What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 9th October 2025

The 69th BFI London Film Festival this years takes place between Wednesday 8th and Sunday 19th October at several South Bank and West End cinema venues and select partner cinema venues across the UK. The twelve
-day programme is jam-packed with the world’s best new films, series and immersive storytelling, presenting your opportunity to delight in the undiscovered, as all feature films and series are being shown in the UK for the first (and sometimes the only) time. 

The festival will showcase 247 films from seventy-nine countries. The Opening Night Gala presentation is the American mystery film 'Wake Up Dead Man : A Knives Out Mystery', Written and Directed by Rian Johnson, and the Closing Night Gala film is the UK and US Co-Produced historical fantasy film '100 Nights of Hero' Written and Directed by Julia Jackman.

This years Headline Gala section features twenty-one films, and these are outlined in brief as below :-

* 'After the Hunt'  - from the USA and Directed by Luca Guadagnino.

* 'Ballad of a Small Player' - from the UK and Directed by Edward Berger.

* 'Blue Moon' - from the USA and Ireland and Directed by Richard Linklater.

* 'Bugonia' - from the UK and Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos.

* 'The Choral' - from the UK and Directed by Nicholas Hytner.

* 'Christy' - from the USA and Directed by David Michod.

* 'Die, My Love' - from Canada and Directed by Lynne Ramsay.

* 'Frankenstein' - from the USA and Directed by Guillermo del Toro.

* 'H is for Hawk' - from the UK and Directed by Philippa Lowthorpe.

* 'Hamnet' - from the UK and Directed by Chloe Zhao.

* 'The History of Sound' - from the USA, the UK and Italy and Directed by Oliver Hermanus.

* 'Is This Thing On?' - from the USA and Directed by Bradley Cooper.

* 'It Was Just an Accident' - from Iran, France and Luxembourg and Directed by Jafar Panahi.

* 'Jay Kelly' - from the USA, the UK and Italy and Directed by Noah Baumbach.

* 'The Mastermind' - from the USA and Directed by Kelly Reichardt.

* 'No Other Choice' - from South Korea and Directed by Park Chan-wook.

* 'Nouvelle Vague' - from France and Directed by Richard Linklater.

* 'Pillion' - from the UK and Directed by Harry Lighton.

* 'Roofman' - from the USA and Directed by Derek Cianfrance.

* 'Sentimental Value' - from Norway, France and Germany and Directed by Joachim Trier.

* 'Springsteen : Deliver Me from Nowhere' - from the USA and Directed by Scott Cooper.

For the details of the ten films in Official Competition, plus the Special Presentations section, the First Feature Competition, the Documentary Competition and the Thematic Strands, plus a whole heap of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp

Looking forward to this weeks seven new movies coming to a big screen Odeon close to you, we kick off with a political thriller in which US government officials must deal with a single nuclear missile attack on the city of Chicago. This is followed by a Sci-Fi action film that is the third in the series, and this time mankind encounters AI beings for the first time when a highly sophisticated programme, leaves the digital world for a dangerous mission in the real world. Next up we have a WWII action horror drama which finds a group of young soldiers, who become stranded on a raft in the middle of the ocean after their ship is sunk by the enemy and must battle for their lives against a giant hungry great white shark. Then we turn to an Aussie drama about a stage designer who returns to Australia to bid farewell to his dying mother, however, his planned quick trip descends into chaos, drama, and funny moments. Following on, we have a drama film from a first time Director that tells the story of how after seventy years with her best friend, this old lady moves to New York City for a fresh start, but making new friends at ninety-four years of age proves difficult. Up next is an Aussie survival thriller where after her husband goes missing in the aftermath of a catastrophic military experiment, a woman joins a body retrieval unit in the hopes of finding him alive; before closing out the week with a doco in which archival footage and interviews provide insight into the partnership, both professional and personal, between film Director James Ivory and film Producer Ismail Merchant.

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 coming week.

