Birthday's to share this week : 7th - 13th January 2018.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Sam Riley does on 8th January - check out my tribute to this Actor and Singer Birthday Lad turning 38, 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 have 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 January

• Linda Kozlowski - Born 1958, turns 60 - Actress  
• David Caruso - Born 1956, turns 62 - Actor | Producer
• Nicolas Cage - Born 1964, turns 54 - Actor | Producer
• Irrfan Khan - Born 1967, turns 51 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Jeremy Renner - Born 1971, turns 47 - Actor | Producer | Singer | Songwriter

Monday 8th January

• John McTiernan - Born 1951, turns 67 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Sam Riley - Born 1980, turns 38 - Actor | Singer

Tuesday 9th January

• J.K.Simmons - Born 1955, turns 63 - Actor
• Imelda Staunton - Born 1956, turns 62 - Actress
• Joely Richardson - Born 1965, turns 53 - Actress 

Wednesday 10th January

• Fran Walsh - Born 1959, turns 59 - Producer | Writer | Songwriter
• Walter Hill - Born 1942, turns 76 - Director | Producer | Writer 
• Jemaine Clement - Born 1974, turns 44 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director | Singer | Songwriter | Musician

Thursday 11th January

• Jason Connery - Born 1963, turns 55 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Amanda Peet - Born 1972, turns 46 - Actress

Friday 12th January

• Kirstie Alley - Born 1951, turns 67 - Actress | Producer | Writer
• Anthony Andrews - Born 1948, turns 70 - Actor | Producer
• John Lasseter - Born 1957, turns 61 - Producer | Director | Writer | Animator | Voice Actor
• Oliver Platt - Born 1960, turns 58 - Actor
• Rob Zombie (aka Robert Bartleh Cummings) - Born 1965, turns 53 - Producer | Director | Writer | Actor | Singer | Songwriter | Composer 
• Aaron Seltzer - Born 1974, turns 44 - Director | Writer | Producer | Songwriter

Saturday 13th January

• William B. Davis - Born 1938, turns 80 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Editor
• Bill Bailey - Born 1965, turns 53 - Writer | Actor | Television Personality | Singer | Composer
• Patrick Dempsey - Born 1966, turns 52 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Michael Pena - Born 1976, turns 42 - Actor | Producer
• Orlando Bloom - Born 1977, turns 41 - Actor | Producer
• Liam Hemsworth - Born 1990, turns 28 - Actor
• Julia Louis-Dreyfus - Born 1961, turns 57 - Actress | Producer | Singer  

Samuel Peter Riley was born in the village of Menston, West Yorkshire, England, UK to mother Amanda, a nursery school teacher, and father Andrew Riley a textile agent. He attended the co-ed independent preparatory Malsis School, in Crosshills in North Yorkshire (which has subsequently closed), and then the co-ed independent secondary Uppingham School, in Uppingham, Rutland. He played with the National Youth Theatre for a time, and then for a few years in the early 2000's, Riley was the frontman for Leeds based band '10,000 Things' with whom he enjoyed some success, releasing their first single on an independent record label in 2002. From there the band signed up with Polydor for a self-titled album, before disbanding in 2005. Riley's brother George, played bass with the band. 

In 2002 Riley secured his small screen debut in a couple of made for television films - 'Tough Love' with Ray Winstone and Adrian Dunbar, and then 'Lenny Blue'. It would be five years before another screen appearance, with the short 30 minute made for television comedy movie 'Sound' in 2007. His breakout role came later that year, in the Anton Corbijn Directed musical biographical drama charting the early rise and untimely death of Ian Curtis (as played by Riley) the enigmatic singer of post-punk band Joy Division in 'Control'. The film was critically acclaimed picking up 31 award wins and another 34 nominations, including several wins and nods for Riley's convincing performance as the troubled lead singer who committed suicide at the age of just 23.

Next up in 2008 was the Sci-Fi fantasy drama offering 'Franklyn' with Eva Green, Ryan Phillippe, Bernard Hill, Art Malik and Susannah York seeing out the decade. 2010 launched with '13' with Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke and Ray Winstone and then that same year the remake of the classic 'Brighton Rock' based on the Graham Greene novel of the same name released in 1938 and first made into a feature film in 1948 with David Attenborough and William Hartnell. Directed by Rowan Joffe this crime thriller '60's set period piece also starred Helen Mirren, John Hurt, Andy Serkis, Andrea Riseborough and Phil Davis.

