What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 2nd February 2017.

Moving right along with the film and television awards season this year, Sunday evening 29th January saw the announcements of the 23rd annual edition of the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Held at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California during a two-hour ceremony, Awards in six film and nine television categories were given. Unlike other awards shows like the Oscars and Golden Globes, this one does not have a host, which helps it move along more swiftly. From the world of film the winners and grinners were :

* Outstanding performance by a Male Actor in a Lead Role : Denzel Washington for 'FENCES' (released in Australia on 9th February)
* Outstanding performance by an Female Actor in a Lead Role : Emma Stone for 'LA LA LAND'
* Outstanding performance by an Male Actor in a Support Role : Mahershala Ali for 'MOONLIGHT'
* Outstanding performance by a Female Actor in a Support Role : Viola Davis for 'FENCES' (released in Australia on 9th February)
* Outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture : 'HIDDEN FIGURES' (released in Australia on 16th February)
* Outstanding action performance by a cast in a motion picture : 'HACKSAW RIDGE'
* The Lifetime Achievement Award : Lily Tomlin.

This week there are just three new filmic offerings coming your way that start off with a critically acclaimed film of grief, loss and suffering as old wounds are re-opened in this small coastal community. We then turn to a real life and very recent terror attack staged during a community event and the aftermath as the antagonists were brought to account and that affected community came together again, stronger, united and more resilient than ever. We then wrap up with an '80's era tale of geologists, gold and greed as a down on his luck prospector hits pay dirt in the jungles of Borneo and has to fend off the power brokers in the jungles of Wall Street.

As is generally the way, when you have sat through your movie of choice in the week ahead, you are cordially invited to leave your own summary of your movie going observations, thoughts and opinions by posting your relevant, pertinent and brief Comment below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your film, wherever you might be.

'MANCHESTER BY THE SEA' (Rated MA15+) - Written and Directed by Kenneth Lonergan, Co-Produced by Matt Damon and Starring Casey Affleck in an award winning turn, this feature costing just US$8.5M to make has gained universal acclaim, brought in over US$43M since its World Premier at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2016 and subsequent tour around the festival circuit before its release Stateside at the end of November last year. The film has been nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and three Best Actor nods for its three lead players (Affleck, Williams and Hedges), plus six BAFTA's nominations. Casey Affleck won the Best Actor Golden Globe for his lead performance, and it has accumulated a further 93 wins and 194 nominations, with the Oscar and BAFTA winners & grinners yet to be announced of course. Manchester-by-the-Sea is a real place by the way, located in Cape Ann, Essex County, Massachusetts with a population of just over five thousand and just 40kms northeast of Boston.

In a career defining performance the film centres around Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) who works as a janitor in an apartment block in Boston. He's quiet, reserved, goes about his business by day and picks fights in bars by night. One day he receives a phone call from a family friend advising that brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) has suffered a heart attack. Before Lee can get to the hospital, Joe dies. Lee then travels to his home town of Manchester-by-the Sea to give the news of Joe's passing to his sixteen year old son Patrick (Lucas Hedges). In returning to Manchester however, Lee must face the memories of an even greater loss that threaten to re-open even greater wounds of a personal tragedy that he thought were behind him, and in so doing might just tip him over the edge forever. Michelle Williams also stars as Randi - Lee's former now re-married wife. Masterfully Directed, gracefully acted this is a film of sadness, loss, grief, self-loathing and suffering and how it impacts everyday folk in a small seaside community.

'PATRIOTS DAY' (Rated M) - this film is another real life dramatic thriller Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Peter Berg who also brought us last years 'Deepwater Horizon' which also starred, like this offering, his go to actor for playing the ordinary everyman caught up in extraordinary circumstances - Mark Wahlberg. Based on the book 'Boston Strong' by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge this tells the story of the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing. Costing US$45M to make the film has so far recovered US$32M since its US release at Christmas time. April 2013, and during the annual Boston Marathon two bombs are detonated in the crowd of onlookers causing widespread chaos and panic. In the aftermath of the attack Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg), Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman) and FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon) join forces with survivors, other investigators and those first on the scene for the manhunt to bring the perpetrators to justice before they strike again. Also starring J.K.Simmons as Police Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese, and Michelle Monaghan as Carol Saunders. The film has garnered generally positive Reviews.

'GOLD' (Rated M) - Directed and Co-Written by Stephen Gaghan, Co-Produced and starring Matthew McConaughey, and a strong supporting cast, this film had a limited release in the US on  December 30th before its wider release this week. Set in the 1980's, down on his luck and desperate prospector Kenny Wells (Matthew McConaughey) teams up with geologist Michael Acosta (Edgar Ramirez) to search for a hidden seam of gold deep within the Indonesian jungle of Borneo. They eventually hit gold, and the biggest strike of the decade that seems easy work compared to keeping hold of their new found wealth when the Wall Street power brokers begin to circle wanting a piece of the action. Also starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll, Toby Kebbell, Bruce Greenwood, Stacy Keach, Craig T. Nelson and Rachel Taylor. McConaughey for his role transformed himself once again with a pot belly, balding comb over and crooked teeth - a sight to behold . . . let's hope it's not 'Fool's Gold'!

With three big pictures to tempt you out on a hot Summer day or night sometime in the week ahead, together with those still doing the rounds and out on general release as Reviewed and Previewed between these humble pages in previous weeks, you really don't need any excuse! Get amongst it at your local multiplex, and I'll see you sometime, somewhere in the coming week, at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 26th January 2017.

Continuing with the Awards Season updates, the 43rd Annual People's Choice Awards were held at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on 18th January 2017, recognising the people and their work in popular culture as voted by the general public. In the film category (there are also music, television and digital categories amounting to a total 65 awards handed out on the night) there are sixteen awards given as highlighted below. The ceremony was hosted by Actor, Comedian, Writer, Producer and Television Personality Joel McHale.

* Favourite Movie and Favourite Family Movie : 'FINDING DORY'
* Favourite Thriller Movie : 'THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN'
* Favourite Drama Movie : 'ME BEFORE YOU'
* Favourite Action Movie : 'DEADPOOL'
* Favourite Comedy Movie : 'BAD MOMS'
* Favourite Movie Actor : Ryan Reynolds
* Favourite Movie Actress : Jennifer Lawrence
* Favourite Action Movie Actor : Robert Downey Jnr.
* Favourite Action Movie Actress : Margot Robbie
* Favourite Dramatic Movie Actor : Tom Hanks
* Favourite Dramatic Movie Actress : Blake Lively
* Favourite Comedy Movie Actor : Kevin Hart
* Favourite Comedy Movie Actress : Melissa McCarthy
* Favourite Animated Movie Voice : Ellen DeGeneres for 'FINDING DORY'
* Favourite Movie Icon : Johnny Depp

This week there are four new offerings coming to your local multiplex or independent theatre. We start off with a prohibition era gangster film charting one mans rise to the top of the heap as seen through the lens of this Actor who also Writes and Directs in this his fourth feature behind the camera. We then move to a hugely acclaimed coming of age drama charting the life of one lad from young boyhood to manhood and his sexual awakenings and the drug scene that makes him what he is. Next up is an intense psychological thriller of multiple split personalities and the kidnapping of three girls as Directed by the master of suspense and surprises, and a career defining performance from the lead Actor, before wrapping up with the sixth instalment in a huge video game adapted film franchise that features the undead, mutant monsters and an evil corporation hell bent on wiping out civilisation as we know it.

