DOG : TRUE BLUE' (Rated PG) - 2011's Aussie outback story of a loyal Kelpie/Cattle Dog cross that roamed Western Australia Pilbara mining region searching for his master was highly acclaimed, picked up numerous awards, toured the festival circuit and made back AU$21M from its AU$8M budget. Now in 2016 the follow up film has arrived. Based originally on the Louis de Bernieres book of the same name, this sort of prequel is written for the screen again by Daniel Taplitz and Directed again by Kriv Stenders. This time though the action is more kid-friendly as young teenager Mick (Levi Miller) is relocated from the big city to an outback town in remote Western Australia sometime during the late '60's. Mick is a kid all alone in the vast expanse of Australia's desert outback, and here he befriends 'Blue' the dog (played by Phoenix) whom he rescues one night during a storm. And here we have a friendship forged out of mud (literally) that see the two get up to all sorts of exploits, adventures and doubtless some danger along the way. Will this be as endearing as that first film - only you can decide! Also starring Bryan Brown, John Jarrett, Jason Issacs and Steve Le Marquand.

'WHY HIM' (Rated MA15+) - Co-Written for the screen and Directed by John Hamburg, and based on a story by Jonah Hill, Hamburg and Ian Helfer this RomCom cost US$38M to make and has among its producer credits Ben Stiller and Shawn Levy. Starring James Franco as Laird Mayhew a famous heavily tattooed extroverted billionaire who falls for Stephanie Fleming (Zoey Deutch) a student at Stamford University. When Stephanie's parents Ned (Bryan Cranston) and Barb (Megan Mullally) plan a visit to see her during the holiday break, what they don't plan on is meeting Stephanie's boyfriend Laird. Alarm bells begin ringing immediately for the over protective and disapproving Ned, who can't withstand Laird's freewheeling attitude and his colourful language. Things are further complicated when Laird announces to Ned that he intends to ask for his daughters hand in marriage in less than a week. And so the race is on for Laird to prove himself to Ned and Barb that he is a worthy, responsible, committed suitor for their daughter, and for Ned to ensure that Laird crashes and burns without a trace in the process.

'MOANA' (Rated PG) - from Disney Animation comes their first animated feature film centred around the people and culture of Polynesia, and with it comes critical acclaim and a Box Office haul that stands at US$295M since its Stateside opening towards the end of November. The story revolves around a young Polynesian girl named Moana (voiced by Auli'l Carvalho) who is being groomed to take over one day from her father - the Chief of the Island of Motunui. Moana is a head strong young thing and has different ideas. One day while collecting shells she is summonsed by the ocean itself to return an ancient relic to the island Goddess, Te Fiti. She sets out on her quest going beyond the forbidden waters of her island home, where she goes in search of legendary DemiGod Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) to help her in her mission, and save her island home from a blight that has stricken it and threatens its very survival. Also starring the voice talents of Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Jemaine Clement and Alan Tudyk this film is likely to please all comers.

'SING' (Rated G) - made by Illumination Entertainment, this computer animated musical comedy is Written, Directed and stars the voice talents of Garth Jennings amongst an ensemble cast of notable others including Matthew McConaughey (as dapper koala bear Buster Moon), Seth McFarlane, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton, Reece Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Saunders. Buster Moon is the owner of a once grand and renowned music theatre that has fallen on hard times. Being the eternal optimist that he is, he hatches a plan to restore his beloved theatre to its former glory, and save his theatre from crumbling away around him. That plan involves staging the biggest singing contest the world has ever seen by offering a prize of $1,000, however, a printing issue sees the marketing fliers for the competition read $100,000! Featuring some 85 classic and well known songs by famous artists, and an original song by Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande, this film is sure to get the feet tapping if nothing else. Costing US$75M to make, the film went on release in the US only last week and has so far made US$73M.

With something for everyone this cinema going week nestled nicely between Christmas and New Year there is once agin no excuse for you not to get out amongst it at your local movie theatre. When you have done so, remember to drop us a line or two, here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you in the coming week at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 22nd December 2016.

As another year draws to a close I take this opportunity to wish my loyal and ever expanding Blog readership a very Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for 2017 to you all. Thank-you for your support of Odeon Online in the past twelve months - it makes the writing, the research, the time and countless hours spent in a dark place with a bunch of strangers worthwhile and all the more fulfilling. It's been a big year at the movies, and 2017 promises more of the same and as long as you keep reading, I'll keep watching and writing. Thanks again, and may your festive season he fun, relaxing, safe and cinematic in some way.

