NOW YOU SEE ME : NOW YOU DON'T : Tuesday 25th November 2025

I saw the M Rated 'NOW YOU SEE ME : NOW YOU DON'T' earlier this week, and this American heist film is Directed by Ruben Fleischer, and is the sequel to 2016's 'Now You See Me 2' which was Directed by Jon M. Chu and is the third instalment in the 'Now You See Me' film franchise. Those first two films in the series grossed worldwide US$687M off the back of combined production budgets of US$165M. Ruben Fleischer's prior feature film output takes in his 2009 debut with 'Zombieland' which he would follow up with the likes of 'Gangster Squad' in 2013, 'Venom' in 2018, 'Zombieland : Double Tap' in 2019, 'Venom : Let There Be Carnage' in 2021 and 'Uncharted' in 2022. The film was released here in Australia and the US on 13th and 14th of this month respectively, has so far grossed US$150M off the back of a US$90M production budget and has generated mixed critical reviews. It has been reported that a fourth film is already in development, and is set to be Directed by a returning Ruben Fleischer.  

Set some ten years after the events of the second film, a trio of young magicians - Charlie (Jutice Smith), Bosco LeRoy (Dominic Sessa), and June Rouclere (Ariana Greenblatt) put on a fake Four Horsemen magic show via deepfakes and holograms, where they drain the mobile phone wallets of the corrupt owners of a cryptocurrency exchange and distribute the stolen funds among the attendees. After the show when they have decamped back to their secret loft apartment, they are unexpectedly approached by J. Daniel Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), one of the original Horsemen. He recruits them in a plot apparently given to him by the Eye, the secret magic society, via a tarot card. Their mission, simply to steal 'the Heart', the largest diamond in the world. The diamond is in the possession of Veronika Vanderberg (Rosamund Pike), the ruthless head of a South African diamond company started by her father, a former Nazi who uses the business to launder money for war criminals. Soon after, while preparing for a private viewing and auction of the diamond in Antwerp, Veronika receives a phone call from an unknown man using a voice changer, who threatens to expose her company's illegal activities if she does not give him the diamond. Needless to say she brushes him off but is nonetheless left a little rattled.

At that private party in Antwerp, Daniel and the three recently recruited young magicians execute the heist through a combination of disguises, switching props, and misdirection to seize the diamond from Veronika. Her security and Police fail to pursue them as Jack Wilder (Dave Franco), Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher), and Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), the remaining members of the original Four Horsemen, arrive to assist them in evading capture by the local Police and Veronika's own security team. Having escaped capture by exiting from the roof via a zip line down to a waiting boat, the other three Horsemen explain that they have also received messages on tarot cards from the Eye. The Horsemen later reveal that a heist had gone wrong that resulted in their leader, Dylan Rhodes (Mark Ruffalo), being arrested and held in a Russian prison, resulting in the group's split and subsequent disappearance until now.

The group travels on to an estate owned by the Eye in France, where they meet Thaddeus Bradley (Morgan Freeman), the former grandmaster of the Eye, who also received a card telling him to assist the Horsemen. Thaddeus says that Veronika's secrets were hidden within the estate and implores them to find it. The Police, who are on Veronika's payroll, arrive to raid the estate, forcing the group to split up and use the illusory rooms within the estate to disorient and take down the Police. Charlie and Bosco manage to find a set of seemingly secret documents exposing Veronika's client list and her company's illegal activities, and escape with Daniel and Henley, while Merritt, Jack, and June are captured by the Police. While trying to escape, Thaddeus is fatally shot and dies inside the escape tunnel with Charlie, Bosco, Daniel and Henley bidding him a tearful farewell before fleeing the scene.

Inside the local Police station, Veronika questions Merritt, who turns the tables and rattles her by deducing that, after her father's affair with their housekeeper resulted in her mother's suicide, Veronika planned the murder of her housekeeper and half-brother. Lula May (Lizzy Caplan), another Horseman, arrives heavily disguised and helps Jack and June escape, but Merritt is recaptured. The group, now reunited, begins planning to rescue Merritt, as Veronika receives another phone call from the unknown man, pressuring her to retrieve the diamond.

Veronika and the Horsemen agree to arrange a meet in Abu Dhabi at the Yas Marina Circuit, where a party is being held for the Formula 1 team Veronika owns. During the swap - the Heart Diamond in exchange for Merritt, Bosco and Charlie create a distraction by stealing the F1 car on display at the party and driving off, starting a Police chase. Meanwhile, having swapped Merritt for the diamond, Veronika traps the Horsemen in a completely sealed glass cube. Veronika reveals her plans to bury them alive as sand fills up the cube. Veronika leaves with the diamond and arranges to meet with the unknown man in her vault, located out in the depths of the desert. The Horsemen manage to escape by breaking a water pipe directly above the cube and flooding it, and using Henley's diamond ring to ultimately shatter the glass. 

