Birthday's to share this week : 7th - 13th June 2015.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Chris Evans does on 13h June - check out the tribute to this Birthday Boy turning 34, at the end of this feature.

Do you also share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Singer/Songwriter or Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming seven days? 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 in the week ahead. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Sunday 7th June

• Liam Neeson - Born 1952, turns 63 - Actor
• Karl Urban - Born 1972, turns 42 - Actor
• Ronald Pickup - Born 1940, turns 75 - Actor
• Michael Cera - Born 1988, turns 27 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director
• Bill Hader - Born 1978, turns 37 - Actor | Writer
• James Ivory - Born 1928, turns 87 - Director | Producer | Writer

Monday 8th June

• Jerry Stiller - Born 1927, turns 88 - Actor | Producer
• Griffin Dunne - Born 1955, turns 60 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Frank Grillo - Born 1963, turns 52 - Actor

Tuesday 9th June

• Johnny Depp - Born 1963, turns 52 - Actor | Producer
• Michael J. Fox - Born 1961, turns 54 - Actor | Producer
• James Newton Howard - Born 1951, turns 64 - Composer | Songwriter
• David Koepp - Born 1963, turns 52 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Natalie Portman - Born 1981, turns 34 - Actress | Producer | Director

Wednesday 10th June

• Elizabeth Hurley - Born 1965, turns 50 - Actress | Producer
• Leelee Sobieski - Born 1983, turns 32 - Actress
• Jeanne Tripplehorn - Born 1963, turns 52 - Actress
• Gina Gershon - Born 1962, turns 53 - Actress
• Jurgen Prochnow - Born 1941, turns 74 - Actor

Thursday 11th June

• Gene Wilder - Born 1933, turns 82 - Actor | Writer | Director
• Hugh Laurie - Born 1959, turns 56 - Actor | Writer | Director | Producer
• Shia LaBeouf - Born 1986, turns 29 - Actor
• Peter Dinklage - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor | Producer

Friday 12th June

• Dave Franco - Born 1985, turns 30 - Actor | Writer | Producer
• Frances O'Connor - Born 1967, turns 48 - Actress

Saturday 13th June

• Ally Sheedy - Born 1962, turns 53 - Actress
• Kathy Burke - Born 1964, turns 51 - Actress
• Stellan Skarsgard - Born 1951, turns 64 - Actor | Producer
• Chris Evans - Born 1981, turns 34 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Malcolm McDowell - Born 1943, turns 72 - Actor | Producer
• Tim Allen - Born 1953, turns 62 - Actor | Producer
• Simon Callow - Born 1949, turns 66 - Actor
• Aaron Taylor Johnson - Born 1990, turns 25 - Actor
• Kodi Smitt-McPhee - Born 1996, turns 19 - Actor

Christopher Robert Evans was born in Boston, Massachusetts and grew up in Sudbury. His mother Lisa Capuano is an artistic Director at the Concord Youth Theatre, and his father Robert Evans is a dentist. He has two sisters - Carly and Shanna and a younger brother Scott. Raised as a Catholic he graduated from the Lincoln Sudbury Regional High School and then moved to New York to attend the famed Lee Strasberg Theatre and Film Institute.

Although he enjoyed time in stage production at school, his first break came in 2000 in the television series 'Opposite Sex' followed up by one off appearances in 'The Fugitive' and  'Boston Public' with his film debut coming in 2000 too with 'The Newcomers' followed by 'Not Another Teen Movie', 'The Perfect Score' and 'Cellular' taking up the first five years of the new decade. His big break though came in 2005 playing Johnny Storm/The Human Torch in the live action 'Fantastic Four' which made US$331M and so prompted a second outing in 2007 with 'Fantastic Four : Rise of the Silver Surfer' which grossed another US$289M. 2007 also saw the release of 'London', 'TMNT (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles)', 'Sunshine', 'The Nanny Diaries' and the animated Sci-Fi film 'Battle for Terra'  to which he lent his voice talents.