As always you are cordially invited to share your movie going insights, observations and opinions with your like minded Cinephiles here at Odeon Online by leaving your relevant, constructive and pertinent Comment below this or any other Post. Meanwhile, enjoy your film in the week ahead.

'LIVE BY NIGHT' (Rated MA15+) - acclaimed Actor, Producer, Screenwriter and Director Ben Affleck is back with his fourth Directorial offering after 2007's 'Gone Baby Gone', 2010's 'The Town' and 2012's 'Argo', but with this 1920's era gangster offering based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane he has so far garnered his most lacklustre Director reviews. With Affleck Directing and starring as well taking the script credit and a Co-Producer credit alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, featuring a strong cast and a budget of US$65M the film has grossed just US$16M since its US release at Christmas. Perhaps timing is everything given the time of the year the film is released, what it is up against at the Box Office and the awards seasons focusing attention on more critically acclaimed fare. All that said, there are positives to be had, including strong visuals, an impressive cast and an entertainment factor - just not in the same league as Affleck's other three award winning feature films.

Set in Prohibition era Boston initially where Joe Coughlin (Ben Affleck) has been raised by his father Thomas Coughlin (Brendan Gleeson) the head of the Boston Police Department. When Joe falls in love with Emma Gould (Sienna Miller), the mistress of Albert White (Robert Glenister) who is the figurehead of the Irish Gang of Boston, the rival Italian Mafia Boss blackmails Joe to kill White. When he refuses he flees to California with Emma and along the way commits a daring bank robbery in which three policemen are killed. When Joe is imprisoned on a lesser charge he falls into the clutches of the Mafia Boss and is sent to Tampa, Florida to protect the interests of his rum production empire. Joe himself starts to rise to (underworld) prominence by investing in clubs and casino's but is targeted by the Ku Klux Klan starting an all out war for dominance, but where and how will it all end? Also starring Chris Cooper, Elle Fanning and Zoe Saldana.

'MOONLIGHT' (Rated M) - Written for the screen and Directed by Barry Jenkins based on the play 'In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue' by Tarell Alvin McCraney, this film has gained universal acclaim since its release Stateside in October last year, has made US$16M from its US$5M budget outlay and has garnered an impressive 140 award wins and another 222 nominations including The Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture plus five other nominations, four BAFTA nominations with winners yet to be announced and the yet to be released Academy Award hopefuls. Telling the coming of age story in three distinct chapters, we here chart the life of young Chiron (Alex Hibbert) known as 'Little' because of his meek and mild personality and stature. He lives with his abusive drug addicted mother Paula (Naomi Harris) in Miami whom he hates. In the second chapter Chiron is now a teenager played by Ashton Sanders. Here Chiron has his first sexual encounter, and gets arrested as a result of being the victim of an initiation ritual. In the final chapter Chiron now known as 'Black' (played by Trevante Rhodes) is a drug dealer in Atlanta. Grappling with himself across three defining segments in his life, this films charts the pain and torment of growing up, the pleasure and beauty of love and the consequences of your actions on your own life and those around you. Disturbing, heartbreaking, personal, tender and insightful this is a grounded drama that should be on your must see list.

'SPLIT' (Rated M) - Written, Co-Produced and Directed by M. Night Shyamalan this is described as a psychological horror film, but for me it's fits more in the thriller domain and certainly is edge of the seat stuff as the story progresses. The film costs US$10M to make and represents a return to form for the Writer/Director following 2015's successful found footage horror offering 'The Visit' which cost just US$5M and returned US$99M and was well received by Critics. The film kicks off in a fast food restaurant where a bunch of teenage girls are wrapping up celebrating a birthday party. Claire (Haley Lu Richardson) and Marcia (Jessica Sula) are wanting to go home with Dad who refuses to leave outsider Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy) alone without a lift home. A few moments pass, and in the car park and into the drivers seat gets a stranger that none of the girls have seen before. Before you know it he sprays a chemical into each of the girls faces that instantly renders them unconscious. Dad is nowhere to be seen. The unknown captor drives off with the three girls. The character at the heart of the film is Kevin Wendell Crumb suffering from dissociative identity disorder whereby he frequently exhibits the personality traits of any one of 23 alternate personalities (all of them played out expertly by James McAvoy). As these characters manifest themselves they can be dangerous, monstrous, creepy, funny, harmless, young, old, male, female. What unfolds as these alternate personalities spring forth is the emergence of an all powerful, dominant, almost superhuman 24th personality known only as 'The Beast' which Kevin's analyst, Dr. Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley), can only begin to understand, and whilst the three held captive girls attempt to escape their captor. I caught an early viewing of this film a week before its Australian release, so check out my full Review posted on 20th January if you want more.

'RESIDENT EVIL : THE FINAL CHAPTER' (Rated MA15+) - this film sees the sixth instalment in the Sci-Fi action horror series that began its big screen life back in 2002 having been adapted for the screen from the popular video game of the same name. Back then Paul W.S. Anderson was hired to Write and Direct - a role he stuck with four of the films including the last three as Director, as Writer on all six and as Co-Producer on all six too. Milla Jovovich has played Alice, the #1 kick-ass leather clad protagonist in all six films fighting against the Umbrella Corporation, the main antagonist in the series - a bioengineering pharmaceutical company that creates bioweapons. Umbrella was responsible for the zombie apocalypse, which occurred after the corporation's T-virus infected the Earth's population. The first five films cost a combined US$250M to make, and so far those films have returned US$916M with 'The Final Chapter' earning so far US$35M since its release in Japan at Christmas. The film is released in the US on 27th January. Here the story takes place three weeks after the events closed out 'Resident Evil : Retribution' that sees Alice return to Raccoon City where it all began and where Umbrella Corporation are gathering forces and readying themselves for the final attack on the remaining survivors of the apocalypse. As Alice joins forces with some old allies and friends you can bet it will be a bloody brutal battle against marauding hordes of the undead and pesky mutant monster types. The films also stars Ruby Rose, Iain Glen, Ali Larter and Shawn Roberts.

For films aimed squarely at the late-teen market and above this week, but offering the undead, unhinged split personalities, prohibition gangsters, and one mans coming of age story with the back drop of the War on Drugs. What's not to like here? Get yourself out to a movie theatre in the week ahead and catch a film of choice as Previewed here, or as Reviewed previously. In the meantime, I'll see you in the coming week sometime, somewhere at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 19th January 2017.

Last week I reported on the recent Golden Globe Awards that were held on 8th January. Two days before that however, on 6th January at the historic Avalon nightclub in Hollywood, the 6th International AACTA Awards (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) were held. These awards, which follow up Decembers Australian only awards, recognise international film achievement regardless of country or origin, in seven distinct categories. Hosted by Australian Actor Daniel MacPherson, and kicking off 2017's awards season, the star studded event played out with the eventual winners and grinners from those nominated a month earlier, being as follows :-

* Best Film : 'LA LA LAND',
* Best Direction : MEL GIBSON for 'Hacksaw Ridge',
* Best Actor : CASEY AFFLECK for 'Manchester By The Sea' (released in Australia on 2nd February).
* Best Actress : EMMA STONE for 'La La Land',
* Best Supporting Actor : DEV PATEL for 'Lion' (released in Australia today, see below),
* Best Supporting Actress : NICOLE KIDMAN for 'Lion' (released in Australia today, see below),
* Best Screenplay : KENNETH LONERGAN for 'Manchester By The Sea' (released in Australia on 2nd February).

