THE GRAY MAN : Tuesday 19th July 2022

I saw 'THE GRAY MAN', Rated MA15+, at my local independent movie theatre this week, and this American action thriller film is Directed by Joe and Anthony Russo who have previously helmed four MCU films, being 'Captain America : The Winter Soldier' in 2014, 'Captain America : Civil War' in 2016, 'Avengers : Infinity War' in 2018 and 'Avengers : Endgame' in 2019, amongst other feature films and TV series. Based on the 2009 novel of the same name by Mark Greaney, the film went on limited release from last week before being released on Netflix from 22nd July. Costing US$200M to produce it is the most expensive film ever made by Netflix, and it hopes to start a series of films based on the eleven 'Gray Man' novels. It has garnered generally mixed or average Reviews so far. 

The film opens up in 2003 in a prison cell where Court Gentry (Ryan Gosling) is incarcerated until 2031 for the murder of his father. He is being interviewed, or rather recruited, by Donald Fitzroy (Billy Bob Thornton) who works for the CIA and recognises in Gentry the attributes necessary to turn him into a black ops mercenary, with the associated skills to take out all the bad guys on their hit list. Fitzroy tells Gentry that he can walk out of the prison in thirty minutes a free man, or he can serve out his sentence, and for what it's worth Fitzroy would have done the same thing as Gentry did that got him into the slammer in the first place. 

We then fast forward eighteen years to the present day. We are in Bangkok in a lavish hotel counting down the minutes to midnight on NYE. Gentry (now known as Sierra Six or simply Six) is ordered to take out a hit on a mark set to arrive shortly in time for the fireworks extravaganza. With the marks entourage in tow, and Six now poised to take the shot, he hesitates, so allowing the mark to walk outta there. But Six pursues his mark and what follows is a close quarter hand to hand fight on the ground floor amongst exploding tubes of fireworks. Six overcomes his mark, and as the mark lays bleeding out, he hands Six a medallion containing a USB drive, and says that he is Sierra Four, before he dies. Six gets the hell outta there, goes to an internet gaming joint and plugs in the USB, but it is heavily encrypted and without the necessary passcodes can't access what is contained therein. So, he is next seen posting it in a letterbox to an unknown recipient. 

Back in Langley, at CIA HQ, Dani Miranda (Ana de Armas) another CIA Agent is being questioned by Denny Carmichael (Rege-Jean Page) her superior as to the role she played in the Bangkok hit, what if anything the mark gave to Six, and for her to very seriously consider her future career if he doesn't get the answers he wants. Miranda has an obvious dislike for Carmichael and gives nothing away. 

Meanwhile, Six hot wires a Tuk Tuk and calls Fitzroy asking for him to arrange for his extraction. Fitzroy has subsequently retired but still has connections and influence. His tells Six to get to Chiang Mai where an extraction team will be waiting with a cargo plane fuelled and ready for take off with a team of friendlies on board. 

In the meantime, Carmichael has recruited Lloyd Hansen (Chris Evans), a psychotic and torture loving former colleague of Six who lasted just five months in the service of the CIA before venturing out on his own and operating a seemingly very successful mercenaries for hire business. Hansen has kidnapped the young daughter of Fitzroy, Claire (Julia Butters) and is threatening to do all manner of nasty things to her should he not get the answers from Fitzroy, whom he also now holds captive. Hansen coerces Fitzroy in telling the extraction team to dispense with Six. And so whilst cruising at 25,000 feet and while Six catches up on some much needed shut eye, the extraction team spring into action with the intention of killing Six. But, needless to say this doesn't go according to plan, and more close quarter hand to hand combat leads to a stray bullet blowing a gaping hole in the fuselage, various bad dudes getting thrown out of the plane, and the aircraft steadily disintegrating as Six jumps out of it without a parachute before it explodes in midair. He of course glides toward a bad dude with a parachute, they fight in free fall and Six lands shaken but not stirred somewhere in Turkey. 

