What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 19th July 2018.

With the release of the Dwayne Johnson starring disaster epic feature flick 'Skyscraper' last week that cost the best part of US$130M to bring to the big screen and has so far received mixed Critical Reviews, as well a being widely likened to a mash up of 'Die Hard' meets 'The Towering Inferno' got me to thinking about classic '70's disaster movies, of which 'The Towering Inferno' would rank right up there amongst the best of 'em. Here's a trip down memory lane then to recount that genre that largely came into its own in the '70's and has barely looked back since. In date of release order, here are the disaster epic milestone's of the '70's, according to this humble Critic.

* 'Airport' (1970) - Directed by George Seaton, starring Burt Lancaster, Dean Martin, Jean Seberg, Jacqueline Bisset, Helen Hayes, Van Heflin and George Kennedy. Made for just over US$10M the film grossed over US$100M, won the Best Supporting Actress Academy Award for Helen Hayes plus nine other nominations amidst a total haul of four award wins and another nineteen nominations. The plot surrounds a bomber aboard an aeroplane, an airport snowed in and various emotional and personal problems faced by the airline crew and some of its select passengers. The film spawned numerous sequels, including the comedy classic 'Airplane'.
* 'The Poseidon Adventure' (1972) - Directed by Ronald Neame and staring Gene Hackman, Ernest Borgnine, Roddy McDowell, Red Buttons, Leslie Nielsen, Shelley Winters and Stella Stevens. Made for less than US$5M the film grossed US$127M, won two Academy Awards and was nominated in seven other categories from a total haul of five award wins and another thirteen nods. The film centres around the S.S. Poseidon, a luxury liner that capsizes mid ocean when struck by a tsunami and a group of surviving passengers struggling to survive and escape when the ship turns upside down with only their wits to save them. The film saw a sequel in 1979 and a remake in 2006.
* 'The Towering Inferno' (1974) - Directed by John Guillermin and starring Paul Newman, Steve McQueen, William Holden, Faye Dunaway, Fred Astaire, Richard Chamberlain, O.J. Simpson, Robert Vaughan, Robert Wagner and Dabney Coleman. The film cost US$14M to make and grossed close to US$160M, picking up three Academy Award wins plus five other nominations from a total awards haul of twelve wins and another thirteen nominations. The film tells the story of a newly completed skyscraper, the world tallest at the time, and how the construction company took short cuts with the architects plans too save money. These short cuts lead to a fire which breaks out and rapidly takes hold that threatens to destroy the tower and everyone in it. This film inspired 'Skyscraper'.
* 'Earthquake' (1974) - Directed by Mark Robson and starring Charlton Heston, George Kennedy, Lorne Greene, Richard Roundtree, Walter Matthau, Victoria Principal, Ava Gardner and Genevieve Bujold. Made for US$7M the film grossed US$85M, and collected two Academy Awards and three other nominations form a total haul of three award wins and seven other nominations. This film, as the name implies, centres on an earthquake of colossal magnitude that hits Los Angeles, and the aftermath of various interconnected people all struggling to survive. This film inspired 'San Andreas'.
* 'The Swarm' (1978) - this disaster horror offering was Directed by Irwin Allen and stars Michael Caine, Richard Widmark, Richard Chamberlain, Henry Fonda, Slim Pickens, Fred MacMurray, Ben Johnson, Katherine Ross, Olivia de Havilland and Lee Grant. The film cost US$21M to make and grossed just about one-third of that sum and has been hailed as one of the worst movies of all time - so bad it's good in fact! The film tells the story of a rampant swarm of killer bees that have made their way to Texas from Africa via South America. The said pesky bees in question have a deadly venom and attack randomly and without reason. It rests with a scientist type and the military might of Uncle Sam to destroy the bees before they destroy us.
* 'Meteor' (1979) - Directed by Ronald Name and starring Sean Connery, Karl Malden, Henry Fonda, Martin Landau, Trevor Howard, Richard Dysart and Natalie Wood, the film cost US$16M to make and just about recovered that sum and was poorly received by Critics. Here scientists discover an asteroid on a collision course with Earth, who in turn struggle with Cold War politics in their efforts to destroy the asteroid and prevent a disaster of Earth shattering consequence from occurring. This film inspired 'Armageddon' and 'Deep Impact'.
* 'The China Syndrome' (1979) - Directed by James Bridges and Produced and starring Michael Douglas, Jack Lemmon, Jane Fonda, Peter Donat and Wilfred Brimley, the film cost US$6M to make, grossed US$52M and picked up seven award wins and another 15 monitions including four Oscar nods, five Golden Globe nods, two BAFTA wins for Jack Lemmon and Jane Fonda and two other nominations, and was hailed a success by Critics. This film's story concerns a news reporter and her cameraman who are unintentional witnesses to a SCRAM incident, an emergency core shutdown procedure at a nuclear power plant in California. The crew helps prevent a disaster, but the plant supervisor begins to fear that the plant is contravening safety standards, and tries desperately to bring it to the attention of the public, believing that another such incident will result in an atomic melt down.

