What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 5th February 2026.

This years 55th International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), is in full swing having opened on Thursday 29th January and running through until Sunday 8th February. This annual film festival is held at the end of January in various locations in Rotterdam, the Netherlands and is largely focused on independent and experimental films. Since its foundation in 1972, it has maintained a focus on independent and experimental filmmaking by showcasing emerging talents and established auteurs. The festival also places a focus on presenting cutting edge media art and arthouse film, with most of the participants in the short film programme identified as artists or experimental filmmakers. IFFR also hosts CineMart and BoostNL, for film Producers to seek funding.

The Opening Night feature film presentation this year, was 'Providence and the Guitar' from Portugal and is Co-Written and Directed by Joao Nicolau. Life's tough for traveling 19th Century performers Leon and Elvira. Between moody Police Officers, rival performers, and mischievous demons, they rely on newfound friends to keep faith in their art. The Closing Night film is 'Bazaar' from France and Directed by Remi Bezancon and centres on a crime writer and his film professor partner who are swept up in a real-life mystery when they begin to suspect their neighbour of murder. Both films are World Premiere screenings. 

IFFR’s trade mark competition - 'The Tiger Competition' celebrates the innovative and adventurous spirit of up-and-coming filmmakers from all over the world. The competition was founded in 1995 with the aim of discovering, raising the profile of and rewarding up-and-coming international film talent. The Tiger Award is accompanied by a €40K cash prize, to be shared between the Director and Producer of the winning film. Two Special Jury Awards worth €10K will also be presented for exceptional artistic achievement within the competition.

This years titles, competing for this prize, are as given briefly below :-
* 'La belle annee' - Directed by Angelica Ruffier and from Sweden and Norway.
* 'A Fading Man' - Directed by Welf Reinhart from Germany.

* 'The Gymnast' - Directed by Charlotte Glynn from the USA.
* 'A Messy Tribute to Motherly Love' - Directed by Dan Geesin and from the Netherlands, Germany, and Belgium.
* 'My Semba' - Directed by Hugo Salvaterra from Angola.
* 'Nangong Cheng' - Directed by Shao Pan from China.
* 'O profeta' - Directed by Ique Langa and from Mozambique, South Africa and Qatar.
* 'Roid' - Directed by Mejbaur Rahman Sumon from Bangladesh.

* 'Supporting Role' - Directed by Ana Urushadze and from Georgia, Estonia, Turkey, Switzerland and the USA.
* 'Unerasable!' - Directed by Socrates Saint-Wulfstan Drakos from Belgium, Thailand and Sweden.
* 'Variations on a Theme' - Directed by Jason Jacobs and Devon Delmar and from South Africa, Netherlands and Qatar.
* 'Yellow Cake' - Directed by Tiago Melo from Brazil.

For the full descriptors of the aforementioned films in the Tiger Competition, plus the other competitive strands being showcased, the full line of some 650 feature films and short films being screened and a whole bunch of other good stuff, you can go to the official website at : http://www.iffr.com/en/

And so looking ahead to this weeks seven new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we kick off with a Gothic romantic fantasy film which after his wife dies, a 15th century Prince renounces God and becomes a vampire, and centuries later in 19th century London, he sees a woman resembling his late wife and pursues her, sealing his own fate. This is followed by a comedy drama offering that tells the story of a marriage quietly imploding, and so the husband seeks new purpose in the New York comedy scene while the wife confronts the sacrifices she made for their family. Next we have an action thriller about a reclusive former assassin living on a remote island who must protect a young girl he rescues from a storm, drawing him into conflict with past enemies. Then we turn to the third and final chapter in horror franchise that see the only survivor from the previous films that has our protagonist squaring off against the masked killers one last time in a brutal, full-circle reckoning of survival and revenge. Following on we have a survival thriller film that after a catastrophic military disaster, the dead don't just rise, they hunt, and so a wife searches for her missing husband, but what she finds is far more terrifying. Up next is a sports film about the Republic of Ireland national football team and the eponymous Saipan incident between player and team Captain, and the Club Manager in the lead up to the 2002 FIFA World Cup; before closing out the week with a Japanese animated fantasy action film about the eponymous Princess who can cross time and space on a quest of vengeance after her father is murdered.

