Birthdays to share this week : 1st - 7th June.

Do you share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer or Singer/Songwriter/Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming week? 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 over the coming week. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Check out too the spotlight on this weeks Birthday Girl on 4th June, Angelina Jolie, at the end of this feature.

Sunday 1st June

• Morgan Freeman - Born 1937, turns 77 - Actor | Producer
• Brian Cox - Born 1946, turns 68 - Actor
• Jonathan Pryce - Born 1947, turns 67 - Actor
• Powers Boothe - Born 1948, turns 66 - Actor
• Robert Powell - Born 1944, turns 70 - Actor
• Alanis Morissette - Born 1974, turns 40 - Singer | Songwriter | Actress
• Jason Donovan - Born 1968, turns 46 - Singer | Songwriter | Actor

Monday 2nd June

• Zachary Quinto - Born 1977, turns 37 - Actor | Producer
• Liam Cunningham - Born 1961, turns 53 - Actor
• Dennis Haysbert - Born 1954, turns 60 - Actor | Producer
• Stacy Keach - Born 1941, turns 73 - Actor | Producer
• Wentworth Miller - Born 1972, turns 42 - Actor

Tuesday 3rd June

• Imogen Poots - Born 1989, turns 25 - Actress

Wednesday 4th June

• Angelina Jolie - Born 1975, turns 39 - Actress | Producer | Director | Humanitarian
• Russell Brand - Born 1975, turns 39 - Writer | Producer | Actor | Singer | Songwriter
• Sean Pertwee - Born 1964, turns 50 - Actor
• Bruce Dern - Born 1936, turns 78 - Actor
• Geoffrey Palmer - Born 1927, turns 87 - Actor

Thursday 5th June

• Mark Wahlberg - Born 1971, turns 43 - Actor | Producer | Singer | Songwriter
• Kathleen Kennedy - Born 1953, turns 61 - Producer
• Kenny G - Born 1956, turns 58 - Singer | Songwriter | Composer

Friday 6th June

• Paul Giamatti - Born 1967, turns 47 - Actor
• Jason Isaacs - Born 1963, turns 51 - Actor | Producer
• Robert Englund - Born 1947, turns 67 - Actor
• Sandra Bernhard - Born 1955, turns 59 - Actress
• Billie Whitelaw - Born 1932, turns 82 - Actress

Saturday 7th June

• Liam Neeson - Born 1952, turns 62 - Actor
• Karl Urban - Born 1972, turns 42 - Actor
• Michael Cera - Born 1988, turns 26 - Actor
• Ronald Pickup - Born 1940, turns 74 - Actor
• William Forsythe - Born 1955, turns 59 - Actor | Producer
• Virginia McKenna - Born 1931, turns 83 - Actress
• James Ivory - Born 1928, turns 86 - Director | Writer
• Tom Jones - Born 1940, turns 74 - Singer | Songwriter
• Prince - Born 1958, turns 56 - Singer | Songwriter 

Angelina Jolie Voight was born to renowned acting father Jon Voight and mother Marcheline Bertrand in Los Angeles. She is an accomplished Actress, Producer, Director, Writer, and Humanitarian in her spare time whilst also playing the other part of Hollywood power couple Mr. and Mrs. Brad Pitt . . . and oh by the way, she has been cited numerous times and in assorted publications over the last ten years or so as the world's most beautiful woman, and, in 2009, 2011 and 2013 was the highest paid Actress in Hollywood. Not bad credentials really!

Her acting career kicked off at age seven starring alongside her father Jon Voight in 'Lookin' to Get Out', with a bigger break coming in 1995 in 'Cyborg 2', but it was 1995's 'Hackers' that propelled her more into the mainstream playing alongside future husband Jonny Lee Miller. From there she moved to 'Pushing Tin' with John Cusack and future husband Billy Bob Thornton. Now firmly on the Hollywood map she went on to 'The Bone Collector' and then her Academy Award winning 'Girl, Interrupted', followed by 'Gone in Sixty Seconds', 'Lara Croft, Tomb Raider' and its follow up 'Lara Croft, The Cradle of Life', 'Taking Lives', 'Alexander',  and 'Mr. and Mrs. Smith' with future life partner, one Mr. Brad Pitt. Other notable outings have included 'The Good Shepherd', 'Changeling' 'Wanted', 'Salt', 'The Tourist' and 'Maleficent' out this week and previewed in Post #97. She has also lent her voice to the role of 'Tigress' in the 'Kung Fu Panda' series with the third instalment due for release in 2015. Earlier this year Jolie has been resident in Sydney Directing 'Unbroken' due for release later in 2014, and the reprisal of her role as Evelynn Salt has just been announced for 'Salt 2'.