Turning attention to this weeks latest release films, we have just two to tease you out on a hot Summer's day or night with some air conditioned relief in a cinema of your choosing. We launch with the third instalment in this high octane extreme adventure franchise that sees a heavily tattooed thrill seeking rogue athletic dude come back to life and save the planet from a potential weapon of worldwide destruction and a few crooked governments along the way. Hold on tight! Then we slow down the pace somewhat about the true story of one man's journey to trace his real family back in India from the comfort, security and love of his adopted Australian home. Take your Kleenex!

As always, your thoughts, opinions and observations are welcomed by your fellow readers here at Odeon Online so feel free to record a relevant, pertinent and unbiased Comment below this or any other Post when you have sat through your film of choice in the week ahead. We look forward to hearing from you, and in the interim, enjoy your movie going experience.

'xXx : THE RETURN OF XANDER CAGE' (Rated M) - the 'xXx' franchise of films is hardly going to go down in history as the most successful, most groundbreaking, most acclaimed series of action movies to grace our screens, having grossed just $349M from the first two instalments off the back of a US$157M combined production budget. The 2002 launch film 'xXx' starred Vin Diesel as our thrill seeking extreme sports stuntman and rebel athlete Xander Cage who becomes a reluctant spy for the National Security Agency tasked with hunting down a bunch of bad-ass Ruskies. That film was Directed by Rob Cohen and grossed US$275M from its US$70M budget and received generally favourable reviews. The 2005 follow up however, was another story completely. Directed by Lee Tamahori for US$87M 'xXx : The State of the Union' starred this time around Ice Cube as XXX Agent Darius Stone, as Diesel had a scheduling conflict with another movie he was committed to at the time. That film grossed just US$71M and was received poorly by critics. Now in 2017 Xander Cage is back even though he was killed off to explain his absence from the second film. Going back as far 2006 Diesel stated that he would return as our titular hero with a look and feel more in keeping with his successful first instalment. It's taken eleven years to bring that dream to our cinemas and here we have it, and there is talk already of Diesel reprising his role for a fourth film which could into production as early as mid-year this year.

This time Directed by D.J.Caruso, Co-Produced by Vin Diesel and seeing a return to form as the risen from the dead Xander Cage, our extreme athlete comes out of self imposed exile recruited by the CIA to track down a weapon which can control all of the worlds military satellites. Known as Pandora's Box, in the hands of one Xiang (Donnie Yen), this weapon could have dire consequences on the world as we know it. And so Xander Cage recruits a crack team of like minded thrill seekers all with a particular set of skills to aid him in his quest to bring down Xiang. Conspiracy and corruption will ensue as Cage and his cohorts get wrapped up in it at the highest levels of world governments, including their own. Seeing Samuel L. Jackson return for the third time to the franchise as NSA Agent Augustus Eugene Gibbons, with Toni Collette, Ruby Rose and Tony Jaa amongst others you can be sure of high octane action, mind boggling stunts, explosive set pieces and a thumping sound track, with Cage looking positively 'dope' in the process!

'LION' (Rated PG) - this drama film Directed by first time Garth Davis is based on the autobiographical book 'A Long Way Home' by Saroo Brierley and tell the story of his life as played out by Sunny Pawar as the young Saroo back home in India, and Dev Patel as the older Saroo at home in Australia. Already highly acclaimed by critics the world over, the film was made for just US$12M and has so far grossed US$19M plus twenty award wins and a further 62 nominations including the yet to be announced winners for this years BAFTA's, as well as this years yet to be released Academy Award nominee announcements. The story here centres around five year old Saroo who unwittingly boards a train for Calcutta and gets off 1600 kilometres from home, in a strange land and ends up in an orphanage. Some time later he learns that he had been adopted by Sue and John Brierley (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham respectively) in Tasmania, Australia. Fast track two decades and Saroo moves to Melbourne to study hospitality management, and falls in with a group who persuade him to track down his real family back in India using Google Earth. This is his story. Take a box of tissues for this weepie tale of loss, hope, belonging and identity.

With just two new filmic offerings coming to a big screen near you each giving us something different, together with those still out on general release, you have ample opportunity to catch a movie of choice in the run up to the end of the (Australian) school summer holidays. Then, share your thoughts with us here. In the meantime, I'll see you somewhere, sometime in the week ahead at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 12th January 2017.

And hot of the press and kicking off Awards Season, comes the news of this years Golden Globe winners and grinners. Presented for the 74th year on Sunday evening 8th January at the Beverly Hilton Hotel, in Beverly Hills and hosted by Actor and Television Talk Show Host, Jimmy Fallon, the full force of Hollywood's glitterati and glamourati were out parading the red carpet in the lead up to the mind numbing sleep inducing three hour awards ceremony. 'La La Land' made Golden Globe history by winning an unprecedented seven awards - all those it was nominated for.

The winners in the film category are as given below :
* Best film - Drama : 'MOONLIGHT' (released in Australia on 26th January),
* Best film - Musical or Comedy : 'LA LA LAND',
* Best Animated Film : 'ZOOTOPIA',
* Best Foreign Language Film : 'ELLE',
* Best Actor Performance - Drama : CASEY AFFLECK for 'Manchester by the Sea' (released in Australia on 2nd February),
* Best Actress Performance - Drama : ISABELLE HUPERT for 'Elle',
* Best Actor Performance - Musical or Comedy : RYAN GOSLING for 'La La Land',
* Best Actress Performance - Musical or Comedy : EMMA STONE for 'La La Land',
* Best Supporting Actor Performance : AARON TAYLOR-JOHNSON for 'Nocturnal Animals',
* Best Supporting Actress Performance : VIOLA DAVIS for 'Fences' (released in Australia on 9th February),
* Best Director : DAMIEN CHAZELLE for 'La La Land',
* Best Screenplay : DAMIEN CHAZELLE for 'La La Land',
* Best Music Score : JUSTIN HERWITZ for 'La La Land',
* Best Original Song : 'CITY OF STARS' for 'La La Land',
* The Cecil B. DeMille Lifetime Achievement Award - MERYL STREEP.

And so to this weeks latest release films coming to your neighbourhood cinema. We kick off with a biographical drama of America's First Lady following the traumatic and dramatic events that rocked the world in November 1963. We then lurch into a weepie drama of love, time and death featuring an ensemble gathering brought in to rescue a damaged man from himself, before centering on three kid friendly films for the tail end of the school holidays with a middle school adventure of one lads determination to break every rule in the school book, followed by a senior school lad who builds mega trucks powered by some otherworldly friendly speed freak beings (not the 'Transformers' kind either!), before closing with a delightful animated feature set in 1880's Paris and one girls dream to escape the shackles of an orphanage by dancing her way to fame and fortune.

As always, be reminded to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations when you have sat through your film of choice in the week ahead, by leaving a constructive and relevant Comment below this or any other Post. With five films out this week, and a whole raft of other great cinema content still doing the rounds and as Reviewed and Previewed here in previous weeks, you have every reason to get out to your local movie theatre and catch a film of choice. Enjoy your movie. in the meantime.

'JACKIE' (Rated MA15+) - this biographical drama film follows the week or so immediately following the assassination of President John. F. Kennedy in late 1963 through the eyes of his wife Jackie Kennedy as played here to much critical acclaim by Natalie Portman in a career defining role. Directed by Pablo Larrain the film Premiered at the Venice International Film Festival in early September where it was in competition for the Golden Lion, and went on a very limited US release from early December, with a wider release to coincide with its international release. Made for US$9M it has so far recovered that investment, and Natalie Portman was nominated for a Golden Globe for her performance. So far the film has garnered 29 award wins and a further 98 nominations.

