What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 27th February 2025

The 31st Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards, honouring the best achievements in film and television performances for the 2024 year were presented on 23rd February at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California, USA, with Actress Kristen Bell hosting the ceremony for the second time. 

The winners, grinners and also rans in the film categories, are as follows :-

* Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Leading Role - presented to Timothee Chalamet for 'A Complete Unknown', beating out Adrien Brody for 'The Brutalist', Daniel Craig for 'Queer', Colman Domingo for 'Sing Sing' and Ralph Fiennes for 'Conclave'. 

* Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Leading Role - awarded to Demi Moore for 'The Substance', beating out Pamela Anderson for 'The Last Showgirl', Cynthia Erivo for 'Wicked', Karla Sofia Gascon for 'Emilia Perez' and Mikey Madison for 'Anora'.

* Outstanding Performance by a Male Actor in a Supporting Role - presented to Kieran Culkin for 'A Real Pain', beating out Jonathan Bailey for 'Wicked', Yura Borisov for 'Anora', Edward Norton for 'A Complete Unknown' and Jeremy Strong for 'The Apprentice'. 

* Outstanding Performance by a Female Actor in a Supporting Role - awarded to Zoe Saldana for 'Emilia Perez', beating out Monica Barbaro for 'A Complete Unknown', Jamie Lee Curtis for 'The Last Showgirl', Danielle Deadwyler for 'The Piano Lesson' and Ariana Grande for 'Wicked'.

* Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture - presented to Sergio Castellitto, Ralph Fiennes, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, Isabella Rossellini, and Stanley Tucci for 'Conclave', beating out 'Anora', 'A Complete Unknown', 'Emilia Perez' and 'Wicked'.

* Outstanding Performance by a Stunt Ensemble in a Motion Picture - awarded to 'The Fall Guy', beating out 'Deadpool & Wolverine', 'Dune : Part Two', 'Gladiator II' and 'Wicked'.

* The Screen Actors Guild Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Jane Fonda.

For the full listings of all the nominees in the film category, the complete list of all the television nominees and winners, plus a whole lot more, you can go to the official website at : https://www.sagawards.org/

Focusing back on this weeks no fewer than nine new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we kick off with an Iranian drama in which an investigating judge grapples with paranoia amid political unrest in Tehran, when his gun vanishes. Next up we have a Brazilian drama about a mother forced to reinvent herself when her family's life is shattered by an act of arbitrary violence. This is followed by an epic Sci-Fi fantasy offering where a witch travels to the Lost Lands in search of a magical power that allows a person to transform into a werewolf. Then we turn to an Aussie crime drama where a prisoner is forced to murder Australia’s most despised criminal. Following on we have British horror film in which Wendy Darling encounters a twisted Tinker Bell as she tries to rescue her brother, Michael, from the evil clutches of Peter Pan. Next is a Swedish doco about a son, his father and a best mate who take a road trip down through France in an attempt to rekindle the fathers zest for life having recently retired. Then we have an American war drama showing how one act of kindness can live on forever, as a grandmother recounts her own story of courage during her youth in Nazi-occupied France, as a boy shelters her from mortal danger. This is followed by a doco about how and why twenty-six royal treasures from Dahomey, exhibited in Paris, are returned to Benin; before closing out the week with an Aussie animated family film that sees a one of kind young tiger adopted by a wrestler kangaroo family, and who's life changes when visions lead him to his roots.

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

'THE SEED OF THE SACRED FIG' (Rated M) - this Iranian, German and French Co-Produced political drama films is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Mohammad Rasoulof, who made his feature debut film with 'The Twilight' in 2002, and would follow this up with the likes of 'The White Meadows' in 2009, 'Manuscripts Don't Burn' in 2013, 'A Man of Integrity' in 2017, and 'There Is No Evil' in 2020. This films title refers to a species of fig that spreads by 'wrapping itself around another tree and eventually strangling it'. It had its World Premiere screening at last years Cannes Film Festival in late May where it received a twelve minute standing ovation, was released in France in mid-September, and in Germany in late December.

This film centres on a family thrust into the public eye when Iman (Missagh Zareh) is appointed as an investigating judge in The Revolutionary Court in Tehran. As political unrest erupts in the streets, Iman realises that his job is even more dangerous than expected, making him increasingly paranoid and distrustful, even of his own wife Najmeh (Soheila Golestani) and daughters Sana (Setareh Maleki) and Rezvan (Mahsa Rostami). The film has garnered universal critical acclaim, has so far grossed close to US$6M, and has collected thirty-one award wins and another sixty-seven nominations from around the awards and festival circuit.

