Birthday's to share this week : 20th - 26th March 2016.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Jessica Chastain does on 24th March - check out my tribute to this Birthday Girl turning 39, 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 20th March

• Carl Reiner - Born 1922, turns 94 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor
• William Hurt - Born 1950, turns 66 - Actor | Producer
• David Thewlis - Born 1963, turns 53 - Actor | Writer
• Spike Lee - Born 1957, turns 59 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor
• Holly Hunter - Born 1958, turns 58 - Actress | Producer

Monday 21st March

• Rosie O'Donnell - Born 1962, turns 54 - Actress | Producer | Writer
• Timothy Dalton - Born 1946, turns 70 - Actor
• Matthew Broderick - Born 1962, turns 54 - Actor
• Gary Oldman - Born 1958, turns 58 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
• Scott Eastwood - Born 1986, turns 30 - Actor | Producer

Tuesday 22nd March

• William Shatner - Born 1931, turns 85 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director
• Matthew Modine - Born 1959, turns 57 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director
• Bruno Ganz - Born 1941, turns 75 - Actor
• M. Emmett Walsh - Born 1935, turns 81 - Actor
• Stephen Sondheim - Born 1930, turns 86 - Composer | Songwriter | Writer
• Andrew Lloyd Webber - Born 1948, turns 68 - Composer | Songwriter | Writer | Producer
• Reese Witherspoon - Born 1976, turns 40 - Actress | Producer | Singer

Wednesday 23rd March

• Amanda Plummer - Born 1957, turns 59 - Actress
• Catherine Keener - Born 1959, turns 57 - Actress | Producer
• Michelle Monaghan - Born 1976, turns 40 - Actress | Producer
• Keri Russell - Born 1976, turns 40 - Actress

Thursday 24th March

• Jessica Chastain - Born 1977, turns 39 - Actress | Producer
• Lara Flynn Boyle - Born 1970, turns 46 - Actress | Producer
• Kelly LeBrock - Born 1960, turns 56 - Actress
• Keisha Castle-Hughes - Born 1990, turns 26 - Actress
• Curtis Hanson - Born 1945, turns 71 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Partick Malahide - Born 1945, turns 71 - Actor

Friday 25th March

• Edgar Ramirez - Born 1977, turns 39 - Actor | Producer
• Lee Pace - Born 1979, turns 37 - Actor
• Paul Michael Glazer - Born 1943, turns 73 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Sarah Jessica Parker - Born 1965, turns 51 - Actress | Writer

Saturday 26th March

• Keira Knightly - Born 1985, turns 31 - Actress | Singer
• James Caan - Born 1940, turns 76 - Actor
• Alan Arkin - Born 1934, turns 82 - Actor | Writer | Director
• Francis Lawrence - Born 1971, turns 45 - Director | Producer
• Martin McDonagh - Born 1970, turns 46 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Martin Short - Born 1950, turns 66 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Singer
• Alan Silvestri - Born 1950, turns 66 - Composer | Songwriter

Jessica Michelle Chastain was born in Sacramento, California, USA to mother Jerri Renee, a vegan chef, and father Michael Monasterio, a rock musician who died in early 2013 aged 55. Chastain was estranged from her father for her entire life and has never publicly acknowledged him, with his name not appearing on her birth certificate. She was raised by her mother and her stepfather Michael Hastey - a fireman, whom she does regard as her father to all intents and purposes. She retains her mothers maiden name (Chastain) as did her sister Juliet, who died aged 25 in 2003. She grew up with her siblings from her mothers second marriage - William, Daniel and Jacquelyn Hastey. She is perhaps closest to her maternal grandmother Marilyn who first sparked the interest in Acting in the young seven year old Jessica after attending a performance together of 'Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat' starring David Cassidy. She attended El Camino High School in Sacramento where she struggled academically, and then went on to Sacramento City College before gaining a scholarship donated by Robin Williams that allowed her to attend Juilliard School in New York City where she actively participated in drama, theatre and film projects, before graduating with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in 2003.