'Street Kings' followed  with Keanu Reeves and Forest Whittaker, 'Push' with Dakota Fanning and Djimon Hounsou, 'The Losers' with Idris Elba and Zoe Saldana, and 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World' Michael Cera and Anna Kendrick coming next.

Having starred in two comic book adaptations in recent years - 'The Losers' and 'Scott Pilgrim vs. the World'  his transition to Marvel Comic book fare with his own Superhero franchise was almost inevitable. And so in 2011 - 'Captain America : The First Avenger' was released grossing over US$370M as lead character Steve Rogers/Captain America.

That same year, 2011, there was RomCom 'What's Your Number' and the year after that the epic Marvel stable 'The Avengers' with his character now established alongside those of  Iron Man, Thor and Hulk. 'The Iceman' and 'Snowpiercer' followed before his cameo again as Steve Rogers/Captain America in 'Thor : The Dark World' in 2013 and then his own franchise vehicle once more in 2014 with 'Captain America : The Winter Soldier'  which grossed a very respectable US$715M.




Next up, Evans turned his hand for the first time to Directing and Producing himself in the modest US$3M 'Before We Go' before going back to his Team Mates in 'The Avengers :Age of Ultron' released earlier this year, and so far has made US$1.325B making it the sixth highest grossing film of all time after just a month or so on general release. His third instalment as Captain America comes in 'Captain America : Civil War' which is currently filming for a 2016 release with the next two 'Avengers' instalments - 'Infinity Wars Parts 1 & 2' due for release in May 2018 & 2019 respectively. After these, he says, he will turn his attention more to Directing and less to Acting.

Evans has 39 acting credits to his name, two Producer credits for last years 'Playing it Cool' and 'Before I Go' and a Director credit too for 'Before I Go'. He has had three award wins and 23 other nominations so far.

He dated Jessica Biel from 2004 to 2006, and Actress Minka Kelly in late 2012 but they split in 2013. He is close friends with Scarlett Johansson with whom he has so far starred in six films. He supports the LBGT movement (Lesbian Gay Bisexual & Transgender) and takes an active interest in Buddhism.

Chris Evans - comic book hero, buffed up star still on the rise and tap dancing bachelor (which he does to relieve stress & anxiety, taught by his mother) - Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

AVENGERS : AGE OF ULTRON - Tuesday 28th April 2015.

The first outing for the assembled 'Avengers' way back in 2012 was Directed by Joss Whedon and made by Marvel Studios for a lean mean lazy US$220M and grossed a record beating US$1.52B making it the third highest grossing film of all time. With that, a sequel was a foregone conclusion, and so over the ensuing years Joss Whedon set to work again on the next instalment which was made for US$280M this time, and has just been released, grossing US$287M within the first two weeks after it's so far limited global release only. And so I saw 'THE AVENGERS : AGE OF ULTRON' earlier this week, and can recommend this to you as a worthy sequel that further expands the Marvel Universe, reunites the Team and introduces a few new characters along the way.

Our film opens up with a Bondesque pre-credit tongue in-cheek but nonetheless well executed opening action sequence as The Avengers mount a raid on the Hydra mountain hide away in the eastern European country of Sokovia. Here Baron Wolfgang von Strucker is conducting human experiments using the sceptre retrieved from Loki, Thor's estranged intergalactic brother. Needless to say the mere Hydralings are no match for the mighty force of The Avengers who now are a lean mean focused fighting machine determined to rid the world of otherworldly foes, world domineering megalomaniacs, and various crims intent on stirring up a shit storm. Von Strucker though has a few ideas of his own including the Maximoff twins - Pietro (Aaron Taylor Johnson) who can move at superhuman speed and his sister Wanda (Elizabeth Olsen) who has the ability to harness magic and control telekinesis and hypnosis. With their powers they can thwart The Avengers and so they team up with Ultron as the story progresses.

