With a Big Mac coming to a big screen near you this week you may well ask 'would you like fries with that?' and the answer would have to be a resounding yes! The film, 'The Founder' charts the early days story of how McDonald's turned into a global giant in the fast food restaurant business ultimately serving 68 million customers every single day across some 36,600 outlets located in 119 countries around the world. From its very humble beginnings as a barbecue restaurant located in San Bernardino, California in 1940 founded by Richard and Maurice McDonald, the business changed to a hamburger model in 1948 using a production line methodology known as the 'Speedee Service System'. The first franchised McDonald's operation opened in Phoenix, Arizona in 1953, and Ray Kroc joined the company as a franchising agent in 1955, and in April of that year Kroc opened the ninth franchised restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. In 1961 the 'McDonalds' trademark was applied for, with the double arched 'M' symbol trademark logo being applied for later that year. In 1961 too, Ray Kroc acquired the McDonald's brothers equity in the business that ultimately led to the worldwide expansion, and the brothers ultimately left the restaurant game. The McDonald's business model is one of real estate investment (owning all of its property valued at some US$16B), an owner operator of restaurants (some 6,000 are wholly owned and operated by the corporation) and a franchiser of restaurants (some 30,500 are franchised operations). Ray Kroc stood down as CEO of the company in 1974 and he bought the San Diego Padres baseball team to keep himself amused. He died of heart failure in early January 1984 aged 81. By 1993 McDonald's had sold over one hundred billion burgers globally, and by 2012 McDonald's was the worlds second largest private employer of labour.Now that I've whet your appetite, this week there are just three new movies coming to an Odeon near you. First up is a biographical drama recounting the early story of one of the most recognised brands on Earth, and how it came to be by the art of duplication, and asking 'do you want fries with that?' Then there is a modern day wartime tale of perception versus reality as returning soldiers are paraded as gun toting heroes in front of an audience of millions who won't let the truth get in the way of a good story. And then we wrap up with the first Christmas themed offering of the festive season and this sequel to its 2003 predecessor that puts Santa in a different light completely.
Remember that you are cordially invited to record your Comments below this or any other Post when you have seen your film of choice in the week ahead by sharing your views and opinions - be they good, bad or ugly - with your like minded cinema dwelling friends here at this Blog. Until then, enjoy your movie.
'THE FOUNDER' (Rated M) - Rated M for McDonald's, this is the biographical story of the founder of that global giant fast food retailer and real estate owner McDonald's and its founding father Ray Kroc. Directed by John Lee Hancock, Written by Robert Siegel, Co-Produced by Jeremy Renner and made for just US$7M this tells the story of how Ray Kroc was a travelling salesman back in the early '50's flogging a multi-mixer when he came across a small chain of burger joints owned and operated by Dick and Mac McDonald, who had purchased six of his multi-mixers.
In 1954 the McDonald brothers were looking for a new franchising agent and Kroc offered his services, seeing the potential in the quick service restaurant opportunity to potentially explode across the US. With Kroc wanting to expand rapidly through structured franchising the brothers were less keen, satisfied with a small manageable business yielding a steady but sufficient income. In 1961, out of frustration with the brothers wishes to remain small, Kroc bought the company for US$2.7M plus an annual royalty of 1.9%. And the rest as they say is history, with McDonald's growing into one of the worlds most recognisable brands, with a presence just about everywhere. At the time of Kroc's death in 1984 at the age of 81, McDonald's operated 7,500 outlets in the US alone, were present in 31 countries and turned over back then US$8B a year. Featuring Laura Dern as Kroc's first wife Ethel Fleming, and Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch as Dick and Mac McDonald respectively. The film opens in the US on 16th December.
'BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK' (Rated MA15+) - based on the 2012 book of the same name by Ben Fountain, and Directed and Co-Produced by multi-award wining Ang Lee, this Iraq war drama was made for US$40M, is released in the US earlier this month and in the UK in early January, and has so far recovered US$24M. Starring in his feature film debut English Actor Joe Alwyn as US Army Specialist Billy Lynn, a 19 year old, who after a harrowing battle is brought home temporarily for a victory tour with his fellow soldiers from Bravo Squad in a well executed PR exercise for the US military. The tour culminates at the half-time show of the Dallas Cowboys during the Thanksgiving Day home game, where the Squad are hailed as national heroes. Through flashbacks recounting the realities of that intense battle and fierce firefight we learn that those realities were far different from what the US public were led to believe in the media and how those perceptions are in stark contrast to the tragic consequences suffered by so many young men in the Iraq War. Also starring Kristen Stewart, Chris Tucker, Steve Martin, Vin Diesel, Garrett Hedlund and Tim Blake Nelson. For this film Lee used an unprecedented shooting and projection rate of 120 frames per second in 3D at 4K High Definition resolution, which is the first feature film in history to use such a high frame rate (24 fps is most commonly used). Lee stated that he wanted the film to be an 'immersive' and 'realistic' experience for the viewer into the emotion and realities of the soldiers journey. You can decide if it works for you, or not!
'BAD SANTA 2' (Rated M) - it has taken thirteen years to bring this sequel to our Christmas stockings, with the first offering released in 2003 as Directed by Terry Zwigoff, returning US$77M from its US$23M budget outlay and starring Billy Bob Thornton as the sex addicted alcoholic Bad Santa thief in question. It seems that Billy Bob Thornton has been wanting to make this sequel since 2009, and now seven years later, just in time for Christmas here it is, with Mark Waters this time on Directing duty. Returning at Willie Soke (Thornton) in his liquored up angry state, he teams up with equally angry offsider Marcus Skidmore (Tony Cox) to rob a Chicago Charity on Christmas Eve. Coming along for the ride is Thurman Merman (Brett Kelly) - the chubby but cheerful glimmer of hope in Willie's miserable life. When Willie's mother - the domineering, tough no nonsense Sunny Soke (Kathy Bates) gets involved too all sorts of issues arise including upping the stakes on the gangs aspirations, but sinking to all manner of criminal depths to get there. Willie is further challenged by the Charity Director Diane (Christina Hendricks) whom he instantly falls for, but gets more than he bargained for.Three films to choose from then this coming week, plus an array of other great cinema content out on general release as Previewed and Reviewed between these pages. Remember to share your views with us all here at Odeon Online when you have sat through your film of choice, and in the meantime, I'll see you sometime over the coming week at your local Odeon.
-Steve, at Odeon Online-