Her early career saw her move to Venice Beach, California where she started to audition for roles and was subsequently picked up by a talent agency, although she struggled to secure roles because of her red hair and somewhat unconventional looks. Her television debut came with a remake of a popular 1960's gothic series 'Dark Shadows' but the show failed to live up to expectations and was not picked up for broadcast. That was 2004, and the following four years saw several appearances on the likes of 'E.R', 'Close to Home', 'Veronica Mars' and 'Law & Order : Trial by Jury'. About this time she gained an introduction and a recommendation to Al Pacino who was searching for an unknown talent to star in his new theatre production of 'Salome' - he hired her on the spot, and as a result of the plays sell out success she came to much wider attention.

In 2008 Chastain made her film debut in the lead role of 'Jolene' - the story of an abused foster child told over a ten year period from age 15. She receive generally positive reviews and won a Best Actress Award on the film circuit. Next up was 'Stolen' which crashed and burned, and then a year later came the 'Murder on the Orient Express' episode of 'Agatha Christie's : Poirot'.

2010 saw 'The Debt' for Director John Madden and starring Helen Mirren, Tom Wilkinson and Sam Worthington, and then 'Take Shelter' with Michael Shannon which was critically lauded and had much praise bestowed upon it, including for the film and the performances of both her and Shannon, picking up numerous awards along the way.

2011 was a particularly busy year with the Ralph Fiennes Directed 'Coriolanus' based on a modern adaptation of the Shakespeare play; then Terrence Mallick's highly acclaimed 'Tree of Life' with Brad Pitt and Sean Penn; 'The Help' with Emma Stone, Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer which was also highly acclaimed with the Oscar going to Octavia Spencer for her supporting performance. The documentary drama of 'Wilde Salome' as Directed and starring Al Pacino recounted the story of what led him to stage his play at the Wadsworth Theatre in West Los Angeles; and the year closed out with 'Texas Killing Fields' with Sam Worthington, Jason Clarke and Chloe Grace Moretz.

John Hillcoat's 'Lawless' followed in 2012 with an all star cast that included Gary Oldman, Tom Hardy, Shia LaBeouf, and Jason Clarke. 'Zero Dark Thirty' came next garnering Chastain an Oscar nomination for this highly praised film Directed by Kathryn Bigelow being the story of the ten year hunt for one Osama bin Laden, resulting in his final capture and death . . .  allegedly!

Horror fantasy 'Mama' was next in 2013 and that same year the film of 'Salome' Directed and starring Al Pacino based on the Oscar Wilde play was released, bringing the saga full circle from Pacino's stage play to film docudrama to full blown movie production. Next up came a trio of films under the banner of 'The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby' and subtitled 'Him', 'Her' and 'Them' with Chastain playing the title role alongside James McAvoy. 'Miss Julie' came next with Colin Farrell, and then Christopher Nolan's 'Interstellar' with Matthew McConaughey, Michael Caine and Anne Hathaway. 'A Most Violent Year' followed after this run with Oscar Isaac in the J.C. Chandor Directed film of a most violent 1981 New York.

2015 brought along 'The Martian' for Ridley Scott and with Matt Damon, and then 'Crimson Peak' for Guillermo del Toro and with Tom Hiddleston. Next up is 'The Zookeeper's Wife' with Daniel Bruhl in post-production currently for release later this year; 'The Huntsman : Winter's War' for release soon; 'The Death and Life of John F. Donovan' in pre-production; 'Miss Sloane' for Director John Madden currently filming and 'Woman Walks Ahead' recently announced. 

