Birthday's to share this week : 9th - 15th April 2017.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Kristen Stewart does on 9th April - check out my tribute to this Birthday Girl turning 27, 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 9th April

• Kristen Stewart - Born 1990, turns 27 - Actress | Writer | Director | Singer
• Elle Fanning - Born 1998, turns 19 - Actress 
• Dennis Quaid - Born 1954, turns 63 - Actor | Producer | Singer | Songwriter 
• Jay Baruchel - Born 1982, turns 35 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director

Monday 10th April

• Max von Sydow - Born 1929, turns 88 - Actor 
• Steven Seagal - Born 1952, turns 65 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director | Singer | Songwriter | Martial Arts Choreographer
• Charlie Hunnam - Born 1980, turns 37 - Actor
• Haley Joel Osment - Born 1988, turns 29 - Actor
• Mandy Moore - Born 1984, turns 33 - Actress | Singer   
• Daisy Ridley - Born 1992, turns 25 - Actress | Producer   

Tuesday 11th April

• John Milius - Born 1944, turns 73 - Writer | Director | Producer | Actor
• Jeremy Clarkson - Born 1960, turns 57 - Writer | Producer | Television Personality  

Wednesday 12th April

• Hardy Kruger - Born 1928, turns 89 - Actor 
• Ed O'Neill - Born 1946, turns 71 - Actor 
• Andy Garcia - Born 1956, turns 61 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Singer | Songwriter
• Claire Danes - Born 1979, turns 38 - Actress | Producer
• Saoirse Ronan - Born 1994, turns 23 - Actress   

Thursday 13th April

• Edward Fox - Born 1937, turns 80 - Actor 
• Paul Sorvino - Born 1939, turns 78 - Actor | Producer | Director | Singer
• Ron Perlman - Born 1950, turns 67 - Actor | Producer
• William Sadler - Born 1950, turns 67 - Actor | Producer

Friday 14th April

• Peter Capaldi - Born 1958, turns 59 - Actor | Writer | Director
• Robert Carlyle - Born 1961, turns 56 - Actor | Director
• Anthony Michael Hall - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Adrien Brody - Born 1973, turns 44 - Actor | Producer | Director  
• Julie Christie - Born 1941, turns 76 - Actress
• Sarah Michelle Gellar - Born 1977, turns 40 - Actress | Producer | Singer
• Abigail Breslin - Born 1996, turns 21 - Actress | Singer | Songwriter

Saturday 15th April

• Claudia Cardinale - Born 1938, turns 79 - Actress 
• Emma Thompson - Born 1959, turns 58 - Actress | Writer | Producer | Singer
• Emma Watson - Born 1990, turns 27 - Actress | Singer
• Luke Evans - Born 1979, turns 38 - Actor 
• Seth Rogen - Born 1982, turns 35 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director | Singer

Kristen Jaymes Stewart was born and raised in Los Angeles, California, USA to mother Jules Mann-Stewart, an Australian script supervisor and Director of the prison drama 'K-11' released in 2012.  Her father John Stewart is a Television Producer and Stage Manager who currently works on Comedy Central. Her family moved around while Krsiten was still in her early years, from Los Angeles where she was born, to Colorado, Pennsylvania and then back to Los Angeles by the time she was eight. At that age she was noticed by a talent scout who attended her schools Christmas Play, and she subsequently appeared in a few minor television roles. As the young child Actress became more involved in an acting career, she continued her education by distance learning and correspondence until completing her high school years.

Her big screen debut came in 2000 in an uncredited role in 'The Flintstones in Viva Rock Vegas', followed up a year later with 'The Safety of Objects' with Glenn Close, Dermot Mulroney, Patricia Clarkson and Timothy Olyphant. A year later she starred opposite Jodie Foster as her diabetic daughter in David Fincher's 'Panic Room' and then for Mike Figgis in 'Cold Creek Manor' with Dennis Quaid (with whom she shares the same birthday), Sharon Stone, Juliette Lewis and Stephen Dorff.  'Speak', 'Catch That Kid', 'Undertow' and 'Fierce People' take us up to 'Zathura : A Space Adventure' in 2005 as Directed by Jon Favreau and the follow up film to 'Jumanji'.  

Horror thriller 'The Messengers' kicked off a busy 2007, with the first of five films released in this year, followed up by 'In the Land of Women', 'The Cake Eaters', Sean Penn's Academy Award nominated and highly acclaimed 'Into The Wild' and then Kate Hudson's Written and Directed sixteen minute short film 'Cutlass'.

2008 was to be as equally busy with another five release films including what would prove to be her breakout role. 'The Yellow Handkerchief' started off the year, then Barry Levinson's 'What Just Happened' with Robert De Niro, Bruce Willis, Sean Penn, John Turturro and Stanley Tucci, then Doug Liman's Sci-Fi actioner 'Jumper' before the first instalment in the Stephanie Meyer 'Twilight' series in which Stewart plays lead female character Bella Swan. That series of five films launched in late 2008 ran its course through until late 2012 with 'New Moon' the second in the series, 'Eclipse' the third, and then the final book adaptation 'Breaking Dawn' being split into two films 'Part 1 and 2' released a year apart. The series took a combined global Box Office of US$3.35B from its US$385M budget outlay, although the critical response to the series was mixed it went decidedly south as the franchise wore on.

