SPENCER : Monday 24th January 2022

I saw the M Rated 'SPENCER' at the Open Air Cinema at Mrs. Macquarie's Chair, in Sydney earlier this week. This work of historical fiction is a psychological drama film Directed and Co-Produced by Pablo Larrain, whose prior film making credits include his 2006 debut 'Fuga' and then 'No' in 2012, 'Neruda' in 2016 and the critically acclaimed 'Jackie' in 2016 also, with 'Ema' in 2019. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Venice International Film Festival in early September last year before its release in the US and UK in early November. Having generated largely positive Critical Reviews, 'Spencer' has so far recovered US$16M from its US$18M budget outlay, and has picked up thirty-four awards and a further 106 nominations (many of which are still pending an outcome) from around the awards and festival circuit. 

Set during the Christmas holiday 1991 with the royal family all gathering at the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England. Among the invited guests are Diana, Princess of Wales (Kristen Stewart), whose ten year old marriage to Prince Charles (Jack Farthing) has reached the point of no return because of his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles (Emma Darwall-Smith). As the staff of the Sandringham Estate prepare for the imminent arrival of the royal family and their entourage, led by the very capable Major Alistair Gregory (Timothy Spall), Diana drives around the Norfolk countryside in a haze. Being on the verge of a nervous breakdown, she avoids driving into the grounds of the Estate until she meets Royal Head Chef Darren McGrady (Sean Harris) claiming that she got lost en route. 

Diana duly arrives to a less than warm greeting on Christmas Eve. Her sons William (Jack Nielen) and Harry (Freddie Spry) are excited to see her, but she does not attempt to mix with the royal family, who for the most part ignore her. Diana's only friend at the Estate is Royal Dresser Maggie (Sally Hawkins), who encourages her to combat the royal family and fulfil the obligations expected of her. Diana finds a book on Anne Boleyn in her designated bedroom. She begins to have dreams about Boleyn, eventually coming to believe that Boleyn's ghost (Amy Manson) is haunting her in her capacity as a fellow betrayed and abandoned royal wife. Diana tries to visit her now abandoned and boarded up childhood home of Park House, which neighbours the Sandringham Estate, but is stopped by the royal security, who initially mistake her for an intruder.

On Christmas morning, Diana joins the service at St Mary Magdalene Church, Sandringham, where she observes Camilla among the attendees and is photographed by hundreds of gathered paparazzi. She later has a stilted conversation with Charles, who rejects her concern over William and Harry's joining in a pheasant shoot the next day. Charles secretly arranges for Maggie to be sent back to London and spreads rumours that she had planted the Boleyn book in Diana's room and made critical comments about her mental health, to which McGrady denies that she had done so when questioned by Diana. 

Major Gregory attempts to encourage Diana to observe the pressures of royal life by reminding her that the soldiers of the British Army die attempting to protect the interests of the Crown, and therefore her also. Diana responds by stating that she never asked anyone to die for her. After imagining wounding herself with a pair of wire cutters given to her by McGrady, Diana avoids the formal Christmas Day dinner, instead running to her childhood home and gaining access to it with the wire cutters. Memories of her happier childhood overtake her, and she dances from room to room while imagining her younger selves. She considers committing suicide by throwing herself down a flight of stairs, but the hallucination of Boleyn prevents her from doing so. 

On Boxing Day morning, Diana awakens in her room to find that Maggie had been called back from London. The pair drive on to a nearby deserted beach and walk along the sand where Diana talks about her mental and marital challenges. Maggie responds by confessing that she is in love with Diana. After leaving the beach, Diana rushes to the pheasant shoot and walks out in front of the crowd of royal shooters, imitating the movements of the birds. She tells Charles that she is leaving the royal entourage and taking William and Harry to London, an arrangement to which Charles reluctantly agrees. 

Diana bids farewell to Maggie and McGrady and Major Gregory returns the Boleyn book to the library. As they drive away, in the distance, a scarecrow that Diana had created when she was younger is seen, now dressed in clothes from her early adulthood. After stopping en route for some fast food, Diana drives to London, where she begins the process of raising her children independently. She looks out over the River Thames in the shadow of Tower Bridge as the boys chow down on a bucket of KFC, uncertain of her future but no longer burdened by memory or the responsibilities of being a royal.