Veronika arrives at her vault and takes a gun from a guard. Upon entering, she learns that the unknown caller is Charlie, who is actually Veronika's long-lost half-brother, and that his mother saved him from the drowning orchestrated by her some fifteen years ago. A tearful Veronika apologises and hands Charlie the diamond, then walks away a few paces, turns and shoots him. As Charlie lays on the ground seemingly dead, she motions to take the diamond, but as she does so, Charlie moves, rises to his feet uninjured, revealing a bullet caught in his teeth. Veronika attempts to shoot again, only to discover that she was firing blanks. The vault walls open, revealing that Veronika is actually on the Horsemen stage with a live audience back at the Yas Marina Circuit. It is revealed that the car Veronika got in was driven by Charlie, the security guard whom she took the gun from was Bosco, the car went into the rear of a truck driven by June, and that the elevator ride in the vault was actually the Horsemen rolling a box onto the stage. 

Charlie tells the gathered audience that he in fact orchestrated and planned every aspect of the heist, including bringing the Horsemen together in the first place. He also admits that he created every clue to exact revenge on Veronika, ultimately leading to her arrest. Charlie tells the crowd that every client of the Vanderberg company involved in its illegal activities will be arrested, and that the proceeds of the diamond mining and the Heart itself will be given back to the people of South Africa. Some time later, the Horsemen gather at Charlie, June, and Bosco's hideout. A package arrives at the door containing a hologram of Dylan, having faked his imprisonment, who officially inducts Charlie, Bosco, and June to the Eye, and tells the group that there is more to be done. 

You really have to go in to this film having suspended all belief in the magicians art, and by that I mean the ability to pull of such intricate heists, misdirections, and illusions in just a matter of a couple of days as is the case here, in what would otherwise take months for any other self respecting magician to pull off with such aplomb. And, who's funding these guys that they can afford to pull of these amazing feats, and travel from France to the UAE in a private Lear Jet. That said, 'Now You See Me : Now You Don't' is an enjoyable and entertaining enough romp back into the world of the Four Horsemen, that is made memorable by the strong cast, in which it is good to see three new young fresh faces join The Horsemen so paving the way for more of them in instalment #4. However, the film is let down by the heavy reliance on CGI spectacle, and a silly and convoluted plot that has so much going on on screen that you need to really lean into it to keep track. You can leave your brain at the front door of your local cinema, and just go along for the ride and be entertained for a couple of hours.

'Now You See Me : Now You Don't' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 13th November 2025

The 29th annual Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (BNFF), or POFF (Pimedate Oode FilmiFestival) kicked off on Friday 7th November and runs through until Sunday 23rd November, in Tallinn, the capital city of Estonia. POFF is one of the largest film festivals in Northern Europe, and in 2014, it was upgraded to an A-list festival by FIAPF (International Federation of Film Producers Associations), ranking amongst other notable film festivals including Berlin, Cannes, Shanghai, Karlovy Vary, Locarno, Venice, San Sebastian, Warsaw, Tokyo and Cairo. The aim of the festival is to present a comprehensive selection of world cinema from the last two years to a local and international audience, offering fresh film production with high artistic value. Today, the Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival with Industry @ Tallinn & Baltic Event and with the two sub-festivals, Just Film and POFF Shorts, has grown into one of the biggest film festivals in Northern Europe and the busiest regional industry platforms. The festival is an important meeting point for a rapidly growing number of industry professionals from around the globe . . . . . so reads the official website.

This years Opening Night Film was 'They Will Be Dust' from Spain, Switzerland and Italy this drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Carlos Marques-Marcet. When Claudia, a vibrant septuagenarian, is diagnosed with an incurable illness, she decides to end her days in a Swiss clinic. Flavio, her inseparable husband of over forty years, feels unable to face life without her. This sets in motion their plan to end their lives together in Switzerland. Meanwhile, their daughter Violeta becomes an involuntary mediator between them while trying to clarify her own thoughts. The three embark on a fascinating and profound journey of love and self-discovery.

In the Official Selection Competition section are the following titles :-

* 'Veins' - from Canada and this thriller is Co-Written and Directed by Raymond St.Jean. 

* 'Hungarian Wedding' - from Hungary this musical is Co-Produced and Directed by Csaba Kael.

* '18 Holes to Paradise' - from Portugal, Italy and Argentina, this drama film is Directed by Joao Nuno Pinto.

* 'The Dashed Lines' - from Spain, this drama film is Written and Directed by Anxos Fazans.

* 'The Good Daughter' - from Spain, and this coming of age drama film is Co-Written and Directed by Julia de Paz Solvas.

* 'Think of England' - from the UK, this historical drama comedy film is Co-Written and Directed by Richard Hawkins. 

* 'The Imaginary Dog and the Lying Cat' - from Japan, this drama film is Directed by Yukihiro Morigaki. 

* 'LifeLike' - from Turkey, Greece and Romania, this drama film is Written and Directed by Ali Vatansever.

* 'The Stories' - from Austria, France, Belgium, Egypt and Sweden, this drama film is Written and Directed by Abu Bakr Shawky.

* 'Versalles' - from Mexico, and this drama film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Andres Clariond.

* 'Duality' - from Iran, and this experimental film is Written, Produced and Directed by Abbas Nezamdoost.

* 'Mira' - from Morocco, and this drama film is Written, Produced and Directed by Nour-Eddine Lakhmari.