As far as Ultron is concerned, it is a former programme that Tony Stark (Robert Downey Jnr.) was developing to create a safe world where The Avengers services were no longer required or necessary. Stark's thinking is that he can retire peacefully and sip Pina Colada's by the beachside without a care in the world - yeah, dream on Iron Man! With the Loki sceptre retrieved from the Hydra hide-away and now at Avengers HQ safe & sound, Stark and Banner (Mark Ruffalo) seek to reinstate Ultron using the artificial intelligence they have discovered within the gemstone encased within the sceptre. Of course they have no idea what they are dealing with and while The Avengers and gathered guests are celebrating their win over Hydra, Ultron secretly springs to life sucking up all of J.A.R.V.I.S.'s (Paul Bettany) intelligence in the process. Keep an eye out here for Stan Lee's ever dependable cameo!

When Ultron manifests itself in A.I. robot form all hell breaks out in Avengers HQ setting up the second set piece where an unprepared Iron Man (Robert Downey Jnr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), and Black Widow (Scarlett Johansson) face off against their unsuspecting newly formed foe. Needless to say they survive to fight another day.

When the other Avengers discover that Stark & Banner sought to reinstate Ultron they are none too pleased and so dissent in the ranks starts to manifest itself, while Ultron is out there running amok, growing more intelligent by the day, replicating an army of mini-Ultrons with which to annihilate the world as we know it, and take down The Avengers . . .  and Stark first & foremost, front & centre!

Before all this goes down Wanda bends the minds of our Avengers friends and causes them to hallucinate and lose track of who, what & where they are, With this Banner goes into overdrive, morphs into the Hulk and promptly trashes a few city blocks - his first public show of strength which shows the world watching on TV that he is a menace to society! To calm him down it is Iron Man to the rescue which sees our third set piece as as few city blocks get trashed well & truly and Iron Man in his souped up Hulk busting suit 'Veronica' go head to head with no due care whatsoever for life, property or city & public wellbeing.

Eventually The Avengers reunite, regroup and re-examine what they stand for and how they stand, but not before Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) has made an appearance and sets them back on the straight and narrow in the name of truth, justice, integrity and the American way! As Ultron continues to replicate itself on his path of destruction and world domination by wiping it out so that it can rebuild itself, The Avengers seek an alternative saviour through an Internet connection that might just be their salvation. Whilst J.A.R.V.I.S. was banished to cyberspace oblivious in the mind of Ultron, his blueprint still remains hidden in the deep, dark recesses of the inter web, which of course Tony Stark is able to uncover, and reboot his former stablemate and trusted cyber-companion.

This all leads us to the final set piece back in Sokovia where it all began with the final showdown between Ultron and his amassed army of replicants, and The Avengers which by now have been joined by Quicksilver (AKA Pietro Maximoff), Scarlet Witch (AKA Wanda Maximoff), War Machine (Don Cheadle) and perhaps more importantly by Vision (AKA the former J.A.R.V.I.S.) now rebooted into almost human form, that Ultron had previously wanted for his own form.

It's all impressively executed, albeit perhaps a tad too long and drawn out but these are minor faults only. It is fairly predictable, but nonetheless enjoyable, well executed fare with a solid story line that is up there with the first instalment in 2012, backed up with tried & tested performances. I am not sure if this will do well as the first but it is solid, very well realised, well crafted and well acted by all the principle characters we have come to know & love. Catch it on the big screen soon - I know you won't be disappointed.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 23rd April 2015.

Life is full of opposites! As I sit here in Adelaide it is a cool near Winter evening trademarked by clear night skies, a chill in the air and a slight breeze to drop the temperatures a little more; but my friends and family back home in Sydney are gripped by storms, floods, winds, rain and all manner of apocalyptic tempest to mark the end of the world as they know it . . . well almost! And so it is with this weeks new release films - opposites!

