Birthday's to share this week : 29th November - 5th December 2015.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Ben Stiller does on 30th November - check out my tribute to this Birthday Boy, turning 50, 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 29th November

• Anna Faris - Born 1976, turns 39 - Actress | Producer
• Don Cheadle - Born 1964, turns 51 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director
• Andrew McCarthy - Born 1962, turns 53 - Actor | Director
• Tom Sizemore - Born 1961, turns 54 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Joel Coen - Born 1954, turns 61 - Director | Producer | Writer

Monday 30th November

• Ridley Scott - Born 1937, turns 78 - Director | Producer 
• Terrence Malick - Born 1943, turns 72 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Mandy Patinkin - Born 1952, turns 63 - Actor
• David Yates - Born 1963, turns 52 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Ben Stiller - Born 1965, turns 50 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
• Marc Foster - Born 1969, turns 46 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Gael Garcia Bernal - Born 1978, turns 37 - Actor | Director | Producer | Writer

Tuesday 1st December 

• Woody Allen - Born 1935, turns 80 - Director | Writer | Actor
• Bette Midler - Born 1945, turns 70 - Actress | Producer | Singer
• Zoe Kravitz - Born 1988, turns 37 - Actress

Wednesday 2nd December

• Lucy Liu - Born 1968, turns 47 - Actress | Producer | Director
• Britney Spears - Born 1981, turns 34 - Singer | Producer | Actress

Thursday 3rd December

• Amanda Seyfried - Born 1985, turns 30 - Actress | Singer
• Julianne Moore - Born 1960, turns 55 - Actress | Producer
• Daryl Hannah - Born 1960, turns 55 - Actress | Producer
• Brendan Fraser - Born 1968, turns 47 - Actor | Producer

Friday 4th December

• Jeff Bridges - Born 1949, turns 66 - Actor | Producer | Singer
• Ronnie Corbett - Born 1930, turns 85 - Actor | Television Personality
• Tyra Banks - Born 1973, turns 42 - Actress | Producer | Writer
• Marisa Tomei - Born 1964, turns 51 - Actress | Producer

Saturday 5th December

• Nick Stahl - Born 1979, turns 36 - Actor | Producer
• Frankie Muniz - Born 1985, turns 30 - Actor | Producer

Benjamin Edward Meara Stiller was born in New York City to mother and Actress Anne Meara who passed away earlier this year aged 85 having worked on stage, screen and television since the mid-'50's. His father, Jerry Stiller is a comedian and Actor, who like his late wife has been a stage, television and film presence since the mid-'50's. Growing up in show business the young Ben was taken frequently on set, stating that in his early years there was " . . . a lot of travelling, a lot of late nights, not what you would call traditional". He has an older sister, Amy with whom he would make Super 8 movies when they were growing up, with various other friends. He made his acting debut at nine years of age on his mothers television show - a short-lived legal drama series 'Kate McShane' in 1975. 

Taking part in the NYC First All Children's Theatre in the late '70's and gaining inspiration from 'Second City Television' - a Canadian TV Sketch Comedy Show, the young Stiller decided that sketch comedy was where he wanted to be. He attended The Cathedral School of St. John the Divine and graduated from the co-ed The Calhoun School in 1983 after which he started as an opening act on the cabaret circuit. He enrolled as a film student at UCLA, and after nine months returned to NYC and began auditioning for roles, and searching for an Agent.

At 15 Stiller gained a bit part in television soap 'Guiding Night' having to deliver just one single line of dialogue . . . but I guess you gotta start somewhere! In 1986 he was cast in the Broadway production of 'The House of Blue Leaves' which subsequently picked up four Tony Awards. His big screen debut came in 1987's 'Hot Pursuit' with John Cusack and Jerry Stiller playing the on-screen Dad to Stiller the younger. That same year there was a small role too in Spielberg's 'Empire of the Sun'. In 1989 Stiller began writing and starring in 'Saturday Night Live', but with a strong desire to make short films he left after just four shows.

And so he made 'Elvis Stories' - a short with John Cusack, Mike Meyers, Jeremy Piven and then 'Going Back to Brooklyn' for MTV which so impressed the Producers there that he was offered his own experimental thirteen episode show called aptly 'The Ben Stiller Show'. The series was scrapped after its first season but relaunched in 1992 this time by Fox, and went on to win an Emmy Award after it too was cancelled.

In 1992 Stiller was asked to Direct 'Reality Bites' in his debut as Director in the film in which he also starred. This was followed in 1995 with 'Heavyweights', 'Happy Gilmore', 'If Lucy Fell' and 'Flirting with Disaster' before taking on his next Directing gig with the Jim Carey vehicle 'The Cable Guy'.