* 'No Comment' - from Norway, and this comedy film is Directed by Petter Naess.

* 'The Muralist' - from Mongolia, and this drama film is Written and Directed by Sengedorj Janchivdorj.

* 'The Fog and the Water' - from Germany, and this road movie is Co-Written and Directed by Thomas Stuber.

* 'The Moon is a Father of Mine' - from Luxembourg, Turkey, Georgia, Germany, Czechia and Bulgaria, this dramatic adventure thriller film is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by George Ovashvili.

* 'Sisa' - from the Philippines, this drama is Written and Directed by Jun Robles Lana. 

For the full descriptors of the aforementioned films in Official Competition, plus the full details of all the other film strands being showcased, and a whole lot of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : https://poff.ee.en

Turning the attention then back on this weeks eight new release movies coming to your local big screen Odeon, we kick off with a remake of a 1987 film that is a dystopian actioner in which a man joins a hugely popular TV game show in which contestants, allowed to go anywhere in the world, are pursued by 'hunters' hired to kill them. Next we have the third instalment in this heist franchise that sees a diamond heist reuniting the retired Horsemen illusionists with three new young performers as they target dangerous criminals. Then we turn to a horror offering where a wife becomes isolated in a secluded cabin and has to fend off an unspeakable evil. Following on, with her life crashing down around her, a woman tries to navigate her daughter's mysterious illness, her absent husband, a missing person, and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist. Turning to a European historical drama offering set in 1937 in the USSR where a newly appointed prosecutor discovers an undestroyed letter from a prisoner that reveals corruption in the secret police, that results in his search for the truth becoming very dangerous. And finishing off the week we have three Aussie offerings - the first of which is a comedy thriller where  desperation meets opportunity, as two perpetually broke buddies fall headfirst into a black market teeming with macabre riches. And we wrap up the week with two Aussie doco's, the first of which chronicles the transformative journey, through the healing powers of song, of a small group of women from the Adelaide Women's Prison; and concluding with an Aboriginal elder's final year, preserving his culture, while his homeland is poisoned by asbestos, and his fight against cancer.

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

'THE RUNNING MAN' (Rated MA15+) - is an American dystopian action thriller film that is Co-Written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by Edgar Wright, and is based on the 1982 novel written by Stephen King under his pseudonym Richard Bachman. It is also the second big screen adaptation following the 1987 film of the same name that starred Arnold Schwarzenegger and Directed by Paul Michael Glaser. Edgar Wright's pervious feature film output takes in his feature debut with 1995's 'A Fistful of Fingers' and then 'Shaun of the Dead' in 2004, 'Hot Fuzz' in 2007, 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' in 2010, 'The World's End' in 2013, 'Baby Driver' in 2017, and 'Last Night in Soho' in 2021. The film is released here in Australia, the UK and the US this week.

In a near future society The Running Man is the top-rated show on television - a deadly competition where contestants, known as Runners, must survive for thirty days while being hunted by professional assassins, with every move broadcast to a bloodthirsty public and each day bringing a greater cash reward. Desperate to save his sick daughter, working-class Ben Richards (Glen Powell) is convinced by the show’s charming but ruthless producer, Dan Killian (Josh Brolin), to enter the game as a last resort. But Ben’s defiance, instincts, and grit turn him into an unexpected fan favourite, and a threat to the entire system. Also starring Colman Domingo, Lee Pace, Michael Cera, William H. Macy, Jayme Lawson and Emilia Jones.

'NOW YOU SEE ME : NOW YOU DON'T' (Rated M) - this American heist film is Directed by Ruben Fleischer, and is the sequel to 2016's 'Now You See Me 2' which was Directed by Jon M. Chu and is the third instalment in the 'Now You See Me' film franchise. Those fist two films in the series grossed worldwide US$687M off the back of combined production budgets of US$165M. Ruben Fleischer's prior feature film output takes in his 2009 debut with 'Zombieland' which he would follow up with the likes of 'Gangster Squad' in 2013, 'Venom' in 2018, 'Zombieland : Double Tap' in 2019, 'Venom : Let There Be Carnage' in 2021 and 'Uncharted' in 2022. Here, The Four Horsemen - J. Daniel 'Danny' Atlas (Jesse Eisenberg), Merritt McKinney (Woody Harrelson), Jack Wilder (Dave Franco) and Henley Reeves (Isla Fisher) reunite to recruit three skilled illusionists - Charlie (Justice Smith), Bosco Leroy (Dominic Sessa) and June (Ariana Greenblatt) for a high-stakes heist involving the theft of the world's largest queen diamond from a powerful family crime syndicate headed up by Veronika Vandenberg (Rosamund Pike). Morgan Freeman also stars reprising his role as Thaddeus Bradley. The film is also released in the US this week, and it has been reported that a fourth film is already in development, and is set to be Directed by a returning Ruben Fleischer. 

'KEEPER' (Rated MA15+) - is an American surrealist horror film Directed by Osgood Perkins who made his Directorial debut with 'The Blackcoat's Daughter' in 2015, and would follow this up with 'I Am the Pretty Thing That Lives in the House' in 2016, 'Gretel & Hansel' in 2020, 'Longlegs' in 2024 and 'The Monkey' released earlier this year. Here, Liz (Tatiana Maslany) and Malcolm (Rossif Sutherland) head to a secluded cabin for their anniversary weekend. Liz, alone after Malcolm suddenly returns to the city, is approached by an evil entity that unveils the cabin's secrets. This film is released Stateside this week too.

