THE INVITE : Tuesday 14th July 2026.

I saw the MA15+ Rated 'THE INVITE' at my local independant Odeon this week, and this American comedy film is Directed by Olivia Wilde in her third feature film Directorial outing following 'Booksmart' in 2019 and 'Don't Worry Darling' in 2022. In addition, she has many acting roles in the likes of 'The Girl Next Door' in 2004, 'Alpha Dog' in 2006, 'Cowboys & Aliens' in 2011, 'People Like Us' in 2012, 'Deadfall' also in 2012, 'Rush' in 2013, 'Her' in 2013, 'The Lazarus Effect' in 2015, 'Love the Coopers' in 2015, 'Life Itself' in 2019 and 'Richard Jewell' in 2019, and due for release at the end of this month 'I Want Your Sex'. This film is an English language remake of the Spanish film 'The People Upstairs' Directed by Cesc Gay. The film had its Premiere showcasing at this years Sundance Film Festival in late January, saw its wide release Stateside, the UK and here in Australia last week, has so far grossed US$15M and has garnered universal critical acclaim.

Failed musician Joe (Seth Rogen) arrives home from work having ridden his fold-up bicycle all the way across town only to collapse on the floor the moment he walks in the door, suffering from an aching back. He soon learns that his stay-at-home wife Angela (Olivia Wilde) has invited their upstairs neighbours, divorcee Pina (Penelope Cruz) and widower Hawk (Edward Norton), over for dinner at their apartment, and they are due to arrive in about fifteen minutes. Angela has laid on a lavish spread of cut deli meats and cheeses, and has prepared a souffle which she places in the oven to bake off. Joe and Angela's marriage is on thin ice and they bicker and argue constantly, most recently over the loud sex noises they hear from upstairs every night. Joe plans to confront the couple, but Angela, who is desperate to make friends with their neighbours, demands he keep calm and does not broach the subject.. 

Pina and Hawk arrive at the apartment as Joe and Angela are in mid-argument. Unprepared to host a dinner party, Angela makes several awkward mistakes, such as not having any wine, not checking Pina's dietary restrictions for she doesn't eat meat, cheese or gluten products, and she also burns the souffle which goes straight in the bin. Meanwhile, Joe openly aggravates the couple, but is surprised to see they are impressed by his brutally honest nature. 

The group eventually warm to one another, over a bottle of vintage French red wine gifted to them as a wedding present which they were hoping to save for a special occasion. Joe however, still resents his neighbours for their noise and is deeply troubled when he learns Hawk has seen Angela naked through a window that looks down from their apartment into theirs.

As the evening progresses Pina and Hawk apologise for the noise they make during sex and reveal to Joe and Angela that they participate in regular group sex sessions which is the reason for the noise. Joe and Angela are titillated by this revelation. Pina admits that she and Hawk came to the dinner party hoping to invite Joe and Angela to have group sex with them. Joe and Angela are eager, but Pina, who is a psychoanalyst and sexologist, is unsure after seeing the couple constantly at each others throats throughout the evening. Instead, they decide to swap partners. However, Angela is too nervous to initiate sex with the former fire fighter Hawk, and Joe falls backwards into a bookshelf in his study while dancing with Pina and puts his back out.

Another argument breaks out between Joe and Angela, and he rebukes their neighbours. Pina gets the couple to talk about their relationship, and learns of the resentment they have to each other and the fact they have not had sex in a year. Pina suggests the couple should separate instead of sticking together for the sake of their twelve year old daughter, Maggie, who is away for the night, or find a way to reframe their relationship, as the current status appears to have run its course. Angela and Joe seemingly agree to separate, and discuss their next moves, but upon returning from the kitchen, discover Pina and Hawk have left. Joe returns to his office and plays his piano for the first time in years, with Angela retreating to Maggie's bedroom, but eventually she joins him at the keys. When they have finished playing their musical piece, Angela rests her head on Joe's shoulder.

Here Actress and Director Olivia Wilde has crafted a mature aged comedy that is a throw back to the adult sex comedies of the late '70's and '80's while updating the story with all the emotional heft, laugh out loud moments of razor sharp humour, and modern day sensibilities that make for an engaging time at the movies. The four Actors here all share the screen in equal measure, all have their own pitch perfect lines of dialogue, and all have their moment to shine individually and collectively. This is a film that almost any married couple will be able to relate to at some level, as it is thought provoking in its study of human relationships, the fragility of such and the prospect of second chances. If observing two couples experience the most tense, uncomfortable and stressful supposed dinner party of their middle-aged lives is for you, then you won't be disappointed in this cringe-worthy yet thoroughly engaging film. 