I have to say that I came away from 'Spencer' feeling a little nonplussed. I neither loved it, nor did I hate it. There is no doubt that Kristen Stewart nails her depiction of Princess Diana to a tee from her vocal inflections, her ticks and foibles, her mannerisms and the way in which she would tilt her head - an Oscar contender here for sure for Best Actress I would think. And Timothy Spall also gives a strong, stoic, stiff upper lip performance as the Queen's Equerry, as does Sally Hawkins as Diana's dresser in the all too brief screen time she enjoys. But for me the film is all too repetitive with Head Chef Darren telling us what every meal over the three days comprises of, from sandwiches on arrival on Christmas Eve to the lavish picnic in the grounds of Sandringham during the pheasant shoot on Boxing Day and every mealtime in between; to Diana chundering into the toilet bowl after every meal she consumes; to what Diana had to wear to every meal and to every occasion throughout her three day stay; and that she is being portrayed as some spoiled brat of a woman who only want's her way in life and bursts into tears when she doesn't get it, which I'm not entirely sure rang true of the Princess. And as for the soundtrack, the first half is so off kilter with all its clanking cello's, violins and oboe's that it really grated on me, before the second half which moves into more classical territory which I guess is fine, but I would have thought that a more modern soundtrack would be in keeping with the depiction of a more modern Princess, despite her anxiety over her circumstances. Diana Spencer was a Princess who just wanted the fairy tale, and instead she got the nightmare!

'Spencer' 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 20th January 2022.

The honourees of this years National Board of Review Awards were due to be held at a special gala event on Tuesday evening 11th January, but that event was postponed due to the ongoing ravages of the COVID-19 pandemic and the ever tightening grip that the Omicron variant seems to have on our world. That said, the winners of the 93rd National Board of Review Awards honouring the best in film from 2021, were announced on 2nd December 2021, and in case you missed it, those proud recipients of an award are as given below :-

* Best Film - awarded to 'Licorice Pizza'.

* Best Director  - awarded to Paul Thomas Anderson for 'Licorice Pizza'.

* Best Actor - awarded to Will Smith for 'King Richard'.

* Best Actress - awarded to Rachel Zeglar for 'West Side Story'.

* Best Supporting Actor - awarded to Ciaran Hinds for 'Belfast'.

* Best Supporting Actress - awarded to Aunjanue Ellis for 'King Richard'.

* Best Original Screenplay - awarded to Asghar Farhadi for 'A Hero'.

* Best Adapted Screenplay - awarded to Joel Coen for 'The Tragedy of Macbeth'.

* Best Animated Feature - awarded to 'Encanto'.

* Breakthrough Performance - awarded to Alana Haim and Cooper Hoffman for 'Licorice Pizza'. 

* Best Directorial Debut - awarded to Michael Sarnoski for 'Pig'. 

* Best Foreign Language Film - awarded to 'A Hero'. 

* Best Documentary - awarded to 'Summer of Soul ( . . . Or When the Revolution Could Not Be Televised).

* Best Ensemble - awarded to 'The Harder They Fall'.

* Outstanding Achievement in Cinematography - awarded to Bruno Delbonnel for 'The Tragedy of Macbeth'.

* NBR Freedom of Expression - awarded to 'Flee'.

* The Top Ten Films of the Year were given as 'Belfast', 'Don't Look Up', 'Dune', 'King Richard', 'The Last Duel', 'Licorice Pizza', 'Nightmare Alley', 'Red Rocket', The Tragedy of Macbeth' and 'West Side Story'.

* The Top Ten Independent Films of the Year were given as 'The Card Counter', 'C'mon C'mon', 'CODA', 'The Green Knight', 'Holler', 'Jockey', 'Old Henry', 'Pig', 'Shiva Baby' and 'The Souvenir Part II'. 

* The Top Five Foreign Langauge Films of the Year were given as 'Benedetta', 'Lamb', 'Lingui : The Sacred Bonds', 'Titane' and 'The Worst Person in the World'.

* The Top Five Documentaries of the Year were given as 'Ascension', 'Attica', 'Flee', 'The Rescue' and 'Roadrunner : A Film About Anthony Bourdain'. 