Next up Six goes to Vienna to obtain a fake ID and passport, but alas the local who is organising the said documents in secretly in cahoots with Hansen. He successfully manages to capture Six in a deep pit through a bullet proof trap door in the floor just about where Six was standing to have his passport photo taken. Six, using his best MacGyver skills, manages to create a flood of water so elevating him up the pit and rigs an explosive charge to detonate just at the right time when Hansen and his goons arrive at the scene. In the ensuing mayhem, Six comes face to face and fist to fist with Hansen, but on the way out of the building Miranda shoots a tranquilizer dart in the arse of Hansen, and then into Six before loading him up in the boot of her car. 

When Six comes round a short time later, Miranda and Six talk over their predicament and what their next move should be. It turns out that Six posted the USB drive to Margaret Cahill (Alfre Woodard), the former head of CIA Special Op's, who has now also subsequently retired and living in Prague. So, the pair head off to Prague, as Cahill seems to be one of the only people they can trust, and who would have the encryption codes to allow them to access what is contained on that USB drive. Meanwhile, Hansen is back in Croatia in a very lavish and very old villa tracking Six's every move. Hansen also takes the opportunity to interrogate and torture Fitzroy to find out his whereabouts in Prague, and who it is there whom he would most trust.

Arriving in Prague Six and Miranda meet with Cahill who tells the pair that she has terminal cancer and has been given three months to live. But that doesn't stop her from opening up the USB drive and revealing that Carmichael and Hansen have been involved in some nefarious crimes around the world as their own very secretive and covert army of mercenaries taking out the Who's Who of people of influence. Needless to say, as Hansen watches on from Croatia he orders his assembled team of assassins to converge on Cahill's apartment and wreak havoc with all manner of firepower. As Cahill remains in the apartment holding onto a hand grenade, she allows Six and Miranda to escape via an underground tunnel leading out into the street, whilst providing the pair with her armour plated bullet proof glassed Audi car. What follows is a blood bath in down town Prague, as Miranda evades various other vehicles behind the wheel of Cahill's car, while Six is going head to head and toe to toe with numerous goons inside a tram. It doesn't end well for the numerous local Police killed in the conflagration, the assassins who also meet their swift demise courtesy of Six, and the tram which ultimately hurtles sideways and off track into the sandstone columns of a building causing much destruction, on top of the trail of mayhem left behind in the wake of Cahill's apartment being destroyed. 

Next up we find our intrepid rogue agents heading to Croatia to take out Hansen once and for all, rescue Fitzroy and his daughter, and regain the USB drive which has subsequently fallen into the hands of Avik San (Dhanush), and Indian assassin working for Team Hansen. Six and Miranda go in heavily armed to the villa under cover of darkness and while Miranda takes out all the external gun placements Six concentrates his efforts on the internal goons and getting to Fitzroy and Claire. Needless to say its all in a days work for the pair who successfully overcome their foes, leaving Miranda to battle it out with Avik San, and Six to guide the Fitzroy's to safety, although Fitzroy takes a bullet to the stomach and orders Six to take his Claire with him, leaving him with a single hand grenade which he pulls the pin on when Hansen and three of his goons are upon him. Of course the blast takes out the three goons, but Hansen scrambles to his feet and continues to give chase, culminating with Hansen holding Claire at gunpoint inside a maze within the grounds, while Six trails behind in search. The three come face to face around a fountain in the centre of the maze, and Six tells Hansen to let Claire go, which he does, leaving the pair to fight to the death. In the end it is Suzanne Brewer (Jessica Henwick), Carmichael's off sider, who plugs Hansen in the chest with a bullet and kills him dead. She also plugs Six with a non-life threatening bullet wound, just to add to his stabbings, slashings and beating he took from Hansen. 

We then fast forward two weeks to a heavily guarded private hospital in which Six has been non-responsive, and Claire is being held. Brewer and Carmichael plan on paying a visit to Six, with the latter questioning Brewer as to why she let Six live. Because he's a valuable asset and one of the most capable operatives they have she responds. As they exit the lift, the pair are confronted with the bodies of several guards and Six's now empty bed. He is next seen in silhouette passing along the windows of the room where Claire is being held taking out a number of goons. He then enters the room, rescues Claire and the two are seen speeding out of the hospital grounds in a SUV. 

