What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 6th August 2026.

This years 74th Melbourne International Film Festival (MIFF) runs from Thursday 6th August through until Sunday 23rd August in the capital city of Melbourne, in the State of Victoria, Australia. MIFF is an independent not-for-profit organisation that has been continuously running since 1952, making it the premier film festival in Australia and one of the world’s oldest film festivals, alongside Venice (founded in 1932), Cannes (founded in 1939) and Berlin (founded in 1951). Presenting a curated global programme of innovative screen experiences and the world’s largest showcase of exceptional Australian filmmaking, MIFF is an accessible, iconic cultural event that provides transformative experiences for audiences and filmmakers alike. MIFF will continue to innovate and build on its decades of achievements to ensure that Melbourne retains its place as the cultural capital of Australia and that MIFF remains Australia’s largest and most significant film festival in terms of international profile, industry engagement, audience size, and the quality and breadth of both its festival and industry programmes . . . so reads the official website. 

This years Opening Night Gala film presentation is 'Wicker' from the USA and this romantic fantasy film is Written and Directed by Eleanor Wilson and Alex Huston Fischer, and stars Peter Dinklage, Richard E. Grant, Elizabeth Debicki, Nabhaan Rizwan, Marli Siu, Alexander Skarsgard and Olivia Colman. A fisherwoman lives on the fringes of a seaside village; she is unmarried, stinky, and constantly teased. One day, sick of her stuffy, narrow-minded neighbours, she orders a wicker husband for herself. Australian Premiere screening.

MIFF’s film competition, Bright Horizons, celebrates filmmakers on the ascent, featuring an extraordinary international line-up of first- and second-time filmmakers competing for one of the richest film prizes in the world.

There are ten films competing for the Bright Horizons Award. These are as given in brief below :-

* 'Big Girls Don't Cry' - from New Zealand, this drama film is Written and Directed by Paloma Schneideman in her debut feature. Australian Premiere.

* 'Blue Heron' - from Canada and Hungary, this drama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Sophy Romvari. Australian Premiere.

* 'Elephants in the Fog' - from France, Germany, Brazil, Nepal and Norway, this drama film is Directed by Abinash Bikram Shah. Australian Premiere. Winner of the Un Certain Regard Jury Prize at this years Cannes Film Festival.

* 'The Friend's House Is Here' - from the USA and Iran, this drama film is Written, Produced and Directed by Hossein Keshavarz and Maryam Ataei, and Edited by Hossein Keshavarz. Australian Premiere. Winner of the US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast at this years Sundance Film Festival.

* 'Goodbye, Cruel World' - from France, and this drama film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Felix de Givry in his feature film debut. Australian Premiere.

* 'Josephine' - from the USA, this drama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Beth de Araujo in her feature film making debut, and stars Mason Reeves, Channing Tatum and Gemma Chan. Australian Premiere. Winner of the Grand Jury Prize and Audience Award in this years Sundance Film Festival US Dramatic Competition,

* 'La Gradiva' - from France and Italy, this drama film is Co-Written, Co-Photographed and Directed by Marine Atlan in her feature film Directorial debut. Australian Premiere. Winner of this years Cannes Film Festival Critics’ Week Grand Prize.

* 'Sweet Milk Lake' - from Australia and this drama film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and stars Harvey Zielinski in his feature debut. World Premiere. 

* 'Wicker' - from the USA and this historical fantasy drama comedy film is Written and Directed by Alex Huston Fischer and Eleanor Wilson. Refer above Opening Night Film presentation. 

* 'Yesterday the Eye Didn't Sleep' - from Lebanon, Saudi Arabia, Belgium, Palestine and Qatar, this drama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Rakan Mayasi in his feature Directorial debut. Australian Premiere.

