JOHN HURT - dies aged 77 - R.I.P.

John Vincent Hurt - the acclaimed Actor of stage and screen died at his home in Cromer, Norfolk, England following a long battle with pancreatic cancer on 25th January - three days after his 77th Birthday.  Born in Chesterfield, Derby, England on 22nd January 1940 he had a strict upbringing by his amateur Actress mother Phyllis Massey and his Church of England clergyman father Arnould Herbert Hurt. They lived opposite a cinema but his parents forbade him from watching films there or mixing with other local children. He attended St. Michael's Preparatory School in Orford, Kent where his interest in acting was first sparked. He then attended Lincoln Grammar School, and at seventeen he enrolled in the Grimsby Art School to study art. Two years later he won a scholarship to Saint Martin's School of Art in London, and in 1960 he gained a scholarship to London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where he studied for two years.

His first screen role came in the classic early '60's police drama series 'Z-Cars' on a single episode in 1962. His first big screen role came later that same year in 'Young and Willing' with his first major screen performance and perhaps his breakout role being as Richard Rich in the widely acclaimed 1966 film 'A Man For All Seasons' opposite Orson Welles, Robert Shaw, Leo McKern, Vanessa Redgrave and Susannah York. He gained his first BAFTA nomination for playing Timothy Evans, the man accused to be hanged for the murders committed by his landlord John Christie in the real life drama '10, Rillington Place' in 1971. A few years later in 1975, Hurt secured his first BAFTA win for his portrayal of Quentin Crisp in 'The Naked Civil Servant' - the story of the outrageous and flamboyant homosexual Crisp's coming of age and his elder years in a very conservative England. A year later, Hurt's prominence continued to rise with his acclaimed performance in the BBC television mini-series 'I, Claudius' as Roman Emperor Caligula opposite Derek Jacobi's Claudius.

1978 saw another award worthy performance in the Alan Parker Directed and Oliver Stone Written 'Midnight Express' about an American College student played by Brad Davis caught smuggling drugs out of Turkey where upon he is promptly thrown in a Turkish prison left to rot and subject to all manner of woes by his captors. The film garnered Hurt a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor and his first Academy Award nomination. 1979 saw his iconic role as Kane in Ridley Scott's 'Alien' - with his alien chest busting scene being hailed by many as one of the most memorable in cinematic history. For this role he gained another BAFTA Best Supporting Actor nomination. Continuing with his run of successes, 1980 saw Hurt play John Merrick in David Lynch's 'The Elephant Man'. This role secured the Actor another BAFTA win for Best Actor, as well as Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

1980 also saw a role in Michael Cimino's 'Heaven's Gate' hailed at one time as being the biggest commercial and critical flop in film making history, but since then time has been kinder to this production. 1984 saw the big screen adaptation of George Orwell's '1984', and in 1989 he starred in 'Scandal' the retelling of the Profumo Scandal of 1963 that shook the British Government at the time involving the Minister of War and an exotic dancer.

The mid-'90's saw historical dramas 'Rob Roy' with Liam Neeson, 'Dead Man' with Johnny Depp, 'Wild Bill' with Jeff Bridges and then Sci-Fi offering for Robert Zemeckis 'Contact' with Jodie Foster. The new decade saw 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' and his first appearance in the Harry Potter franchise as Mr. Ollivander - the wand maker in 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' - a role he would reprise in 'The Deathly Hallows : Parts 1 and 2'. In 2004 he starred in Guillermo del Toro's 'Hellboy' and again in its sequel 'Hellboy : The Golden Army' in 2008 and in the meantime there was the historical Australian Western 'The Proposition', then 'V for Vendetta'  and 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. More than thirty years after his award winning turn as Quentin Crisp he reprised the role for 2009's 'An Englishman in New York' for which he was again nominated for a BAFTA Award.

'44 Inch Chest', a remake of the classic Graham Greene novel 'Brighton Rock', the highly acclaimed big screen adaptation of 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' and then swords and sandals epic 'Immortals', horror comedy 'Only Lovers Left Alive', the acclaimed Sci-Fi action drama 'Snowpiercer' and then another swords and sandals retelling of 'Hercules' closed out 2014. 'ChickLit', 'The Journey' and the recently released 'Jackie' bring us up to date. In the meantime, Hurt lent his considerable voice talents to numerous films, television programmes, and documentaries over the years including the likes of 'Watership Down' and 'Lord of the Rings' as Aragorn both in 1978, Disney's 'The Black Cauldron' in 1985, Disney's 'The Tigger Movie' in 2000, Lars von Trier's 'Dogville' in 2003 and 'Manderlay' in 2005 for the same Director, and 'Perfume : The Story of a Murderer' in 2006. There were also innumerable television series including 'The Storyteller', 'Watership Down', 'The Alan Clarke Diaries', 'The Confession', 'The Hollow Crown', 'Labyrinth', 'Merlin', 'Doctor Who' as The War Doctor, and 'The Last Panthers' most recently.