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

'DRACULA' (Rated MA15+) - is an English language French Gothic romantic fantasy film based on Bram Stoker's 1897 novel 'Dracula'. This film is written for the screen and Directed by Luc Besson, whose previous feature film output takes in the likes of 'La Femme Nikita' in 1990, 'Leon : The Professional' in 1994, 'The Fifth Element' in 1997, 'The Messenger : The Story of Joan of Arc' in 1999, 'Lucy' in 2014, 'Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets' in 2017 and 'Dogman' in 2023. The film was released in France at the end of July last year, is released in the USA, Canada and here in Australia this week, has so far grossed US$6M and has generated mixed or average reviews. 

When a 15th-century Prince Vladimir of Wallachia (Caleb Landry Jones) witnesses the brutal murder of his wife Elisabeta (Zoe Bleu), he renounces God and damns Heaven itself. Cursed with eternal life, he is reborn as Dracula, an immortal warlord who defies fate in a blood-soaked crusade to wrench his lost love back from death, no matter the cost. On the verge of reuniting some four hundred years later with his reincarnated wife Mina Murray (Zoe Bleu) Dracula is hunted by a relentless priest (Christoph Waltz), sworn to end his immortal reign.

'IS THIS THING ON?' (Rated M) - this American comedy drama film is Co-Written for the screen, Co-Produced, Directed and stars Bradley Cooper in his third Directorial outing following 'A Star is Born' in 2018 and 'Maestro' in 2023, as well as his numerous acting and Producing credits. This film is based loosely on the life of English comedian John Bishop, who was given a story credit on the film, after he met Will Arnett and told him about the night he decided to become a stand-up comedian, and how ultimately it helped save his marriage. Here then, as their marriage quietly unravels, Alex (Will Arnett) faces middle age and an impending divorce, seeking new purpose in the New York comedy scene while his wife Tess (Laura Dern) confronts the sacrifices she made for their family, forcing them to navigate co-parenting, identity, and whether love can take a new form. Also starring Bradley Cooper, Andra Day, Sean Hayes and Ciaran Hinds. The film had its World Premiere as the closing film of the New York Film Festival on 10th October last year, was released in the US on 19th December, has so far grossed US$11M and has garnered generally positive critical reviews.

'SHELTER' (Rated M) - is a UK and USA Co-Produced action thriller film Directed by Ric Roman Waugh whose prior feature film output includes 'Felon' in 2008, 'Snitch' in 2013, 'Shot Caller' in 2017, 'Angel Has Fallen' in 2019, 'Greenland' in 2020, 'Kandahar' in 2023 and the yet to be released 'Greenland 2 : Migration' expected later this year. On a remote Scottish coastal island, a reclusive man, Mason (Jason Statham) rescues a young girl Jessie (Bodhi Rae Breathnach) from a deadly storm, drawing them both into danger. Forced out of isolation, he must confront his turbulent past while protecting her, sending them on a tense journey of survival and redemption. Also starring Bill Nighy and Naomi Ackie. The film had its World Premiere screening in London on 20th January and was released last week Stateside. 

'THE STRANGERS : CHAPTER 3' (Rated MA15+) - this American horror film is Directed by Renny Harlin whose previous feature film credits take in the more popular offerings including 'Die Hard 2' in 1990, 'Cliffhanger' in 1993, 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' in 1996, 'Deep Blue Sea' in 1999, 'Driven' in 2001, 'The Bricklayer' in 2023 and then 'The Strangers : Chapter 1' and 'The Strangers : Chapter 2' in 2024 and 2025 respectively. This film serves as the fifth instalment in 'The Strangers' film franchise and the final instalment in a new trilogy. Here, in this decisive and brutal conclusion to the trilogy, the survivors seeking rehabilitation from their past encounters with the masked strangers are thrust back into a fight for their survival. In their struggle, they uncover unsettling secrets that threaten to alter their fate, jeopardising their lives as the line between reality and peril blurs. Starring Madelaine Petsch as Maya the only survivor of the terrorising Strangers with Gabriel Basso, Ema Horvath and Richard Brake reprising their roles from the pervious instalment. The film premiered in Los Angeles in mid-January, and is released in the US this week too.