Outside of starring in and making movies Jolie is the Special Envoy and former Goodwill Ambassador for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, for which she has won much acclaim for her work undertaken to highlight such issues on the global stage and in ultimately trying to make a difference through her celebrity status and ability to influence change.

In early 2013 at age 37, she underwent a double preventative mastectomy having learnt that there was an 87% chance of her developing breast cancer. Again, using her celebrity status and the privileges this affords she went public to raise awareness on a global scale of the choices women have to beat breast cancer. 

Jolie and Pitt have six children - three biological and three adopted. In 2008 she and Pitt sold the first pictures of Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline to 'People' and 'Hello' magazines for a reported US$14M - the most expensive celebrity pictures ever taken, with the proceeds going to the Jolie-Pitt Foundation.

The recipient of 33 award wins and a further 62 nominations so far to date, Jolie has picked up two Academy Awards - a win for Best Supporting Actress in 'Girl, Interrupted' and the 'Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award'. She was nominated for Best Actress in 'Changeling'. Added to this she has a BAFTA Nominations also for 'Changeling' and has won three Golden Globes for 'George Wallace', 'Gia' and 'Girl, Interrupted' with four other nominations.

Not doing things by halves Jolie was married from 1996-99 to actor Jonny Lee Miller, and from 2000-03 to actor Billy Bob Thornton. Since 2005 she has been with Brad Pitt with whom she seems most settled - six children, numerous awards & accolades, in demand in front and behind the camera, the Hollywood power couple, supporters of Humanitarian causes . . . it's a wonder they ever see each other! Let's hope that Brad makes time for Angelina on her birthday this week!

Angelina Jolie - beautiful woman, Actress, Director, Mother, inspiration, crusader of worthy causes - Happy Birthday to you from all at Odeon Online!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week - Thursday 29th May 2014.

This weeks latest releases to tempt you out at the beginning of an Australian Winter are sure to warm you up with another mixed bag of offerings that take in slapstick comedy; a fairytale follow-up with its usual themes of good & evil; what will be for most of us a good serving of food fantasy, scenic landscapes and sharp dialogue; and of course what week would be complete without a foreign language family drama film.

As always there is still plenty of cinematic content doing the rounds to ensure everyone is catered for at your local movie theatre including superheroes, super monsters and your more adult oriented smaller independent thought provoking feel good and at times foreign language fare to satisfy the more discerning movie goer. If you do get out this coming week to see your film of choice, let me know what you think - feedback always welcomed!

MALEFICENT (Rated M) - Angeline Jolie stars in this Disney film that reintroduces us to the evil witch of the same name from the timeless 1959 'Sleeping Beauty' animated feature who represents perhaps one of Disney's most iconic characters . . . for all the wrong reasons! Jolie is 'Maleficent' and this film traces the story of what caused her to fall from grace and turn from pure of heart to heart of darkness as she now presides over the dark moors which she calls home. Full of revenge and hatred she casts a spell on the King's newborn child Aurora (Elle Fanning) that before she turns 16 she will fall into a death like slumber. As time passes, and she grows into young adulthood Aurora is caught between her love of the forest and her duty to the kingdom over which her father rules, and Maleficent begins to realise that in fact Aurora may hold the key to peace across their lands which could change both destiny's forever. Also starring Sharlto Copley and Imelda Staunton this is an effects laden, dark, gothic film featuring fire breathing dragons, marauding foot soldiers, fantastical creatures, magic & wizardry, impenetrable castles and forests and Jolie's accentuated cheek bones! One for Disney fans but probably not for the younger ones!