For the full details of the 93rd NBR Awards plus a whole lot more, you can go to the official website at : https;//www.nationalboardofreview.org/

Turning attention to this weeks five new releases, we kick off with a film inspired Princess Diana's decision to end her marriage to Prince Charles and leave the British royal family. This is followed up with a story of an ambitious carny with a talent for manipulating people with a few well-chosen words who hooks up with a female psychiatrist who is even more dangerous than he is. Next up is a Chinese offering about a film fan who escapes from a labour camp and befriends a homeless female vagabond and possibly the best movie projectionist for miles around. We then close out the week with two animated feature films which couldn't be more different - the first is a new take on a classic story that sees a studious marmoset embarking on a wild adventure to travel around the planet in 80 days after accepting a challenge from a greedy frog, before closing out the week with a Japanese animated offering about a high school student who becomes a globally beloved singer after entering a fantastic virtual world, and soon embarks on an emotional and epic quest to uncover the identity of a mysterious beast.

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

'SPENCER' (Rated M) - this work of historical fiction is a psychological drama film Directed and Co-Produced by Pablo Larrain, whose prior film making credits include his 2006 debut 'Fuga' and then 'No' in 2012, 'Neruda' in 2016 and the critically acclaimed 'Jackie' in 2016 also with 'Ema' in 2019. The film saw its World Premier screening at the Venice International Film Festival in early September last year before its release in the US and UK in early November. Having generated largely positive Critical Reviews, 'Spencer' has so far recovered US$15M from its US$18M budget outlay, and has picked up twenty-eight awards and a further ninety-six nominations (many of which are still pending an outcome) from around the awards and festival circuit. 

Set during the Christmas holiday 1991 with the royal family at the Queen's Sandringham estate in Norfolk, England, where there's eating and drinking, shooting and hunting aplenty - Diana Spencer (Kristen Stewart) knows the game. But this year, things will be profoundly different. Diana, struggling with mental health issues and anxiety decides to end her decade-long marriage to Prince Charles (Jack Farthing). 'Spencer' is an imagining of what might have happened during those few fateful days. Also starring Timothy Spall, Sean Harris and Sally Hawkins. 

'NIGHTMARE ALLEY' (Rated MA15+) - is an American neo-noir psychological thriller film that is Directed, Co-Written for the screen and Co-Produced by Guillermo del Toro whose previous film making credits take in 'Hell Boy', 'Pacific Rim', 'Crimson Peak' and the Academy Award winning 'Pan's Labyrinth' and 'The Shape of Water'. This film is based on the 1946 novel of the same name by William Lindsay Gresham, and is the second feature film adaptation following the 1947 film starring Tyrone Power. Set in 1940's era New York, down-on-his-luck Stanton Carlisle (Bradley Copper) endears himself to a clairvoyant Zeena Krumbein (Toni Collette) and her mentalist husband Pete (David Strathairn) at a traveling carnival owned by Clem Hoately (Willem Dafoe). Using newly acquired knowledge, Carlisle crafts a golden ticket to success by swindling the elite and wealthy. Hoping for a big score, he soon hatches a scheme to con a dangerous tycoon with help from a mysterious psychiatrist Lilith Ritter (Cate Blanchett) who might be his most formidable opponent yet. Also starring Richard Jenkins, Rooney Mara, Ron Perlman, Mary Steenburgen, Holt McCallany and Tim Blake Nelson. The film has garnered generally positive Reviews and has recovered US$9M in Box Office receipts from its US$60M production budget so far, having been released Stateside in mid-December last year. 

'ONE SECOND' (Rated M) - is a Chinese drama film that is Directed and and written for the screen by Zhang Yimou whose previous film making credits include his debut 'Red Sorghum' in 1987, 'Raise the Red Lantern' in 1991, 'Hero' in 2002, 'House of Flying Daggers' in 2004, 'The Flowers of War' in 2011, 'The Great Wall' in 2016 and 'Shadow' in 2018. Towards the end of the Cultural Revolution (circa 1976), when movies were one of the few cultural experiences available to China’s masses, the film’s nameless hero (Zhang Yi) is sent to a remote labour camp for taking part in a fight. He escapes, but instead of returning to crime, his one aim is to see a screening of a newsreel where his daughter has been captured briefly on screen, immortalised as a model student and worker. In this journey towards a fleeting, cinematic reunion with his beloved daughter, his unexpected companions include a scruffy orphan girl named Liu (Liu Haocun) — pursuing her own secret search for celluloid, and Fan (Fan Wei), who goes by Mr. Movie and is widely known as the best projectionist around. The film was released in its native China in November 2020, has generated mostly positive Critical acclaim and has grossed US$20M so far at the Box Office. 

'AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS' (Rated PG) - this French and Belgian Co-Produced animated feature film is Directed by Samuel Tourneux in his feature film making debut, and is based on the much adapted Jules Verne novel of the same name from 1872. Passepartout (voiced by Julien Crampon) is a young and scholarly marmoset who always dreams of becoming an explorer. One day, he crosses paths with Phileas (Damien Frette), a reckless and greedy frog, eager to take on a bet to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days and earn 10 million clams in the process. Seizing the opportunity of a lifetime to explore the world, Passepartout embarks with his new friend on a crazy and exhilarating adventure full of twists and surprises.

'BELLE' (Rated PG) - is a Japanese animated science fantasy film that is Directed and written for the screen by Mamoru Hosoda and is based on and inspired by the 1756 French fairy tale 'Beauty and the Beast' by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont. The film saw its World Premiere showcase in mid-July last year at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival, where it was well-received by critics with a standing ovation that lasted fourteen minutes, the longest of any film shown at the festival. It was released in its native Japan a day after Cannes, and has so far grossed US$59M before its release in the US this week too and the UK in early February. Suzu Naito (Kaho Nakamura) is a 17-year-old high school student living in a rural village with her father (Koji Yakusho). For years she has only been a shadow of herself. One day, she enters 'U', a virtual world of five billion subscribers on the Internet. There, she is not Suzu anymore but Belle, a world-famous singer. She soon meets with a mysterious dragon creature (Takeru Satoh) that is being pursued by vigilantes. Together, they embark on a journey of adventures, challenges, and love, in their quest of becoming who they truly are.

With five 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 coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 25th May 2017.

Who would have thought that a theme park ride attraction, which opened at Disneyland in 1967 and was one of the last Disney theme park attractions overseen by Walt Disney would go on in later years to become a media franchise that encompasses numerous theme park attractions, a series of films, and spin-off novels, as well as a number of related video games and other media publications. And so it is with 'Pirates of the Caribbean' which was that original theme park ride that launched fifty years ago that is the forebearer of a multibillion dollar film franchise that began in 2003. Here is quick synopsis of that franchise to date :-
* 'Pirates of the Caribbean : The Curse of the Black Pearl' - released in 2003. Directed by Gore Verbinski, Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Budget outlay US$140M, worldwide gross Box Office US$654M. Starring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Geoffrey Rush as Hector Barbossa, Kevin McNally as Joshamee Gibbs, Orlando Bloom as Will Turner, Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann, Jonathan Pryce as Weatherby Swann and Jack Davenport as James Norrington. 35 award wins and 101 nominations, including five Oscar nods, four BAFTA nods and one win, and one Golden Globe nod.
* 'Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Man's Chest' - released in 2006. Directed by Gore Verbinski, Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Budget outlay US$225M, worldwide gross Box Office US$1,066B. Starring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Geoffrey Rush as Hector Barbossa, Kevin McNally as Joshamee Gibbs, Orlando Bloom as Will Turner, Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann, Jonathan Pryce as Weatherby Swann, Jack Davenport as James Norrington, Bill Nighy as Davy Jones, Stellan Skarsgard as Bootstrap Bill Turner, Tom Hollander as Cutler Beckett and Naomi Harris as Tia Dalma. 44 award wins and 53 nominations, including three Oscar nods and one win, four BAFTA nods and one win, and one Golden Globe nod.
* 'Pirates of the Caribbean : At World's End' - released in 2007. Directed by Gore Verbinski, Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Budget outlay US$300M, worldwide gross Box Office US$964M. Starring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Geoffrey Rush as Hector Barbossa, Kevin McNally as Joshamee Gibbs, Orlando Bloom as Will Turner, Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann, Jonathan Pryce as Weatherby Swann, Jack Davenport as James Norrington, Bill Nighy as Davy Jones, Stellan Skarsgard as Bootstrap Bill Turner, Tom Hollander as Cutler Beckett, Naomi Harris as Tia Dalma, Chow Yun-Fat as Sao Feng and Keith Richards as Captain Teague. 20 award wins and 46 nominations, including two Oscar nods and one BAFTA nod. At the time of this films release, it was the most expensive film ever made.
* 'Pirates of the Caribbean : On Stranger Tides' - released in 2011. Directed by Rob Marshall, Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Budget outlay US$379M, worldwide gross Box Office US$1,045B. Starring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Geoffrey Rush as Hector Barbossa, Kevin McNally as Joshamee Gibbs, Ian McShane as Captain Edward 'Blackbeard' Teach, Sam Claflin as Philip Swift, Penelope Cruz as Angelica and Keith Richards as Captain Teague. Two award wins and 31 nominations. At the time of this films release, it was the most expensive film ever made - a record that still stands to this day.
* 'Pirates of the Caribbean : Dead Men Tell No Tales' - released in 2017 and Previewed below. Directed by Joachim Ronning and Espen Sandberg, Produced by Jerry Bruckheimer. Budget outlay US$230M. Starring Johnny Depp as Captain Jack Sparrow, Geoffrey Rush as Hector Barbossa, Kevin McNally as Joshamee Gibbs, Orlando Bloom as Will Turner, Keira Knightley as Elizabeth Swann, Brenton Thwaites as Henry Turner, Javier Bardem as Armando Salazar and Kaya Scodelario as Carina Smyth.