Chastain has 42 Acting credits to her name and has so far garnered seventy award wins and another 94 nominations including two Academy Award nominations for 'Zero Dark Thirty' and 'The Help'; two Golden Globe nominations for 'A Most Violent Year' and 'The Help' with a win for 'Zero Dark Thirty' and two BAFTA nominations for 'Zero Dark Thirty' and 'The Help'. She also lent her voice talent to 'Madagascar 3 : Europe's Most Wanted'.

Chastain is a feminist, and a vegan, and is involved in the suicide support group 'To Write Love On Her Arm'. She turned down roles in 'Iron Man 3', 'Oblivion' and 'Diana', has picked up numerous fashion awards, appears on numerous 'Top' lists, and in the last four years has starred in four  films all nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards - 'The Martian' in 2015, 'Zero Dark Thirty' in 2012, 'The Help' and 'Tree of Life' both in 2011.

Jessica Chastain - so much achieved in such a short space of time, diverse acting range across all genres (although perhaps not yet comedy), highly acclaimed, much in demand, bankable, keeping it real, keeping it grounded and very watchable. Happy Birthday to you Jessica, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

CRIMSON PEAK : Thursday 29th October 2015

The script for 'CRIMSON PEAK' which I saw in the week was written by Guillermo del Toro and Matthew Robbins and has been kicking around for ten years now, with del Toro always intending to Direct but he got sidetracked with 'Hellboy II', a small little project with Peter Jackson called 'The Hobbit' and then Sci-Fi epic 'Pacific Rim'. Having departed from 'The Hobbit' project del Toro was now free to re-divert his Directing and Producing attentions to his own penned story, and so in early 2014 set about filming what would become the Gothic Horror Romance 'Crimson Peak' with a US$55M budget. Released in mid-October the film has so far made US$52M.

As the film sets out it is 1887 and we see a young Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) aged about ten attending the funeral of her mother, comforted by her successful businessman father Carter Cushing (Jim Beaver). Returning to the family home that evening Edith is visited by the ghostly spectre of her dead mother warning her to 'beware Crimson Peak'. As quickly as those few words are mentioned so the spirit disappears.

Fast forward to 1901, and fourteen years later approaching her mid-20's Edith still lives with her single father in the family home and she has begun eeking out a career as a writer of ghost stories, much to the chagrin of her Publisher who would much rather see her pen romantic stories. Soon Edith is introduced to Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) a handsome debonair English Baronet who is seeking funding from Carter Cushing for his clay mining invention. Edith is quite taken with the dashing well spoken Englishman but much less so is her father who can see through his thin veneer, and his previous unsuccessful attempts to raise capital in Paris, Milan and Edinburgh for his frivolous mining exploits.

Shortly thereafter, alone in her bedroom researching Sir Thomas Sharpe, Edith is again visited by the ghostly spirit of her now long deceased mother bringing the same warning as fourteen years before 'beware Crimson Peak'. As time progresses so the relationship between Edith and Sir Thomas begins to blossom, much to the displeasure of Carter Cushing, who suspecting all is not quite what it seems orders a private investigation into the Englishman and his sister Lucille (Jessica Chastain). What is revealed is not good news and so Carter orders Sir Thomas and his sister to return to England and to turn his back on Edith promptly, while ensuring that her heart is broken in no uncertain terms and, paying them off with a handsome cheque to do so. 

Within a day or so Carter is viciously attacked while shaving and murdered at the hands of an unknown assailant. Having to positively identify the body Edith is accompanied to the morgue with childhood friend Dr. Alan McMichael (Charlie Hannam) who believes foul play is at work and not the accidental death that is being prescribed.

Free of an interfering and disapproving father, Edith and Sir Thomas quickly rekindle their love for each other and so they marry and return to 'Allerdale Hall' the ancestral home of the Sharpe family in Cumberland, England, miles from anywhere. This is a foreboding mansion that is run down, decrepit, desolate and in serious disrepair. There is a gaping hole in the roof that the wind, rain and snow blows through from several stories above the grand entrance hall. The house contains a labyrinth of dimly lit corridors; secret locked rooms; creaking walls; things that go bump in the night; and an ageing lift that goes down to a basement and the rich red oozing clay mine that the house stands on, and into which it is slowly subsiding. It must be said that del Toro has a very keen eye for the detail and the authenticity of his rich yet dark haunted house. The production values are first rate and he has left no stone unturned in capturing the Gothic menace and sense of dread contained within its four walls, which ultimately only add to the atmosphere he is seeking to instil.