'A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE' (Rated M) - this American political thriller film is Co-Produced and Directed by Kathryn Bigelow who made her feature film Directorial debut in 1981 with 'The Loveless' and which she would follow up with other titles including 'Blue Steel' in 1990, 'Point Break' in 1991, 'Strange Days' in 1995, 'K-19 : The Widowmaker' in 2002, 'The Hurt Locker' in 2008, 'Zero Dark Thirty' in 2012, and 'Detroit' in 2017. This film saw its World Premiere showcasing in the main competition at this years recent Venice International Film Festival in early September where it was nominated for the Golden Lion.

This film based at the White House, where US government officials scramble to deal with an incoming single nuclear missile launched by an unidentified enemy at the city of Chicago. It boasts an ensemble cast taking in Idris Elba as the American President, with Rebecca Ferguson, Gabriel Basso, Jared Harris, Tracy Letts, Anthony Ramos, Moses Ingram, Jonah Hauer-King, Greta Lee, Jason Clarke and Kaitlyn Dever. It will have a limited cinema release in the UK on 3rd October and here in Australia and the USA this week, before streaming globally on Netflix from 24th October. 

'TRON : ARES' (Rated M) - is an American Sci-Fi action film Directed by Joachim Ronning, whose previous feature length Directing credits are 'Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead me Tell No Tales' in 2017, 'Maleficent : Mistress of Evil' in 2019, and 'Young Woman and the Sea' in 2024. This film is the third instalment in the 'Tron' series following the original 'Tron' in 1982 and a sequel to 2010's 'Tron : Legacy', and this film follows a highly sophisticated programme, Ares, who is sent from the digital world into the real world on a dangerous mission, marking humankind's first encounter with A.I. beings. The film has an ensemble cast including Jared Leto, Greta Lee, Evan Peters, Jodie Turner-Smith, Hasan Minhaj, Arturo Castro, and Gillian Anderson, with Jeff Bridges reprising his role as Kevin Flynn from the previous films. The first two films in the series scored a worldwide Box Office haul of US$450M off the back of combined production budgets of US$187M, with this third offering coming in at a budget of US$150M. The film is released this week too in the USA.

'BEAST OF WAR' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian WWII action horror drama film is Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Kiah Roache-Turner whose prior feature film output takes in 'Wyrmwood : Road of the Dead' in 2014, 'Nekrotronic' in 2018, 'Wyrmwood : Apocalypse' in 2022 and 'Sting' in 2024. Here, and based on actual events, a group of young soldiers, fresh out of boot camp, during World War II in 1942, when a Japanese fighter sinks an Australian warship in the Timor Sea. Clinging to a makeshift raft, a handful of soldiers soon find themselves in a desperate fight for survival as a giant and very hungry great white shark circles in the water. Starring Mark Coles Smith, Joel Nankervis, Sam Delich and Steve Le Marquand. The film saw its World Premiere at the Melbourne International Film Festival in mid-August and is released Stateside in mid-October. 

'THE TRAVELLERS' (Rated M) - is an Australian drama film that is Written and Directed by Bruce Beresford who made his feature film Directing debut in 1972 with 'The Adventures of Barry McKenzie', and would follow this up with the likes of 'Don's Party' in 1976, 'Breaker Morant' in 1980, 'Puberty Blues' in 1981, 'Her Alibi' and 'Driving Miss Daisy' both in 1989, 'Paradise Road' in 1997, 'Double Jeopardy' in 1999, 'Mao's Last Dancer' in 2009 and 'Ladies in Black' in 2018. Here then, Stephen Seary (Luke Bracey), a charismatic and successful stage designer, returns to Australia to say goodbye to his dying mother. What was to be a quick trip descends into a frustrating and sometimes quirky challenge as family responsibilities, a difficult relationship with his curmudgeonly father Fred (Bryan Brown), unresolved conflicts with long-forgotten antagonists, romantic interludes, and the presence of an annoying sister make his return to Europe and the opera he has contracted to design increasingly problematic. Also starring Susie Porter and Nicholas Hammond. 