'I'M STILL HERE' (Rated M) - is a Brazilian and French Co-Production Directed by Walter Salles and is based on Marcelo Rubens Paiva's 2015 memoir of the same name. Walter Salles prior feature film making credits include 'The Motorcycle Diaries' in 2004, 'Dark Water' in 2005, and 'On the Road' in 2012 amongst others. This film stars Fernanda Torres and Fernanda Montenegro as Eunice Paiva, a mother and activist coping with the forced disappearance in January 1971 of her husband, the dissident politician Rubens Paiva (Selton Mello), during the military dictatorship in Brazil. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Venice International Film Festival in early September last year, was released in Brazil in early November, in France, Portugal and the USA in mid-January to universal critical acclaim and has so far grossed US$27M from a production budget of just US$1.5M. It has so far collected forty-six award wins and a further sixty-two nominations from around the awards and festival circuit, including three Academy Award nods. 

'IN THE LOST LANDS' (Rated M) - this epic fantasy film is Co-Produced, Directed and based on a story Co-Written by Paul, W. S. Anderson, and is based on the short story by George R. R. Martin. Anderson's previous film making credits include 'Mortal Kombat' in 1995, 'Event Horizon' in 1997, all of the six 'Resident Evil' films ranging from 2002 through to 2016, 'Alien vs. Predator' in 2004, 'Death Race' in 2008, 'Pompeii' in 2014 and 'Monster Hunter' in 2020. Here then, a queen, desperate to find happiness in love, takes a daring step by sending the powerful and feared witch Gray Alys (Milla Jovovich) to the 'Lost Lands' to give her the magical gift of turning into a werewolf. With the mysterious hunter Boyce (Dave Bautista), who supports her in the fight against dark creatures and merciless enemies, Gray Alys roams an eerie and dangerous world. And only she knows that every wish she grants has unimaginable consequences. The film is released Stateside on 7th March. 

'INSIDE' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian prison drama film Co-Produced, Written and Directed by Charles Williams in his feature film making debut, and is probably best known for his 2018 short film 'All These Creatures' which won the Short Film Palme d'Or at the 2018 Cannes Film Festival. In this film, transferred from juvenile to adult prison, Mel Blight (Vincent Miller) is taken under the wing of both Mark Shepard (Cosmo Jarvis), Australia's most despised criminal, and Warren Murfett (Guy Pearce), a soon-to-be-a-paroled inmate. The paternal triangle that forms between them becomes their undoing. It saw its World Premiere screening at the Melbourne International Film Festival in early August last year 

'PETER PAN'S NEVERLAND NIGHTMARE' (Rated MA15+) - this British independent horror film is Written and Directed by Scott Chambers whose prolific output takes in twenty-three Director credits since 2018, one hundred Producer credits since 2013 and numerous other roles both in front of, and behind the camera. This is the third instalment in 'The Twisted Childhood Universe' (TCU), after 'Winnie-the-Pooh : Blood and Honey' in 2023 and 'Winnie-the-Pooh : Blood and Honey 2' in 2024, and serves as a horror retelling of J. M. Barrie's 'Peter Pan'. This film follows Wendy Darling (Megan Placito) who encounters a twisted Tinker Bell (Kit Green) as she embarks on a quest to find her younger brother Michael (Peter DeSouza-Feighoney), who has been abducted by Peter Pan (Martin Portlock) and taken to the titular Neverland. The film was released in the US in mid-January and is released in the UK and here in Australia this week, having cost about US$350K and has so far recovered US$270K, and has received mixed critical reviews. 

'THE LAST JOURNEY' (Rated PG) - is a Swedish documentary film Directed by Filip Hammar and Fredrik Wikingsson, and after forty years as a beloved French teacher in the town of Koping, Lars Hammar retires, but becomes passive and apathetic to the dismay of his family. Looking to rekindle the spark in his life, his son Filip and his best friend Fredrik load Lars into a car to head on a road trip to France, in the hope of rekindling his almost non-existent spark of life. The film Premiered in Swedish cinemas a year ago on 1st March 2024 and across the Scandinavian countries from mid-September to early October, has so far collected four award wins and another four nominations, and has grossed US$280K.