A MILLION WAYS TO DIE IN THE WEST (Rated MA15+) - Written, Produced, Directed and Starring Seth MacFarlane this is a comedy western that will be big on laughs, big on slapstick sight gags and big on the star power (also starring Liam Neeson, Charlize Theron, Amanda Seyfried, Giovanni Ribisi, and Neil Patrick Harris). It's 1882, Arizona and cowardly farmer Albert (MacFarlane) loses his true love Louise (Seyfried) because he backs out of a duel. Soon enough though new girl Anna (Theron) rides into town and it's all on for Albert as he gains confidence, bravery, courage and his wits to win over this new love interest. But, in doing so he must thwart Anna's husband - a notorious and dangerous gunslinging criminal, who wants his wife back and payback from, or on, Albert! Seth MacFarlane bought us 'Ted' a few years ago, so if you liked that you're sure to like this, but is it the new 'Blazing Saddles' . . . only you can decide!

THE BROKEN CIRCLE BREAKDOWN (Rated MA15+) - A Belgian film with subtitles set in Ghent, this was nominated for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 86th Academy Awards. It tells the story of Didier and Elise set over a seven year period as they fall in love against a backdrop of their passion for bluegrass music. They have a daughter Maybelle, who is diagnosed with cancer shortly after her sixth birthday and she never reaches seven! Feeling lost in their sorrow, earth shattered, and cheated their love for each other is put to the test, and their relationship pulled in every direction.

THE TRIP TO ITALY (Rated M) - Beautiful food, beautiful scenery, beautiful women, this follows hot of the heels of 2010's 'The Trip' as those those two food critics (Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon) travel around various exotic and historical locations in Italy as they eat their way through a series of Michelin starred restaurants and gastronomic delights serving as the backdrop for a road trip to die for, and their razor sharp witted banter. Directed as before, by Michael Winterbottom, this should be worth it just to see Coogan and Brydon duelling it out for verbal dexterity and humorous one-up-man-ship, with a well crafted dose of food porn thrown in for good measure. Bon appetite!

See something new this week and do your part in keeping the film industry alive! Drop me a line and let me know what you think about any of the above four features, or those others previewed in previous weeks.

Movies - see as many as you can!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthdays to share this week : 25th - 31st May.

Do you share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer or Singer/Songwriter/Composer of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming week? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully formed 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 over the coming week. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Check out too the spotlight on this weeks Birthday Boy on 31st May, Clint Eastwood at the end of this feature.

Sunday 25th May

• Sir Ian McKellen - Born 1939, turns 75 - Actor
• Cillian Murphy - Born 1976, turns 38, Actor
• Mike Myers - Born 1963, turns 51 - Actor | Writer
• Frank Oz - Born 1944, turns 70 - Actor | Singer | Songwriter
• Jacki Weaver - Born 1947, turns 67 - Actress

Monday 26th May

• Helena Bonham Carter - Born 1966, turns 48 - Actress | Singer
• Pam Grier - Born 1949, turns 65 - Actress
• Lenny Kravitz - Born 1964, turns 50 - Singer | Songwriter | Actor

Tuesday 27th May

• Paul Bettany - Born 1971, turns 43 - Actor
• Sir Christopher Lee - Born 1922, turns 92 - Actor | Singer
• Joseph Fiennes - Born 1970, turns 44 - Actor
• Louis Gossett Jnr. - Born 1936, turns 78 - Actor | Producer
• Jamie Oliver - Born 1975, turns 39 - Chef | TV Personality | Producer

Wednesday 28th May

• Carey Mulligan - Born 1985, turns 29 - Actress
• Kylie Minogue - Born 1968, turns 46 - Singer | Songwriter | Actress | Producer
• Sondra Locke - Born 1944, turns 70 - Actress
• Irwin Winkler - Born 1931, turns 83 - Producer | Director

Thursday 29th May

• Annette Benning - Born 1958, turns 56 - Actress
• Rupert Everett - Born 1959, turns 55 - Actor | Producer
• Ted Levine - Born 1957, turns 57 - Actor
• Danny Elfman - Born 953, turns 61 - Songwriter | Composer | Actor

Friday 30th May

• Duncan Jones - Born 1971, turns 43 - Director | Writer
• Harry Enfield - Born 1961, turns 53 - Actor | Writer