'IF I HAD LEGS I'D KICK YOU' (Rated M) - this American psychological drama film is Written, stars and is Directed by Mary Bronstein in only her second feature film offering following 2008's 'Yeast'. The film saw its World Premiere screening at this years Sundance Film Festival in late January, and was released in the US in early October having so far grossed US$1M. With her life crashing down around her, Linda (Rose Byrne) tries to navigate her daughter's (Delaney Quinn) mysterious illness, her absent husband Charles (Christian Slater), a missing person Caroline (Danielle Macdonald), and an increasingly hostile relationship with her therapist (Conan O'Brien). Also starring A$AP Rocky. At this years Berlin International Film Festival, Byrne won the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance., and the film has garnered generally favourable critical reviews. 

'TWO PROSECUTORS' (Rated PG) - this European historical drama film is Written and Directed by Sergei Loznitsa, and is based on the novella of the same name by Georgy Demidov. In 1937, Kornyev (Aleksandr Kuznetsov), a young and naive prosecutor, receives a letter written in blood from a prisoner Stepniak/Pegleg (Aleksandr Filippenko) alleging that the state secret police have abused their power and tortured him. Determined to meet the sender and learn about what’s occurring behind the walls of the gulag, Kornyev journeys into the heart of Russian secrecy to bring the case to Moscow. But inside a system designed to intimidate and deter, this proves to be an almost impossible challenge with staggering repercussions. The film had its World Premiere in the main competition at this years Cannes Film Festival in mid-May where it won the Francois Chalais Prize. It has generated universal critical acclaim.

'SNATCHERS' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian comedy thriller film Written by, Co-Produced, starring, Co-Directed and Edited by Craig Alexander and Co-Produced and Co-Directed also by Shelly Higgs in their joint feature film making debuts. A pair of lifelong friends and hospital orderlies Wolfe 'Mac' MacFarlane (Craig Alexander) and Jason Fettes (Justin Hosking) try to make a quick buck by selling the organs of a fresh corpse, but get thrown a curve ball when she, Jane Doe (Hannah McKenzie) wakes up on the operating table in the not too distant dystopian future. The film premiered in London at the Raindance Film Festival in mid-June this year.

'SONGS INSIDE' (Rated M) - this Australian observational documentary film is Directed by Shalom Almond and follows the story of Singer / Songwriter Nancy Bates and her ground-breaking music programme to teach women in prison how to play an instrument and write songs about their experiences of incarceration, in the lead up to a performance with Adelaide Symphony Orchestra inside the prison, with two hundred other inmates, staff and special guests. The documentary aims to showcase how music can be a powerful tool for healing and transformation. The film had its World Premiere at the Adelaide Film Festival in late October last year where it was awarded the AFF Audience Award for Best Documentary and Sydney Film Festival's Documentary Australia Award.

'YURLU | COUNTRY' (Rated PG) - is an Australian documentary film Directed by Yaara Bou Melhem. Back in 1934, Australian industrialist Lang Hancock staked a claim for Blue Asbestos at Wittenoom Gorge near his childhood home of Mulga Downs Station in the Pilbara region of Western Australia. The traditional owners of the land were not consulted and did not give approval, and today, 46,840 hectares of Banjima Country, including Hancock’s childhood home, is a toxic exclusion zone. Asbestos now paints the red rocky landscape black, and the people of the area, including proud Banjima elder Maitland Parker, are locked out of their lands. For Maitland, though, the damage to the land takes an even more personal toll as he fights to to heal his mining impacted homeland and preserve his culture for future generations. 

With eight 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-

UNCHARTED : Tuesday 22nd February 2022.

I saw the M Rated 'UNCHARTED' at my local multiplex earlier this week, and this American action adventure film is Directed by Ruben Fleischer, whose previous film making credits include his big screen debut in 2009 with 'Zombieland', then 2013's 'Gangster Squad', 'Venom' in 2018 and 'Zombieland : Double Tap' in 2019. The film, based on the video game series of the same name, had its Premier in Barcelona, Spain on 7th February, having been originally set for release on December 18, 2020 but was postponed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and was subsequently released in the UK two weeks ago now and both here in Australia and the US last week. It has received mixed reviews from Critics and has so far grossed US$146M off the back of a US$120M production budget. 

The film opens up with young teenage brothers Sam (Rudy Pankow) and Nathan Drake (Tiernan Jones) attempting to steal the priceless first map of the world made after the Magellan Expedition of 1522.  However, mid-heist they are caught red handed by two Security Officers who escort them back to the orphanage where they are living. Because this is Sam's third strike, he is expelled from the orphanage and ordered to vacate immediately. Nate goes up to the room they share together, and sees Sam climbing out of the window, to pursue life on his own rather than be holed up in someplace he doesn't want to be. Before leaving, Sam promises his little brother that he will return for him. Sam leaves him with a ring belonging to their ancestor Sir Francis Drake, with the inscription 'Sic Parvis Magna', which when translated means 'Greatness from small beginnings'.