This coming week we have five new cinematic offerings to tease you out to your local picture house, kicking off with a big Hollywood blockbuster that sees the fifth film in this highly successful  franchise set on the high seas with a larrikin Captain at the helm of his good ship needing to thwart an undead enemy in order to save his kind the world over. We then get more serious with a film of the meaning of life and divine intervention as one man struggles to overcome a family tragedy; before turning to a New York fixer that gets in way over his head with a foreign Prime Minster and the local community who support him. We then wrap things up with a comedy based on a graphic novel about a grumpy middle aged man who gets a new lease of life after discovering that he has a teenage daughter to the wife that he separated from seventeen years earlier; and a biopic of an acclaimed Chilean poet and politician who goes on the run in the late '40's because of his outspoken beliefs that rattle the authorities but gain the respect and support of the people.

With such a rich choice of films to watch this week as Previewed below, or those still out on general release, and as Reviewed and Previewed between these humble pages previously, what reason do you have, not to catch a movie. When you have done so, remember to share your thoughts, observations and opinions with your like minded cinephiles here at Odeon Online, by leaving your relevant, pertinent and succinct views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your film experience.

'PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN : DEAD MEN TELL NO TALES' (Rated M) - the trailer for the latest in this hugely successful franchise would have us believe, that, allegedly, this is the final voyage for the good ship Black Pearl and her merry band of seafaring pirates as led by the most infamous swashbuckling blaggard of them all Cap'n Jack Sparrow. And so here we have this fifth instalment in the 'Pirates of the Caribbean' series Directed by the Norwegian pairing of Espen Sandberg and Joachim Ronning for a cool US$230M budget outlay. This film has been in development since before the release of 'On Stranger Tides' in 2011 and went through extensive re-writes, filming delays and budget issues to ensure that the script and the production were just right to almost guarantee its commercial and critical success. It has been reported that Johnny Depp takes home a pay packet worth US$67M for reprising his role for the fifth time as our titular hero of the seven seas. The film is released in the US and China this week also.

Here this story which draws its inspiration from 'The Curse of the Black Pearl', sees down on his luck Captain Jack Sparrow (Johnny Depp) pursued by his arch-nemesis Captain Armando Salazar (Javier Bardem) who is a powerful undead pirate who has existed in The Devil's Triangle (aka The Bermuda Triangle) since being betrayed by Sparrow and left to languish there with his Spanish Navy ghost ship, the Silent Mary, and her crew. Able to effect an escape for himself, his crew and his ship he goes in search of the legendary Trident of Poseidon that will give him the power to destroy all the pirates upon the high seas, and wreak his vengeance on Jack Sparrow. Joining his trusty pirate ship mates from the previous films are Geoffrey Rush, Orlando Bloom, Kevin McNally, Keira Knightley with new recruits Brenton Thwaites as Henry Turner the son of Will Turner and Elizabeth Swann, Kaya Scodelario as Carina Smyth a head strong academic astronomer who both team up with Cap'n Jack to thwart Salazar. David Wenham also stars, as does a cameo by Paul McCartney. Early indications  point to a critically successful film, and the Directors have indicated that this instalment may not necessarily be the last yet.