German comedy 'Woman in Love' came next in 2011 in which Riley was cast alongside his wife of then two years Alexandra Maria Lara, followed by 'On The Road' in 2012, Directed by Walter Salles based on the book by Jack Kerouac and starring Garrett Hedlund, Kristen Stewart, Amy Adams, Elisabeth Moss, Kirsten Dunst and Viggo Mortensen. Neil Jordan's Directed fantasy horror drama 'Byzantium' with Saoirse Ronan , Gemma Arterton and Caleb Landry Jones was also released in 2012.

The Austrian/German Co-Produced mystery Western 'The Dark Valley' came next in 2014 picking up 26 award wins and five other nominations from around the mostly European circuit, with the Disney Studios live action dark fantasy spin on the tale of Sleeping Beauty with 'Maleficent' also starring Angelina Jolie in the title role, with Sharlto Copley, Elle Fanning, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple and Brenton Thwaites. The film grossed US$759M from its circa US$220M budget outlay, and a sequel is in the works apparently with Jolie set to reprise her role. 2015 saw the British/French/Belgian Co-Produced WWII romantic drama film 'Suite Francaise' with Michelle Williams, Kristen Scott Thomas, Ruth Wilson, Margot Robbie, Matthias Schoenaerts and Riley's wife, Alexandra Maria Lara once again. The film generated largely positive press, but failed to make back less than half of its production budget in Box Office Receipts, which closed at just over US$9M.

The 'romantic' action horror offering 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' followed up in 2016 with Lily James, Charles Dance, Matt Smith, Lena Headey and Jack Huston. That same year Riley lent his voice talents, together with John Boyega, to the children's animated series 'Tinkershrimp & Dutch' which has so far had a very limited run of just five episodes of five minutes each. Ben Wheatley's Boston set 1978 shoot 'em up film 'Free Fire' with Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copley, Cillian Murphy, Noah Taylor, Jack Reynor, Patrick Bergin and Brie Larson was released in 2107 as was the German produced childrens adventure comedy 'Robbi, Tobbi und das Filewatuut' which also starred Riley's wife once more Alexandra Maria Lara.

Bringing us up to date is the television mini-series 'SS-GB' in which Riley stars in all five episodes of the first season so far as Douglas Archer, a British homicide detective investigating a murder in a German-occupied England in a parallel universe where the Nazis won World War II. Also starring James Cosmo, Kate Bosworth and Jason Flemyng. Currently in post-production is 'Triple Word Score' a drama about a missing son, and the fathers love of the 'Scrabble' word game that leads him on a hunt for an online opponent in the game, that just may be that missing son. Also starring Bull Nighy, Jenny Agutter and Tim McInnerny.

All up Riley has nineteen Acting credits to his name. He has so far garnered seven award wins and ten further nominations, the most of which were for his role in 'Control'. He was nominated for the BAFTA Rising Star Award in 2008 too. In 2009 he married German Actress Alexandra Maria Lara and together they have a son, Ben, born in early 2014. Aside from his acting and early singing career, Riley has also carved out a place in modelling, having successfully modelled for British fashion house 'Burberry' in 2008, in 2014 for 'Ermenegildo Zegna' and in 2015 he was named as one of the Top 50 Best Dressed Men in Britain by GQ magazine.

Sam Riley - has worked across just about all genres including fantasy, horror, biographical, comedy, crime, Western, historical, musical, animation and foreign language; appears to be quite choosy about his roles and his output; is nonetheless in demand but prefers to be out of the spotlight living in relative safety and isolation in Germany. Keep up the good, albeit selective, work Sam and we'll keep watching. Happy Birthday to you, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 27th April 2017.