Still to come and due for release throughout 2017 are 'That Good Night' which is complete, 'Damascus Cover' currently in Post-Production, and so too is 'My Name Is Lenny' and currently filming is 'Darkest Hour' in which Hurt played former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, opposite Gary Oldman's Winston Churchill.

All up over seven decades Hurt had accumulated 204 acting credits to his name, garnered two Academy Award nominations for 'Midnight Express' and 'The Elephant Man', gained one Golden Globe Award for 'Midnight Express' and a nomination for 'The Elephant Man', and won three BAFTA Awards for 'The Naked Civil Servant', 'Midnight Express' and 'The Elephant Man' plus four other nominations and the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Cinema in 2012.

He was married four times during his life - from 1962 until 1964 to Actress Annette Robertson; he lived with French model Marie-Lise Volpeliere-Pierrot from 1967 through until 1983 and who was tragically killed in a horse riding accident; from 1984 until 1990 to Donna Peacock; from 1990 to 1996 to Joan Dalton with whom he had two children - Alexander 'Sasha' John Vincent Hurt born in 1990, and Nicholas 'Nick' Hurt born in 1993. Following this he was in a seven year relationship with Sarah Owens a presenter and writer. From 2005 up until the time of his passing he was married to Producer and Casting Director Anwen Rees-Myers. Upon marrying Rees-Myers he gave up smoking and drinking, putting his alcoholic days behind him.

In 2004 Hurt was honoured in the Queen's New Years Honours List with a Knighthood for services to drama by being made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). He also received various other accolades including The John Hurt Centre in his name being an education and exhibition space in Cinema City, Norwich. He was also a patron of the Proteus Syndrome Foundation (thought to be the affliction that affected John Merrick - the character he portrayed in 'The Elephant Man'), and he was also a patron of Project Harar working with Ethiopian children affected by facial disfigurements.

John Hurt - so many memorable performances, so many iconic roles, such an instantly recognisable deep gravel like voice, in demand for 55+ years - your legacy will live on forever recorded on celluloid and in the hearts and minds of the movie going public and the television audiences you served so well right up until the time of your passing.

John Hurt - Rest In Peace
1940 - 2017.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 1st - 7th November 2015

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Tilda Swinton does on 5th November - check out the tribute to this Birthday Girl turning 55 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 1st November

• Toni Collette - Born 1972, turns 43 - Actress | Producer
• Lyle Lovett - Born 1957, turns 58 - Actor | Singer | Songwriter
• Robert Luketic - Born 1973, turns 42 - Director

Monday 2nd November

• David Schwimmer - Born 1966, turns 49 - Actor | Producer | Director  
• Stephanie Powers - Born 1942, turns 73 - Actress | Producer 

Tuesday 3rd November

• Kate Capshaw -  Born 1953, turns 62 - Actress | Producer 
• Roseanne Barr - Born 1952, turns 63 - Actress | Producer | Writer  
• Gary Ross - Born 1956, turns 59 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Dolph Lundgren - Born 1957, turns 58 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director
• Dylan Moran - Born 1971, turns 44 - Actor | Writer

Wednesday 4th November

• Matthew McConaughey - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor 
• Sean 'Puff Diddy' Combs - Born 1969, turns 46 - Singer | Songwriter | Producer | Actor 
• Ralph Macchio  - Born 1961, turns 54 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director
• Loretta Swit - Born 1937, turns 78 - Actress

Thursday 5th November

• Tilda Swinton - Born 1960, turns 55 - Actress | Producer | Writer  
• Famke Janssen - Born 1964, turns 51 - Actress | Producer | Writer | Director
• Tatum O'Neal - Born 1963, turns 52 - Actress
• Robert Patrick - Born 1958, turns 57 - Actor | Producer
• Sam Rockwell - Born 1968, turns 47 - Actor | Producer
• Sam Shepard - Born 1943, turns 72 - Actor | Writer 