Kick starting your week is the eagerly awaited, highly anticipated and much hyped follow up to the third highest grossing movie of all time, and with it comes huge expectations on the studio behind it, the Director, the stellar cast and all the minions behind the camera that give us movie magic . . . no pressure then, you collective lot! Then we have a story of a music teacher pushing a young lad to discover his talent against all the odds (sound rather like another movie of a very similar ilk that did well on last years awards circuit!), and to wrap things up a WWI period piece recounting the coming of age of a young girl during those troubled years in Britain and what this ultimately inspires her to do post-war.

With such diverse and different films gracing our big screens in the coming weeks, together with those still on general release and as Previewed and Reviewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, there is no excuse not to get out in the bleak mid-Autumnal months and experience some great filmic entertainment to warm the soul and stir the emotions. When you have done so, leave a Comment below this or any other Blog Post and share your cinematic thoughts with our ever growing readership. In the meantime, enjoy your film.

THE AVENGERS : AGE OF ULTRON (Rated M) - Director Joss Whedon helmed the first 'The Avengers' film back in 2012 and in fact came up with the storyline and wrote the Screenplay too, and managed to lash out US$220M to make the film that went on to gross an incredible US$1.52B making it the third highest grossing film of all time - not bad for a bunch of comic strip characters! Since that first instalment, the inhabitants of The Marvelverse have been waiting eagerly for the release of the second film to see if Joss Whedon can weave his magic once more, using and even greater stash of cash that this time is estimated at US$250M+

Our favourite Marvel characters are back with Iron Man (Robert Downey Jnr.), Thor (Chris Hemsworth), Captain America (Chris Evans), The Hulk (Mark Ruffalo), Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner), Black Widow (Scarlett Johannson), Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson), Loki (Tom Hiddleston), Heimdall (Idris Elba) and War Machine (Don Cheadle) all joined by some new super-characters and the grand-daddy of them all 'Ultron' (James Spader). The latter was created by Tony Stark as a peacekeeping programme and is a self aware, self teaching A.I. who having laid dormant for some time is reactivated by Stark so that our merry band of superheroes can stop saving the world by eradicating violence, crime and megalomaniacs once and for all. But when Ultron is reactivated things don't go quite according to plan and our man/machine Ultron decides it would be a good idea to wipe out humanity and destroy the world as we know it. And so our superhero friends need to team up, tool up, and boot up to save the world again and thwart Ultron in the process, whilst crossing paths with various new action heroes along the way . . . some good and some, not so good! Be prepared for action on a grand scale, and for things to go bad, very bad, before they get better!

BOYCHOIR (Rated PG) - here we have another American musical drama film involving a talented young musician, and older experienced teacher and a rise to the top whilst overcoming adversity, personal challenges and a troubled life. If this sounds like 'Whiplash' think again because here we have a drum kit traded for a young boys choir and a lad whose vocal talents open doors of opportunity that lead to acknowledgement, appreciation and acceptance - three things he has never experienced before. Directed by Francois Girard this is a film about eleven year old Stet (Garrett Wareing) whose single mother is killed in a car accident on the same day that his school Principal Ms. Steel (Debra Winger) persuades Headmaster Carvelle (Dustin Hoffman) of the fictitious American Boychoir School, to audition for their elite chorister programme. Stet's Dad, Gerard (Josh Lucas) is in a relationship with another woman but he has neglected to tell her about Stet's very existence. When Carvelle recognises a raw talent in Stet that he has never seen before, he is offered a place which Gerard promptly accepts and writes big cheques for, in order to send his estranged son away and maintain the peace at home. At the ABS Stet is out of his depth as he is not from a privileged background like many of the other boys, nor is he particularly disciplined enough for the school staff. But he works hard and is committed and quickly rises through the ranks as he shows increasing promise as one of the best choristers. Touted as an emotional, feel good family drama with strong performances that will tug at your heart strings, and maybe your vocal chords, this could well be up there with that aforementioned drum beating music school drama of earlier this year. Also starring Eddie Izzard and Kathy Bates.

