The Odyssey follows Odysseus, the legendary Greek king of Ithaca, on his long and perilous journey home following the Trojan War, chronicling his encounters with mythical beings such as the Cyclops Polyphemus, sirens, and the nymph Calypso, while attempting to reunite with his wife, Penelope.

Nolan’s Complete Vision

As a filmmaker, Christopher Nolan is a force of nature who redefined the blockbuster movie experience beginning with 2005’s Batman Begins, and who has successfully tread the line between high-end action blockbuster filmmaking and more intriguing, thought-provoking arthouse work; in my mind, The Odyssey sits there. Interpreting the nearly 3000 year old work of Homer’s in his own vision, audiences find themselves watching a production that is filtered deliberating through Nolan’s own mind, and you almost feel like he’s exploring further ideas he previously explored in Oppenheimer with man’s unique take on both creativity leading to triumph or destruction, and it all makes for a very interesting realm on which to explore this ancient work.

Told with a structure that moves back and forth across time, itself a fabled Nolan trope, we come to see a disjointed and lost Odysseus who following the fall of Troy searches for a way to get back to his ancient home of Ithica, and tis narrative is juxtaposed with his loyal wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and his son Telemachus (Tom Holland) who wait holding out hope in Ithica for Odysseus return all while a vile group of suitors, led by the cruel and sadistic Antinous (Robert Pattinson) scheme and vie for Penelope’s hand in marriage, and total control of Ithica. With such a sprawling canvas, Nolan’s The Odyssey approaches its subject matter through a lens of memory, rage, and the passage of time, and it is less your standard action-adventure picture and more a thinking man’s blockbuster. Violence and action abound, but all of it is in service to Nolan’s study of the figure of Odysseus, and this work almost feels like a character study of a classical character, with all the veneer and polish stripped away so only the man is left.

A Cast of Titans

For Matt Damon, The Odyssey feels like an interesting choice for studying a hero stripped of his power and forced to contend with the reactive forces of fate and the will of the gods. Damon cuts a striking figure as the powerful Odysseus, but here Nolan really shows us him as an ordinary, if not gifted man, who is tested by the gods, must contend with forces beyond his control, and which test his will to its very limit. Damon delivers a man wrestling with the past and the consequences of his choices, making for a nuanced portrait of the legendary hero.

Juxtaposed with him are Anne Hathaway as his great love, Penelope, and Tom Holland as his loyal son, Telemachus, both of whom serve key roles in the production. For Anne Hathaway’s Penelope, we find a woman wrestling with the pain of longing, holding on by a very thin thread; she sees the bigger plan at play in Ithaca. Immense emotional power drives her performance as Penelope, and we see her holding on to her husband’s memory for dear life. Holland as Telemachus is a young man with everything to prove, but who is not schooled in the art of palace politics, and who must suffer the viper-like motions of the suitors who sit in his father’s hall. Seeking a chance to prove himself, he ventures out into the unknown, desperate for answers, and has to follow a path that will finally turn him into a man without his father’s presence.

Nolan’s The Odyssey also features a large cast of supporting characters, with some key standouts. Robert Pattinson’s Antinous, the leading suitor to Penelope, is a vicious and vile character who moves like a viper through Odysseus’ hall in Ithaca, seeking a way to claim what we view as his, and he’s incredibly frosty and repellent and again plays into Pattinson’s wheelhouse of delivering characters who can truly stand out. John. Bernthal also makes a solid presence as Menelaus, King of Sparta and husband to Helen, whose rage incites the Trojan war, and he delivers a hulking, muscular presence to the film, which is tinged by arrogance and power, but whose adherence to honour and loyalty leaves its mark on Telemachus. But the film’s scene-stealer is, hands down, John Leguizamo as Eumaeus, Odysseus’s faithful servant and blind swineherd, who holds to his master’s return and utterly seizes the audience’s attention with his performance.

Sheer Spectacle

In terms of the experience of Nolan’s The Odyssey, this is a picture where the fantasy is made real, and Nolan brings to life the famous moments that have defined Homer’s epic, from the Cyclops to the Sirens to the witchcraft of Circe, and all of it is presented in a way that feels mythical yet entirely practical and real. And all of it is captured in IMAX, making for a profound and exciting sight. Watching Nolan’s The Odyssey in IMAX is an experience unlike anything you’ve ever witnessed before.

