SUPERMAN : Tuesday 15th July 2025.

I saw the long awaited, eagerly anticipated and much hyped M Rated 'SUPERMAN' earlier this week, and this American Superhero film is based on the much loved DC Comics character of Superman/Clark Kent, and is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by James Gunn, who in October 2022 became the new Co-CEO of DC Studios with Peter Safran. This is the second reboot of the 'Superman' film series following on from the DC Extended Universe which kicked off with 'Man of Steel' in 2013, then 'Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice' in 2016 and 'Justice League' in 2017 with Henry Cavill playing the titular role in all three outings. This film is set to be the first film of the DCU's Chapter One : Gods and Monsters, cost US$225M to produce, was released internationally from last week, has so far grossed US$262M at the global Box Office and has generated positive critical reviews. 

The film opens telling us that three thousand years ago the first metahumans arrived on Earth. Then thirty years ago, Jor-El and Lara Lor-Van sent their infant son Kal-El to Earth to escape the destruction of their home planet, Krypton. Raised as Clark Kent by adoptive human parents Jonathan (Pruitt Taylor Vince) and Martha Kent (Neva Howell) in Smallville, Kansas, the Kryptonian gains incredible powers from the Earth's yellow Sun. Inspired to heroism by Jor-El and Lara's farewell message, the latter half of which was badly damaged on the journey, Clark introduced himself as Superman (David Corenswet), the most powerful metahuman on Earth, to the world three years ago. Clark maintains his secret identity and a job as a reporter for the Daily Planet newspaper in Metropolis, where he works with Jimmy Olsen (Skyler Gisondo), Lois Lane (Rachel Brosnahan) who is in a relationship with Clark and aware of his secret identity, and Perry White (Wendell Pierce) the Editor-in-Chief of the Daily Planet.

Three weeks earlier, Superman had prevented an invasion by Boravia, an ally of the USA, of its neighbouring country, Jarhanpur. Billionaire Lex Luthor (Nicholas Hoult) assures General Rick Flag Sr. (Frank Grillo) and others in the US government, who begin to wonder if Superman might in fact be a threat, that he can kill Superman if necessary, but the government officials stave off that threat . . . for now. Then, three minutes ago Superman loses his first fight against the mysterious 'Hammer of Boravia', who states Superman's involvement in the war as the reason for his attack. However, unbeknownst to the world, the Hammer is actually Ultraman, who is controlled by Luthor using a series of drones. 

Krypto, a superpowered dog being looked after by Superman, takes the badly injured Superman who landed with a thud badly beaten, bruised, and with a few broken bones and ruptured internal organs in the frozen depth of Antarctica. Krypto drags Superman back to his Fortress of Solitude in Antarctica, where he is healed almost back to full strength by his trusted team of robots with concentrated solar radiation. Luthor later secretly invades the fortress alongside Ultraman and the Engineer (Maria Gabriela de Faria), steals the farewell message from Jor-El and Lara and decodes it in its entirety, before abducting Krypto.

As Superman and the 'Justice Gang' - a team of metahuman heroes consisting Green Lantern (Nathan Fillion), Mister Terrific (Edi Gathegi), and Hawkgirl (Isabela Merced), take on a giant fire breathing kaiju trampling through Metropolis that was created by Luthor as a diversion. At the same time Luthor broadcasts the entire decoded Kryptonian message to the world. 

To Superman's horror, in the second half of the message, his parents urge him to conquer Earth, take as many wives as needed to restore the Kryptonian race, and to stamp out those who stand in his way. Needless to say, public opinion very quickly turns on Superman. Lois Lane even begins having doubts, and so he voluntarily surrenders to the government for questioning, and because of Superman's power, Flag gives custody of the hero to Luthor. 

Luthor imprisons Superman in his artificial pocket universe where he incarcerates his enemies, including Krypto and the metahuman Metamorpho (Anthony Carrigan, as a man made of four elements who could change himself, or part of himself, into any chemical compound in the universe). Using Metamorpho's baby son Joey as a hostage, Luthor forces him to create Kryptonite to render Superman powerless, which he does. Luthor's brainless blonde bimbo girlfriend Eve Teschmacher (Sara Sampaio), who is also infatuated with Jimmy, reveals that Luthor secretly backs Boravia in return for half of Jarhanpur's territory, providing photographic evidence of the plot before being imprisoned herself, also within the pocket universe.