'WE BURY THE DEAD' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian and US Co-Produced survival thriller film Written and Directed by Zak Hilditch, who made his feature film debut in 2003 with 'Waiting for Naval Base Lilly', and which he would follow up with his better known projects including 'These Final Hours' in 2013, '1922' in 2017 and 'Rattlesnake' in 2019. Here then, Ava Newman (Daisy Ridley), a desperate woman, searches for her husband in the aftermath of a catastrophic military experiment. Hoping to find him alive, Ava joins a 'body retrieval unit', but her search takes a chilling turn when the corpses she's burying start showing signs of life. Also starring Mark Coles Smith, Brenton Thwaites and Matt Whelan, the film had its World Premiere at SXSW in March last year, was released Stateside on 2nd January and here in Australia this week, has generated largely positive critical reviews, and has so far grossed US$4M. 

'SAIPAN' (Rated MA15+) - this sports film from Ireland is Directed by the husband and wife team of Glenn Leyburn and Lisa Barros D'Sa in their joint fourth feature film offering following 'Cherrybomb' in 2009, 'Good Vibrations' in 2012 and 'Ordinary Love' in 2019. Set in 2002, shortly before the FIFA World Cup in Japan and South Korea, the Irish national football team arrives on the Pacific island of Saipan where they are to bond and train before moving to Japan. But the management’s relaxed approach does not match team captain Roy Keane’s (Eanna Hardwicke) expectations, and so he decides to forfeit his place in the squad after a heated disagreement with the Irish manager Mick McCarthy (Steve Coogan). The Manchester United star player is here after all, to win it. The film had its World Premiere screening at TIFF in September last year, was released in its native Ireland on 1st January, the UK on 23rd January and here in Australia this week having garnered generally positive critical reviews.

'SCARLET' (Rated M) - is a Japanese animated fantasy action film that is Written and Directed by Mamoru Hosoda whose previous animated films as Director include 'The Girl Who Leapt Through Time' in 2006, 'Wolf Children' in 2012, 'The Boy and the Beast' in 2015, 'Mirai' in 2018 and 'Belle' in 2021. Inspired by the Shakespearean tragedy 'Hamlet', Scarlet (voiced by Mana Ashida), a medieval-era, sword-fighting Princess is on a dangerous quest to avenge the death of her father. After failing in her mission and finding herself fatally injured in a surreal world, she encounters an idealistic young man from our present day who not only helps her to heal but shows her the possibility of a future free from bitterness and rage. When confronted once more by her father’s killer, Scarlet faces her most daunting battle - can she break the cycle of hatred and find meaning in life beyond revenge? The film had its Premiere out of competition at the Venice International Film Festival in early September last year, was released in Japan on 21st November, and here in Australia and the US from this week, having generated largely favourable reviews.

With seven new release movie offerings this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 14th December 2023

The 15th edition of the Les Arcs Film Festival this year runs from Saturday 16th through until Saturday 23rd December. Founded in 2009, the festival takes place every year in December, during the opening week of the ski season, in Les Arcs ski resort located in Bourg-Saint-Maurice in the French department of Savoie in the Auvergne-Rhone-Alpes region of southeastern France. The theme of this year's festival is 'Cinema as therapy: mental health, in front of and behind the screen'. It's an opportunity to find out more about and understand this subject, which is emerging in all areas of our society. The Arcs Film Festival is also a socially committed festival, with social issues at the heart of its programming. Debates on gender equality and the ecological transition in cinema will be at the heart of the festival. 

With over one hundred films being showcased, this years Opening Night film is 'Making Of', from France and Directed by Cedric Kahn and centres around Simon as he begins shooting a movie about a workers’ struggle to save their factory. He soon feels overwhelmed by the sneaky Producer, the capricious Actors, and the angry technical team. His only ally in this chaotic shooting is the young extra in charge of the making-of of the film. The Closing Night film is 'Vivants' from Belgium and France and Directed by Alix Delaporte and charts the story of Gabrielle who has joined a prestigious news programme. With no formal training, she must prove herself and find a place among an experienced team of special correspondents.

This year there are nine feature films in Official Competition, these being :-

* 'Animal' from Greece and Written and Directed by Sofia Exarchou. National Premiere.

* 'Explanation For Everything' from Hungary and Co-Written, Directed, Co-Edited and Co-Scored by Gabor Reisz.

* 'Holly' from Belgium and Written and Directed by Fien Troch.

* 'The Teachers' Lounge' from Germany and Co-Written and Directed by Ilker Catak.