'WHITE BIRD : A WONDER STORY' (Rated PG) - is an American war drama film Directed by Marc Forster, is based on the 2019 graphic novel of the same name by R. J. Palacio, and serves as both a spin-off prequel and a sequel to the 2017 film 'Wonder'. Marc Forster's prior film making credits take in the likes of 'Monster's Ball' in 2001, 'Finding Neverland' in 2004, 'The Kite Runner' in 2007, 'Quantum of Solace' in 2008, 'World War Z' in 2013, 'Christopher Robin' in 2018, and 'A Man Called Otto' in 2022. Here, we follow Julian (Bryce Gheisar), who has struggled to belong ever since he was expelled from his former school for his treatment of Auggie Pullman (played by Jacob Tremblay in 'Wonder'). To transform his life, Julian's grandmother Sara Blum (Helen Mirren) finally reveals to Julian her own story of courage, in that during her youth in Nazi-occupied France, a boy shelters her from mortal danger. They find first love in a stunning, magical world of their own creation, while the boy's mother Vivienne Beaumier (Gillian Anderson) risks everything to keep her safe. The film has so far recovered US$9M from its US$20M production budget, since being released in the US in early October last year and has generated mixed or average reviews.

'DAHOMEY' (Rated G) - this documentary film is a French, Senegal and Benin Co-Production that is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Mati Diop whose prior feature film debut was the multi-award winning 'Atlantics' in 2019, although she has Directed numerous short films since 2004. The documentary film blends facts and fiction to narrate the stories of twenty-six African artworks. The royal artefacts from the Kingdom of Dahomey (1600–1904) were taken to France during the region's colonial period (1872–1960). In the 21st century, they were put on display in the Musee du Quai Branly – Jacques Chirac, a museum of non-European art located in Paris. Following a campaign for repatriation, the artefacts were returned to Benin, and the film also traces the reactions of Beninese people. It had its World Premiere in the main competition at the Berlin International Film Festival in February 2024 where it won the festival's top prize, the Golden Bear, has garnered universal critical acclaim, has so far grossed US$566K at the Box Office and has thus far collected thirteen award wins and another forty-nine nominations from around the awards and festival circuit.

'THE LOST TIGER' (Rated G) - this is the first Australian animated family feature film to be Written and Directed by an indigenous woman - Chantelle Murray. Here, we follow a plucky young tiger  Teo, one of the last Thylacines (aka Tasmanian Tiger), as he is taken in by a family of boisterous, travelling, wrestlemania Kangaroos. Teo carries with him a mysterious crystal necklace, the only clue left by those who abandoned him. The voice cast includes Thomas Weatherall, Rhys Darby, Celeste Barber, Jimi Bani and Nakkiah Lui.

With nine 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-

A MAN CALLED OTTO : Tuesday 3rd January 2023

I saw the M Rated 'A MAN CALLED OTTO' earlier this week, following its release here in Australia on New Years Day. This American comedy drama film is Directed by Marc Forster and is the second film adaptation of the 2012 novel 'A Man Called Ove' by Swedish author Fredrik Backman, following the 2015 Swedish film of the same name Written and Directed by Hannes Holm. Marc Forster's prior film making credits take in the likes of 'Monster's Ball' in 2001, 'Finding Neverland' in 2004, 'The Kite Runner' in 2007, 'Quantum of Solace' in 2008, 'World War Z' in 2013 and 'Christopher Robin' in 2018. The film saw a limited release in the US from 30th December before a much wider release from 13th January, has garnered mixed or average reviews and has so far grossed US$3M at the Box Office on a production budget of US$50M.

The film opens up with Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks) searching amongst the shelves of his local 'Big Beaver' hardware store. He buy a sturdy enough looking hook, and very specifically five feet of thick rope. When he goes to pay, the teller charges him for two yards of rope, which Otto very astutely says that he has been overcharged by one foot, and why is he being charged for six feet of rope when he only needs, and has cut the length of, five feet? The teller tells him that the computer only charges by the yard, so Otto asks to see the manager, who is at lunch, so he asks to see the assistant manager, who turns up to be a young girl old enough to be his grand daughter, whom he greets with 'shouldn't you be in gym class'? This sets the tone of this grumpy sixty year old man, who it seems behind closed doors and more often that not under his breath, calls just about everyone he comes into contact with an 'idiot'!

We subsequently learn that Otto's wife, and life long love, Sonya (Rachel Keller) has recently passed away, and he was forced into taking a severance package from his job at a steel plant firm that he held down for about forty years. Otto leads a simple life and by a staunch set of principles, strict routines and a relatively short fuse, giving just about everyone in his gated neighbourhood community a hard time as he watches over it, and them, like a man on a mission. However, for this creature of habit, his life now has no meaning since the passing of Sonya, and so using the hook and the five feet of rope he purchased recently he drills a hole in the ceiling into the joist, screws in the hook, and ties the rope into a noose with the intention of hanging himself. 