The scale and scope only serve to magnify this gigantic story, and all of it is captured in pristine detail, with a grand attention to detail, and it utterly washes over you. Production design and the total ambience of the picture also ground the audience in the Bronze Age, and you feel like you’re watching a picture that is both ancient and also weirdly contemporary at the same time, or a legend that exists outside of time and place where mysticism and the real clash side by side, and where gods and ghosts walk amongst us. Academy Award-winning Ludwig Göransson’s soundtrack is also tempered by sounds of a time long passed, echoing with the chimes or strikings of bronze, and heavy percussion riffs that echo throughout the theatre, and again it elevates the experience of the picture.

But if The Odyssey does have a moment where its heightened feeling comes to a cataclysm then its definitely the fall of Troy, when Odysseus and Greeks creep from the Horse, and ignite a trap that sees Troy sacked and left to fiery ruin, and not only does its heat and fire and flame quench the very limits of the IMAX screen, but this moment is where the film cements its thematic moment. Told in flashbacks that move back and forth across the narrative, it is Odysseus’s revelation in the powerful third act, where both his genius and fury are visited upon the Trojans, and where Nolan’s exploration of time, memory, regret, and consequence comes into play. This third-act moment is where the whole film comes together, and its presentation of the grand theme will truly affect the audience who witness it.

Final Verdict: Nolan’s Vision

The Odyssey is a vision of cinema fully shaped by the mind of Christopher Nolan, and he takes audiences into the size and scale of this story through the immense spectacle of IMAX and delivers a narrative that is his definitive take on the subject matter of the original text.

Image: Universal Pictures

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And now, he’s set to return as the intrepid web-crawler in Spider-Man: Brand New Day from director Destin Daniel Cretton, and this new trailer promises an experience that is set to end everything you thought you knew about the character of Spider-Man.

Watch the all-new trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day below:

Here’s the official synopsis:

After the record-breaking global success of Spider-Man: No Way Home, Spider-Man: Brand New Day marks an entirely new chapter for Peter Parker and Spider-Man. Four years have passed since the events of No Way Home, and Peter is now an adult living entirely alone, having voluntarily erased himself from the lives and memories of those he loves. Crime-fighting in a New York that no longer knows his name, he’s devoted himself entirely to protecting his city — a full-time Spider-Man — but as the demands on him intensify, the pressure sparks a surprising physical evolution that threatens his existence, even as a strange new pattern of crimes gives rise to one of the most powerful threats he has ever faced.

Both Holland and Daniel Cretton jump headfirst into the action of Spider-Man: Brand New Day, and this trailer and movie aren’t wasting any time, shaping up to be an all-new experience for audiences. While growing pains were an essential part of the character of Peter Parker/Spider-Man across this series, we now see an older, more world-weary Peter Parker, who has lost both his lover MJ (Zendaya) and best friend Ned Weeks (Jacob Batalon) at his own choosing, and his own selflessness starts to falter and fall in on him, with unexpected, and dangerous consequences.

While battling his own powers and spiralling out in the process, Peter also gets caught up with a host of new characters. These include Frank Castle/The Punisher (Jon Bernthal), who is none too pleased about Parker’s higher moral code, but still manages to get a few shots off. There’s also the now-completely human Bruce Banner (Mark Ruffalo), who serves as Peter’s professor and mentor. Both of these heroes will play a key part in his growth within Brand New Day.

Then you’ve got the villains, and what a showtime this time around. We finally get to see Michael Mando step up as Mac Gargan/Scorpion, a vicious criminal with a grudge against Parker. He wears a suit of armour equipped with a mechanised scorpion-like tail and is ready to settle a very personal score. The trailer also teases appearances from Boomerang, Tarantula, and the ninja organisation known as The Hand. There’s also a mysterious new villain keen to turn Parker’s life upside down. Brand New Day is about to get very interesting.

For director Destin Daniel Cretton, Spider-Man: Brand New Day offers an opportunity to pay homage to Stan Lee and Steve Ditko’s most personal creation. It’s a chance to celebrate the history and lineage of what this character represents for so many people. This sense of respect shows in every facet of Brand New Day.

And not only is the new trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day not only promising a completely kick-ass cinema experience for audiences, but it also happens to now be THE BIGGEST TRAILER LAUNCH OF ALL TIME! That’s right, this new trailer for Spider-Man: Brand New Day has amassed more than a BILLION VIEWS in just four days, prompting Holland and some very happy fans to say THANK YOU to the whole world!

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Ready yourself for an utter rush in what will be a pure cinematic moment when Spider-Man: Brand New Day arrives in cinemas on July 30.

Image: Sony Pictures

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Two elven brothers embark on a quest to bring their father back for one day.