Following her husband's assassination at which she is present in the back of the car beside President John F. Kennedy while driving in the cavalcade in Dallas, Texas on that fateful day in November 1963, wife Jacqueline Kennedy is heavily traumatised and shattered as her world comes crashing in around her in a split second as shots ring out fired by Lee Harvey Oswald. In the days that follow and reeling from grief and the sudden loss she must come to terms with, Jackie must console her two young children, plan her husbands state funeral in a manner befitting the stature of the great man and reconcile herself with vacating the White House that she had so painstakingly and lovingly restored, and which she had expected to inhabit for a few more years yet . . . and happily. All the while, she strives to fully determine how history will define the legacy that JFK left behind, and how she too will be remembered as America's First Lady of a truly beloved assassinated President. Also starring Peter Sarsgaard as Robert Kennedy, Greta Gerwig, Richard E. Grant, John Hurt and Billy Crudup.

'COLLATERAL BEAUTY' (Rated M) - Directed by David Frankel whose previous credits include 'The Devil Wears Prada', 'Marley & Me' and 'Hope Springs', made for US$36M and so far making US$60M and starring an ensemble cast, you would be mistaken for thinking this was going to be a sure fire hit - but, this tear jerking drama has been critically panned. Starring Will Smith as Howard - a brilliant, creative charismatic advertising executive who suffers the incomprehensible loss of his young daughter, and so retreats within himself shutting out the world almost to the point of suicide. He believes that humans are motivated by three things - Love, Time and Death (we long for love, we wish we had more time, and we fear death!). And so in his isolation, and to gain some solace in his now shattered world he begins writing letters to Love, Time and Death. While his friends and concerned work colleagues try to reach out to him, he begins receiving personal responses to his letters, and then Love, Time and Death manifest themselves to him in human form. Little does he know that Love, Time and Death are portrayed by three struggling Actors (Keira Knightley as Love, Jacob Lattimore as Time and Helen Mirren as Death) hired by his concerned work colleagues Michael Pena, Edward Norton, Naomi Harris and Kate Winslet. In time he begins to see that even in the most tragic of circumstances, there can emerge meaning, beauty and redemption.

'MIDDLE SCHOOL : THE WORST YEARS OF MY LIFE' (Rated PG) - this family comedy offering from Director Steve Carr was released in the US in early October and is already out on DVD and BluRay over there. It was made for US$9M, has so far grossed US$21M and is based on the book of the same name from 2011 by James Patterson and Chris Tebbetts. The premise here is that quiet and imaginative teenager Rafe Khatchadorian (Griffin Gluck) is done with his new school's regime of strict rules compliance at the expense of creativity and freedom. Desperate to shake things up and rid the school of the burden of rules, rules and more rules, Rafe and his new friend Leo (Thomas Barbusca) decide to break every rule in the school book by concocting a cunning plan and letting their fellow school kids run riot. In the meantime tyrannical Principal Ken Dwight (Andy Daly) is hot on their heels trying to restore law and order to the school campus and deal with the miscreants, while Rafe is chasing the affections of Jeanne Galletta (Isabelle Moner), and battle a gang of school bullies.

'MONSTER TRUCKS' (Rated PG) - this is a family oriented live action combined with computer generated action comedy that is Directed by Chris Wedge, cost US$125M to bring to the big screen and has so far grossed just US$9M and a whole lot of largely negative reviews. The story here surrounds Tripp Coley (Lucas Till) who is a high school senior student looking at a way of beating his hum drum lifestyle and getting the hell outta Dodge for a life less ordinary. He builds monster trucks using redundant car parts, scrap metal and all manner of automotive bits and pieces he can cobble together. One day however, following an accident at a local oil drilling rig, a strange alien like creature is displaced from underground. It seems that this creature which Coley names Creech, has a penchant for speed and a talent to match, and from here on in the two form an unlikely friendship, that might just be their ticket outta Dodge and their one way ride to fame and fortune. Also starring Rob Lowe, Danny Glover, Barry Pepper, Jane Levy and Amy Ryan.

'BALLERINA' (Rated G) - this French/Canadian Co-Production is a computer animated musical fantasy adventure story Directed by Eric Summer and Eric Warin at a cost of US$30M and so far it has recovered US$19M since its release in France and Canada before Christmas and ahead of its US release on 3rd March under the title of 'Leap'. Telling the story of Felicie (Elle Fanning) who back in 1880's Brittany has dreams of escaping the orphanage where she lives and becoming a Ballerina in Paris. She runs away to Paris with her young friend and budding inventor, Victor (Dane DeHaan) but they become separated. Winding up at the acclaimed school of the Paris Opera Ballet she finds the harsh training regime and fitting in with more gifted young dancers challenging. But not to be out done she finds a gifted mentor willing to give her time and patience, Odette (Carly Rae Jepsen) a former prima ballerina who takes the young  Felicie under her wing and in to her tutelage. With the courage of her convictions and desperately wanting to turn her dreams into reality, she works hard to be successful in her audition for the forthcoming production of 'The Nutcracker'. The film has garnered solid reviews so far for its engaging story and quality animation.

With five new release films coming to a big screen near you this week ahead, remember to share your views and opinions of your movie going experience with us all here at Odeon Online, or any of those others doing the rounds and still out on general release. In the meantime, I'll see you somewhere, sometime in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 5th January 2017.

The coming of age genre has been around for many decades and still endures to this day, as evidenced by the release this week of 'The Edge of Seventeen' as Previewed below. Often seen as a launchpad for young aspiring often teenage acting talent (think James Dean, Dustin Hoffman, Harrison Ford, Matthew Broderick, Jonah Hill, John Cusack, James Spader, Matt Damon, Tom Cruise, Molly Ringwood, Winona Ryder et al), the coming of age film fuelled by love, sex, heartbreak, insecurity, anxiety, violence and all the rites of passage associated with the lurch into adulthood, has found a lasting place in our hearts and minds, and still draws a crowd at the Box Office. I've listed a handful of some of my personal favourites from over the years, that you might like to revisit, and of course there are a whole lot more besides :-
* 'Rebel Without a Cause' (1955) - James Dean
* 'The Graduate' (1967) - Dustin Hoffman
* 'American Graffiti' (1973) - Harrison Ford
* 'Carrie' (1976) - Sissy Spacek
* 'Sixteen Candles' (1984) - Molly Ringwald
* 'The Breakfast Club' (1985) - Emilio Estevez
* 'The Goonies' (1985) - Josh Brolin
* 'Ferris Bueller's Day Off' (1986) - Matthew Broderick
* 'Pretty In Pink' (1986) - James Spader
* 'Stand By Me' (1986) - Keifer Sutherland
* 'Dead Poet's Society' (1989) - Ethan Hawke
* 'Dazed and Confused' (1993) - Matthew McConaughey
* 'American Pie' (1999) - Jason Biggs
* 'Donnie Darko' (2001) - Jake Gyllenhaal
* 'Superbad' (2007) - Jonah Hill
* 'Boyhood' (2014) - Ellar Coltrane
* 'The Hunt for the Wilderpeople' (2016) - Julian Dennison

This week, there are three new release movies to catch at your local independent cinema or multiplex.  Kicking off with a Directorial debut with a coming of age story of a girl ill at ease with her image, her  life, her friends and all the teenage angst we have seen before but dealt with in a more mature, respectful and meaningful way than many similar genre films of this type. We next go to a documentary offering about the power of music and the force this can have in bringing people together across cultural divides, geographical borders and provide hope and inspiration for our future. We then wrap up with a Chinese action comedy featuring a very well known action star in this war time romp about a rag tag band of freedom fighters going up against the might of the Japanese army.