'The Invite' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 9th July 2026.

This years 23rd Golden Apricot International Film Festival (GAIFF) takes place between Sunday 12th July and Sunday 19th July. It was established in 2004 in Yerevan, the capital and largest city in Armenia, with the co-operation of the 'Golden Apricot' Fund for Cinema Development and the Armenian Association of Film Critics and Cinema Journalists. The Festival is dedicated to the theme of Crossroads of Cultures and Civilisations, and features a multitude of films representing various nations and religions, collectively depicting the richness of the human experience. GAIFF is different from other film festivals as it is smaller in scale and hence more intimate, nevertheless it garners international attention and respect. Earlier this year, GAIFF was granted accreditation by the International Federation of Film Producers Associations (FIAPF), joining the global network of internationally recognised film festivals, which now includes forty-nine accredited festivals across twenty-nine countries.

The films are presented in two international competition sections: features and documentaries. The Golden Apricot (grand prize) and the Silver Apricot (special mention) are awarded in each category. The Armenian Panorama is the pan-Armenian competitive section of the festival for films produced by filmmakers of Armenian descent. GAIFF also has three sections outside of competition to showcase more outstanding films - Non-competitive, Retrospective and Tribute. Competing for the Golden Apricot Award for the Best Film in the International Competition, are the following twelve features, given as below, in brief :-

* 'Babystar' - from Germany and Co-Written and Directed by Joscha Bongard. 

* 'Father' - from Slovakia, Czech Republic and Poland and Co-Written and Directed by Tereza Nvotova. 

* 'Hair, Paper, Water . . . ' - from Belgium, France and Vietnam and Written and Directed by Nicolas Graux and Minh Quy Truong, photographed by Nicolas Graux, and Co-Sound Engineered and Edited by Minh Quy Truong.

* 'London' - from Austria, and Co-Written, Directed and Co-Edited by Sebastian Brameshuber.

* 'No Good Men' - from Germany, France, Norway, Denmark and Afghanistan, and Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Shahrbanoo Sadat.

* 'Outliving Shakespeare' - from Armenia and the Nethwerlands, and Directed by Inna Sahakyan, Ruben Ghazaryan, and Co-Written and Co-Produced by Inna Sahakyan.

* 'Past Future Continuous' - from Iran, Norway and Italy and Written and Directed by Morteza Ahmadvand and Firouzeh Khosrovani, and Co-Produced by Firouzeh Khosrovani.

* 'The Currents' - from Switzerland and Argentina and Written and Directed by Milagros Mumenthaler.

* 'The Lion at My Back' - from Cyprus, Luxembourg and Greece and Co-Written, Produced and Directed by Tonia Mishiali. 

* 'The Mechanics of Borders' - from Canada and Co-Written and Directed by Hubert Caron-Guay.

* 'The Moon Is a Father of Mine' - from Georgia, Germany, Luxembourg, Bulgaria, Czech Republic and Turkey, and Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by George Ovashvili.

* 'Tristan Forever' - from Switzerland and Written and Directed by Tobias Nolle and Loran Bonnardot, and photographed and Edited by Tobias Nolle.

For the more detailed summary of the above highlighted films in the International Competition, plus the other competitive sections and strands bring showcased, together with a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : http://www.gaiff.am

Turning the focus then back to this weeks six new release movies coming to your local big screen Odeon this week, we begin with a comedy in which a couple who's marriage is already on thin ice, and when they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbours for a get to know you dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places. This is followed by a supernatural horror that is the sixth offering in this franchise and quite probably the most brutal yet, in which following the death of her husband, a woman seeks comfort with her in-laws in their remote family home, and as one by one they are transformed into Deadites, so turning the gathering into a family reunion from hell. Next up we have another supernatural horror offering where a lovelorn medical student, becomes terrorised by a sinister force after taking part in an obscure weight-loss craze that involves consuming human ashes. Then we turn to a drama film about an elderly Catholic nun in the Philippines whose faith is challenged by institutional corruption and cover-ups after witnessing a construction worker's fatal accident. Following on we have coming-of-age autobiographical drama film where, in order to secure her education, an eighteen year old woman must find her birth family, and so guided by her mother's diary, she travels to the coast and uncovers buried secrets and long-hidden shames of the past. And closing out the week we have a live action remake of two hugely successful animated feature films from the recent past, where, leaving her island for the first time, this young girl embarks on an epic seafaring adventure to restore prosperity to her people.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the six 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 INVITE' (Rated MA15+) - this American comedy film is Directed by Olivia Wilde in her third feature film Directorial outing following 'Booksmart' in in 2019 and 'Don't Worry Darling' in 2022, as well as her many acting roles in the likes of 'The Girl Next Door' in 2004, 'Alpha Dog' in 2006, 'Cowboys & Aliens' in 2011, 'People Like Us' in 2012, 'Deadfall' also in 2012, 'Rush' in 2013, 'Her' in 2013, 'The Lazarus Effect' in 2015, 'Love the Coopers' in 2015, 'Life Itself' in 2019 and 'Richard Jewell' in 2019. This film is an English language remake of the Spanish film 'The People Upstairs' Directed by Cesc Gay.

