What's new in Odeon's this week : Monday 1st January 2024.

As another year draws to a close it's a time to reflect on the cinematic year that was, and the hope for generally better times ahead in 2024, as the world is gripped by two wars raging in Ukraine and Israel, cinema audiences have voted with their feet given the ever increasing cost of living rises, the competition from streaming services, and the fatigue that has seemingly set into the Superhero genre, but saved to a degree by the 'Barbieheimer' effect  This year I have Reviewed forty-seven movies and Previewed 264 feature films and documentaries. All that remains for me to say is the very best to you for a very Happy New Year that is safe, healthy and prosperous, and wherever you are in the world, get out and watch a movie at your local multiplex or local independent movie theatre and support all those working tirelessly in front and behind the camera. Thanks for your ongoing support over the past twelve months and I look forward to bringing you more of the same content in the year ahead.

This week then we have just two new cinematic offerings coming to a big screen Odeon near you, with the first being a sports comedy drama film that tells the story of how, with the 2014 World Cup qualifiers approaching, down-on-his-luck coach Thomas Rongen tries to turn the American Samoa soccer team into winners. And this is followed up by dark comedy fantasy film about a mild mannered family man who finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it either of the two latest release new films kick starting the new year 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.

'NEXT GOAL WINS' (Rated M) - is an American sports comedy-drama film Directed by Taika Waititi, who also Co-Writes, Co-Produces and has a cameo role in the film. It is based on the 2014 documentary of the same name by Mike Brett and Steve Jamison. Taika Waititi's previous feature film credits take in the likes of his 2007 debut with 'Eagle vs. Shark', then 'Boy' in 2010, 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople' in 2016, 'Thor : Ragnarok' in 2017, 'JoJo Rabbit' in 2019 and 'Thor : Love and Thunder' in 2022. This film saw its World Premiere showcasing at the Toronto International Film Festival in mid-September 2023 and was released Stateside in mid-November, has so far recovered approaching US$8M from its production cost of US$14M and has generated mixed or average critical reviews.

Here then, Dutch American football coach Thomas Rongen (Michael Fassbender) faces the option of being fired or accepting an almost impossible task - to convert the American Samoa national team, considered one of the weakest football teams in the world, into an elite squad and to have them qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup. Also starring Oscar Kightley, Rachel House, Will Arnett, Elisabeth Moss, Luke Hemsworth and Kaitlyn Dever.

'DREAM SCENARIO' (Rated MA15+) - is an American black comedy fantasy film Written and Directed by the Norwegian Kristoffer Borgli in only his second feature film outing following 2022's 'Sick of Myself'. This film is Produced by Ari Aster, Lars Knudsen, Nicolas Cage, and a couple of others. It saw its World Premiere screening at the Toronto International Film Festival in early September last year and went on wide release from the end of November having so far grossed US$7M at the Box Office and garnering generally positive reviews. Here a hapless family man, Paul Matthews (Nicolas Cage) finds his life turned upside down when millions of strangers suddenly start seeing him in their dreams. However, when his nighttime appearances take a nightmarish turn, he's forced to navigate the consequences of his newfound stardom. Also starring Julianne Nicholson and Michael Cera.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THOR : LOVE AND THUNDER : Wednesday 6th July 2022.

I saw the M Rated 'THOR : LOVE AND THUNDER' at an early screening this week, and this American Superhero offering is Written and Directed by Taiki Waititi who returns to the Director's chair following his success with helming 2017's 'Thor : Ragnarok' (which grossed US$854M off the back of a US$180M production budget) to which this is a direct sequel. This is the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the fourth instalment in the 'Thor' series, and is part of the MCU Phase Four. Filming took place in Sydney, Australia at a production cost of in the region of US$250M and was originally set for release an early November 2021, but was delayed to mid-February this year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It was then delayed once again to early May before shifting for the final time to the July 2022 date. The film has generated largely favourable Reviews. The film has so far taken US$16M.

The film opens up with a man carrying a young child through a dry, barren desert landscape with the sun beating down. He cradles the young girl in his arms as they take shelter from the sun and a sand storm behind a rock. He calls out to his gods to protect his daughter and save her. Later, the young girl dies, leaving the man distraught. He falls asleep from exhaustion and wakes to the sound of a faint whisper in the distance. He follows the whispering to an oasis in the desert where he meets his god who taunts and derides him which quickly turns him into a non-believer. Ultimately, he is chosen by a long sword, called the Necrosword, which enables him to create an army of shapeshifting shadow creatures and to use the sword to kill all gods, starting with the one who has just turned his back on him and disregarded his cries for help. 

After the opening credits have rolled we turn to Korg (Taika Waititi) telling a story to a group of gathered children giving the back story of Thor (Chris Hemsworth), and how he turned from being a Dad Bod into a God Bod, how he once loved a Jane Fonda (corrected to a Jane Foster) and how he teamed up with The Guardians of the Galaxy. After this brief recap to bring us up to date, Thor receives a distress signal from his childhood friend Sif (Jaimie Alexander) that The Guardians (Chris Pratt, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Pom Klementieff, Vin Diesel and Bradley Copper) need his help on some distant planet to thwart an attack, after which the Guardians depart to fight some battle in another part of the galaxy, leaving Thor and Korg looking on as their ship leaves. Sif warns Thor of Gorr, the God Butcher (Christian Bale), a being possessing the god-killing weapon the Necrosword seeking the extinction of all gods as revenge for ignoring the death of his family, and that his next target is New Asgard. 

