What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th February 2026

The 15th Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts Awards (AACTA Awards) is an awards ceremony to celebrate the best of Australian films and television screened throughout 2025. The main ceremony occurred on Friday 6th February at the Home of the Arts on Queensland's Gold Coast and was hosted by the Australian Actress, comedian and media personality Celeste Barber.

The primary role of AACTA, as a not-for-profit organisation, is to recognise, encourage, promote and celebrate film and television excellence in Australia, connecting Australian and international audiences with great Australian screen content. The Academy serves as Australia’s most prestigious film and television membership body, bringing together and representing screen professionals from a cross-section of the screen industry in order to further screen excellence in Australia . . . so reads the official website. 

In the feature films category, the winners, grinners and also rans are highlighted briefly below :-

* Best Film - awarded to 'Bring Her Back', beating out 'Kangaroo', 'Lesbian Space Princess', 'The Correspondent', 'The Surfer' and 'The Travellers'.

* Best Indie Film - presented to 'Lesbian Space Princess', beating out 'Carmen & Bolude', 'Fwends', 'It Will Find You', 'Magic Beach' and 'With or Without You'. 

* Best Direction - awarded to Danny and Michael Philippou for 'Bring Her Back', beating out 'Kangaroo', 'Lesbian Space Princess', 'The Correspondent' and 'The Travellers'.

* Best Screenplay - presented to Peter Duncan for 'The Correspondent', beating out 'Bring Her Back', 'Inside', 'Lesbian Space Princess' and 'Together'.

* Best Lead Actor - presented to Richard Roxburgh for 'The Correspondent', beating out Bryan Brown for 'The Travellers', Ryan Corr for 'Kangaroo', Jai Courtney for 'Dangerous Animals', Guy Pearce for 'Inside' and David Wenham for 'Spit'.

* Best Lead Actress - awarded to Sally Hawkins for 'Bring Her Back', beating out Alison Brie for 'Together', Emily Browning for 'One More Shot', Susie Porter for 'The Travellers', Daisy Ridley for 'We Bury the Dead' and Lily Whitley for 'Kangaroo'.

* Best Supporting Actor - awarded to Julian McMahon for 'The Surfer', beating out Damon Herriman for 'Together', Cosmo Jarvis for 'Inside', Julian Maroun for 'The Correspondent', Rahel Romahn for 'The Correspondent' and Jonah Wren Phillips for 'Bring Her Back'. 

* Best Supporting Actress - presented to Deborah Mailman for 'Kangaroo', beating out Marta Dusseldorp for 'With or Without You', Brooke Satchwell for 'Kangaroo', Yael Stone for 'The Correspondent', Sally-Anne Upton for 'Bring Her Back' and Sora Wong for 'Bring Her Back'.

* Best Cinematography - awarded to Aaron McLisky for 'Bring Her Back', beating out 'Beast of War', 'The Correspondent', 'The Surfer' and 'Went Up the Hill'.

* Best Editing - presented to Geoff Lamb for 'Bring Her Back', beating out 'Beast of War', 'The Correspondent', 'The Surfer' and 'Together'.

* Best Original Music Score - presented to Cornel Wilczek for 'Bring Her Back', beating out 'Lesbian Space Princess', 'The Correspondent', 'The Surfer' and 'Together'.

* Best Sound - awarded to Emma Bortignon, Nick Steele, Hamish Keen, Cameron Grant, Lachlan Harris and Pete Smith for 'Bring Her Back', beating out 'The Correspondent', 'Spit', 'Together' and 'Went Up the Hill'.

* Best Production Design - presented to Fiona Donovan for 'The Correspondent', beating out 'Lesbian Space Princess', 'The Surfer', 'Went Up the Hill' and 'Together'.

* Best Costume Design - awarded to Anna Cahill for 'Bring Her Back', beating out 'Beast of War', 'Spit', 'The Correspondent' and 'The Surfer'.