Joe (Seth Rogen) and Angela's (Olivia Wilde) marriage is on thin ice. When they invite their enigmatic upstairs neighbours Hawk (Edward Norton) and Pina (Penelope Cruz) for a dinner party, the night spirals into unexpected places. Have they reignited the spark or lit the match that burns it all down? The film saw a limited release in US cinema's on 26th June before going wide from this week too, having seen its World Premiere showcasing at the Sundance Film Festival in late January this year. It has so far grossed US$1.5M.

'EVIL DEAD BURN' (Rated R18+) - is an American supernatural horror film that is Co-Written and Directed by the French film maker Sebastien Vanicek, whose only other feature film Directing output was 2023's 'Infested'. This film serves as the third standalone entry, after 2013's 'Evil Dead' and 'Evil Dead Rise' in 2023, and the sixth instalment overall in the 'Evil Dead' film series. Those first five films in the series have grossed US$300M from combined production budgets of US$47M. Sam Raimi, the series creator, returns in the capacity of Co-Producer. Following the loss of her husband, a woman seeks solace with her in-laws in their secluded family home. As one by one they are transformed into Deadites, turning the gathering into a family reunion from hell, she comes to discover that the vows she took in life live on . . . even in death. Starring Souhelia Yacoub, Tandi Wright, Hunter Doohan, Luciane Buchanan, Erroll Shand and George Pullar. In April 2024, it was announced that another mainline film is currently in development, which was later titled 'Evil Dead Wrath', with Francis Galluppi as the Writer and Director. Principal photography began in late February this year, in Auckland, New Zealand, with the film scheduled for release in early April 2028.

'SACCHARINE' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian supernatural horror film is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Natalie Erika James who made her feature film debut with 'Relic' in 2020 and would follow this up with the prequel film to 1968's 'Rosemary's Baby' with 'Apartment 7A' in 2024. After succumbing to an obscure weight-loss craze involving the eating of human ashes, lovelorn medical student Hana (Midori Francis) finds herself terrorised by the ghost of the person she's eating. Also starring Danielle Macdonald, Madeleine Madden and Robert Taylor. The film had its World Premiere screening at the Midnight section of this years Sundance Film Festival in late January, was released in the USA in late May, has so far grossed US$116K and has generated mixed or average critical reviews. 

'FIRST LIGHT' (Rated M) - is a Co-Production between the Philippines and Australia and is Written and Directed by James J. Robinson in his feature length debut. Set in a decaying convent in the mountains of Luzon in the Philippines, the film follows Sister Yolanda (Ruby Ruiz), a middle-aged Catholic nun whose faith is shaken by a tragic accident, in which a young construction worker dies. As pressure mounts from the Church and state to suppress the truth, she finds herself questioning the ethical standards and the institution she has devoted her life to. The film had its World Premiere in August 2025 at the Melbourne International Film Festival, where it won the AU$50K Blackmagic Design Best Australian Director Award. It was released in the Philippines toward the end of last month, and has garnered positive critical reviews. 

'ROMERIA' (Rated MA15+) - this Spanish and French coming-of-age autobiographical drama film is Written and Directed by Carla Simon in her third feature length outing following 2017's 'Summer 1993' and 'Alcarras' in 2022. Here, 18 year-old Marina (Llucia Garcia) , who travels to the glittering seaside town of Vigo determined to uncover information on her deceased biological father. Gradually tracking down his siblings, she slowly learns uncomfortable secrets about her parents' unconventional life and turbulent past. The film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Cannes Film Festival in late May 2025 where it was in competition for the Palme d'Or, cost US$3.6M to produce, has so far grossed US$3M and has received favourable critical reviews. 