With the release of 'Free Fire' this week (as Previewed below), cult British Writer and Director Ben Wheatley has already carved out a name for himself in the ten short years that he has been Writing and Directing English television series and feature length films.
His short but highly acclaimed film career started in 2009 with British crime drama 'Down Terrace' which was made for just US$30K but picked up three award wins and four nominations including Most Promising Newcomer for Wheatley at the London Evening Standard British Film Awards, and the Raindance Award at the British Independent Film Awards. Wheatley acted as Director, Writer, Producer and Editor on the film.
The British crime drama psychological horror offering 'Kill List' came next in 2011 which was made for US$800K and again received much critical acclaim and picked up three award wins and sixteen nominations including Best Director and Best Screenplay nods for Wheatley at the British Independent Film Awards. Wheatley Directed, Wrote and Edited this film.
2012 saw the horror comedy 'Sightseers' which gave a whole new meaning to the English caravanning holiday. Directed and Edited by Wheatley the film won eleven awards and a further seventeen nominations including British Independent Film Awards, London Evening Standard Film Awards, London Critics Circle Film Awards and Empire UK Awards.
2013 saw 'A Field In England' an historical psychological horror film set during the mid-17th Century English Civil War. Made for US$385K and Directed and Edited by Wheatley the film collected one award win and eight other nominations all mostly for Wheatley's Direction and Best Film.
The big screen adaptation of J.G.Ballards source novel 'High Rise' came next in 2015 with an all star cast featuring Tom Hiddleston, Luke Evans, James Purefoy, Jeremy Irons, Sienna Miller and Elisabeth Moss. This film picked up two award wins and eleven nominations with Wheatley Directing and Editing once again. This dystopian drama film is set in the mid 1970's in an exclusive luxury tower block that has every modern convenience so that residents needn't leave the confines of their self contained environment until society begins to crumble and all hell breaks loose.
This brings us up to date with this years 'Free Fire' with 'Freakshift' in pre-production with Armie Hammer and Alicia Vikander starring in this action horror film about a band of misfits who hunt down and kill underground nocturnal monsters. Wheatley met Amy Jump in the sixth form while at school in North London, and she has since become his wife. Amy Jump collaborates with Wheatley as Writer on all his films since 'Kill List'. A British Writing and Directing force to be reckoned with, Wheatley just keeps going from strength to strength and can put no camera lens wrong it seems. Read on for more.

In the coming week there are six new release films to coerce you out to your local multiplex or independent picture house. We kick off with the sequel to another comic book adaptation that was a surprising commercial and critical hit way back in 2014, that saw a disparate band of cosmos travelling saviours protect the known galaxy from all manner of foe, and this time around, well they're doing it all over again and this time to a killer mix tape. This is followed up by an all guns blazing shoot 'em up bullet fest set within the confines of an abandoned warehouse in 1978 Boston when an arms deal goes south very quickly for all concerned. Then we have a Hollywood set fictionalised bio-pic helmed by an acclaimed Writer, Director, Producer and Star featuring an ensemble cast that looks impressive on paper but has bombed at theatres; before moving onto two French foreign language films - one set in the present and surrounding a fifty-something year old teacher reinventing her life after her husband of 25 years darts off with another woman, and the other  set in the past at the end of WWII as a French Red Cross doctor comes to the aid of a group of nuns in Warsaw. We then wrap up with an Aussie teenage psychological thriller that pits nature against nurture from which there can be only one victor.

When you have sat through your film of choice sometime in the coming seven days, remember that you are warmly invited to share your movie going experience with your fellow readers here at Odeon Online. Leave your constructive, relevant and thought provoking observations in the Comments section below this or any other Post - we'd love to hear from you as always. In the meantime, enjoy your trip to the cinema.

'GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY, Vol. 2' (Rated M) - The Guardians of the Galaxy made their comic book debut in the January 1969 'Marvel Super-Heroes' #18 created by Arnold Drake and Gene Colan as Writer and Artist respectively. The characters that appear in these films however, came together first in the April 2008 edition of 'Annihilation: Conquest' #6 by Dan Abnett and Andy Lanning as Writer and Artist respectively and follow a different set of Members to those in the original publications. The first film, Directed and Co-Written by James Gunn was released in 2014, made for US$196M and took almost everyone by surprise by grossing at the global Box Office US$774M, was nominated for two Academy Awards and picked up a total haul of fifty award wins and another 98 nominations, and was hailed a critical success too. And so a sequel was inevitable, and once again Directed and Written by James Gunn, retaining the same ensemble cast featuring Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Bradley Cooper and Michael Rooker, and this time adding in Sylvester Stallone, Kurt Russell and Elizabeth Debicki amongst others. The fifteenth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe Premiered in Tokyo, Japan earlier this month, is released in the US on 5th May, and in Australia,and the UK this week.

And so what of the story line? Set about three months or so after the closing events of the first film, we see our intrepid band of intergalactic cosmos traversing Guardian heroes doing their utmost to keep their new found family together and maintain a peaceful accord with one another, as they also seek to discover the truth behind Peter Quill's, aka Star-Lord, (Chris Pratt) true parentage. Along the way old enemies turn into allies, and several Marvel characters that we have come to know and love from the Marvel Cinematic Universe come to their aid, as an enemy has designs on destroying the whole galaxy, so crossing over the rich film catalogue and further expanding the MCU. James Gunn has already announced that he will return as Writer and Director for 'Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 3'.