'ELEANOR THE GREAT' (Rated PG)  - this American drama film is Co-Produced and Directed by Scarlett Johansson in her feature film making debut. Here, Eleanor Morgenstein (June Squibb), a 94-year-old Floridian woman, strikes up an unlikely friendship with a 19-year-old student Nina (Erin Kellyman) in New York City, after she tries to rebuild her life following the death of her best friend of seventy years. The film saw its World Premiere screening at this years Cannes Film Festival in late May where it was nominated in the Un Certain Regard and Camera d'Or categories. The film was released in the USA on 26th September and early critical reviews has rated this mixed or average. The film also stars Chiwetel Ejiofor and Jessica Hecht.

'WE BURY THE DEAD' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian and US Co-Produced survival thriller film Written and Directed by Zak Hilditch, who made his feature film debut in 2003 with 'Waiting for Naval Base Lilly', and which he would follow up with his better known projects including 'These Final Hours' in 2013, '1922' in 2017 and 'Rattlesnake' in 2019. Here then, Ava Newman (Daisy Ridley), a desperate woman, searches for her husband in the aftermath of a catastrophic military experiment. Hoping to find him alive, Ava joins a 'body retrieval unit', but her search takes a chilling turn when the corpses she's burying start showing signs of life. Also starring Mark Coles Smith, Brenton Thwaites and Matt Whelan, the film had its World Premiere at SXSW in March this year, is released here in Australia this week, but not in the US until sometime in 2026, and has generated largely positive critical reviews.

'MERCHANT IVORY : THE DOCUMENTARY' (Rated PG) - this 2023 doco is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Stephen Soucy and documents the history of Merchant Ivory Productions, which produced films such as 'A Room with a View' in 1985, 'Howards End' in 1992 and 'The Remains of the Day' in 1993. It covers the partnership between Ismail Merchant, an Indian-born Producer, and James Ivory, an American Director, from their meeting in 1961 through their collaboration on over forty films. The documentary addresses their focus on literary adaptations and period dramas, as well as challenges like financial constraints and cultural differences. It includes interviews with Actors such as Helena Bonham Carter, Emma Thompson, Anthony Hopkins, Hugh Grant and Vanessa Redgrave, and other associates of Merchant Ivory Productions. The film saw its World Premiere at DOC NYC Festival in November 2023, went on limited release in the US at the end of August 2024 and only now is it released here in Australia. 

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 week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 9th November 2017.

The 7th AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards takes place in Sydney on 6th December this year, with the who's who from the world of cinema and television, in front and behind the camera all vying for awards recognition. The official list of nominees was announced last week, and in terms of the film industry, in competition for the major prizes are :-

* BEST FILM : 'Ali's Wedding', 'Lion', 'Berlin Syndrome', 'Jasper Jones' and 'Hounds of Love'.
* BEST DIRECTION : 'Jeffrey Walker for 'Ali's Wedding', Garth Davis for 'Lion', Cate Shortland for 'Berlin Syndrome' and Ben Young for 'Hounds of Love'.
* BEST LEAD ACTOR : Osamah Sami for 'Ali's Wedding', Sunny Pawar for 'Lion', Stephen Curry for 'Hounds of Love' and Ewen Leslie for 'The Butterfly Tree'.
* BEST LEAD ACTRESS : Helana Sawires for 'Ali's Wedding', Teresa Palmer for 'Berlin Syndrome',  Emma Booth for 'Hounds of Love' and Sara West for 'Don't Tell'.
* BEST SUPPORTING ACTOR : Don Hany for 'Ali's Wedding', Dev Patel for 'Lion', Hugo Weaving for 'Jasper Jones' and Jack Thompson for 'Don't Tell'.
* BEST SUPPORTING ACTRESS : Frances Duca for 'Ali's Wedding', Nicole Kidman for 'Lion', Susie Porter for 'Hounds of Love' and Jacqueline McKenzie for 'Don't Tell'.
* BEST ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY : 'Ali's Wedding', 'Hounds of Love', 'The Butterfly Tree' and 'The Death and Life of Otto Bloom'.
* BEST ADAPTED SCREENPLAY : 'Lion', 'Berlin Syndrome', 'Jasper Jones' and 'Don't Tell'.
* BEST CINEMATOGRAPHY : Greig Fraser for 'Lion', Michael McDermott for 'Hounds of Love', Stefan Duscio for 'Jungle' and Geoffrey Hall for 'Red Dog : True Blue'.
* BEST VISUAL EFFECTS OR ANIMATION : 'Deepwater Horizon', 'Doctor Strange', 'The Lego Batman Movie' and 'Game of Thrones : The Spoils of War'.
You can go to the official website at : aacta.org for the full run down on this years nominees in every category, and more.