Friday 6th November

• Ethan Hawke - Born 1970, turns 45 - Actor | Writer | Director
• Vince Colosimo  - Born 1966, turns 49 - Actor
• Adam Devine - Born 1983, turns 32 - Actor | Writer | Producer
• Lori Singer - Born 1957, turns 58 - Actress
• Thandie Newton - Born 1972, turns 43 - Actress
• Sally Field - Born 1946, turns 69 - Actress | Producer | Director
• Emma Stone - Born 1988, turns 27 - Actress

Saturday 7th November 

• Morgan Spurlock - Born 1970, turns 45 - Writer | Producer | Director 

Katherine Matilda 'Tilda' Swinton was born in London, England to mother Judith Balfour, an Australian, and father Major General John Swinton, and Lord Lieutenant of Berwickshire. Her family history can be traced back to The Middle Ages, and hers is one of only three families able to track their unbroken land rights and ancestry dating back to the time before The Norman Conquests. Swinton was privately educated at the independent schools of Queen's Gate School in London, West Heath School in Sevenoaks (where she was classmates with Lady Diana Spencer [aka Princess Diana]) and at Fettes College in Edinburgh. In 1983 she graduated from New Hall College at Cambridge University with a degree in Political and Social Sciences. Whilst at College she joined the Communist Party and then the Scottish Socialist Party, and she began stage acting too in college productions.

In 1984 she joined the Royal Shakespeare Company and appeared in 'Measure for Measure'. Her small screen break came in the mini-series 'Zastrozzi : A Romance'. That same year she worked on her first film with gay experimental Director and Cinematographer, Derek Jarman in what would become a nine year personal and professional relationship starting with 'Caravaggio' in 1986 and taking in 'The Last of England', 'War Requiem', 'The Garden', 'Edward II', 'Blue' and 'Wittgenstein' up to the point of his death in 1994 from AIDS complications.

His premature death left a massive void in Swinton's life from which it took her a long time to fully recover. During that time however, she made 'Orlando' in 1992 for Writer and Director Sally Potter, for which both the Actress and the Director won numerous Awards on the international film circuit. 'Orlando' allowed Swinton to explore her interest in gender presentation and androgyny and from that point onward and throughout her career to the present day, she has dipped in and out of small independent film fare and those more main stream, worked on foreign language offerings, with new emerging Directors, and across multiple genres as old, young, male, female, immortal and otherworldly characters.

1996 saw 'Female Perversions' with 'Conceiving Ada' in 1997, Tim Roth's Directed 'The War Zone' in 1999 with Ray Winstone and Colin Farrell, and 'The Protagonists' that same year, which saw out the decade.

As the new decade turned over there was Danny Boyle's 'The Beach' in 2000 with Leonardo DiCaprio, and Cameron Crowe's 2001 'Vanilla Sky' with an all star cast lead by Tom Cruise, Penelope Cruz and Cameron Diaz. Spike Jonze Directed Swinton thereafter in the 2002 'Adaptation' with Nicolas Cage, Meryl Streep and Chris Cooper. The following year brought Norman Jewison's 'The Statement' with Michael Caine, Alan Bates, and Jeremy Northam. 2005 saw the supernatural horror fantasy comic book telling of 'Constantine' with Keanu Reeves, Shia LaBeouf and Djimon Hounsou.

2005 also saw Swinton's first outing as 'The White Witch' in 'The Chronicles of Narnia' series with 'The Lion, the Witch and The Wardrobe'. She reprised her role in 2008's 'Prince Caspian' and again in 2010 for 'The Voyage of the Dawn Trader'.

In between there was her Oscar winning role alongside George Clooney in Tony Gilroy's 'Michael Clayton' in 2007. 2008 was a busy year with 'Narnia' as well as 'Burn After Reading' with George Clooney again, and Brad Pitt for the Coen Brothers Directing, and 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button' with Brad Pitt again too, and Cate Blanchett and Directed by David Fincher. 'Limits of Control' and 'I am Love' saw out the decade with the last (so far) 'Narnia' instalment in 2010.

The last five years have been equally busy in which we have seen 'We Need To Talk About Kevin', 'Moonrise Kingdom' for Wes Anderson with whom he would work again on 2014's 'The Grand Budapest Hotel'. Then there was 'Only Lovers Left Alive' with Tom Hiddleston and Mia Wasikowska and for Director Jim Jarmusch, and then the excellent 'Snowpiercer' and 'The Zero Theorem' in the meantime before this years 'Trainwreck' and 'A Bigger Splash'.