Saturday 31st May

• Clint Eastwood - Born 1930, turns 84 - Director | Actor | Producer | Composer
• Colin Farrell - Born 1976, turns 38 - Actor
• Brooke Shields - Born 1965, turns 49 - Actress
• Tom Berenger - Born 1949, turns 65 - Actor | Producer
• Menahem Golan - Born 1929, turns 85 - Director | Producer | Actor | Writer

Clinton Eastwood Jnr. was born in San Francisco, and in the early 50's before his acting career took hold he was a lifeguard and swimming coach in the US Army. Subsequently, as we all know, he has gone on to become a movie legend both in front and behind the camera. He has always tried to maintain a private life away from the media, and in some ways this has been surprising given the eight children he has fathered to six different women over the years - two of whom only he has been married to. Aside form his Acting and Directing credits (of which there are many) he has always had staunch political views and has been an avid supporter (or not) of past Presidents and their running mates. For a period of two years he was the Mayor of Carmel from 1986 on, and his political activism has crossed over many administrations, many campaigns and many changes over the past five decades or so.

As an Actor he has been making films since the mid-50's - putting him now still very active at making films in his seventh decade and at age 84. Not only does he have 66 Acting credits to his name, but also 37 Directing credits, 40 Production credits and another 32 for the soundtrack and music composition. Truly accomplished, he has garnered a reputation as a fastidious film maker, organised and disciplined often bringing his movies in ahead of time and under budget.

His first film credit came in 1955 in 'Revenge of the Creature' with 'Tarantula' out that same year. It was however, his role as Rowdy Yates in TV's long running 'Rawhide' from 1959-1965 that bought Eastwood international fame and recognition. Wanting to break the mould of Rowdy Yates as the mid-60's approached he was signed up for the first of Sergio Leone's 'Dollars' trilogy in 1964 with 'For a Fistful of Dollars', followed by 'For a Few Dollars More' in 1965 and then 'The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly' in 1967, and it was these three Spaghetti Westerns that really put Eastwood under the international movie spotlight.

Following on from these, Eastwood carved out an acting career playing the anti-hero cowboy in such films as 'The Outlaw Josey Wales', 'High Plains Drifter', 'Paint Your Wagon' 'Pale Rider' 'Hang 'Em High' and 'Unforgiven'. There were also stints at the war action film with the likes of 'Kelly's Heroes', 'Where Eagles Dare' and 'Heartbreak Ridge', and of course those trademark Police action movies that will forever be etched in the psyche as Harry Callahan in five 'Dirty Harry' instalments - 'Dirty Harry', 'Magnum Force', The Enforcer', 'Sudden Impact', and 'The Dead Pool'. So too he has dabbled in comedy with 'Every Which Way But Loose' and it's follow up 'Any Which Way You Can' being very successful too. 

He has an equally diverse Directing career from his first outing behind the camera in 1971 in the cult thriller 'Play Misty for Me' to the likes of 'White Hunter, Black Heart' 'A Perfect World', 'Invictus', 'Mystic River', Gran Torino', 'J.Edgar' and the 'Flags of our Fathers' and 'Letters from Iwo Jima' coupling. His 'Jersey Boys' is due for release later in 2014, and he is currently filming 'American Sniper' due for release in 2015.

The recipient of 140 award wins and a further 92 nominations, Eastwood has won five Oscar's - Best Picture and Best Directing for 'Million Dollar Baby', Best Picture and Best Directing also for 'Unforgiven' and in 1995 the Academy bestowed upon him the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award. He has also been nominated six other times by the Academy for either Acting, Directing, or Best Picture. He has five Golden Globes to his name - three for Best Director, and in 1988 the Cecil B. DeMille Award, and in 1971 The Henrietta Award, and nine other nominations for both Direction or Score. He has three BAFTA nominations too for Best Direction and Best Film.

Clint Eastwood - hugely successful, multi-talented, reliable, responsible, still relevant and the proud owner of two of Hollywoods greatest icon's - 'The Man With No Name' and 'Harry Callahan' - Clint Eastwood still has the pulling power to draw a crowd to the cinema, and attract the A-list talent with which to make his films. A long, varied and distinguished career still in the making - Happy Birthday Clint, from all at Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

GODZILLA - Wednesday 21st May 2014

I ventured out with my Movie Buddy last night to my local multiplex to see the next in a very long line of Godzilla movies - this one, another Hollywood offering called, aptly, 'GODZILLA'! Believe it or not this huge lizard like dinosaur type monster is 60 years old this year having first appeared on our cinema screens in 1954 and has since been through 28 incarnations on the big screen . . . more than the James Bond franchise, and older too! Whatever you want to say about old mate Zilla - he has staying power, keeps the crowds coming back for more and still manages to remain fresh - but then at a cost of this latest rendition of US$150M you would certainly hope so!