* 'The Successor' from France and Co-Written and Directed by Xavier Legrand. National Premiere.

* 'Through the Night' from Belgium and Written and Directed by Delphine Girard. 

* 'Slow' from Lithuania and Written and Directed by Marija Kavtaradze.

* 'The Hypnosis' from Sweden and Co-Written and Directed by Ernst De Geer.

* 'Sweet Dreams' from the Netherlands and Written and Directed by Ena Sendijarevic.

For the synopsis of the nine aforementioned films in Official Competition, plus the other film strands being showcased; the two Guests of Honour attending this years festival, the French Argentine Actress Berenice Bejo and the Swedish film maker Ruben Ostlund; and Alice Rohrwacher announced as the winner of the 2023 Sisley-les Arcs 'Femme de Cinema' Award!, you can go to the official website at : https://lesarcs-filmfest.com/en

This week there are just three new movies gracing your local Odeon before the slew of new Christmas week releases, launching with a musical fantasy offering focusing on a young chocolate-maker extraordinaire, and how he came to meet the Oompa-Loompas on one of his earliest adventures. Then we have an action thriller film about a former FBI agent who left to become a bricklayer, and is asked to step in and help stop a criminal operation who are demanding a series of ransom payments; before closing out the week with a Chinese remake centring around a young businessman who wakes up in a locked hotel room next to the body of his dead lover, and then hires a prestigious lawyer to defend him, and over the course of one night, they work together to find out what happened.

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 week ahead.

'WONKA' (Rated PG) - this musical fantasy film is Co-Written, based on a story and Directed by Paul King in his fourth feature film outing following his 2009 debut with 'Bunny and the Bull' then 'Paddington' in 2014 and 'Paddington 2' in 2017. This film tells the origin story of Willy Wonka, a character in the 1964 novel 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory' by Roald Dahl. It will have its World Premiere showcasing in London on 28th November, and is scheduled to be released in the UK on 8th December and in the US on 15th December, and cost US$125M to produce.

Based on the extraordinary character at the centre of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', Roald Dahl’s most iconic children's book and one of the best-selling children's books of all time, 'Wonka' tells the wondrous story of how the world's greatest inventor, magician and chocolate-maker became the beloved Willy Wonka (Timothee Chalamet) - chock-full of ideas and determined to change the world one delectable bite at a time, proving that the best things in life begin with a dream. Also starring Calah Lane, Keegan-Michael Key, Matt Lucas, Sally Hawkins, Rowan Atkinson, Jim Carter, Olivia Colman and Hugh Grant. 

'THE BRICKLAYER' (Rated MA15+) - is an action thriller film Directed by Renny Harlin whose previous screen credits take in the likes of 'Die Hard 2' in 1990, 'Cliffhanger' in 1993, 'The Long Kiss Goodnight' in 1996, 'Deep Blue Sea' in 1999, 'Driven' in 2001, 'Cleaner' in 2007, 'Skiptrace' in 2016 and 'The Misfits' in 2021. This film is based on the 2010 novel of the same name by Noah Boyd, and follows a rogue insurgent blackmailing the CIA by assassinating foreign journalists and making it appear the agency is responsible. As other nations begin turning against the US the CIA must lure Steve Vail (Aaron Eckhart) - their most brilliant and rebellious operative out of semi-retirement working as a bricklayer. With an elite and deadly skill set, Vail is tasked with helping clear the agency's name, forcing him to confront his checkered past while unraveling an international conspiracy. Also starring Nina Dobrev, Tim Blake Nelson and Clifton Collins Jnr. The film is slated for a US release sometime early next year.

'THE INVISIBLE GUEST' (Rated M) - this crime fiction drama film is a Chinese remake of the Spanish film of the same name from 2016 and is Directed by Raymond Yip Wai-man and Cheng Wei-hao. Here, young and beautiful entrepreneur Joanna (Janine Chang) is accused of being the culprit in a locked-room murder case, where the victim is her lover Minghao, during a time when her life and career are flourishing. In order to clear her name, she slowly gathers clues with the police officer Zheng Wei (Greg Hsu). As they investigate the case together, they discover another murder case that Joanna and Minghao had committed together. The truth gradually comes to light . . . 

With just 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 coming week.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 29th July 2021.