Next up is 'Hail, Caesar' for the Coen Brothers once again and also starring George Clooney, Ralph Fiennes and Josh Brolin and a whole heap of big name talent, and currently in post-production for a 2016 release. In pre-production for 2016 too is 'Okja' for Korean Director Joon-ho Boon for whom she worked on 'Snowpiercer' and the further expansion of the Marvel Cinematic Universe in 'Doctor Strange' also for 2016 and starring Benedict Cumberbatch, and Chiwetel Ejiofor.

Swinton has 71 Acting credits to her name, six Producer credits, three Writing credits and one for Directing for the documentary 'The New Ten Commandments' in 2008. She has an Academy Award and a BAFTA win for Best Supporting Actress for 'Michael Clayton' and a further 56 award wins and another 121 nominations including three Golden Globes and two other BAFTA's.

Swinton has worked with performance art in a live installation in London; with fashion designers and houses and has been often lauded as one of top world's best dressed women; and she has sat on the Jury of the Berlin, Venice, Moscow, Cannes and Sundance Film Festivals. She also founded her own, in and around Scotland; has appeared in music video clips for Orbital and David Bowie and now lives in Scotland with her partner of eleven years Sandro Kopp with her twins Honor and Xavier born in October 1997 to her former partner, Scottish playwright John Byrne.

Tilda Swinton - diverse acting range, unpredictable, experimental, quirky, daringly different, ageing beautifully and gracefully and very much in demand - Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

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

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

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

Do you also share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer, Singer/Songwriter or Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming seven days? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully written and presented Blog, here are the more notable and noteworthy icons of the big screen, and the small screen, that you will recognise, and that you might just share your birthday with in the week ahead. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Sunday 7th June

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

Monday 8th June

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

Tuesday 9th June

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

Wednesday 10th June

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

Thursday 11th June

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

Friday 12th June

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

Saturday 13th June

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

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

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

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

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

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




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

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

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

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

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 8th - 14th March 2015.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Jamie Bell does on 14th March - check out the tribute to this Birthday Boy turning 29, 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 8th March

• Aidan Quinn - Born 1959, turns 56 - Actor
• Micky Dolenz - Born 1945, turns 70 - Singer | Songwriter | Producer | Director | Writer | Actor
• James Van Der Beek - Born 1977, turns 38 - Actor
• Freddie Prinze Jnr. - Born 1976, turns 39 - Actor | Producer | Writer

Monday 9th March

• Oscar Isaac - Born 1980, turns 35 - Actor
• Juliette Binoche - Born 1964, turns 51 - Actress

Tuesday 10th March

• Olivia Wilde - Born 1984, turns 31 - Actress | Producer
• Sharon Stone - Born 1958, turns 57 - Actress | Producer
• John Hamm - Born1971, turns 34 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Chuck Norris - Born 1940, turns 75 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Paul Haggis - Born 1953, turns 62 - Director | Producer | Writer

Wednesday 11th March

• Terrence Howard - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor | Producer
• Johnny Knoxville - Born 1971, turns 44 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Peter Berg - Born 1964, turns 51 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor
• Jerry Zucker - Born 1950, turns 65 - Director | Producer | Writer

Thursday 12th March

• Aaron Eckhart - Born 1968, turns 47 - Actor | Producer
• Liza Minelli - Born 1946, turns 69 - Actress | Singer

Friday 13th March

• Common - Born 1972, turns 43 - Actor | Producer | Singer | Songwriter
• Emile Hirsch - Born 1985, turns 30 - Actor | Singer | Songwriter
• William H. Macy - Born 1950, turns 65 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director

Saturday 14th March

• Michael Caine - Born 1933, turns 82 - Actor | Producer
• Billy Crystal - Born 1948, turns 67 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Singer
• Quincy Jones - Born 1933, turns 82 - Singer | Songwriter | Composer | Producer
• Wolfgang Petersen - Born 1941, turns 74 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Jamie Bell - Born 1986, turns 29 - Actor
• Ansel Elgort - Born 1994, turns 21 - Actor

Andrew James Matfin 'Jamie' Bell was born in Billingham, County Durham, England to mother Eileen Matfin and father John Bell, a toolmaker, who left his wife Eileen before Jamie was born. Jamie has an older sister Cathryn. The young Jamie Bell was a pupil at the co-educational Northfields School in Billingham, and his involvement with dance began when he accompanied his sister to her ballet class, and was eventually invited in to the class to take part.Whilst at school he also attended the Stagecoach Theatre Arts School - a global franchise providing training in dance, acting and singing to children aged 4-18. He was a member too of the National Youth Music Theatre.