This week there are three new release films ahead of the Boxing Day rush, and all three are character studies centering around everyday couples living their everyday lives but challenged in some way. The first sees an aspiring prolific poet who loses his complete works, only to be given some sort of salvation by a Japanese mystery man when he least expected it. Then a true life drama bio-pic of inter-racial marriage when it was truly frowned up on by family, Governments and the laws of the land, and then next is a French film of a random encounter of two people that has far reaching and unexpected consequences for them both as they get to know each other.

Three films then to tempt you out to your local movie theatre in the lead up to Christmas, together with a haul of other great cinema content still out of general release and as Reviewed and Previewed between these pages. Remember too that your constructive, relevant, pertinent feedback is always warmly welcomed when you have sat through your film of choice in the week ahead. Simply leave a Comment below this or any other Post - we'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, enjoy your movie.

'PATERSON' (Rated M) - Written and Directed by Jim Jarmusch, this film competed for the Palme D'Or at this years Cannes Film Festival and it walked away with the Palm Dog Award for the performance of the dog, Marvin, who plays an important role in the film's story. Here we have Paterson (Adam Driver), a bus driver living in the city of Paterson, New Jersey, and the film charts a week in the life of the man who drives his bus and writes poetry in between shifts, or when inspiration takes him. He records his poetic thoughts in a notebook, based on his observations of life as he passes it by, and the idle chatter of his passengers. Each day after work he takes his dog Marvin for a walk around the block stopping off at his favoured jazz bar for a beer and to observe the conversations and the comings & goings of the other patrons to the bar with the owner Doc (Barry Shabaka Henley).

His wife Laura (Golshifteh Farahani) is his biggest fan of his poetry and she urges him to get his work published or at least copy his material. He finally relents and agrees to copy his work, but returning home one evening later in the week after the couple have shared a evening out together, they discover that Marvin has ripped to shreds Paterson's note book, destroying all of his poetry. The next day a forlorn Paterson takes solace at his favourite beauty spot overlooking The Great Falls of the Passaic River where he encounters a mysterious Japanese man who is reading the works of his own favourite Poet William Carlos Williams, and the mystery man hands him an empty notebook as a gift. Hailed as Driver's best performance to date, and one of Jarmusch's finest works also, this is a slow burn movie where very little happens, but it is an intense character study that is restrained, thoughtful and a celebration of a simple life.

'A UNITED KINGDOM' (Rated PG) - Directed by Amma Asante and based on the real life story of the inter-racial romance that developed in 1948 between Sir Seretse Khama who was born into one of the more powerful of the royal families of the then British Protectorate of Bechuanaland, and educated in South Africa and in the United Kingdom, he returned, with a popular but controversial bride, Ruth Williams, a Lloyds of London clerk, to lead his country's race for independence. He founded the Botswana Democratic Party in 1962 and became Prime Minister in 1965. In 1966, Botswana gained independence and Seretse Khama became its first President. This is that story of Seretse (David Oyelowo) and Ruth (Rosmaund Pike) and how their love for each other was frowned upon by their respective families, and the Governments of South Africa and Great Britain at the time. Defying their families, apartheid and the British Empire the pair move from their exile back to their African Kingdom to take on the mantle of power following Botswana's independence. The film also stars Tom Felton, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Jessica Oyelowo. The film Premiered at TIFF in September, saw its UK release in November and is released Stateside in February 2017. The film has so far received generally positive reviews.

'ROSALIE BLUM' (Rated M) - this French foreign language film was released in late March this year in France and has been touring around the festival circuit ever since gaining much critical praise in the process. Although released officially this week, it has been showing for some weeks already at selected cinemas around the country. Based on the trilogy of graphic novels by Camille Jourdy and written for the big screen and also Directed in his debut by Julien Rappeneau this comedy/drama tells the story in three chapters of Vincent Machot (Kyan Khojandi) a 30+ year old hairdresser whose life revolves around his work, his overbearing mother and a cousin who is trying to set up Vincent with the prefect date. One day when running an errand for his mother, he happens on Rosalie Blum (Noemie Lvovsky) a grocery store worker and their eyes meet. Vincent is convinced they have met before, but knows not when, where or how. He becomes intrigued by Rosalie and starts obsessing about her, to a point where he begins following her. What ensues are a series of dramatic, adventurous and funny coincidences that ultimately bring the pair together and change their lives thereafter.

With three films taking us up to Christmas, and a slew of new releases coming your way on Boxing Day too. Keep watching for more Previews, Reviews and updates, and in the meantime, I'll see you sometime in the coming week, at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-