What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 20th August 2015.

Having ventured back to the mildly warmer climatic conditions of Sydney over the weekend to celebrate the Birthday of yours truly, I now find myself back in Adelaide 24 hours later still shivering in what I am told is the coldest Winter in 17 years! This makes me think of 'The Day After Tomorrow' when the world turned very cold all of a sudden, everyone froze on the spot and starred a cool 24 year old Jake Gyllenhaal who is also the lead in the up & coming rags to riches Boxing tale. Read on for more heart warming stuff!

For the week ahead there are four new filmic offerings coming to a multiplex or a small independent movie theatre near you. There are some big name attachments to these main stream movies this week that sit both in front and behind the camera that give us pugilistic emotion from an action Director and a transformative Actor at the top of his game; a holiday destination in the form of a reworked franchise from the early 80's that enjoyed reasonable success, but that was then, and this is now!; then some philosophical commotion with a long term perennial Writer Director still going strong both sides of his camera; and wrapping up with a crime dramedy infusion of 90's hip-hop, punk, drugs and kids on the run.

A right old mix then from which to choose, and when you have done so, and sat through your movie preference this week ahead, drop us all a Comment at Odeon Online and share your experience with us other like minded movie geeks below this, or any other Post. In the meantime, enjoy your film.

SOUTHPAW (Rated MA15+) - In case you didn't know it a 'Southpaw' is a left handed Boxer, and in this case we refer to here one very talented, beefed up, toned, muscled, six pack owning Jake Gyllenhaal in the role of Champion Boxer Billy Hope. Directed by Antoine Fuqua this film was made for US$25M and has already raked in over US$60M since its 24th July release Stateside. I don't mind a pugilistic film offering at all and have seen many, and when it stars Jake Gyllenhaal what other reason to you need to see a film? The story may be familiar offering little that is original or new, but it is the deft hand of the Director, strong performances from its lead especially and solid believable dialogue that carry this film forward, and ensures it punches above its weight.

As we join the story Boxer Billy Hope is defending his World Light Heavyweight Title which he does successfully but sustains an injury to his eye. Being at the height of his career and his popularity he enjoys all the trappings of success, and so do his family. After so many bouts and too many injuries he is convinced by his wife Maureen (Rachel McAdams) to retire, but soon afterwards tragedy strikes and Billy is very quickly taken from the top of his game to the bottom of the barrel. He risks losing everything and before things get better they of course get worse. Eventually, he realises that he needs to claw his way back up to regain his reputation, his integrity and custody of his young daughter. He enlists the help of gym owner and one time Boxer Titus Wills (Forest Whitaker) to become his trainer to give him another stab and claiming back his former titles and putting him once again in the spotlight. Oscar recognition has so far eluded Jake Gyllenhaal - could this be the one to do it for him? You decide!

DOPE (Rated MA15+) - Forest Whitaker is getting about a bit this week having a role in the aforementioned 'Southpaw' and turning up here on Producer and Narrator duties in this Rick Famuyiwa Directed film. 'Dope' was made for a meagre US$700K and has so far grossed US$17M since it's June release in the United States. The story here surrounds a bunch of teens living in the troubled L.A. suburb of Inglewood who hang out together and listen to 90's Hip Hop music and play in their own Punk revivalist band. A chance meeting with a drug dealer puts them in a night club celebrating a birthday party, but things get ugly and the gang flee unaware that a secret stash of Ecstasy has been holed away in a back pack carried by one of them. Needless to say the owners of the said stash want their spoils back and so the lads find themselves on the run from a bunch of tooled up thugs whom they must evade to survive and get on with their lives which they are trying to keep on track amidst various distractions of the teen kind. Starring Shameik Moore as Malcolm, Tony Revolori as Jib,  Kiersey Clemons as Diggy, Zoe Kravitz as Nakia and A$AP Rocky as Dom.

IRRATIONAL MAN (Rated M) - Woody Allen is back at it again with his 46th film as Director and this time starring Joaquin Phoenix as Professor of Philosophy Abe Lucas working at a small town college campus in no-name USA. He gets the hots for one of his students and hits on Jill Pollard  (Emma Stone) and the two have a relationship. Things get complicated when having a meal together one day they overhear a fellow diner recounting a story that she will lose custody of her children if she goes before a certain Judge. This unexpectedly gives meaning to Lucas's life and so he decides to take the law into his own hands, play the Good Samaritan and the Smiling Assassin all in one, and dispense with the Judge so that he cannot rule against the woman diner. When Pollard gets wind of this she urges Lucas to turn himself him, but of course not wanting to do this he decides to dispense with Pollard but things don't go quite according to plan with disastrous consequences for some! Parker Posey also stars.