Dr. Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) is first seen in a hospital receiving chemo therapy treatment for her Stage Four cancer. She returns to her lab to run further tests of her own in trying to find a cure, when she turns to a book of Viking myths. In it she reads of the healing powers of Thor's hammer Mjolnir. Jane takes a trip to New Asgard to see the old fragmented hammer encased under a glass dome as a tourist attraction. As she stands besides the glass dome the broken pieces of Mjolnir begin to vibrate, shake and reform as it bonds itself to Jane after sensing her worthiness and so giving her the power of Thor. Gorr attacks New Asgard at night just as Thor arrives to begin battle with his shadow creatures, and is surprised to find Jane wielding Mjolnir like there's no tomorrow as Mighty Thor. Thor, Jane, Korg and Valkyrie, the King of New Asgard (Tessa Thompson) do battle with Gorr and the shadow creatures, ultimately overcoming them, but Gorr is able to escape, but not before he kidnaps all the children of New Asgard. 

The group travels to Omnipotent City to warn the other gods and ask for their help in destroying Gorr, The God Butcher. The god Zeus (Russell Crowe) is not prepared to help and has Thor captured, forcing the group to fight off Zeus's men. Zeus reduces Korg to nothing more than a pile of volcanic rubble and so in retaliation Thor appears to kill Zeus using his own thunderbolt, which Valkyrie then steals during their get away. 

They then travel to the Shadow Realm to save the children. However, this turned out to be a diversion for Gorr to take Stormbreaker (Thor's mighty and powerful axe), which he intends to use on the Bifrost to enter Eternity and seek the destruction of all gods. Gorr manages to overpower Thor's group and successfully steal Stormbreaker. Gorr uses Stormbreaker to open the portal to Eternity. With Valkyrie injured from being stabbed by the thunderbolt, and Jane suffering from the effects of her progressive cancer, Thor is left no option but to go it alone to confront Gorr once and for all. Once he has found the kidnapped Asgardian children, he temporarily imbues them and their weapons with the power of Thor to fight alongside him. Jane joins Thor in fighting Gorr and destroys the Necrosword, so diminishing the power of Gorr which ultimately will lead to his own death. However, Gorr stumbles through the portal and enters Eternity. 

Admitting defeat, Thor manages to convince Gorr that all he wanted from Eternity was not to destroy the gods but to get his daughter, Love, back. Jane dies in Thor's arms after succumbing to her Stage Four cancer which was only sped up by taking on the mantle of Mighty Thor. Eternity grants Gorr's request to revive Love (India Hemsworth), whom he asks Thor to take care of before he dies from the effects of the destroyed Necrosword. The children all return safe to New Asgard where they are greeted by the welcoming and relieved parents. Sometime after Valkyrie and Sif begin training them combat skills. Meanwhile, Thor, now in possession of Mjolnir again, continues to go on adventures to help people in their time of need, with Love, now wielding Stormbreaker, by his side, as the pairing of Love and Thunder. 

The film also stars cameo appearances from Matt Damon, Sam Neill, Luke Hemsworth, Melissa McCarthy, Ben Falcone and Idris Elba. Remain in your seat for the mid-credits and end-credits sequences, although if the truth be told, you won't be missing much if you choose not to!

'Thor : Love and Thunder' for me is the most disappointing film out of four in this franchise so far as it trades in a lot of substance for style, wisecracks and quips that often fail to land, and a whole dollop of cheese and corn that is enough to make even Thor's Dad Bod former self belch. That said, this has all of the Waititi touchstones over it that made 'Thor : Ragnarok' so welcoming and refreshing, including the thumping soundtrack, the colourful visuals, his irreverent sense of humour, the action set pieces, and he has proven here too that he can get serious and emotional when it is called for. And whilst Chris Hemsworth glides through his role as Thor, Christian Bale as Gorr shines through in his role as a mash up of Voldemort, Pennywise and Gollum, and Natalie Portman provides a welcome distraction as Jane Foster that brings the story full circle. It's not a great film, but it's also not that bad either and at just on two hours in length it's long enough to keep you engaged and doesn't outstay its welcome.

'Thor : Love and Thunder' 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 7th July 2022.

The 26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFAN), held in the city of Bucheon, the second most densely populated city in South Korea after Seoul, takes place between the 7th and 17th July. This festival is a non-competitive international film festival with a competitive section. With 'Stay Strange' as its motto, BIFAN strives to be a film festival that caters for the non-mainstream, while discovering and giving courage to talents that are pushed to the margins. This year BIFAN will feature 268 films from forty-nine countries and comprise eighty World Premier screenings, twenty International Premiers, seventy-nine Asian Premiers and fifty-one Korean Premiers. The festival will open with the screening of folk horror tale 'Men' by Alex Garland and close with film noir thriller 'The New Normal' from Korea and Directed by Jeong Beom-sik.

In competition for the Bucheon Choice Awards that offer a new outlook on the world, a unique style, and experimentation and progress in terms of genre conventions. Three feature film awards and two short film awards are voted on by a jury consisting of international film professionals. Audience Awards for both the features and shorts categories are determined by audience vote. In the feature film category, awards are presented for Best of Bucheon with a cash prize of the equivalent of US$15,500, Best Directors Choice offering US$3,850 and the Jury's Choice also offering US$3,850.

The ten films in competition are :-

* 'Alien Artist' - from Japan and Directed by Hoya Seiyo. Supernatural coming of age crime noir. International Premier.

* 'Huesera' - from Mexico and Peru and Directed by Michelle Garza Cervera. Supernatural thriller. Asian Premier.

* 'La Pieta' - from Spain and Directed by Eduardo Casanova. Asian Premier.

* 'Sissy' - from Australia and Directed by Hannah Barlow and Kane Senes. Horror drama comedy. Asian Premier.

* 'SLR' - from Thailand and Directed by Lertsiri Boonmee and Vutichai Wongnophadol. Supernatural horror. International Premier.

* 'Social Distancing' - from Hong Kong and China and Directed by Gilitte Leung. Horror thriller. World Premier.

* 'Speak No Evil' - from Denmark and The Netherlands and Directed by Christian Tafdrup. Thriller. Asian Premier.