The 20th annual Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF) is currently running from 23rd July through until 1st August and is the biggest international film festival in Romania and is held in the fourth largest Romanian city of Cluj-Napoca in the historic province of Transilvania. The festival's main goal is the promotion of cinematic art by presenting some of the most innovative and spectacular films of the moment that feature both originality and independence of expression, that reflect unusual cinematic language forms or focus on current trends in youth culture. Dedicated to first and second time Directors, the Official Competition focuses on discovering new voices. In 2011, TIFF was accredited by the FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations), which places it among the forty most important festivals in the world.

The Opening Gala feature film was 'The People Upstairs' from Spain and Directed by Cesc Gay and concerns two couples, one living upstairs from the other, who explore the complexities of modern relationships over dinner one evening. The Closing Night feature film is the Italian drama 'The Best Years' Directed by Gabriele Muccino and tells the story from the 1980's to almost the present day, told through the life of four friends, during forty years of loves, aspirations, success and failures.

This year there are ten films in Official Competition with awards being presented for Best Film, Best Director, Special Jury Prize, Best Performance with the jury also being able to award two Special Mentions. There is also an Audience Award within this category. Only national Romanian premiers are considered in the Official Competition. Those ten films are :-

* 'Apples' from Greece and Directed by Christos Nikou. This drama film is set amidst a worldwide pandemic that causes sudden amnesia, and here a middle-aged man finds himself enrolled in a recovery programme designed to help unclaimed patients build new identities. 

* 'That Was Life' from Spain and Directed by David Martin de los Santos this drama debut feature centres around two Spanish women from different generations who forge an unlikely friendship while sharing a hospital room in Belgium. 

* 'Marygoround' from Poland and Directed and Co-Written by Daria Woszek here we see a lonely, small-town, grocery store worker, living an uneventful boring life. On the eve of her 50th birthday however, her senses and imagination suddenly come alive.

* 'Pebbles' from India and Directed and Written by P. S. Vinothraj. Two arid hamlets separated by a distance of 13kms sees an alcoholic wife beater embark on a journey, on foot, from one to the other, dragging his young son along to fetch back his wife whom he had chased away.

* 'Preparations to Be Together for an Unknown Period of Time' from Hungary and is Written and Directed by Lili Horvath. Here a neurosurgeon returns to Budapest from here comfortable home in America to reunite with the love of her life - a man who says they have never met. 

* 'The Flood Won't Come' is Written and Directed by Marat Sargsyan, and in this Lithuanian drama film a famous Colonel, who served in different countries for many years, finds himself in a strange situation when civil war breaks out in his native country. 

* 'The Last Bath' from Portugal and Co-Written and Directed by David Bonneville, this drama offering sees a nun who is called upon to adopt her fifteen year-old nephew, and as a consequence religion, family and love become intertwined. 

* 'The Pink Cloud' from Brazil and Written and Directed by Iuli Gerbase in her feature film making debut, this is a Sci-Fi drama film set following a toxic and mysterious pink cloud that appears in the skies above, and when a woman finds herself stuck in a flat with a man she just met, the events that unfold change her life in a way she never expected. 

* 'The Whaler Boy' is Written, Directed and Edited by Philipp Yuryev in his feature film debut, this Russian film sees a young Russian whale hunter embark on a perilous journey to America to locate a beautiful girl he met on webcam site. 

* 'What Do We See When We Look At The Sky?' from Georgia and Written, Directed and Edited by Alexandre Koberidze, this film sees a chance encounter on a street corner between a young woman and a man who fall in love at first sight, but an evil spell is cast on them. Will they ever meet again?

The other sections of TIFF comprise 'Romanian Days' - the competitive section for Romanian shorts and features films produced in 2020 and 2021. National premieres have priority in this section. Four awards are presented here - the FIPRESCI Award (International Federation of Film Critics), and for Best Feature Film, Best Short Film and Best Debut. 'Supernova' is the non-competitive showcase of the most significant features of the year, including titles awarded in major international festivals, works by renowned auteurs, national box-office leaders, and audience hits. 'Full Moon' showcases fantasy, thriller, and horror genre features. 'No Limit' is also a non-competitive section dedicated to features that are provocative, controversial, experimental, transgressive, and innovating in both form and content; and 'What's Up, Doc?' is a non-competitive section for Documentaries over sixty minutes run time released after the 1st May 2020.