'The Gray Man', which for the most part I enjoyed, is a mash up of Jason Bourne, Ethan Hunt and John Wick with a little bit of James Bond thrown in there for good measure. It's an entertaining ride for sure with plenty of exotic locations, wide sweeping aerial drone shots, action set pieces, gunplay and close quarter combat, solid enough performances from the ensemble cast, and sarcastic quips aplenty to raise the occasional smile, but what it lacks is a fresh approach and sufficient intrigue to make this film stand above all the others in this increasingly overcrowded genre. Watch it from the comfort of your own sofa at home when it lands on Netflix this week, chow down on a big bowl of popcorn, leave your brain in the kitchen and strap in for a high octane super charged globe trotting journey that sees two Hollywood fav's go head to head. What's not to like?

'The Gray Man' merits three claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a possible five claps.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 24th November 2016

With a Big Mac coming to a big screen near you this week you may well ask 'would you like fries with that?' and the answer would have to be a resounding yes! The film, 'The Founder' charts the early days story of how McDonald's turned into a global giant in the fast food restaurant business ultimately serving 68 million customers every single day across some 36,600 outlets located in 119 countries around the world. From its very humble beginnings as a barbecue restaurant located in San Bernardino, California in 1940 founded by Richard and Maurice McDonald, the business changed to a hamburger model in 1948 using a production line methodology known as the 'Speedee Service System'. The first franchised McDonald's operation opened in Phoenix, Arizona in 1953, and Ray Kroc joined the company as a franchising agent in 1955, and in April of that year Kroc opened the ninth franchised restaurant in Des Plaines, Illinois. In 1961 the 'McDonalds' trademark was applied for, with the double arched 'M' symbol trademark logo being applied for later that year. In 1961 too, Ray Kroc acquired the McDonald's brothers equity in the business that ultimately led to the worldwide expansion, and the brothers ultimately left the restaurant game. The McDonald's business model is one of real estate investment (owning all of its property valued at some US$16B), an owner operator of restaurants (some 6,000 are wholly owned and operated by the corporation) and a franchiser of restaurants (some 30,500 are franchised operations). Ray Kroc stood down as CEO of the company in 1974 and he bought the San Diego Padres baseball team to keep himself amused. He died of heart failure in early January 1984 aged 81. By 1993 McDonald's had sold over one hundred billion burgers globally, and by 2012 McDonald's was the worlds second largest private employer of labour.

Now that I've whet your appetite, this week there are just three new movies coming to an Odeon near you. First up is a biographical drama recounting the early story of one of the most recognised brands on Earth, and how it came to be by the art of duplication, and asking 'do you want fries with that?' Then there is a modern day wartime tale of perception versus reality as returning soldiers are paraded as gun toting heroes in front of an audience of millions who won't let the truth get in the way of a good story. And then we wrap up with the first Christmas themed offering of the festive season and this sequel to its 2003 predecessor that puts Santa in a different light completely.

Remember that you are cordially invited to record your Comments below this or any other Post when you have seen your film of choice in the week ahead by sharing your views and opinions - be they good, bad or ugly - with your like minded cinema dwelling friends here at this Blog. Until then, enjoy your movie.

'THE FOUNDER' (Rated M) - Rated M for McDonald's, this is the biographical story of the founder of that global giant fast food retailer and real estate owner McDonald's and its founding father Ray Kroc. Directed by John Lee Hancock, Written by Robert Siegel, Co-Produced by Jeremy Renner and made for just US$7M this tells the story of how Ray Kroc was a travelling salesman back in the early '50's flogging a multi-mixer when he came across a small chain of burger joints owned and operated by Dick and Mac McDonald, who had purchased six of his multi-mixers.