'FREE FIRE' (Rated MA15+) - made for just US$7M this action comedy is Directed and Co-Written by Ben Wheatley and is set in a Boston warehouse in 1978 where an arms trade goes horribly and spectacularly wrong for all concerned. Those concerned amount to a dozen or so low life criminals who all start shooting at each other within the confines of a dirty abandoned rundown harbourside warehouse, when the deal doesn't quite go according to plan. As the shots ring out and chaos ensues, gang members on either side get shot and killed or injured, and so the entire film plays out within the warehouse as the tension reaches fever pitch, bullets fly, the body count rises and those left standing, or limping, try to find an exit in the bullet ballet. Starring Cillian Murphy, Sharlto Copley, Armie Hammer, Noah Taylor, Patrick Bergen, Sam Riley, Jack Reynor and Brie Larson this non-stop shoot-em up extravaganza is likely to be the most bullet riddled blood soaked chaotic fun you're gonna have at the cinema this year.

'RULES DON'T APPLY' (Rated M) - this romantic comedy drama film is Directed, Co-Produced, Written and stars Warren Beatty in his first Directing gig since 1998's 'Bulworth' and first acting role since 2001's 'Town and Country'. It is a bio-pic surrounding a time in the life of Howard Hughes, whom Beatty has been fascinated with for the past forty years, and for all of that time had intended to make a film based on the life of the American businessman, investor, pilot, film Director, and philanthropist. After a number of false starts the film is finally here, having been made for US$25M, starring a huge ensemble cast, and having been released in the US at the end of November last year. The film has been a Box Office bomb, recovering just US$4M, and has met with mixed Reviews from Critics. The plot surrounds newly arrived in Los Angeles beauty queen Marla Mabrey (Lily Collins) who is under contract to Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty). Being collected from the airport she meets with her recently appointed driver Frank Forbes (Alden Ehrenreich). The two instantly feel an attraction for each other, but what are two star crossed lovers to do when their religious beliefs are put to the test, and an employee fraternising with a contract Actress is a definite no-no under Hughes' terms, conditions, and code of conduct. Also starring Matthew Broderick, Martin Sheen, Alec Baldwin, Ed Harris, Steve Coogan, Oliver Platt, Paul Sorvino, Dabney Coleman, Annette Benning, Candice Bergen and Amy Madigan.

'THINGS TO COME' (Rated M) - Written and Directed by Mia Hansen-Love this French/German Co-Production was made for US$3.2M and so far grossed US$4.2M since its Premier at the February 2016 Berlin Film Festival where Hansen-Love was awarded the Silver Bear for Best Director, and its release in France in April 2016. Now a year later the film arrives at Australian cinemas having collected a swag full of awards and nominations by film critic associations and during its showing at several film festivals. The film has been universally acclaimed. Starring Isabelle Huppert in a career defining performance as Nathalie Chazeaux, a dedicated and passionate philosophy teacher who juggles her richly rewarding teaching life, her students, her demanding drama queen of a mother, her two grown up children, and her husband of 25 years Heinz (Andre Marcon), also a a philosophy teacher. But things take a turn when her husband announces that he is leaving her and is moving in with another woman. They led a comfortable existence, without any pressures or strains on the relationship - she is stunned and blindsided by this news, but also philosophical about it - her life hasn't come to an end and she has lots going for her. And so Nathalie embarks on a year long voyage of discovery taking in a new friendship with a former student, Fabien (Roman Kolinka), realising that her ailing mother can no longer look after herself and what to do with her independent black cat, the dissolving of her marriage, and a changing of the guard at the publishing house where she publishes her books as a sideline. Causing Nathalie to re-evaluate her life and reassess her future, this is a well crafted film about what constitutes happiness and success amid everyday commonplace situations and the impact of them when confronted with the reality of starting afresh.

