CAPTAIN AMERICA : BRAVE NEW WORLD - Tuesday 18th February 2025.

I saw the M Rated 'CAPTAIN AMERICA : BRAVE NEW WORLD' earlier this week, and this American Superhero film is based on the Marvel Comics character Sam Wilson / Captain America, and is the fourth instalment in the 'Captain America' film series, a continuation of the TV miniseries 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' and the 35th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This film is Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Julius Onah in his fourth feature film Directing outing following 'The Girl Is in Trouble' in 2015, 'The Cloverfield Paradox' in 2018, and 'Luce' in 2019. The first three films in the 'Captain America' film franchise - 'Captain America : The First Avenger' in 2011, 'Captain America : The Winter Soldier' in 2014, and 'Captain America : Civil War' in 2016 grossed US$2,238B at the global Box Office from combined production budgets of US$560M, making this fourth offering a no brainer. That latter film ended the 'Captain America' trilogy starring Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, and Sam Wilson becomes the new Captain America in 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier'. This film forms part of Phase Five of the MCU, was released here in Australia and the US last week, has so far grossed US$205M off the back of a US$180M production budget, and has generated mixed or average critical reviews.

The film opens on US Presidential Election night and a triumphant Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) takes the microphone to thank the American people for voting him in, and stating that they can achieve great things 'together'. We then fast track five months and Ross sends Sam Wilson/Captain America (Anthony Mackie) and Joaquin Torres/Falcon (Danny Ramirez) to Oaxaca, Mexico to thwart the illegal sale of classified items stolen by the Serpent Society, a rogue special-ops team led by Sidewinder (Giancarlo Esposito). The pair successfully recover the items, but Sidewinder escapes. Following the mission and back on home soil, Wilson and Torres both train with Isaiah Bradley (Carl Lumbly), a super soldier who was imprisoned and experimented on by the US government for thirty years, and his existence kept a secret, even from the former Captain America.

Ross invites Wilson and Torres to a summit with world leaders at the White House, and Wilson accepts on the condition that Bradley is also invited. Ross asks Wilson to help him reform the Avengers. During the summit, Ross explains that a new metal, adamantium, has been discovered on 'Celestial Island', which was formed when the Celestial Tiamut partially emerged in the Indian Ocean, and was petrified by the Eternals. The recovered items were the first refined samples of the metal and were stolen from a Japanese mining operation. To avoid an arms race, Ross proposes a treaty to govern adamantium's mining and worldwide distribution. As he is talking, the 1959 song 'Mr. Blue' by The Fleetwoods, plays and causes several men, including Bradley, to begin shooting at Ross and other gathered dignitaries. Apprehended by Ross's Security Advisor and former Black Widow Ruth Bat-Seraph (Shira Haas), the men come to their senses and deny any knowledge of the attack.

While investigating, Wilson is ambushed by Sidewinder. Wilson over powers and captures him. Torres tracks a call on Sidewinder's phone to a hidden black site in West Virginia called Camp Echo One. Ross tries to keep the treaty alive, but the Prime Minister of Japan Ozaki (Takehiro Hira) blames him for the theft of their adamantium and the subsequent White House attack. Ross realises that the mastermind of these events is Dr. Samuel Sterns (Tim Blake Nelson), who gained advanced intelligence after being exposed to Bruce Banner's blood during the Abomination's rampage through Harlem. Ross imprisoned Sterns at Camp Echo One, publicly blamed him for the Abomination's actions, and promised to release him if Sterns helped advance him to the presidency. Wilson and Torres find Sterns and learn how he uses technology and the song 'Mr. Blue' as a mind control tool. He escapes while they are fighting mind-controlled soldiers.

Bat-Seraph investigates Camp Echo One herself and helps Wilson and Torres. They meet with Wilson's military friend Dennis Dunphy (William Mark McCullough), who has Sidewinder in custody. Wilson learns enough from Sidewinder to deduce Sterns's plan to destroy Ross's reputation. Wilson, Torres, and Bat-Seraph go to Celestial Island where Ross and the Prime Minister Ozaki are racing to claim ownership of adamantium. 

Sterns controls the minds of two American pilots who attack the Japanese fleet. Wilson and Torres intercept the fighter jets and convince the Japanese to stand down. Torres is shot out of the air and plunges into the Indian Ocean, critically injured. Ross tells Wilson that he is dying of heart failure and had Sterns develop pills that have prolonged his life. Ross refused to release Sterns for fear that he would no longer make the pills, leading to Sterns seeking revenge.

Sterns kills Dunphy, preventing him from calling Wilson and explaining that the pills, taken one at a time three times a day, have been adding gamma radiation to Ross's body. At the hospital, where Wilson is watching on as surgeons restart Torres heart, he is consoled by his friend Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). Sterns later surrenders himself to Wilson. During a press conference on the White House Rose Garden, Ross loses control of his emotions and transforms into a red Hulk, and destroys part of the White House. Wilson rushes to stop him. 