VACATION (Rated MA15+) - The original National Lampoons film series of the 1980's were hugely successful and influential for their time with the initial film in the 'Vacation' series released in 1983 at a cost of US$15M and grossing US$62M. What followed was 'European Vacation' in '85, 'Christmas Vacation' in '89 and then 'Vegas Vacation' in '97. Now in 2015 we have a reboot, remake, retooling, and a reimagining of that series that introduced us to The Griswold's with the aptly named 'Vacation'. This time around original Daddy Griswold, Clark as played by Chevvy Chase is back in a cameo with Ed Helms playing Russell Griswold who packs up his nuclear dysfunctional family to head back to the theme park of theme parks, Walley World for a parental bonding road trip with the two sons in tow, ably assisted by Mum Debbie Griswold (Christina Applegate). Of course you can bet that before they even get out of the driveway that misadventure, mishap and mayhem is likely to ensue along the way, as their trip just goes from bad to worse and drags in various innocent bystanders and bemused onlookers en route! Was this really necessary I am thinking? Quite possibly a waste of US$31M but, it has raked in US$53M at the time of writing! Chris Hemsworth also stars, but I'm not sure why!

There you have it - four films of choice and all packed with something different. Get out amongst it and do yourself a favour in the week ahead by catching a latest release movie, and then share your experience with us here.

See you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 16th - 22nd August 2015.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Steve Carell does on 16th August - check out the tribute to this Birthday Boy turning 53, 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 16th August

• Steve Carell - Born 1962, turns 53 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• James Cameron - Born 1954, turns 61 - Director | Producer | Writer | Editor
• Rummer Willis - Born 1988, turns 27 - Actress
• Angela Bassett - Born 1958, turns 57 - Actress | Producer
• Madonna - Born 1958, turns 57 - Singer | Songwriter | Producer | Actress

Monday 17th August

• Steven East - Born 1963, turns 52 - Hospitality Professional | Odeon Online creator | Movie Blogger  
• Robert De Niro - Born 1943, turns 72 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Sean Penn - Born 1960, turns 55 - Actor | Producer | Director 
• Donnie Wahlberg - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor | Producer

Tuesday 18th August

• Edward Norton - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Christian Slater - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Robert Redford - Born 1936, turns 79 - Actor | Producer | Director  
• Roman Polanski - Born 1933, turns 82 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
• Madeline Stowe - Born 1958, turns 57 - Actress | Director | Writer

Wednesday 19th August

• Kyra Sedgwick - Born 1965, turns 50 - Actress | Producer
• Kevin Dillon - Born 1965, turns 50 - Actor
• Matthew Perry - Born 1969, turns 46 - Actor | Producer | Writer 

Thursday 20th August

• Andrew Garfield - Born 1983, turns 32 - Actor | Producer
• David O'Russell - Born 1958, turn s57 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Sylvester McCoy - Born 1943, turns 72 - Actor 
• David Walliams - Born1971, turns 44 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Joan Allen - Born 1956, turns 59 - Actress

Friday 21st August

• Carrie-Anne Moss - Born 1967, turns 48 - Actress | Producer  
• Kim Cattrell - Born 1956, turns 59 - Actress | Producer  
• Hayden Panettiere - Born 1989, turns 26 - Actress
• Peter Weir - Born 1944, turns 71 - Director | Producer | Writer 

Saturday 22nd August

• Ty Burrell - Born 1967, turns 48 - Actor
• Kristen Wiig - Born 1973, turns 42 - Actress | Producer | Writer | Singer
• Valerie Harper - Born 1939, turns 76 - Actress 
• Honor Blackman - Born 1925, turns 90 - Actress

Steven John Carell was born in Concord, Massachusetts, USA to mother Harriet Koch, a psychiatric nurse, and father Edwin Carell, an electrical engineer. Running through his veins there is Polish, German and Italian ancestry with his grandfather being named Caroselli which was shortened to Carell. Steve was educated at Nashoba Brooks School, then The Fenn School, a private boys school in Concord, and then Middlesex School also in Concord. At school he played lacrosse, ice hockey and he learned to play the fife before going onto Denison University in Granville, Ohio where he majored in history in 1984. He was also an active member of the University Burpee's Seedy Theatrical Company where he perfected his art of improvisational comedy and was a DJ at the campus radio station WDUB under the name 'Sapphire Steve Carell'.

Before his first screen acting role in 1991 he scored a few television commercials, acted on stage in both touring children's shows and musicals, and was part of The Second City troupe in Chicago where he met Stephen Colbert who was his understudy for a time. His big screen acting career kicked off with a bit part in 'Curly Sue' in 1991 with TV movie 'Life As We Know It' also that year. In 1996 and for all of just eight shows he scored a gig on 'The Dana Carvey Show' which is attributed to launching his career.

During this period he secured a number of roles on others television shows too, including 'Come to Papa', 'Over The Top' 'Just Shoot Me' and 'Watching Ellie' and then as a regular on 'The Daily Show' with John Stewart from 1999 until 2005. As his television status began to rise so film offers stated to come in with 'Bruce Almighty' in 2003 opposite Jim Carey, 'Anchorman : The Legend of Ron Burgundy' with Will Ferrell in 2004 which would be considered as his first major film role, Woody Allen's 'Melinda and Melinda' in 2004 also, and then 'Bewitched' alongside Nicole Kidman and Will Farrell in 2005.