'BAD GIRL' (Rated MA15+) - this Australian teen psychological drama is Written and Directed by Fin Edquist, and stars Sara West as Amy Anderson, a seventeen year old no hoper scumbag drop out recently released on probation from juvenile detention whose relationship with her adoptive parents is at breaking point. The family decamp to a new ultra modern rural house set in a compound all of its own. Amy attempts suicide, but is saved just in time by attractive local girl Chloe (Samara Weaving) the recently appointed cleaner to the Anderson household. The two teenage girls hit it off, and the Anderson parents see Chloe as a calming influence on their troubled Amy. In time however, it begins to emerge that Chloe has a hidden agenda and has ulterior motives for wanting to get close to the Anderson family. As Amy's world begins to crumble before her, she discovers Chloe's secret and the far reaching implications of it, and as a result begins to fight for that which she sought to destroy and escape from. The film Premiered at the Melbourne International Film Festival in August 2016.

'THE INNOCENTS' (Rated M) - here we have another forgotten historical true life telling of WWII atrocities meted out by Russian Red Army soldiers occupying Poland toward the end of the war, upon a group of nuns. Directed and Co-Written by Anne Fontaine and telling the story inspired by the aunt of Co-Writer Philippe Maynial who was the French Red Cross doctor Madeleine Pauliac treating French patients at a post-war Warsaw hospital. Here, Mathilde Beaulieu (Lou de Laage) is that Red Cross doctor who is approached and agrees to help a Benedictine abbess, Sister Maria (Agata Buzek) in delivering a baby to a young woman in her convent. After delivering the newborn child, Mathilde returns the next day to check on mother and baby only to discover that seven of the other nuns within the convent are all pregnant, having been raped by Soviet soldiers. Mathilde decides to help the nuns through their pregnancies and child birth, but the Mother Superior (Agata Kulesza) wants their terrible secret kept quiet from the outside world and from prying ears and eyes. Mathilde therefore has to maintain her work with the Red Cross, while helping the nuns and their newborn children and maintain the closely guarded secret for fear of reprisals from the outside world. Made for US$7M the film has so far taken US$6.6M and has received widespread critical acclaim, picking up three awards wins and ten nominations from around the festival circuit.

Six new movie offerings then to tease you out to your local cinema in the week ahead ranging from comic book Superhero action fare to a gun totting blazing bullet action fest, to a couple of French foreign language offerings, to an Aussie teenage psychological thriller, to a fictionalised Hollywood bio-pic that is a passion piece from this acclaimed Director, Writer, Producer and Star. When you have sat through your film of choice, remember to share your thoughts with your like minded cinephiles here at this Blog. Meanwhile, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead, at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 30th August - 5th September 2015.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Noah Taylor does on 4th September - check out the tribute to this Birthday Boy turning 46 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 30th August

•  Cameron Diaz - Born 1972, turns 43 - Actress | Producer
•  Michael Chiklis - Born 1963, turns 52 - Actor | Producer | Director

Monday 31st August

• Richard Gere - Born 1949, turns 66 - Actor | Producer
• Chris Tucker - Born 1972, turns 43 - Actor | Writer
• Marc Webb - Born 1974, turns 41 - Director | Producer | Editor
• Jonathan LaPaglia - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor | Producer
• Jack Thompson - Born 1940, turns 75 - Actor | Producer

Tuesday 1st September

• Craig McLachlan - Born 1965, turns 50 - Actor | Producer | Singer
• Lily Tomlin - Born 1939, turns 76 - Actress | Producer | Writer | Singer

Wednesday 2nd September

• Salma Hayek - Born 1966, turns 49 - Actress | Producer | Writer
• Keanu Reeves - Born 1964, turns 51 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Mark Harmon - Born 1951, turns 64 - Actor | Producer | Director

Thursday 3rd September

• Garrett Hedlund - Born 1984, turns 31 - Actor
• Charlie Sheen - Born 1965, turns 50 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Noah Baumbach - Born 1969, turns 46 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Jean-Pierre Jeunet - Born 1953, turns 62 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Pauline Collins - Born 1940, turns 75 - Actress

Friday 4th September

• Noah Taylor - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor
• Wes Bentley - Born 1978, turns 37 - Actor | Producer
• Damon Wyans - Born 1960, turns 55 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer

Saturday 5th September

• George Lazenby - Born 1939, turns 76 - Actor
• Paddy Considine - Born 1974, turns 41 - Actor | Director | Writer
• Werner Herzog - Born 1942, turns 73 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor
• Michael Keaton - Born 1951, turns 64 - Actor | Producer
• Raquel Welch - Born 1940, turns 75 - Actress | Producer
• Carice van Houten - Born 1976, turns 39 - Actress | Producer
• Rose McGowan - Born 1973, turns 42 - Actress | Director