Fast forward fifteen years, and Nathan (Tom Holland) now works as a bartender in New York City and pickpockets wealthy patrons. Victor 'Sully' Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) observes Nathan stealing a bracelet from a female customers arm, and confronts him with it at closing time. Sully is a fortune hunter who worked with Sam tracking treasure hidden by the Magellan crew, explains to Nathan that Sam vanished two years ago without a trace after helping him steal Juan Sebastian Elcano's (a crew member of that Magellan Expedition) diary. Nathan, whose only contact with his brother over the years has been through a series of postcards sent from exotic places around the world, agrees to help Sully to find his brother. 

Sully and Nathan attend an auction to steal a golden 15th Century cross linked to the Magellan crew. There, the pair encounter Santiago Moncada (Antonio Banderas), the last descendant of the Moncada family (who funded the original expedition five hundred years ago), and Jo Braddock (Tati Gabrielle), leader of a small group of mercenaries hired by Moncada. Nathan is ambushed by Braddock's men, and the ensuing fight creates a distraction for Sully (disguised as an auction attendant) to steal the cross, which is one of a pair which also double up as keys but for locks which are as yet to be discovered. However, not before Sully is held at knifepoint by Braddock, until she is interrupted by a trio of security guards who catch her off guard allowing Sully to make his getaway with the cross.

The pair fly to Barcelona, where they believe the treasure to be hidden, and rendezvous with Sully's contact Chloe Frazer (Sophia Ali), who has the other cross. Chloe steals the first cross from Nathan and after a foot chase across the roof tops and streets of the city eventually catch-up with her and convince her to work with them. Meanwhile, Moncada confronts his father, Armando (Manuel de Blas), upon learning the family fortune is being donated to charitable causes states that his son is not worthy of inheriting it, and so Moncada orders Braddock to kill him, with his last words to his father as his throat is slit are 'father, please forgive me!' 

Nathan, Chloe, and Sully follow clues in Elcano's diary to the 15th Century church Santa Maria del Pi, finding a secret crypt behind an altar. Nathan and Chloe enter, locating a trap door, but as they open it, the crypt floods with water. Sully, just in time, manages to help them escape before the pair drown, after being ambushed by Braddock. 

Using the two crosses to unlock a secret passage, Nathan and Chloe find a map that indicates the treasure is in the Philippines. Chloe betrays Nathan (having originally been hired by Moncada) by knocking him unconscious and makes off with the map. Sully reunites with Nathan and tells him that after he and Sam recovered Elcano's diary, they were ambushed by Braddock and Sam was shot and Sully narrowly escaped. Sully believes Sam to be dead. Nathan however, believes Sam to be simply lost and not gone, as so agrees to team up with Sully again, and finish what they started. 

Moncada, Chloe, and Braddock's team depart in a cargo plane to find the treasure, but just as Moncada drinks to their success with the map now in his possession, Braddock betrays and kills him by slicing his throat. Nathan and Sully hide out on the plane in the boot of the prized red sports car given to Moncada on his 18th birthday by his father. Nathan confronts Braddock and a gunfight breaks out while Sully parachutes out. Nathan is knocked out the plane with Chloe behind the wheel of Moncada's sports car, who is trying to make her getaway with the map after Moncada's death. The pair land in the sea just off the coast of a Philippines island at the end of a parachute, where they realise the map does not identify the location of the treasure. 

Checking into a resort hotel for the night, the pair come to the conclusion that Sam may have left a clue in his numerous postcards. Nathan determines the treasure's true whereabouts while Chloe sleeps. Unsure over where Chloe's loyalties lie, Nathan leaves her fake coordinates and finds the Magellan ships and the lost gold, reuniting with Sully. 

Braddock meanwhile follows them, forcing Nathan and Sully to hide as her crew airlift the ships using two heavy lift cargo helicopters from their resting place of the last five hundred years. While escaping, Sully climbs up the rigging and commandeers one of the helicopters, causing Braddock to order the other helicopter to approach for a broadside. Nathan is able to fend off her mercenaries and shoot down the other helicopter with one of the ship's centuries old but still working cannons. Braddock drops that ship's anchor while Nathan climbs to the helicopter with the mercenary in hot pursuit. Sully throws a bag of collected gold at Braddock, who falls into the sea some distance below, and is then is crushed to death when the ship breaks free of its bindings and falls directly on top of her. 

As a Philippine naval boat arrives, Nathan and Sully escape with a handful of pieces of pickpocketed gold treasure, while Chloe (who has followed them by boat) is left empty handed. Sully, looking down on the ship which is now sinking below the surface and breaking up says that the gold, worth an estimated US$5B is now the property of the people of the Philippines. 