His screen debut is the stuff of legend with his first role on film and television came with 2000's 'Billy Elliott' for which he was chose from 2000 hopefuls over seven different auditions. Director Stephen Daldry was looking for a young lad who could act, dance and carry the required northern English accent - and he found this in Bell.The film won 57 awards worldwide and a further 62 nominations - including three Academy Award nominations, two Golden Globe nominations, the BAFTA for Bell for Best Lead Actor and two other BAFTA wins and another nine nominations. Bell won fifteen awards for his role as Billy Elliott. The film cost just US$5M to make and grossed in the final analysis US$109M - a bona fide success on all levels!

Later that same year he starred in a single episode of televisions 'Close & True'. His next big screen appearance was in the 2002 British horror film 'Deathwatch' with Andy Serkis, and also that year an adaptation of the Charles Dickens book 'Nicholas Nickleby' which included amongst others Timothy Spall, Jim Broadbent and Anne Hathaway. 'Undertow' came next in 2004 with Dermot Mulroney and Josh Lucas, and then three films in 2005 with 'Dear Wendy', 'The Chumscrubber' and Peter Jackson's remake of 'King Kong' with Andy Serkis again and Naomi Watts and Jack Black.

2006 brought another offering with big time Acting and Directing legend Clint Eastwood in 'Flags of our Fathers'. 'Hallam Foe' came along in 2007 with the Doug Liman Directed 'Jumper' in 2008 with Hayden Christensen, and then 'Defiance' for Edward Zwick with co-star Daniel Craig.

In 2011 we saw Bell in Kevin Macdonald's 'The Eagle' with Channing Tatum, 'Jane Eyre' with Mia Wasikowska, another British horror offering with 'The Retreat' and then with Steven Spielberg for 'The Adventures of Tintin' providing the voice of Tintin, alongside Andy Serkis and Daniel Craig once more. 'Man on a Ledge' came in 2012, 'Snowpiercer' in 2013 and 'Filth' that same year too, and Lars von Trier's 'Nymphomaniac : Vol II' also.

In 2014 he starred in the American period war drama television series 'Turn : Washington's Spies' now in its second season. Currently in post-production is the Marvel reboot of 'Fantastic Four' with Bell playing the role of 'The Thing' with this film due out later this year, with 'The Fantastic Four 2' announced recently for a 2017 release. In between time there will also be 'The Adventures of Tintin : Prisoner's of the Sun' in 2016 with Director Peter Jackson once more and Bell reprising his role as Tintin in providing his voice talents.

He started dating American Actress Evan Rachael Wood in 2005 but the two split in twelve months later. In 2011 the two rekindled their flame and in late October 2012 they married . . . but announced their separation in mid-2014. They have a son together born in July 2013.

Bell has sixteen award wins and seventeen other nominations to his name, from 26 acting credits so far. Only he and Christian Bale have won the Outstanding Performance by a Young Actor Award from the US National Board of Review.

Jamie Bell - still only 29 and so much achieved! Describing yourself as the Eminem of Northeast England, and not delusional, knowing that you are only 5'7" tall with slightly jug ears you nonetheless continue to make you mark with years of opportunity ahead with which to surprise and delight your audience - Happy Birthday to you, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 18th - 24th January 2015.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week? John Hurt does, on 22nd January - check out the tribute to this Birthday Boy turning 75,  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 18th January

• Kevin Costner - Born 1955, turns 60 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Jason Segel - Born 1980, turns 35 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• John Boorman - Born 1933, turns 82 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Dave Bautista - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor | WWE Wrestler

Monday 19th January

• Antoine Fuqua - Born 1966, turns 49 - Director | Producer
• Nash Edgerton - Born 1973, turns 42 - Stuntman | Actor | Writer | Producer | Director | Editor
• Shawn Wyans - Born 1971, turns 44 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director | Composer
• Logan Lerman - Born 1992, turns 23 - Actor
• Tippi Hedren - Born 1930, turns 85 - Actress

Tuesday 20th January

• David Lynch - Born 1946, turns 69 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Skeet Ulrich - Born 1970, turns 45 - Actor
• Tom Baker - Born 1934, turns 81 - Actor

Wednesday 21st January 

• Martin Shaw - Born 1945, turns 70 - Actor | Producer
• Geena Davis - Born 1956, turns 59 - Actress | Producer