Turning attention to this weeks latest release movies of which there are three coming to an Odeon near you, these are categorised as two sequels and a remake. We kick off with the sequel to the big screen adaptation of a popular 80's small screen television series in which a one man vigilante army with 'a particular set of skills' seeks his very own brand of justice on those who would do wrong on the helpless and innocent. We then turn to a song and dance number set in the idyllic Greek isles that is another sequel to a massively popular first instalment ten years ago based on the back catalogue of songs put out by one of the world's most popular groups that were at the height of their fame in the '70's and '80's, but have since endured to be as popular now as they were back then. And then we wrap up with a remake of another '80's comedy featuring back then a real life couple who well & truly fall overboard for each other, although one is clueless as to the how and why and is being played along by the other.

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

'THE EQUALISER 2' (Rated MA15+) - in 2014 Antoine Fuqua Directed the first big screen adaptation of the popular '80's TV series 'The Equalizer' with Denzel Washington portraying the one man army out of retirement vigilante Robert McCall (played by Edward Woodward in the television series of the same name). That film cost US$73M to make and grossed US$193M at the global Box Office, and even before its release this sequel had already been announced.

In this follow on offering Denzel Washington once again portrays Robert McCall who wakes up one day to learn that one of his long term friends and former colleague Susan Plummer (Melissa Leo) has been murdered. Armed with a very particular set of skills, McCall embarks on a journey of revenge dishing out his own brand of vigilante justice to the crims who perpetrated the crime, and any other miscreants who happen to get in the way. Also starring Pedro Pascal as a former CIA partner of McCall's, and Bill Pullman as the husband to the murdered Susan Plummer. The film's release was pushed back form a September 2017 scheduled date, eventually ending up at this mid-July date for release in the US this week also.

'MAMMA MIA! HERE WE GO AGAIN' (Rated PG) : ten years ago, 'Mamma Mia' the song and dance musical based on the hugely popular stage show of the same name based on a whole collection of ABBA songs from yesteryear took a staggering US$616M off the back of a US$52M Budget. Hardly any surprise then that in 2018 it's time to launch a sequel to an eagerly awaiting audience of die hard ABBA fans the world over. This time Directed and Written for the Screen by Ol Parker sees the familiar cast members return reprising their roles together with a few new additions. Set ten years after the events of the first film and back on the Greek island of Kalokairi, Sophie Sheridan (Amanda Seyfried) is pregnant expecting Sky's (Dominic Cooper) child while running the villa for her mother, Donna Sheridan-Carmichael (Meryl Streep). Her relationship with Sky has been far from ideal and she expresses self doubt about bringing up a child without her mother around. However, help is at hand but with Tanya (Christine Baranski) and Rosie (Julie Walters) to guide and advise her, but in so doing Sophie will find out more of Donna's past - how she fronted 'The Dynamos', came to set up her villa on the island from scratch, met each one of Sophie’s dads Harry Bright, Sam Carmichael and Bill Anderson (Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgard respectively), and raised a daughter as a single Mum without a mother to guide her. And to cap it all an unexpected visit from someone she had never met: her grandmother, Ruby Sheridan (Cher). Also starring Andy Garcia, Lily James and Celia Imrie, this film cost US$70M to bring to the big screen, and is released in the US and UK this week too.

'OVERBOARD' (Rated PG) - thirty one years ago way back in 1987, real life partners in love and life Goldie Hawn and Kurt Russell under the Directing stewardship of Garry Marshall released the original film upon which this remake is based. That film cost US$22M to make and recovered that sum and then some, and now in 2018 we have that same story that has been dusted off, repolished and presented in a nice little gift box for an unknowing audience. This time around Rob Greenberg Directs and he also Co-Wrote the Screenplay, but put out this movie for less than half the sum of its original. At $12M the film has so far grossed US$87M and has received mixed Critical feedback for really adding nothing new to the already tried and tested storyline which centres around Kate Sullivan (Anna Faris) who is a single, working-class Mum of three who's hired to clean a luxury yacht that is owned by Leonardo Montenegro (Eugenio Derbez) a selfish, spoiled and very rich Mexican playboy. After firing Kate for some petty misdemeanour, Leonardo falls off the boat and wakes up with no recollection of who he is. To get payback and seizing the opportunity, Kate rocks up to the hospital and convinces the confused amnesiac that they are in fact husband and wife. As Leonardo attempts to realign his life to one of manual labour and his new found family, Kate starts to ponder just how long she can maintain the ruse with her new fake husband. Also starring Eva Longoria and John Hannah.

With three new release films out 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-

ANT-MAN AND THE WASP : Tuesday 10th July 2018.