Judging by the critical reaction to 'Uncharted' I wasn't expecting too much going in, but I have to say that I was pleasantly surprised coming out of the movie theatre. Sure there are obvious parallels to the 'National Treasure', 'The Mummy' and Indiana Jones franchises, but this film is a serviceable fun and entertaining enough addition to the big screen video-game adaptation genre that knocks the likes of 'Mortal Kombat' and 'Assassin's Creed' into a cocked hat! The action set pieces are well realised and when they arrive they do so thick and fast; the all to often bickering dialogue between Sully and Nathan grates at times but is interspersed with moments of humour and a real sense of chemistry between the two male leads. As for the villain in the piece, Banderas as Moncada is nothing more than a one-dimensional cardboard cut-out character who seems to be there to simply fill in a few plot holes. I have no prior knowledge of the Uncharted video game and so I had no pre-conceived ideas about the casting, the plot, the action or the look and feel of this film, but I can also guess where die hard fans of the game might be put out by some of those elements in this cinematic rendering. Nonetheless, 'Uncharted' is a fun, safe, well paced and effective action adventure adaptation that is sure to find an audience perhaps unfamiliar with those aforementioned franchises, and for whom this movie will offer up something new and fresh. Remain in your seat for two mid-credits sequences, which set up a sequel.  

'Uncharted' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 17th February 2022.

The 72nd Berlin International Film Festival (aka Berlinale) is currently up and running from the 10th through until 20th February. The official website reads 'the Berlinale is a unique place of artistic exploration and entertainment. It is one of the largest public film festivals in the world, attracting tens of thousands of visitors from around the globe each year. For the film industry and the media, the eleven days in February are also one of the most important events in the annual calendar and an indispensable trading forum. The Berlin International Film Festival was created for the Berlin public in 1951, at the beginning of the Cold War, as a 'showcase of the free world'. Shaped by the turbulent post-war period and the unique situation of a divided city, the Berlinale has developed into a place of intercultural exchange and a platform for the critical cinematic exploration of social issues. To this day it is considered the most political of all the major film festivals. The festival brings the big stars of international cinema to Berlin and discovers new talents. It accompanies filmmakers of all disciplines on their paths into the spotlight and supports careers, projects, dreams and visions'.

'Every year, around 400 films of all genres, lengths and formats are shown in the various sections and special presentations of the Berlinale. Across the spectrum from feature films to documentary forms and artistic experiments, the audience is invited to encounter highly contrasting milieus, ways of life and attitudes, to put their own judgements and prejudices to the test and to reinvigorate their experience of seeing and perceiving in the realm between classic narrative forms and extraordinary aesthetics'.

The international jury, which this year is headed up by acclaimed Director, Screenwriter and Producer M. Night Shyamalan presides over the official competition, which will be announced at 7:00pm local time, on Wednesday 16th February. The following awards are presented :-

* Golden Bear for Best Film (awarded to the film’s Producers)
* Silver Bear Grand Jury Prize
* Silver Bear Jury Prize
* Silver Bear for Best Director
* Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance
* Silver Bear for Best Supporting Performance
* Silver Bear for Best Screenplay
* Silver Bear for Outstanding Artistic Contribution.

Additionally, a whole bunch of other awards are bestowed in the following sections, 'Encounters', 'Berlinale Shorts', 'Generation Kplus' and 'Generation 14plus', 'Best First Feature Award', 'Berlinale Documentary' and the 'Honorary Golden Bear' award which this year is dedicated to French film and stage actor Isabelle Huppert, for lifetime achievement.

Watch out for next weeks Blog post in which I'll detail all the winners, grinners and also rans in main competition at the 72nd Berlinale. In the meantime, you can visit the official website, for all the news, programme information and a whole lot more at : https://www.berlinale.de/

Turning back to this weeks four new release movies coming to an Odeon close to you this week, we kick off with an action adventure offering about a street-smart thief who is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter to recover a fortune amassed by Ferdinand Magellan and lost five hundred years ago by the House of Moncada. This is followed by a drama film about a radio journalist who forges an unexpected bond with his precocious young nephew during a cross country trip. Next up is a Bosnian film about a teacher and translator for the UN in the small town of Srebrenica, and when the Serbian army takes over the town, her family is among the thousands of citizens looking for shelter in the UN camp, before closing out the week with a highly acclaimed Danish animated feature about a successful academic in Denmark who is about to marry his long-time boyfriend, and who is confronted with a secret from his past.

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

'UNCHARTED' (Rated M) - this American action adventure film is Directed by Ruben Fleischer, whose previous film making credits include his big screen debut in 2009 with 'Zombieland', then 2013's 'Gangster Squad', 'Venom' in 2018 and 'Zombieland : Double Tap' in 2019. The film based on the video game series of the same name and had its Premier in Barcelona, Spain on 7th February, and was released in the UK last week and both here in Australia and the US this week. It has received mixed reviews from Critics and cost US$120M to produce. 

Here, street-smart thief Nathan Drake (Tom Holland) is recruited by seasoned treasure hunter Victor 'Sully' Sullivan (Mark Wahlberg) to recover a fortune lost by Ferdinand Magellan some five hundred years ago. What starts as a heist job for the duo becomes a globe-trotting, white-knuckle race to reach the prize before the ruthless Moncada (Antonio Banderas) does, who believes he and his family are the rightful heirs. If Nate and Sully can decipher the clues and solve one of the world's oldest mysteries, they stand to find US$5B in treasure and perhaps even Nate's long-lost brother Sam (Rudy Pankow) - but only if they can learn to work together.