Unable to overpower Ross, Wilson attempts to calm him down by reminding him of visits to Washington, D.C.'s cherry blossom trees with his estranged daughter Betty, when she was much younger. The two fight until they can fight no more, and Ross reverts to his normal self. Later, Bradley is exonerated, Wilson invites a recovering Torres to join the Avengers, the treaty is ratified, and work has begun on repairing the damaged White House. Ross resigns and has himself incarcerated at the Raft (an underwater maximum security prison located in the Atlantic Ocean), where Wilson and Betty (Liv Tyler) visit him. 

'Captain America : Brave New World' is an OK entry into the MCU canon - it's not great but it's also not that bad either. Anthony Mackie/Sam Wilson is a more than acceptable replacement for Chris Evans/Steve Rogers even though he is a mere mortal and doesn't posses the super powers that the latter had, but he still has the wings, the suit, the shield and that gadgets that help him get by. Harrison Ford chews up the scenery, especially when he transforms into Red Hulk and looks as though he's having a blast, and there are some parallel's to be drawn here with the current presidential administration too. As for the two villains in the piece - Sidewinder and Sterns, they are largely under utilised and really serve as mere McGuffin's to move the story along. Whilst the action set pieces are well choreographed as we have come to expect from the MCU, the CGI at times leaves much to be desired, especially in the case of the cherry blossom scene in which Cap and Red Hulk go head to head and toe and toe in close quarter combat - so obviously computer generated that the techies must have been asleep at the wheel the day they programmed that sequence! 

'Captain America : Brave New World' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 13th February 2025

The 14th annual AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards were held on 7th February at the Home of the Arts on Queensland's Gold Coast, and hosted this year by Actor, Producer and Director Russell Crowe.  

The winners and grinners in the feature film categories, were as follows :-

* Best Film - awarded to 'Better Man', beating out 'Furiosa : A Mad Max Saga', 'How to Make Gravy', 'Late Night with the Devil', 'Memoir of a Snail' and 'Runt'.

*  Best Indie Film - awarded to 'Birdeater', beating out 'Before Dawn', 'Christmess', 'Just a Farmer', 'The Emu War' and 'You'll Never Find Me'.

* Best Documentary - awarded to 'Otto by Otto' beating out 'A Horse Named Winx', 'Every Little Thing', 'Midnight Oil : The Hardest Line', 'Porcelain War' and 'The Musical Mind : A Portrait in Progress'.

* Best Direction - awarded to Michael Gracey for 'Better Man'.

* Best Screenplay in Film - awarded to Simon Gleeson, Oliver Cole and Michael Gracey for 'Better Man'.

* Best Lead Actor - awarded to Jonno Davies for 'Better Man'.

* Best Lead Actress - awarded to Sarah Snook for 'Memoir of a Snail'.

* Best Supporting Actor - awarded to Damon Herriman for 'Better Man'.

* Best Supporting Actress - awarded to Jacki Weaver for 'Memoir of a Snail'.

* Best Cinematography - awarded to Simon Duggan for 'Furiosa : A Mad Max Saga'.

* Best Editing - awarded to Martin Connor, Lee Smith, Spencer Susser, Jeff Groth and Patrick Correll for 'Better Man'.

* Best Original Music Score - awarded to Batu Sener for 'Better Man'.

* Best Sound - awarded to Robert Mackenzie, Ben Osmo, James Ashton, Yulia Akerholt, Jessica Meier and Tom Holkenborg for 'Furiosa : A Mad Max Saga'.

* Best Production Design - awarded to Colin Gibson and Katie Sharrock for 'Furiosa : A Mad Max Saga'.

* Best Costume Design - awarded to Jenny Beavan for 'Furiosa : A Mad Max Saga'.

* Best Hair and Makeup - awarded to Lesley Vanderwalt, Larry Van Duynhoven, Matteo Silvi, and Luca Vannella for 'Furiosa : A Mad Max Saga'.

* Best Visual Effects or Animation - awarded to Luke Millar, Andy Taylor, Craig Young and Tim Walker for 'Better Man'.

* Best Casting - awarded to Alison Telford, Kate Leonard and Kate Dowd for 'Better Man'.

For the full list of all the awards recipients and nominees, and a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can go to the official AACTA website at : https://www.aacta.org

Now homing back on this weeks four new movies coming to big screen Odeon close to home, we kick off with the 35th film in the MCU in which, after meeting with newly elected President of the USA this newly minted Captain America finds himself in the middle of an international incident. Then we turn to a RomCom that is the fourth in the series about a now middle-aged British woman learning to navigate life as a widow and single mum with the help of her family, friends, and her former lover. Next up we have a RomCom horror slasher in which a masked maniac with glowing, red eyes returns every Valentine's Day to terrorise unsuspecting couples; before closing out the week with a historical drama set in 1917 Burma, where a British diplomat is set to marry his fiancee, but after a sudden panic, escapes to Singapore, sending her on what evolves into a chase across Asia.