Thursday 22nd January

• Diane Lane - Born 1965, turns 50 - Actress
• Linda Blair - Born 1959, turns 56 - Actress
• Piper Laurie - Born 1932, turns 83 - Actress
• John Hurt - Born 1940, turns 75 - Actor
• Matthew Newton - Born 1977, turns 38 - Actor | Writer | Director
• Jim Jarmusch - Born 1953, turns 62 - Director | Producer | Actor | Writer | Editor | Composer

Friday 23rd January

• Rutger Hauer - Born 1944, turns 71 - Actor | Producer
• Richard Roxburgh - Born 1962, turns 53 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director
• Ewen Bremmer - Born 1972, turns 43 - Actor

Saturday 24th January

• Ed Helms - Born 1974, turns 41 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director
• Natasha Kinski - Born 1961, turns 54 - Actress

John Vincent Hurt was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, England to Phyllis Massey - an amateur actress and engineer, and Arnauld Herbert Hurt - a mathematician and later Anglican clergyman. He has an older brother - Michael - who became a Roman Catholic monk and writer and adopted the name Brother Anselm. He also has an adopted sister - Monica. He had a fairly strict upbringing - interestingly being forbidden to watch films at the nearby local cinema, or to mix with other children because they were considered beneath him, and the family.

He attended St. Michael's Preparatory School in Otford, Kent and from age 12 he moved to Christ's Hospital School in Lincoln where he boarded. By this time he had already developed a keen interest in acting as a possible career but his parents discouraged the notion leading him instead toward art teaching. Even his Headmaster dismissed the idea telling the young Hurt he would never stand a chance in such a profession! At 17 he joined Grimsby Art School, and two years later gained a scholarship to St. Martin's School of Art in London, and a year after that he secured another scholarship to RADA where he trained for two years.

In 1961 & '62 he successfully secured small parts in the television series 'Z-Cars' and 'Probation Officer' with his film debut coming in 1962's 'Young and Willing'. Throughout the fist half of the 60's he appeared in many theatrical plays whilst securing the occasional film and television role - first came 'The Contact', then 'This is my Street', and in 1966 'A Man for all Seasons' with an all star cast. Theatre continued to play and active role in his acting career, whilst at the same time carving a name for himself in television productions too.

It was probably his portrayal of Quentin Crisp in 1975's 'The Naked Civil Servant' that brought him to real prominence for his outstanding and very real performance as the troubled gay writer and raconteur which gained him a Best Actor Award at the British Academy Television Awards. This was followed up by his turn as Emperor Caligula in the much acclaimed television series 'I Claudius' with Derek Jacobi. Then came 'Midnight Express' in 1978 for which he won the Best Supporting Actor Golden Globe, following this up a year later with Ridley Scott's 'Alien' stealing the film with the alien chest bursting scene which has been acclaimed as one of the most memorable scenes in film history.

After this came his turn as John Merrick opposite Anthony Hopkins in 'The Elephant Man' for which he won another BAFTA Award, as well as Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations. He also starred in Michael Camino's much maligned and commercially disastrous 'Heaven's Gate', followed up by Sam Peckinpah's 'The Osterman Weekend', and then in the big screen adaptation of George Orwell's 'Nineteen Eighty Four'. In 1989, came 'Scandal' and then the likes of 'The Field' with Richard Harris, 'King Ralph' with John Goodman, 'Rob Roy' with Liam Neeson, 'Dead Man' with Johnny Depp, 'Wild Bill' with Jeff Bridges, 'Contact' with Jodie Foster, and 'All the Little Animals' with the young up & coming Christian Bale in the 1990's.

As the new century turned over the demand for his acting talents continued unabated with films including 'Lost Souls', 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin', 'Hellboy' and its sequel 'Hellboy II', 'The Skeleton Key', 'The Proposition', 'V for Vendetta', 'The Oxford Murders', 'Outlander' and '44 inch Chest', not to mention his roles in two epic film franchises - 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull', and his turn as the wand maker in three 'Harry Potter' instalments.