Judd Apatow Produced 'Anchorman' and was so impressed with Carell's performance that they collaborated together on 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin' in 2005 which the two developed the story for, co-wrote and in which Carell starred as leading man garnering him an MTV Award for Best Comedic Leading Man. The next year he starred in the critically acclaimed 'Little Miss Sunshine' which picked up four Oscar nods and won two of those. Before reprising his role from 'Bruce Almighty' in 'Evan Almighty' there was some voice talent work on 'Over the Hedge' then leading to 'Dan in Real Life' and more voice work on 'Horton Hears a Who' before a resurrection of that 60's successful comedy spy series to the big screen 'Get Smart' in which he stars as leading spy man Maxwell Smart. The film did US$200M worldwide gross and was followed up by 'Date Night' and then more voice work as Gru on 'Despicable Me' in 2010 which he reprised again in 2013 in 'Despicable Me 2'.

In the meantime, there was 'Dinner for Schmucks' in 2010, 'Crazy, Stupid Love' in 2011, 'Seeking a Friend for the End of the World' in 2012 and 'Hope Springs' that same year. 'The Way Way Back' and 'The Incredible Burt Wonderstone', 'Anchorman 2 : The Legend Continues' were all released in 2013 with a number of short films before his Oscar nominated turn in 2014's highly acclaimed 'Foxcatcher' as John du Pont. That same year freeing himself of the shackles of a very straight, serious, brooding role as the murderous multi-millionaire, he starred in 'Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day', before reprising his role as the voice of the younger Gru in 'Minions' released earlier this year.

Next up for Carell is 'Freeheld' that has wrapped filming, 'Battle of the Sexes'  in pre-production, 'The Big Short' in post-production, and 'Acme' recently announced. Of course amidst all of this there is/was Carell's award winning performance in the US version of the hugely successful British Comedy series 'The Office' in which he starred as Michael Scott from 2005 until 2013 in 138 episodes, although he exited the show in 2011 but made an appearance in the final instalment. For this gig he won the Golden Globe for Best Actor in a Television Comedy and picked up Emmy and Golden Globe nominations for each year in which he starred.

All up Carell has 65 Acting credits and has picked up an Academy Award nomination for 'Foxcatcher' another 25 award wins and a further 93 nominations for his body of work. He has been married to Nancy Carell since 1995 with whom he starred in 'Saturday Night Live' and whom he has known since his days at Second City starring along the way too on 'The Daily Show', 'The Office' and 'The 40-Year-Old Virgin'. Together they have two children, Elizabeth (born 2001) and John (born 2004) and in 2009 they bought the Marshfield Hills General Store in Massachusetts which they also operate, and where they have a Summer house.

Steve Carell - frequent Will Ferrell and Stephen Colbert collaborator; often awkwardly humorous; usually lacks any self-awareness; but proven he has range, diversity, and dramatic complexity; and can be pathetic, comedic and dramatic all at once, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 13th August 2015.

'Ice Cold in Adelaide' could almost be a remake of the 1958 'Ice Cold in Alex' wartime movie starring John Mills, Anthony Quayle and Silvia Syms, and whilst there are plenty of cold beers in this town, there is no North African desert to warm us, only bitterly cold southerly winds to chill us all to the bone! So it is in deepest, darkest mid-Winter in South Australia where the only option is to seek solace, warmth and comfort in a movie theatre to catch your film of choice. Time then to brave up, rug up and move up to your local theatre, unless of course, you live in the Northern Hemisphere, where the opposite climatic conditions are likely to apply!

Therefore, for the upcoming week we have five new filmic offerings to get you into your local multiplex with the big screen treatment of a classic 60's secret agent television series, and no, it's not 'Mission : Impossible' as that was done very recently already; then there is the story of an ageing couple looking to sell their ageing apartment and how they come to terms with moving on from their home of 40 years; followed by a thought provoking documentary of our fragile planet and for all our smarts, our advances, our skill, knowledge and education we still go to war against each other and seem hell bent on self-destruction; then another documentary this time about an ageing New York fashionista still inspiring and experimenting even into her tenth decade; and finally a French coming of age story of a gang of girls growing up and struggling to find their own identity.

As always a mixed bag of cinematic content, but there has got to be something for everyone here whether its nostalgic action you seek, drama, documentary or foreign language storytelling. Whatever you decide to see this week, drop your fellow readers at Odeon Online a comment, observation or critique below this, or any other Post. Enjoy your film.

THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. (Rated M) - The television series upon which this new film is based ran originally from September 1964 until January 1968 across 105 episodes and launched the careers of Robert Vaughan and David McCallum as American Agent, Napoleon Solo and Ukranian Agent, Illya Kuryakin, respectively. Hugely successful with spin off comic books, novels, TV Annuals, merchandise, soundtracks and feature length episodes this was another espionage drama born in the 60's in the mold of Bond and 'Mission : Impossible' that was ripe for big screen treatment. And so Guy Ritchie is the man for the job tasked to recreate the 60's in his US$75M Directed offering of the same name, and out at a cinema near you this week.