Luthor interrogates Superman at his lowest ebb using Malik Ali (Dinesh Thyagarajan), a felafel cart vendor and one of Superman's supporters, as a hostage and playing Russian Roulette with him, before shooting his brains out on the second spin of his revolver.  This prompts a horrified Metamorpho to help Superman escape, and the two free Joey and Krypto. 

Lois convinces Mister Terrific to help find Superman, and they enter the pocket universe, ultimately rescuing the heroes and taking Superman to the Kent farm in rural Kansas to recover. Furious at Superman's escape, Luthor has his team increase the pocket universe reactor's power to coax Superman out, creating a rift that begins to tear across the city, destroying everything in its path and dividing the city in two.

Meanwhile Green Lantern, Metamorpho, and Hawkgirl arrive at the Boravian and Jarhanpur border and prevent a second invasion from happening by taking out a seemingly far superior and heavily armed Boravian army. Superman and Mister Terrific battle the Engineer and Ultraman as the growing rift rapidly approaches Metropolis. Hawkgirl fatally drops Vasil Ghurkos (Zlatko Buric), the President of Boravia who is in cahoots with Luthor, from a great height, killing him outright. After defeating the Engineer, Superman unmasks Ultraman (David Corenswet), revealing him to be a clone of himself. Luthor is so intent on defeating Superman that he refuses to close the rift, which further splits the city in half. Superman and Ultraman engage in a long standoff within the depths of the rift, with Superman overcoming Ultraman (aided by Krypto who takes out all of the drones that allows Luthor to control him) by trapping him inside a bus being pulled into a black hole below the rift. Superman and Mister Terrific go to the LuthorCorp headquarters to shut down the reactor, so closing the rift. The Justice Gang is celebrated as heroes alongside their newest member Metamorpho. In the meantime Lois and Jimmy type up an exclusive editorial piece with White's blessing, revealing Luthor's real intentions to the global media, so clearing Superman's name.

Luthor and his cohorts are all arrested, but not before Krypto has had a very long overdue go at Luthor leaving him bashed, bruised and with a few scrapes, and everyone trapped in his pocket universe are freed, including Eve, who runs and jumps into Jimmy's arms. Later, as Superman recovers from his injuries at the Fortress of Solitude, his cousin Kara Zor-El aka 'Supergirl' (Milly Alcock) drunkenly returns to pick up Krypto. To relax during the healing process, he watches footage of his childhood memories in Smallville growing up with Jonathan and Martha as his parents on their farm in Kansas. 

Remain in your seat for the very unconvincing mid-credits sequence single shot of Superman and Krypto sat side by side on the Moon looking back at Earth, which looks as though they are sat on a soccer ball (such that you can see the complete curvature of the Moon), with the Earth only about 5,000 miles away! And there's also an end credits scene, which the die hard fans may want to hold out for. 

Since James Gunn took the helm of the DC Studios with Co-CEO Peter Safran, expectations have been very high for this first instalment in the new DC Universe, and it must be said that Writer and Director Gunn does not disappoint. Here he has crafted a very engaging and entertaining film that at once has something to say about the political climate of today, has an emotional heartbeat at its core, is a welcome nod back to the comic books upon which this character is based, does not take itself too seriously, has some real moments of levity and humour, and is greater than the sum of its parts. The action set pieces which come thick and fast are well rendered, albeit do tend to drag on just a tad too long. The performances from David Corenswet and Nicholas Hoult are top notch, with the former harking back to the days when Christopher Reeve first burst onto our screens way back in 1978, and the latter portraying the megalomaniacal domineering and relentless scientific genius who has designs on ruling over a country taken by force for his own political gain (sound familiar in 2025 anyone?), with such conviction to make him relatable and believable. If 'Superman' as the first film in the new DCU sets the standard by which all future DCU films follow, then the folks at the MCU had better think seriously about lifting their game.