'THE SHACK' (Rated M) - based on the 2007 book of the same name by William P. Young, this film is Directed by Stuart Hazeldine, went on release in the US in early March and has so far grossed US$89M from its US$20M budget costs. This film charts the story of Mack Phillips (Sam Worthington) who as child suffered from physical and emotional abuse by his often drunken father, as did his Mother. As a grown man, Mack enjoys a plentiful, happy, contended life with his wife Nan (Radha Mitchell) and their three children Kate, John and Missy. One day however, Mack's life is turned upside down and inside out during a family camping trip when Missy disappears while he is saving his other two children from a canoeing accident. When the Police determine that Missy has been killed at the hands of a serial killer, Mack's life slowly but surely unravels, until the day that he receives a mysterious letter inviting him to an abandoned shack somewhere in the Oregon wilderness.   Reluctantly he ventures to the shack and there is greeted by a trio of strangers led by a woman named Papa (which was Missy's term for God) played by Octavia Spencer. As a result of this meeting, Mack learns important truths that change his understanding of his family's tragedy and ultimately change his life forever.

'NORMAN' (Rated M) - the full theatrical title of this American/Israeli Co-Production is 'Norman : The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer' and is Written and Directed by Joseph Cedar with Richard Gere in the highly praised title role of Norman Oppenheimer. Here Norman is a one man 'consultancy' firm who works out of his briefcase and scams his way through his professional life by connecting people with his seemingly influential network and who gets things done no questions asked. One day an Israeli dignitary visits the city and Norman decides to establish contact by buying Micha Eshel (Lior Ashkenazi) a very expensive pair of shoes. The ruse works and the two become close associates. Three years later Eshel becomes the Prime Minister of Israel, and as a result Norman quickly rises in esteem through New York's Jewish community. But as Norman loses contact with with the now Prime Minister he finds it increasingly difficult to maintain his smoke and mirrors persona as his former fabrications to gain confidence, win respect and build trust come back to haunt him. Also starring Steve Buscemi, Charlotte Gainsborough, Michael Sheen and Hank Azaria.

'WILSON' (Rated MA15+) - Directed by Craig Johnson and based on the 2010 published graphic novel by Daniel Clowes, this film Premiered at this years Sundance Film Festival in January and had its US release at the end of March. Made for just US$5M and has so far recouped US$660K. The Wilson here is played by Woody Harrelson a lonely, isolated middle age grumpy guy who decides to track down the wife who left him seventeen years ago - Pippi (Laura Dern). She tells him that he is the father of their daughter Claire (Isabella Amara) - now a teenager, whom he never knew existed up until this point. Shocked, stunned, excited, hopeful and a little anxious, Wilson takes it upon himself to connect with the teenage daughter as he experiences fatherhood for the first time, tries to reconcile with his ex-wife and make a good impression with his new daughter.

'NERUDA' (Rated MA15+) - this biographical drama film is Directed by Chilean filmmaker Pablo Larrain, who last brought us the highly acclaimed 'Jackie' released earlier this year, that scored 38 award wins and 148 nominations from around the circuit. First shown at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival, released in Chile in August 2016, the US in December 2016 and in France in January 2017, this small yet not insignificant little independent film finally arrives into Australian cinemas this week having collected nine award wins and another 25 nominations along the way. Popular Chilean poet-diplomat and politician Pablo Neruda (the pen name of Ricardo Eliécer Neftalí Reyes Basalt), played here by Luis Gnecco stands opposed to the administration of Chilean President Gabriel González Videla, and in an address to the National Congress in 1948, speaks out against anti-communist repression. As a result, Neruda and his artist wife Delia (Mercedes Moran) are forced underground and into hiding. However, loved by the general public, Neruda decides that being in hiding is no place for him as he dodges the attempts of overzealous and largely incompetent Police Inspector Oscar Peluchonneau (Gael Garcia Bernal) who is out to make a name for himself by bringing in the country's most infamous fugitive. What ensues is a thrilling game of cat and mouse as Neruda reinvents himself and his work, leaving behind clues for his would be captor by taunting the authorities and hiding in plain sight. Neruda eventually escaped via a mountain pass into Argentina. He died in 1973 aged 69 under suspicious circumstances having been awarded the International Peace Prize, the Lenin Peace Prize and the Nobel Prize in Literature amongst others.