'MOANA' (Rated PG) - is an American musical adventure film, and is a live-action adaptation of Disney Animation's 2016 film of the same name. It is the third instalment and the first live-action film in the 'Moana' franchise, and is Directed by Thomas Kail in his feature film making debut. Those first two animated feature films grossed US$1,7B at the worldwide Box Office off the back of combined production budgets of US$300M, making this live action offering a shoe-in. Prompted by a summons from the ocean, Moana (Catherine Laga'aia, in her feature film debut) departs her home island of Motunui for the first time and travels past its barrier reef. Accompanied by the demigod Maui (Dwayne Johnson, reprising his role from the previous two animated films and also taking a Co-Producer credit here), she undertakes a voyage aimed at recovering the well-being of her community. Also starring Rena Owen, John Tui, Frankie Adams, and Jemaine Clement. The film is released this week also in the US.

With six 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-

DON'T WORRY DARLING : Tuesday 18th October 2022

I saw the M Rated 'DON'T WORRY DARLING' at my local multiplex this week, and this American psychological thriller film is Directed, Co-Produced and starring Olivia Wilde in only her second Directorial outing following the highly acclaimed 'Booksmart' in 2019. This film saw its World Premiere screening at the Venice International Film Festival in early September, was released in the US in late September and here in Australia on 6th October having generated mixed Reviews from Critics and costing US$35M to produce and so far returning US$79M in Box Office receipts.  

Set in the sun drenched company town of Victory, California, believed to be sometime in the 1950's Alice and Jack Chambers (Florence Pugh and Harry Styles respectively) seem to lead a near perfect life. Everyday the men leave their neat homes, smartly suited and booted, and reverse their cars out of their driveways and make the journey in convoy across the desert to Victory Headquarters, leaving their ever dutiful wives to clean the house, prepare dinner, relax by the pool with a cocktail with the other wives and ensure they are waiting at the front door with their husbands favourite cocktail in hand when he comes home from a hard day at the office. 

All of the town's womenfolk, including Alice's good friends Bunny (Olivia Wilde), Margaret (KiKi Layne) and Peg (Kate Berlant) are discouraged from asking questions about their husbands' work and told not to venture out to the Headquarters. Other than the fact that the husbands are permitted to state that they are collectively working on 'the development of progressive materials' this is just about all the wives are allowed to know about their dear husband's tireless work. Margaret has subsequently become an outcast after taking her young son out into the desert, resulting in her son's apparent death, although she claims that Victory took him from her as punishment for venturing out into the desert. While attending a party hosted by Frank (Chris Pine), Victory's enigmatic founder and leader, and his wife Shelley (Gemma Chan), Alice sees Margaret's husband trying to administer her medication.

One morning while taking the bus across town, Alice observes a light aircraft crash out in the desert. She rushes to help out across the desert and eventually comes to the Headquarters, a small building perched high up on a rocky outcrop covered in mirror-like windows. After touching one, she experiences surreal hallucinations and blacks out. She wakes up back home later that night with no idea how she got there. Jack is in the kitchen doing his best to prepare dinner for them both. In the following days, she experiences increasingly strange occurrences. She receives a phone call from Margaret, who claims to have seen the same thing Alice did, and rushing over to her house she sees Margaret stood on the roof who then proceeds to slit her own throat and falls backwards from the roof onto the grass below. Before she can reach Margaret, Alice is dragged away by two men in red jumpsuits, while two others quickly bundle up Margaret's body. 

Later that evening Jack counters Alice's claims and says Margaret simply fell while cleaning the windows and is recovering. This story is further verified by town physician and co-founder of the Victory Project Dr. Collins (Timothy Simons), who attempts to give Alice prescription drugs, but Jack intervenes saying that she doesn't need them. Alice becomes increasingly paranoid, anxious and confused, and during a special Victory event where Frank gives Jack a special promotion, Alice breaks down in the ladies rest room and is comforted by Bunny. Alice attempts to explain everything to her, but Bunny reacts angrily, accusing Alice of being selfish.

Some time later, Alice and Jack invite their immediate neighbours (except Bunny and her husband Dean) to dinner, with Frank and Shelley as special guests, and newbies in town Violet and Bill Johnson (Sydney Chandler and Douglas Smith respectively). Frank speaks privately with Alice in the kitchen as she is putting the finishing touches to dinner, implying that she is correct in her suspicions. Encouraged by his near confession, she attempts to expose him over dinner, but instead, Frank manipulates her accusations, making her look delusional to the other guests. After the guests have all left abruptly and before the meal had even started Alice begs Jack to take them both away from Victory and to do so tonight, straight away. Jack initially agrees, but when Alice gets in the car, he allows for her be taken away by Frank's men in red jumpsuits. Dr. Collins oversees Alice's electroshock therapy. During the procedure, she sees visions of herself in another life, as a present-day overworked and stressed out surgeon named Alice Warren who lives with the unemployed Jack and struggles to make ends meet. Jack spends his time listening to the voice of Frank selling his project over a website called 'Organised Chaos'. 