'Superman' warrants four claps of the Odeon Online clapperboard from a potential five claps. 

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new at Odeon's this week : Thursday 10th July 2025

The 37th Galway Film Fleadh this year takes place from Tuesday 8th July through until Sunday 13th July, and is a week-long international film festival that takes place every July on the western edge of Europe in Galway, Ireland. Founded in 1989 as a platform for Irish filmmakers to exhibit their work to their peers, the central goal of the Galway Film Fleadh remains unchanged - to be a platform for the boldest new films, and to bring audiences & filmmakers from around the world together, to celebrate our shared passion for film. The festival welcomes a diversity of filmmaking from all around the world, crossing all generations and cultural backgrounds, bringing luminaries of the craft and everyday cinephiles together to share in the wonder of cinema - so reads the official website.

This years Opening Night Film presentation is 'Re-Creation' Written and Directed by David Merriman and Jim Sheridan and starring Vicky Krieps, Jim Sheridan, Aiden Gillen, Colm Meaney and John Connors. This docudrama tells the true story of the 1996 murder of French filmmaker Sophie Toscan Du Plantier at her vacation home in West Cork, and remains one of Ireland’s most shocking unsolved crimes. Ian Bailey was investigated by Irish authorities but never tried in Ireland, despite being convicted in absentia in France. 

The World Cinema Competition features films from Colombia, Taiwan, Brazil, Mexico, Chile, the Netherlands, Belgium, France, Lebanon, South Korea, the UK, and Finland, and comprises eight films that have screened and won awards at Tribeca, Berlin, TIFF and other notable festivals. Those eight films are :-

* 'Khartoum' - from Sudan, UK, Germany and Qatar and Directed by Phil Cox, Anas Saeed, Snoopy Ahmed, Timeea Ahmed and Rawia AlHag. In 2022, four Sudanese filmmakers, along with a British Writer-Director began filming the lives and dreams of five very different citizens in Khartoum.

* 'Eel' - from Taiwan and Written and Directed by Chun-Teng Chu. On the outskirts of Taipei lies an isolated island, a place where time and memory dissolve into mist. Here, a mysterious young woman appears. When a young man later arrives, their lives intertwine, unravelling mysteries of longing, belonging, and transformation.

* 'The Blue Trail' - from Brazil, Mexico, Chile and the Netherlands and Directed by Gabriel Mascaro. Tereza, 77, has lived her whole life in a small industrialised town in the Amazon, until one day she receives an official government order to relocate to a senior housing colony. The colony is an isolated area where the elderly are brought to 'enjoy' their final years. Instead, she embarks on a transformative journey through the rivers and tributaries of the Amazon - a decision that will change her destiny forever.

* 'The Cowboy' - from Colombia and Australia, and Written and Directed by Emma Rozanski. Bernicia works in the ticket kiosk of a national park, doing odd jobs and loyally contributing to her family. One day, she finds a lost horse, and her life becomes profoundly connected to the animal. She experiences a great transformation – slowly channelling the persona of a cowboy.

* 'The Jacket' - from the Netherlands, Belgium, France and Lebanon and Directed by Mathijs Poppe. What begins as an intimate portrait of Jamal Hindawi - a Palestinian artist doing political theatre in Beirut’s Shatila refugee camp - transforms into a captivating journey. We discover a Lebanon rarely seen, one where hope persists despite hardship, and where community transcends crisis.           * 'Welded Together' - from France, the Netherlands and Belgium and Written and Directed by Anastasiya Miroshnichenko. Katya is a young woman who works as a welder. Abandoned as a little girl, she embarks on a personal journey to reunite with her lost family - to weld it back together, just like she welds metal at work.

* 'Mother of Snow Cranes' - from Finland and Written and Directed by Iiris Harma. Over 90 years old, Ellen Vuosalo has lived many lives. First as a Finnish immigrant in Canada, then as an American citizen and student of zoology at UCLA, and finally as a Mother of Cranes in Iran.