Edith feels I'll at ease, but is made to feel reasonably comfortable on arrival by her new husband and his sister who seems to harbour more dark secrets than he does, although we know they are both on the same 'page'! As time progresses Edith has several encounters with a number of otherworldly spectres and ghosts who seem stranded within its four walls and whilst menacing, are trying to tell her something. Being a writer of ghost stories she has an understanding of such matters and whilst frightened, she seeks to learn more of the dark secrets of Allerdale Hall.

As Winter approaches Sir Thomas tells her that the rich red clay deposits on which the house stands seep through the snow turning it a crimson colour, which is why the locals refer to the house  as 'Crimson Peak' . . . words that she has heard of only before from her dead mother! Given what she has experienced so far, hearing those words again, suspecting too that all is not as it would seem with her husband and sister, having received word from home about the sale of the inherited family home, and discovering some recordings within the walls of the house that elude to a much darker secret, Edith begins to unravel the awful truth about who she has married, what the agenda is, and the bond that ties brother and sister.

All this heads to a climatic conclusion as Dr. Alan McMichael ventures to England, having also uncovered the Sharpes unsavoury history, in a bid to rescue Edith from a possible fate worse than death. Edith makes a connection with the ghostly apparition of a mother and her baby which points to another dark and disturbing secret being revealed and leads us into the final climax. As brother and sister become aware that Edith is on to them so rage, panic and jealousy set in and it all goes pear shape for Dr. McMichael, Sir Thomas, then Lucille and nearly Edith amidst the crimson coloured snow.

This film has a lot going for it - high production values, a strong principle cast, a Director and story teller who cut his Mexican teeth on horror fare of this type, and an old school rendition of the genre. But, despite these qualities I was left wanting. More scares, more frights, more jumps, and more things that went bump in the night - I was expecting more and on that note these came few & far between. In this respect this is similar to 'Pan's Labyrinth' which was a far superior offering but in a similar vein, just much more well executed. You don't need to see this on the big screen and can easily wait for the DVD, Blu-ray or download.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 15th October 2015.

I've mentioned it over the last few weeks or so and as such today, 15th October, the Adelaide Film Festival launches and runs for the next 11 days, featuring 180 or so films, 40 Australian premieres, 24 South Australian films, 10 films in competition, 51 film-making countries represented and deemed by Variety Magazine as one of the Top 50 must visit International Film Festivals on the annual circuit. There is a packed agenda full of movie goodness, cinematic gems and film delights for even the most discerning viewer, so, if you are in the locale and in need of an odeon fix get along to downtown Adelaide, South Australia and call 'action!' on any one or more of the films on offer. For the full programme and more, visit the website at : https://adelaidefilmfestival.org

This week then there are four new offerings in the cinematic universe (well, OK then, Australia at least!) to entice you to your nearest movies theatre kicking off with a tale of two brothers, one city and a whole bunch of underworld criminal activity back in the 60's (no, this is not 'Black Mass' - that has been Previewed and Reviewed already!). Then we have an English set Victorian era Gothic horror tale from Guillermo, the Grand-Daddy of the genre; followed by another maestro of his particular genre dazzling us with his cool visuals, and a true life tale of taking a walk on the wild side; and wrapping things up nicely is a RomCom with a first time Aussie actor bowled over by an Indian divorced single mum - cue culture clash!

After you have sat through this weeks movie of choice, be sure to share your thoughts and words of wisdom with the other like minded cinephiles partaking of this Blog but leaving a few lines of critique in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you. In the meantime, enjoy your film.