For the descriptors of the above named films in official competition, plus the full low down on all of the other strands being showcased, and a whole lot of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.miff.com.au

Turning the focus back to this weeks tranche of seven new movies coming to a big screen Odeon close to your home, we begin with a pair of American slasher horror offerings, the first of which is about a queer Director making a slasher film franchise sequel who becomes obsessed with casting the original film's 'final girl', leading both women into psychological and sexual chaos; and this is followed by a story set during an idyllic summer that turns into sheer terror as an ice cream man serves up sweet delights, with horrifying results. Then we have a British black comedy period piece where a gloriously unscrupulous social climber and his razor-sharp wife prepare to host a dinner party for a Duke and Duchess in 18th-century England. Next up is an American historical biographical war drama in which a young man faces war, betrayal and impossible choices that ultimately will forge a leader. Following on we have a Canadian and New Zealand Co-Production that sees a lost boy in search of heaven, three odd nuns on a mission, a car powered by God (and stolen money), all embarking on a road trip like no other. Then we turn to an Aussie comedy drama film about a celebrated composer facing death, his volatile working-class neighbour, and a sharp New York writer who together form an uneasy alliance over the course of one weekend in Far North Queensland; before closing out the week with the third instalment in this mildly successful franchise that sees the Troopers try to bring down a new drug ring, while Farva's wildly over-the-top engagement to the Senior Troopers sister spirals into chaos.

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

'TEENAGE SEX AND DEATH AT CAMP MIASMA' (Rated MA15+) - is an American slasher horror film that is Written and Directed by Jane Schoenbrun, whose previous Directing outings are 'We're All Going to the World's Fair' in 2021 which they would follow up with 'I Saw the TV Glow' in 2021. This film had its World Premiere screening in mid-May as the opening film of the Un Certain Regard section at this years Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Queer Palm. It is released in the US this week also.

After years of slapdash sequels and waning fandom, the long-running 'Camp Miasma' slasher franchise is handed over to an enthusiastic young queer Director Kris (Hannah Einbinder) for resurrection. But when she visits the original movie's star Billie Presley (Gillian Anderson), she becomes fixated on the prospect of casting the now-reclusive Actress who is shrouded in mystery. As the two women begin to work together, they fall into a blood-soaked world of desire, fear, and delirium. Also starring Jack Haven and Patris Fischler. 

'ICE CREAM MAN' (Rated R18+) - this American slasher horror film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Eli Roth, whose prior Directorial credits take in the likes of his debut with 'Cabin Fever' in 2002, then 'Hostel' in 2005, 'Hostel : Part II' in 2007, 'The Green Inferno' in 2013, 'Knock Knock' in 2015, 'Death Wish' in 2018, 'Thanksgiving' in 2023 and 'Borderlands' in 2024. Here, an idyllic suburban town descends into madness when a mysterious ice cream man (Ari Millen) serves sweet treats that turn children into homicidal maniacs with horrifying results. The film is released Stateside this week too, and this is the first film in Eli Roth's founded horror label 'The Horror Section'. 

'SAVAGE HOUSE' (Rated CTC) - is a British black comedy period film Written, Co-Produced, Directed, Edited and scored by Peter Glanz in only his second feature film Directorial outing following 'The Longest Week' in 2014. Set in 18th-Century England, the film follows Sir Chauncey Savage (Richard E. Grant), a gloriously unscrupulous social climber propped up by debt and bravado. When invited to host the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire because a massive pox outbreak and the Jacobite uprising, Chauncey and his razor-sharp wife, Lady Savage (Claire Foy), launch a bid to impress. Their desperate attempts to climb the social ladder and mask the decay of their crumbling estate spiral into infidelity, duels, decadence and bloodshed, as their performance spins way out of control. Also starring Jack Farthing, Bel Powley and Kila Lord Cassidy. The film was released in the UK, Ireland and the USA in early June, has so far grossed US$464K and has generated largely positive critical press.