* 'Winter in Sokcho' - from France and South Korea and Co-Written and Directed by Koya Kamura. In Sokcho, a small seaside village in South Korea, Soo-Ha lives in a bit of a rut, rhythmed by visits to her mother, a fishmonger, and her relationship with her boyfriend, Jun-Ho. When a French man named Yan Kerrand arrives in the boarding house where Soo-Ha works, it awakens questions within her about her own identity, and that of her French father, of whom she knows almost nothing.

* 'Dragonfly' - from the UK and Written and Directed by Paul Andrew Williams. The story of two neighbours who strike up an unlikely friendship, not always to the approval of others around them. Seeing the lack of care that her elderly neighbour Elsie is receiving from so-called professionals, Coleen takes it upon herself to care for her, finally finding meaning and purpose in life. When her motivations are brought into question, a tragic sequence of events leads to a shocking, and devastating end. Starring Brenda Blethyn and Andrea Riseborough.

For the full details of the other film strands being showcased at this years Galway Film Festival, and a whole lot of other good stuff, you can visit the official website at : https://www.galwayfilmfleadh.com/

Looking ahead then to this weeks five hot new release movies coming to a big screen Odeon near you, we kick off with the much anticipated first film in the DCU's Chapter One that sees this Superhero reconcile his Kryptonian heritage with that of his adoptive human family in rural Kansas. Then we have an American true crime action thriller about a father and son who identify as Sovereign Citizens, a group of anti-government extremists, who find themselves in a standoff with a Chief of Police that sets off a manhunt. Next up is a horror story about two boys who have spent their lives under the strict and overprotective rule of their father, unaware of his dark past, they struggle to understand his paranoia and increasingly erratic behaviour. This is followed by a RomCom that sees cultures collide when an introverted doctor brings his white boyfriend home to meet his traditional East Indian family; before closing out the week with a famous Japanese chef who decides to open a restaurant in Paris, seeking a third Michelin star, only to face challenges as outsider, including the sourcing of ingredients.

Whatever your taste in big screen film entertainment is this week - be it any of the five latest release new films as Previewed below, or those doing the rounds currently on general release or as Reviewed and Previewed in previous Blog Posts here at Odeon Online, you are most welcome to share your movie going thoughts, opinions and observations by leaving your relevant, succinct and appropriate views in the Comments section below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your big screen Odeon outing during the coming week.

'SUPERMAN' (Rated M) - this much hyped eagerly awaited American Superhero film is based on the much loved DC Comics character of Superman/Clark Kent, and is Written, Co-Produced and Directed by James Gunn, who in October 2022 became the new Co-CEO of DC Studios with Peter Safran. This is the second reboot of the 'Superman' film series following on from the DC Extended Universe which kicked off with 'Man of Steel' in 2013, then 'Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice' in 2016 and 'Justice League' in 2017 with Henry Cavill playing the titular role in all three outings. This film is set to be the first film of the DCU's Chapter One : Gods and Monsters, cost US$225M to produce and is released internationally from this week. 

Superman (David Corenswet) must reconcile his alien Kryptonian heritage with his human upbringing in Smallville, Kansas as reporter Clark Kent. As the embodiment of truth, justice and the human way he soon finds himself in a world that views these as old-fashioned. Also starring Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Nicholas Hoult as Lex Luthor, Skyler Gisondo as Jimmy Olsen, Wendell Pierce as Perry White and Pruitt Taylor Vince and Neva Howell as Jonathan and Martha Kent respectively. 

'SOVEREIGN' (Rated CTC) - is an American crime action thriller that is Written and Directed by Christian Swegal in his feature film making debut. Based off the events surrounding the West Memphis Police shootings in 2010 during which two Police Officers were shot multiple times and killed during a random traffic stop, the film follows a father  Jerry Kane (Nick Offernan) and his son Joe Kane (Jacob Tremblay) who identify as Sovereign Citizens, a group of anti-government extremists, as they venture across the country and find themselves in a standoff with a Chief of Police John Bouchart (Dennis Quaid) that sets off an intense manhunt with tragic consequences. Also starring Nancy Travis, Martha Plimpton and Thomas Mann. This film is released Stateside this week too.