In 1954 the McDonald brothers were looking for a new franchising agent and Kroc offered his services, seeing the potential in the quick service restaurant opportunity to potentially explode across the US. With Kroc wanting to expand rapidly through structured franchising the brothers were less keen, satisfied with a small manageable business yielding a steady but sufficient income. In 1961, out of frustration with the brothers wishes to remain small, Kroc bought the company for US$2.7M plus an annual royalty of 1.9%. And the rest as they say is history, with McDonald's growing into one of the worlds most recognisable brands, with a presence just about everywhere. At the time of Kroc's death in 1984 at the age of 81, McDonald's operated 7,500 outlets in the US alone, were present in 31 countries and turned over back then US$8B a year. Featuring Laura Dern as Kroc's first wife Ethel Fleming, and Nick Offerman and John Carroll Lynch as Dick and Mac McDonald respectively. The film opens in the US on 16th December.

'BILLY LYNN'S LONG HALFTIME WALK' (Rated MA15+) - based on the 2012 book of the same name by Ben Fountain, and Directed and Co-Produced by multi-award wining Ang Lee, this Iraq war drama was made for US$40M, is released in the US earlier this month and in the UK in early January, and has so far recovered US$24M. Starring in his feature film debut English Actor Joe Alwyn as US Army Specialist Billy Lynn, a 19 year old, who after a harrowing battle is brought home temporarily for a victory tour with his fellow soldiers from Bravo Squad in a well executed PR exercise for the US military. The tour culminates at the half-time show of the Dallas Cowboys during the Thanksgiving Day home game, where the Squad are hailed as national heroes. Through flashbacks recounting the realities of that intense battle and fierce firefight we learn that those realities were far different from what the US public were led to believe in the media and how those perceptions are in stark contrast to the tragic consequences suffered by so many young men in the Iraq War. Also starring Kristen Stewart, Chris Tucker, Steve Martin, Vin Diesel, Garrett Hedlund and Tim Blake Nelson. For this film Lee used an unprecedented shooting and projection rate of 120 frames per second in 3D at 4K High Definition resolution, which is the first feature film in history to use such a high frame rate (24 fps is most commonly used). Lee stated that he wanted the film to be an 'immersive' and 'realistic' experience for the viewer into the emotion and realities of the soldiers journey. You can decide if it works for you, or not!

'BAD SANTA 2' (Rated M) - it has taken thirteen years to bring this sequel to our Christmas stockings, with the first offering released in 2003 as Directed by Terry Zwigoff, returning US$77M from its US$23M budget outlay and starring Billy Bob Thornton as the sex addicted alcoholic Bad Santa thief in question. It seems that Billy Bob Thornton has been wanting to make this sequel since 2009, and now seven years later, just in time for Christmas here it is, with Mark Waters this time on Directing duty. Returning at Willie Soke (Thornton) in his liquored up angry state, he teams up with equally angry offsider Marcus Skidmore (Tony Cox) to rob a Chicago Charity on Christmas Eve. Coming along for the ride is Thurman Merman (Brett Kelly) - the chubby but cheerful glimmer of hope in Willie's miserable life. When Willie's mother - the domineering, tough no nonsense Sunny Soke (Kathy Bates) gets involved too all sorts of issues arise including upping the stakes on the gangs aspirations, but sinking to all manner of criminal depths to get there. Willie is further challenged by the Charity Director Diane (Christina Hendricks) whom he instantly falls for, but gets more than he bargained for.

Three films to choose from then this coming week, plus an array of other great cinema content out on general release as Previewed and Reviewed between these pages. Remember to share your views with us all here at Odeon Online when you have sat through your film of choice, and in the meantime, I'll see you sometime over the coming week at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THE JUDGE - Tuesday 14th October 2014.

I saw 'THE JUDGE' earlier this week down at my local multiplex. It would be fair to say that this film has garnered mixed reviews from what I have seen and read so far! This Reviewer, however, thought that this disjointed family courtroom drama passes as acceptable and worth a look, but don't expect riveting courtroom drama the like of which you may have seen in the classics including 'A Few Good Men', 'Twelve Angry Men', 'To Kill a Mockingbird', 'The Verdict', 'JFK', 'Erin Brockovich'  and 'A Time to Kill' etc. to name but a few.