As he places the noose around his neck he spies through his lounge room window a car with U-Haul trailer attempting to back into the side of the road directly opposite from where he lives. Perplexed by this notion, he dashes out the front to be greeted by Marisol (Mariana Trevino), her husband Tommy (Manuel Garcia-Rulfo) and two young daughters who are renting the place, with Tommy unsuccessfully attempting to back up his trailer with Marisol supposedly guiding her husband. Otto ultimately jumps into the car and successful reverses the car and trailer in with ease. Job done. He goes back inside his house, and hangs himself. But his attempt at taking his own life is thwarted as the hook snaps and he crashes down to the floor. 

Marisol and Tommy come knocking on Otto's door sometime later with a serving of Pollo Con Mole which he reluctantly takes and eats with gusto when he is alone later, but he has to eat it cold because just before trying to hang himself he had the electricity cut off and the telephone line disconnected too. Later Tommy asks Otto if he can borrow a set of allen keys to build some flat pack furniture and on another occasion a ladder to fix a window from the outside that won't open. Otto is obliging. 

Through flashbacks we see when Otto was in his early twenties (played by Truman Hanks, Tom's son) when he first set eyes on Sonya, and how their love for each other blossomed. Otto wanted to join the army but was refused entry because of medical reasons - he suffers from idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, an enlarged heart, and so took up engineering instead. Upon successfully graduating from college, he asks Sonya to marry him, and she without hesitations says yes. In time, she becomes pregnant, and at the six month point they are both looking forward to the arrival of their first born. They decide to take a holiday to Niagara Falls before the birth of their child, and while travelling on a bus together to their destination, the bus careers of the road, rolls several times before coming to rest. Otto was in the toilet at the time and was saved from much of the impact, but Sonya was thrown out of the window, resulting in her becoming paralysed from the waist down and losing their baby. 

Otto regularly visits Sonya's final resting place in the graveyard bringing her fresh flowers and a chair to sit in where he talks to her about his failed attempts to reunite with her, the state of America and what's being going on in his community. His suicide attempts are through gassing himself in his car in his garage with carbon monoxide fumes but this is thwarted when Marisol comes banging on the garage door begging him to drive her to the hospital because Tommy has injured his foot trying to repair the window while balancing on the ladder, and Marisol can't drive. On another occasion Otto drives to the local train station with the intention of throwing himself in front of an oncoming train, but his thwarted when a man collapses on to the tracks suffering a cardiac arrest and Otto jumps down to save him. Otto is hailed a hero and generates a million views on a social media platform. On the last occasion, Otto take his shotgun with the intention of blowing his brains out, but he has a vision of Sonya telling him that its time to live his life, and so he shoots a hole in the ceiling instead. 

Otto is brought further into the life of his neighbours Anita (Juanita Jennings), her disabled husband Rueben (Peter Lawson Jones) and their surrogate son Jimmy (Cameron Britton) when it is revealed that their estranged real son whom that haven't seen in years and who now resides in Japan has, through the power of attorney, put their house on the market with Real Estate Agency 'Dye & Merica' and forced his Mum and Dad into care homes. When the Real Estate Agent (Mike Birbiglia) turns up to take possession of the house, Otto had done his homework on their behalf and uncovered some nefarious goings on that results in the agent departing empty handed, and Anita and Rueben remaining secure in their family home. 

On another occasion, Otto gets talking to a newspaper delivery lad called Malcolm (Mack Bayda), who it turns out is transgender and was taught in school by Sonya. He tells Otto that it was Sonya who accepted him for what he was and that helped him through a very tough few years at school. One night Malcolm turns up on Otto's doorstep asking if he could crash their for the night because his own Dad kicked him out. Otto agrees. In time, Otto shows Malcolm and Jimmy his daily routines around the community, with the desire that they can assume his mantle when he is gone. And on a final occasion, Otto teaches Marisol to drive his manual car, because he thinks it's crazy for a woman of some thirty years of age not to be able to drive. Otto thereafter gives his car to Malcolm, who was saving up his money from working three jobs, to buy a second hand Volkswagen much to Otto's chagrin. Otto then goes out and buys a brand new Chevrolet truck. 