Directed by Gareth Edwards and starring Bryan Cranston, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Ken Watanbe, Juliette Binoche, Elizabeth Olson and David Strathairn, this film is big on the three protagonist monsters, big on action set pieces, big on death and destruction and big on Uncle Sam flag waving (as these movies usually are!)

With the opening credit montage we are taken back to 1954 to set the scene of atomic testing in the Pacific in the wake of WWII, but this is really a cover up to destroy Godzilla who was seemingly wreaking havoc in that region at that time. The bomb is dropped, big bang, mushroom cloud forms and Godzilla is no more . . .  yeah, right!

Fast forward and we are in 1999 in a Japanese Nuclear Power facility when an unforeseen, unknown, malevolent force causes the meltdown of said facility and widespread destruction, the wholesale leaking of radiation and the death of wife to US Nuclear Physicist Joe Brody (Cranston). The aftermath is that the destroyed plant facility and the island which housed it is quarantined for the nest 25 years or so. Fast forward again to 2014 and Brody Senior remains in Japan but his son, Ford Brody (Taylor-Johnson) now grown up and a Navy Bomb Disposal Expert has just returned home to his own son and wife in San Francisco after a 14 month tour of duty. Dad meanwhile is locked up in Japan for trespassing in the quarantined zone and son Ford has to go release him. Dad though, knows something is not quite right and since the meltdown and loss of his wife Sandra in 1999 (Binoche), has been working to uncover the real truth about what happened that fateful day. Heading back to the quarantined zone with son in tow, the ugly truth is uncovered and then the proverbial brown stuff begins to hit the fan!

We are first invited to get up close and personal to a MUTO (Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organism) that has hatched on the nuclear island previously laid to waste and allegedly radioactive so feeding said MUTO and bringing it out of dormancy. This is when is gets ugly and huge destruction, death and mayhem ensue. Needless to say our friend the MUTO is on the hunt for anything radioactive to feed on, plus it's mate that has been holed up in a deep undercover bunker in the Nevada desert - yep, close to Las Vegas! The mayhem and the action then spreads to the Philippines for a short while and then onto Hawaii by which time Godzilla has surfaced from his long period of hibernation and is on the hunt for MUTO and before boy MUTO hooks up with girl MUTO . . . and none of us want that do we? After trashing Hawaii big time, next it's mainland USA and SanFran is right in the path of destruction and the oncoming train wreck that will be Godzilla fighting it out for survival of the fittest with two bad ass MoFo MUTO's!

The rest you can easily piece together - the city skyline of San Francisco is completely trashed as skyscrapers are toppled like kids playing with dominoes, and the Golden Gate Bridge is snapped like it's supported by a spiders web thread! The ground opens up, trains disappear into ravines, planes fall out of the sky, fighter jets are tossed asunder, battleships are cast aside on instant tsunami's and no one and no place is safe! These action set pieces are well handled and executed and the creature effects I thought were well rendered and convincing enough taking you into the heart of the action. Deliberate or not there are moments straight out of 'The Hobbit' and 'Aliens', and it all comes together reasonably well in the end, and I think we all know who will rise victorious and prove to be humanity's saviour! These closing moments when Godzilla rises from the rubble of SanFran down bayside, and disappears slowly into the bay and the vast ocean beyond I thought were just a little too corny, too cheesy when all was said and done . . . but that said, he's been around a long time, fought a few battles, earned his stripes and keeps coming back for more.

See it on the big screen, but you can do without the 3D. Incidentally, my Movie Buddy did not rate this at all, and so we have a difference of opinion. If you like your big budget creature features loud, proud and in your face with all the death and destruction of our cities that go with it - then this will be right up your street! Enjoy the great gargantuan Godzilla giganticness!