'ABRAHAM'S BOYS : A DRACULA STORY' (Rated CTC) - this UK and US Co-Produced horror film is Co-Written and Directed by Natasha Kermani whose prior feature film credits are 'Shattered' in 2017, 'Imitation Girl' also in 2017 and 'Lucky' in 2020. This film follows the story of Abraham Van Helsing (Titus Welliver), and his family years after the fathers terrifying legacy with Dracula. In their new North American home, Abraham and his now wife, Mina (Jocelin Donahue), raise their two sons, Max (Brady Hepner) and Rudy (Judah Mackey). The family seems typical of the time, patriarchal, religious, tight-knit, but also emotionally cold and distant. When their haunting past creeps back into their lives, the Van Helsings’ secrets rise to the surface, forcing the boys to confront the terrifying legacy they were never meant to inherit.

'A NICE INDIAN BOY' (Rated M) - is an American RomCom Directed by Roshan Sethi in his third feature film offering following his debut in 2021 with '7 Days' and then 'World's Best' in 2023. The film follows Naveen (Karan Soni), an Indian-American doctor, who brings his fiance, Jay (Jonathan Groff), a white man and professional photographer adopted by Indian immigrant parents who have subsequently died, to meet his traditional family who must contend with accepting his white-orphan-artist boyfriend and helping them plan the Indian wedding of their dreams. The film saw its World Premiere screening at SXSW in mid-March 2024, was released in the US in early April this year, has so far grossed US$903K and has garnered universal critical acclaim. 

'GRAND MAISON PARIS' (Rated PG) - this Japanese film is Directed by Ayuko Tsukahara is a sequel to the television series 'La Grande Maison Tokyo' and its special episode 'La Grande Maison Tokyo Special'. Years after La Grande Maison Tokyo was awarded three Michelin stars, Natsuki Obana (Takuya Kimura) and Rinko Hayami (Kyoka Suzuki) open a new restaurant named Grande Maison Paris in Paris, the home of French cuisine. Obana's longtime dream was to win three Michelin stars in Paris. However, it is difficult to obtain satisfactory ingredients in a foreign country. After a failure at a prestigious gala dinner, Obana makes a promise to his former mentor that if he does not win the three Michelin stars, he will quit the restaurant and leave France. The cuisine is supervised by Kei Kobayashi, chef of Restaurant KEI, which actually won three Michelin stars in Paris. The film was released at the end of December last year, has generated largely favourable reviews and has so far grossed US$27M as at early March at the end of its theatrical run in Japan.

With five new release movie offerings this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephile friends afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere at your local Odeon in the week ahead.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

JUSTICE LEAGUE : Tuesday 21st November 2017.

'JUSTICE LEAGUE' which I saw earlier this week is here finally after all the hype, the media attention and the speculation surrounding this long awaited and eagerly anticipated fifth film in the DC Extended Universe following hot on the heels of 2013's 'Superman', 2016's 'Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice', and 'Suicide Squad', and 'Wonder Woman' earlier this year. Zack Snyder Directed 'Man of Steel' which grossed US$668M, and 'Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice' which grossed US$874M, with David Ayer Directing 'Suicide Squad' which grossed US$746M and Patty Jenkins on Director duty for 'Wonder Woman' which grossed US$822M. Once again Zack Snyder is back in the Directors chair for this collective Superhero offering featuring a cast of DC characters thrust together for the first time in a live action instalment, an ensemble cast and a price tag of US$300M to bring to the big screen, making 'Justice League' one of the most expensive films ever made. But, I guess on the strength that the first four films cost a combined US$800M and grossed a collective sum total of US$3.1B, then this fifth film should represent a sure bet for the numerous Production Companies involved. A sequel to this film was scheduled for a mid-2019 release date, which has subsequently been pushed back to make way for a stand alone 'Batman' film. At the time of publishing this Post, 'Justice League' had taken US$308M at the Box Office.

This story then follows on several months after the end of 'Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice' in which Batman/Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck) who is now inspired by Superman's selfless act to sacrifice himself for the greater good of all humanity, teams up with new ally Wonder Woman/Diana Prince (Gal Gadot) to fend off a new threat, with the help of a few others yet to be recruited to the Team.

