What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 11th February 2021.

The 2021 Sundance Film Festival took place from 28th January to 3rd February. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the festival combined in-person screenings at the Ray Theatre in Park City, Utah with screenings held online as well as on screens and drive-ins in twenty-four states and territories across the United States. The culmination of the Sundance Film Festival is the awards ceremony that was presented by Actor and Comedian Paton Oswalt where seventy-three feature length and fifty short films — selected from more than 14,000 submissions — were showcased. Winning a Festival award can be life changing for a filmmaker and can bring attention to the impactful stories that might not have otherwise reached wider audiences. Films in both the documentary and dramatic competition categories are eligible for a variety of prestigious awards bestowed by the juries, made up of individuals with original and diverse points of view from the worldwide film community. Robert Redford founded the Sundance Institute in 1981 to foster independence, risk-taking, and new voices in American film, and the festival has grown over the intervening years to become the largest independent festival in the USA.

This years winners of this films in competition, are as given below :-

GRAND JURY PRIZES

* The US Grand Jury Prize : Documentary was presented to Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson, for 'Summer Of Soul' (or, 'When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised')  from the USA and Directed by Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson.

* The US Grand Jury Prize : Dramatic was presented to Sian Heder, for 'CODA' ('Children of Deaf Adults') from the USA and Directed and Written by Sian Heder.

* The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize : Documentary was presented to Jonas Poher Rasmussen, for 'Flee' from Denmark, France, Sweden and Norway and Directed by Jonas Poher Rasmussen.

* The World Cinema Grand Jury Prize : Dramatic was presented to Blerta Basholli, for 'Hive' from Kosovo, Switzerland, Macedonia and Albania and Directed and Written by Blerta Basholli.

AUDIENCE AWARDS

* The Audience Award : US Documentary was presented to Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson for 'Summer Of Soul' (or, 'When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised') from the USA and Directed by Ahmir 'Questlove' Thompson.

* The Audience Award : US Dramatic was presented to Sian Heder, for 'CODA' ('Children of Deaf Adults') from the USA and Directed and Written by Sian Heder.

* The Audience Award : World Cinema Documentary was presented to Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh, for 'Writing With Fire' from India and Directed and Produced by Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh.

* The Audience Award : World Cinema Dramatic was presented to Blerta Basholli, for 'Hive' from Kosovo, Switzerland, Macedonia and Albania and Directed and Written by Blerta Basholli.

* The Audience Award : NEXT, was presented to Marion Hill, for 'Ma Belle, My Beauty' from the USA and France and Directed and Written by Marion Hill.

DIRECTING, SCREENWRITING and EDITING AWARDS

* The Directing Award : US Documentary was presented to Natalia Almada, for 'Users' from the USA and Mexico and Directed by Natalia Almada.

* The Directing Award : US Dramatic was presented to Sian Heder, for 'CODA' ('Children of Deaf Adults') from the USA and Directed and Written by Sian Heder.

* The Directing Award : World Cinema Documentary was presented to Hogir Hirori, for 'Sabaya' from Sweden and Directed and Written by Hogir Hirori.

* The Directing Award : World Cinema Dramatic was presented to Blerta Basholli, for 'Hive' from Kosovo, Switzerland, Macedonia and Albania and Directed and Written by Blerta Basholli.

* The Waldo Salt Screenwriting Award : US Dramatic was presented to Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch, for 'On the Count of Three' from the USA and Directed by Jerrod Carmichael, and Written by Ari Katcher and Ryan Welch.

* The Jonathan Oppenheim Editing Award : US Documentary was presented to Editors Kristina Motwani and Rebecca Adorno, for 'Homeroom' from the USA and Directed by Peter Nicks.

SPECIAL JURY AWARDS

* A US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Ensemble Cast was presented to the cast of 'CODA' ('Children of Deaf Adults') from the USA and Directed and Written by Sian Heder. Cast : Emilia Jones, Eugenio Derbez, Troy Kotsur, Ferdia Walsh-Peelo, Daniel Durant, and Marlee Matlin.

* A US Dramatic Special Jury Award for Best Actor was presented to  Clifton Collins Jr. for 'Jockey' from the USA, Directed, Co-Written and Co-Produced by Clint Bentley.

* A US Documentary Special Jury Award : Emerging Filmmaker was presented to Parker Hill and Isabel Bethencourt, for 'Cusp' from the USA Directed and Co-Produced by Parker Hill and Isabel Bethencourt.

* A US Documentary Special Jury Award : Nonfiction Experimentation was presented to Theo Anthony, for 'All Light, Everywhere' from the USA and Directed by Theo Anthony.

* A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award : Verite Filmmaking was presented to Camilla Nielsson, for 'President' from Denmark, the USA and Norway and Directed by Camilla Nielsson.

* A World Cinema Documentary Special Jury Award : Impact for Change was presented to Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh, for 'Writing With Fire' from India and Directed and Produced by Rintu Thomas and Sushmit Ghosh.

* A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award : Acting was presented to Jesmark Scicluna, for 'Luzzu' from Malta and Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Alex Camilleri.

* A World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award : Creative Vision was presented to Baz Poonpiriya, for 'One for the Road' from China, Hong Kong and Thailand and Directed and Co-Written by Baz Poonpiriya.