'YOUNG WASHINGTON' (Rated M) - this American historical war drama film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Jon Erwin who together with his brother Andrew Erwin helmed their debut feature film in 2011 with 'October Baby' and would go on to Direct 'Mom's Night Out' in 2014, 'Woodlawn' in 2015, 'I Can Only Imagine' in 2018 and 'American Underdog' in 2021 amongst others. Before he became the first President of the United States of America, he was a soldier fighting to survive. A single misstep thrusts young George Washington (William Franklyn-Miller) into the centre of a global conflict, testing his honour, loyalty, and courage. As alliances crumble and the frontier erupts into the French and Indian War of 1753-1755, he must confront not only his enemies but the man he's becoming. Also starring Ben Kingsley, Andy Serkis, Kelsey Grammer, Mary-Louise Parker, Joel Smallbone and Mia Rodgers. The film has garnered mixed critical reviews and has so far grossed US$41M from a production budget of US$20M, having been released Stateside in early July. A sequel is already in the works allegedly titled '1776' and tracing Washington's experiences during the American Revolution. 

'HOLY DAYS' (Rated PG) - is a Canadian and New Zealand Co-Produced comedy film Written and Directed by Nat Boltt in her feature film making debut, and is based on the book of the same name by Dame Joy Cowley. Accompanied by an unhappy young boy Brian Collins (Elijah Tamati), three unconventional nuns Sister Agnes (Judy Davis), Sister Luke (Miriam Margolyes) and Sister Mary Clare (Jacki Weaver) embark on a wild and chaotic road trip across New Zealand to retrieve the deeds to their convent. When an unexpected snowstorm derails their journey, they soon find themselves confronting loss, mortality and the transformative power of love, forgiveness and connection. The film had its World Premiere at the Santa Barbara International Film Festival in early February this year, and was released in New Zealand on 26th February, and the USA on 27th March, having so far grossed US$340K and has generated mixed or average critical reviews.

'STORM BIRD' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian comedy drama film is Co-Produced and Directed by James Ivor and Eryk Lenartowicz in their joint feature film making debut, and is Written, and stars James Ivor. Here, Richard Hollingsworth (Anthony Phelan), a once-revered composer now a reclusive nihilist, living out his final months in isolation. When Jack Sprawling (James Ivor), a tough but kind-hearted working-class neighbour facing jail time, saves him from a sudden heart attack, their lives unexpectedly intertwine. Together with Carla (Serena ven Sandalwood), a sharp New York author documenting Richard’s life, the three unlikely companions spend a transformative weekend in Far North Queensland confronting the past, unearthing personal truths, and forging unexpected bonds across social divides.

'SUPER TROOPERS 3' (Rated MA15+) - is an American comedy film Directed and starring Jay Chandrasekhar who also Directed the previous two offerings in this franchise in 2001 and 2018, with those two films grossing a combined US$55M off the back of total production budgets of US$16M. When Trooper Rodney 'Rod' Farva's (Kevin Heffernan) wildly over-the-top Indian engagement to Thorny's sister Sarita Makundan (Hannah Simone) spirals into chaos, the Super Troopers must navigate Senior Trooper Arcot 'Thorny' Ramathorn (Jay Chandrasekhar) schemes to break up the relationship, while trying to crack a pernicious new drug ring - all to save the day and maybe the wedding itself. Also starring Paul Soter, Steve Lemme, Brian Cox, Erik Stolhanske, Nat Faxon and Marisa Coughlan. The film is released in the US this week too. 

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 20th April 2023.

The Belmont World Films 21st International Film Series is currently in full swing having launched on Monday 27th March and running though until Monday 15th May. Belmont is a town in Massachusetts, USA and is a western suburb of Boston and forms part of the Greater Boston metropolitan area. Belmont World Film, is a nonprofit corporation which creates cultural exchanges and understanding through the screening of the world’s top films followed by discussions led by expert speakers. Founded in 2001 Belmont World Film began with the premise that foreign-language film is not only a vehicle for hearing another language in action, but it can also foster an emotional understanding of other cultures. Since the series began in Spring 2002 films have been shown from such familiar European countries as the UK, France, Germany, Scotland, Italy, Belgium and Finland, as well as less familiar countries, such as Bhutan, Bulgaria, Romania, Cuba, Bolivia, Iraq, Mongolia, Iceland, Singapore and Luxembourg. Other speakers have included UN envoys, international filmmakers, academic experts on international relations, languages and humanities, journalists, film stars and documentary film subjects.