* 'Vesper' - from Lithuania, France and Belgium and Directed by Kristina Buozyte and Bruno Samper. Supernatural Sci-Fi. Asian Premier.

* 'The Womb' - from Indonesia and Directed by Fajar Nugros. Horror. World Premier.

* ' You Won't Be Alone' - from Australia and Directed by Goran Stolevski. Supernatural horror. Asian Premier.

In the Korean Fantastic Competition section which was established to support and encourage Korean genre films, four feature film awards are chosen by the Korean competition jury. Those ten films are : 'Body Parts', 'Cabriolet', 'Chiaksan Mountain', 'The Fifth Thoracic Vertebra', 'A Good Boy', 'Mind Universe', 'Next Door', 'Thunderbird', 'Tiger's Trigger' and 'The Woman in the White Car'. 

For the full programme of events, screenings, and all the sections of this years 26th Bucheon International Fantastic Film Festival, you can visit the official website at : http://www.bifan.kr/eng/

This week, turning attention back on to the four new release movies coming to an Odeon near you, we kick off with the 29th film in the MCU and the fourth film featuring the Asgardian God of Thunder who this time, with the help of some trusted friends, must thwart Gorr the God Butcher who intends to make the Gods extinct. Next up we have a wealthy family on vacation in Mexico until a distant emergency cuts their trip short, and when one relative disrupts the family's tight-knit order, simmering tensions rise to the surface. This is followed by a French comedy about a young convicted man who is sentenced to community services, and must now work in a retirement home, where he learns a thing or two about life from the residents there. And closing out the week we have a drama film that sees a Finnish student and an rough Russian miner slowly forge a hesitant connection when they are thrown together in a cramped train compartment on a journey across Russia.

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 week ahead.

'THOR : LOVE AND THUNDER' (Rated M) - is an American Superhero offering that is Written and Directed by Taiki Waititi who returns to the chair following his success with helming 2017's 'Thor : Ragnarok' to which this is a direct sequel. This is the 29th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and is part of the MCU Phase Four. Filming took place in Sydney, Australia at a production cost of in the region of US$250M and has generated largely favourable Reviews.

Thor (Chris Hemsworth) is on a journey unlike anything he's ever faced - a quest for inner peace. But his retirement is interrupted by a galactic killer known as Gorr the God Butcher (Christian Bale), who seeks the extinction of the Gods. To combat the threat, Thor enlists the help of King Valkyrie (Tessa Thompson), Korg (Taika Waititi) and ex-girlfriend Jane Foster (Natalie Portman), who, much to Thor's surprise has come to inexplicably wield his magical hammer, Mjolnir, as the Mighty Thor. Together, they embark upon a harrowing cosmic adventure to uncover the mystery of the God Butcher's vengeance and stop him before it's too late. Also starring Jaimie Alexander, Russell Crowe, with Chris Pratt, Pom Klementieff, Dave Bautista, Karen Gillan, Vin Diesel, and Bradley Cooper reprising their roles from the 'Guardians of the Galaxy' franchise, and Sean Gunn, Jeff Goldblum, Matt Damon, Sam Neill, Luke Hemsworth, Melissa McCarthy and Ben Falcone.

'SUNDOWN' (Rated MA15+) - this Mexican, French and Swedish Co-Produced drama film is Written, Co-Produced, Directed and Co-Edited by Michel Franco whose previous film making offerings include 'After Lucia' in 2012 that won the Un Certain Regard Award at Cannes, 'Chronic' in 2015 with Tim Roth and 'New Order' in 2020 with Diego Boneta. Here then, the wealthy London man Neil Bennett (Tim Roth) is vacationing with his sister Alice (Charlotte Gainsbourg) and her two children at a resort in Acapulco, Mexico until she receives a phone call. There's been a death in the family, and everyone must return home. However, at the airport, Neil pretends to have left his passport as the hotel, which delays his return, while Alice and her children return to London, leaving the seemingly uncaring and apathetic Neil to his own devices. The film has garnered generally favourable reviews, and has so far grossed US$336K since its release in the US at the end of January having seen its World Premier as the Venice Film Festival back in September last year. 

'THE VILLA' (Rated M) - is a French and Swiss Co-Produced comedy Directed by Thomas Gilou whose previous Directorial efforts include his 1986 feature film debut with 'Black Mic Mac' then 'Rai' in 1995, 'Would I Lie To You' in 1997 and its two sequels in 2001 and 2012, with 'Victor' in 2009 and four episodes of 'Marseille' in 2016. Having been raised in an orphanage, Milann Rousseau (Kev Adams) does precious little with his life. Hosted by his lawyer and childhood friend, the latter constantly pushes him to move. After causing property damage that nearly killed an old woman in a supermarket, Milann is sentenced to two months of community service. Hired as a handler in a retirement home, it is a real nightmare for Milann who does not support the elderly. Despite his clumsiness and his lack of motivation, Milann in time becomes attached to the residents, where he forges a close rapport in particular with Lino Vartan (Gerard Depardieu), a former boxer, who will teach him to defend himself and take his life in hand.

'COMPARTMENT NO. 6' (Rated MA15+) - this internationally Co-Produced drama film is Co-Written and Directed by the Finnish Juho Kuosmanen in just his third feature film following 2010's 'The Painting Sellers' and 2016's 'The Happiest Day in the Life of Olli Maki'. The film is based on the 2011 novel of same name by Rosa Liksom. Here then, traveling by train from Moscow to Murmansk in the far north western part of Russia to study the Kanozero Petroglyphs, (a set of about 1300 rock drawings dating back to the 2nd and 3rd millennium BC), a Finnish student Laura (Seidi Haaria) forms an unlikely friendship with a gruff Russian miner, Lyokha (Yuri Borisov) as they are forced to share the long ride and a tiny sleeping car. This unexpected encounter leads the occupants of Compartment No. 6 to face major truths about human connection. The film was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2021 Cannes Film Festival in July of that year, where it shared the Grand Prix with Asghar Farhadi's film 'A Hero', has garnered generally favourable Reviews and has taken US$3.2M at the Box Office so far.