Noah George Taylor was born in London, England, to Australian parents - mother Maggie Miller, a book editor and journalist, and Paul Taylor a copywriter and journalist also. At age five the family returned to Australia where he grew up in Melbourne. His parents divorced when he was fourteen, and at sixteen he left both home and school with little intention on pursuing a career in acting. At the suggestion of a friend and for want of something to do, he gave acting a go at St. Martin's Youth Theatre in Melbourne's South Yarra. Here he came to the attention of Director John Duigan who gave him a role in 1987's 'The Year My Voice Broke' and then in its 1991 follow-up 'Flirting' with a young up & coming Nicole Kidman.

For his performances in these two films he picked up a couple of awards, and being typecast as the gawky, geekish, gloomy unaware young adult he was cast as the young David Helfgott in Scott Hicks highly acclaimed 1996 'Shine' with Geoffrey Rush playing the older pianist. For his role here too he picked up further awards.









Before 'Shine' however, there were a number of other appearances including television shows the likes of which were three episodes of the mini-series 'Bangkok Hilton', two episodes of 'A Country Practise', and then 'Boys from the Bush', 'Inspector Morse', and 'G.P.'. Films included 'Lover Boy' in 1989, 'Dead to the World' in 1991, 'Secrets' and 'The Nostradamus Kid' in 1992, and 'Dad and Dave : On Our Selection' in 1995.

The late 90's saw 'Frontier', 'True Love and Chaos' with Ben Mendelsohn, Hugo Weaving and Miranda Otto; 'Woundings' with Guy Pearce, Emily Lloyd, and Ray Winstone'; 'Life in the Fast Lane' with Tea Leoni and Patrick Dempsey; 'Simon Magus' with Rutger Hauer, Ian Holm and Toby Jones; and closing out the decade 'Mauvaise pass' with Ben Whishaw, Keith Allen and Darrel Auteuil.

As 2000 notched over so came more notable fare including Cameron Crowe's 'Almost Famous' with its all star line up of Philip Seymour Hoffman, Kate Hudson, Billy Crudup, Frances McDormand, and Zooey Deschanel. After this was a turn with Angeline Jolie in 'Lara Croft : Tomb Raider' in 2001 and its follow up in 2003 'The Cradle of Life'. There was also 'He Died with a Felafel in his Hand'; 'Vanilla Sky' with Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz and Cameron Diaz and Directed by Cameron Crowe once again, and then 'Max' with John Cusack, in which Taylor starred as the young art student Adolf Hitler.

Since then there has been further diversity in his acting choices with some big budget offerings, more independent fare and quirky Directors that presented him with Wes Anderson's 'The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou' and an all star cast once more; Tim Burton's remake of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory', 'Submarine' for Richard Ayoade and starring Paddy Considine; 'The Proposition' Directed by John Hillcoat; Terrence Mallick's 'The New World' with Ben Mendelsohn again and Christian Bale and Colin Farrell; and then 'The New Daughter' with Kevin Costner and next 'Red, White and Blue'.

The last five years have brought highly acclaimed and much loved 'Red Dog', 'Lawless', 'The Double' for Richard Ayoade again, 'Anna' and one of my favourite films of 2014 - 'Predestination' with Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook. There was also 'Edge of Tomorrow' with Tom Cruise once more, and in between time there have been episodes of television series 'Rake', 'The Borgias', 'Game of Thrones', 'Peaky Blinders', 'Powers' and 'Then There Were None' with 'The Menkoff Method' due for imminent release and 'Free Fire' filming for a 2016 release and starring Armie Hammer, Sharlto Copley, Cillian Murphy and Directed by Ben Wheatley.

All up Taylor has 63 Acting credits, with seven award wins and a further nine nominations. In his acting down time when he's not in front of the camera he likes to paint, draw and play music being skilled and accomplished with the viola, French horn, guitar and piano. He sings and plays in his own bands and lists Lou Reed and Johnny Cash as his inspiration. In late 2012 he married Aussie fashion designer Dionne Harris and the two live in Brighton, East Sussex, England. Taylor has a daughter born in 2007, Martha, from a former relationship.

Noah Taylor - often mistaken for a younger Nick Cave, often plays strong and pivotal supporting roles, has garnered more fame and acclaim in recent years and overseas than he has Down Under, but continues to add gravitas, be in demand and add originality and believability to his roles. Happy Birthday to you Noah, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-