That threat comes in the form of Steppenwolf (voiced by Ciaran Hinds) - an alien high ranking military officer who is immortal and possesses superhuman strength, speed and stamina from the planet Apokolips, and who has a very specific mission on Earth that could have catastrophic consequences for our humble little green planet. He leads an army of winged flying Parademons who extend into their countless thousands, are fiercely loyal to their leader, have heightened strength and high pain tolerance, carry powerful weapons and resemble giant pesky flies only twice as ugly and much more menacing! Steppenwolf wants to capture three 'Mother Boxes' and combine their energy source into 'The Unity' to remake Earth into the hellish domain he can call home and rule over. Back in the day Steppenwolf and his legions of giant pesky flying armed creatures were thwarted by the combined forces of Olympian Gods, Amazons, Atlantians, Green Lanterns and humans, and the three all powerful Mother Boxes secreted away in various places of hiding around the world to lie dormant for thousands of years . . . . until now!

Following the death of Superman, the Mother Boxes are all triggered back into life which prompts Steppenwolf's return to Earth to retrieve them. The first such box is housed underground in Themyscira, the island home of Diana Prince, which he successfully overruns and escapes with his Parademons in tow. Queen Hippolyta (Connie Nielsen) sends a warning to Diana Prince that Steppenwolf is on his way. This prompts Bruce and Diana to try and muster the support of other known metahumans Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) and Barry Allen (Ezra Miller) which Bruce goes in search of, and Victor Stone (Ray Fisher) which Diana searches out. They fail to convince both Curry and Stone to join their Team, but Allen is very enthusiastic and enlists immediately, giving the young lad some purpose in his otherwise meandering wasteful life. Stone joins the group after his father Silas (Joe Morton) is kidnapped by Steppenwolf searching out the Box left to the humans. Curry also joins too after Atlantis is attacked and the second Mother Box buried deep within the ocean is retrieved by Steppenwolf.

Commissioner James Gordon (J.K.Simmons) advises that he has learned that the Parademons are underground. Surmising that the only location is a long abandoned facility under Gotham Harbour, he advises Batman, Wonder Woman and The Flash, now joined also by Cyborg and they converge on the facility and engage with Steppenwolf and his Parademons. In the ensuing close quarter fight, the walls of the facility are ruptured allowing torrents of water to flood into the underground chamber.  Aquaman comes to the rescue and holds back the water so allowing the others to escape.

Stone has been in possession of the third remaining Mother Box, as it was the energy from it that allowed his father Silas, to develop the power to rebuild his son into the Cyborg he is today. Batman hatches a plan to resurrect Superman using the same energy from the Mother Box. This would enable them to fight Steppenwolf on another level and overcome this formidable enemy, whilst at the same time restoring some hope in the world that all is not lost.

Reluctantly Prince and Curry agree although are not too happy with the prospect. Stone and Allen exhume Clark Kent's body and take it to the Kryptonian Ship with the Mother Box. Kent is laid in the incubation waters, and with Allen generating enough electricity they are able to bring Clark Kent back from the dead. However, Superman (Henry Cavill) is suffering from some memory loss and makes a sharp exit out of the ship and into a nearby park where he attacks The Flash, Cyborg who inadvertently tried to kill him, Wonder Woman, Aquaman and Batman. With Superman as expected gaining the upper hand in any battle, things don't go so well for the group or the gathered Police. Until that is, Batman brings out his secret weapon - Lois Lane (Amy Adams), at which point his memories come flooding back. While the Team are distracted with all this in-fighting and Clark and Lois reconnecting, the third Mother Box is left unguarded and easy pickings for Steppenwolf, which he claims from right under their noses.

Cyborg tracks Steppenwolf and the heightened seismic activity from the three Mother Boxes now drawn together, to a remote Russian Village - the scene of a nuclear disaster some decades earlier and where a small enclave of people still reside. With Steppenwolf commencing The Unity, time is fast running out for the world as we know it. The Team of five make their way via the supersonic Bat Jet arriving with a plan to distract the Parademons while Cyborg sets about separating the three Boxes. The team of the remaining four are no match for Steppenwolf and his hordes of Parademons, who are unable to provide sufficient distraction to allow Cyborg to be effective. Until that is, Superman arrives and beats the crap out of Steppenwolf; saves the lives, with The Flash too, of multiple families trying to flee the conflagration; and helps Cyborg separate the Mother Boxes successfully so stripping Steppenwolf of his power. Seeing their leader overcome with fear, the Parademons descend on Steppenwolf just like flies on a freshly laid turd, and transport him instantly back to the world from whence they came.