All of these kind and compassionate acts, largely thanks to Marisol's outgoing and tell it as she sees it personality, leads Otto to open up, embrace the joys of life, and accept people for what and who they are. As Otto's relationships with his neighbours strengthens, he finds himself becoming increasingly involved in their lives and helping them through their various challenges. One day Otto collapses in the road outside his house due to his heart condition. Marisol is on hand at the hospital when he comes round. A nurse enters his room and asks her is she is the next of kin, to which she says yes. The nurse reveals to Marisol, that Otto has a 'big heart' and that he needs to take care of himself, at which point Marisol starts giggling which quickly turns into an uncontrollable fit of laughter. 

We fast forward a couple of years and Otto has found solace and purpose in helping others and rediscovering his love of life. In the end, Otto learns to let go of his grief and embrace the joys of living in the present moment. One day however, Tommy notices that Otto had not swept away the snow from his front door and the pavement running alongside his house, which was a ritual he used to do every day during winter when it snowed. Marisol runs over to the house with Tommy following behind. She runs upstairs to find Otto collapsed on the bed, face down, dead. Marisol is distraught and Tommy picks up a note from the dresser addressed to her. In it, he has written out his wishes in the event of his death. It reads that he was never extravagant with his money and as such there is sufficient funds to put their children through a good education, and whatever monies are left over they can spend it as they so choose. He also leaves his home to them, his brand new Chevrolet truck, with the only condition that only Marisol can drive it and under no circumstances can Tommy be permitted to do so, because she is no 'idiot', and that his funeral service is to be low key affair. 

'America's Dad' has become 'America's Grumpy Old Granddaddy' in this Hollywood remake of a popular Swedish film from a only a few years ago, that once again showcases Tom Hanks enormous talent as a dramatic Actor to be able to portray a curmudgeonly cantankerous crowd pleasing character that ultimately turns Otto into a heartwarming sentimental one that is able to finally let go of his past and embrace what he has left of his future. Hanks and Trevino are well cast as the Yin and Yang neighbours, and Director Forster has here crafted a film that is both subtle and restrained while also offering up some laugh out loud moments, and an ending that is sure to pull at the heartstrings, albeit way too predictable almost from the outset.

'A Man Called Otto' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Sunday 1st January 2023

The movie industry awards season is about to ramp up, having already seen the Gotham Awards presented on 28th November, the British Independent Film Awards on 4th December, the AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards on 5th December, the People's Choice Awards on 6th December and the American Film Institute Top Ten Awards on 9th December amongst others. In the count down to Hollywood's Night of Night's, the Oscar Ceremony on 12th March, below is a list of the more significant upcoming awards presentations that might merit your attention, and scrutiny. 

* 10th January 2023 - The 80th Golden Globe Awards as chosen by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.

* 15th January 2023 - The 28th Critics Choice Awards.

* 11th February 2023 - The 27th Satellite Awards presented by the International Press Academy. 

* 18th February 2023 - The 75th Directors Guild of America Awards.

* 19th February 2023 - The 76th BAFTA Awards.

* 24th February 2023 - The 12th AACTA International Awards.

* 25th February 2023 - The 34th Producers Guild of America Awards.

* 25th February 2023 - The 50th Annie Awards presented by the International Animated Film Association - Hollywood.

* 26th February 2023 - The 29th Screen Actors Guild of America Awards.

* 4th March 2023 - The 38th Film Independent Spirit Awards.

* 5th March 2023 - The 75th Writers Guild of America Awards.

* 12th March 2023 - The 95th Academy Awards.

Stay tuned into your future Odeon Online editions for the full list of all the winners, grinners and also-rans of the aforementioned awards ceremonies, and perhaps then some. 

This New Years Day then, there are only two new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, and we begin with an American remake of a Swedish film from 2015 about a sixty-year-old grump who no longer sees purpose in his life following the loss of his wife and is ready to end it all, but his plans are interrupted when a lively young family moves in next door. And closing out the week we have an Aussie drama film about a young girl, who while learning to dive, befriends a magnificent wild blue groper, beginning her life-long journey to save the world's coral reefs.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it either of the two 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 MAN CALLED OTTO' (Rated M) - this American comedy drama film is Directed by Marc Forster and is the second film adaptation of the 2012 novel 'A Man Called Ove' by Swedish author Fredrik Backman, following the 2015 Swedish film of the same name Written and Directed by Hannes Holm. Marc Forster's prior film making credits take in the likes of 'Monster's Ball' in 2001, 'Finding Neverland' in 2004, 'The Kite Runner' in 2007, 'Quantum of Solace' in 2008, 'World War Z' in 2013 and 'Christopher Robin' in 2018. The film saw a limited release in the US from 30th December before a much wider release from 13th January and has so far garnered mixed or average reviews.