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-

JOJO RABBIT : Thursday 2nd January 2020.

I finally saw the M Rated 'JOJO RABBIT' earlier this week, and this American satirical black comedy that is a send up of Nazi Germany during WWII is Directed, Co-Produced, Written and starring New Zealand's very own Taika Waititi, whose last film outing was the highly acclaimed 'Thor : Ragnarok' and before that 'The Hunt for the Wilderpeople'. This film is based on Christine Leunens's 2008 novel 'Caging Skies', and had its world Premiere showing at TIFF in early September where it won the top prize, the 'Grolsch People's Choice Award' before its wider release in the US in mid-October and in New Zealand in late October. The film has divided Critics, however, most seem to be praising the performances, the humour, the screenplay and the heart-warming story. Made for US$14M the film has so far grossed US$26M. It has so far picked up nineteen award wins and a further 99 nominations from around the awards and festival circuit, with many of those nominations still awaiting final determination.

Here lonely ten year old German lad Johannes 'Jojo' Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis) is living in Nazi Germany during the late stages of WWII with his mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson). His father has been missing in action somewhere on the Italian front for the last two years and his older sister Inge died more recently of influenza. Jojo has an imaginary friend that he frequently speaks with, confides in and seeks advice from - a childish version of Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi).

Jojo and his best friend Yorki (Archie Yates) attend a Hitler Youth training camp for 10-14 year old boys and girls, run by Captain Klenzendorf (Sam Rockwell). When Jojo is ordered to kill a rabbit to prove himself by more senior ranking Hitler Youth members, he tries to release it and runs off crying after the other boys taunt him with the name 'Jojo Rabbit'. Following a morale boosting pep talk from Adolf, Jojo returns to his fellow young youth recruits with a new found enthusiasm and throws a Stickgrenade without permission, which bounces off a tree and explodes at his feet, leaving him with facial scars and a slight limp.

After Jojo has sufficiently recovered and is well enough to rejoin the cause, Rosie asks Klenzendorf, demoted after the incident for negligence, to make her son feel included despite his now healed but nonetheless scarred injuries. Jojo is given menial duties such as spreading propaganda material through the town, and rounding up scrap metal for the war effort.

One day, having arrived home before his mother, to an empty house, he hears noises coming form upstairs. Venturing to investigate he discovers Elsa Korr (Thomasin McKenzie), a teenage Jewish girl and a former classmate of his sister, hiding upstairs, behind the wall of Inge's bedroom. Jojo threatens to reveal her presence to the Gestapo, but Elsa warns that she, him and his mother would be killed for harbouring her. He agrees reluctantly to keep her hidden, on the condition she reveals her 'Jew secrets' so he can write a book for Klenzendorf. Elsa plays along by making up stories about the hidden powers that all Jews possess, including growing horns when they turn 21, mind reading, sleeping upside down like bats, and their preferred foods including chocolate, cookies and bread.

Jojo continues with his interrogation of Elsa, learning she has a boyfriend called Nathan with whom she wants to reunite when the war is over and live in Paris together. Jojo forges a letter from 'Nathan' and reads it aloud to Elsa in which he states that he has found someone else and wants to split up with her. Hearing her sobbing from behind the wall, Jojo writes another letter telling her to disregard the first one. Jojo and Adolf argue, with Adolf insisting Elsa is a monster, who can't be trusted. Later, while on one of his metal collecting trips, Jojo spots his mother leaving 'free Germany' postcards around town.

Jojo is home alone one day when the Gestapo come knocking on his door, led by Captain Deertz (Stephen Merchant). Klenzendorf coincidentally arrives at the house a short time afterwards while it is being searched with his second in command, Finkel (Alfie Allen). Elsa reveals herself, making out to be Inge, and produces Inge's identification papers and confirms her birthday from memory to satisfy the Gestapo's line of questioning. They also pick up JoJo's 'Jewish Secrets' hand drawn book which Deertz thumbs through and finds it very amusing, helping to diffuse an otherwise tense situation. When they have all left Jojo is relieved, but Elsa later realises she recited Inge's wrong birth date and that Klenzendorf covered for her, but is certain the Gestapo will eventually come to realise their ruse.

Later that day, Jojo stumbles across his mother who had been hanged in the town square with three others. Devastated and distraught, he returns home and stabs Elsa in the shoulder with his standard issue Hitler Youth knife barely breaking the skin, and then breaks down sobbing. Elsa comforts him.

Later on Jojo runs into Yorki, who is now a fighting soldier, who tells him Hitler has committed suicide and that the Allies are gaining ground rapidly. Jojo encounters Fraulein Rahm (Rebel Wilson), and offsider of Klenzendorf, arming and sacrificing children as the battle closes in around them, and she gives him a soldier's coat and a machine gun, before being killed herself. Confronted by both American and Soviet forces, the city's German stronghold collapses and they surrender. The Soviets have rounded up several captured Germans into a courtyard when Jojo stumbles in, having taking shelter until after the cease fire, and encounters a wounded Klenzendorf who tells the young lad that his mother was a good woman. He saves him by removing his German Hitler Youth coat, calling him a Jew, and spitting on him, leading the Soviet guards to drag him away. The soldiers thrust Jojo into the street and tell him to go home. He runs off as several shots are heard in the background.