'ANT-MAN AND THE WASP' which I saw this week keeps the Marvel machine grinding forever onwards churning out superhero fare for us to spend our $20 or so on at the local multiplex. And so it is too with this sequel to 2015's 'Ant-Man', which off the back of a US$110M Budget grossed US$520M at the global Box Office, was generally well received by Critics and audiences alike, and picked up three award wins and another 33 nominations from around the circuit. This 20th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Directed by Peyton Reed once again, who came on board one month after the release of the first instalment. This film was released in the US last week too, but not in the UK until early August. Paul Rudd, who plays Ant-Man/Scott Lang also takes a Co-Writer credit this time around. The film cost US$162M to make, has so far grossed US$185M and has been generally well received. This is the first MCU film to have the name of a female Superhero protagonist in its title . . . . about time methinks!

Set two years following the events that unfolded with 'Captain America : Civil War' and prior to the events that came to pass just recently in 'Avengers : Infinity War' and now under house arrest (explaining his absence from 'Avengers : Infinity War') Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) struggles with balancing his choices as both a father to young Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson) and a responsible superhero. Having had to put his mantle of 'Ant-Man' on ice for the last two years for being caught in the middle of the Avengers fight which was in violation of the Sokovia Accords, Lang is now only three days away from being able to step foot outside his own home. He has been patient, compliant and responsible, while Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and her father Hank Pym (Michael Douglas) - a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, entomologist, and physicist who became the original Ant-Man way back when, have gone underground, are also in hiding and have cut all ties these past years with Lang.

Then one day, Hope and Pym are able to open a portal through to the Quantum Realm where Janet van Dyne (Michelle Pfeiffer) was lost back in 1987, has not been seen since and is presumed dead. At that same precise moment Lang has a vision of Janet with whom he became entangled when he himself was in the Quantum Realm two years earlier and from which he was able to successfully return. Lang calls Pym for the first time in two years to explain his vision, but gets Hank's voicemail. A short time later Hope kidnaps Lang, miniaturises them and sets a decoy back at his house so as not to arouse suspicion by the FBI Agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) that he has broken the terms of his house arrest.

Pym believes that Lang's vision was a message that Janet is still alive, albeit trapped within the Quantum Realm. Needing a piece of hi-tech equipment to create a stable tunnel through which to access the Quantum Realm, Hope meets with her 'supplier' - a black market arms trader named Sonny Burch (Walton Goggins). But Burch has other plans for Hope when he realises the potential of what she is working on, and he wants in on the action. A fight breaks out between Hope, who by now has assumed the powers of her alter-ego 'The Wasp' and is able to thwart Burch and his goons, but not so with a mysterious figure come to be known as 'Ghost' (Hannah John-Kamen) for her power to be able to travel through solid matter.

In the fracas Ghost escapes with Pym's miniaturised laboratory causing him, Hope and Lang to visit the one man they think can help them retrieve it - Bill Foster (Laurence Fishburn), a former partner of Pym's but they fell out decades before and had not spoken in thirty years. Reluctantly, Foster helps Pym locate his lost laboratory at Ghosts place of residence. Gaining entry Ghost is able to easily overpower the threesome and reveals that her name is Ava Starr and she has suffered from molecular instability since she was a child when her father, also a former partner of Pym's, died in an explosion with her mother too, while conducting a Quantum experiment which resulted in Ava's unstable condition. Foster reveals that his is in cahoots with Ava and is in fact her guardian, and is determined to make Ava better by harnessing Janet's Quantum energy. But Pym will have none of this as he believes that this would kill Janet, and so they escape with the aid of some giants ants.

With their laboratory back Pym and Hope resume their plan to fire up the tunnel. They are able to contact Janet through Lang, who gives them detailed coordinates with which to locate her in the Quantum Realm. But time is of the essence and they only have a limited window of two hours before the opportunity is lost for a century or so. Burch meanwhile has reassembled his gang of goons and through Lang's security company 'X-Cons' and his partners Luis (Michael Pena), Dave (Tip 'T'.I.' Harris) and Kurt (David Dastmalchian) are able to locate Pym's lab. Burch calls an FBI Agent he has on the payroll, who in turns contacts Woo and alerts them to Lang's presence while supposedly under house arrest. Lang hot foots it back to his house just in time for Woo to walk in expecting to catch him out - but not so. However, with Ant-Man indisposed, the FBI converge on Pym's lab and arrest him and Hope leaving Ghost to once again steal the miniaturised lab.

Lang let off the hook by Woo, is able to come to the rescue of Pym and Hope and help them escape custody, and they locate the lab in a well executed and at times completely over the top car chase sequence through the streets of San Francisco as Ant-Man goes from being very little to very large. Lang and Hope divert Ava while Pym enters the Quantum Realm to retrieve Janet. Luis, Dave, and Kurt help apprehend Burch, so Lang and Hope can stop Ava who has already begun sapping Janet of her energy. Pym and Janet arrive back safe from the Quantum Realm, and Janet voluntarily grants some of her energy to Ava to temporarily stabilise her.