Turning to this weeks current release movies coming to a big screen somewhere near you, we have an all star cast in this lavish remake of a classic whodunnit 1930's novel set aboard a train, that sees this fourth screen adaptation of this famed story; then we have a BioPic about an inner city riot of fifty years ago that went down as one of the worst in American history; then another BioPic about an intrepid amateur explorer who gets lost in the remote South American jungle and his struggles too survive; followed by another BioPic about a man and the two women in his life who together create the first female Superheroine (that we know and love to this day) almost eighty years ago; before wrapping up with a tale of man who thinks little of himself and his journey of discovery to realise that he is worth a whole lot more.

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

'MURDER ON THE ORIENT EXPRESS' (Rated M) - the classic 1934 Agatha Christie murder mystery novel upon which this film is based has been committed to the big and small screens a number of times over the years, most notably in 1974 as Directed by Sidney Lumet and starred an ensemble cast. That film was nominated for six Academy Awards and won one - for Best Supporting Actress going to Ingrid Bergman. It was also nominated for ten BAFTA's and walked away with three  for Best Supporting Actor and Actress to John Gielgud and Ingrid Bergman respectively, and Best Music. All up the film won nine awards and received a further sixteen nominations, and at the Box Office returned US$36M from its US$1.4M budget outlay. The films cast included Albert Finney as the super sleuth gentleman detective Hercule Poirot, Sean Connnery, John Gielgud, Anthony Perkins, Michael York, Richard Widmark, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Vanessa Redgrave and Jacqueline Bisset. In 2001 a made for television movie was released of the same name, featuring the same storyline, and the same title but set in the present day and starring Alfred Molina as Hercule Poirot, Peter Strauss and Leslie Caron. Then in 2010 the popular long running television series 'Agatha Christie's Poirot' with David Suchet as the detective aired in Season 12, Episode 3 'Murder on the Orient Express' which featured the acting talents of Hugh Bonneville, Jessica Chastain, Barbara Hershey, Toby Jones, David Morrissey, and Eileen Atkins. There has also been a BBC Radio 4 serialisation of the book and a video game adaptation over the years too.

And so now in 2017 we have this latest lavish reiteration of Christie's famed novel with Kenneth Branagh on Directing duty and starring as the hirsute Belgian detective Hercule Poirot with a ensemble cast for this production that takes in Johnny Depp, Willem Dafoe, Derek Jacobi, Josh Gad, Penelope Cruz, Judi Dench, Michelle Pfeiffer, Daisy Ridley, Olivia Coleman and Lucy Boynton amongst others. The film was released in the UK last week, and goes on wide release in the US and Australia this week. The storyline, as if you need reminding, is that set sometime in the 1930's famed detective Hercule Poirot is taking a well deserved rest in between super sleuthing on the Orient Express train. While on board he meets an interesting array of international and multi-cultural characters, one of whom is Samuel Ratchett (Johnny Depp) who pleads with Poirot to act as his personal bodyguard while travelling on the train for fear of his life. Poirot cordially declines the invitation, and the next morning winds up dead - stabbed to death. When the train is caught in a snow blizzard and the journey is halted, Poirot goes into unexpected investigative mode as the clues begin to mount up, everyone is a suspect and time is running out before the killer potentially strikes again.