Jojo returns home, and to stop Elsa from leaving as he has now developed feelings for her, tells her that Germany won the war. Realising her despair, he recites a new 'letter' from Nathan claiming that he and Jojo have figured out a way to smuggle her to Paris where they can live happily ever after. Upon hearing this, Elsa reveals that Nathan died the previous year. Jojo tells her he loves her, and she tells him she loves him in a 'little brother' kind of way. A beleaguered Adolf sporting a bloodied bullet hole through the head angrily confronts Jojo for siding with Elsa, and Jojo promptly kicks him out the window never to be seen again. Jojo takes Elsa outside, where she sees the Allies have won after witnessing American soldiers driving up and down the street flying the US flag. She slaps Jojo in the face for lying, and then they proceed to dance in the street to the sound of David Bowie's German Remix version from 1989 of 'Helden'.

There are some moments of real laugh out loud humour in 'Jojo Rabbit' just as much as there are some tender heartfelt emotional moments too, that keep the story grounded in all the horrors of WWII Nazi Germany. At its heart however, this is a black satirical comedy that demonstrates that despite the racial hatred, the indoctrination of an ideal from a very early age, and the brutality and horrors of war that love conquers all and a child can overcome adversity with acceptance and confidence. Roman Griffin Davis is perfectly cast in the role of Jojo and gives a revelatory performance, his best friend Archie Yates as Yorki does not a miss a beat in the delivery of his dead pan one liners and comedic turns and Thomasin McKenzie as Elsa is considered and even tempered in her delivery of raw emotion and satirical beats in her performance too. And as for the Director, Writer and star of the show as the imaginary man-child friend The Fuhrer, Waititi's performance is priceless ranging from the absurdest childlike actions of an eleven year old to the brutal and demanding rantings of the Adolf Hitler that we have all come to know and loathe. This is a quirky, whimsical film that only the off-beat humour of Taika Waititi could deliver that offers a breath of fresh air in this era of big action blockbusters that occupy so many of our cinemas screens these days, and is still a highly relevant story that resonates today as much as it did in 1944/45. It is easy to see why this film has divided audiences and Critics, but trust me, it is well worth the price of entry.

'Jojo Rabbit' merits four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 26th December 2019.

The 32nd European Film Awards were presented in Berlin, Germany on Saturday 7th December by the European Film Academy - an initiative of a group of European filmmakers who came together in Berlin on the occasion of the first presentation of the European Film Awards in November 1988. The Academy, under the name of European Cinema Society, was officially founded by its first President, the Swedish Director Ingmar Bergman, as well as 40 filmmakers from all over Europe. The European Film Awards takes place every second year in Berlin, while they are presented every other year in another European city. In 1996, German film maker Wim Wenders took over the presidency from Ingmar Bergman. With the awards the Academy actively pursues attracting the interest of the audience in European cinema, promoting its cultural and artistic qualities, and regaining the public's confidence in its entertainment value.

This years winners and grinners at the 32nd European Film Awards were as follows :-

* Best Film 
Awarded to 'THE FAVOURITE', beating out 'Les Miserables', 'An Officer and a Spy', 'Pain and Glory', 'System Crasher' and 'The Traitor'.
* Best European Comedy
Awarded to 'THE FAVOURITE', beating out 'Tel Aviv on Fire' and 'Ditte & Louise'.
* Best Director
Awarded to YORGOS LANTHIMOS for 'THE FAVOURITE', beating out Roman Polanski for 'An Officer and a Spy', Pedro Almodovar for 'Pain and Glory', Celine Sciamma for 'Portrait of a Lady on Fire' and Marco Bellocchio for 'The Traitor'.
* Best Actress
Awarded to OLIVIA COLEMAN for 'THE FAVOURITE'.
* Best Actor
Awarded to ANTONIO BANDERAS for 'PAIN AND GLORY'.
* Best Documentary
Awarded to 'FOR SAMA', Directed by Edward Watts and Ward el-Kateab.
* Best Animated Feature
Awarded to 'BUNUEL IN THE LABYRINTH OF THE TURTLES' Directed by Salvador Simo.
* Best Screenwriter
Awarded to CELINE SCIAMMA for 'PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE'.
* Best Cinematographer
Awarded to ROBBIE RYAN for 'THE FAVOURITE'.
* Best Editor
Awarded to YORGOS MAVROPSARIDIS for 'THE FAVOURITE'.
* Best Costume Designer
Awarded to SANDY POWELL for 'THE FAVOURITE'.
* Best Make-Up and Hairstyling
Awarded to NADIA STACEY for 'THE FAVOURITE'.
* Best Production Designer
Awarded to ANTXON GOMEZ for 'PAIN AND GLORY'.
* Best Composer
Awarded to JOHN GURTLER for 'SYSTEM CRASHER'.
Best Sound Designer
Awarded to EDUARDO ESQUIDE, NACHO ROYO-VILLANOVA, and LAURENT CHASSAIGNE for 'A TWELVE-YEAR NIGHT'.
* Best Visual Effects
Awarded to 'ABOUT ENDLESSNESS'.

* The European Discovery Critics Award
Presented to 'LES MISERABLES' Directed by Ladj Ly.
* The Peoples Choice Audience Award
Presented to 'COLD WAR' Directed by Pawel Pawlikowski.
* The University Award
Presented to 'PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE' Directed by Celine Sciamma.
* The European Achievement in World Cinema Honorary Award
Presented to JULIETTE BINOCHE, the Fresh Actress, artist and dancer.
* The Lifetime Achievement Honorary Award
Presented to WERNER HERZOG, the German Director of film and opera, Producer, Actor, Author and Screenwriter.