Lang returns home once again, just in time for a now suspicious Woo to unbuckle his ankle bracelet at the end of his house arrest period. Ava and Foster go into hiding, with Foster vowing to find a cure for her. Wait for the mid-credits sequence, which brings us right up to date, and naturally Stan Lee's obligatory laugh out loud one liner cameo.

It's good to see some levity arriving in the MCU in the form of 'Ant-Man and The Wasp' after the more depressing and distressing 'Captain America : Civil War' and 'Avengers : Infinity War' episodes. Here the more light handed approach works well with the storyline that is not overly complicated and delivers just the right amount of humour to keep it grounded. The action set pieces are well executed and work best when Ant-Man and The Wasp are reduced down to their insect size or conversely Ant-Man grows to be a towering giant of some sixty feet. Both Paul Rudd and Evangeline Lilly have settled well into their roles and despite their occasional verbal sparring, feel comfortable around each other and with their gifted super powers. Michelle Pfeiffer's role is a little under cooked, and Walton Goggins is half baked, but these are minor criticisms of a worthy and respectable sequel that is fast paced, good humoured, light hearted and still packs a punch.

'Ant-Man and The Wasp' merits four claps of the clapperboard, from a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th July 2018.

The Karlovy Vary International Film Festival is a film festival held annually in July in the spa town of Karlovy Vary, Czech Republic. The Karlovy Vary Festival is one of the oldest in the world and has become Central and Eastern Europe’s leading film event. Wikipedia reports that the pre-war dream of many enthusiastic filmmakers materialised in 1946 when a non-competition festival of films from seven countries took place in a neighbouring spa town of Marianske Lazne in the Karlovy Vary Region, and Karlovy Vary. Above all it was intended to screen the results of the recently nationalised Czechoslovak film industry. After the first two years the festival moved permanently to Karlovy Vary. The Karlovy Vary IFF first held an international film competition in 1948. Since 1951, an international jury has evaluated the films.

This years event, which marked the 53rd year, ran from 29th June through until 7th July, with the annual awards ceremony taking place on Saturday 7th July. The statistics from this years festival reveal that according to event organisers, the festival was attended by just over thirteen thousand accredited visitors. Of that number almost eleven thousand had Festival Passes, four hundred were filmmakers, nearly twelve hundred were film professionals, and there were 630 journalists. From the industry, close to fourteen hundred were film buyers, sellers, distributors, film festival programmers, representatives of film institutions, and other industry professionals with 550 coming from overseas. Thirty-five films saw their world premiere, while eight had their international premiere and seven their European premiere.

The Grand Prix award which is accompanied by a Crystal Globe statuette and US$25K in prize money went to 'I Do Not Care If We Go Down In History As Barbarians' and is a Co-Production between Romania, the Czech Republic, Germany, France and Bulgaria, and is Directed by Romanian film maker and Screenwriter Radu Jude. The film attempts to comment on this quote spoken in the Council of Ministers during the Summer of 1941 which started the ethnic cleansing on the Eastern Front.

The Special Jury Prize went to 'Sueño Florianópolis' a Argentina, Brazil and French Co-Produced comedy Directed by Ana Katz, for which Mercedes Moran also won the award for Best Actress, and is also picked up the Award of International Film Critics. Other awards went to Barry Levinson for his 1988 film 'Rain Man' as voted under the Pravo Audience Award, and also both Barry Levinson and Tim Robbins were awarded a Crystal Globe for Outstanding Artistic Contribution to World Cinema. Robert Pattinson also collected the Festival Presidents Award.

For more information, you can go to the official website at : www.kviff.com

This week we have three new cinematic offerings coming to your local Odeon, kick staring with a high rise action thriller that seems to be a mash up between earlier action disaster flicks aided and abetted by the worlds most bankable action star of the moment. We then move to a duo of Aussie films - the first is a psychological thriller tale of writers block as experienced by a hugely successful first time novelist now struggling with her follow up novel, and how the arrival of long lost friend over a quiet weekend retreat digs up secrets from the past that were perhaps best being kept hidden. And secondly, a Sci-Fi action offering of alien invasion taking occupation of our humble little blue planet, but did them pesky space invader types count on a rag tag bunch of gun totting Aussies to make life difficult for them?

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

'SKYSCRAPER' (Rated M) - this just has American action drama written all over it and none other than all conquering hero Dwayne Johnson as the hunk of beef cake set to save the world, or the skyscraper in question at least, from a bunch of gun toting, no good pesky terrorists types. Directed, Written and Co-Produced by Rawson Marshall Thurber whose previous Directing credits include 'DodgeBall : A True Underdog Story', 'We're the Millers', and 'Central Intelligence' also with Dwayne Johnson, the film goes on general release in the US and Australia this week.