LEGEND (Rated MA15+) - Back in 1990, Peter Medak, Directed a film called 'The Krays' about the life of times of notorious London crime brothers Ronnie & Reggie Kray starring real life brothers Gary & Martin Kemp (aka half of hugely successful Brit Band of the 80's Spandau Ballet). I loved that film and saw it more times that I can remember. It also starred Billie Whitelaw, Tom Bell and Steven Berkoff and it picked up a handful of award wins and nominations too. Now 25 years later, and that story has been resurrected again for the big screen, this time by Director and Screenwriter Brian Helgeland and based on the 1972 book by John Pearson 'The Profession of Violence: The Rise and Fall of the Kray Twins'. The film was made for US$25M and so far has made $18M having been released in the UK in early September with its US release not until late November.

This film brings together both Tom Hardy and Tom Hardy in the lead roles of Ronnie and Reggie Kray respectively and charts their rise in 1960's London as kingpins of organised crime in the East End. Their violent profiteering is well depicted here as they conducted their business through their gang, The Firm, and commit acts of arson, racketeering, assault, armed robbery, and murder which ultimately led to their arrest in 1969 and life imprisonment at the hands of Detective Superintendent Leonard 'Nipper' Read (Christopher Ecclestone). The relationship between the two is also explored here too and the ties that bound them so closely together that made them a force to be reckoned with . . . for all the wrong reasons, and even as Reggie sought to rein in the psychotic inclinations of his twin brother Ronnie. Also starring Emily Browning as Frances Shea (Reggie's first wife) and Taron Egerton, David Thewlis, Paul Bettany and Chazz Palminteri, this is one I'll be catching to see how it stacks up against that 1990 classic.

CRIMSON PEAK (Rated MA15+) - Directed, Produced and Co-Written by Mexican Guillermo del Toro this is a romantic Gothic horror film set in the English countryside in the late 19th Century in a lonely rambling crumbling and menacing mansion that harbours more secrets of violence, death, mystery and things that go bump in the night. Edith Cushing (Mia Wasikowska) is looking to escape from a childhood trauma and in so doing meets and marries dashing charming and seductive Sir Thomas Sharpe (Tom Hiddleston) who whisks the young maiden away to his ancestral family home where she meets the sister of Sir Thomas, Lady Lucille Sharpe (Jessica Chastain) who is the keeper of the family's mysterious dark secrets that Edith will encounter and seek to uncover over time. But as the truth inches ever closer, so Edith will discover that some secrets are best left a secret, and that not everything and everyone is what they may seem - including the very fabric of the house she now resides in. Made for US$55M can anyone do Gothic Horror better than del Toro - quite possibly not, so get yourself to a movie theatre and have the bejesus scarred out of you!

THE WALK (Rated PG) - Directed, Produced and Co-Written by Robert Zemeckis this film is based on the real life story of Frenchman Phillippe Petit who on 7th August 1974 strung a high wire between the Twin Towers of the World Trade Centre and walked across from one side to the other. This bio-pic stars Joseph Gordon-Levitt in the lead role as our tightrope walking high wire artist Petit whose book 'To Reach the Clouds' this film is based on. With an ambition to walk the void between the two towers Petit musters a plan to recruit a team and train under the tutelage of mentor Papa Rudy (Ben Kingsley) to help him realise his goal. Along the way he has to overcome unrest in his ranks, betrayal, numerous close calls, injury, doubt and the steepest of odds to pull off his death defying walk. Made to be seen in 3D this is likely to be a feast for the senses, a gripping story and post card from Paris and New York of yesteryear that we know Zemeckis is capable of delivering.