Turning 70 he continued very much in demand with roles in the remake of the classic Graham Green novel 'Brighton Rock', and then 'Melancholia', 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy', 'Immortals', 'Only Lovers Left Alive', 'Snowpiercer' and most recently 'Hercules' opposite Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson. Throughout, his television series appearances have included 'Crime and Punishment' in 1979, 'The Storyteller' from 1987-88, 'Watership Down' from 1999-2000, 'The Alan Clark Diaries' from 2004-06, 'The Confession' in 2011, 'Merlin' from 2008-12, and 'Doctor Who' in 2013. He has lent his voice talents to numerous productions over the years including both 'Watership Down' and 'Lord of the Rings' in 1978, 'The Black Cauldron' in 1985, 'Thumbelina' in 1994, 'The Tigger Movie' in 2000, 'Dogville' in 2003, 'Valiant' in 2005, 'Charlie Countryman' in 2013 and more. He has 'AKA Nadia' and 'ChickLit' in post-production for a 2015 release, 'Tarzan' currently filming for 2016, and 'Damascus Cover' and 'The man who killed Don Quixote' currently in pre-production.

Hurt has 196 acting credits to his name spread over six decades so far. He has 23 award wins and another thirteen nominations including two Academy Award nominations for 'The Elephant Man' and 'Midnight Express'; a Golden Globe win for 'Midnight Express' and a nomination for 'The Elephant Man'; and BAFTA wins for for 'The Naked Civil Servant', 'Midnight Express', 'The Elephant Man' and in 2012 the Award for Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema, plus four other nominations.

He was married to Annette Robertson from 1962-64; to Donna Peacock from 1984-90; to Joan Dalton from 1990-96 with whom he has two sons - Alexander John Vincent (born 1990) and Nicholas (born 1993), and to Anwan Rees-Myers from 2005 to the present day. It was upon his fourth marriage that he gave up alcohol. He is a patron of the Proteus Syndrome Foundation (thought to be the condition his character John Merrick suffered from) and Project Harar to provide aid relief to Ethiopia for children with facial disfigurements and Derby QUAD - an arts centre in Derby. He was honoured with the CBE (Commander of the Order of the British Empire) in 2004, and Knighted by HRH Queen Elizabeth II in the 2015 New Years Honours List for services to drama.

John Hurt - totally diverse character actor keeping it real in Sci-Fi, Fantasy, Cops & Robbers, Westerns, Comedies, period pieces, drama, thrillers, horror, animation and children's fare; known for an instantly recognisable deep gravelly voice; and often playing authoritative characters or those racked by physical torment -  you have left an indelible mark on the history of modern cinema that remains ongoing and that continues to keep us entertained and enthralled. Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

The Odeon Online Top 20 movies of 2014.

By now you may have read the myriad of other Reviews all citing their top picks from last years film releases that graced our big screens and pulled us out to our local cinemas, and, there was plenty to choose from! The list below complied from my own Reviews from 2014 are a real mix of Hollywood mainstream, Aussie independents, and those that flew under the radar and may have only had a limited release. Some of these are still on general release and many now will be available for you to rent or buy and watch in the comfort of your own home. If you missed some of these first time around, then I recommend all of these to you, and reference this list when you are wondering what to watch one night with a pizza and a beer!

Enjoy the movies, and thanks for watching in 2014, for keeping cinema alive, and thanks especially for taking note of what I had to say at Odeon Online! There will be more great stuff coming your way in 2015.

'THE WOLF OF WALL STREET' - Scorsese, DiCaprio and Hill in top form in this telling of Jordan Belfort's life of excess and the trapping of his Wall Street wealth. Awarded five claps and reviewed on 19th January 2014.

'ALL IS LOST' - Robert Redford has rarely been better in this almost dialogue free film of his stricken yacht mid-ocean. Awarded five claps and reviewed on 12th March 2014.

'THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL' - Wes Anderson delivers a delightful quirky tale of a decaying hotel, its owner, its Concierge and their history when the Hotel was at it's height - all supported by an ensemble cast delivery the goods, and then some! Awarded five claps and reviewed on 13th April 2014.

'CALVARY' - Brendan Gleeson, catholic church, west coast of Ireland, threat of murder, sins of the past - gripping, harrowing and brilliant! Awarded five claps and reviewed on 4th July 2014.

'PREDESTINATION' - Ethan Hawke and Sarah Snook Directed by the Spierig Brothers and shot in Melbourne - a gripping time travel masterpiece with a difference. Awarded five claps and reviewed on 4th September 2014.

'BOYHOOD' - Richard Linklater's opus shot over 12 years tracing the unfolding life of young Mason acted out by new emerging talent Ellar Coltrane, with Ethan Hawke and Patricia Arquette adding weight as his separated parents each carving out new lives but still glued together through young Mason. A surprising and delightful fly-on-the-wall fictionalised telling of growing up in the early 21st century. Awarded five claps and reviewed on 21st September 2014.