Transporting us back to the early 60's Cold War era and the United Network Command for Law and Enforcement we have Solo (Henry Cavill) and Kuryakin (Armie Hammer) thrust together when they least expect it and very reluctantly so. But of course they make up their differences to thwart an international underworld terror organisation looking to destabilise the fragile world balance of the time with nuclear weapons coupled with the latest technical wizardry. Of course the clock is counting down on a global disaster for which they must put their differences aside, team up, man up, tool up and clean up a big potential mess. Also starring Hugh Grant, Alicia Vikander and Elizabeth Debicki.

5 FLIGHTS UP (Rated M) - starring Morgan Freeman as Alex and Diane Keaton as Ruth as husband and wife team who have been married and lived in the same New York apartment for forty years. When they bought the place it was in a run down district of Brooklyn, but now years later it's hip, gentrified, sought after and worth a small fortune. As the property is listed for sale and the open for inspection date looms so a series of unexpected and unfortunate events result in them apartment hunting in Manhattan where they find almost the perfect place that ticks most of their boxes. With their long lasting love for each other they come to realise that with this strength between them they can overcome all the other challenges that the weekend seems to be throwing at them. Directed by Richard Loncraine.

GIRLHOOD (Rated M) - This French language film is Written and Directed by Celine Sciamma and stars Karidja Toure as Marieme, a sixteen year old African/French teenage girl growing up in the poorer suburbs of Paris. When failing grades at school present the harsh realities of life she gets involved in a girl gang who invite her in with the free spirited outlook on life. As she gets to know the girls and friendships bond, they get into various scrapes and situations through which Marieme grows in confidence, but comes to realise too in the fullness of time that these friendships, experiences and freedom don't make her any happier either. So, she decides to take her destiny into her own hands. Already highly acclaimed having won six awards and nominated another eleven times, this film has lots to offer and is sure to please, and watch out for Toure's breakout role. Nothing to do whatsoever with Linklater's 'Boyhood'.

UNITY (Rated M) - This film features a never before seen assembled cast of 100 narrators comprising actors, artists, entertainers, musicians, filmmakers, businessmen, authors, athletes and such like that weave a story in five 'chapters' - 'Cosmic', 'Mind', 'Body', 'Heart' and 'Soul'. With a backdrop of some of the most breathtaking, heart wrenching and thought provoking imagery ever captured on film, this documentary explores mans ability to kill and his capability to love. Thrown in amongst all this too though is our inclination to destroy each other and our fragile planet despite the lessons we should have learned over hundreds of years of history, and the advances we have made in science, technology, medicine, education and much more. When will we ever learn, and what will it take to change? Directed by Shaun Monson, and a must see!

IRIS (Rated M) - There's no trashin' this fashion passion as 87 year old Director, Albert Maysles (who died in March this year) teams up with camera in tow to documentarily record the exploits, adventures, creativity, life and colour of 93 years old Iris Apfel - the fashionista of the New York fashion scene for decades who even in her dotage continues to inspire, excite and experiment with colour, style and imagination. This sharp, quick-witted, flamboyant and somewhat eccentric lady continues with all her energy, emotion and effort to live a full life of glamour surrounded by fashion, art and people whom she continues to embrace with enthusiasm and a strong work ethic . . . well into her tenth decade! Funny, inspirational and charming this insightful piece is sure to please on many levels - fashion follower or not.

With five films from which to make your choice you can be sure of a varied entertainment offering coming you way, and offering something different in the week ahead. Do yourself a favour and get out amongst it, and enjoy a movie!

See you soon at the Odeon!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

MISSION : IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION - Thursday 6th August 2015.

'Mission : Impossible' as an original television series ran for 171 episodes from late 1966 until early 1973. The television franchise was relaunched in 1988 for two series with only Peter Graves returning from the original line-up as Jim Phelps. It was only a question of time therefore before someone would grab the concept and bring it to the big screen, and that fell to Tom Cruise who launched the successful movie franchise that has just seen its fifth reincarnation in 'MISSION : IMPOSSIBLE - ROGUE NATION' which I saw earlier this week.



With five films over 19 years Tom Cruise has Produced all five, with  only two characters having gone the distance and appeared in all films - Tom Cruise as action man Ethan Hunt, and Ving Rhames as electronics wizard and sidekick Luther Stickell. There too have been big name Directors that have helmed each instalment - Brian De Palma, John Woo, J.J.Abrams, Brad Bird and last up Christopher McQuarrie - however, the themes, the action quotient, and the 'impossible' set pieces have remained a constant. With a combined production budget of US$650M, the series has so far generated US$2.22B which takes in the most recent film that has grossed already US$152M since its release less than two weeks ago.

And so to 'Rogue Nation', Directed by Christopher McQuarrie for US$150M, in which we we have our intrepid team once again saving the world and saving themselves from all manner of evil foe as they go head to head with a previously secretive force known as 'The Syndicate'. The film opens with a spectacular stunt that sees Ethan Hunt (Tom Cruise) hanging off the side of an A400 military airbus as Benji Dunn (Simon Pegg back for his third outing) attempts to engage the planes computer system from the ground to open the side hatch to permit Hunt access as the plane takes off carrying a cargo of deadly nerve gas. Naturally, Hunt succeeds, terrorists are thwarted and the world is saved from being gassed to death.