Every time a new Disney Pixar film is announced it grabs my attention and I eagerly look forward to what awaits in a fabulous tale. We’ve come to expect originality from Pixar, and Onward is most definitely this. Director Dan Scanlon takes inspiration from his own life here and uses it to craft a beautiful film of family and love, as two quintessentially different brothers embark on a grand quest to find the magic to help bring their long-dead father back to life for a single day. Scanlon’s approach to this film is incredibly poignant and heartfelt, and as the Lightfoot brothers embark on their grand quest, audiences are pulled into a dashing tale of adventure that is packed together with plenty of surprising moments and heartfelt lessons.

When it comes to their narrative structure, Pixar has it down when it comes to the pairing of opposites and here in Onward, we couldn’t get a more opposite pair than Ian (Tom Holland) and Barley Lightfoot (Chris Pratt). Tom Holland’s Ian is the unsure of himself, overly bookish wallflower whose never up for the challenge, while his brother Barley, played to magnificence by Chris Pratt, is the overly-confident family screw-up who has a bit too much fun at the expense of others. When magic and destiny brings these two together they have to find their courage and put their differences aside to undertake a great quest to bring some mysticism back into their own lives and it’s sure is fun to watch. Both Holland and Pratt complement each other perfectly and as this film unfolds they get to bring out the best in each other. Part of Onward’s huge success is a result of the chemistry that is held between these two, and audiences will get a kick out of what they get up to here.

The imagination that Scanlon and his team bring to Onward is immense, and his use of the fantasy genre is one of of the most unique parts of the film. Bringing fantasy together with modern suburbia makes for a great laugh, and also grounds this film in a realness that the audience can relate to. It’s only when Ian and Barley attempt to bring their Dad back to life, and are then spirited off onto a grand adventure that they start to appreciate the magic around them and this is where Onward goes to town. As a storytelling technique, the film’s use of magic adds to the comedy and the interaction between these two characters. The film’s infamous bridge crossing is a great example of this that will blow audiences away! I for one was very entertained with how Scanlon used magic to extend the messages and meanings of his film, and there’s plenty to be excited with it.

Alongside its use of the fantasy genre, Scanlon gives Onward a great throwback quality. To me, Onward feels inspired by those great road movie/teen comedies of the 1980s. Films like the Back to the Future trilogy and Bill and Ted come to mind here with Onward, and Scanlon and his team did a great job of bringing out that retro feel. Part of this I believe comes from the way Scanlon twists classic American motifs within his fantasy setting. But this retro feeling particularly comes through the character of Barley Lightfoot, and the performance that star Chris Pratt’s conjured up in bringing him to life. Barley’s your typical metal-head slacker, who has a bit too much interest in the legends of the part, and whose behaviour causes him and Ian plenty of trouble. Throw in his trusty stead….or should we say van, Guinevere, and you’ve got the prototypical 80s character that is perfect for this world!

But above the character and magic of Onward is its story, and even though it’s fantastic to look upon, it’s the heart and love that exists at its base where Onward finds its magic. This film is ultimately the story of fatherhood and family, and when it does reach a conclusion, amidst all the magic, quests and dragons, it’s this story of fathers and sons that will garb you by your heartstrings…and you’ll certainly need to hold back those tears. In my own opinion, Onward is the most moving Disney-Pixar film I’ve watched since Monsters Inc, and its message and thematic core got to me and I loved the message that it gives to its audience.

Onward is a beautiful piece of animation that comes to life with magic, adventure and hope and it makes for perfect family fun. So gather your party of questers around you and embark upon watching this magnificent film, your hearts will surely thank-you for it.

Image: Walt Disney Pictures

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Peter Parker (Tom Holland) returns in Spider-Man: Far From Home, the next chapter of the Spider-Man: Homecoming series! Our friendly neighbourhood Super Hero decides to join his best friends Ned (Jacob Batalon), MJ (Zendaya), and the rest of the gang on a European vacation. However, Peter’s plan to leave super heroics behind for a few weeks are quickly scrapped when he begrudgingly agrees to help Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) uncover the mystery of several elemental creature attacks, creating havoc across the continent!

We’ve all wondered what would happen after the events of Avengers: Endgame, just what would come next? Spider-Man: Far From Home is the answer and it promises plenty of interesting detail. While it is a blockbuster on an international scope that is jam-packed full of action, director Jon Watts doesn’t go for the high-level heroics of The Avengers, instead he continues with his ground-level view of a hero who is still coming into his position as an Avenger, and Tom Holland’s Peter Parker has some serious lessons to learn about responsibility here. As a filmmaker tasked with bringing the story of this generation’s Spider-Man to the big screen, Watts approaches the growing Spider-Man saga with an amazing passion and it really shines through on screen. From the intimate desire for first love to the adrenaline of action-packed superheroics, Watts devotes himself completely to the narrative and it results in incredible entertainment.