For all the news, views and low-downs from this years 20th Transilvania International Film Festival, you can go to the official website at : https://www.tiff.ro/en

 

With Greater Sydney, where I live, still in COVID lockdown for a further four weeks now ending (at this stage) on Friday 27th August, which means all of our cinema's are closed until this date, which further means that the release of the movies as given below, slated for release this week, will be delayed somewhat across certain parts of Australia at least. That said, these movies will either have been released or are set for an imminent release somewhere in the world, and as Odeon Online has an international audience, I thought it best to carry on regardless. And so, we open with an action adventure based on a Disney theme park ride where a small riverboat takes a group of travellers through a jungle filled with dangerous animals and reptiles and a supernatural element. Next up, after being recruited by a group of unconventional thieves, a renowned criminal finds himself caught up in an elaborate gold heist that promises to have far-reaching implications on his life and the lives of countless others. This is followed by a darkly-comedic thriller about a lone toll-booth operator on a remote roadway in Wales, with a past that is quickly catching up with him. And we conclude this weeks latest releases with an audio visual documentary that shows the viewer stunning images of forgotten places and buildings we constructed around the world and then left to slowly fall into decay and for nature to reclaim. 

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

'JUNGLE CRUISE' (Rated M) - is an American fantasy adventure film based on the Walt Disney theme park attraction of the same name and is Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra whose prior directorial credits take in the likes of his debut feature 'House of Wax' in 2005, and then 'Orphan', 'The Shallows' and four Liam Neeson actioners 'Unknown', 'Non-Stop', 'Run All Night' and 'The Commuter'. This film has been in gestation since 2004 with Tom Hanks and Tim Allen being attached to the project early on. Initially,  slated for a mid-October 2019 release before being moved to an end of July 2020 release date, and was then further delayed to its current date this week in both Australia and the US due to the COVID-19 pandemic, with its World Premier screening at the Disneyland Resort in California on 24th July. The film reportedly cost US$200M+ to produce. 

Set during the early 20th century, Frank Wolff (Dwayne Johnson) a riverboat Captain takes a British scientist, Dr. Lily Houghton (Emily Blunt) and her younger brother, MacGregor Houghton (Jack Whitehall) on a mission into the Amazon jungle to find the Tree of Life, which is believed to possess healing powers that could be of great benefit to modern medicine. All the while, the trio must fight against dangerous wild animals, a hot and deadly environment, and a competing German expedition led by Prince Joachim (Jesse Plemmons), and a deadly mercenary hired to guide a rival mission, Aguirre (Edgar Ramirez) that are both  determined to find the tree first. Also starring Paul Giamatti.

'THE MISFITS' (Rated M) - this American heist comedy film is Directed by Renny Harlin whose previous big screen film making credits include 'Die Hard 2', 'Cliffhanger', 'Cutthroat Island', 'The Long Kiss Goodnight', 'Deep Blue Sea', 'Driven' and '12 Rounds' amongst less notable others. This film saw its World Premier screening in South Korea in early June this year, was released Stateside in mid-June, costs in the region of US$15M to produce, has so far grossed US$390K and has generated mostly unfavourable Reviews. Here then, set in the Middle East, master criminal architect Richard Pace (Pierce Brosnan) finds himself caught up in a major gold heist with implications that go far beyond what he could have ever possibly imagined. Also starring Tim Roth and Hermione Corfield. 

'THE TOLL' (Rated MA15+) - this comedy mystery drama thriller from the UK is Directed by the Welshman Ryan Andrew Hooper in his feature film making debut. Brendan (Michael Smiley) works solo shifts in the quietest toll booth in Wales located quite literally in the middle of nowhere, while hiding from a former criminal history where nobody would ever look. When he finally gets rumbled, word of his whereabouts gets out and his enemies head west for revenge. Meanwhile, local traffic cop Catrin's (Annes Elwy) investigation into a simple robbery finds her heading for the booth at precisely the wrong time. Also starring Paul Kaye, Iwan Rheon, Gary Beadle and Julian Glover.  