As Hunt readies himself for his next mission at an IMF sub-station, he is ambushed and then abducted after receiving his all too familiar message which self-destructs in five seconds, but after telling him that unless he turns himself in 'The Syndicate' will hunt him down and wipe out all those closest to him. When Hunt comes round he is tied to a pole in a darkened underground room surrounded by a bunch of eastern European looking heavies who are intent on inflicting all manner of harm on our hero. Aided by undercover disavowed MI6 Agent Isla Faust (Rebecca Fergusson) he escapes, but now knows that 'The Syndicate' is real and that they operate in the shadows undertaking covert international criminal activities often on a large scale, often complex and heavily funded.

The Syndicates mission is also to bring down the IMF, but, in the meantime CIA Director Alan Hunley (Alec Baldwin) has mounted a campaign to close up the IMF operations as an outdated, dangerously autonomous, renegade organisation that is out of control and not answerable for the carnage it often leaves in its wake (referencing the previous films here). Hunley is successful and IMF is closed down and absorbed into the CIA - leaving William Brandt (Jeremy Renner) answering to Hunley and tasked with bringing in Hunt who is now on the run; Dunn as an IT desk-jockey; and Stickel in semi-retirement.

With Hunley failing to track down the elusive Hunt, six months pass and we find Hunt holed up in a Paris apartment having amassed a catalogue of Syndicate Agents, their history, movements and operations that all follow a theme of wonton death & destruction. But Hunt has reached a dead end in trying to identify the king-pin, Solomon Lane (Sean Harris), who was responsible for his abduction earlier on. As Hunt enlists the help of Dunn the action takes us to Vienna where the two meet up and cross paths with Faust after an assassination attempt at the Vienna Opera. From here we move to Morocco where Hunt and Faust must infiltrate an underwater server to ultimately allow Dunn to retrieve a ledger that contains transactional data on how The Syndicate is funded and by whom. Meanwhile Brandt and Stickle have located the other three in down town Morocco and jump headlong in to lend their unofficial support which sees the IMF crew chased down through the back streets and highways of Morocco by the armed, dangerous and motorcycle mounted Syndicate.

After a well executed car and motorcycle chase Faust makes off with the retrieved ledger on a USB stick given chase by Hunt and several other Syndicate heavies. It doesn't end well for the heavies and Faust eludes Hunt which sees him crashing off his bike at 120mph in spectacular fashion wearing no skid-lid, jeans, sunnies and and a Hawaiian shirt - shaken but not stirred with barely a scratch . . . now that's impossible!

Although Faust made off with the USB stick Dunn made a copy which however, is triple encrypted, and only the British Prime Minister can open it with his palm scan, retina scan and voice recognition. How then do they convince the PM to do this . . . sounds impossible too, but naturally, nothing is impossible for our IMF boys. And so we move to London and a charity auction attended by the PM (Tom Hollander) at which Hunley is closing in, tipped off by Brandt as part of the plan to have the PM open the encrypted files.

Through this we learn that The Syndicate was supposedly closed down in its early planning stages as it was believed to be too extreme and not supported by the PM, but Solomon Lane hijacked the project, went rogue and progressed with it anyway. In the meantime Lane kidnaps Dunn and straps a motion sensitive ticking bomb to him that will explode in a crowded restaurant unless Hunt releases the file to him within a certain time. With Hunt thwarting this attempt on Dunn's life, a foot chase follows through the nighttime streets of London that sees Lane face off against Hunt, with the latter as you would expect rising the victor but only after getting punched, beaten and shot at several times by Lane and his henchmen.

In the final analysis the IMF is reinstated, with Hunley having to explain that its closing down was all part of a grand plan to allow Hunt to go deep undercover, off the radar, and incommunicado in order to bring down The Syndicate . . . at any cost! Of course all's well that ends well, and Faust is cleared, the IMF serves another day, the gang are all still together as a tight unit, and Hunley is announced as the new Secretary of the IMF.

I enjoyed 'Rogue Nation' and it has to be said Tom Cruise does it well, the action set pieces are solidly executed, the story line moves along at a good pace, the locations well chosen and the drama is interwoven with just the right amount of humour and emotion to keep it grounded. This is worth seeing on the big screen, and with 'M:I 6' already announced for pre-production in 2016, for me, it's up there with Bond as the must-see franchise when a new instalment is released.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

'WALL STREET : MONEY NEVER SLEEPS' : archive from 26th October 2010.

'WALL STREET : MONEY NEVER SLEEPS' - is the sequel to Oliver Stone's 1987 classic 'Wall Street' which was made for just US$15M, made US$44M, snagged its lead star Michael Douglas the Best Actor Academy Award, and co-starred a who's who of acting talent including Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen, Daryl Hannah, James Spader, Hal Holbrook, Terence Stamp, Sean Young and John C. McGinley. It beautifully captured the excesses of the mid 80's finance power brokers, the traders, the movers and shakers up and down Wall Street and in particular one Gordon Gekko (Douglas) who muttered those immortal lines 'greed is good'.