TESTAMENT OF YOUTH (Rated M) - Directed by James Kent, this is a true story based on the book by Vera Brittain, about her own recollection of growing up in the lead up to, during and after The Great War. After a fairly privileged upbringing in the English countryside Vera (Alicia Vikander) who shares a close bond with family and especially brother Edward (Taron Egerton) are torn asunder when her fiancé Roland Leighton (Kit Harington), and close friends Victor (Colin Moragn) and Geoffrey (Jonathan Bailey) and Edwards are sent off to fight on the front line. Having sacrificed so much her male friends and loved ones now do battle for King and Country in far away war torn lands that she decides to follow suit and so leaves her Oxford college education and joins the Voluntary Aid Detachment and travels as a nurse from London to Malta to France witnessing first hand and at close quarters the horrors of war and the implications on those closest to her. Following the war Brittain becomes a writer, a pacifist and a feminist - she died in 1970. The film also stars Dominc West and Emily Watson as Mr. & Mrs. Brittain respectively, Miranda Richardson and Hayley Attwell.

Three films to get you out and amongst it at your local independent theatre or multiplex in the coming week, and when you have done so and sat through your cinematic experience share your views and be a co-contributor to Odeon Online - we'd love to hear from you!

Movies - see as many as you can!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

CAPTAIN AMERICA : THE FIRST AVENGER - archive from 10th August 2011

Saw 'CAPTAIN AMERICA' last night - the latest Marvel franchise offering. Directed by Joe Johnston for a production budget of US$140M this film grossed US$371M and did no harm in establishing the future story line of 'The Avengers' and in turn set up the 'Winter Soldier' sequel, and in turn 'Civil War' due for release in mid-2016. Here we have another Marvel all star cast with a storyline set largely during WWII, as various characters are set up in origin style that will continue the storyline and interwoven plots in subsequent films as the Marvel Universe is rolled out in future years.

Chris Evans plays the title role having shaken off his earlier 'Fantastic Four' mantle & here puts in a convincing turn as our unlikely hero. lifted out of the 40's eventually into the noughties! After an initial glimpse of the present day, Steve Rogers as the underweight, beanpole weakling tries to enlist for US military service but is rejected time after time because of his physical and health related issues. After eavesdropping on a conversation with his good friend Sergeant James 'Bucky' Barnes (remember this name for later[played by Sebastian Stan]) a scientist allows Rogers to be recruited into the WWII US Military Reserve as part of 'Super Soldier' experiment.

While this is going on in the good ol' war bashing USofA, back in war stricken Europe, Nazi Officer and megalomaniac in waiting Johann Schmidt (Hugo Weaving) is poised on the edge of world domination with the help of the 'Tesseract' which he has uncovered in the Norwegian town of Tonsberg. As we have come to know from successive Marvel films - the Tesseract has untold super powers. Back at base camp in the US Rogers is chosen to be the guinea pig for an experiment overseen by one Howard Stark (Dominic Cooper), and when the requisite level of power, super-serum and vita-rays is applied in a confined space, then voila, Captain America is born - six foot eight, pecs of steel, guns of iron and a determination to bring peace to the world. 

Schmidt meanwhile has now morphed into 'Red Skull' after a disfiguring accident in his scientific mountain lair, and with the Tesseract in his possession he believes he is on course for world domination, but of course hadn't counted on the new powers of Steve Rogers - newly crowned 'Captain America' thanks to the success of the earlier 'Super Soldier' experiment. Ultimately the Tesseract will be Red Skulls downfall, but result also in Captain America crashing into the Arctic ice where he will not be discovered until the present day.