UNINDIAN (Rated M) - This is an Australian film, set in Sydney Directed by Anupam Sharma and starring Indian actress Tannishtha Chatterjeein the lead female role as Meera and Brett Lee (yes the Aussie International Test Cricketer) as Will. This romantic comedy sees beautiful, divorced and single mother Meera chasing her dreams rather than the wishes of her parents and their Indian heritage. She has carved out a successful career and a stable and secure life for her and her daughter despite ever mounting pressures to find a nice Indian man. Then of course she stumbles across tall, blonde, handsome, charming Will and she must risk falling in love with an Aussie bloke and going against the wishes of her family, or following her own emotions and live her own life. Variety is the spice of life and for Meera, Will might just provide both . . . and more! Howzat!

And how is that for four very different films once again to choose from that offer us drama, romance, comedy, horror  and a biographical telling of three guys from the same era that couldn't be more different if they tried. There has to be something here that appeals, and if by some chance that's not the case, there is still plenty more great content doing the rounds and as Previewed in previous week. Enjoy your movie!

See you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 11th - 17th October 2015.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Mia Wasikowska does on 14th October - check out the tribute to this Birthday Girl turning 26 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 11th October

• Dawn French - Born 1957, turns 58 - Actress | Writer | Television Personality
• Joan Cusack - Born 1962, turns 53 - Actress
• Luke Perry - Born 1966, turns 49 - Actor | Producer
• David Morse - Born 1953, turns 62 - Actor | Producer | Writer

Monday 12th October

• Hugh Jackman - Born 1968, turns 47 - Actor | Producer | Singer
• Josh Hutcherson - Born 1992, turns 28 - Actor | Producer

Tuesday 13th October

• Chris Carter - Born 1956, turns 59 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Sacha Baron Cohen - Born 1971, turns 44 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Singer
• Kelly Preston - Born 1962, turns 53 - Actress

Wednesday 14th October

• Mia Wasikowska - Born 1989, turns 26 - Actress | Director | Writer
• Lori Petty - Born 1963, turns 52 - Actress | Director | Writer
• Roger Moore - Born 1927, turns 88 - Actor | Producer
• Steve Coogan - Born 1965, turns 50 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Ben Whishaw - Born 1980, turns 35 - Actor

Thursday 15th October

• Todd Solondz - Born 1959, turns 56 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Dominic West - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor | Director | Producer
• Michael Caton-Jones - Born 1957, turns 58 - Director | Producer 

Friday 16th October

• Tim Robbins - Born 1958, turns 57 - Actor | Producer | Director 
• David Zucker - Born 1947, turns 68 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Gary Kemp - Born 1959, turns 56 - Actor | Songwriter | Musician
• Peter Bowles - Born 1936, turns 79 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Angela Lansbury - Born 1925, turns 90 - Actress | Writer | Singer

Saturday 17th October

• Felicity Jones - Born 1983, turns 32 - Actress
• Margot Kidder - Born 1948, turns 67 - Actress
• Matthew Macfadyen - Born 1974, turns 41 - Actor
• Rob Marshall - Born 1960, turns 55 - Director | Producer

Mia Wasikowska was born and raised in Canberra, Australia to mother Marzena Wasikowska, a Polish born photographer, and father John Reid, an Australian photographer and artist. She has an older sister Jess, and a younger brother Kai. At age eight the whole family upped sticks and moved to Poland for a year because her mother received a grant to produce a body of photographic work recounting her experiences in moving to Australia in 1974 when she was just eleven years of age. The three young children took part in the photographic production - just doing what kids do - nothing was staged or planned. Upon returning to Canberra a year or so later the nine year old Mia started ballerina training at the Canberra Dance Development Centre with her sights set upon a professional career. Aside from a full time school career to gain an education, she was ballet training for 35 hours per week - a gruelling routine! By 14 however, she was disillusioned and feeling the increasing pressure of perfection, so she quit. Having been exposed to a number of European and Australian films in her youth she gained the inspiration and the motivation to pursue a career in acting. With no prior acting experience she made contact with a dozen or so Australian talent agencies to secure roles - only one ever bothered to call her back.