For the full low down on all the glitz and glamour of the 32nd European Film Awards, you can visit the official website at : https://www.europeanfilmawards.eu

Turning to Christmas week, we have six latest release new movies gracing your local Odeon on Boxing Day. We kick start the filmic festive season with this black comedy satire on Nazi Germany during WWII brought to us by New Zealand's finest and funniest film maker working today. Then we turn to a sequel of a 2017 film that was a sequel to a 1995 film featuring a group of teenage kids thrust into a video game and emerging as avatars of themselves destined to locate a pair of aged lost friends and escape the game back to their own reality. We then join a whole bunch of felines based on a long running and hugely successful stage play of the same name, featuring an A-list cast made to look like said felines with a specific mission in mind . . . sounds puuurrrrrr-fect! Next up is a British story from an acclaimed Director about a family struggling with life in the aftermath of the global financial crisis, but just as some light at the end of the tunnel emerges so too is there a risk that the tunnel is going to cave in at any moment. This is followed up by a French historical drama about two women on a remote island - one about to enter an arranged marriage and the other sent over to paint her portrait - and the relationship that develops between the pair over time. And we close out the week with another French offering about a famed cinema Actress living in Paris and the publication of her memoir, her Screenwriter daughter with whom she has a somewhat fractured relationship, and the truths that emerge when the daughter visits her mother from the US.   

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

'JOJO RABBIT' (Rated M) - judging by the trailers for this American satirical black comedy that is a send up of Nazi Germany during WWII, this film looks hilarious. Directed, Co-Produced, Written and starring New Zealand's very own Taika Waititi, whose last film outing was the highly acclaimed 'Thor : Ragnarok' and before that 'The Hunt for the Wilderpeople'. This film is based on Christine Leunens's 2008 novel 'Caging Skies', and had its world Premiere showing at TIFF in early September where it won the top prize, the 'Grolsch People's Choice Award' before its wider release in the US in mid-October and in New Zealand in late October. The film has divided Critics, however, most seem to be praising the performances, the humour, the screenplay and the heart-warming story. Made for US$14M the film has so far grossed US$26M.

Here lonely German lad Johannes 'Jojo' Betzler (Roman Griffin Davis), a Hitler Youth recruit finds out that his single mother Rosie (Scarlett Johansson) is hiding a Jewish girl Elsa (Thomasin McKenzie) in their attic. He must then question his beliefs, while dealing with the intervention of his imaginary friend, an idiotic version of Adolf Hitler (Taika Waititi). The film also stars Rebel Wilson, Stephen Merchant, Alfie Allen, and Sam Rockwell.

'JUMANJI : THE NEXT LEVEL' (Rated PG) - is an American fantasy adventure comedy film Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Written by Jake Kasdan, and is the second sequel to the 1995 film 'Jumanji', following 2017's 'Jumanji : Welcome to the Jungle' and the overall fourth instalment of the Jumanji franchise. Jake Kasdan also Directed 'Jumanji : Welcome to the Jungle' which grossed US$962M at the worldwide Box Office off the back of a US$90M budget investment, and before that 'Sex Tape', 'Bad Teacher' and 'Walk Hard : The Dewey Cox Story' amongst a few others. Unknown to his friends, Spencer (Alex Wolff) kept the pieces of the Jumanji video game and one day repaired the system in the basement of his grandfather Eddie's (Danny DeVito) house. When Spencer's friends Bethany Walker (Madison Iseman), Fridge (Ser'Darius Blain), and Martha Kaply (Morgan Turner) arrive, they find Spencer missing and the game running and decide to re-enter Jumanji to save him. Spencer's grandfather Eddie and his friend Milo Walker (Danny Glover) hear the commotion and inadvertently get sucked into the game too before any of Spencer's friends can select their avatars. With a new quest offered to them by Nigel Billingsley (Rhys Darby), the teenaged friends must help Eddie and Milo get used to their in-game avatars, get them to help find Spencer and Bethany, and escape Jumanji once again and for all. Also starring and reprising their roles from the previous instalment are Dwayne Johnson, Jack Black, Kevin Hart, Karen Gillan and Nick Jonas with Awkafina and Colin Hanks also joining the castlist.

'CATS' (Rated G) - is a British and American Co-Produced musical fantasy film based on the stage musical of the same name by Andrew Lloyd Webber, which saw its Premier West End show in May 1981 and, which in turn was based on the 1939 poetry collection 'Old Possum's Book of Practical Cat's' by T. S. Eliot. The film is Directed, Co-Produced and Co-Written for the screen by Tom Hooper—in his second musical film following 2012's 'Les Misérables', and whose other notable film credits include 'The King's Speech' and 'The Danish Girl'. Here Hooper has amassed an ensemble cast to bring to life a tribe of cats called the 'Jellicles' who over the course of a single night, must make what is known as 'the Jellicle choice' and decide which cat will ascend to the Heaviside Layer and come back to a new life. With a Production Budget of US$90M the live action cast includes James Cordon, Judi Dench, Jason Derulo, Idris Elba, Ian McKellen, Rebel Wilson, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, Francesca Hayward, Ray Winstone and Les Twins. The film was released in the US last week, has so far grossed US$11M and has received generally negative press, and following many poor reviews, Universal Studios notified movie theatres on opening day that an updated Digital Cinema Package with 'some improved visual effects' would be available for download on 22nd December, urging them to replace the current print as soon as possible. Studio executives and theatre owners said that the decision to release a modified version of a film already on general release was 'unheard of'. Make of that what you will!

'SORRY WE MISSED YOU' (Rated MA15+) - this British, French and Belgian Co-Produced drama film is Directed by the acclaimed English film maker Ken Loach, who at the tender rage of 83 is still making award winning films. Some of his more noteworthy back catalogue of films include 'Kes', 'Riff-Raff', 'The Wind that Shakes the Barley', 'Looking for Eric', and 'I, Daniel Blake' most recently. It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, where Loach appeared to promote the film at Cannes, stating that it would be his final film to compete at the festival. It received the audience award for best European film at the 2019 San Sebastian International Film Festival in September. Ricky Turner (Kris Hitchen) and his wife Abby (Debbie Honeywood) and two kids Seb (Rhys Stone) and Lisa Jane (Katie Proctor) have been fighting an uphill battle against debt since the 2008 financial crash. An opportunity to wrestle back some independence appears with a shiny new van and the chance to run a franchise as a self employed delivery driver. It's hard work, and his wife's job as a carer is no easier. The family unit is strong but when they are pulled in different directions everything reaches breaking point. The film has received generally positive Reviews since its release in France, Belgium and the UK at the back end of October.