The film tells the story of Otto Anderson (Tom Hanks), who after his wife dies and he is forced to retire from his job of nearly forty years, this grumpy sixty-year-old decides to end his own life. He lives his life by a staunch set of principles, strict routines and a short fuse, and gives everyone in his gated neighbourhood community a hard time as he watches over it like a hawk. His only joy comes from criticising and judging his exasperated neighbours. However, his attempts at suicide are thwarted when a lively young family moves in next door, and he meets his match in quick-witted and very pregnant Marisol (Mariana Trevino), leading to an unexpected friendship that will turn his world upside-down. Also starring Rachel Keller and Manuel Garcia-Rulfo.

'BLUEBACK' (Rated PG) - is an Australian drama film Directed and Co-Produced by Robert Connolly, from a screenplay written by Robert Connolly and Tim Winton, based on Winton's 1997 novel of the same name. Connolly's previous feature film making credits include his debut in 2001 with 'The Bank', then 'Three Dollars' in 2005, 'Balibo' in 2009, 'The Turning' in 2013, 'Paper Planes' in 2015 and 'The Dry' in 2021. This film saw its World Premier screening at the Toronto International Film Festival back in mid-September 2022, and is released here in Australia on New Years Day. The film follows Abby (played by Ariel Donoghue as a child, Ilsa Fogg as a teenager and Mia Wasikowska as an adult), a child who befriends a magnificent wild blue groper while diving. When Abby realises that the fish is under threat, she takes inspiration from her environmental activist Mum, Dora (Radha Mitchell) and takes on poachers to save her friend, and help protect the ocean that she so loves. Also starring Eric Bana and Erik Thomson. 

With just two 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 13th September 2018.

As reported two weeks ago now, the 43rd annual Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) runs from 6th through to 16th September 2018. This year there are twenty films in the 'Gala Presentations' that include the opening and closing nights films 'The Outlaw King' by David Mackenzie and 'Jeremiah Terminator LeRoy' by Justin Kelly respectively.

In addition also screening in this section are 'Everybody Knows' with Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz as Written and Directed by Asghar Farhadi; 'First Man' with Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy and Directed by Damien Chazelle; 'Green Book' with Viggo Mortensen and Mahershala Ali and Directed by Peter Farrelly; 'The Public' with Alec Baldwin and Christian Slater as Directed by Emilio Estevez; 'A Star Is Born' with Bradley Cooper and Lady Gaga and Directed by in his debut by Bradley Cooper; 'Widows' with Viola Davis and Michelle Rodriguez and Directed by Steve McQueen; 'Life Itself' with Oscar Isaac and Olivia Wilde as Written and Directed by Dan Fogelman and 'A Private War' starring Rosamund Pike and Tom Hollander and Directed by Matthew Heineman.

There are also 59 'Special Presentation' feature films that include '22 July' by Paul Greengrass; 'Boy Erased' as Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Starring Joel Edgerton; 'The Death and Life of John F. Donovan' Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Xavier Dolan; 'The Front Runner' by Jason Reitman; 'Greta' by Neil Jordan; 'Hold the Dark' by Jeremy Saulnier; 'Hotel Mumbai' by Anthony Maras; 'If Beale Street Could Talk' Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Barry Jenkins; 'Kursk' by Thomas Vinterberg; 'Mid90s' Written and Directed by Jonah Hill in his Directorial debut; 'The Old Man & the Gun' Written and Directed by David Lowery; 'Roma' as Written, Co-Produced, Co-Edited, Co-Photographed and Directed by Alfonso Cuaron; 'The Sisters Brothers' by Jacques Audlard; 'Skin' Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Guy Nattiv; 'Teen Spirit' Written and Directed by Max Minghella in his Directing debut; 'White Boy Rick' by Yann Demange and 'Wildlife' Co-Written and Directed by Paul Dano in his first Directing outing.