Tom Holland is again the star of the show here, and Holland’s Peter Parker has been through a hell of a lot lately, most importantly losing his beloved father figure in Tony Stark to a sacrificial choice that saved the universe itself. Now with Tony gone, Peter has to figure out what’s next for him as a superhero crime fighter and this leads to plenty of interesting moments. While it’s always fun to see Holland jumping from buildings and slinging webs, the real interest in Spider-Man: Far From Home comes from the reconciliation that he has to face with the void left by Tony’s absence. While he may be a teenager looking for love and adventure, he also has newfound responsibilities, and this creates plenty of drama for audiences and leads to a very interesting watch.

Father figures play a crucial part in the Spider-Man myth, and if Tony was Peter’s adoptive father, then Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury happens to be the new mean stepfather, and he ain’t got time for Peter’s petty teenage life when the fate of the world is at stake. Whatever Jackson does it always leads to genius and here as the uber gruff Fury audiences will be in for a real treat. While Peter is looking forward to a vacation, Fury has to save the Earth again and this collision between these two characters leads to plenty of hysterics here. It’s fun to watch Jackson and Holland play-off of one another and you can also expect some pretty epic bits of dialogue from Jackson as well.

If Nick Fury is the mean stepdad, then Jake Gyllenhaal’s Quentin Beck is the cool uncle and Gyllenhaal brings plenty of charisma to the big screen here. As a soldier from a parallel universe called Earth-833 who has arrived on Earth to stop the marauding Elementals, Gyllenhaal’s Beck takes on the guise of the ultra-powered, ultra cool Mysterio and his powers are pretty damn epic to see up on the big screen. This Hollywood leading man is certainly having a blast here, and he strikes up a great chemistry with Holland as he takes the young Peter Parker under his wing and helps him along with his journey as Spider-Man. Gyllenhaal absolutely commands the audience’s attention here in Spider-Man: Far From Home, and he’s got a few surprises up his sleeve as Mysterio that definitely leaves an impression.

At its heart Spider-Man: Far From Home is a road movie and Peter and his classmates get up to some serious fun as they travel across Europe on what’s supposed to be a vacation. This all-new European setting lends itself to a whole new level of comedy, and Spider-Man: Far From Home is an absolute laugh factory. Watts again has very capable control of what’s going on here, and watching Far From Home reminded me of the likes of classic comedy films such as National Lampoon’s Vacation for its jaw-dropping hilarity. It’s a real treat.

Alongside the laughs, romance also blossoms while on vacation and it’s here that the teen movie genre takes off. While Peter vies for the affection of MJ (Zendeya), it’s his best friend Ned (Jacob Batalon) who finds love with fellow classmate Betty Brant (Angourie Rice), and their chemistry and antics up on screen are just adorable to watch. Watts really captures the awkwardness that comes with first love and it’s fun to watch these characters fumble through their feelings of teenage romance, while also seeing the attraction and character development that comes with it. As a supporting star, Zendaya’s MJ again is a great foil for Peter Parker’s affections and it’s fun to see them up on screen together.

And if you’re looking for action, well, you’ve come to the right place, because Spider-Man: Far From Home delivers some massive thrills, and they sure do get your adrenaline up! The European canvas of the film’s setting provides a landscape for some particularly awesome moments up on screen, and watching Spider-Man and Mysterio trade blows with the Elementals sure is a lot of fun. However it’s the Berlin action sequence that makes for one hell of a mind trip and it’s twisty, combative presence is really fun to watch. As he’s also in Europe Peter gets another costume update this time as well, and it’s fun to watch him, retrofit a new Spidey suit which comes with plenty of fun gadgets.

From beginning to end, Spider-Man: Far From Home is a blast to watch and it’ll definitely get you amped for what is to come next in the MCU. With a terrific narrative, a wonderful cast, hilarious comedy and plenty of blockbuster action you’ll want to see this one on the biggest screen possible.

Image: Sony Pictures

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The first teaser trailer has been released and it is absolutely AMAZING. Check it out below:

Here’s the full synopsis:

Peter Parker (Tom Holland) returns in Spider-Man: Far From Home, the next chapter of the Spider-Man: Homecoming series! Our friendly neighborhood Super Hero decides to join his best friends Ned (Jacob Batalon), MJ (Zendaya), and the rest of the gang on a European vacation. However, Peter’s plan to leave super heroics behind for a few weeks are quickly scrapped when he begrudgingly agrees to help Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) uncover the mystery of several elemental creature attacks, creating havoc across the continent!