What you can expect from this David Dobkin Directed film is reasonably strong performances especially from Robert Duvall as 82 year old father (Judge Joseph 'Joe' Palmer) and two of his sons played by Vincent D'Onofrio (Glen Palmer) and Jeremy Strong (Dale Palmer). The third son is played by Robert Downey Jnr. (Henry 'Hank' Palmer) who has the lead role, and in taking on this role is clearly trying to shake off his Superhero mantle for which he is probably best known. But, that said, as Hank Palmer - hugely successful cock-sure fast-talking big city defence lawyer who has a track record in defending the rich and famous for their crimes and just about always winning, he has that smirk, that swagger and that stance that is . . . Tony Stark! I like Robert Downey Jnr. as an actor, but I couldn't help thinking of 'Iron Man' every time I saw that cheeky grin, that over confident expression, and that relaxed demeanour no matter what on screen as Hank Palmer!

All that said, to the story! The film opens in Chicago and Hank Palmer is defending a Client. In Court his mobile phone rings which he notices is his brother calling, but he allows it to divert to message bank, because his case is getting down to the wire. He retrieves the message, and asks the presiding Judge to approach the bench, asking for a continuance because he has just learned that his mother has died! And so Hank packs his bags, and on leaving the house in his vintage Ferrari kisses his young daughter farewell and argues with his beautiful wife with whom he is on the verge of a divorce.

His journey home to Carlinville, Indiana where he grew up with his two brothers, Mum and Dad is picture postcard stuff - by the river, wide streets, country-town feel, clean and well kempt, and fields of crops for as far as the eye can see surrounding the town. This is where father Joe Palmer has presided as 'The Judge' for 42 years, and where his wife of 50 years is about to be buried. Brothers Glen and Dale still live in Carlinville, but Hank got out a long time ago and has been largely estranged from his family for many years because as a teenager he was a rebel who got wasted one night on drugs and alcohol and drove home with Glen in the car, overturned it, hit a tree and brought a very swift end to Glen's very promising baseball aspirations. Joe has never forgiven Hank, and despite Hank carving out a very successful career as a lawyer in the big city there has been little love, respect or recognition between them since.

With the funeral over and the somewhat stilted family reunion done, Hank argues with his Dad, and leaves for the airport bound for home vowing never to return. On the plane just before take off the phone rings again, and again it is brother Glen with the announcement that Joe has been arrested for the murder of a local man in a suspected hit & run. Reluctantly Hank returns home to Carlinville, and what follows is a battle of wits between Hank and Joe over the details surrounding this 'accident', who should defend Joe and why, the gradual uncovering of what really happened as Police and Prosecution close in, and digging up the past so driving a further wedge that will eventually come full circle making each realise just how important these two legal eagles are to each other, despite everything! We learn that Joe's health is rapidly in decline, that Hank had a thing for College sweetheart Samantha Powell (Vera Farmiga) who still holds a candle despite the time and distance between them, that Joe and the man dead by his alleged hand had a connection that goes back over 20 years, and that Prosecution Lawyer Dwight Dickham (Billy Bob Thornton) has history with Hank as well going way back when, and is intent that justice will prevail, and that 'only the law makes men equal'!

By and large the performances are solid enough - the relationship between the three sons is fleshed out probably as much as it can be, the fractured relationship between father and son Hank is on again off again as they continue to frustrate, anger, confuse and rebel against each other in equal measure but of course come good in the end. Sometimes the melodramatics are overplayed, and with a running time of 142 minutes I thought this could have been cut by 20 at least to make the film more punchy, direct and compact.

I was most disappointed though by the lack of any real courtroom drama; jousting between Defence, Prosecutor and Witnesses; and tension as the case weaves back and forth. Billy Bob Thornton doesn't get enough meat in his sandwich to gnaw away at the case and hammer home his argument, and Robert Downey Jnr. looks too smug in his big city suit defending his ageing ailing Dad in a small town America courthouse! Given that the premise of this film is about a hot-shot lawyer son and his steady dependable pillar of the community accused Judge Dad and the murder trial that engulfs them, we should have expected more from inside the Courthouse and less of what goes on outside it!