In the closing scenes we see Alfred (Jeremy Irons) escorting Bruce and Diana to the burnt out shell of Wayne Manor. They agree to rebuild it as the centre of operations for the new Team, with room for future expansion as more metahumans join. The newly formed Team then all default to what they do best - Curry returns to his home of Atlantis; Stone works with his father on developing his cyborg technology and abilities; Prince take her place in the spotlight as a hero of truth and justice; Kent takes up his former role as Superman; and Allen gets an official job with the Police Department of Central City impressing his imprisoned father Henry Allen (Billy Crudup). Remain seated for the mid-credits sequence which sees The Flash race Superman to the Pacific coast, and the end credits scene in which Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) breaks out of Arkham Asylum with a new and deadly ally.

I enjoyed 'Justice League' perhaps more than most Critics who seem intent on bagging the Hell out of the DCEU in favour of the MCU. Sure this film is not perfect, and the MCU still has the upper hand in the Superhero stakes - both singularly and collectively, but this film is moving the DCEU in the right direction that's for sure. There is more levity in this film from the principal cast members which makes them more grounded, approachable and human; the action sequences are well executed; the storyline whilst a little thin is relatable; and in particular Ezra Miller, Gal Gadot and Jason Momoa steal the show, whilst Ben Affleck's Batman often looks bewildered and confused by all the going's on. After all he should be centre stage as the corner stone, the originator of the forming Justice League, but is sidelined by his colleagues who do (unlike him) possess real super powers - he's just super 'rich' after all! As an origin story for The Flash, Aquaman, and Cyborg there is just enough back story to set the scene (remembering that a standalone 'Aquaman' film has just wrapped production, and arrives in our cinemas in December 2018), but Steppenwolf as the big bad villain in the piece is very one dimensional and he just barks orders as his Parademons and beats up anyone or anything that gets in his way, until Superman arrives on the scene. The film is fun and fast paced, and holds promise for future DCEU instalments - I wish it well, and in giving those guys at the MCU a run for their money!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 1st-7th May 2016.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Henry Cavill does on 5th May - check out my tribute to this Birthday Boy turning 33, 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 May

•  Wes Anderson - Born 1969, turns 47 - Director | Producer | Writer 
•  Jamie Dornan - Born 1982, turns 34 - Actor
•  Joanna Lumley - Born 1946, turns 70 - Actress 

Monday 2nd May

• Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson - Born 1972, turns 44 - Actor | Producer | WWF Wrestler
• Stephen Daldry  - Born 1961, turns 55 - Director | Producer
• David Suchet - Born 1946, turns 70 - Actor | Producer 

Tuesday 3rd May

• Ben Elton - Born 1959, turns 57 - Writer | Producer | Actor
• Rob Brydon - Born 1965, turns 51 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Television Personality
• Bobby Cannavale - Born 1970, turns 46 - Actor
• Christina Hendricks - Born 1975, turns 41 - Actress 

Wednesday 4th May

• Will Arnett - Born 1970, turns 46 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Richard Jenkins - Born 1947, turns 69 - Actor 

Thursday 5th May

• Henry Cavill - Born 1983, turns 33 - Actor  
• Richard E. Grant - Born 1957, turns 59 - Actor | Writer | Director 
• John Rhys-Davies - Born 1944, turns 72 - Actor | Producer | Writer 
• Michael Palin - Born 1943, turns 73 - Actor | Writer | Songwriter | Television Personality
• Lance Henriksen - Born 1940, turns 76 - Actor

Friday 6th May

• George Clooney - Born 1961, turns 55 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director
• Alan Dale - Born 1947, turns 69 - Actor  

Saturday 7th May

• Alexander Ludwig - Born 1992, turns 24 - Actor 

Henry William Dalgliesh Cavill was born on the island of Jersey in the Channel Islands to mother Marianne Dalgliesh - a bank secretary, and father Colin Cavill - a stockbroker. Henry is the fourth of five brothers - the others being Niki, Charlie, Piers and Simon. He was educated at St. Michael's Preparatory School in St. Saviour, on Jersey and then in England at the noted independent Stowe School in Buckinghamshire. His interest in acting was sparked at school appearing in various productions - both classic and modern.