For the complete list of films, winners, grinners, runners-up and festival insights, you can visit the official Sundance Film Festival website at : https://www.sundance.org

This week we have six latest release new films coming to your local Odeon, kicking off with a highly acclaimed Danish film about four high school teachers who decide to consume alcohol on a daily basis to see how it affects their social and professional lives. Next up we turn to an Aussie comedy romance about a man who wakes up the morning after his wedding to discover that every few minutes he's jumping forward to the next year of his life. Following this comes a story about a fussy celebrity caterer, a blind woman, a tour-bus guide and an inexperienced wedding planner all in search of love. We then have a Spanish offering about two couples who are neighbours in an apartment black, exploring the complexities of modern relationships over dinner; followed by a Sci-Fi horror drama surrounding two New Orleans paramedics' lives that are torn apart after they encounter a series of horrific deaths linked to a designer drug with bizarre, otherworldly effects. And we close out the week with a documentary examining how zoological organisations around the world are working to prevent one million species from becoming extinct.

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 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.

'ANOTHER ROUND' (Rated M) - Directed and Co-Written by Thomas Vinterberg whose previous film making credits include 'Kursk' in 2018, 'Far from the Madding Crowd' in 2015 and 'The Hunt' in 2012. Here this Danish comedy drama film saw its World Premier screening at TIFF back in early September 2020, was released in its native Denmark at the end of that same month, has so far accumulated twenty-six award wins and a further twenty-nine nominations from around the awards and festival circuit and has garnered universal critical acclaim. The film has been selected as the Danish entry for the Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, and so far taken approaching US$6M at the Box Office. 

There’s a theory that we should be born with a small amount of alcohol in our blood, and that modest inebriation opens our minds to the world around us, diminishing our problems and increasing our creativity. Heartened by that theory, Martin (Mads Mikkelsen) and three of his friends Tommy, Peter and Nikolaj (Thomas Bo Larsen, Lars Ranthe and Magnus Millang respectively), all weary high school teachers, embark on an experiment to maintain a constant level of drunkeness throughout their workday. Initial results are positive, and the teachers’ little project turns into a genuine academic study. Both their classes and their results continue to improve, and the group steadily begins to feels alive again! As the units are knocked back, some of the participants see further improvement and others go off the rails. It becomes increasingly clear that while alcohol may have fueled great results in world history, some bold acts carry consequences. 

'LONG STORY SHORT' (Rated M) - this Australian comedy romance film is Directed, Written, Co-Produced and stars Josh Lawson in only his second feature filmmaking outing after 2014's 'The Little Death' although he has thirteen Writer credits and fifty-six as an Actor to his name. Here, serial procrastinator Teddy (Rafe Spall) thinks he has all the time in the world, until he wakes up the morning after his wedding to discover that every few minutes he’s jumping forward to the next year of his life. He must therefore learn, and very quickly, to use every precious moment wisely to keep from losing the love of his life, and to learn to love the life he's losing. Also starring Zahra Newman, Ronny Chieng and Noni Hazlehurst. 

'LOVE, WEDDINGS AND OTHER DISASTERS' (Rated M) - is an American romantic comedy film Directed, written for the screen and based on a story co-written by Dennis Dugan who is perhaps best known for his collaborations with Adam Sandler having Directed him in  'Happy Gilmore', 'Big Daddy', 'I Now Pronounce You Chuck & Larry', 'You Don't Mess with the Zohan', 'Grown Ups', 'Just Go with It', 'Jack and Jill', and 'Grown Ups 2'. This multi-story film is about the people who work on weddings to create the perfect day for a loving couple - while their own relationships are outlandish, odd, crazy and a long way from being perfect. Starring Jeremy Irons as the perfectionist and very demanding wedding planner Lawrence Phillips, Diane Keaton, Maggie Grace, Diego Boneta and Andrew Bachelor. The film was released Stateside on 4th December last year and has been demolished by Critics. 

'THE PEOPLE UPSTAIRS' (Rated M) - is a Spanish comedy film Directed and Written by Cesc Gay which saw its World Premier screening at the San Sebastien International Film Festival back in September last year before its wide release in its native Spain at the end of October. In the meantime the film has picked up one award win and another twenty-one nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit. And so Julio (Javier Camara) and Ana (Griselda Siciliani) are a couple who spend most of their time arguing. One night, Ana decides to invite their upstairs neighbours, Salva (Alberto San Juan) and Laura (Belen Cuesta), for dinner, despite the fact that Julio is not their biggest fan, not least because of the noise they make while having sex. As the night goes on, various secrets about the couple come to light. 

'SYNCHRONIC' (Rated MA15+) - this American Sci-Fi horror film is Directed, Co-Produced, and Edited by Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead, while Benson also wrote the film and Moorhead was Cinematographer. The film saw its World Premier showcasing at TIFF back in early September 2019, went of release in the US in late October 2020, has so far grossed US$1M, and has generated mostly favourable Reviews. And so when New Orleans paramedics and longtime best friends Steve Denube (Anthony Mackie) and Dennis Donnelly (Jamie Dornan) are called to a series of bizarre and gruesome accidents, they chalk it up to a mysterious new designer drug found at the scene, called Synchronic. But after Dennis' oldest daughter Brianna (Ally Ioannides) disappears, Steve stumbles upon a terrifying truth about the supposed psychedelic that will challenge everything he knows about reality, and the flow of time itself. 

'ESCAPE FROM EXTINCTION' (Rated PG) - released in the US in mid-October last year, this documentary film is Directed and Co-Produced by Matthew R. Brady and narrated by Helen Mirren. This film features rare footage of endangered animals and interviews with the world’s leading animal welfare specialists and conservation scientists, exploring the critical efforts of zoos and aquariums across the globe as they race to protect and preserve one million species on the brink of extinction from Earth's seven continents, its oceans, lakes and rivers.

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- 

BOMBSHELL : Tuesday 21st January 2020.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-