In the final analysis this is an average offering that you don't need to see on the big screen. It is not an intense cut & thrust legal drama and it won't go down in the Hollywood History books as such, but it does have some redeeming features. The story is strong enough, but it could have been stronger; it is 20 minutes too long; it has an appealing cast of quality acting talent; and the story moves along at a reasonably good pace. It cost US$50M to make, and good on Downey Jnr. for giving us something different to look at than 'Iron Man 1, 2,3' and 'The Avengers' - more please, but shake off Tony Stark!

 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week - Thursday 9th October 2014.

The boys and girls of Australia returned to academia earlier this week for Term 4 of school studies, end of year tests and HSC exams. Our clocks moved forward an hour for daylight saving and with the beautiful warm sunny days we have experienced over the recent long weekend this can only mean that Summer is well & truly on the way! And so, what better way is there to celebrate longer days and warmer evenings than with a movie of your choice at your local picture house?

This week we have just three offerings to tease you out to your multiplex or local independent theatre and these hail from the US, from Australia and from India. We have some big names, some no names and some four legged friends as we go from courtroom, to bushland to outback foreign climes with justice, redemption and doing the right thing connecting all three very different offerings.

When you have seen any one of this weeks latest releases, or the multitude of others currently doing the rounds out there in moviedom and as Previewed in prior weeks, drop me a note in the 'Comments' section of this, or any 'Post', and let me and my other ardent Reader know what you thought. Enjoy your film . . . or two!

THE JUDGE (Rated M) - I do like a good riveting court room drama and when it is mashed up with family tension, a guy out of his comfort zone, plot twists and turns, some big name performances and high expectations then you just have to pay your $20 and go see this! 'The Judge' is Written, Produced and Directed by David Dobkin and pits together young son and hot shot big city lawyer Henry 'Hank' Palmer (Robert Downer Jnr.) and his country living estranged father Judge Joseph 'Joe' Palmer (Robert Duvall) with a solid cast that includes Vera Farmiga, Vincent D'Onofrio and the always dependable Billy Bob Thornton, all underpinned by a great story.

The story centres around Hank returning to his childhood home (Carlinville, Indiana) for the funeral of his mother, and in doing so discovers that his father Joe - the town Judge, is suspected of murder. What unfolds is Hank defending his father against ruthless local prosecuting lawyer Dwight Dickham (Thornton) who seems hell bent on a conviction, whilst at the same time struggling to reconnect with his estranged Dad, accept his family roots, come to terms with the father/son relationship and identify with his childhood past. The performances from the two Roberts in the lead roles is said to be excellent and award worthy stuff - don't expect Downey Jnr. in iconic world saving superhero mode here, but more restrained nuanced actor relishing in the delivery of his craft in a slow burn film that will surprise and delight followers of this genre, together with a bunch of actors at the top of their game. All rise for 'The Judge'!

THE MAN FROM COXS RIVER (Rated PG) - since the 1820's the Carlon family have ridden their horses along the Coxs River outside Sydney in the Blue Mountains. Back in the day many visitors, bush walkers, wilderness lovers including the rich and famous would venture out in to the wild on Sydney's doorstep to ride the horses and connect with the pristine unspoilt valley guided by the Carlon family on organised tours. That all changed about 20 years ago when the River was designated a wilderness area under Heritage laws and the guided horse trekking tours had to close and the father of the family passed away thereafter. Following a history of tension between the Carlon family and the National Parks and Wildlife Department, Ranger Chris Banffy needed to solve an issue in the valley for which son of the horse riding patriarch Luke Carlon might be able to asset with. A mob of 80 or so Brumbies (wild horses) have roamed the Burragorang Valley for many years, have grown in numbers and needed to be removed or eradicated. Banffy, knowing Carlon's family history and ties to the horses, is under pressure to have the horses removed in a way so as not to create public outcry, and in a humane safe way. If Carlon agrees to the task he needs to round up the wild horses in the most remote of places that has been cut off from public access for fifty years or so; break them in; and guide those 80 horses 5kms along potentially dangerous valley tracks to an area where they can be transported out of the valley safely, and relocated. This is the first film to receive a National Trust Heritage Award and has been a sleeper hit in cinemas so far for its documentary telling of an real adventure story that marries a rich historical past with the modern challenges facing our native wilderness areas.