After her bout of therapy Alice returns to Victory and is welcomed home by Jack, but she continues to experience hallucinations and flash-backs. She later remembers the whole truth, that Victory is a simulated world created by Frank, and that Jack forced her into the simulation in the hope that they can lead an idyllic life together. When Jack realises she knows the truth, he claims he did this for her as she was miserable in her real life, but Alice is angered that Jack took away her autonomy and the life she loved. Jack gets down on his knees and hugs Alice, begging her to forgive him, then attempts to squeeze the life out of her forcing Alice to smash a heavy glass Whisky tumbler down on his head, killing him outright. 

Frank is called with news of Jack's death and sends his men in red jumpsuits to apprehend Alice. Bunny finds Alice and explains that she has always known Victory was a simulated world, but chooses to stay so she can be with her two young children, who died in reality. She tells Alice to escape in Jack's car and go to the Headquarters, which is an exit portal from the simulation. The other wives come to realise the truth as their husbands begin to panic, and join in the car chase. Alice drives Jack's car out across the desert towards the Headquarters, chased by Dr. Collins and Frank's men, who crash into each other sending their three cars exploding in a ball of flame. 

At their house, Shelley, wanting to regain her own control of the Victory Project, stabs Frank to death with a kitchen knife in the chest and then twists it for good measure. Alice makes it to Headquarters, where she has a vision of Jack asking her to stay. Alice ignores the vision and rushes to the window just before Frank's men reach her, and wakes up in the present day real world.

For me 'Don't Worry Darling' is all style over substance. The impeccable set design to the cinematography are top rate, and the performances of Florence Pugh and Chris Pine in particular more than carry the film, supported by an average performance from Harry Styles but one in which he shows he's got the acting chops to go the distance. After a promising first third, the films meanders and gets all too repetitive in the middle section before limping home to an underwhelming ending that felt rushed, half baked and left me scratching my head with all those unanswered questions. The film is a mash up of 'The Truman Show', 'Pleasantville' and 'The Stepford Wives' and whilst Olivia Wilde's intentions may have been admirable she has hardly reinvented the genre here, and instead has merely dusted it off, polished it up and given it a dose of 2022 glitz.

'Don't Worry Darling' 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 : Thursday 6th October 2022.

The BFI London Film Festival is an annual film festival founded in 1957 and held in the United Kingdom, running for two weeks in October with co-operation from the British Film Institute. It screens more than three hundred films, documentaries and shorts from approximately fifty countries, this year runs from Wednesday 5th October through until Sunday 16th October and is now in its 66th year. 

The Opening Night Gala film presentation is 'Roald Dahl's Matilda the Musical' Directed by Matthew Warchus and starring Emma Thompson, Alisha Weir, Lashana Lynch, Stephen Graham and Andrea Riseborough. The Closing Night Gala film is 'Glass Onion : A Knives Out Mystery' Directed by Rian Johnson and starring Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monae, Kathryn Hahn, Kate Hudson, Leslie Odom Jnr., Jessica Henwick and Dave Bautista. 

The BFI London Film Festival Awards are a celebration of the most exciting, innovative new films and cinematic storytelling. Creative, beautiful and often provocative, the nominees showcase an incredible range of talent from across the world.

The Official Competition comprises eight feature films, which briefly are :-

* 'Argentina, 1985' - from Argentina and Directed by Santiago Mitre and starring Ricardo Darin. This uncompromising political drama, thrillingly recreates one of Argentina’s most legendary trials, which sought to bring the country’s military dictatorship to justice.

* 'Brother' - from Canada and Directed by Clement Virgo and is a bold and breathtaking story of brotherly love, set over three separate time periods, in Toronto’s West Indian community.

* 'Corsage' - from Austria, Germany, Luxembourg and France and Directed by Marie Kreutzer and starring Vicky Krieps. Faced with a future of strict ceremonies and royal duties, Empress Elisabeth of Austria rebels against her public image and comes up with a plan to protect her legacy.

* 'The Damned Don't Cry' - from France, Belgium and Morocco and Directed by Fyzal Boulifa. Fatima-Zahra and her teenage son Selim move from place to place, forever trying to outrun the latest scandal she's caught up in. When Selim discovers the truth about their past, Fatima-Zahra vows to make a fresh start.