In between 'Twilight' outings there was 'Adventureland' with Jesse Eisenberg and Ryan Reynolds, 'Welcome to the Rileys' with James Gandolfini, then rock biopic 'The Runaways' with Stewart playing Joan Jett opposite Dakota Fanning playing Cherie Curry. 'Snow White and the Huntsman' for Rupert Sanders and starring Charlize Theron, Chris Hemsworth and a who who's of British acting talent playing the seven dwarves, saw Stewart in the title role as Snow White. This was followed by 'On the Road' and then a voice role in her mothers Directed 'K-11'. 'Camp X-Ray', 'Clouds of Sils Maria' for Olivier Assayas with Juliette Binoche and Chloe Grace Moretz and 'Still Alice' which won Stewarts Co-star Julianne Moore the Best Leading Actress Academy Award, Golden Globe, BAFTA, SAG and AACTA Awards too, saw out 2014.

The last two years have seen her star in the Written, Directed and Co-Satrring Tim Blake Nelson drama film 'Anesthesia', Sci-Fi actioner 'American Ultra' with Jesse Eisenberg, Sci-Fi drama romance 'Equals' with Nicholas Hoult, 'Certain Women' with Laura Dern, Woody Allen's 'Cafe Society' with Jesse Eisenberg once again, then Ang Lee's 'Billy Lynn's Long Halftime Walk' and for Director Olivier Assayas again 'Personal Shopper' which is released in Australia next week, and is already being lauded as perhaps Stewart's best work to date.


In the meantime there have been a handful of other short films including the nine minute pairing up of prominent actors for a series of intimate encounters in '9 Kisses', and the Karl Lagerfeld Directed eleven minute biopic of French fashion icon Coco Chanel - 'Once and Forever'. There have also been appearances in a number of video clips for prominent recording artists including 'The Rolling Stones : Ride 'Em On Down' late last year.

This brings us up to date, with 'Lizzie' in Post-production for a release later this year with Chloe Sevigny based on the infamous 1892 murders of the Borden family, and 'Underwater' currently filming and due in 2018 and telling the story of underwater researchers scrambling for safety after an earthquake destroys their subterranean laboratory.

All up Stewart has 47 Acting credits to her name, two as Director for her 2017 short seventeen minute film 'Come Swim' and the music video for 'Sage + The Saints : Take Me to the South' and one as Writer for 'Come Swim'. She has also amassed 45 award wins including the 2010 BAFTA Rising Star Award, and a further 56 award nominations. She has been romantically linked to several high profile individuals including Robert Pattinson - her Co-star from the 'Twilight' saga, French singer Stephanie Sokolinski, digital FX specialist Alicia Cargile and most recently model Stella Maxwell. She describes herself as being 'so gay' and open about bisexuality. In 2013 she was announced as the 'new face' of Channel, and in 2014 she was the face of Balenciaga's new fragrance 'Rosabotanica'.

Kristen Stewart - has been voted on numerous 'Top' lists including 'Hottest Young Actress', ranked highly in 'Sexiest Women in the World' several years running, ranked highly too in the 'Most Desirable Women' several years running, 'Best Dressed Woman' and in the Top 10 of 'Hollywood Top Earners' in 2010, '11, '13, '14 and '15.  For her two decades in the business she has already amassed a substantial and often noteworthy body of work across Sci-Fi, Horror, Thrillers, Dramas, Comedy and Romance and has picked up the accolades to prove it, and, she is still only 27 years of age. Happy Birthday to you Kristen, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 7th May 2015.

With a mega Marvel movie sequel and the seventh instalment in another big franchise heralding the first of 2015's big ticket Blockbuster offerings, it won't be too long before the Northern Hemisphere Summer Season kicks into overdrive with a slew of epic offerings to tease a cinema dollar out of our wallets. April saw two Hollywood epics hit our screens and May will see an Aussie epic (more next week!) do likewise, but in the meantime we have a small handful of filmic fare that give you choice, variety and diversity in the week ahead.

First up there is an already lauded film with a strong female cast that centres around an ageing actress coming to terms with her craft as she gets older, tragedy & loss, and life imitating art imitating life as it all seems to come full circle. Then, there is a sequel to a 2012 sleeper hit of music, comedy, drama meted out on the competition circuit as duelling college teams battle it out for vocal supremacy. Next up is a RomCom of a screenwriter with writers block that is familiar territory for this Director and Actor; and finally a found footage horror for the social media age . . . be careful what you Post!

Four films for the week ahead and once more four different offerings. With some great content doing the rounds from previous weeks, and these to add to your watch-list, ensure you make a point of catching a flick this week. When you have done so, share your thoughts with Odeon Online and Post a comment below this weeks Previews, or any other Review - we'd love to hear from you. Enjoy your film!