It’s fantastic to see Tom Holland back in action with Spider-Man: Far From Home and this new film will once again chart his growth as a hero. Following Peter and his friends as he embarks on a trip overseas to take in some of Europe’s most amazing sights, he quickly finds that he can’t outrun his status as a hero and is forced back into action. Following the events of Avengers: Infinity War it now looks like we’re seeing a far more reserved Peter, who is questioning whether he actually wants to be a hero at all, and this doubt will lead him to a path of discovery once again. Holland is again in control here and he looks really comfortable in the character’s shoes and he’ll have a good dose of comedy and action to play with in Far From Home.

The new trailer for Spider-Man: Far From Home was definitely packed out with surprises and the appearance of Samuel L. Jackson’s Nick Fury really caught me off guard. The former S.H.I.E.L.D. director appears to be back in action and again, following on from Robert Downey Jr.’s performance in Spider-Man: Homecoming, will serve as a new mentor for the character and help him believe in his abilities once again.

Spider-Man: Far From Home also introduces us to Jake Gyllenhaal’s Quentin Beck/Mysterio, a mysterious vigilante who is equipped with a host of incredible powers and who is recruited by Fury to help battle the Elementals. While his appearance is only brief in the teaser, Gyllenhaal looks great in the part and I’m really excited to see more of him. His presence here as a vigilante also raises plenty of questions as to just how he’ll serve the story as long-time Spider-Man fans know where he stands within the mythology and I think we’ll see plenty of twists and turns from Mysterio here.

Visually the film looks like a stunning treat and the action sequences will really get you going. With a host of villains known as the Elementals wrecking havoc, Peter is thrown into the action once more and we’ve got some amazing set pieces in places such as Venice and London that will really fill the screen with intensity.

Get ready for plenty of web slinging action when Spider-Man: Far From Home arrives in cinemas on July 4.

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Adapted from terrifying true events, In the Heart of the Sea takes place in 1820 when the crew of the whaling ship Essex, including Captain George Pollard Jr. (Benjamin Walker) and first mate Owen Chase (Chris Hemsworth), were struck by a large bull sperm whale and shipwrecked at sea for 90 days. 

Here’s five reasons to watch:

5. A moving oil canvas

Cinematographer Anthony Dod Mantle captures the wild beauty of the ocean with magnificent depth, detail, and colour that makes one feel like they are watching an oil canvas painting come alive on screen. Utilising a sepia palette of deep aquas and blues, Mantle truly captures the wildness of the ocean, setting the scene for the climactic duel between man and beast.

4. A cabin boy’s tale

Making a mark on the big screen is young thespian Tom Holland as the Essex’s cabin boy Thomas Nickerson. Holland is fearless in the emotion that he brings to the very green Nickerson who, while feeling the call of the ocean, is not void of the fear that grips him at the prospect of his future. Holland offers a completely humanising performance, and audiences will cling to him as their introduction to this different, magnificent, and often dangerous world.

3. Ron Howard – a man caught in eye of the storm 

It takes a master navigator to guide a ship through a storm, and legendary director Ron Howard does so with passion and expertise. In a tribute to his immense talents as a filmmaker, Howard is able to handle the dual narratives of a powerful and exotic adventure tale, before suddenly throwing his audiences head first into the insurmountable horrors of being lost at sea. With Howard at the helm of the ship, In the Heart of the Sea transcends the boundary of a historical adventure tale to a meditation on the human spirit and character.

2. The clash at sea

Central to the success of In the Heart of the Sea are co-leads Chris Hemsworth and Benjamin Walker, who bring a clash of ideology and a direct competitiveness to their performances. In the role of First Mate Owen Chase, Chris Hemsworth is the heroic Alpha Male of the sea, who has conquered it numerous times. However, when he is passed over for promotion, his arrogance and foolhardiness sends his crew spiraling into the abyss. Playing opposite Hemsworth’s Chase is Benjamin Walker as the ill-equipped, but purposeful and pompous Captain George Pollard whose inexperience and recklessness at sea comes as a direct result of his desire to one-up Chase at every turn. Both Hemsworth and Walker play off of each masterfully, and their choices and rash actions drive the story to a titillating climax.

1. Beast of the great depths

The magnificent beast that Pollard, Chase and the rest of their crew intend to plunder really brings the fury of Mother Nature upon them in brutal anger. This silent creature, constructed using CGI, is a literal force that represents the themes of an untamed ocean, and the unstoppable force of nature that both Howard and author Herman Melville (whom is portrayed in the film by Ben Whishaw) were first captured by. A symbol of power, strength, and beauty, the Whale who stalks the crew of the Essex and punishes them for their crimes against nature, is a brilliantly realised creation.

Imaage source: Roadshow Films.

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