It was 1998's Farrelly Brothers classic comedy 'There's Something About Mary' with Cameron Diaz as the hapless Mary, that propelled Stiller's career ever skyward. That same year there was more dramatic fare too with 'Zero Effect', 'Permanent Midnight' and 'Your Friends and Neighbours', with 'Mystery Men' and 'Black & White' seeing out the decade.

The start of the new decade saw more comedic offerings with 'Meet the Parents' for which he would reprise his role as Greg Focker in 'Meet the Fockers' in 2004 and 'Little Fockers' in 2010. 2001 saw 'Zoolander' - his own creation which he also Directed, and 'The Royal Tenenbaums' with 'Duplex' in 2003, 'Along Came Polly' in 2004, the big screen rendition of 'Starskey & Hutch' that same year, with 'Envy', 'Dodgeball : A True Underdog Story' and 'Anchorman : The Legend of Ron Burgundy' that year too.

'School for Scoundrels', 'Tenacious D in The Pick of Destiny' and 'Night at the Museum' followed in 2006 - the latter role he would also reprise again in 2009's 'Night at the Museum : Battle of the Smithsonian' and again in 2014 in 'Night at the Museum : Secret of the Tomb'. 'Tropic Thunder' which he Directed and starred in was followed by 'Greenberg' and 'I'm Still Here' in 2010, 'Tower Heist' in 2011, 'The Watch' in 2012, and his next Directing and starring feature in 2013 'The Secret Life of Walter Mitty'. 2014 saw 'While We're Young' with 'Zoolander 2' currently in post-production for a 2016 release, and which he has also Directed. In the meantime he has lent his voice talents to 'Madagascar' in 2005, 'Madagascar : Escape 2 Africa' in 2008, and 'Madagascar 3 : Europe's Most Wanted' in 2012, with voice work also on 'Megamind' in 2010.

There have been numerous television show appearances too throughout the years including 'The Simpsons', 'The King of Queens', 'King of the Hill', 'Extras', 'Family Guy', 'Curb Your Enthusiasm', 'The Trip', 'Saturday Night Live' and 'Arrested Development'. All up Stiller has 122 Acting credits, 37 Producer credits, fifteen for Directing and another twelve for Writing. He has thirteen award wins and another 51 nominations.

In 2000, Stiller married Christine Taylor, an Actress with whom he has starred in several films including 'Zoolander', 'Tropic Thunder' and 'Dodgeball'. The couple have a daughter Ella Olivia (born in 2002) and a son Quinlan Dempsey (born in 2005). Stiller is a Democrat and has actively supported John Kerry, Barack Obama, John Edwards and Hilary Clinton. He also supports several charities including those associated with animal rights, AIDS campaigning, and child welfare and wellbeing.

Often appearing with his other Hollywood 'Frat Pack' alumni since the early '90's, his frequent collaborators and close friends are Owen and Luke Wilson, Jack Black, Will Ferrell, Steve Carell and Vince Vaughn. He is also an accomplished impersonator and has in his frequent repertoire Bono, Tom Cruise, David Bowie and Bruce Springsteen.

Ben Stiller - a self confessed 'Trekkie', mimic, and must be one of the busiest guys in Hollywood - on screen, behind the camera, armed with a pen and holding the cash too. Influential, sought after, in demand and can freeze you to the spot with his 'Blue Steel' gaze! Turning the BIG 5-Oh! this week, a very Happy Birthday to you Ben, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week - Friday 26th December 2014.

Merry Christmas to the national and international readership of this Blog, and best wishes to you all for a happy, healthy and safe festive season from your friends at Odeon Online.

And so the biggest day in the movie release year is upon us with another raft of new film content coming to our big screens on Boxing Day. December kicked off with ten new release movies and then the brakes were applied in successive weeks in anticipation of the Christmas week releases to capitalise upon the holiday season and some eagerly awaited offerings that once again are sure to offer something for everyone.

For the week ahead then we have the epic final chapter in a monumental saga that has been fifteen years in the making; one of Australia's favourite sons has turned Director for the first time to deliver us a tale of WW1 in the wake of Gallipoli; Disney Studio's have come good with their animation to deliver us a heart warming futuristic story that ticks many boxes; then there is probably Hollywood's most grumpy old man who forges an unlikely friendship with his polar opposite in almost every sense, that is being touted as a long-term best for this grumpy old Actor; we then have an English period piece about a renowned ageing painter as he struggles in his later years to come to terms with what is going on all around him; and finally, and next up is the third instalment in another successful franchise that reunites a familiar cast and a Hollywood great that we sadly lost earlier this year.