* Best Casting - presented to Nikki Barrett for 'Bring Her Back', beating out 'Inside', 'Kangaroo', 'The Correspondent' and 'The Surfer'.

In addition, the AACTA Longford Lyell Award (named after the prolific Australian film Director, Writer, Producer, and Actor during the silent era. Raymond Longford was a major Director of the silent film era of the Australian cinema. He formed a production team with Lottie Lyell), was presented to Bruce Beresford - the Australian film Director, opera Director, Screenwriter, and Producer. The AACTA Trailblazer Award was presented to the Australian Actress Sarah Snook.

For the details of other television awards presented, the additional awards and the audience choice awards, plus a whole lot of other good stuff, you can go the official website at : http://www.aacta.org

This week we have four new cinematic releases coming your way, kicking off with a romantic drama set in the mid-19th Century on the Yorkshire moors that explores the intense and turbulent relationship between two star crossed lovers. Next up we have a crime thriller in which a Los Angeles detective pursues an elusive thief who teams up with an insurance broker for one last heist. Then we turn to a Sci-Fi actioner which follows the final recruits of a gruelling special ops boot camp who encounter a deadly force from beyond this world; before closing out the week with a horror offering about a misfit group of unwitting high school students who stumble upon a cursed object, an ancient Aztec Death Whistle.

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.

'WUTHERING HEIGHTS' (Rated M) - is a UK and US Co-Produced romantic drama film written for the screen, Co-Produced and Directed by Emerald Fennell, and is loosely based on Emily Bronte's 1847 novel of the same name. Emerald Fennell has previously helmed her breakout feature film debut 'Promising Young Woman' in 2020 and 'Saltburn' in 2023. She also has numerous big and small screen acting roles and TV series writing credits to her name, accumulating numerous awards and accolades along the way, mostly for her her two previous feature films. This film saw its Premiere screening in Los Angeles on 28th January, and is released here in Australia, the UK and the USA this week - on the eve of Valentine's Day. It cost US$80M to produce. 

Here then, in this passionate and tumultuous love story set against the backdrop of the Yorkshire dales, the film explores the intense and destructive relationship between Heathcliff (Jacob Elordi) and Catherine Earnshaw (Margot Robbie, who also Co-Produces here), a woman from a wealthy family in 19th-century England. Also starring Charlotte Mellington as young Catherine, Owen Cooper as young Heathcliff, Hong Chau, Martin Clunes, Alison Oliver, Shazad Latif and Ewan Mitchell.

'CRIME 101' (Rated M) - this UK and US Co-Produced crime thriller film is Written for the screen and Directed by Bart Layton whose previous film credits take in the 2012 documentary 'The Imposter' and 2018's 'American Animals'. This film is based on the 2020 novella of the same name written by Don Winslow. Here, a notorious jewel thief named Mike Davis (Chris Hemsworth, who also Co-Produces here) heists along the 101 freeway (a major north–south highway that traverses the states of California, Oregon, and Washington on the West Coast of the USA) have left Police baffled. When he sets his sights on the ultimate score, his plans intersect with those of insurance broker Sharon Colvin (Halle Berry). A detective named Lou Lubesnick (Mark Ruffalo) believes he has cracked Mike's pattern and is determined to bring him down before the next job. Also starring Barry Keoghan, Corey Hawkins, Jennifer Jason Leigh, Nick Nolte, Tate Donovan and Monica Barbaro. The film premiered in London at the back end of last month, and is released here in Australia and the US this week. 

'WAR MACHINE' (Rated MA15+) - is an Australian and US Co-Produced Sci-Fi action thriller that is Co-Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Patrick Hughes whose previous feature films efforts take in his debut with 'Red Hill' in 2010, which he would follow up with 'The Expendables 3' in 2014, 'The Hitman's Bodyguard' in 2017, 'The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard' in 2021 and 'The Man from Toronto' in 2022. Here, on one last gruelling mission during Army Ranger training, this elite team's cross-country exercise led by combat engineer (Alan Ritchson) must lead his unit in a fight against a giant otherworldly killing machine. Also starring Dennis Quaid, Stephan James, Jai Courtney and Esai Morales. Released this week in Australia before streaming on Netflix from 6th March onward.