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

'CAPTAIN AMERICA : BRAVE NEW WORLD' (Rated M) - This American Superhero film is based on the Marvel Comics character Sam Wilson / Captain America, and is the fourth instalment in the 'Captain America' film series, a continuation of the TV miniseries 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier' and the 35th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU). This film is Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Julius Onah in his fourth feature film Directing outing following 'The Girl Is in Trouble' in 2015, 'The Cloverfield Paradox' in 2018, and 'Luce' in 2019. The first three films in the 'Captain America' film franchise - 'Captain America : The First Avenger' in 2011, 'Captain America : The Winter Soldier' in 2014, and 'Captain America : Civil War' in 2016 grossed US$2,238B at the global Box Office from combined production budgets of US$560M, making this fourth offering a no brainer. That latter film ended the 'Captain America' trilogy starring Chris Evans as Steve Rogers, and Sam Wilson becomes the new Captain America in 'The Falcon and the Winter Soldier'. 

Following the election of Thaddeus Ross (Harrison Ford) as the President of the United States, Sam Wilson / Captain America (Anthony Mackie) finds himself at the centre of an international incident and must work to stop the true masterminds behind a nefarious global plot. Also starring Danny Ramirez, Giancarlo Esposito, Tim Blake Nelson, Shira Haas, Carl Lumbly, Liv Tyler and Rosa Salazar. The film is released Stateside and here in Australia this week, and cost a reported US$180M to produce. 

'BRIDGET JONES : MAD ABOUT THE BOY' (Rated M) - is a RomCom Directed by Michael Morris, in only his second feature film offering after 'To Leslie' in 2023. This film is based on the 2013 novel of the same name by Helen Fielding. It is the sequel to 2016's 'Bridget Jones's Baby' and the fourth instalment in the Bridget Jones film series which began in 2001 with 'Bridget Jones Diary', which was followed by 'Bridget Jones : The Edge of Reason' in 2004. Those first three films in the franchise grossed US$756M off the back of combined production budgets of US$100M. Here, Bridget Jones (Renee Zellweger, reprising her role from the prior three films) finally has some luck in her life - she has a great job as a screenwriter, her family and a new boyfriend; the fact that he is over twenty years younger than her isn't the only thing that is causing problems. Also starring Hugh Grant, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Leo Woodall, Isla Fisher, Emma Thompson, Jim Broadbent, Celia Imrie and Colin Firth. The film is released internationally this week and is available to stream on Peacock this week too. This is reportedly the fourth and final film in the series.

'HEART EYES' (Rated MA15+) - this American RomCom slasher film is released here in Australia on the eve of Valentine's Day, and is Directed by Josh Ruben in his third feature film credit after 'Scare Me' in 2020 and 'Werewolves Within' in 2021, although he has acted, written and produced numerous other short films, podcasts and TV series also. Here then, for the past several years, a serial killer known as Heart Eyes has moved from different cities killing multiple romantic couples on Valentine's Day. In the present year, he moves to Seattle and murders a couple at a winery and then at a spa. Detectives Jeanette Shaw (Jordana Brewster) and her partner Hobbs (Devon Sawa) are out on the case and find a wedding ring engraved with the initials J.S. at the winery. Meanwhile, recently met couple Ally (Olivia Holt) and Jay Simmons (Mason Gooding) may just become the Heart Eyes Killer next victims. The film was released in the US last week, has garnered generally positive critical reviews, and has so far grossed US$9M from a production budget of US$18M.

'GRAND TOUR' (Rated M) - this Portuguese, Italian, French and German Co-Produced historical drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Miguel Gomes whose prior feature film works are 2004's 'The Face You Deserve', 2008's 'Our Beloved Month of August', 2012's 'Tabu' and 2015's 'Arabian Nights'. Set in 1918, Rangoon (formerly Burma and now latterly Myanmar) is a city under British colonial rule. Civil servant Edward (Goncalo Waddington) abandons his fiancee Molly (Crista Alfaiate) on the day they are to be married. He flees in a state of melancholy, contemplating Molly's condition. Determined to be married, Molly follows his trail. The film saw its World Premiere in late May last year at the Cannes Film Festival, and was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or in its main competition section, where Gomes won the Best Director award. The film was released in Portugal in mid-September, in France in late November and is released here in Australia this week having seen its Australian Premiere at the Sydney Film Festival in mid-June last year. It has so far grossed US$697K and has generated largely favourable critical reviews.

With four 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-