This years theme is 'Complicated Identities' and features eight of the world's top films, immediately followed by discussions with filmmakers, film subjects or expert speakers. The films are screened each Monday evening throughout the duration of the series, are are as detailed below :-

* Monday 27th March : the Opening film was 'A MAN' from Japan and Directed by Kei Ishakawa. When a lawyer’s former client asks him to investigate a woman’s late husband’s past, he begins to discover that her husband had been living a double life.

* Monday 3rd April : 'LUXEMBOURG, LUXEMBOURG' from Ukraine and Directed by Antonio Lukich. When identical twin brothers — who couldn’t be more different —hear that their long-absent father is sick in Luxembourg, they set out on a journey to see him one last time. Will the man they find be the bad-ass father they remember?

* Monday 10th April : 'THE WORST ONES' from France and Directed by Lise Akoka and Romane Gueret. Four teenagers from a working-class neighbourhood in the north of France are selected to act in a feature film. The film within a film walks a remarkably fine line between fact and fiction, allowing the young performers to give star-making turns as 'themselves' while considering the ways in which ostensibly well-meaning documentary and fiction films can exploit non-performers in the name of authenticity. This film won the Un Certain Regard Award at the Cannes Film Festival.

* Monday 17th April : 'BURNING DAYS' from Turkey and Directed by Emin Alper. A young prosecutor is newly posted in the remote provincial town in Anatolia, Turkey, which is marred by corruption, nepotism, and other shady power dynamics ahead of a local election for the mayoral seat. This town also suffers from a severe water shortage and giant sinkholes caused by the excessive use of groundwater for agricultural purposes, which the local officials refuse to address.

* Monday 24th April : 'FAREWELL MR. HAFFMANN' from France and Belgium and Directed by Fred Cavaye. After the Nazi occupation of Paris, a talented jeweller, Joseph Haffmann, arranges for his family to flee the city and offers one of his employees the chance to take over his store until the conflict subsides. The agreement turns into a Faustian bargain, one that will forever change everyone involved.

* Monday 1st May : 'CHILE '76' from Chile and Argentina and Directed by Manuela Martelli. In 1976, a bourgeois housewife heads to her beach house on the coast of Chile to supervise its renovation, only to be interrupted by a request from the priest at the church where she does charity work, to take care of a young revolutionary — a man he is secretly giving asylum to — who has just been hurt. The woman steps into unexplored territories, away from the quiet life she is used to living.

* Monday 8th May : 'THE BEASTS' from Spain and France and Directed by Rodrigo Sorogoyen. A French couple move to a small village in Galicia in order to practice ecologically responsible agriculture and to restore abandoned houses to facilitate the town’s re-population. Everything should be idyllic but for their opposition to a wind turbine project that creates a serious conflict with their neighbours.

* Monday 15th May : the Closing Film is 'PEACEFUL' from France and Directed by Emmanuelle Bercot. Here, an overbearing mother to her son Benjamin, a 'failed actor' turned acting teacher, who’s given a terminal cancer diagnosis. He seeks advice from Dr. Edde, who plays guitar and leads his staff members in singalongs.

For further information about the 21st Belmont World Film Series you can go to the official website at : https://belmontworldfilm.org/international-film-series/

Turning the attention back to this weeks five new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, with launch with a dark comedy horror drama film which, following the sudden death of his mother, a mild-mannered but anxiety-ridden man confronts his darkest fears as he embarks on an epic, Kafka like journey back home. Next up we have a drama film about a young woman whose life falls apart after her involvement in a fatal accident in which two people died. This is followed by a twisted tale of two estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most evil version of family imaginable. Then we turn to a drama based on a true story of a national spiritual awakening in the early 1970's and its origins within a community of teenage hippies in Southern California; before closing out the week with a biographical documentary exploring the intertwined fates of trees and humans in this poetic portrait of this Australian environmentalist and political activist, and the Forest.

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.