Fast forward to 2010 and we now have a fitting follow up to that 1987 classic retaining many of the original elements - sharp dialogue, sharper suits and Gordon Gekko still at his razor sharpest and reprised by Michael Douglas. With Oliver Stone once again Directing, this film was made for US$70M and brought home US$135M but in the process divided audiences and the critics.

This film opens in 2001 and Gordon Gekko is being released from prison having served eight years for insider trading and fraud. Fast forward to 2008 and Gekko releases his book 'Is Greed Good' which foretells of a global economic downturn, which as we all know hit in October of that year. When the brown sticky smelly stuff hits the fan a number of top finance institutions go into meltdown - including the one where Louis Zabel (Frank Langella) is MD, who promptly throws himself in front of a train. At this same company works Jacob Moore (Shia LaBeouf) who is a successful trader, and he just happens to be dating the estranged daughter of Gordon Gekko  - Winnie (Carey Mulligan), and financially supporting his mothers (Susan Sarandon) fledgling Real Estate business. Meanwhile Bretton James (Josh Brolin) who heads up another rival Wall Street institution is up to no good profiting from the mis-fortunes of his rivals and who now find themselves in strife, or have done so in  the past . . . including Louis Zabel.

From here paths cross and double cross, deals rise and fall and huge sums of money change hands as each seek to get the upper hand and discredit the other. Charlie Sheen makes a reappearance as Bud Fox from the original film, and Josh Brolin chews up the screen as the uber successful & evil man of Wall Street. Michael Douglas recaptures his cut & thrust, his wheeling & dealing and his smooth suited & booted smiling financial assassin who comes good in the end, and ends up back on top having fallen from grace 15 or so years earlier.

I enjoyed this slice of Oliver Stone Wall Street nostalgia, and whilst hardly an essential sequel it was/is a good watch nonetheless with once again a strong cast that includes too Eli Wallach in his final role before his passing in 2014, Jason Clarke and Oliver Stone himself in his usual cameo appearance. Rent it on DVD or BluRay or download it, but catch the 1987 first instalment before you do so that you grasp the origin story and the continuity . . . as well as the wide lapels, fat ties and big hair!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 9th - 15th August 2015

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Jennifer Lawrence does on 15th August - check out the tribute to this Birthday Girl turning 25, 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 9th August

• Gillian Anderson - Born 1968, turns 47 - Actress
• Anna Kendrick - Born 1985, turns 30 - Actress
• Rhona Mitra - Born 1976, turns 39 - Actress
• Audrey Tatou - Born 1976, turns 39 - Actress
• Melanie Griffith - Born 1957, turns 58 - Actress | Producer
• McG - Born 1968, turns 47 - Director | Producer
• Sam Elliott - Born 1944, turns 71 - Actor | Producer
• Eric Bana - Born 1968, turns 47 - Actor | Producer | Director

Monday 10th August

• Antonio Banderas - Born 1960, turns 55 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Brenton Thwaites - Born 1989, turns 26 - Actor
• Rosanna Arquette - Born 1959, turns 56 - Actress | Producer | Director

Tuesday 11th August

• Viola Davis - Born 1965m turns 50 - Actress | Producer
• Chris Hemsworth - Born 1983, turns 32 - Actor
• Ian McDiarmid - Born 1944, turns 71 - Actor
• Hulk Hogan - Born 1953, turns 62 - Actor | Wrestler

Wednesday 12th August

• George Hamilton - Born 1939, turns 76 - Actor | Producer
• Casey Affleck - Born 1975, turns 40 - Actor | Producer | Writer

Thursday 13th August

• Paul Greengrass - Born 1955, turns 60 - Director | Producer | Wreiter

 Friday 14th August

• Steve Martin - Born 1945, turns 70 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• James Horner - Born 1953, turns 62 - Composer | Songwriter
• Wim Wenders - born 1945, turns 70 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Mila Kunis - Born 1983, turns 32 - Actress
• Halle Berry - Born 1966, turns 49 - Actress | Producer
• Marcia Gay Harden - Born 1959, turns 56 - Actor

Saturday 15th August

• Jennifer Lawrence - Born 1990, turns 25 - Actress
• Debra Messing - Born 1968, turns 47 - Actress | Producer
• Natasha Hentsridge - Born 1974, turns 41 - Actress
• Nicolas Roeg - Born 1928, turns 87 - Director | Cinematographer
• Ben Affleck - Born 1972, turns 43 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
• Alejandro Gonzales Inaritu - Born 1963, turns 52 - Procucer | Director | Writer.