'C'MON C'MON' (Rated M) - is a black and white drama film Written and Directed by Mike Mills in his fourth feature film outing following his 2005 debut with 'Thumbsucker' then 'Beginners' in 2010, and '20th Century Women' in 2016. The film had its World Premiere at the Telluride Film Festival in early September last year and was released in limited theatres in mid- November in the US. Having garnered widespread critical acclaim, and won twelve awards so far plus another forty-eight nominations, it has so far recovered US$2M fro its US$8.3M production budget. When his sister Viv (Gaby Hoffmann) asks him to look after her son, radio journalist Johnny (Joaquin Phoenix) embarks on a cross-country trip with his energetic nephew Jesse (Woody Norman) to show him life away from Los Angeles, while Viv goes to Oakland to care for her estranged husband Paul (Scoot McNairy) struggling with mental illness.

'QUO VADIS, AIDA?' (Rated M) - translated literally means 'Where Are You Going, Aida?' is a Bosnian film Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Jasmila Zbanic. An international co-production of twelve production companies, the film was shown in the main competition section of the Venice International Film Festival in September 2020, and was nominated for Best International Feature Film at the 2021 Academy Awards and all up has garnered twenty-nine award wins and another thirty-four nominations from around the awards and festival circuit. The film dramatises the events of the Srebrenica massacre, during which Serbian troops sent Bosniak men and boys to death in July 1995 led by Serbian convicted war criminal Ratko Mladic. The film exposes the events through the eyes of a mother named Aida Selmanagic (Jasna Duricic), a schoolteacher who works with the United Nations as a translator. After three and a half years under siege, the town of Srebrenica, close to the northeastern Serbian border, was declared a UN safety zone in 1993 and put under the protection of a Dutch battalion working for the UN. 

'FLEE' (Rated M) - is a Danish animated docudrama film Directed and Co-Written by Jonas Poher Rasmussen whose previous documentary offerings include 'Searching for Bill' in 2012 and 'What He Did' in 2015. The film saw its World Premiere at the Sundance Film Festival in late January 2021 and was released in the US in early December last year. It has received universal unanimous acclaim from film festivals and critics, with much praise bestowed upon it for animation, story, thematic content, subject matter, and LGBT representation; has garnered numerous awards, mainly for animated and documentary categories, all up so far winning sixty-five awards with a further 124 nominations (many of which are still pending an outcome at the time of writing). The film tells the extraordinary true story of Amin Nawabi, who, on the verge of marrying his husband, shares his story for the first time about his hidden past fleeing his home country of Afghanistan to Denmark as a refugee. Riz Ahmed and Nikolaj Coster-Waldau serve as Executive Producers on the film. With a budget of US$3.4M to produce, 'Flee' has so far recouped just US$232K. 

With four 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-

ZOMBIELAND : DOUBLE TAP - Tuesday 22nd October 2019.

'ZOMBIELAND : DOUBLE TAP' which I saw this week at my local multiplex, is the long awaited MA15+ Rated ZomCom sequel to 2009's 'Zombieland' film which was Directed by Ruben Fleischer, starred Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone and Abigail Breslin, and was a critical and commercial success grossing US$103M off the back of a US$24M production budget. Apparently a sequel was muted even before the release of the first film, but then things languished in development Hell for a number of years before being officially green lit in early 2018. This sequel was released in the US last week too, cost US$45M to make, has so far grossed US$39M and has generated mixed Reviews so far.

And so in this next instalment set ten years after the events of the first film, and following an opening narrative to bring us duly up to speed with the passing events of the last decade, we open up with a zombie showdown involving Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson), Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) going head to head with a bunch of marauding zombies on the now overgrown lawn of the White House. Needless to say its a complete bloodbath as our four intrepid zombie killing heroes win the day using assault rifles, pump action shotguns, crowbars and pistols to thwart their flesh hungry aggressors.

Taking up residence in the deserted White House, Columbus decides to propose to Wichita and uses the First Lady's Hope Diamond ring to seal their engagement. Meanwhile Little Rock has thoughts of escaping her surrogate family and finding a man, settling down and starting her own family, but these notions are quickly rebuffed by her father figure Tallahassee. Early the next day, Tallahassee finds a brief hand scribbled note from Wichita and Little Rock, stating they have left because Little Rock feels Tallahassee still treats her like a child, and Wichita’s fear she has become far too attached to Columbus.

A few weeks later, resigned to their new found female-less lives, Tallahassee and Columbus are riding Segwey's around a desert shopping mall, when Columbus comes across Madison (Zoey Deutch) who has spent the last ten years or so of her life living inside the freezer of a frozen dessert restaurant chain. Madison pretty quickly manages to put Tallahassee off side, but she warms to Columbus, who invites the dumb ass blonde bimbo to come live with them at the White House, much to Tallahassee's chagrin. That first night Madison seduces Columbus.