'BEAU IS AFRAID' (Rated R18+) - is an American black comedy horror film Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Ari Aster whose previous feature film making credits are 'Hereditary' with Toni Collette and Gabriel Byrne in 2018 and 'Midsommar' in 2019 with Florence Pugh and Jack Reynor. The film saw its World Premier screening in New York on 1st April, before it limited release to selected IMAX screens in LA and New York on 14th April, and before its wider release worldwide from this week. It costs US$35M to produce and has so far grossed US$321K.

Here then, Beau Wassermann (Joaquin Phoenix), a mild-mannered, extremely anxious, paranoia-ridden but pleasant enough looking man who has a fraught relationship with his overbearing mother Mona (Patti LuPone) and never knew his father, makes the journey home when his mother dies to attend her funeral. However, along the way he must confront his greatest fears involving some wild supernatural threats. Also starring Amy Ryan, Nathan Lane, Parker Posey, Richard Kind, Hayley Squires and Michael Gandolfini.

'A GOOD PERSON' (Rated MA15+) - this American drama film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Zach Braff whose prior feature film making credits are his debut in 2004 with 'Garden State', then 'Wish I Was Here' in 2014 and 'Going in Style' in 2017. Allison (Florence Pugh) is a young woman with a wonderful fiance, a blossoming career, and supportive family and friends. However, her world crumbles in the blink of an eye when she survives an unimaginable tragedy, emerging from recovery with an opioid addiction and unresolved grief. In the following years, she forms an unlikely friendship with her would-be father-in-law Daniel (Morgan Freeman) whose daughters life was taken in that earlier tragedy. As grief-stricken Daniel navigates raising his teenage granddaughter and Allison seeks redemption, they discover that friendship, forgiveness, and hope can flourish in unlikely places. Also starring Celeste O'Connor, Molly Shannon and Zoe Lister-Jones. The film was released Stateside on 24th March, has so far grossed US$2.4M and has garnered mixed or average reviews. 

'EVIL DEAD RISE' (Rated R18+) - is an American supernatural horror film that is Written and Directed by Lee Cronin in only his second feature film outing following 2019 'The Hole in the Ground'. This film is the fifth instalment in the 'Evil Dead' franchise following 'The Evil Dead' in 1981, 'Evil Dead II' in 1987, 'Army of Darkness' in 1992, all having been Directed by Sam Raimi, and then 'Evil Dead' in 2013 Directed by Fede Alvarez. Those first four films grossed worldwide US$156M off the back of combined production budgets of US$32M. Here then, and following a long journey on the road, Beth (Lily Sullivan) visits her estranged older sister Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), who is struggling to raise three children alone in a small Los Angeles apartment. However, their reunion is interrupted when they find a strange book hidden in the depths of Ellie's building, which unleashes bloodthirsty demonic creatures. The film saw its World Premier showcasing at SXSW on 15th March, is released in the US this week too and has generated largely favourable reviews.

'JESUS REVOLUTION' (Rated M) - this American Christian drama film is Co-Written by Jon Erwin and Directed by Jon Erwin and Brent McCorkle, and is based on the book of the same name by Greg Laurie and Ellen Santilli Vaughn. Jon Erwin, together with his brother Andrew, known as the Erwin Brothers, are American Christian film Directors, Screenwriters and film Producers known for such films as 'Woodlawn', 'October Baby', 'Moms' Night Out' and 'I Can Only Imagine'. Inspired by a true movement, the film tells the story of a young Greg Laurie (Joel Courtney) being raised by his struggling mother, Charlene (Kimberly Williams-Paisley) in the 1970's. Laurie and a sea of young people descend on sunny Southern California to redefine truth through all means of liberation. Inadvertently, Laurie meets Lonnie Frisbee (Jonathan Roumie), a charismatic hippie-street-preacher, and Pastor Chuck Smith (Kelsey Grammer) who have thrown open the doors of Smith's languishing church to a stream of wandering youth. What unfolds becomes the greatest spiritual awakening in American history. Rock and roll, newfound love, and a twist of faith lead to a Jesus Revolution that turns one counterculture movement into a revival that changes the world. The film was released in the US on the 24th February, cost US$15M to produce, has so far grossed US$52M having received mixed or average reviews along the way. 