Jennifer Shrader Lawrence was born and grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, USA to mother Karen Koch - the manager and owner of a children's camp, and construction worker father Gary Lawrence. She has two older brothers - Ben and Blaine. Lawrence attended Kammerer Middle School in her home town and graduated two years ahead of time wanting to pursue a career in acting. Whilst at school she participated in softball, modelling, hockey and cheer leading, and having grown up just 15 minutes from a horse stud too she became proficient in horse riding, but none of these really interested her above her desire to act. She convinced her parents to take her to New York to locate a talent agent, which they did and with relative ease given the prowess for the craft that the young Lawrence was able to demonstrate.

Having been spotted by an acting agency her first television role came in an episode of 'Monk' in 2006, and then 'Cold Case' in 2007, with two on 'Medium' in 2007/08, with a minor role that same year in 'Garden Party' which was her big screen debut. From 2007-2009 she appeared in 'The Bill Engvall Show' over multiple episodes. During this time there was a meatier role in 'The Poker House', Directed by Lori Petty in 2008, which was her first starring role and for which she won an LA Film Festival Award. 'The Burning Plain' came next also in 2008 with Charlize Theron and Kim Bassinger which received mild critical reviews but failed commercially, and despite this she won an award at the Venice Film Festival for Best Emerging Actress.

What is often described as her breakout role came next in 2010 with 'Winter's Bone' which picked up the Best Picture Award at Sundance, and for her role she gained an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress. 2011 delivered 'Like Crazy', a romantic drama; 'The Beaver' with Mel Gibson and Jodie Foster; and then 'X-Men : First Class' in her first outing as Raven/Mystique.






2012 was however, the game changer, as Lawrence snagged the lead role as Katniss Everdeen in the first of 'The Hunger Games' series which she was initially reluctant to take on given the enormity of the role, the physical requirements, and the expectations behind the film adaptation of the successful books. The extensive training regime she had to undertake paid off with a worldwide gross Box Office take of US$691M.

That same year also saw 'Silver Linings Playbook' with Bradley Cooper and Robert De Niro in David O'Russell's acclaimed film. At just 22, Lawrence won both the Golden Globe Award and the Academy Award for Best Actress and was the second youngest actress to do so. Also that year came the psychological thriller 'The House at the End of the Street' and a year later she reprised her Katniss Everdeen role in 'The Hunger Games : Catching Fire' which outstripped the opening film with a Box Office haul of US$865M.

'American Hustle' followed in 2013 with Christian Bale, Jeremy Renner, Bradley Cooper and Amy Adams which garnered further acclaim with Best Supporting Actress nominations at The Golden Globes, Academy Awards and BAFTA's. 2014 saw a reprisal for her Raven/Mystique character in Bryan Singer's US$748M blockbuster 'X-Men : Days of Future Past', and then Katniss Everdeen in the first of the final 'The Hunger Games' films 'Mockingjay - Part 1' which cashed in at US$752M.


Next up is the final instalment of 'The Hunger Games' franchise with 'Mockingjay - Part 2', with 'Joy' also due for release later in 2015 and starring with Bradley Cooper for the fourth time. 'X-Men : Apocalypse' is filming currently for a 2016 release, with 'The Rose Project' and 'Passengers' in pre-production and 'It's What I Do' recently announced.






So far Lawrence has 28 acting credits to her name, one Academy Award win and two other nominations; two Golden Globe wins and another nomination; one BAFTA win and a nomination plus 114 other award wins and 113 other nominations from around the traps, and, she's still only 25! When Lawrence is not acting, she actively supports the 'World Food Programme', 'The Thirst Project', 'Feeding America'; is an ambassador for the Special Olympics and has launched the Jennifer Lawrence Foundation. Earlier this year she was ranked by the Guinness World Records as the highest grossing action heroine too for her role in 'The Hunger Games'. She was romantically linked to Actor Nicholas Hoult for a time and for a brief period more recently to Coldplay front man Chris Martin.

Jennifer Lawrence - husky voiced, immense acting range, Hollywood power player, sultry, beautiful, talented, in demand, a rising star, influential and inspirational - Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 6th August 2015.

These days you can pick up just about any book, magazine or social media page and there'll be the greatest, the best, the worst, the most this, that and the other of all time, to stuff you should eat, drink, go, see and listen to before you die, and just about everything in between. We seem to have an insatiable appetite for someone's else opinion of the good, the bad and the ugly in life that is rated on some kind of scale and tells us just how many and what is considered great, best, most, worst or whatever!

And so last month I read with interest such a poll of the 300 Greatest Movies Of All Time as published in a certain popular Australian movie magazine that shall go nameless, but to which I have loyally subscribed since issue #1. Of those 300 I have seen 218, all 30 out of the Top 30, and 48 out of the Top 50. I'm fascinated by this stuff which of course is just someone else's opinion, often regurgitated, who may consider themselves an authority on the subject, and which can then be sliced, diced, repackaged and churned out again for another unsuspecting reader to dive into . . . like me! It got me thinking how much people take note of such lists, but I guess it must be a lot - because the magazines sell, the books get published, people 'like' the social media commentary and another Critic, Reviewer, Author or Blogger will publish another such list tomorrow no doubt!