As always when you have sat through any of these, or those others still out on general release and doing the rounds as Reviewed and Previewed previously between these Blog pages, you are hereby cordially invited to share your constructive, relevant and pertinent thoughts and observations by leaving  a Comment below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and meanwhile, enjoy your movie.

'THE EDGE OF SEVENTEEN' (Rated M) - Written, Co-Produced and Directed by Kelly Fremon Craig, this coming of age dramedy story Premiered at the TIFF in mid-September and was released in the US in mid-November. Costing US$9M to make, it has so far taken US$15M at the Box Office and has garnered much critical applause for its sharp script and the performance of its lead Actress, Hailee Steinfeld. It has also picked up four award wins and another thirteen nominations, including a 2017 Golden Globe nod for Hailee Steinfeld.

Life's tough and often unfair, and even tougher if you're a teenage girl and nobody understands you, and you have just one parent because your loving Dad died a few years back and your only true friend in the world has started dating your brother and now you feel all alone in the world with no one to talk to and you think you're socially inept. Oh woe! The teenager in question is just seventeen Nadine Franklin (played by twenty year old Hailee Steinfeld), who lives with mother Mona (Kyra Sedgwick), and older brother Darian (Blake Jenner), who gets it on with Nadine's only friend Krista (Haley Lu Richardson), angering Nadine. These events and more, lead Nadine to tell her history teacher Mr. Bruner (Woody Harrelson) that she is going to kill herself, and through flashback we see the events unfold that bring us to this conversation in the classroom. Despite her feelings of being hard done by, unloved, disliked, awkward and all the usual touchstones of being a teenager, this film deals with them in a mature respectful adult way without relying on all the usual genre cliches, and for this reason this a film and a Director to watch.

'THE MUSIC OF STRANGERS' (Rated M) - The website that accompanies the release of the documentary film states that over the past 16 years, an extraordinary group of musicians has come together to celebrate the universal power of music. Named from the ancient trade route linking Asia, Africa and Europe, The Silk Road Ensemble, an international collective created by acclaimed cellist Yo-Yo Ma, exemplifies music’s ability to blur geographical boundaries, blend disparate cultures and inspire hope for both artists and audiences. The film follows an ever-changing lineup of performers drawn from the ensemble’s more than fifty instrumentalists, vocalists, composers, arrangers, visual artists and storytellers as they gather in locations across the world, exploring the ways that art has the power to preserve traditions and shape cultural evolution. Blending performance footage, personal interviews and archival film, Director Morgan Neville and Producer Caitrin Rogers focus on the journeys of a small group of Silk Road Ensemble mainstays from across the globe to create an intensely personal chronicle of passion, talent and sacrifice. Through these moving individual stories, the filmmakers paint a vivid portrait of a bold musical experiment and a global search for the ties that bind. This enlightening film about the force of music across cultural divides has been generally well received and has picked up three award wins and three nominations so far, having been released in the US in mid-2016.

'RAILROAD TIGERS' (Rated M) - this Chinese action comedy film stars Jackie Chan in the lead role, is Directed by Ding Sheng, cost US$50M to make and has since made US$76M following its release just before Christmas in its native China and in other territories subsequently. Set in 1941 and Japan is expanding its occupation into neighbouring Southeast Asia using a growing network of railway tracks as important military transportation routes. This is where Ma Yuan (Jackie Chan) comes in as the leader of a rag tag bunch of freedom fighters struggling against the oppressive military regime. Using his extensive knowledge and experience of the railway network Yuan and his crew ambush a train of Japanese soldiers and important food supplies to feed the hungry and starving Chinese. The unlikely heroes come to be known by the locals as The Railroad Tigers, but when the military send in reinforcements to thwart the saboteurs, Yuan must wage his most daring mission yet, by blowing up a strategic bridge that might just cripple the war effort, but it makes the military more determined to dispense with The Railroad Tigers once and for all. Cue all manner of creative stuntwork and improvised weaponry courtesy of Mr. Chan.

Three films to tempt you out to your local multiplex to catch these latest release films, or any of those others still out on general release. Share your thoughts when you have done so, and in the meantime, I'll see you sometime in the week ahead at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Sunday 1st January 2017.

With the release of 'Assassin's Creed' this week and all the buzz around this big screen video game adaptation as supposedly re-setting the benchmark for the genre, I got to thinking about the genre and just how successful it has really been over the years. My research tells me that in terms of international success, some video game adaptations have fared reasonably well at the Box Office (taking that as a measure of audience critical acclaim) whilst for the most part the others have been complete duds. Here's a list of the good, and the not so good :-

#1 - 'Warcraft' released in 2016 - Global Box Office US$434M
#2 - 'The Angry Birds Movie' released in 2016 - Global Box Office US$350M
#3 - 'Prince of Persia : The Sands of Time' - released in 2010 - Global Box Office US$337M
#4 - 'Resident Evil : Afterlife' released in 2010 - Global Box Office US$297M
#5 - 'Lara Croft : Tomb Raider' released in 2001 - Global Box Office US$275M
#6 - 'Resident Evil : Retribution' released in 2012 - Global Box Office US$241M
#7 - 'Need for Speed' released in 2014 - Global Box Office US$204M
#8 - 'Pokemon : The First Movie' released in 1999 - Global Box Office US$164M
#9 - 'Lara Croft Tomb Raider : Cradle of Life' released in 2003 - Global Box Office US$157M
#10 - 'Resident Evil : Extinction' released in 2007 - Global Box Office US$148M

Of course for those that fared well enough there is your 'Super Mario Bros' (1993), 'Doom' (2005), 'BloodRayne' (2006), 'DOA : Dead or Alive' (2006), 'Postal' (2007), 'In the Name of the King' (2008), 'Far Cry' (2008), 'Tekken' (2010) and the animated 'Ratchet & Clank' (2016) that fared a whole lot worse and bombed both critically and commercially. Due for release early in the new year is 'Resident Evil : The Final Chapter', with a 'Tomb Raider' reboot due in 2018, 'Rampage' also due in 2018 and a 'Minecraft' movie due in 2019 amongst various others on the slate.

Starting off the new year we have just two new releases out this week, kicking off with a time travelling action adventure yarn based on a hugely successful video game franchise that melds the present day with 15th Century Spain; and then a Sci-Fi adventure set in deep space where those in deep sleep and are in deep trouble as two awakened souls strive to save their ship and all aboard it.

If action and adventure is your thing then this week is for you, and if it's not, then there are plenty of other films Reviewed and Previewed on these Blog pages in recent weeks that are still out on general release. When you have sat through your film of choice in the week ahead, remember that you are warmly invited to share your cinema going thoughts, opinions and observations with your fellow readers here at Odeon Online. Simply leave a relevant and constructive Comment below this or any other Post - we'd love to hear from you. Meanwhile, enjoy your movie.