'THE GIANTS' (Rated M) - is an Australian biographical documentary film Written and Directed by Rachel Antony and Laurence Billiet, that is a long overdue biopic of Australian environmentalist Bob Brown, a National Living Treasure, the first openly gay member of parliament in Australia and leader of the world’s first Green party. It’s also about the life of Trees, which scientists are only starting to understand. The film goes from Bob story to the trees’ story - revealing just how closely intertwined they are. Brown’s fifty year trailblazing life helps narrate the exhilarating rise of the environmental movement in Australia from the successful Franklin River campaign in 1983 to today's fight for the Tarkine rainforest in northwest Tasmania. The film is a poetic exploration of his motivations and his actions that began, like Greta Thunberg, with a few lone acts of protest; and of his spiritual connection to nature that continues to sustain him. 

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 12th March 2020.

The 70th annual 'Berlin International Film Festival' took place between Thursday 20th February and Sunday 1st March. Usually referred to as the 'Berlinale', this is a film festival held annually in Berlin, Germany. Founded in West Berlin in 1951, the festival has been held every February since 1978 and is considered one of the 'Big Three' next to the Venice Film Festival and Cannes Film Festival. With around 300,000 tickets sold and 500,000 admissions each year, it has the largest public attendance of any annual film festival. Up to 400 films are shown in several sections across cinematic genres. Around twenty films compete for the festival's top awards - the 'Golden Bear' and several 'Silver Bears'.

The festival launched with the opening gala presented by the highly acclaimed Bulgarian Actor Samuel Finzi followed by the World Premiere showing of the film 'My Salinger Year' Directed by the French Canadian film maker and Screenwriter Philippe Falardeau which was selected for the Berlinale Special section. This year the acclaimed English Actor Jeremy Irons acted as the Jury President for the Berlinale Competition section together with American film maker Kenneth Lonergan, Italian Actor Luca Marinelli and Brazilian film maker Kleber Mendonca Filho amongst a few others.

In main completion this year, were eighteen international films, those being :-
* 'All the Dead Ones' - a drama from Brazil and France, Directed by Caetano Gotardo and Marco Dutra.
* 'Bad Tales' - an Italian Swiss drama, Directed by Damiano D'Innocenzo and Fabio D'Innocenzo
* 'Berlin Alexanderplatz' - a drama from Germany, Netherlands and France, Directed by Burhan Qurbani.
* 'DAU. Natasha' - a drama from Germany, Ukraine, UK and Russia, Directed by Ilya Khrzhanovskiy and Jekaterina Oertel.
* 'Days' - a Taiwanese drama film, Directed by Tsai Ming-liang.
* 'Delete History' - a French Belgian drama film, Directed by Benoît Delepine and Gustave Kervern.
* 'First Cow' - a drama film from the United States, Directed by Kelly Reichardt.
* 'Never, Rarely, Sometimes, Always' - a drama from the United States, Directed by Eliza Hittman.
* 'Hidden Away' - an Italian biographical drama film, Directed by Giorgio Diritti.
* 'The Intruder' - an Argentinian and Mexican thriller, Directed by Natalia Meta.
* 'Irradiated' - a documentary from France and Cambodia, Direcetd by Rithy Panh.
* 'My Little Sister' - a drama from Switzerland, Directed by Stephanie Chuat and Veronique Reymond.
* 'The Roads Not Taken' - a drama from the UK, Directed by Sally Potter.
* 'The Salt of Tears' - a drama from France and Switzerland, Directed by Philippe Garrel.
* 'The Woman Who Ran' - from South Korea, Directed by Hong Sang-soo.
* 'Siberia' - a drama film from Italy, Germany and Mexico, Directed by Abel Ferrara.
* 'There is No Evil' - an Iranian, German and Czech Republic drama, Directed by Mohammad Rasoulof.
* 'Undine' - a German French drama film, Directed by Christian Petzold.