* 'Enys Men' - from the UK and Directed by Mark Jenkin and starring Mary Woodvine, Edward Rowe and Flo Crowe. Set in 1973 on an uninhabited island off the Cornish coast, a wildlife volunteer's daily observations of a rare flower turn into a metaphysical journey that forces her to question what is real and what is nightmare.

* 'Godland' - from Denmark, Iceland, France and Sweden and Directed by Hlynur Palmason. In the late 19th century, a young Danish priest travels to a remote part of Iceland to build a church and photograph its people. But the deeper he goes into the unforgiving landscape, the more he strays from his purpose, his mission and morality.
* 'Nezouh' - from the UK, Syria and France and Directed by Soudade Kaadan. Even as bombs fall on Damascus, Mutaz refuses to flee to the uncertain life of a refugee. His wife, Hala, and daughter, Zeina, must make the choice whether to stay or leave.

* 'Saint Omer' - from France and Directed by Alice Diop. The film follows Rama, a novelist who attends the trial of Laurence Coly at the Saint-Omer Criminal Court to use her story to write a modern-day adaptation of the ancient myth of Medea, but things don't go as expected.

Other award strands include the First Feature Competition with The Sutherland Award recognising the most original and imaginative directorial debut. Here the eight films are '1976', 'Blue Jean', 'Jeong-sun', 'Joyland', 'Medusa Delux', 'Our Lady of the Chinese Shop', 'Robe of Gems' and 'Rodeo'. 

In the Documentary Competition, The Grierson Award recognises feature-length documentaries with integrity, originality and social or cultural significance. The eight films are 'All That Breathes', 'All the Beauty and the Bloodshed', 'Casa Susanna', 'The Future Tense', 'Kanaval : A People's History of Haiti in Six Chapters', 'Lynch/Oz', 'Name Me Lawand' and 'What About China?'

In addition there is also the Short Film Competition, the Immersive Art and XR Competition and the Audience Awards for Best Feature Film and Best Short Film. 

For the full details of all the films being showcased at the years 66th BFI London Film Festival, plus a whole lot more besides, you can go to the official website at : https://whatson.bfi.org.uk/lff/Online/default.asp

This week, to tease you out to your local Odeon, we have three new movies kicking off with three friends, a doctor, a nurse, and a lawyer, who become the prime suspects in a murder in the 1930's. This is followed with a 1950's housewife living with her husband in a utopian experimental community who begins to worry that his glamorous company could be hiding disturbing secrets. And closing out the week we have an Aussie offering about two men who meet on a plane and strike up a conversation that turns into friendship, and for one, worn down by a lifetime of crime and hard labour, this is his dream come true.

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

'AMSTERDAM' (Rated MA15+) - this mystery comedy film is Written, Directed and Co-Produced by David O. Russell whose previous feature film making credits include 'Three Kings' in 1999, 'I Heart Huckabees' in 2004, 'The Fighter' in 2010, 'Silver Linings Playbook' in 2012, 'American Hustle' in 2013 and 'Joy' in 2015. This film saw its World Premier showcasing in New York City on 18th September and is released in the US and here in Australia from this week, having cost US$55M to produce.

Set in the 1930's, the film follows three friends - Burt Berensden (Christian Bale), Valerie Voze (Margot Robbie) and Harold Woodman (John David Washington) who witness a murder, become suspects themselves, and uncover one of the most outrageous plots in American history. Also starring an ensemble cast that takes in Chris Rock, Anya Taylor-Joy, Zoe Saldana, Mike Myers, Michael Shannon, Timothy Olyphant, Andrea Riseborough, Taylor Swift, Matthias Schoenaerts, Alessandro Nivola, Rami Malek, and Robert De Niro.

'DON'T WORRY DARLING' (Rated M) - is an American psychological thriller film Directed, Co-Produced and starring Olivia Wilde in only her second Directorial outing following the highly acclaimed 'Booksmart' in 2019. This film saw its World Premiere screening at the Venice International Film Festival in early September and was released in the US in late September, having generated mixed Reviews from Critics and costing in the region of US$30M to produce. Here then, Alice (Florence Pugh) and Jack Chambers (Harry Styles) are a young, happy couple in the 1950's, living in the seemingly perfect company town of Victory, California, which has been created and paid for by the mysterious company for which Jack works. Curiosity about the nature of her husband's work on the secret 'Victory Project' begins to consume Alice. Cracks then begin to form in their utopian life as her investigation into the project raises tensions within the community. Also starring Chris Pine, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, Nick Kroll and Olivia Wilde. 