'ASSASSIN'S CREED' (Rated M) - the hugely popular action adventure video game upon which this film is based first appeared on our gaming consoles back in 2007 courtesy of Ubisoft. Wikipedia describes the premise as being set in a fictional history of real-world events and follows the centuries-old struggle between the Assassins, who fight for peace with free will, and the Templars, who desire peace through control, and their indirect relation to an ancient species pre-dating humanity, whose society, along with much of Earth's biosphere, was destroyed by a massive solar storm. The games feature predominantly a Desmond Miles, a bartender in the present day who is a descendant of several lines of prominent Assassins. All in all seems like a perfect script for a movie. Since its early days Assassins Creed has grown into a series of nine main games and a number of supporting games too. There have also been a number of short animated films, comics, novels, graphic novels and even an Encyclopaedia. The games have sold approaching 100 million copies. And so kick starting 2017, we have a film, based on that game, Directed by Justin Kurzel and Co-Produced and starring in the lead role, Michael Fassbender. The film was made for US$125M and has so far taken US$49M since its release in the US and France just before Christmas.

Here convicted criminal about to be executed Callum Lynch (Michael Fassbender) is rescued by Abstergo Industries - the modern day version of the Templar Order. Heading up Abstergo is CEO Allan Rikkin (Jeremy Irons) whose daughter Dr. Sophia Rikkin (Marion Cotillard) is the organisations Chief Scientist. She reveals to Lynch that he is descended from a long line of Assassins that for centuries fought against the Templar Order, and that he is directly related to Aguilar de Nerha  (also payed by Michael Fassbender) - a 15th Century Spanish Assassin. Dr. Rikkin proposes that Lynch be hooked up to revolutionary new technology that they have developed - The Animus - that allows him to travel back in time to 15th Century Spain by unlocking genetic memories contained in his DNA. As he travels back and forth in search of a powerful ancient artefact he acquires the skills and learnings to fight against the modern day Templar Order operating under the guises of Abstergo in the present day. Also starring Brendan Gleeson as Joseph Lynch, Michael K. Williams as  Moussa/Baptitse a Haitian Assassin and Charlotte Rampling. The film has received generally negative reviews for its story and plot lines more than the performances from its lead characters, well choreographed fight sequences and stunning visuals, but, will it break the mould of dud video game adaptations?

'PASSENGERS' (Rated M) - Norwegian film Director Morten Tyldum who previously brought us 2014's 'The Imitation Game' here Directs this Sci-Fi adventure offering set in deep space. Made for US$110M and released in the US just before Christmas, the film has so far recovered US$57M and has received mixed critical reviews. The story here takes place aboard the starship 'Avalon', that is a state of the art vessel transporting 5,000 Earth inhabitants to colonise a far away planet called Homestead II. That planet is so far away from Earth that the journey takes 120 years, and those 'passengers' are in hibernation pods for the entirety of the journey. Except one, mechanical engineer Jim Preston (Chris Pratt) who awakens ninety years too early due to a malfunction in his pods system. After a year of traipsing around the ship all on his lonesome with no one except mechanical robot bartender Arthur (Michael Sheen) to keep him company, he happens upon Aurora Lane (Jennifer Lawrence) fast asleep in her forced hibernation. After some soul searching and deliberation he decides to wake up Aurora and in time the two fall for each other despite her initial feelings of being cheated out of her future life. In time however, they discover that the ship is in danger having been damaged in an asteroid collision two years earlier that has created multiple failures in the ships systems. Working against the odds and against time, Jim and Aurora must save the ship and its five thousand sleeping inhabitants on board. Also starring Laurence Fishburn and Andy Garcia.

Just two new releases kicking off the new year, but with a raft of other very recently released movies now out on general release, there are a whole bunch of reasons to get along to your local picture house. When you have done so drop us a line here at Odeon Online, and in the meantime, I'll see you sometime in the week ahead, at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Monday 26th December 2016.

It's been another year of movie Reviews, Previews, Birthday Tributes and sadly a few obituaries along the way. In the last twelve months I have Posted 62 Reviews of the films I have seen at the Odeon, and I have Previewed 218 new release films to give you the inside word on what's hot (and perhaps what's not!) and coming to a movie theatre near you. I thank-you for you ongoing support of this humble little movie Blog that in recent weeks has seen my all time visits surpass 51,000 as our global reach expands. And so with a slew of new release films coming your way this week and in the weeks and months ahead, 2017 promises to be more of the same, but different! Best wishes for a happy, healthy and prosperous new year, and I look forward to seeing you in 2017 at the movies and at this Blog. Happy New Year!

Turning to the week ahead, we have seven new release films to tease you out to you local multiplex. Kicking off with a WWII drama of a derring do intelligence officer teaming up with a French Resistance fighter in more ways than one; then a modern day take on the song and dance musicals of yesteryear that is already generating Oscar buzz; and then a bio-pic of influential musical talents of the '60's that helped define an era of what we listed to. We turn next to an Aussie outback story of a teenage lad and a stray dog who form a friendship in this prequel to a much loved film of a few years back. This is followed by a RomCom of an unlikely coupling of an extroverted Billionaire man and his introverted student girlfriend whose parents are hell bent on ensuring their relationship and pending marriage fails before it has begun. We then wrap up with two animated features that sees a strong return to form from the House of the Mouse with a Polynesian offering an adventure story of a highly spirited teenage girl paired up with a Demi-God to fulfil her quest; before we wrap up with this all star voice cast film of a struggling Koala looking to revive the fortunes of his once famed theatre by staging a singing contest to end all singing contests.

With seven features offering everything from war time drama, to nostalgic song & dance routines, to musical bio-pic, to romantic comedy, canine Aussie outback adventure and a couple of strong animated films you have every reason to see a movie during this festive holiday period. When you have done so, share your movie going experience with us here at Odeon Online by leaving your Comment below this or any other Post. As always your constructive, relevant and unbiased thoughts are warmly welcomed. In the meantime, enjoy your film.

'ALLIED' (Rated M) - Directed by Robert Zemickis and Written by Steven Knight based on a story he had been told some thirty years ago during his days around the US, which whilst not confirmed as being true, proved too good to be true not to make a film out of it. And so whilst the notion has been kicking around for thirty years or so, it is only now that his story has been committed to celluloid. Costing US$85M the film opened in the US in late November and has so far made back US$78M, and garnered generally positive reviews since, particularly for its two lead performers.

Here Royal Canadian Airforce Intelligence Officer Max Vatan (Brad Pitt) must travel to Casablanca to assassinate a German Ambassador. He is partnered up with French Resistance fighter Marianne Beausejour (Marion Cotillard) who fled from France after her resistance group was compromised and killed. During their mission masquerading as man and wife they grow close, and following its success Max asks Marianne to join him back in England, where they settle down, marry and have a daughter together. Fast forward twelve months and Max learns from a Special Operations Executive, that Marianne is in fact suspected of being a German spy, having assumed the identity of the real Marianne, now long since dead. Max therefore needs to learn the truth about Marianne as their relationship is put to the test with the backdrop of war, suspicion, trust and love. Also starring Jared Harris, Matthew Goode and Lizzy Caplan.

'LA LA LAND' (Rated M) - this musical romantic dramedy Written and Directed by Damien Chazelle whose last Directorial outing was the highly acclaimed 'Whiplash' seems to have struck pay-dirt again with this follow up, the equally highly acclaimed 'La La Land'. Praised for its Direction, praised for its two principle leads and praised for its musical numbers, this film harking back to a bygone era of song & dance musicals, cost US$30M to make, premiered at the Venice Film Festival in August this year, and saw its US release earlier this month so far taking US$21M. Telling the story of Sebastian Wilder (Ryan Gosling) an aspiring jazz pianist who has dreams of opening his own Jazz Club and Mia Dolan (Emma Stone) an aspiring actress who makes espresso's at the film studios where she works to make ends meet. In their native Los Angeles, following a freak meeting and then being reunited some months later, the pair fall for each other bonding by their common desire to follow their dreams and pursue what they love in their lives. But as success starts to build for them both they are forced into making decisions that will pull at the framework of their affair, and the dreams they have worked together and supported each other in threatens to tear them apart. Also starring J.K.Simmons, Rosmarie DeWitt and John Legend. There is Oscar buzz around this film, so best add it to your list of must-sees!