It was 2004 and Wasikowska secured her first acting role on two episodes of the Australian Hospital drama series 'All Saints'. In 2006 she scored her first film acting role on 'Suburban Mayhem' which garnered her the Young Actors AFI Award. This led to 'Rogue' in 2007 with Sam Worthington and Radha Mitchell, and that same year 'September' with Xavier Samuel.

At 17 she was to receive her break in the US when she was cast in HBO's 'In Treatment'. For this she needed to leave Canberra High School for her role as Sophie in nine episodes while basing herself in Los Angeles for three months. She earned critical praise for her performance alongside Gabriel Bryne. This in turn led to her being cast by Edward Zwick in 'Defiance' with Daniel Craig and Jamie Bell - playing the wife of the latter actor, with whom she has subsequently maintained a strong friendship.

Following this came the 2009 bio-pic 'Amelia' starring Richard Gere, Ewan McGregor and Hilary Swank charting the life, the ups & downs of early aviator Amelia Earhart. Later that year she was also cast in the acclaimed 'That Evening Sun' with Hal Holbrook and had the distinction of being the only non-American actor in this southern states based film due to her strong ability to mimic the required southern American accent.

After a series of auditions she was chosen for the role of Alice in Tim Burton's 2010 'Alice in Wonderland' with Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Alan Rickman and Stephen Fry. The film went on to make in excess of US$1B at the global Box Office, resulting in a sequel, currently in post-production for a mid-2016 release - 'Alice Through the Looking Glass'.

From here she went to 'The Kids Are All Right' with Mark Ruffalo, Julianne Moore, and Annette Bening. This was followed up by her lead role in the much praised 'Jane Eyre' opposite Michael Fassbender, Judi Dench and Jamie Bell again, with 'Restless' for Director Gus Van Sant coming that same year. She was due to appear in the Australian independent film of 'Sleeping Beauty' but turned this down due to scheduling conflicts with the aforementioned 'Restless'. She then turned down Robert Redford's 'The Conspirator'  due to a commitment on 'Restless' also, and she withdrew from an audition having been shortlisted for David Fincher's 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo' as Lisbeth Salander. Instead she opted for 'Albert Nobbs' with Glenn Close for which she replaced, at the eleventh hour, Amanda Seyfried.

In 2011 there was a supporting role to Shia LaBeouf in John Hillcoat's 'Lawless' and then 'Stoker' with Nicole Kidman and Jacki Weaver. 2012 brought 'The Double' for Richard Ayoade and starring Jesse Eisenberg and Noah Taylor, and then Jim Jarmusch's 'Only Lovers Left Alive' with Tilda Swinton. 'Tracks' followed, recounting the Australian sand to sea odyssey of Robyn Davidson which appeared in competition at the Venice Film Festival.

2014 saw David Cronenberg's 'Maps to the Stars' with Julianne Moore and John Cusack, and then the lead role in 'Madame Bovary' with Paul Giamatti and Rhys Ifans. Next up, is the due for imminent release 'Crimson Peak' for Guillermo del Toro also starring Tom Hiddleston and Jessica Chastain, and then the sequel to the hugely successful earlier 'Alice' film 'Alice Through the Looking Glass' for Director (this time) James Bobin due for mid-2016, and 'HHHH' also due in 2016 and currently in pre-production.

Wasikowska has 32 acting credits to her name, and two Writer/Director credits also for 'Madly' and 'The Turning'. She has eight award wins and another 34 nominations in her relatively short career so far. 

Mia Wasikowska - avid photographer and so following in her parents footsteps; mostly flying under that radar but still to much critical acclaim; lives in the Sydney beach suburb of Bronte; dating co-star Jesse Eisenberg; and has appeared in numerous short films and full length features - we wish you a very Happy Birthday from your followers at Odeon Online. Best Wishes.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-