And so, in the final analysis, the awards presented in main competition were :-




* Golden Bear – 'THERE IS NO EVIL' by Mohammad Rasoulof,
* Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize – 'NEVER, RARELY, SOMETIMES, ALWAYS' by Eliza Hittman,
* Silver Bear for Best Director – HONG SANG-SOO for 'The Woman Who Ran',
* Silver Bear for Best Actress – PAULA BEER for 'Undine',
* Silver Bear for Best Actor – ELIO GERMANO for 'Hidden Away',
* Silver Bear for Best Script – DAMIANO D'INNOCENZO and FABIO D'INNOCENZO for 'Bad Tales',
* Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution – JURGEN JURGES for cinematography in 'DAU. Natasha'.
* The Honorary Golden Bear was awarded to HELEN MIRREN.

For the full details on all the awards winners, the comings and goings, the news and the views, you can visit the official website at : https://www.berlinale.de

And so this week we have six latest release new films gracing your local Odeon. Kicking off with a first date gone horribly wrong for this young couple who go on the run as a result of their actions, only to be hunted down by the Police and heralded as heroes by the public. Next off we have a new Superhero who is brought back from the dead, reengineered, injected with a billion or so nanobots and had his memory wiped clean, but as he starts to remember things he embarks on a deadly rampage out for revenge. We then have three British offerings - the first is a true story about a group of women left at home while their military husbands are serving overseas - and in 2010 they formed a choir, which has subsequently grown into an international movement. Then we have a horror film about a possessed red dress, and whoever wears it more often than not meets with dire consequences, followed up by a family gathering to mark New Years Eve in the English countryside but things go a little awry when an estranged and unwelcome sibling makes an appearance. And we close out the week with a romantic drama film about a young Christian singer who falls for a young girl with terminal cancer.

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

'QUEEN & SLIM' (Rated MA15+) - this American romantic crime drama offering is Directed by first time film maker Melina Matsoukas who is an already established American music video, television and commercial Director. Amongst her numerous music video's which she has made since 2006 she has worked with Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, Kylie Minogue, Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Rihanna, Whitney Houston, Robin Thicke and Christina Aguilera. Her TV commercials credits take in such companies as Diesel, Adidas, Lexus, Nike and Stella McCartney. This film saw its World Premiere at the American Film Institute Fest in mid-November 2019 and was released in the US in late-November. It has so far received generally positive reviews from critics, has grossed US$47M off the back of a circa US$18M production budget, and has garnered ten award wins and a further 27 nominations from around the awards circuit.

Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith) and Slim's (Daniel Kaluuya) first date to an Ohio diner takes an unexpected turn when a policeman pulls them over for a minor traffic violation while Slim is driving Queen home. When the situation escalates, and Queen's leg is grazed by a bullet fired by the agitated Policeman, Slim takes the officer's gun and shoots him in self-defence. Now labelled cop killers in the media, Slim and Queen feel that they have no choice but to go on the run and evade the law, otherwise face the prospect of a life behind bars. When a video of the incident goes viral, the unwitting outlaws soon become a symbol of trauma, terror, grief and pain for people all across the country. Also starring Bokeem Woodbine, Chloe Sevigny, Flea, Indya Moore and Sturgill Simpson. 

'BLOODSHOT' (Rated M) - is an American superhero film based on the Valiant Comics character of the same name which first appeared in 1992. It is intended to be the first instalment in a series of films set within a Valiant Comics shared cinematic universe, and is Directed by David S. F. Wilson in his feature film making debut. Starring in the lead role and also Co-Producing here Marine Ray Garrison (Vin Diesel) and his wife are assassinated. But, Garrison is reborn by a team of scientists. Enhanced with nanotechnology, which grants him the powers of regeneration and meta-morphing made possible through nanites injected into his blood, hence the name Bloodshot, he becomes a superhuman, biotech killing machine. As Ray first trains with fellow super-soldiers, he struggles to recall anything from his previous life. But when his memories begin filtering back and he remembers the man that killed both him and his wife, he breaks out of the facility hellbent on revenge, only to discover that there’s more to the conspiracy than he originally imagined. Bloodshot's bloodstream contains a billion nanobots, enabling him to heal from injuries quickly, interface with technology, and shape shift his mass. Also starring Toby Kebbel, Guy Pearce and Eliza Gonzalez. Made with a budget of US$42M the film is also released Stateside this week. 