Speaking of which, this week ahead there are four new films with which to tempt, that include a reboot of a superhero franchise that first appeared in a two film series in 2005; then an Aussie stage play based on a true story road trip now adapted for the big screen; a RomCom of a mis-matched pair consisting a OTT party girl and her would be boyfriend; and finally a foreign language life & death drama comedy that seems to have divided audiences but is likely to provoke thought & discussion.

In the coming week when you have sat through your movie of choice, drop your like minded cinema going readers a Comment, following this or any other Post, and share your own views, opinions, observations and critique of your movie experience with Odeon Online. Enjoy your film.

FANT4STIC FOUR (Rated M) - Back in 2005 Marvel released its first 'Fantastic Four' offering as Directed by Tim Story and made for US$100M grossing US$331M. Whilst a reasonable commercial success only, it was hardly hailed as a critical one, but, nonetheless it spawned a sequel in 2007 with 'Fantastic Four : Rise of the Silver Surfer' also Directed by Tim Story and made for US$130M but grossing only US290M this time around. Proving that you can do less with more, the Fantastic Foursome were mothballed as Marvel Studios, as they were to become, rolled out more & more of its rich comic catalogue, developed new franchises based on its source material, got bigger and better at it and raked in mega-bucks along the way! Which brings us up to 2015 and those fantastic guys have been bought out of retirement in a reboot costing US$122M with Josh Trank in the Director chair.

You know the story here but in case you don't, essentially four mere humans are thrust together and end up teleporting to a alternate universe (as you do!) and in so doing so have their physical form altered and new weird wonderful and wild powers and abilities bestowed upon them. Upon returning to life as the know it they discover their new found powers and so have to learn to control them and harness them as they are pitched against an old friend turned foe who threatens to bring our little green & blue planet to its knees! Starring Miles Teller as Reed Richards/Mr. Fantastic, Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm/Human Torch, Kate Mara as Susan Storm/Invisible Woman, with Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm/Thing and Toby Kebbell as Victor von Doom/Doctor Doom. With this first retelling already generating a sufficient amount of pre-release buzz, the sequel has been announced for June 9th 2017, and with Marvel's track record since that 2007 film there is little doubt that this will be a success. Fantastic!

TRAINWRECK (Rated MA15+) - Directed and Produced by Judd Apatow, this film was Written by, and Stars Amy Schumer as Amy Townsend a thirty something magazine writer who lives an over the top existence of men, booze, parties, promiscuity and complete lack of commitment to just about anything & everything. It is what her Dad told her 25 years earlier and the ongoing philosophy by which she has lived her life. Working at S'Nuff Mens Magazine she is tasked by her Boss, Dianna (Tilda Swinton) that she needs to write an article on a well known Sports Doctor, Aaron Conners (Bill Hader), even though she knows nothing about sports, doctors and doesn't want the gig! She has to go along with it and while interviewing the Doctor, researching her piece for the article and getting to know Conners she finds herself unwittingly falling for the guy (horror of horrors, what's a girl to do?) It seems also that the feeling is mutual and Conners is attracted to Townsend too. As time progresses and the couple realise they have much in common Townsend comes to learn that maybe the whole commitment thing isn't so bad after all and maybe it's time to get serious about being serious!

LAST CAB TO DARWIN (Rated M) - Originally a stage play released in 2003 under the same name, this big screen adaptation of the Reg Cribb story is based on the true life of taxi driver Max Bell who in the early 90's was diagnosed with stomach cancer, and chose to drive from Broken Hill in New South Wales to Darwin in the Northern Territory so he could end his life there by voluntary euthanasia. Here our taxi driver is called Rex and is played by Michael Caton who embarks on this epic road trip to end it all on his own terms and with some dignity still intact, but along his journey up to Darwin he learns a lot about himself and others, and that dying is as much about living as it is about sharing and caring. Also starring Jacki Weaver as Dr. Farmer and Directed by Jeremy Sims.

THE FAREWELL PARTY (Rated M) - Coincidentally another offering tackling the touchy subject of euthanasia, but this time set in an Jerusalem aged care facility where the residents have secretly built a device to allow the user to self-euthanise, which they intend to allow a terminally ill dear & close friend use. However, as more & more people become aware of the machine, so demand for its use increases, and so the group of friends have to deal with the decisions this forces them into, and the emotional upheaval that goes with this territory. Directed and Written by Tal Granit and Sharon Maymon this film stars local talent Ze'ev Revach as Yehezkel and Levana Finkelstein as Levana as ageing husband and wife team, and has so far picked up nine award wins and a further eleven nominations. This poignant dark comedy is a tale of compassion, friendship, love, loss and deciding when it's time to call it a day!

Four to choose from, and I'm not sure they're all fantastic but with two treading a similar pathway, another off the rails and the last off the planet there is choice it must be said that will give you something to ponder, something to discuss and debate, something to escape into and something that you may want to 'snog, marry, avoid'! Whatever you select for your filmic enjoyment in the week ahead, share your thoughts and maybe add another to your own list of movie recommendations as you compile you own 300 Best, Biggest, Baddest and Boldest films in the known universe stretching out to infinity and beyond!

See you at the Odeon!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-