There are also 28 feature length Documentaries screening; 48 in the 'Contemporary World Cinema' category; 47 in the 'Discovery' section; eleven in the 'Masters' category; ten in 'Midnight Madness' including 'Halloween' and 'The Predator'; twelve in 'Platform'; twenty in 'Short Cuts', six in 'Wavelengths' and five in the 'Primetime' section. If you want to know more, and for a full list of films being screened over the duration and a whole lot more, go to the website at : https://www.tiff.net//tiff/

And so to this this weeks slew of seven new release films coming to your local Odeon, kicking off with the latest reboot in a manhunting alien franchise that sees this genetically modified pesky no good alien type up to all sorts of mischief and misdeeds down small-town USA way with nothing but a rag tag bunch of yokels standing in the way of the end of the world as we know it. We turn next to a comedy thriller about a missing person and her best friend who begins the search to uncover the truth surrounding her mysterious disappearance. This is followed up by a coming of age drama set 25 years ago now when a group of teens are sent away by their parents to a special place to say nay to gay and have those same sex feelings eradicated from their minds and bodies once and for all. We then turn to a drama surrounding the disappearance of a teenage girl and her fathers search for clues as to her possible whereabouts and the perpetrator of the crime via her online presence. Next up is a British thriller set on the Channel Islands when a young girl falls for a mysterious young lad, only for him to become the prime suspect in a series of murders spanning recent years - does she do a runner, or stand her ground and support her new love through it? We then have the second pairing, albeit fifteen years apart, of a cult classic partnership that was the subject of a recent film based on the making of their so bad it's good film, that this time around sees two unlikely characters take a road trip of discovery, and danger. We then wrap up with a CGI live action retelling of a boy and his cute hunny eating teddy bear friend who fall out of touch when the young boy grows up, gets married and moves to the Big Smoke only to be reunited years later at a time in the mans life when he needs to be reawakened.

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

'THE PREDATOR' (Rated MA15+) - it's been 31 years since the cult classic alien man hunting character 'Predator' emerged onto our cinema screens with the titular action hero of that era Arnold Schwarzenegger going head to head and toe to toe with the said Predator in some undisclosed Central American jungle territory. With a crack team of hardened military rescue types who get picked off most gruesomely and violently one by one, it's Arnie who is the last man standing to face off against the menacing alien and save the day. That film was Directed by John McTiernan for US$18M and it took at the Box Office US$99M. On the strength of 'Predator' three sequels have so far materialised including this one. In between time there was 1990's 'Predator 2' Directed by Stephen Hopkins and then 2010's 'Predators' as Directed by Nimrod Antal and now 'The Predator' Directed by Shane Black. A crossover with the Alien franchise produced the 'Alien vs. Predator' films, which to date have seen 'Alien vs. Predator' released in 2004 and 'Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem' released in 2007.

Shane Black who Co-Starred in the original film back in 1987, and who Directs here and also Co-Wrote the Screenplay has stated that the film would be a sequel set in the present day, following on from the events of the first two films, but set before the events of the 'Predators'. He has also indicated that he looked for plot details from the previous Predator movies that he could retrospectively link back to with the new film, and that if this instalment performs well, it could be the first in a planned trilogy. And so, from the nether regions of space down to the small-town streets of suburban USA, the hunt comes home - once more. The universe's most lethal hunters are stronger, smarter and more deadly and cunning than ever before, having genetically upgraded themselves with DNA from other alien species. When a boy accidentally triggers their return to Earth, only a ragtag disparate bunch of ex-soldiers and a pissed-off science teacher and biologist can prevent the end of the world as we know it. Starring Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Jacob Tremblay, Keegan-Michael Key, Thomas Jane, Jake Busey, Alfie Allen and Olivia Munn. The film is released in the US this week too.

'A SIMPLE FAVOUR' (Rated M) - this American mystery comedy thriller is Directed and Co-Produced by Paul Feig whose previous feature film Director credits include 2016's 'Ghostbusters', 2015's 'Spy', 2013's 'The Heat' and 2011's 'Bridesmaid's' as well as numerous episodes of television series including 'The Office', 'Arrested Development', 'Weeds' and 'Nurse Jackie'. Here, he adapts for the big screen the 2017 novel of the same name by Darcey Bell, telling the story of three small town USA characters - a stay at home Mum vlogger Stephanie Smothers (Anna Kendrick) and her wealthy and somewhat mysterious best friend Emily Nelson (Blake Lively) and her husband Sean Nelson (Henry Golding). When Emily goes missing Stephanie springs into action in an attempt to solve her best friends disappearance, but uncovers a web of intrigue, betrayals, a corpse, and the elusive question of who can be trusted. The film is released Stateside too this week.