The next morning Wichita returns to the White House alone and upon discovering that Columbus slept with Madison is none too pleased. Wichita goes on to explain that Little Rock left for Graceland with a hippie named Berkeley (Avan Jogia), and commandeered Tallahassee's prized modified Presidential limousine affectionately known as 'The Beast' with them. She also informs the group of more agile and durable 'super zombies' that she has come across, who are stronger, faster and able to withstand multiple attempts at killing them. Fearing for Little Rock's safety, the group head toward Graceland in a beat up minivan much to Tallahassee's disgust.

En route, the gang thwart a pack of zombie's while trying to commandeer a luxury RV, but come across one such super zombie that takes multiple shots to the head and body to eventually kill it - Columbus calls this new breed of zombie the T-800 (after the original 'Terminator'). Back in the minivan, because the RV blew its front tyres after inadvertently driving over road spikes, Madison begins to show sign of zombiefication, forcing Columbus to shoot her in the head somewhere off road and in the woods.

And so the remaining three continue their journey to Graceland, expecting to find Little Rock and The Beast, but there is no sign of either. They drive out of town and come across an Elvis themed motel, in whose driveway is parked The Beast. Venturing gingerly inside, Tallahassee is floored by Nevada (Rosario Dawson) pointing a gun in his face. When Nevada realises that they are friendly she advises that Little Rock and Berkley left for an outpost hippie commune called Babylon. Bonding over their shared love of all things Elvis Presley, Nevada and Tallahassee spend the night together.

The next morning, the pair are awoken by a ruckus coming from outside, only to find a monster truck has crushed The Beast and literally parked on top of it in the driveway. Albuquerque (Luke Wilson) and Flagstaff (Thomas Middleditch) alight from their vehicle and instantly it is recognised that the pair strongly resemble Tallahassee and Columbus in their personalities, traits and foibles. A pack of super zombies arrive on the scene and Albuquerque and Flagstaff, decide to fend them off alone showing the others 'how it's done'! They seemingly successfully overcome the horde, only to reveal within a few minutes that they were both bitten. Turning rapidly into super zombies themselves they are eventually thwarted and killed with Nevada's help, but not before trashing the place.

Saying farewell to Nevada to venture onto Babylon, en route the three come across Madison on the road driving an ice cream truck. They pull her over and she explains that she had an allergic reaction to the nuts contained within the trail mix she was eating when she had her episode, and Columbus spared her life by shooting over her head to scare her away. At Babylon, Little Rock and Berkley arrive and are greeted with a no guns policy as they are a peace loving community, and so their guns are instantly melted down to make peace medallions. A few days later the reunited group of four arrive at Babylon and reluctantly agree to give up their stash of weapons too in order to gain entry.

The group are reunited with Little Rock. Realising she is now a young adult and no longer needing his protection, Tallahassee leaves, as the commune celebrate the group’s arrival with a display of fireworks. While driving away, Tallahassee comes across a massive horde of super zombies who have been attracted by the fireworks, and returns to warn the commune. Left without guns, Tallahassee comes up with a two pronged attack plan. Firstly, using fireworks to attract the zombies into an enclosed area directly outside the communes walls, and exploding a tank of biodiesel when they are all contained. Secondly, to arm the members of the commune with makeshift barricade shields to corral the zombies off the skyscraper roof that houses the commune, baited by himself.

The first plan has only limited success when the zombie horde is larger than expected, and the unarmed group finds themselves seriously outnumbered and surrounded. Contemplating their fate Nevada arrives in the monster truck, rescuing the group by mowing down randomly every zombie left standing, of which there are many. The truck flips over on to its side, forcing them to exit the confines of the truck and journey on foot up the skyscraper chased by the horde. The commune members use their pre-prepared makeshift shields to create a single path off the edge of the tall building. Pursued by the zombies, Tallahassee jumps off the building, catching the hook of a construction crane as the horde falls to their deaths like lemmings. Two zombies grab at Tallahassee's leg and hold on left dangling precariously, but Little Rock shoots them with a forgotten custom made pistol once owned by Elvis, given to her by Tallahassee as an early Christmas present, so saving his life.

Little Rock reconciles with Tallahassee, Wichita finally accepts Columbus’ marriage proposal, Little Rock splits up with Berkeley, who then immediately hooks up with Madison who then stay behind at Babylon as the original group of four, joined now by Nevada, leave the commune in a dusky pink 1950's Cadillac convertible.

'Zombieland : Double Tap' has plenty going for it that will make it an enjoyable couple of hours spent at your local movie theatre, but at the same time it doesn't steer too far away from the original premise that made the first instalment so critically and commercially successful. The story is coherent enough, the zombie bloodletting is gore inspiring and there are enough undead kills to satisfy the most die hard fan, the chemistry between the lead characters is clearly evident, the comedic humour yields a number of laugh out loud moments, and there is the occasional tongue in cheek emotional interlude to counter balance the manic zombie attacks. What lets this film down is that it is largely simply a rehash of what went before, going through the all too familiar motions for the sake of fountains of blood spatter and gory zombie deaths, interspersed with the odd laugh, and a plot that is a thinly veiled road movie of reckoning on various levels, and that's about it. It is worth staying in your seat for the funniest element of the film that comes as a mid credits sequence featuring Bill Murray promoting 'Garfield 3'.

'Zombieland : Double Tap' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-