SIDDHARTH (Rated M) - Canadian Director Richie Metha was inspired to make this film after witnessing something similar on the streets of Delhi at the hands of a chain-wallah (a zip repair specialist working the streets). Mehendra (Rajesh Tailang) is the father of 12 year old Siddharth (Ifran Khan) who has been sent away to another village to work, hence alleviating the financial burden at home whilst generating an additional income too. When Siddharth does not return home, Mehendra begins to think that he has been kidnapped by child traffickers, and so goes in search of his son against all the odds. Remembering that Mehendra works the streets of Delhi and if he doesn't work there is no money, and if there is no money there is no food, and if there is no food his family go hungry. In a country where poverty and under-education is rife this is a bleak story of the harshness and impossibilities of life for many in India, and what they are confronted with everyday. Without ramming the story down our throats the story has heart, fluidity, and optimism that Siddharth will be returned safe and well despite the stacked odds, and that Mehendra's trek across India in search of his son will prove fruitful.

Once more a mixed bag of offerings from which to choose your evening's big screen entertainment. Get out there and see something soon, and remember to tell your friends at Odeon Online what you think!

Movies - see as many as you can!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthdays to share this week : 1st - 7th June.

Do you share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer or Singer/Songwriter/Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming week? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully written and presented Blog, here are the more notable and noteworthy icons of the big screen, and the small screen, that you will recognise, and that you might just share your birthday with over the coming week. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Check out too the spotlight on this weeks Birthday Girl on 4th June, Angelina Jolie, at the end of this feature.

Sunday 1st June

• Morgan Freeman - Born 1937, turns 77 - Actor | Producer
• Brian Cox - Born 1946, turns 68 - Actor
• Jonathan Pryce - Born 1947, turns 67 - Actor
• Powers Boothe - Born 1948, turns 66 - Actor
• Robert Powell - Born 1944, turns 70 - Actor
• Alanis Morissette - Born 1974, turns 40 - Singer | Songwriter | Actress
• Jason Donovan - Born 1968, turns 46 - Singer | Songwriter | Actor

Monday 2nd June

• Zachary Quinto - Born 1977, turns 37 - Actor | Producer
• Liam Cunningham - Born 1961, turns 53 - Actor
• Dennis Haysbert - Born 1954, turns 60 - Actor | Producer
• Stacy Keach - Born 1941, turns 73 - Actor | Producer
• Wentworth Miller - Born 1972, turns 42 - Actor

Tuesday 3rd June

• Imogen Poots - Born 1989, turns 25 - Actress

Wednesday 4th June

• Angelina Jolie - Born 1975, turns 39 - Actress | Producer | Director | Humanitarian
• Russell Brand - Born 1975, turns 39 - Writer | Producer | Actor | Singer | Songwriter
• Sean Pertwee - Born 1964, turns 50 - Actor
• Bruce Dern - Born 1936, turns 78 - Actor
• Geoffrey Palmer - Born 1927, turns 87 - Actor

Thursday 5th June

• Mark Wahlberg - Born 1971, turns 43 - Actor | Producer | Singer | Songwriter
• Kathleen Kennedy - Born 1953, turns 61 - Producer
• Kenny G - Born 1956, turns 58 - Singer | Songwriter | Composer

Friday 6th June

• Paul Giamatti - Born 1967, turns 47 - Actor
• Jason Isaacs - Born 1963, turns 51 - Actor | Producer
• Robert Englund - Born 1947, turns 67 - Actor
• Sandra Bernhard - Born 1955, turns 59 - Actress
• Billie Whitelaw - Born 1932, turns 82 - Actress