CLOUDS OF SILS MARIA (Rated MA15+) - with three strong performances from its principle female cast this Oliver Assayas Written and Directed film is already being much lauded for its engaging dramatic story, intelligence, emotion and the backdrop of the Swiss Alps. Made for a shoestring US$6.6M this had a limited release going back a year ago to May 2014 in Cannes before a wider French release last August to the US in early April and finally Australia in early May. This is the story of Maria Enders (Juliette Binoche) who is a successful actress off the back of a play and later the film titled 'Maloja Snake' in which she played the lead role 20 years ago revolving around a relationship between a young feisty girl who is the Assistant to an older woman who subsequently commits suicide. Travelling to Zurich with her Assistant Valentine (Kristen Stewart) to accept an award on behalf of the plays writer, Wilhelm Melchior, Maria learns that Melchior has died suddenly in the nearby town of Sils Maria.

During the awards ceremony Maria is approached by a renowned theatre Director keen to have her reprise her role in a new production of 'Maloja Snake' in London but this time as the older woman. Reluctantly Maria agrees and is able to prepare for the role in the house of Wilhelm in Sils Maria. As Maria and Valentine pour over the script it  brings back memories and causes to them to question their own relationship. given the parallels here between art and life. Playing the part of the young girl in the new production is Jo-Ann Ellis (Chloe Grace Moretz) who is a young up & coming starlet who has already had her fair share of media controversy and tabloid scandal. As questions of age, time, cultures, beliefs, and the fine balance between the characters in the play and those on the screen bring things to a head ultimately in London, another offer manifests itself which causes Maria to reassess her place in life and those around her. Sounds  a lot like 'Birdman' for the ladies - you decide!

THE REWRITE (Rated M) - this film too has been kicking around for about a year and was released in the US last October and is out already on DVD there, with a limited theatrical release only now in Australia. Written and Directed by Marc Lawrence this stars Hugh Grant as Keith Michaels - a Hollywood based UK Screenwriter who scored an Academy Award back in 1998 but since then has failed to garner further success. Instead his marriage has gone south, he's got writers block big-time and his money has run out.  What's a guy to do? Run away of course - and head for the east-coast and go teach screenwriting in college, and promptly fall head-over-heels in lurve with another teacher - Marisa Tomei as Holly Carpenter, who will help him regain his mo-jo, his confidence, his inspiration and his motivation - easy! Marc Lawrence has worked with Hugh Grant before on 'Did You Hear About The Morgans', 'Music and Lyrics' and 'Two Weeks Notice' so if you enjoyed those you're likely to enjoy these - and the formula that goes with it! J.K. Simmons also stars.

PITCH PERFECT 2 (Rated M) - back in 2012 the forerunner to this film was made for US$17M by Jason Moore and it grossed US$113M. This time around it is Directed and Stars Elizabeth Banks who had a Producer credit last time and now has a US$45M budget to play with. Following on from the events of the last film the a cappella all girl singers were so disgraced and humiliated in front of the President of the USofA that they were promptly removed from the performance circuit never to darken its doors again. Of course 'The Barden Bellas' are out to redeem themselves and prove themselves to an unsuspecting world that they are mature, responsible, committed, upstanding fine voiced a cappella singers who can enter a competition that no American band has ever won before and maybe just even win it . . . no pressure there then??? Starring Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Hailee Seinfeld, Adam DeVine and notable others - old and new- the girls will test their friendships, their patience, their resilience and their determination to win the day . . . and will they? Check it out and let us know!

UNFRIENDED (Rated  MA) - like two of the other movies released this week, this film too has been kicking around for about a year, having had its premier in July 2014 at the Montreal Fantasia International Film Festival. Directed by Georgian/Russian Actor/Director Levan 'Leo' Gabriadze for the highly cost effective sum of US$1M, and co-Produced by Russian Director Timur Bekmambetov this little found-footage cyber horror offering has so far grossed US$33M. A sequel, on the strength of this, is already in the works! That said, this film stars largely no-name Actors all sat in front of their computer screens at home on SKYPE with each other. Set in real time in Fresno, California, events unfold through a computer screen as high school student Blaire Lily (Shelley Hennig) gets online with four friends over SKYPE to discuss the suicide of a close friend one years ago - Laura Barns (Heather Sossamon). As they SKYPE and chat away a mysterious unseen account joins the call, with the name Billie227. At the same time Laura's Facebook account goes into overdrive sending out messages to unsuspecting friends, and then the other friends accounts start to do likewise with uncompromising images. As time progresses the mystery faceless account picks off the others on the SKYPE call causing them all to self harm and ultimately die in horrible ways, leaving only one standing at the end as the truth about Laura's suicide is revealed. At only 83 minutes long this is a short, sharp, shock story that is likely to drag you in as 'Paranormal Activity' did on its first outing, make you jump, but leave you wanting more. Beware the power of technology as a portal to the otherworldly!

Do yourself a favour, and get out there then on a cool Autumnal evening into a warm dark place and enjoy a film of choice with other like minded cinephiles, and then, share your views, opinions and critique with us all.

Movies - catch one soon!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-