Five films to choose from this coming week that offer us big epic Hollywood swashbuckling action fare, and four other smaller films largely concentrating on the exploits, adventures, misadventures and tragedies of individual men - both real and fictitious. When you have sat through your film of choice, remember to share your movie going thoughts with us here at Odeon Online. Meanwhile, I'll see you sometime, somewhere in the week ahead, at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th January 2017.

And hot of the press and kicking off Awards Season, comes the news of this years Golden Globe winners and grinners. Presented for the 74th year on Sunday evening 8th January at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills and hosted by Actor and Television Talk Show Host, Jimmy Fallon, the full force of Hollywood's glitterati and glamourati were out parading the red carpet in the lead up to the mind numbing sleep inducing three hour awards ceremony. 'La La Land' made Golden Globe history by winning an unprecedented seven awards - all those it was nominated for.

The winners in the film category are as given below :
* Best film - Drama : 'MOONLIGHT' (released in Australia on 26th January),
* Best film - Musical or Comedy : 'LA LA LAND',
* Best Animated Film : 'ZOOTOPIA',
* Best Foreign Language Film : 'ELLE',
* Best Actor Performance - Drama : CASEY AFFLECK for 'Manchester by the Sea' (released in Australia on 2nd February),
* Best Actress Performance - Drama : ISABELLE HUPERT for 'Elle',
* Best Actor Performance - Musical or Comedy : RYAN GOSLING for 'La La Land',
* Best Actress Performance - Musical or Comedy : EMMA STONE for 'La La Land',
* Best Supporting Actor Performance : AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON for 'Nocturnal Animals',
* Best Supporting Actress Performance : VIOLA DAVIS for 'Fences' (released in Australia on 9th February),
* Best Director : DAMIEN CHAZELLE for 'La La Land',
* Best Screenplay : DAMIEN CHAZELLE for 'La La Land',
* Best Music Score : JUSTIN HERWITZ for 'La La Land',
* Best Original Song : 'CITY OF STARS' for 'La La Land',
* The Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award - MERYL STREEP.

And so to this weeks latest release films coming to your neighbourhood cinema. We kick off with a biographical drama of America's First Lady following the traumatic and dramatic events that rocked the world in November 1963. We then lurch into a weepie drama of love, time and death featuring an ensemble gathering brought in to rescue a damaged man from himself, before centering on three kid friendly films for the tail end of the school holidays with a middle school adventure of one lads determination to break every rule in the school book, followed by a senior school lad who builds mega trucks powered by some otherworldly friendly speed freak beings (not the 'Transformers' kind either!), before closing with a delightful animated feature set in 1880's Paris and one girls dream to escape the shackles of an orphanage by dancing her way to fame and fortune.

As always, be reminded to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations when you have sat through your film of choice in the week ahead, by leaving a constructive and relevant Comment below this or any other Post. With five films out this week, and a whole raft of other great cinema content still doing the rounds and as Reviewed and Previewed here in previous weeks, you have every reason to get out to your local movie theatre and catch a film of choice. Enjoy your movie. in the meantime.

'JACKIE' (Rated MA15+) - this biographical drama film follows the week or so immediately following the assassination of President John. F. Kennedy in late 1963 through the eyes of his wife Jackie Kennedy as played here to much critical acclaim by Natalie Portman in a career defining role. Directed by Pablo Larrain the film Premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in early September where it was in competition for the Golden Lion, and went on a very limited US release from early December, with a wider release to coincide with its international release. Made for US$9M it has so far recovered that investment, and Natalie Portman was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance. So far the film has garnered 29 award wins and a further 98 nominations.

Following her husband's assassination at which she is present in the back of the car beside President John F. Kennedy while driving in the cavalcade in Dallas, Texas on that fateful day in November 1963, wife Jacqueline Kennedy is heavily traumatised and shattered as her world comes crashing in around her in a split second as shots ring out fired by Lee Harvey Oswald. In the days that follow and reeling from grief and the sudden loss she must come to terms with, Jackie must console her two young children, plan her husbands state funeral in a manner befitting the stature of the great man and reconcile herself with vacating the White House that she had so painstakingly and lovingly restored, and which she had expected to inhabit for a few more years yet . . . and happily. All the while, she strives to fully determine how history will define the legacy that JFK left behind, and how she too will be remembered as America's First Lady of a truly beloved assassinated President. Also starring Peter Sarsgaard as Robert Kennedy, Greta Gerwig, Richard E. Grant, John Hurt and Billy Crudup.