'THE STRANGER' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian crime thriller film is Written and Directed by Thomas M. Wright in only his second feature film following 2018's 'Acute Misfortune'. The film saw its World Premiere at the Cannes Film Festival in mid-May of this year before its cinema release here in Australia this week, and then streaming worldwide on Netflix from 19th October. After a friendship forms between two strangers who first meet on a plane, for Henry Teague (Sean Harris), worn down by a lifetime of physical labour and crime, this is a dream come true. His new friend Mark (Joel Edgerton) becomes his saviour and ally. However, neither is who they appear to be, each harbour secrets that threaten to ruin them, and in the background, one of the nation's largest police operations is closing in.

With three 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-

RICHARD JEWELL : Tuesday 25th February 2020.

'RICHARD JEWELL' which I saw earlier this week, is an M Rated American biographical drama film Directed and Produced by Clint Eastwood (who needs no further introduction), written for the screen by Billy Ray, and is based on the 1997 Vanity Fair article 'American Nightmare : The Ballad of Richard Jewell' by Marie Brenner. The project was initially announced in February 2014, when Leonardo DiCaprio and Jonah Hill teamed up to Produce and star in the film, Paul Greengrass began negotiations to Direct the film with other Directors considered including David O. Russell, before Clint Eastwood was officially attached in early 2019. DiCaprio and Hill do not star in the film, though they remained as Producers. The film saw its World Premier screening at the American Film Institute Fest in late November last year before going on general release Stateside in mid-December. With a production budget of US$45M the film has so far grossed US$40M turning it into a Box Office bomb! Despite this, 'Richard Jewell' was chosen by the National Board of Review as one of the ten best films of the year, and for her performance, Kathy Bates was recognised as the National Board of Review Award for Best Supporting Actress, as well as earning nominations at the Academy Awards and Golden Globes. Eastwood here continues with his real life stories of individuals battling the odds, as seen now with this his sixth biographical drama film in a row with 'J. Edgar', 'Jersey Boys', 'American Sniper', 'Sully' and 'The 15:17 to Paris' coming before, whilst not forgetting both 'Invictus' and 'Bird' previously.

The films opens up in 1986, and a Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) is working as an office supply clerk in a small public law firm, where he befriends attorney Watson Bryant (Sam Rockwell). Jewell seems super efficient, observant and deeply committed to his role. In time, he leaves the firm to become a security guard at Piedmont College, hoping to make the step up into law enforcement ultimately, but is let go by the Principal after multiple complaints of acting beyond his jurisdiction and coming on too heavy handed with the students. Jewell moves in with his mother Bobi (Kathy Bates) in Atlanta. In the summer of 1996, he lands a job working security at the Atlanta Olympic Games, monitoring Centennial Park - a post games concert venue.

Early in the morning of 27th July 1996, after chasing off a small group of drunk students during an end of day music concert, Jewell notices a suspicious back pack hidden beneath a bench. He reports it to his more senior colleagues who initially are dismissive of his concerns, but then an explosives expert confirms that the suspect package does in fact contain a pipe bomb - the biggest he has seen. The security team, including police officers, FBI agent Tom Shaw (Jon Hamm), and Jewell's friend Dave Dutchess (Nico Nicotera), are desperately trying to move concert attendees out of potential harms way to form a permitter of one hundred yards away from the bomb when it detonates. Shrapnel in the form of nails explodes in all directions injuring dozens of innocents and killing two. Jewell is heralded as a hero.

At the FBI's Atlanta's office, Shaw and his team quickly arrive at the decision that Jewell, as a white, male, wannabe police officer, fits the common profile of those who have committed similar atrocities, comparing him to others who sought recognition and praise by rescuing those from a dangerous situation they themselves created. One night while drinking alone in a bar, Shaw is approached by journalist Kathy Scruggs (Olivia Wilde) of the local Atlanta-Journal Constitution daily newspaper. In exchange for sex, Shaw reveals that Jewell, the hitherto hero, is under FBI suspicion, although he urges Scrugg's not to go public or to reveal her source. The Constitution publishes Scruggs' story on the front page, disclosing the FBI's interest in Jewell as a prime suspect. Scruggs makes particular note of Jewell's physique, the fact he lives with his mother, and work history to reaffirm to herself that he fits the profile. The story quickly hits the headlines worldwide in the press and the broadcast media. 

Jewell is initially ignorant of the changing public views towards him. He is lured to the FBI office by Shaw under the pretext of them needing to film urgently a training video and that they wish to use Jewell's recent experience as a real life example. He initially cooperates but refuses to sign an acknowledgement that he has been read his Miranda rights, and instead phones Watson Bryant for legal advice. Bryant, who has since left the public law firm and is now running his own struggling law business without any clients on the horizon, agrees to represent Jewell and makes him aware he is a prime suspect, and to sign and say nothing.