Saturday 7th June

• Liam Neeson - Born 1952, turns 62 - Actor
• Karl Urban - Born 1972, turns 42 - Actor
• Michael Cera - Born 1988, turns 26 - Actor
• Ronald Pickup - Born 1940, turns 74 - Actor
• William Forsythe - Born 1955, turns 59 - Actor | Producer
• Virginia McKenna - Born 1931, turns 83 - Actress
• James Ivory - Born 1928, turns 86 - Director | Writer
• Tom Jones - Born 1940, turns 74 - Singer | Songwriter
• Prince - Born 1958, turns 56 - Singer | Songwriter 

Angelina Jolie Voight was born to renowned acting father Jon Voight and mother Marcheline Bertrand in Los Angeles. She is an accomplished Actress, Producer, Director, Writer, and Humanitarian in her spare time whilst also playing the other part of Hollywood power couple Mr. and Mrs. Brad Pitt . . . and oh by the way, she has been cited numerous times and in assorted publications over the last ten years or so as the world's most beautiful woman, and, in 2009, 2011 and 2013 was the highest paid Actress in Hollywood. Not bad credentials really!

Her acting career kicked off at age seven starring alongside her father Jon Voight in 'Lookin' to Get Out', with a bigger break coming in 1995 in 'Cyborg 2', but it was 1995's 'Hackers' that propelled her more into the mainstream playing alongside future husband Jonny Lee Miller. From there she moved to 'Pushing Tin' with John Cusack and future husband Billy Bob Thornton. Now firmly on the Hollywood map she went on to 'The Bone Collector' and then her Academy Award winning 'Girl, Interrupted', followed by 'Gone in Sixty Seconds', 'Lara Croft, Tomb Raider' and its follow up 'Lara Croft, The Cradle of Life', 'Taking Lives', 'Alexander',  and 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' with future life partner, one Mr. Brad Pitt. Other notable outings have included 'The Good Shepherd', 'Changeling' 'Wanted', 'Salt', 'The Tourist' and 'Maleficent' out this week and previewed in Post #97. She has also lent her voice to the role of 'Tigress' in the 'Kung Fu Panda' series with the third instalment due for release in 2015. Earlier this year Jolie has been resident in Sydney Directing 'Unbroken' due for release later in 2014, and the reprisal of her role as Evelynn Salt has just been announced for 'Salt 2'.

Outside of starring in and making movies Jolie is the Special Envoy and former Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, for which she has won much acclaim for her work undertaken to highlight such issues on the global stage and in ultimately trying to make a difference through her celebrity status and ability to influence change.

In early 2013 at age 37, she underwent a double preventative mastectomy having learnt that there was an 87% chance of her developing breast cancer. Again, using her celebrity status and the privileges this affords she went public to raise awareness on a global scale of the choices women have to beat breast cancer. 

Jolie and Pitt have six children - three biological and three adopted. In 2008 she and Pitt sold the first pictures of Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline to 'People' and 'Hello' magazines for a reported US$14M - the most expensive celebrity pictures ever taken, with the proceeds going to the Jolie-Pitt Foundation.

The recipient of 33 award wins and a further 62 nominations so far to date, Jolie has picked up two Academy Awards - a win for Best Supporting Actress in 'Girl, Interrupted' and the 'Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award'. She was nominated for Best Actress in 'Changeling'. Added to this she has a BAFTA Nominations also for 'Changeling' and has won three Golden Globes for 'George Wallace', 'Gia' and 'Girl, Interrupted' with four other nominations.

Not doing things by halves Jolie was married from 1996-99 to actor Jonny Lee Miller, and from 2000-03 to actor Billy Bob Thornton. Since 2005 she has been with Brad Pitt with whom she seems most settled - six children, numerous awards & accolades, in demand in front and behind the camera, the Hollywood power couple, supporters of Humanitarian causes . . . it's a wonder they ever see each other! Let's hope that Brad makes time for Angelina on her birthday this week!

Angelina Jolie - beautiful woman, Actress, Director, Mother, inspiration, crusader of worthy causes - Happy Birthday to you from all at Odeon Online!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-