'GIMME DANGER' (Rated M) - another musical, of sorts, but not as you know it. This bio-pic Written and Directed by Jim Jarmusch (having his second released movie in two weeks following the previously Previewed 'Paterson') is a tribute to quite possibly one of the most influential rock bands of the era - 'The Stooges'. Emerging onto the American music scene in the late '60's with a mix of rock, R&B, blues and jazz with Iggy Pop as the flamboyant, aggressive and powerful front man, The Stooges paved for the way for the punk scene and alternative rock that became the hall marks of the '70's and '80's music landscape. Jarmusch here presents an in depth documentary film charting the bands early rise to fame and notoriety with archival footage and interviews with Iggy Pop and the band members.

'RED DOG : TRUE BLUE' (Rated PG) - 2011's Aussie outback story of a loyal Kelpie/Cattle Dog cross that roamed Western Australia Pilbara mining region searching for his master was highly acclaimed, picked up numerous awards, toured the festival circuit and made back AU$21M from its AU$8M budget. Now in 2016 the follow up film has arrived. Based originally on the Louis de Bernieres book of the same name, this sort of prequel is written for the screen again by Daniel Taplitz and Directed again by Kriv Stenders. This time though the action is more kid-friendly as young teenager Mick (Levi Miller) is relocated from the big city to an outback town in remote Western Australia sometime during the late '60's. Mick is a kid all alone in the vast expanse of Australia's desert outback, and here he befriends 'Blue' the dog (played by Phoenix) whom he rescues one night during a storm. And here we have a friendship forged out of mud (literally) that see the two get up to all sorts of exploits, adventures and doubtless some danger along the way. Will this be as endearing as that first film - only you can decide! Also starring Bryan Brown, John Jarrett, Jason Issacs and Steve Le Marquand.

'WHY HIM' (Rated MA15+) - Co-Written for the screen and Directed by John Hamburg, and based on a story by Jonah Hill, Hamburg and Ian Helfer this RomCom cost US$38M to make and has among its producer credits Ben Stiller and Shawn Levy. Starring James Franco as Laird Mayhew a famous heavily tattooed extroverted billionaire who falls for Stephanie Fleming (Zoey Deutch) a student at Stamford University. When Stephanie's parents Ned (Bryan Cranston) and Barb (Megan Mullally) plan a visit to see her during the holiday break, what they don't plan on is meeting Stephanie's boyfriend Laird. Alarm bells begin ringing immediately for the over protective and disapproving Ned, who can't withstand Laird's freewheeling attitude and his colourful language. Things are further complicated when Laird announces to Ned that he intends to ask for his daughters hand in marriage in less than a week. And so the race is on for Laird to prove himself to Ned and Barb that he is a worthy, responsible, committed suitor for their daughter, and for Ned to ensure that Laird crashes and burns without a trace in the process.

'MOANA' (Rated PG) - from Disney Animation comes their first animated feature film centred around the people and culture of Polynesia, and with it comes critical acclaim and a Box Office haul that stands at US$295M since its Stateside opening towards the end of November. The story revolves around a young Polynesian girl named Moana (voiced by Auli'l Carvalho) who is being groomed to take over one day from her father - the Chief of the Island of Motunui. Moana is a head strong young thing and has different ideas. One day while collecting shells she is summonsed by the ocean itself to return an ancient relic to the island Goddess, Te Fiti. She sets out on her quest going beyond the forbidden waters of her island home, where she goes in search of legendary DemiGod Maui (voiced by Dwayne Johnson) to help her in her mission, and save her island home from a blight that has stricken it and threatens its very survival. Also starring the voice talents of Temuera Morrison, Nicole Scherzinger, Jemaine Clement and Alan Tudyk this film is likely to please all comers.

'SING' (Rated G) - made by Illumination Entertainment, this computer animated musical comedy is Written, Directed and stars the voice talents of Garth Jennings amongst an ensemble cast of notable others including Matthew McConaughey (as dapper koala bear Buster Moon), Seth McFarlane, John C. Reilly, Taron Egerton, Reece Witherspoon, Scarlett Johansson and Jennifer Saunders. Buster Moon is the owner of a once grand and renowned music theatre that has fallen on hard times. Being the eternal optimist that he is, he hatches a plan to restore his beloved theatre to its former glory, and save his theatre from crumbling away around him. That plan involves staging the biggest singing contest the world has ever seen by offering a prize of $1,000, however, a printing issue sees the marketing fliers for the competition read $100,000! Featuring some 85 classic and well known songs by famous artists, and an original song by Stevie Wonder and Ariana Grande, this film is sure to get the feet tapping if nothing else. Costing US$75M to make, the film went on release in the US only last week and has so far made US$73M.

With something for everyone this cinema going week nestled nicely between Christmas and New Year there is once agin no excuse for you not to get out amongst it at your local movie theatre. When you have done so, remember to drop us a line or two, here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you in the coming week at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 22nd December 2016.

As another year draws to a close I take this opportunity to wish my loyal and ever expanding Blog readership a very Merry Christmas and Best Wishes for 2017 to you all. Thank-you for your support of Odeon Online in the past twelve months - it makes the writing, the research, the time and countless hours spent in a dark place with a bunch of strangers worthwhile and all the more fulfilling. It's been a big year at the movies, and 2017 promises more of the same and as long as you keep reading, I'll keep watching and writing. Thanks again, and may your festive season he fun, relaxing, safe and cinematic in some way.

This week there are three new release films ahead of the Boxing Day rush, and all three are character studies centering around everyday couples living their everyday lives but challenged in some way. The first sees an aspiring prolific poet who loses his complete works, only to be given some sort of salvation by a Japanese mystery man when he least expected it. Then a true life drama bio-pic of inter-racial marriage when it was truly frowned up on by family, Governments and the laws of the land, and then next is a French film of a random encounter of two people that has far reaching and unexpected consequences for them both as they get to know each other.

Three films then to tempt you out to your local movie theatre in the lead up to Christmas, together with a haul of other great cinema content still out of general release and as Reviewed and Previewed between these pages. Remember too that your constructive, relevant, pertinent feedback is always warmly welcomed when you have sat through your film of choice in the week ahead. Simply leave a Comment below this or any other Post - we'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, enjoy your movie.

'PATERSON' (Rated M) - Written and Directed by Jim Jarmusch, this film competed for the Palme D'Or at this years Cannes Film Festival and it walked away with the Palm Dog Award for the performance of the dog, Marvin, who plays an important role in the film's story. Here we have Paterson (Adam Driver), a bus driver living in the city of Paterson, New Jersey, and the film charts a week in the life of the man who drives his bus and writes poetry in between shifts, or when inspiration takes him. He records his poetic thoughts in a notebook, based on his observations of life as he passes it by, and the idle chatter of his passengers. Each day after work he takes his dog Marvin for a walk around the block stopping off at his favoured jazz bar for a beer and to observe the conversations and the comings & goings of the other patrons to the bar with the owner Doc (Barry Shabaka Henley).