'PORTRAIT OF A LADY ON FIRE' (Rated M) - here this French historical drama film is Directed and Written by Celine Sciamma. It was selected to compete for the Palme d'Or at the 2019 Cannes Film Festival, where it won the Queer Palm at Cannes, becoming the first film Directed by a woman to win the award. Sciamma also won the award for Best Screenplay at Cannes. The film has thus far accumulated ten award wins and another thirteen nominations from around the awards and festivals circuit and has garnered universal Critical Reviews since its release in France in mid-September. Set in France in 1760, arriving on an isolated island of the Brittany coast, Marianne (Noemie Merlant) is commissioned to paint the wedding portrait of Heloise (Adele Haenel), a young woman who has recently left the convent. Because she is a reluctant bride-to-be, Marianne arrives under the guise of a companion, observing Heloise by day and secretly painting her by firelight at night. As the two women observe each other from a distance, intimacy and attraction are ignited as they share Heloise's first moments of freedom. Heloise's portrait soon becomes a testament to their love.

'THE TRUTH' (Rated PG) - this French drama offering Written and Directed by Japan's Hirokazu Kore-eda is his first feature film set outside of his native Japan and not in his native language. Kore-eda is the highly acclaimed Director behind last years multi-award winning 'Shoplifters'. The film saw its world Premier screening at the Venice International Film Festival in late August, was released in Japan in early October, and arrives in Australian cinema's at Christmas time, having generated generally favourable Reviews along the way. Fabienne (Catherine Deneuve) is one of the great stars of French cinema. She reigns amongst men who love and admire her. However, she has a somewhat challenging relationship with her daughter Lumir (Juliette Binoche), a Screenwriter. When Lumir and her husband Hank (Ethan Hawke) return to Paris with their young child, things come to a head with the release of Fabienne’s memoir, and as a consequence the reunion between mother and daughter quickly turns confrontational as truths are told, accounts are settled and love and resentment are confessed.

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THOR : RAGNAROK - Tuesday 31st October 2017.

'THOR : RAGNAROK' which I saw earlier this week, is the third film in the 'Thor' franchise and the seventeenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and has been much hyped, keenly awaited and highly anticipated since the first trailers were released and New Zealander Taika Waititi was announced for Directing duties. With a production budget of US$180M and filmed largely at Australia's Gold Coast film studios, the film has already received largely positive press, hailing it the best of the three so far, ahead of its US release in early November, and its Australian release last week. The first two films in the series, 2011's 'Thor' and 2013's 'Thor : The Dark World' were made for a combined US$303M and grossed between them close to US$1.1B, so expectations are running high for this instalment. The film has so far taken US$109M.

By way of a lesson into Norse mythology, Ragnarok is a series of future events, including a great battle, foretold to ultimately result in the death of a number of major figures (including the gods Odin, Thor and Loki), the occurrence of various natural disasters, and the subsequent submersion of the world in water. Following such a cataclysmic event, the world will resurface afresh, renewed and fertile, the surviving and returning gods will meet, and the world will be repopulated by two human survivors. This film then, is set four years after the events of 'Thor: The Dark World', and two years following on from 'Avengers: Age of Ultron'. As the film opens we find Thor wrapped in chains imprisoned on some far away planet by the fire demon Surtur (voiced by Clancy Brown and acted in MoCap by Taika Waititi) having unsuccessfully scoured the four corners of the universe for the Infinity Stones. In a comical opening scene we see Thor dangling by a chain deep within a cavernous cave taunting Surtur who tells him that his father Odin, has abandoned Asgard and that the realm will soon be destroyed in a foretold Ragnarok as soon as he is able to unite himself with The Eternal Flame that burns beneath the city of Asgard. Using his mighty hammer, Mjolnir, Thor is able to defeat Surtur and remove his crown, so preventing the apocalyptic Ragnarok . . . or so he thinks. Thor returns to Asgard.

On Asgard, Thor arrives to find Loki (Tom Hiddleston) posing as Odin (Anthony Hopkins) and therefore ruling over all of Asgard. Thor can see over Loki's ruse, and reveals his true identity to the people of Asgard. He also convinces Loki to help find his father. They travel to Earth and with the help of Stephen Strange (Benedict Cumberbatch) they locate Odin hanging out in Norway. Odin explains to his sons that he is dying and has little time left. He further explains that with his passing, this will allow his first born daughter Hela, the Goddess of Death (Cate Blanchett) to be freed from prison where she was exiled to long long ago. Hela has at one time back in the dim and distant past been the leader of Asgard's almighty armies and with Odin they conquered the Nine Realms, and built Asgard to be the mighty civilisation it now is. But Hela got too big for her boots and became over ambitious, hence her imprisonment and being written out of the family history, to the extent that she was not even known of by Thor or Loki.