'DETROIT' (Rated MA15+) - this historical biographical crime drama film is Directed and Co-Produced by Kathryn Bigelow and Written by Mark Boal with whom the Director collaborated on two of her previous films - 2008's 'The Hurt Locker' and 2012's 'Zero Dark Thirty'. The film is based on the 1967 Detroit Riot (aka The 12th Street Riot) and research tells us that this was one of 159 race related riots that swept across the USA throughout the 'Long Hot Summer of 1967'. This riot was a violent public disorder that turned into a civil disturbance in Detroit, Michigan. It began in the early hours of Sunday July 23, 1967. The catalyst to the event was a police raid of an unlicensed, after-hours bar just north of the corner of 12th Street and Virginia Park Avenue, on the city's Near West Side. Police confrontations with customers and observers on the street evolved into one of the deadliest and most destructive riots in the history of the United States, lasting five days. To help bring an end to the disturbance, Governor George W. Romney ordered the Michigan Army National Guard into Detroit, and President Lyndon B. Johnson mobilised both the 82nd and 101st Airborne Divisions. The result was 43 dead, 1,189 injured, over 7,200 arrests, and more than 2,000 buildings trashed. Furthermore, The Algiers Motel Incident occurred in Detroit, during the night of July 25–26, 1967 during the racially fuelled 12th Street Riot. At the Algiers Motel, approximately one mile east of where the riots began, three teenage civilians, all black, were beaten and killed by police. Nine others, comprising two white females and seven black males were badly beaten and humiliated by members of a riot task force composed of the Detroit Police Department, the Michigan State Police, and the Michigan Army National Guard. The incident occurred after reports were received that snipers, a gunman, or group of gunmen had been seen at or near the motel. This is the foundation of the film, starring John Boyega, Will Poulter, Jack Reynor, Anthony Mackie and John Krasinski. The film opened in the US back in late July, cost US$34M to make and has so far recovered US$22M and has received generally positive Reviews, and there is even early Oscar buzz around the film.

'JUNGLE' (Rated M) - here we have a biographical jungle survival drama film Directed by Aussie Greg McLean whose previous credits include 'Wolf Creek', 'Wolf Creek 2', 'Rogue' and the recently released 'The Belko Experiment'. The film is based on the book 'Jungle : A Harrowing True Story of Survival' by Yossi Ghinsberg an Israeli adventurer, author, entrepreneur, humanitarian, and motivational speaker now living in Australia. Ghinsberg is most known for his survival story when he was stranded in an uncharted part of the Bolivian Amazon jungle for three weeks in 1981. Teaming up with some unknowns that Yossi (here portrayed by Daniel Radcliffe) meets in La Paz, Bolivia to begin a trek into the heart of the Amazon rainforest in search for an alleged lost Indian tribe. Their journey turns into a nightmare as the darkest elements of human nature and the deadliest threats of the untamed jungle force them to fight for survival. Also starring Alex Russell, Thomas Kretschmann, Joel Jackson and Yasmin Kassim the film Premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival back in August and now goes on limited release.