'HOMO SAPIENS' (Rated G) - this Austrian audio visual cinematic experience was first released in 2016 bringing together the work of a contemporary film maker, Austrian Director, Writer, Cinematographer and Co-Producer here Nikolaus Geyrhalter and Austrian Australian experimental composer Heinz Riegler. With not a single human being seen for the duration of this ninety-four minute film, it is based on long static shots of abandoned buildings and deserted landscapes that have been long forgotten, neglected and fallen into decay by their builders and architects, the people who used to work in them and who used to live there - be they towns, churches, shopping malls, movie theatres, hospitals, prisons or amusement parks which are now overrun by steadily creeping foliage and animal activity of every kind. The film has garnered critical acclaim and from this week gets a limited release in Australia. 

With four 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 coming week, at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 13th October 2016.

Dan Brown is an American author of thriller adventure fiction, who has sold over 200 million books and had his works translated into 52 languages. His first book was released in 1998 - 'Digital Fortress' a stand alone novel about government surveillance of electronically stored information on the private lives of citizens, and the possible civil liberties and ethical implications of using such technology. This stand alone novel was followed up in 2001 by 'Deception Point' another stand alone story of a meteorite found within the Arctic Circle that may provide proof of extraterrestrial life, and attempts by the antagonists to prevent the evidence against it from becoming public. In 2000 Brown first introduced us to the character of Robert Langdon - a Harvard Professor of Symbology and Religious Iconology in 'Angels & Demons' which was subsequently made into a film in 2009, interestingly after the second novel in the Robert Langdon series 'The Da Vinci Code' which as a book was released in 2003 and as a film in 2006. Brown penned 'The Lost Symbol' next and that book was published in 2009 but was overlooked for the Hollywood treatment in skipping to 'Inferno' - the fourth novel in the Robert Langdon series, which is released this week and Previewed as below. So far all three instalments have been Directed by Ron Howard, with Tom Hanks in the lead role as Robert Langdon. A fifth book in the series is due for release in September 2017 titled 'Origin'. Brown's Robert Langdon books have been international best sellers, and the first two films in the series have grossed over US$1.2B.

This week then we have five new movies coming to your local Odeon, kicking off with the third big screen adaptation from a series of books by an acclaimed author featuring an acclaimed character portrayed by an acclaimed Actor at the hands of an acclaimed Director involving ancient mysteries, curious symbols, a game of cat and mouse, and a life or death situation confronting half the planet. This is followed up by a true crime telling of a late 90's heist that is just too far fetched to be believed - but it really happened, perhaps with a little comedic poetic licence thrown in for good measure here. We then turn attention to an Asian action adventure featuring an unlikely buddy pairing brought together to thwart an evil foe and rescue a maiden in distress, before returning home to our own Aussie backyard and another true crime telling of a pre-meditated partially publicised murder that went ahead when those that could have prevented it . . . chose not to! We then wrap up with a Spanish foreign language film from another acclaimed Director, about a mothers quest to reconnect with her estranged daughter.

When you have sat through your film of choice this week, feel free to drop us a line or two here at Odeon Online, by leaving your own critique in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your movie experience.

'INFERNO' (Rated M) - Dan Brown, the author upon which this film is based, has so far had two other Robert Langdon adaptations committed to the big screen - 'The Da Vinci Code' in 2006 which made US$758M from its US$125M budget outlay, and 'Angels and Demons' in 2009 which returned US$486M from its US$150M budget. 'Inferno' is the third movie outing for Harvard Professor of Symbology, Robert Langdon as reprised once again by Tom Hanks and with Director Ron Howard at the helm. David Koepp wrote the screenplay.

This time we see Langdon waking up in a hospital in Italy with no recollection of how he got there or where he is. He also has no explanation for the origin of a macabre object found stashed away in his belongings. Eventually he teams up with young doctor, Sienna Brooks (Felicity Jones) whom Langdon hopes will help him recover his lost memory, but when a threat against his life eventuates the two are propelled into breakneck chase across Florence. Armed with the just a few meagre clues pointing to Dante's 14th Century epic dark masterpiece 'Inferno', Langdon and Brooks race against time to solve the puzzle which may or may not help them save the world from they threat of a virus capable of wiping out half the global population - as planted by transhumanist scientist Betrand Zorbrist (Ben Foster). Also starring Omar Sy and Irrfan Khan.