'THE MISEDUCATION OF CAMERON POST' (Rated M) - this drama film is Directed and Co-Written for the screen by Iranian-American Desiree Akhavan in only her second feature film outing. Based on the 2012 book of the same name by Emily M. Danforth the film Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January this year, went on release in the US in early August and the UK last week, has received generally positive Reviews and has so far grossed just US$774K. The story here is set in 1993 and sees teenage girl Cameron Post (Chloe Grace Moretz) caught in the backseat of a car with the Prom Queen. She is sent away to a treatment centre in a remote area called 'God's Promise'. While she is being subjected to questionable gay conversion therapies, she bonds with some fellow residents of similar age as they pretend to comply with the process of conversion and transition down the straight and narrow path, while waiting to be released. Also starring John Gallagher Jnr., Jennifer Ehle, Sasha Lane and Forrest Goodluck, the film has received generally positive press and took out the Grand Jury Prize for US Drama at this years Sundance Film Festival.

'SEARCHING' (Rated M) - this tech heavy thriller is Directed and Co-Written by Aneesh Chaganty, Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival back in January this year, was released in the US in mid-August and has so far been warmly Reviewed by Critics and has taken US$33M. Filmed entirely from the perspective of computer screens and smartphones, the film follows David Kim's (John Cho) search for his sixteen year old daughter Margot Kim (Michelle La) who has mysteriously gone missing. A local investigation is opened and Detective Rosemary Vick (Debra Messing) is assigned to the case. But 36 or so hours on and without a single lead, David decides to search the one place no one has looked yet, where all secrets are kept today: his daughter's laptop and smartphone. This hyper-modern thriller unfolds through the technology devices we use every day to communicate - Facebook, Twitter, Reddit, SnapChat, FaceTime you name it, David must trace his daughter's digital footprints before she potentially disappears forever.

'BEAST' (Rated M) - here we have a British psychological thriller Written and Directed by Michael Pearce in his feature film debut. The film Premiered at the 2017 Toronto International Film Festival a year ago now, was released in the UK back in April and has had much Critical acclaim bestowed up on it thus far. The story here unfolds in a small island community when a troubled young woman Moll (Jesse Buckley) falls for a mysterious and secretive outsider Pascal (Johnnie Flynn) who shows her how to escape her oppressive family and her controlling mother Hilary (Geraldine James). When he comes under suspicion for a series of unsolved brutal murders in the small community over the last four years, she defends him at all costs.

'BEST F(R)IENDS' (Rated M) - this American black comedy stars Tommy Wiseau and Greg Sestero (those of the cult classic it's so bad it's good 2003 film 'The Room', and the subjects of the more recent 'The Disaster Artist') and is Directed by Justin MacGregor. Written and Co-Produced by Greg Sestero, this film sees the pairs first collaboration since 'The Room' and was first released around the festival circuit back in September 2017 and went on a wider release from March this year. Inspired by a road trip that Wiseau and Sestero allegedly made after filming of 'The Room' wrapped in April 2003, this film is released in two volumes, with a total running time of just over two hundred minutes. The film has garnered generally mixed Reviews and tells the story set in Los Angeles of a drifter Jon Kortina (Greg Sestero) who is taken in by an eccentric mortician Harvey Lewis (Tommy Wiseau). Pretty quickly the pair hit it off and hatch an underground enterprise. Greed causes their efforts to unwind, however, and the drifter does a bolt and heads across the Southwest where he encounters wild and crazy characters and learns valuable lessons about friendship and loyalty.

'CHRISTOPHER ROBIN' (Rated G) - this live action/CGI fantasy comedy drama offering is based on Disney's 'Winnie the Pooh' collection of stories and that lovable iconic A.A. Milne character 'Winnie-the-Pooh'. Directed by Marc Forster whose previous Directorial credits take in 'Monster's Ball', 'Finding Neverland', 'Stranger than Fiction', 'The Kite Runner', 'Quantum of Solace', 'Machine Gun Preacher' and 'World War Z' the film was released in the US in early August, has grossed so far US$144M from its US$75M budget outlay and has garnered generally positive press. And so the story here tells of an older Christopher Robin (Ewan McGregor) who is now a responsible family man living in London and working harder than his family would wish for. One day he receives a surprise visit from his old childhood pal, Winnie-the-Pooh (voiced by Jim Cummings). With Christopher's help, Pooh embarks on a journey to find his friends Tigger (also voiced by Jim Cummings), Eeyore (Brad Garrett), Owl (Toby Jones), Piglet (Nick Mohammed), Rabbit (Peter Capaldi), Kanga (Sophie Okonedo) and Roo (Sarah Sheen). Once reunited, the lovable bear and the gang travel to the big city to help Christopher rediscover the joy of life. Also starring Hayley Attwell as Evelyn Robin, Christopher's wife.

With seven 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-