At age 17, Henry was discovered by a Casting Director who visited the school looking for a young lad suitable enough to cast as Albert Mondego in the Kevin Reynolds big screen adaptation of 'The Count of Monte Cristo'. He got the role and starred alongside Guy Pearce, Richard Harris and Jim Caviezel. That was in 2002, and that same year there were television appearances on 'Midsomer Murders' and 'The Inspector Lynley Mysteries'.

'I Capture the Castle' came next in 2003 with Bill Nighy, Rose Byrne and Tara Fitzgerald, with the made for television movie 'Goodbye Mr. Chips', before the eighth instalment in the horror franchise with 'Hellraiser : Hellworld' in 2005. The following year came 'Red Riding Hood' and then 'Tristan and Isolde' Directed by Kevin Reynolds once again with James Franco, Rufus Sewell, Mark Strong and Sophia Myles.

In 2007 there was a small role in Matthew Vaughn's romantic fantasy adventure 'Stardust' with an all star cast featuring Peter O'Toole, Mark Strong, Robert De Niro, Rupert Everett, Michelle Pfeiffer, Claire Danes and Sienna Miller.

That same year, Cavill scored the role of Charles Brandon in 38 episodes of 'The Tudors' to which he attributes much of his subsequent success - having given him the much needed exposure to an American audience. Whilst making 'The Tudors' he also starred in Joel Schumacher's Nazi horror film 'Blood Creek' in 2008 with Michael Fassbender and Dominic Purcell, and followed this up with a minor part in Woody Allen's 'Whatever Works'.

'Immortals' followed in 2011 with this swords and sandals epic in the lead role of Theseus, with 'Cold Light of Day' next in 2012 with Bruce Willis and Sigourney Weaver.

In 2013 he appeared in Zack Snyder's 'Man of Steel' as Superman/Clark Kent with an all star cast in the first film in the DC Extended Universe series which was followed up earlier this year with Cavill reprising his role as Superman alongside Ben Affleck in 'Batman v. Superman : The Dawn of Justice'. His first outing as Superman grossed US$668M at the Box Office with his most recent instalment this year so far grossing US$855M. In between time there has been the big screen retelling of the much loved classic spy series of the 60's 'The Man from U.N.C.L.E.' released mid-2015 with Cavill taking on the role of Napoleon Solo, and Armie Hammer the role of Russian Ilya Kuryakin, and as Directed by Guy Ritchie.

Next up is Iraq War drama 'Sand Castle' currently in post-production for a release later this year, and then as Superman once again for Zack Snyder in 'Justice League : Part One' due in November 2017 and then 'Justice League : Part Two' due in June 2019.

Along the way he was touted to play Superman back in 2004 for a film Directed by McG, but when that project was taken over by Bryan Singer Cavill was dropped in favour of Brandon Routh in what became 'Superman Returns'. He was also in contention for the Edward Cullen role in the 'Twilight' series of films that went to Robert Pattinson instead, and, he has expressed interest in the role of James Bond when Daniel Craig sips on his last martini.

Cavill has 21 acting credits to his name, an MTV Movie Award win and five other nominations so far.  He has been voted 'The World's Sexiest Man' and 'One of the World's Sexiest Men' by various publications. He is a spokesman for the 'Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust', is an ambassador for the 'Royal Marines Charitable Trust' and has taken part in numerous charitable events and worthy causes that he believes in, that more often than not have highlighted his physicality. In 2014 with brother Charlie, he co-founded his own production company - 'Promethean Productions'.

Henry Cavill - chiselled features, athletic, heroic, handsome and fits the mould of a Superhero well - we look forward to seeing what else you bring to the big screen as well as further instalments of perhaps the most loved most recognised superhero of them all. Happy Birthday to you Henry, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-