'COLLATERAL BEAUTY' (Rated M) - Directed by David Frankel whose previous credits include 'The Devil Wears Prada', 'Marley & Me' and 'Hope Springs', made for US$36M and so far making US$60M and starring an ensemble cast, you would be mistaken for thinking this was going to be a sure fire hit - but, this tear jerking drama has been critically panned. Starring Will Smith as Howard - a brilliant, creative charismatic advertising executive who suffers the incomprehensible loss of his young daughter, and so retreats within himself shutting out the world almost to the point of suicide. He believes that humans are motivated by three things - Love, Time and Death (we long for love, we wish we had more time, and we fear death!). And so in his isolation, and to gain some solace in his now shattered world he begins writing letters to Love, Time and Death. While his friends and concerned work colleagues try to reach out to him, he begins receiving personal responses to his letters, and then Love, Time and Death manifest themselves to him in human form. Little does he know that Love, Time and Death are portrayed by three struggling Actors (Keira Knightley as Love, Jacob Lattimore as Time and Helen Mirren as Death) hired by his concerned work colleagues Michael Pena, Edward Norton, Naomi Harris and Kate Winslet. In time he begins to see that even in the most tragic of circumstances, there can emerge meaning, beauty and redemption.

'MIDDLE SCHOOL : THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE' (Rated PG) - this family comedy offering from Director Steve Carr was released in the US in early October and is already out on DVD and BluRay over there. It was made for US$9M, has so far grossed US$21M and is based on the book of the same name from 2011 by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts. The premise here is that quiet and imaginative teenager Rafe Khatchadorian (Griffin Gluck) is done with his new school's regime of strict rules compliance at the expense of creativity and freedom. Desperate to shake things up and rid the school of the burden of rules, rules and more rules, Rafe and his new friend Leo (Thomas Barbusca) decide to break every rule in the school book by concocting a cunning plan and letting their fellow school kids run riot. In the meantime tyrannical Principal Ken Dwight (Andy Daly) is hot on their heels trying to restore law and order to the school campus and deal with the miscreants, while Rafe is chasing the affections of Jeanne Galletta (Isabelle Moner), and battle a gang of school bullies.

'MONSTER TRUCKS' (Rated PG) - this is a family oriented live action combined with computer generated action comedy that is Directed by Chris Wedge, cost US$125M to bring to the big screen and has so far grossed just US$9M and a whole lot of largely negative reviews. The story here surrounds Tripp Coley (Lucas Till) who is a high school senior student looking at a way of beating his hum drum lifestyle and getting the hell outta Dodge for a life less ordinary. He builds monster trucks using redundant car parts, scrap metal and all manner of automotive bits and pieces he can cobble together. One day however, following an accident at a local oil drilling rig, a strange alien like creature is displaced from underground. It seems that this creature which Coley names Creech, has a penchant for speed and a talent to match, and from here on in the two form an unlikely friendship, that might just be their ticket outta Dodge and their one way ride to fame and fortune. Also starring Rob Lowe, Danny Glover, Barry Pepper, Jane Levy and Amy Ryan.

'BALLERINA' (Rated G) - this French/Canadian Co-Production is a computer animated musical fantasy adventure story Directed by Eric Summer and Eric Warin at a cost of US$30M and so far it has recovered US$19M since its release in France and Canada before Christmas and ahead of its US release on 3rd March under the title of 'Leap'. Telling the story of Felicie (Elle Fanning) who back in 1880's Brittany has dreams of escaping the orphanage where she lives and becoming a Ballerina in Paris. She runs away to Paris with her young friend and budding inventor, Victor (Dane DeHaan) but they become separated. Winding up at the acclaimed school of the Paris Opera Ballet she finds the harsh training regime and fitting in with more gifted young dancers challenging. But not to be out done she finds a gifted mentor willing to give her time and patience, Odette (Carly Rae Jepsen) a former prima ballerina who takes the young  Felicie under her wing and in to her tutelage. With the courage of her convictions and desperately wanting to turn her dreams into reality, she works hard to be successful in her audition for the forthcoming production of 'The Nutcracker'. The film has garnered solid reviews so far for its engaging story and quality animation.

With five new release films coming to a big screen near you this week ahead, remember to share your views and opinions of your movie going experience with us all here at Odeon Online, or any of those others doing the rounds and still out on general release. In the meantime, I'll see you somewhere, sometime in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-