'MASTERMINDS' (Rated M) - based on the real life North Carolina Loomis Fargo Robbery that occurred in 1997 netting a haul of US$17.3M for its band of misfits (the second largest cash robbery in US history at that time), this crime comedy caper film is Directed by Jared Hess and features a strong cast for its US$25M budget. Here David Scott Ghantt (Zach Galifianakis) is a truck driver for armoured security company Loomis Fargo. Ghantt is stuck in a dead beat job, driving around other peoples hard earned cash for living. He strikes up a relationship with co-worker Kelly Campbell (Kristen Wiig) who persuades him that there is more to life that driving an armoured truck and to think about the possibilities of what lies inside the truck. Pretty soon, a harebrained scheme is devised with the aid of Steve Chambers (Owen Wilson), and lo and behold Ghantt pulls off the heist of a lifetime with over US$17M to show for it. Handing over his stash of cash to his accomplices who have turned the tables on him, Ghantt is double crossed while his former no-good partners in crime go on a wild spending spree leaving a trail of evidence for the authorities to follow. Evading the authorities and the intentions of hit man Mike McKinney (Jason Sudeikis), Ghantt now needs to turn the tide against those he once trusted. Kate McKinnon and Leslie Jones also star so reuniting three of this years 'Ghostbusters' ensemble.

'SKIPTRACE' (Rated M) - this Hong Kong/Chinese/American Co-Production is Directed by Renny Harlin who knows how to create an action movie (think 'Die Hard 2', 'The Long Kiss Goodnight', 'Driven', 'Cliffhanger' and 'Deep Blue Sea') and here he teams up legendary Jackie Chan as Hong Kong Detective Bennie Chan who has been on the hunt for notorious underworld mobster Matador, believed to be Victor Wong (Winston Chao) for over ten years now since killing his young partner. When his partners daughter Samantha (Fan Bingbing) lands herself in hot water with Wong's syndicate, Chan must seek out American gambling con-man Connor Watts (Johnny Knoxville) who aside from gambling his way through China's casinos, was witness to a murder in Wong's Macau casino. What follows in a web of intrigue and a race across various countries that sees the pair travel from Russia, to Mongolia, to the Gobi Desert and back to Hong Kong with both the Russian and Chinese mob on their tails. The film opened big in China and has since taken a haul of US$134M.

'JOE CINQUE'S CONSOLATION' (Rated M) - this film adaptation of the non-fiction book by Australian author Helen Garner was published in 2004 and tells the story of her presence at the trials of Australian National University student Anu Singh (Maggie Naouri), and her friend and fellow student Madhavi Rao (Sacha Joseph), who plotted to kill her engineer boyfriend Joe Cinque (Jerome Meyer) by lacing his coffee with Rohypnol and administering a lethal dose of heroine. Singh believed that Cinque had made her ill in the first place so she plots her revenge, which as time passes becomes more macabre and more public. The murder occurred in October 1997 at a dinner party at which some of the guests were aware of the plan to murder Cinque, but chose to do nothing about it, or to forewarn the victim. Directed by Sotiris Dounoukos, this true crime film will leave you asking questions and debating the subject matter long after the credits have rolled.

'JULIETA' (Rated MA15+) - marking Pedro Almodovar's 20th Directed feature film, 'Julieta' is a Spanish production also Produced and Written for the screen by Almodovar based on three short stories from the book 'Runaway' by Alice Munro published in 2004. This film is Spain's entry into the Best Foreign Language Film category at the 2017 Academy Awards, and was in competition for the Palme D'Or at this years Cannes Film Festival. Telling the story of Julieta (Adriana Ugarte as the younger, and Emma Suarez as the older) ) who is about to relocate herself from Madrid to Portugal, she runs into Bea (Michelle Jenner) unexpectedly - the childhood friend of her daughter Anita. Bea tells her that her estranged daughter is living in Switzerland and has three children. With this news she decides not to leave Madrid with her boyfriend Lorenzo (Dario Grandinetti) but to rent another apartment in the block in which she raised Anita and commit to writing a ledger that explains the events that led to their separation and estrangement, in the hope that Anita will re-establish contact.

Five films this week to satisfy most tastes if you like action adventure, action comedy, true crime, foreign language and family drama then there is something to quench your film going thirst. When you have sat through your movie of choice in the week ahead, drop us a line here at Odeon Online by sharing your thoughts with your like minded cinephiles. In the meantime, I'll see you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-.