All is good in the end as you would expect from the Marvelverse, and this new action hero sets up the story arc for the next outing which sees the film end with a current day scene in Times Square where our 'First Avenger' awakens after a 70 year sleep to be enlisted by Nick Fury (Samuel L. Jackson) for a mission that could have far reaching implications on the world as we know it. For Steve Rogers though he is a 1940's soul in a 2000's world and there is a period of readjustment that has to be had . . . for any more however, you'll just have to tune into the successive films in the ever growing ever popular ever blockbusting Marvel Universe.

This origin story sets up the upcoming 'Avengers' offering and does so in fine style. Hugo Weaving is suitably menacing as the Nazi 'Red Skull' Hell bent on world destruction & Tommy Lee Jones leading the US Army charge as Colonel Chester Philips with Stanley Tucci, Toby Jones and Neal McDonagh entertaining & putting on a solid collective rendition of this more widely known popular comic book hero. In closing this sets the tone for Marvel and does it well. A convincing story from rich source material, solid performances, well rendered graphics and imagery, and a franchise in the making. Very entertaining all round.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THE AVENGERS - archive from 2nd May 2012.

Saw 'THE AVENGERS' last night, and subsequently saw it again with my young lad and a mate in tow. For the first time on the big screen this live action offering brings together the Marvel stable of Iron Man, Thor, The Hulk, Captain America and lesser known heroes Hawkeye and Black Widow led by S.H.I.E.L.D helmsman Nick Fury. The former four Superheroes you may have seen in their own individual films that have done huge Box Office singularly and collectively, and have helped cement Marvel Studio into the movie production powerhouse that it now is.

This is G-R-E-A-T entertainment make no mistake - it's big, bold, brash and well done with a stellar cast - Robert Downey Jnr. (Iron Man), Chris Hemsworth (Thor), Chris Evans (Captain America), Mark Ruffalo (The Hulk), Jeremy Renner (Hawkeye), Scarlett Johanssen (Black Widow) and Samuel L. Jackson (Nick Fury) brought together to do Earth shattering battle with the evil Loki (Thor's brother, played with menacing aplomb by Tom Hiddleston) from Asgard. 

The story essentially surrounds Loki who has been promised that if he can secure 'The Tesseract' (a mightily powerful energy source who's potential is not fully understood) then he will be given an army with which to overpower Earth. The Tesseract is located on Earth and is under the watchful eye and close scrutiny of S.H.I.E.L.D. Scientists, and when visited by Fury the Tesseract activates opening a worm hole that allows Loki to gain access to Earth. Upon arrival Loki seizes control of the Tesseract and makes off with it, but not before leaving a path of destruction and mayhem in his wake. 

This of course prompts Fury to reactivate 'The Avengers Initiative' bringing our merry band of Superheroes together to defeat Loki, seize back the Tesseract, and save our humble little planet! Along the way of course our Superheroes allow their over sized egos to get in the way of their mission; they fall out, fight, argue, kiss and make up and ultimately save the day in downtown New York in what is a great action set piece that seems never to let up!

Joss Whedon who has Directed and wrote the story and screenplay has done a terrific job in bringing this to the big screen and his vision is pitch perfect - great action set pieces, humorous one liners, big boys toys, other worldly foes, and equal screen time for the major players. This film was shot for a budget of US$220M and raked in an astonishing US$1.52B at the global Box Office making it the biggest grossing film of 2012, and the third highest grossing film of all time. There are a whole bunch of other vital statistics about this film that underscores its greatness, which you can review in your own time and if you are so inclined. In addition, the film scored a nomination at both the Academy Awards and BAFTA's for Best Visual Effects, and all up world wide it brought in 30 award wins and 65 nominations.

Suffice to say, a sequel is on its way - 'The Avengers : Age of Ultron' is due for release on 23rd April 2015 - also Written and Directed by Joss Whedon and with an estimated budget this time around of US$250M . . . it's gonna be big, and it will bring your favourite Superhero friends together again, and possibly a few more - can't wait!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-