The FBI searches Bobi's home and confiscates property including police investigative books and a stash of firearms belonging to Jewell, which he says he uses for hunting purposes - this is Georgia after all! Bryant asks Jewell if he has any others secrets he wishes to disclose and he admits that he has not paid his taxes for the past two years and was once arrested for stepping over the limits of his authority. Bryant berates Jewell for being too overly friendly and accommodating with the police officers who have him under suspicion and want to 'fry' him. Jewell admits his ingrained respect for law enforcement makes it hard for him not to show respect, even when the authorities are trying to nail him to the wall. When Bryant is outside being questioned by the gathered throng of media, Shaw and his partner Dan Bennet (Ian Gomez) persuade Jewell to record his voice into a taped telephone call several times repeating the words the bomber called in to the authorities giving a thirty minute warning. When Bryant returns seeing how they coerced Jewell into making the recording he looses it, but the FBI already have the recording, so they don't care about his rantings and ravings. 

Jewell and Bryant confront Scruggs in the full view of the office at the Atlanta-Journal Constitution newspaper, demanding a retraction and an apology, but she stands by the integrity of her reporting, and her right to publish what is in the best interests of the public and the community. Bryant and his long-suffering secretary Nadya (Nina Arianda) time the distance it takes to walk from the bomb site to the the phone booth where the call was made alerting the authorities. They quickly draw the conclusion that it was not possible for someone to phone in the bomb threat and discover the bomb at the time it was found. Scruggs subsequently takes the same steps and comes to the same determination - her story now in tatters! She approaches Shaw with this revelation and he too has already made the same conclusion.

The FBI changes their picture of the bombing to include an accomplice. As their case begins to falter, the FBI link Dutchess to Jewell as a possible homosexual accomplice. Bryant arranges an independent polygraph examination which Jewell passes unequivocally, removing any doubt in Bryant's mind about his innocence. 

Bobi holds an emotional press conference with Bryant, in which she pleas for the investigation to cease so that she and her son can get on with their lives, and some normalcy can be restored after four weeks of evasive media scrutiny and intense FBI investigations have turned their lives upside down. 

Jewell and Bryant meet with Shaw and Bennet at the FBI office. Bryant urges Jewell to say nothing in response to their line of questioning and to let him do the talking. However, after a number of irrelevant questions, including those that have been covered previously, Jewell realises they have not a single shred of evidence against him. When he asks directly if they are ready to charge him, Shaw and Bennet look blankly at each other and their silence convinces him to leave. Jewell states that he used to look up to the FBI as the pinnacle in law enforcement and an organisation he would aspire to, but now he has lost his sense of respect and admiration for law enforcement officers. 

Eighty-eight days after being named 'a person of interest', Jewell is informed by formal letter hand delivered by Agent Shaw to a diner where Jewell and Bryant are eating, that he is no longer under investigation. Bryant first takes receipt of the letter before handing it to Jewell. Shaw makes the closing remark that despite the contents of that letter, he still believes that Jewell is 'as guilty as all hell'. Bryant comforts Jewell as he breaks down out of relief. Some six years later, Jewell is now a police officer in Luthersville, Georgia. One day out of the blue, he is visited by Bryant who tells him that an Eric Rudolph has confessed to the Centennial Olympic Park bombing. They got him! An epilogue states that on 29th August 2007, Jewell passed away at the age of 44 of complications from diabetes and heart failure, and that Bryant married his assistant Nadya and they have two children which Bobi babysits for every Saturday night. 

I went in to see 'Richard Jewell' with mixed expectations - wondering where the disconnect lays between the poor Box Office receipts and the mostly highly critically acclaimed Reviews were. But I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised by once again Clint Eastwood's efficiency with his story telling and his deft touch behind the camera; the strong performances of Hauser, Rockwell and Bates especially; and the message with which governments and media control the thought processes of the masses as much today as they did almost 25 years ago, all the while chewing up, spitting out and forgetting a fallen hero. As the movie poster says 'The World Will Know his Name and the Truth' and in that respect Eastwood sets the record straight, and ensures that Jewell's name endures as the hero he deserved to be in film that combines Jewell's moments of raw emotion, comedy, bewilderment, anxiety, respect and reckoning that is Hauser's stand out performance.

'Richard Jewell' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard, from a potential five claps.  

-Steve, at Odeon Online-