'WHISTLE' (Rated MA15+) - this Canadian and Irish Co-Produced horror film is Directed by Corin Hardy in only his third feature film outing following 'The Hallow' in 2015 and 'The Nun' in 2018. Here, a group of high school misfits inadvertently come across an ancient Aztec death whistle. Blowing it summons their future deaths to hunt them down. As the body count increases, they investigate the artifact's history in hopes of halting the sequence of events they have set into motion. Starring Dafne Keen, Sophie Nelisse, Sky Yang and Nick Frost. The film premiered at Fantastic Fest in late September last year, was released Stateside last week, this week here in Australia, the UK and Ireland and early reviews have been largely positive.

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 week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 29th May-4th June 2016

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Duncan Jones does on 30th May - check out my tribute to this Birthday Boy turning 45, at the end of this feature.

Do you also share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Singer/Songwriter or Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming seven days? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully written and presented Blog, here are the more notable and noteworthy icons of the big screen, and the small screen, that you will recognise, and that you might just share your birthday with in the week ahead. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Sunday 29th May

• Annette Bening - Born 1958, turns 58 - Actress  
• Rupert Everett - Born 1959, turns 57 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Ted Levine - Born1957, turns 59 - Actor
• Danny Elfman - Born 1953, turns 63 - Composer | Songwriter | Actor 

Monday 30th May

• Duncan Jones - Born 1971, turns 45 - Director | Writer 
• Harry Enfield - Born 1961, turns 55 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director    

Tuesday 31st May

• Clint Eastwood - Born 1930, turns 86 - Actor | Director | Producer | Composer | Singer | Songwriter
• Tom Berenger - Born 1949, turns 67 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Colin Farrell - Born 1976, turns 40 - Actor | Producer  
• Brooke Shields - Born 1965, turns 51 - Actress | Producer

Wednesday 1st June

• Amy Schemer - Born 1981, turns 35 - Actress | Television Personality | Writer | Producer | Director  
• Brian Cox - Born 1946, turns 70 - Actor | Producer 
• Powers Boothe - Born 1948, turns 68 - Actor
• Jonathan Pryce - Born 1947, turns 69 - Actor | Singer
• Robert Powell - Born 1944, turns 72 - Actor
• Tom Holland - Born 1996, turns 30 - Actor
• Morgan Freeman - Born 1937, turns 79 - Actor | Producer | Director | Singer

Thursday 2nd June

• Wentworth Miller - Born 1972, turns 44 - Actor | Writer
• Kevin Feige - Born 1973, turns 43 - Producer
• Dominic Cooper - Born 1978, turns 38 - Actor | Singer
• Zachary Quinto - Born 1977, turns 39 - Actor | Producer  
• Liam Cunningham - Born 1961, turns 55 - Actor 
• Dennis Haysbert - Born 1954, turns 62 - Actor | Producer
• Stacy Keach - Born 1941, turns 75 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director

Friday 3rd June

• James Purefoy - Born 1964, turns 52 - Actor
• Imogen Poots - Born 1989, turns 27 - Actress | Singer

Saturday 4th June

• Angelina Jolie - Born 1975, turns 41 - Actress | Producer | Director | Writer 
• Russell Brand - Born 1975, turns 41 - Actor | Writer | Producer
• Sean Pertwee - Born 1964, turns 52 - Actor | 
• Keith David - Born 1956, turns 60 - Actor | Producer | Singer
• Bruce Dern - Born 1936, turns 80 - Actor | Producer
• Geoffrey Palmer - Born 1927, turns 89 - Actor  