The story here surrounds former FBI Hostage Rescue Team leader, U.S. war veteran and amputee Will Sawyer (Dwayne Johnson) who now assesses security for skyscrapers for a living. He's on assignment in Hong Kong with his family living in the said skyscraper, known as 'The Pearl'. When he finds the tallest, safest building in the world suddenly under attack by terrorists and he's the head of security, Sawyer must spring into action, However, the situation is complicated more when he's accused of masterminding the attack and has been framed for it. A wanted man on the run inside a monster building, Sawyer must track down those responsible, clear his name and somehow rescue his family, who are now trapped inside the building, above the line of fire. Sounds like a mash up of the first 'Die Hard' instalment and 'Towering Inferno'. Prepare to suspend all belief. Also starring Neve Campbell and Noah Taylor, the film cost US$125M.

'THE SECOND' (Rated MA15+) - this is the first original feature length film put out by those streaming people at Stan, and is released in cinemas concurrently. This Australian film, shot in Queensland, was shown at the recent Sydney Film Festival and is Directed by first timer Mairie Cameron. Described as a steamy psycho-thriller, the like of which you would ordinarily hardly call your typical Aussie movie, here the film centres on an unnamed Writer and author of a worldwide best selling sexually charged autobiographical first novel (Rachael Blake), but crafting her second novel is far from as straightforward. Now the Writer has everything - fame, fortune and a doting new boyfriend . . . and writers block! Attempting to meet her deadline, the Writer and her publisher boyfriend (Vince Colosimo) take a long weekend retreat to her family's country estate. However, when a beautiful friend from the past arrives on the scene unexpectedly (Susie Porter) a secret history shared between the two presents a challenging predicament with potentially dangerous consequences. Over the weekend, the women straddle from tenderness to hostility and back again, as rivalry, teenage memories and a dark secret from their history all come to bear. Also starring Martin Sacks and Susan Prior.

'OCCUPATION' (Rated M) - this Australian made action Sci-Fi is Written and Directed by Luke Sparke and follows his feature film Directorial debut of 2016, 'Red Billabong', with 'Occupation 2' already in the works and slated for a 2019 release, before even the release of this first instalment in Australia this week and the US next week. Following the annihilation of their small remote Australian community by an overwhelming airborne attack, a rag tag group of civilians evade capture but quickly come to the realisation that they are now among the last remaining survivors of an alien invasion that has taken over the planet. As what is left of humanity falls under global occupation, they form a domestic army to retaliate against a vastly superior enemy foe. On the front lines of the battle for Earth, they may just be our last hope and salvation. Starring Dan Ewing, Temuera Morrison, Jacqueline Mackenzie and Stephanie Jacobsen.

With three new release films out 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-

SICARIO : DAY OF THE SOLDADO - Tuesday 3rd July 2018.

'SICARIO : DAY OF THE SOLDADO' which I saw at my local multiplex this week is the follow up film to 2015's Critically acclaimed 'Sicario' as Directed by Denis Villeneuve and Written by Taylor Sheridan. Starring Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin, with Emily Blunt, that film was about a principled FBI agent who is enlisted by a government task force to bring down the leader of a powerful and violent Mexican drug cartel. That film cost US$30M to make and raked in US$85M at the global Box Office and picked up fifteen award wins and a further 153 nominations including three Oscar nods, three BAFTA nods and two AACTA nods. Now three short years later, we have this follow up action crime thriller Directed by Italian film maker Stefano Sollima and once again written by Taylor Sheridan with Benicio del Toro and Josh Brolin reprising their roles, but no Emily Blunt this time. The film cost about US$40M to make, has so far recouped US$35M, has garnered generally favourable responses from Critics, and apparently a third film is already in development.

The plot follows the people smuggling exploits at the US and Mexican border as it has elevated to the point where the cartels have also begun smuggling Sicario terrorists, and because this is now more lucrative than the former cocaine market. This forces the US Government under the direction of Secretary of Defence James Riley (Matthew Modine) to enlist the covert expertise of the CIA's Matt Graver (Josh Brolin) to once again team up with ex-hitman and undercover operative Alejandro Gillick (Benicio del Toro) to eliminate the problem. Matters are brought to a head by a suicide bombing in a Kansas City supermarket in which four Muslim terrorists blow themselves to smithereens together with fifteen innocent shoppers, among them two children. The Government suspects that the Mexican drug cartels are transporting Islamic terrorists across the border to carry out their atrocities on American soil.

Graver suggests that the best option to eradicate the problem is to start a war between the major cartel factions, so that they eventually wipe themselves out. Down Mexico City way, Gillick takes out a high profile lawyer of one of the major cartels, by shooting him multiple times at point blank range execution style in broad daylight in the city centre.