'INTERSTELLAR' - Chris Nolan delivering this years big space epic with stunning visuals, solid story, some mind bending ideas and Matthew McConaughey searching in a galaxy far far away for a planet that humankind can reside on. A must see on the big screen. Awarded five claps and reviewed on 13th November 2014.

'NIGHTCRAWLER' - Jake Gyllenhaal delivering possibly a career best capitalising upon others misfortune as he films murder, violence and crime for the sake of television news ratings, his back pocket and his own social standing. Gripping story telling, expertly delivered. Awarded five claps and reviewed on 4th December 2014.

'12 YEARS A SLAVE' - Steve McQueen Directed Chiwetel Ejiofor in this Oscar winning film of 1850's southern states slavery that is horrific, powerful and uplifting at the same time. Awarded four claps and reviewed on 6th February 2014.

'DALLAS BUYERS CLUB' - Matthew McConaughey nailed the Oscar for this in his real life depiction of HIV sufferer Ron Woodroof with expert support too from Jared Leto . . . and AZT! Awarded four claps and reviewed on 19th February 2014.

'EDGE OF TOMORROW' - live, die, repeat - Tom 

Cruise actioner with Emily Blunt reliving a single day over & over to advance just a little further to thwart an alien enemy foe on the Normandy Beaches in the not too distant future. Surprisingly good, very entertaining and the Cruisemeister on top form. Awarded four claps and reviewed on 11th June 2014.

'THE ROVER' - near future Aussie outback thriller with Guy Pearce chasing down some villains who nicked his car . . . but why? With Robert Pattinson this is as simple story very well told that will keep you guessing right up to to the closing frames. Awarded four claps and reviewed on 18th June 2014.

'X-MEN : DAYS OF FUTURE PAST' - I was very pleasantly surprised by this film in this successful Superhero franchise that brings together great action set pieces, a strong cast now well established in their roles and Bryan Singer back in the Director's chair. Awarded four claps and reviewed on 24th June 2014.

'DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES' - a rare thing that this sequel surpassed it's recent predecessor in the reboot of this 60's film & TV franchise. This is Andy Serkis' film and he delivers an outstanding mocap performance as Caesar, now grown and the head honcho of his ever growing colony of apes - but he has divided loyalties that are soon put to the test as he clashes with the remaining vestiges of humanity struggling to survive. Awarded four claps and reviewed on 17th July 2014.

'THESE FINAL HOURS' - it's the end of the world as we know it and the residents of Western Australia have 12 hours to go before they and the earth is burned to a crisp in a global firestorm. What would you do with your last 12 hours? Original, thought provoking and scary stuff - an impressive film delivered on a minuscule budget. Awarded four claps and reviewed on 3rd August 2014.

'A MOST WANTED MAN' - a tight, taught spy thriller that delivers on many levels - not the least that it is one of Philip Seymour Hoffman's final performances and a must see for this reason alone . . . and he is very good too! Awarded four claps and reviewed on 6th August 2014.

'SNOWPIERCER' - the first English language feature for this Korean Director Bong Joon-ho set aboard a future perpetual motion train on which exists all that survives of humanity in a snow covered world. A gripping story of the haves and the have-nots, the rich and the poor, the healthy and the suffering who reside on the one kilometre long train. Should have had a wider release that it did! Awarded four claps and reviewed on 13th August 2014.

'FELONY' - Joel Edgerton wrote, Produced and stars in this present day police drama that tells of the consequences we face and the impact on others of decisions made quickly and the web of lies and deception that invariably follows. A strong script, solid cast, great acting and a thrilling ride. Awarded four claps and reviewed on 11th September 2014.

'GONE GIRL' - David Fincher Directing with Ben Affleck and Rosamund Pike as the fractured couple whose seemingly idyllic lives are not quite what they seem, and when the wife goes missing the finger of suspicion points at the husband who stoically maintains his innocence 0 but is he telling the truth? Awarded four claps and reviewed on 10th October 2014.

'THE HOBBIT : THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES' - Peter Jackson's epic story telling that began with the 'LOTR' series 15 years ago comes to a fitting and spectacular end with this the final instalment in 'THE HOBBIT' series. You know the story - just get out there and see it on the big screen! Awarded four claps and reviewed on 31st December 2014.

20 great films that I recommend to you, and you can read the full Reviews of all of these by scrolling down through the archive column or key in the name of the film in to the search box. Let me know your thoughts and if you agree or disagree, or have some other views. Share your thoughts in the Comments box below.

Enjoy your movies, and see as many as you can in 2015!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-