Duncan Zowie Haywood Jones, aka Zowie Bowie, is the only child from mother Angie Barnett - a Cypriot/American model, actress and musician, and father David Bowie the legendary English singer, songwriter, actor and record producer who died earlier this year aged 69. He was born in Bromley, London, but spent much of his younger years living between London, Berlin, and Vevey in Switzerland. His birth in 1971 prompted his father to write 'Kooks' which is included in his 'Hunky Dory' album of that same year. He studied at The International School in Lausanne, and in 1980 when his parents divorced, his father was granted custody. At that point he went by the name Zowie, but by twelve years of age he decided that he preferred Joey, which he shortened to Joe in his later teen years. At fourteen he was enrolled in the renowned Scottish boarding school, Gordonstoun. He had designs on becoming a professional wrestler while growing up with his father often commenting on his 'natural strength'. By eighteen he reverted to using his birth name of Duncan. In 1995 he graduated from The College of Wooster in Ohio with a Bachelors Degree in Philosophy. He went onto Vanderbilt University in Nashville, Tennessee to pursue a PhD but quit before completion to attend the London Film School, graduating as a Director in 2001.

In 1997 Jones was one of many cameramen working on his fathers televised 50th Birthday celebrations at Maddison Square Garden. He worked similarly again in 2000 at the two BowieNet concerts in New York City. In 2002 he Co-Produced, wrote and Directed his first short film - the thirty minute long 'Whistle' about an ultra-technological assassin who becomes involved in the life of one of his victims. He followed this up a year later with the video game 'Republic : The Revolution' on which he acted as Cinematic Director as well as penning elements of the script. In 2006 he Directed a relaunch campaign for fashion label French Connection.

2009 saw his feature film Directorial debut with 'Moon' which he also co-wrote the script for based on his own story. Made on a shoestring budget of just US$5M it made double that and in the process picked up eighteen award wins and another seventeen nomination including a BAFTA Award win for Jones as Outstanding Debut by a British Writer, Director or Producer, and numerous other wins either for Jones directly or the film. Starring Sam Rockwell and the voice of Kevin Spacey, the film was largely critically well received.



'Source Code' came next in 2011 - his second Directed feature film starring Jake Gyllenhaal, Vera Farmiga and Michelle Monaghan. Made for US$32M it took US$148M at the global Box Office and was hailed both a commercial and critical success winning one award for best Original Screenplay and eight further nominations. The story here surrounds Gyllenhaal as a soldier waking up in someone else's body and learning that he is part of a government experimental programme to locate a bomber aboard a busy commuter train. The catch here though is that he has just eight minutes to locate the bomber and prevent the explosion so completing his mission - but, he can relive that same eight minutes time after time after time, learning something new every time to thwart the bomber.

Next up and due for imminent release is 'Warcraft : The Beginning' based on the hugely popular video game and books set in the fantasy world of Azeroth. Made for US$160M the film has been in development for ten years with Jones announced to Direct in 2013. Starring Travis Fimmel, Ben Foster, Dominic Cooper, Toby Kebbell and Clancy Brown the story tells of Azeroth being on the brink of war as its civilisation, led by the humans, comes under attack from rampaging orcs fleeing their world of Draenor, which is dying. As the leaders of both worlds collide, the fate of their families, their people, their homes and their worlds hang in the balance.

Following this it has been announced that his next film will be 'Mute' with Paul Rudd and Alexander Skarsgard - set in Berlin forty years from now it follows a mute bartender investigating his partners disappearance, and said to be influenced by Jones favourite film of all time - 'Blade Runner'.

All up Jones has garnered thirteen award wins and another twelve nominations. He has five Director credits to his name, four Writing credits and one as Producer. In late 2012 he married photographer Rodene Ronquillo, who was diagnosed with breast cancer that same day, but has since been given the all clear, and the couple are now expecting their first child to be born in June.

Duncan Jones - the son of a music legend; was Best Man at his fathers wedding to Iman in 1992; has already achieved so much from so little and is an emerging talent increasingly playing in the big league as his works grow in acclaim and as his film progression continues. Long may your success last and very Happy Birthday to you Duncan, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-