Meanwhile, Graver and his elite Team, kidnap Isabela Reyes (Isabela Moner), the teenage daughter of a drug lord, in a covert operation as she is travelling home from school, designed to incite a war between rival cartels. Graver, Gillick, and their team transfer a bound, gagged and blindfolded Isabela across the border by plane to Texas and stage a mock rescue to make her think she was kidnapped by her father's enemies. Gillick forms a staged bond with Isabela, and the team plans to transport her back to Mexico by armoured car with the view to transplant her into territory controlled by her father's rivals so as to further escalate the conflict.

However, once inside Mexican country, the Federal Police escort for their journey by road across barren countryside opens fire on the American vehicles without warning. They also come under siege by short range mortar attack by various cartel members keeping a safe distance. As a result of this sudden ambush Graver and his crew spring on the defensive and take out twenty five or so Mexican Police Officers - of questionable integrity and because they were there at the time!

In the exchange of gunfire and the ensuing chaos, Isabela does a runner and skips the scene somewhat sharpish, fortunately protected with a bullet proof vest. When the bullet ballet has ended, Gillick goes in search of Isabela, leaving Graver and his crew to get the Hell outta Dodge before a major international incident erupts and the authorities descend upon them en masse. Riley via teleconference, advises Graver that the four suicide bombers responsible for the Kansas City killings were not in fact smuggled across the border from Mexico, but were another US based terrorist cell. On this basis, and the fact that the Mexican bloodbath is all over the news, the President has ordered via CIA boss Cynthia Foard (Catherine Keener) that they abandon the mission completely and erase all proof of any American involvement in the incident. Graver is given explicit orders to eliminate Isabela Reyes as part of the cover up . . . and Gillick too. Graver contacts Gillick via satellite phone and orders that he kills Isabela, but he refuses, and so goes rogue to protect her, knowing also that all ties with himself have now been cut, and that his life is at risk too.

Graver is keeping close tabs on Gillick and Isabela from an overhead drone providing real time surveillance straight to his laptop, and via a tracking device that Gillick knowingly implanted in Isabela's shoe in the event that they become separated. Graver, at first wants to see how Gillick's plans play out, but then reluctantly assembles his Team to hunt them down in Mexico.

Gillick and Isabela attempt to gain entry into the US disguised as illegal immigrants. Miguel (Elijah Rodriguez), a Mexican-American teenager who lives just over the border in Texas and has got in with the wrong company thanks to a nefarious cousin, and is a new recruit to the gang transporting the immigrants across the border by the bus load under cover of night. Miguel recognises Gillick from a previous encounter Stateside, some days before. He alerts his boss and Gillick and Isabela are captured, bound, gagged and blindfolded and driven out to a remote part of the desert with several car loads of young goons. Miguel is ordered to execute Gillick as part of his initiation and acceptance into the gang. Meanwhile, all of this is being closely monitored on screen by Graver who is still some way off in a helicopter. 

Miguel shoots Gillick in the head and left bound, gagged and blindfolded presumed dead lying face down in the sand with blood oozing from the close range gun shot. The onlooking goons all cheer, and depart the scene. Isabela was an uncomfortable witness to the shooting fearing that her status as a powerful Cartel linchpin's daughter will mean that she's next. She is carted off unceremoniously with the other goons, who all praise Miguel for his decisive action - which he becomes quickly uncomfortable with and jumps off the truck carrying them all. Graver and his team track the Mexican gang and Isabela with the help of the tracker still in her shoe, and kill all the gang members. The carnage is swiftly delivered and rather than kill the young girl he pities her traumatised and troubled state and loads her into the helicopter and whisks her back to the US for a witness protection programme.

Only one of the great trifecta of talent returns to the Production Team of 'Sicario : Day of the Soldado', and that is Writer Taylor Sheridan. Missing are Director Denis Villeneuve and Cinematographer Roger Deakins, but don't let that fool you. Here Director Stefano Sollima has crafted a worthy follow-up, although not of the same calibre that made the 2015 first instalment so refreshing and gritty. The action rarely seems to let up here; the set pieces are convincingly delivered; the performances are strong, even from the young rebellious Moner; and all this adds up to a dynamic, thrilling, tough and violent story and relevant for the current political climate. The film stands alone in its own right, and the ending keeps the momentum going for the third instalment, but I'm not sure how much more milking can be done from this series that hasn't already been seen. Two's company, three's a crowd may just prove to be the case, but then again . . . .

This film warrants four claps of the clapperboard, from a possible five.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 5th July 2018.

In June, the world bid a fond farewell to number of stars of the silver screen and the small screen. In brief, shown below, is my passing tribute to those stars who leave an indelible mark on the entertainment industry, and in particular the world of film and television. May you all Rest In Peace, and thanks for the memories Anthony Bourdain, Leslie Grantham and Stanley Anderson.