Odin dies and almost immediately Hela arrives. Hela commands that Thor and Loki kneel before her, but they refuse. Thor goes into battle mode determined to wipe his older sister from the face of the Earth, but she'll have none of it, for Hela is all powerful and in a show of strength stops Mjolnir at arms length and crushes it as though it were glass. Thor's hammer falls to the floor shattered into several chunks with Thor looking on in disbelief. At this Thor and Loki decide its time to get outta Dodge and summons the Bifrost Bridge to return them to Asgard. Hela pursues them and chases them through the wormhole overpowering them and causing the two brothers into space to supposedly perish and die, while she continues onto Asgard. She quickly asserts her power and single handedly wipes out the Asgardian army, resurrects the ancient dead with whom she once fought and who are buried deep within a secret vault below the castle, and appoints the new sentry of the Bifrost Bridge, Skurge (Karl Urban) as her new executioner. While Hela and Skurge are otherwise pre-occupied stamping their mark on Asgard, Heimdall (Idris Elba) who is in self imposed exile during Loki's reign, scales the mountainside and steals the sword that controls the Bridge, to prevent Hela from using the Bridge for her own empire building gain.

Meanwhile, Thor lands on the garbage planet Sakaar, and is immediately picked up by locals who are then overpowered by a lone mercenary and bounty hunter called Scrapper 142 (Tessa Thompson). She in turn overpowers Thor and drags him off to meet the planets immortal ruler, Grandmaster (Jeff Goldblum) who runs a gladiator arena for the sport of the local population.

Grandmaster determines that Thor should fight in his Contest of Champions against his so far unbeaten champion prize fighter. After a brief introduction, a lesson in all things Sakaar, getting his golden locks shorn off by a Stan Lee cameo appearance and befriending a stone being named Korg (a laugh out loud Taika Waititi performance rendered in MoCap) as his only ally on the garbage planet, Thor is thrust into the arena to await his fate up against an all conquering foe that he does not yet know. Meanwhile, Loki has emerged too and has ingratiated himself to the Grandmaster and is living the free and easy life, unlike his now captive brother who tries to reason with him so that he can be set free too. But, Loki will have none of it!

As Thor readies himself under the spotlights of the arena, so he comes face to face with old buddy 'from work', Hulk (Mark Ruffalo). The pair clash in a brutal battle with Thor gaining the upper hand and almost defeating his old friend, before Grandmaster fixes the fight to guarantee Hulk's victory and to save face. Still held in captivity at the mercy of Grandmaster, Thor and Hulk, begin to reconcile their differences. Thor needs a plan and a Team to get back to Asgard, before Hela unleashes more death and destruction on Asgard and the Realms.

Thor tries to convince Hulk and Scrapper 142 to join forces and help him save Asgard and defeat Hela. They are not interested, even though he recognises Scrapper 142 as being one of the Valkyrie, a legendary force of female fighters who were all but wiped out trying to defend Asgard from Hela in days long since gone by. So Thor decides to go it alone using the Quinjet that bought Hulk to Sakaar two years previously. He breaks out of the Grandmaster's palace and gets to the Quinjet. Hulk follows behind where a recorded message on a monitor from Natasha Romanoff (Scarlett Johansson) is the catalyst for Hulk turning back into Bruce Banner for the first time since the incidents at Sokovia two years previously.

Grandmaster orders that Scrapper 142 and Loki join forces to hunt down Thor and Banner, but the pair are hardly a match made in Heaven, and ultimately Scrapper 142 has a change of heart, takes Loki prisoner and agrees to join forces with the other two. Loki is however, reluctant to be left behind on the garbage planet now that he is a wanted man, and so he provides the group with the means to commandeer one of Grandmasters ships. They then set free the other gladiators led by Korg who stage a revolution.

Loki, being one not to be trusted, attempts to betray his brother but Thor can see through this, and immobilises him and leaves him behind. However, he is soon picked up by an unsuspecting Korg and the revolutionaries. Thor, Banner and Scrapper 142 escape through a giant wormhole known affectionately as the Devil's Anus, and arrive back on Asgard.

Upon arrival the three are confronted by Heimdall and the citizens of Asgard who are under siege by Hela, Skurge, their undead forces and a giant man eating hound that Hela has at her command. Banner transforms into Hulk again and with Scrapper 142 they fight Skurge and his forces, while Thor is off to see to unfinished business with Hela. Loki, Korg and the gladiators arrive aboard a giant ship having come through the Devil's Anus too. They join in the fight while the fleeing citizens of Asgard board the giant ship that will take them to someplace else, safe!

In his fight with Hela, Thor is overpowered and suffers stabbings, slashing and the loss of an eye. But theses mere scrapes do not deter him from the end game. In a moment of clarity, Thor has a vision of Odin, his father, that makes him see that only Ragnarok can defeat Hela. While Thor, Hulk and Scrapper 142 keep Hela distracted in battle, Loki sets off to retrieve the crown of Surtur and thrust it into the Eternal Flame, so resurrecting the fire demon bringing on Ragnarok to engulf all of Asgard and destroy Hela.

Thor and his crew board the giant ship with the now safe citizens of Asgard. Thor is crowned King, and when asked by Korg where to, he replies Earth, where perhaps he intends to rebuild Asgard. Watch out for the mid-credits scene and if you can wait it out until the final credits have rolled, there is a closing sequence featuring Grandmaster. The film also stars cameo performances from Matt Damon, Sam Neill and Liam Hemsworth (brother of Chris).

It is hardly surprising that Critics have heaped praise upon 'Thor : Ragnarok'. Whilst the film takes the 'Thor' movie franchise off in a new direction, and the MCU for that matter, the film retains many of the Thor touchstones including the action, the spectacle and the characterisation but freshens them up with a deadpan sense of humour, sarcasm, a wild ride and fun that is not out of place. For a hitherto little known New Zealand Director, Writer and Actor, Taika Waititi (whose previous credits include 'Boy', 'What We Do In The Shadows' and 'Hunt for the Wilderpeople'), what he has achieved here in his first big budget epic scale Hollywood picture is reinvigorate the Thor character and those around him, but reenergise the series and reestablish our faith in the MCU. Solid performances (if a little tongue in cheek at times), a good story, epic battles that are always preposterous but entertaining nonetheless, bold Direction and endless fun from start to finish - catch it on the big screen, and you won't be disappointed.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-