© Universal Studios
Anne Hathaway - The Odyssey 2026
Anne Hathaway and Mia Goth in The Odyssey (2026)
The Odyssey
(In Theaters July 17)
Following the success of Oppenheimer, which won seven Academy Awards, Universal Studios offered screenwriter-director Christopher Nolan carte blanche for his next film. Nolan set his sights on The Odyssey, partly due to his desire for the epic to receive a proper screen treatment, and partly because the director felt that he was prepared to take on a story of this scope.
He knew the three-hour, R-rated endeavor would be exceedingly difficult, repeatedly warning Matt Damon that making the film would be hard on the actor. To become Odysseus, for one year Damon adhered to a grueling, gluten-free diet and learned skills such as how to row a boat along with ancient combat skills, all while trimming down to a muscular 167 pounds and growing the first full beard of his life.
Though his character is fictional, complaints regarding the accuracy of Damon’s costuming have been unrelenting. Nolan spared no expense, using part of his $250 million budget to employ 500 costume makers who delivered 5,300 costumes made only from natural materials. The movie is shot entirely on IMAX’s 70 mm cameras which required special mirror rigs to enable the actors to view one another around them.
It’s been many years since Odysseus fought the Trojan War. He’s the Greek king of Ithaca but others occupy his throne. In order to get home, he must first battle a cyclops, escape the grip of a siren, and best a ghost. Odysseus is driven by the desire to reunite with his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway), unaware that she has cleverly fended off numerous suitors to remain faithful. The ensemble cast includes Tom Holland, Robert Pattinson, Lupita Nyong’o, Samantha Morton, Zendaya, and Charlize Theron. Filming for more than six months in six different countries, Nolan avoided special effects because he believes that practical effects create a superior environment for actors. The strategy pays off for audiences as well. (Lisa Miller)
Soylent Green: Limited Edition
(Arrow Films 4K Ultra HD Blu-ray)
Soylent Green was very much of its time (1973) but speaks loudly to the present. Veteran Hollywood director Richard Fleischer shot the picture aware of the growing ecological movement and concerns (overlooked by today’s “natalists”) of over population. Soylent Green takes place in a dystopian future America (2022 seemed a long way off back then) under an endless heatwave caused by climate change. Everything is (as we say today) enshitified and breaking down. Real food is scarce because of drought. The powerful Soylent Corporation produces enough synthetic food to keep the population fed—but what’s it made of?
Soylent Green stars Charlton Heston as an NYPD cop investigating the murder of a Soylent board member, a small part played by the great Joseph Cotton (Citizen Kane). Heston is assisted by Edward G. Robinson (his final role) as an elderly researcher who remembers the past and is tasked with fitting together the puzzle pieces of a murder that seems to be more than a random crime. The political system is corrupt, misinformation is routinely spread by corporate and government leaders, the 2% live well and the rest of the population … The new limited edition includes interviews and audio commentaries. (David Luhrssen)