* Anthony Michael Bourdain - born 25th June 1956, died 8th June 2018, aged 61. An American celebrity Chef, writer, travel documentarian, television personality and regarded as one of the most influential Chef's in the world. Graduating in 1978 from the Culinary Institute of America he went on to become the Executive Chef for many years at the famed Manhattan French eatery Brasserie Les Halles, upon which he based many of his culinary exploits in his first book 'Kitchen Confidential : Adventures in the Culinary Underbelly' in 2000. From there he went on to host his first food and world-travel television show, 'A Cook's Tour' which coincided with the release of his second book of the same name, and ran for 35 episodes on the Food Network in 2002 and 2003. In 2005, he began hosting the Travel Channel's culinary and cultural adventure programs 'Anthony Bourdain: No Reservations' running from 2005 through to 2012 and then 'The Layover' from 2011 to 2013. In 2013, he began a three-season run as a judge on the cooking themed reality TV competition 'The Taste', and that same year hosted the award winning food and travel show 'Anthony Bourdain: Parts Unknown' for CNN. In the meantime, he also published other non-fiction books including 'The Nasty Bits' in 2006, 'No Reservations: Around the World on an Empty Stomach' in 2007, and 'Medium Raw: A Bloody Valentine to the World of Food and the People Who Cook' in 2010. His articles and essays appeared in many national and international magazines, newspapers and periodicals over the years and in 2015 he appeared as himself in the highly acclaimed film 'The Big Shout' in which he used seafood stew as an analogy for a collateralised debt obligation. Also the recipient of numerous awards and accolades for his writing and television work over the years, Bourdain was the Keith Richards of the food service industry, outspoken, adventurous, a lovable rogue, and coming from the industry myself, a personal favourite who has read all his books, and watched many a TV show of his with avid interest.

* Leslie Michael Grantham - born 30th April 1947, died 15th June 2018, aged 71. An English Actor of stage and screen Grantham will be forever etched in the subconscious minds of a loyal fan base of that long running British television soap 'EastEnders' as 'Dirty' Dennis Watts, the former landlord of the Queen Victoria Public House. Over the years he appeared in 562 episodes from the series launch in 1985 through to 1989 and then in a comeback running from 2003 to 2005. Aside from his regular turn on 'EastEnders' Grantham had regular work over his career including recurring appearances on television series such as 'Doctor Who', 'Winners and Losers', 'The Paradise Club', 'Cluedo' (based on popular whodunit board game in which he starred as Colonel Mustard), '99-1', 'Woof' and 'The Uninvited', as well as feature films taking in 'Waiting for Godot', 'Shadow Run', 'Crow's Nest', 'Lava', 'Charlie', 'Deadtime', 'The Factory', 'Mob Handed' and the recently completed awaiting release 'The Krays : Dead Man Walking'. All up Grantham had 48 Acting credits.

* Stanley Anderson - born 23rd October 1939, died 24th June 2018, aged 78. An American Actor of both stage and screen and perhaps best known for his role as Drew Carey's Dad in the 'Drew Carey Show'. Anderson's career started in 1967, two years after his return from military service in Korea. For the next 23 years he appeared in over two hundred stage productions at Arena Stage, the American Conservatory Theatre and The Actors Company amongst several others. In 1991 he got his television break through in mini-series 'Son of the Morning Star' as Ulysses S. Grant. From there and over the years he appeared in many notable Hollywood features including 'Deceived', 'RoboCop 3', 'The Pelican Brief', 'Primal Fear', 'The Rock', 'Armageddon', 'Proof of Life', 'Spider-Man', 'S1mOne', 'Red Dragon', and 'Runaway Jury'. In between time, there were also numerous television series appearances on the likes of 'L.A. Law', 'Seinfeld', 'Just Shoot Me!', 'The X Files', 'Ally McBeal', 'Law & Order', 'The Practice', and 'NYPD Blue'. He also lent his voice talents to numerous documentaries, education and lifestyle channels including 'National Geographic', 'The Discovery Channel', 'The History Channel' and 'The Learning Channel'. All up, Anderson had 52 Acting credits.

This week coming to an Odeon near you, we have four new release films. Launching with another MCU Superhero offering that is a sequel to the first instalment from 2015, this time the lead character who can shrink to a tiny insect size or upscale to larger than life, forms a crime fighting dynamic duo with another winged insect with a sting in her tail, all with the aid of Mum & Dad in whose footsteps they follow. Next is a historical biographical drama charting the life, love and one particularly world renowned work of literary art, by the troubled author of the novel 'Frankenstein'. We then turn to a comedy of a talking dog having to buddy up with an FBI Agent to thwart an animal smuggling ring at a world famous dog show event; before wrapping up with three largely estranged siblings returning to their vineyard home in France to ponder over what should become of their late father's winery.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the four latest release new movies as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release 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 week ahead.

'ANT-MAN AND THE WASP' (Rated PG) - and so the Marvel machine keeps grinding away churning out superhero fare for us to spend our $20 or so on at the local multiplex. And it is too with this sequel to 2015's 'Ant-Man', which off the back of a US$110M Budget grossed US$520M at the global Box Office, was generally well received by Critics and audiences alike, and picked up three award wins and another 33 nominations from around the circuit. This 20th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Directed by Peyton Reed once again, who came on board one month after the release of the first instalment. This film is released in the US this week too, but not in the UK until early August. Paul Rudd, who plays Ant-Man/Scott Lang also takes a Co-Writer credit this time around.