There it is then, six new films to tempt, tease and tantalise your taste buds with big screen entertainment that will deliver on spectacle; be sure to  surprise and delight; make you laugh and maybe make you choke back a tear and all will certainly entertain in 2D or 3D over the coming week. Drop me a Comment when you've chosen your filmic entertainment in the week ahead and sat through the experience, and share your views and opinions with your favourite movie Blog and the cinema going world. We'll be pleased to hear from you!

THE HOBBIT : THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES (Rated M) - Peter Jackson's closing chapter in his 'Hobbit' trilogy brings to an end over fifteen years of film making that started the J.R.R. Tolkien saga with the first instalment of the 'Lord of the Rings' trilogy in 2001 and which went on to yield US$2.92B in Box Office receipts off a US$281M production budget. This series of three has so far cost US$745M to bring to the big screen and has made (out of the first two films) US$2.13B, so looks set to surpass the global haul from all three L.O.T.R films if past performance is anything to go by.

Following on from where 'The Desolation of Smaug' left off, we see the same bunch of characters led by Bilbo recapture Erebor as Smaug has fled and in so doing destroys Laketown. With Bilbo and the dwarves led by an increasingly obsessive and distant Thorin, they must now protect The Lonely Mountain with the help of the Elves, Men and The Great Eagles against an oncoming army of Orcs unleashed by the evil enemy Sauron. Effects laden, CGI heavy with huge set-pieces culminating in the battle to end all battles (until the next one), 'The Battle of Five Armies' has already earned US$358M since its US and European release earlier in December. A must see, with expectations running high and given what we know Peter Jackson is more than capable of.

THE WATER DIVINER (Rated M) - Russell Crowe here delivers his Directorial debut, and stars in this telling of Water Diviner Joshua Connor (Crowe) who makes the journey from his native Australia to Gallipoli in search of his three missing sons in the aftermath of that tragic battle in World War 1. Four years have passed since, and in travelling to Turkey he forges a relationship with the owner of the hotel where he is staying in Istanbul, Ayshe (Olga Kurylenko) and enlists the help of Australian Lt. Col Cyril Hughes (Jai Courtney) and his Turkish opposite Major Hasan (Yilmaz Erdogan) to search for his missing boys. Will his water divining skills enable him to devine his missing-in-action-presumed-dead sons and so bring them home to Australia to be laid to rest in peace in there. This of course is the crux of the story intertwined with beautiful Turkish scenery, some Hollywood screen magic, and a story of endless hope, courage, faith, determination, love and friendship amidst the backdrop of tragedy, loss and death on an unfathomable scale.

ST. VINCENT (Rated M) - this Comedy Drama stars an A-List Hollywood Actor known for being grumpy and who has become very selective in the roles he now plays, and with whom. Originally intended for Jack Nicholson who turned it down, the role ended up with Bill Murray who puts in a tour-de-force as Vietnam Vet Vincent who has led a squandering stubbornly self-satisfied life which in his twilight years have left him with next to nothing. When Vincent's new neighbours need a babysitter for teenage son Oliver (Jaeden Lieberher), Vincent agrees, but for a fee. What unfolds is an unlikely friendship between these two polar opposites as Vincent downloads on Oliver his adult experiences of alcohol, gambling, bad food, loose women and over indulgence in life. What Oliver offers Vincent is an inward looking view of a lonely existence and a secret past that perhaps he would prefer laid to rest but must now confront - particularly as life events take an unexpected turn for the worse for Vincent leading both to move in a direction that neither they or those around them could ever have imagined. Directed and Written by Theodore Melfi and starring too Melissa McCarthy, Naomi Watts and Chris O'Dowd.

MR. TURNER (Rated M) - this is the story of 19th Century English landscape and seascape painter J.M.W. Turner as played by Timothy Spall. Set during the last 25 years of his life this is a detailed, nuanced, finely balanced film that sees Turner at the height of his fame, popularity and output but torn between his ever faithful housekeeper and mistress of 40 years, Hannah Danby (Dorothy Atkinson) and his seaside landlady with whom he forms a relationship, Sophia Booth (Marion Bailey) and eventually resides in Chelsea unbeknownst to most, and where he eventually dies. During this time, the film charts the many exploits and idiosyncrasies of Turner - the man, the artist, the eccentric, the socialite and the obsessive. Spall gives a career defining performance in this Mike Leigh Directed film that could well be the sleeper hit at the upcoming Academy Awards.

NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM : SECRET OF THE TOMB (Rated PG) - Directed by Shawn Levy this film stars two Hollywood greats who very sadly passed away earlier this year - Mickey Rooney as Gus reprising his role from the first film and Robin Williams who has appeared in all three as Teddy Roosevelt. Ben Stiller is back at Larry Daily the night watchman at New York's Museum of Natural History only now he has gained promotion to 'Director of Night-time Operations'. The 'tablet' which gives the museum artifacts the power to become animated at night-time is beginning to lose its powers, and as such those exhibits are beginning to exhibit some strange behaviours. Investigating further Larry learns that the tablet's powers are not infinite and that 'the end will come', only now sooner rather than later. The only way to prevent this is to travel to London to the British Museum of Natural History and the origin of the tablet that can only be regenerated by moonlight. As the tablets powers begin to wane so does the staying power of the animated exhibits who begin to age and turn back to wax. As the tablet falls into the wrong hands of an  historical English figure, a race against time begins in the London museum and across the city as Larry and his friends seek to retrieve the tablet before it crumbles away to dust forever, and any chance of retaining its magic disappears completely. Starring also Owen Wilson, Steve Coogan, Ricky Gervais, Ben Kingsley, Dick Van Dyke and a host of historical figures, animals and set pieces this is sure to please for a number of reasons, including those aforementioned two late great Hollywood legends.

BIG HERO 6 (Rated PG) - Disney Studio's have pulled out all the stops to bring this animated feature to life and in doing so have created a delightful story with heart, great visuals, an east meets west backdrop and the rich pedigree of Marvel Comics. Following on from their recent success too with 'Frozen' this is set in a futuristic San Fransokyo and sees an oversize inflatable health-care robot called 'Baymax' (a mix of the 'Michelin Man' and 'Stay-Puft Marshmallow Man') who was designed to be activated upon hearing the word 'ouch' and continues administering aid until the 'patient' proclaims 'I am satisfied with your care'! This is all good until our hero of the piece - young Hiro (voiced by Ryan Potter) whose recently killed older brother Tadashi (Daniel Henney) was working on various robotic devices with his friends GoGo, Wasabi, Honey Lemon, Fred and of course Baymax at the local University. Hiro himself is a robot whizz and so he and Baymax adopt each other with a view to continuing brother Tadashi's work. But all is not well as they soon discover, and someone else is mass producing robots for potential unsavoury gain, and so Baymax is re-programmed by Hiro to thwart the no-good enemy, discover the truth behind his brothers death, and ultimately continue the good work his brother had initiated. This film is Directed by Don hall and Chris Williams and stars the voice talents too of Scott Adsit as Baymax, Damon Wyans Jnr. as Wasabi and James Cromwell as Professor Callaghan amongst others. There is an animated short film shown before the main event and remain seated through the credits for additional footage that lays the foundation for a possible sequel.

Wow - some big releases this coming week as you would expect for Boxing Day. Get out there and see something on the big screen and take in the spectacle of what these films have to offer - something for everyone, young and young at heart. Plenty of choice - enjoy your movies, enjoy Christmas, best wishes, and we'll report next week for the first of 2015's new releases.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Mickey Rooney - dies age 93 - R.I.P.

Hollywood legend and child star Mickey Rooney died yesterday, Sunday 6th April, of natural causes aged 93 at his north Hollywood home surrounded by his family. Born in 1920, Ninian Joseph Yule Jnr. as he was Christened, first appeared on screen aged five in the silent film 'Not to be Trusted' in 1926, and so began a career that would span nine decades and take in over 200 film credits, well in excess of 320 acting credits, seven Production credits, four for Directing and some 30 or so for Soundtrack.

Right up to his death he was still making movies with 'The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde' in production, and a couple of others in pre-production. He acting credits and those that were certainly more noteworthy included 1944's 'National Velvet', 'Breakfast at Tiffany's' and 'It's a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World' both in 1963, 'The Black Stallion' in 1979, 'Night at The Museum' in 2006, and 'The Muppets' in 2011. 

During his long career he starred with the likes of Judy Garland (in ten films), Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn and he married Ava Gardner (one of his eight, yes eight, wives!). His male leads included Tony Curtis, Jack Lemmon, Spencer Tracey, Bob Hope, Michael Caine, William Holden and Ben Stiller. For a brief time in the late 1930's he was the highest paid actor in the world grossing in excess of US$300K a year and well ahead of his contemporaries at that time. A dwindling career as the century wore on and seven divorces (one marriage lasted just 100 days!) cost him dearly and at one point he filed for bankruptcy and had to accept a myriad of 'B' grade roles to pay the bills. But he persevered, and as a jobbing actor continued on regardless right up to the end.

He was awarded two Oscar's - in 1938 a special 'Juvenille Award' for his contribution as a child actor to the industry, and in 1982 an 'Honorary Award' for 50 years in the business. He was nominated for the golden statue four other times, won two Golden Globes, one Emmy Award and numerous others.

A remarkable career, the likes of which are unlikely to be repeated - a man dedicated to his craft for   his entire 93 year lifetime!

   Mickey Rooney - R.I.P.

   1920 - 2014

  

   -Steve, at Odeon Online-