His wife Laura (Golshifteh Farahani) is his biggest fan of his poetry and she urges him to get his work published or at least copy his material. He finally relents and agrees to copy his work, but returning home one evening later in the week after the couple have shared a evening out together, they discover that Marvin has ripped to shreds Paterson's note book, destroying all of his poetry. The next day a forlorn Paterson takes solace at his favourite beauty spot overlooking The Great Falls of the Passaic River where he encounters a mysterious Japanese man who is reading the works of his own favourite Poet William Carlos Williams, and the mystery man hands him an empty notebook as a gift. Hailed as Driver's best performance to date, and one of Jarmusch's finest works also, this is a slow burn movie where very little happens, but it is an intense character study that is restrained, thoughtful and a celebration of a simple life.

'A UNITED KINGDOM' (Rated PG) - Directed by Amma Asante and based on the real life story of the inter-racial romance that developed in 1948 between Sir Seretse Khama who was born into one of the more powerful of the royal families of the then British Protectorate of Bechuanaland, and educated in South Africa and in the United Kingdom, he returned, with a popular but controversial bride, Ruth Williams, a Lloyds of London clerk, to lead his country's race for independence. He founded the Botswana Democratic Party in 1962 and became Prime Minister in 1965. In 1966, Botswana gained independence and Seretse Khama became its first President. This is that story of Seretse (David Oyelowo) and Ruth (Rosmaund Pike) and how their love for each other was frowned upon by their respective families, and the Governments of South Africa and Great Britain at the time. Defying their families, apartheid and the British Empire the pair move from their exile back to their African Kingdom to take on the mantle of power following Botswana's independence. The film also stars Tom Felton, Nicholas Lyndhurst and Jessica Oyelowo. The film Premiered at TIFF in September, saw its UK release in November and is released Stateside in February 2017. The film has so far received generally positive reviews.

'ROSALIE BLUM' (Rated M) - this French foreign language film was released in late March this year in France and has been touring around the festival circuit ever since gaining much critical praise in the process. Although released officially this week, it has been showing for some weeks already at selected cinemas around the country. Based on the trilogy of graphic novels by Camille Jourdy and written for the big screen and also Directed in his debut by Julien Rappeneau this comedy/drama tells the story in three chapters of Vincent Machot (Kyan Khojandi) a 30+ year old hairdresser whose life revolves around his work, his overbearing mother and a cousin who is trying to set up Vincent with the prefect date. One day when running an errand for his mother, he happens on Rosalie Blum (Noemie Lvovsky) a grocery store worker and their eyes meet. Vincent is convinced they have met before, but knows not when, where or how. He becomes intrigued by Rosalie and starts obsessing about her, to a point where he begins following her. What ensues are a series of dramatic, adventurous and funny coincidences that ultimately bring the pair together and change their lives thereafter.

With three films taking us up to Christmas, and a slew of new releases coming your way on Boxing Day too. Keep watching for more Previews, Reviews and updates, and in the meantime, I'll see you sometime in the coming week, at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 15th December 2016.

Awards Season is upon us, and with it the AACTA (Australian Academy of Cinema and Television Arts) Awards were held at Sydney's Star Casino on Wednesday 7th December. Attended by a who's who of Australian and overseas film and television talent including Mel Gibson, George Miller, Geoffrey Rush, Isla Fisher and Sacha Baron Cohen it is fair to say that the glitterati, the glamourati, and the paparazzi were out in force.

'Hacksaw Ridge' swept the board picking up nine award wins in the following categories : Best Film, Best Direction (Mel Gibson), Best Original Screenplay, Best Cinematography (Simon Duggan), Best Editing (John Gilbert), Best Sound, Best Production Design (Barry Robison), Best Lead Actor (Andrew Garfield) and Best Supporting Actor (Hugo Weaving). 'The Daughter' fared well too, picking up three award wins for Best Lead Actress (Odessa Young), Best Supporting Actress (Miranda Otto) and Best Adapted Screenplay. 'Tanna' picked up the award for Best Original Music Score, and 'Girl Asleep' for Best Costume Design. Best Feature Length Documentary went to 'Chasing Asylum' (Eva Orner).

This week then there is just one new release coming to a cinema near you, and it's expected to be BIG! Which would explain why no other movies wanted to go up against it in the week ahead. This is the first of three spin-off stand-alone films from a place far far away whose journey first began almost forty years ago and has grown into a worldwide phenomenon that sees no signs of letting up. From early reaction to this films Premier release last week, it seems that the force is strong with this one!

When you have sat through this weeks latest release film as Previewed below, or any others out on general release and as Reviewed and Previewed between these Blog Post pages, remember that we invite your own feedback, review, critique and observations of your moving going experience by leaving a Comment below this, or any other Post. As always, we'd love to receive your valid, wholesome, relevant thoughts. Meanwhile, enjoy your next cinema visit.

'ROGUE ONE : A STAR WARS STORY' (Rated M) - and so from a galaxy far far away comes the first Star Wars spin off in this highly anticipated, eagerly awaited, much hyped 'Rogue One' offering. Produced by LucasFilm, Distributed by Disney, Directed by Gareth Edwards and costing US$200M, this film stands alone in the Star Wars universe set just before the events that unfolded in the first film in this hugely successful and popular franchise 'A New Hope'. That initial film released in 1977 set in motion a behemoth that would become part of our popular culture, spawning so far seven feature films, this spin-off, numerous animated television series, books, toys and merchandise. The value of the franchise is estimated at somewhere north of US$31B, the films to date have garnered 27 Academy Award nominations and last years 'The Force Awakens' is the third highest grossing film of all time raking in US$2.1B at the global Box Office. Production of 'Star Wars : Episode VIII' is ongoing with Writer/Director Rian Johnson at the helm and due in cinemas in December 2017. It has been reported, but remains unconfirmed, that the title of the next instalment will be 'Star Wars : Forces of Destiny'.

The premise for the 'Rogue One' set up comes from the opening crawl of 'A New Hope' which states amongst other things that ' . . . Rebel spies managed to steal secret plans to the Empire’s ultimate weapon, the Death Star . . . ' From these brief introductory words, Screenwriters Tony Gilroy and Chris Weitz have moulded this story of the Rebel Alliance who recruit Jyn Erso (Felicity Jones) to join a mission to steal the design schemes for the Galactic Empire's new superweapon, 'The Death Star' - the Empire's ultimate weapon of destruction. The band of unlikely heroes thrown together for this include Forest Whittaker as Saw Gerrera, a veteran of The Clone Wars; Diego Luna as Cassian Andor; Mads Mikkelsen as Galen Erso, father to Jyn; Riz Ahmed as Bodhi Rook; Donnie Yen as warrior Chirrut Imre; Alan Tudyk as droid K-2SO; Jiang Wen as freelance assassin Baze Malbus; and Ben Mendelsohn as Orson Krennic the Director of Advanced Weapons Research for the Imperial Military; with James Earl Jones reprising his voice work for Darth Vader. Since the film Premiered in Hollywood on 10th December, there has been overwhelming support for the film and audiences have responded very positively, setting high expectations for a very strong Box Office return. A second spin off film charting the early life of Hans Solo is slated for a mid-2018 release, with a third understood to surround Boba Fett scheduled for sometime in 2020.

That's it for this week, pending a mega-haul of new movies being released in time to capitalise upon the Christmas and New Year holiday film going season. If you catch 'Rogue One : A Star Wars Story' remember to share your thoughts with us here afterwards. In the meantime, I'll see you in the week ahead, at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-