'BRAD'S STATUS' (Rated M) - Directed, Written, Co-Produced and also starring Mike White, this film tells the story of Brad Sloan (Ben Stiller) a middle aged guy living in a comfortable Californian home, with a comfortable job, and a loving comfortable wife Melanie (Jenna Fischer). His reality does not, however, quite match up with his career expectations and his life goals when he graduated from College back in the day. He keeps reminding himself of what might have been and he often compares himself to his four College buddies who have gone on to be successful, well paid career professionals. When Brad takes his teenage son Troy (Austin Abrams) on a tour of New England Colleges, he is forced to reconnect with his former College buddies, one of whom especially he is seeking to leverage a favour from - a teacher at Harvard, Craig Fisher (Michael Sheen). The experiences with his friends and his road trip with his son, compel Brad to re-evaluate the choices he made in life and whether or not he is in fact the failure he thinks he is, or he is the most successful in the group. Also starring Luke Wilson, Jermaine Clement and Mike White as Brad's three other College friends. The film Premiered at TIFF in early September, went on general release across the US the following week, has so far grossed just US$3M, and has received generally positive Reviews.

'PROFESSOR MARSTON AND THE WONDER WOMEN' (Rated MA15+) - here this historical biographical drama film Written and Directed by Angela Robinson takes us back to the very creation of the female Amazonian superheroine 'Wonder Woman' in the early '40's. Make no mistake about the title though - this is no extension of the DC Extended Universe, but an insight into what inspired and motivated the creator of this hugely successful comic character, William Moulton Marston (played here by Luke Evans). A Harvard psychologist and inventor Dr. Marston is working with his wife Elizabeth Marston (Rebecca Hall) on the invention of the lie detector. When William hires a new Assistant Olive Byrne (Bella Heathcote) to complete work on the lie detector, in time Olive falls for both William and Elizabeth, and eventually moves in with them, breaking off her engagement in the process. With two inspirational women in his life, he creates one of the most loved comic book characters of all time, although the road to fame and fortune is not without its challenges along the way. The film Premiered at TIFF in early November, was released Stateside in mid-October, has so far taken just US$1.5M and has garnered generally favourable Reviews noting in particular the performances from the three principle leads.

With five new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, taking in a remake of a classic 1930's whodunnit; a historical retelling on an inner city Riot; another historical BioPic about a guy lost in the jungle; and another historical BioPic of the man who created the first female Superheroine; and a journey of self awareness and discovery for a man and his son. Remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephiles afterwards here at Odeon Online, and meanwhile, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

POINT BREAK : Friday 1st January 2016.

I went for nostalgic reasons to see 'POINT BREAK' on its 2016 release date with fond memories of  Kathryn Bigelow's action crime thriller of the same name and upon which this retelling is based. Released in 1991 that earlier film starred a young Keanu Reeves, Patrick Swayze, Gary Busey, Lori Petty and John C McGinley and would rate as one of this Reviewer's favourite films of all time. I have seen the film more times than I can recall, and still love it after repeated viewings and not because of the stellar performances but because of the dialogue, the action, the energy and the spectacle of the film - it was made for just US$24M and went onto make US$84M in the final analysis. And now in 2015 and released on New Years Day in Australia 'Point Break' has been remade for a whole new audience who probably don't even know of its 'classic' predecessor. This new version was made for US$105M and has so far grossed US$62M following its initial release in China on December 4th.

This retelling Directed by Ericson Core, speaks of a similar story involving Johnny Utah (Luke Bracey in the Keanu Reeves role) as the FBI Agent with a penchant for extreme sports who seven years previously in the opening sequence sees a close friend plunge to his death off a mountain top pinnacle having ridden their dirt bikes along a previously unridden ridge. Fast forward to the present day and Utah is a graduating rookie FBI Agent having put those extreme sports days behind him, until a band of extreme sports crims are on the loose seemingly robbing from the rich and giving to the poor. So its not long before Utah persuades Instructor Hall (Delroy Lindo) to let him go undercover to thwart a bunch of professional criminals who masquerade as extreme sports enthusiasts . . . or is it the other way around?

These crims are headed by Bodhi (Edgar Ramirez in the Patrick Swayze role) whose sports agenda is to chase the path to enlightenment via 'The Oaski 8' - named after Ono Osaki, an eco-warrior who challenged the extreme sports world to a series of eight ordeals that honour the forces of nature. After a series of 'Robin Hood' type robberies the FBI close in whilst Bodhi and his group strive to complete the eight challenges dragging Utah along to prove himself, with Angelo Pappas (Ray Winston in the Gary Busey role) as the FBI grunt on the ground and Utah's international connection.