Set two years following the events that unfolded with 'Captain America : Civil War' and prior to the events that unfolded just recently in 'Avengers : Infinity War' and now under house arrest (explaining his absence from 'Avengers : Infinity War') Scott Lang (Paul Rudd) struggles with balancing his choices as both a father to young Cassie (Abby Ryder Fortson) and a responsible superhero. Approached by Hope van Dyne (Evangeline Lilly) and her father - a former S.H.I.E.L.D. agent, entomologist, and physicist who became the original Ant-Man way back when, Hank Pym (Michael Douglas), Lang must once again put on the Ant-Man suit and fight alongside the new Wasp (aka Hope van Dyne). The urgent mission soon leads to secret revelations from the past as the dynamic pairing find themselves in a battle against a powerful new enemy, known as Ghost (Hannah John-Kamen). Also starring Walton Goggins, Michael Pena, Bobby Cannavale, Laurence Fishburn and Michelle Pfeiffer as Janet van Dyne (the wife of Pym, mother of Hope, and the original Wasp back in the day), and of course keep an eye out for Stan Lee's obligatory cameo.

'MARY SHELLEY' (Rated PG) - this internationally Produced romantic historical period drama is Directed by Saudi Arabian Haifaa al-Mansour, had its World Premier screening at TIFF back in September last year, went on release in the US in late May and gets its Australian and UK release this week. The film has received mixed or average Reviews at best, and has so far grossed just US$193K. The story surrounds Mary Wollstonecraft (Elle Fanning) whose family staunchly disapproves when she and poet Percy Bysshe Shelley (Douglas Booth) announce their love for each other. The family is mortified upon discovering that the couple has eloped, together with Mary's half-sister, Claire (Bel Powley). While staying in the home of Lord Byron (Tom Sturridge) at Lake Geneva, the guests are challenged to write a ghost story, which leads Mary to conceive her novel 'Frankenstein'. Also starring Stephen Dillaine, Maisie Williams, Ben Hardy and Joanne Froggatt.

'SHOW DOGS' (Rated PG) - here we have an American buddy-cop family comedy that was mired in controversy after its opening weekend. So research advises, a week after its initial release in the US in mid-May, several movie Critics and parental groups accused the Producers of the film of including a scene that normalised child grooming. Resulting from this outcry, the Studio re-edited the film and re-released it for its second weekend. Directed by Raja Gosnell the film cost a mere US$5.5M to make and has so far grossed US$29M although the film has received largely unfavourable Reviews. The story here takes place in a world where humans co-exist with talking dogs (of course!) and following a thwarted attempt to recover a stolen baby panda, Police dog Max (voiced by Ludacris) reluctantly buddies up with human FBI agent Frank (Will Arnett). A hot lead takes Max and Frank to the Canini Invitational Dog Show in Las Vegas for the world's most exclusive event of its kind. To locate the panda, Max goes under cover as a furry contestant to get the lowdown from his fellow four legged friends, and Max must pose as his trainer. With help from their new pooch buddies, this dynamic crime-fighting duo must now foil another kidnapping plot and rescue other various other furry and valuable animals from a gang of greedy smugglers. Also starring Stanley Tucci, Alan Cumming, RuPaul and Shaquille O'Neal. You'ld be forgiven for drawing similarities with 'Turner & Hooch' or 'K-9' already!

'BACK TO BURGUNDY' (Rated M) - this French foreign language drama film is Directed and Co-Written by Cedric Klapisch, was released just over a year ago in its native France, and only now does it get a limited showing in Australia. The film costs just over US$9M to make, and it has so far made just a tad over US$9M, garnering mixed or average Reviews along the way. The story here tells of three siblings who are reunited for the first time in a very long time at their family home in the picture perfect environs of Burgundy, France to save the family vineyard. Jean (Pio Marmai), is the black sheep of the family who unexpectedly returns home from a decade abroad in Australia to reconnect with his hospitalised father. He is welcomed by his sister, the tough and uncompromising Juliette (Ana Girardot), who took over the task of managing the vineyard after their father became ill. And then there is Jeremie (Francois Civil), the youngest of the three who has recently married into one of the region’s more prestigious wine families, and is expected, in time, to take the reins there. Their father dies shortly after Jean’s return, leaving them with the estate and a huge inheritance tax bill that they can ill afford. As a year goes by, Jean, Juliette, and Jeremie must learn to reinvent their relationship and build trust and gain confidence in each other as they toil to safeguard the 'terroir' that inextricably binds them together. Eric Caravaca plays the father who we see throughout the film in flashback.

With four new release films out 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-