'MILITARY WIVES' (Rated M) - this British comedy drama offering is Directed by Peter Cattaneo who is perhaps best known for Directing the 1997 hit 'The Full Monty'. With their beloved partners away serving with the armed forces in Afghanistan, a group of women on the home front come together to form the very first military wives choir, helping each other through some of life's most difficult moments, and quickly find themselves at the centre of a media sensation and global movement. The film was inspired by the true story of the Military Wives Choirs, a network of 75 choirs in British military bases across the UK and overseas. The first choir held their initial rehearsal in April 2010 in Catterick Garrison. Now with over 2,200 members, the MWC network is tri-service (British Army, Royal Air Force, Royal Navy, Royal Marines) and any woman with a military connection can join including those currently serving, veterans, mothers, sisters and daughters, empowering women from across the military community. The film was released in the UK last week having seen its World Premier screening at TIFF back in September last year, and stars Kristen Scott Thomas, Sharon Horgan, Jason Flemyng, Greg Wise and Emma Lowndes. 

'IN FABRIC' (Rated MA15+) - here this British comedy horror film is Directed and Written by Peter Strickland. The film saw its World Premier showing at the Toronto Film Festival way back in September 2018, went on release in the UK in June 2019, in the US in December 2019 and now gets a limited showing here in Australia. A lonely woman, Sheila Woodchapel (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), recently separated from her husband, working as a bank teller and living with her son Vince visits a bewitching London department store in search of a dress in the sales that she can wear out on a date. She's fitted with a perfectly flattering, flowing red gown by sales assistant Miss Luckmoore (Fatma Mohamed), which, in time, will come to unleash a malevolent curse and unstoppable evil, threatening everyone who comes into its path. Also starring Hayley Squires, Gwendoline Christie, Sidse Babett Knudsen, Leo Bill and Julian Barratt.

'HAPPY NEW YEAR, COLIN BURSTEAD' (Rated MA15+) - this British comedy drama film is Written and Directed by Ben Wheatley whose previous film making credits include 'Sightseers', 'A Field in England', 'High-Rise' and 'Free Fire' most recently in 2016. Colin Burstead (Neill Maskell) hires a lavish country house in England's south western county of Dorset for his extended family to see in the New Year. Unbeknownst to other members of the family, and unfortunately for Colin, his sister Gini (Hayley Squires) has invited their estranged brother David (Sam Riley), so placing Colin's position of power in the family unit under serious threat. Also starring Joe Cole, Charles Dance, Alexandra Maria Lara and Bill Paterson. The film had its World Premier screening at the London Film Festival back in October 2018, was released in the UK in late December 2018 and only now gets its release in Australia.

'I STILL BELIEVE' (Rated PG) - is a Christian biographical romantic drama film Directed by Andrew and Jon Erwin whose previous film making credits include 'Woodlawn' and 'I Can Only Imagine' most recently in 2018. This film is based on Jeremy Camp's memoir of the same title. Camp is an American contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter from Lafayette, Indiana. Camp has released eleven albums, four of them are certified as Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America, and two live albums. His original music is a mixture of ballads and up-tempo songs with rock influences. It focuses on Camp's (K.J. Apa) romance with his first wife, Melissa (Britt Robertson), whom he married in October 2000 despite knowing she was dying. The couple were informed after their honeymoon that Melissa's cancer had spread. She died in February 2001, four-and-a-half months after they married. It dramatises Camp's college years, his rise as a well-known singer, and eventually meeting his second wife, Adrienne (Abigail Cowen). Also starring Gary Sinise and Shania Twain as Camp's father and mother respectively, the film is released in the US this week too.

With six 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-