What follows is a series of action set pieces that all showcase some beautiful locations, stunning practical stunt work (especially the wing suit dive through the Swiss Alps) and extreme sports that is sure to be any teenage boys wet dream, as Bodhi and his crew chase their 'path' and the '8'. Does this really advance the plot? Well not really, because the plot is verbalised every step of the way in by the numbers dialogue as Utah pieces together the puzzle and Hall and Pappas look on very puzzled thinking WTF is this young upstart rookie talking about with all this Ozaki enlightenment nirvana BS. This naturally is underscored with big wave surfing, extreme snowboarding, wing suit diving, free climbing up a vertical mountain side, and parachuting through the world's deepest sink hole from 40,000 feet up as the '8' are progressively notched up and Utah goes along for the ride as part of his undercover investigations and to win Bodhi's confidence - really all quite predictable.

The action is impressive enough no doubt, but is it enough to carry the film that takes the story off in a different direction whilst retaining one or two touchstones from the original film? These include the end of the epic foot chase sequence where an injured Utah has Bodhi in his gun sights but rolls over and shoots off his final rounds into the air, and the final closing sequence where Bodhi jumps into a once in a decade swell during a big storm for his final surf never to be seen again, by which time all his close buddies also on their 'path' have perished because of it.

This film has a lot more polish than its original predecessor - the locations, the set pieces, and the fact that this bunch are 'sponsored' by a young multi-billionaire with more cash than sense. This is how Bodhi and his cronies have all the equipment they need to jet off to exotic locations around the world at a moments notice to complete their quest and live out their lives fully funded thank-you very much!

Compared to the original however, Bodhi and his rag tag gang of adrenalin junkies needed to fund their own exploits hence they robbed banks, but, there was more grit, rawness, energy and connection between the characters as a result, and the chemistry then between Reeves and Swayze on screen was spot-on whereas here, there is very little. Give me 'The Ex-Presidents' any day of the week!

Worth seeing on the big screen for the action sequences and the stunt work which were all mostly carried out practically in the locations as seen rather than using CGI green screen and Hollywood chicanery, but, that's the only reason.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

ZERO DARK THIRTY - archive from 6th February 2013.

Saw 'ZERO DARK THIRTY' on Monday night - the much lauded somewhat controversial Kathryn Bigelow offering tracing the hunt for Bin Laden immediately following 9/11 up to the point of his alleged death. 

This is a fairly gritty film showing the London, & Marriott Hotel bombings, suicide bombings, prisoner interrogations, and hard line terrorist extremists doing their thing against the backdrop of the CIA seeking out OBL over a ten year period. 

The film is well crafted almost in documentary style but I would have liked to know more about the 'Man' - family, background, motivation, influences - even if condensed into the opening titles sequence, but no!  Starring Jessica Chastain in the lead role as the CIA Agent tracking down OBL and supported by the likes of Jason Clarke, our own Joel and Nash Edgerton, James Gandolfini, Chris Pratt and Mark Strong this film delivers on many levels, but, when the climax surrounding the finding of his stockade, the midnight storming of it, the clinical attack, the shooting of his henchmen and him ultimately is well handled and suspenseful, but, it's like watching the six o'clock news!

This film subsequently picked up the Academy Award for Best Sound Editing and missed out on three other nominations. Jessica Chastain did however, pick up the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Lead Role. All up it brought in an impressive haul of 67 awards wins and 81 other nominations from around the world . . . clearly striking a chord with judges and audiences.

A must see film because of how recent this is, the way it all changed our world, and what it means to us all to this very day - but is he really dead?? That (for me) still remains unanswered and the film didn't even answer that one satisfactorily! Only you can decide.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-