-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THE LAST STAND - archive from 27th February 2013

For old times sake and a dose of nostalgia, saw 'LAST STAND' last night. Arnie's first top billing movie in ten years and for this there is a return to form albeit Arnie is looking older, more craggy, and less agile. 

This is a decent enough good old cops & robbers story with a twist, a believable premise, the action is fast paced, the violence at times graphic, and solid enough characterisation. Arnie puts in a good turn and is a welcome return for the 'Austrian Oak' who is still not afraid to send himself up and put on a good show. Since this outing - the first since standing down at 'The Governator' of California and the break up of his long-term marriage to Maria Shriver, he has appeared with Sly Stallone in the straight to video (in Australia) 'Escape Plan', the upcoming 'Sabotage' and 'The Expendables 3' due out later in 2014 and is currently filming 'Terminator : Genesis' due for release in 2015. 
On 'The Last Stand' though - certainly worth a viewing, but you can afford to wait for the BluRay and watch it from the comfort of your lounge room.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week - Thursday 22nd May 2014.

Following last weeks mega haul of new releases, we have a more subtle offering this week to tempt you out and in front of the big screen for a very diverse offering of celluloid delight. Once again, those lads at Marvel have gone large with this next offering in the X-Men franchise and this time it's bigger, bolder, badder and budget busting in every way, and you've got to give it to Marvel - they know how to deliver Superheroes to our senses in spades! Next up, we have a small Australian made psychological horror film that shows lots of promise in its menacing premise and execution. Then there is the religious offering - a retelling of a story you know well re-presented for an audience who may have lost touch . . . ! And finally, what week would be complete without a foreign language offering set in the 60's and treading the line between the calling of the church and the nazi legacies of WWII.

As is usually the case, something for (almost) everyone, so on a cool winter's evening somewhere in Australia, get your self out from in front of the small screen and perch in front of the big screen for a few hours of drama, escapism, emotion, excitement and sheer entertainment. Then - let me know what you thought!

X-MEN : DAYS OF FUTURE PAST (Rated M) - Bryan Singer is back in the Director's chair of this franchise that he kick started well & truly in 2000 with 'X-Men' and in 2003 with 'X2'. This is the seventh outing of these titular mutant heroes, and 'Days of Future Past' marks the most ambitious yet. With a budget of a staggering US$230M and a cast that boasts the likes of Hugh Jackman, James McAvoy, Michael Fassbender, Patrick Stewart, Ian McKellen, Peter Dinklage, Jennifer Lawrence, Halle Berry and various others this story is set needless to say in the future . . . and the past! Ten years from now and mutants have been hunted down and are on the verge of extinction largely at the hands of huge robotic hunting killing machines called 'Sentinels'. In 2023 Magneto (McKellen) and Professor X (Stewart) hatch a plan to send Wolverine (Jackman, unless you've been asleep these past 14 years!) back to 1973 to hook up with the younger Magneto (Fassbender) and Professor X (McAvoy) to thwart the plans of the Sentinel inventor Trask (Dinklage) from destroying mutant life as we know it in the future! Along the way all manner of mutant men & women appear to support the cause and defend themselves from annihilation ultimately. This is effects laden, mega-budget story telling on a grand scale thats should be sure to please the fans of the genre and the series. With such a huge production cost you had better go see it to support 'X-Men : Apocalypse' slated for a May 2016 release.

THE BABADOOK (Rated M) - First time Director, Jennifer Kent has also penned the screenplay of this Australian psychological horror thriller. The story surrounds the struggling relationship between mother Amelia (Essie Davis) and her six year old son (about to turn seven) Samuel (Noah Wiseman). Samuel's seventh birthday happens to coincide exactly with the date that husband to Amelia and father to Samuel was killed horrifically in a car accident six years earlier, and so Samuel doesn't celebrate his birthday on his birth date for this reason. Samuel is having dreams (more like nightmares) in which he sees a monster who is coming to kill both he and his Mum, but the stories he retells to his Mum of these dreams are just the ramblings of an out-of-control kid . . . she thinks. Then one day a book is uncovered at the house called 'The Babadook' and in it we see the story of the monster that Samuel believes is coming to kill them both. When Samuel begins to visualise 'The Babadook' in the house and outside taunting him, stalking him and threatening all manner of harm it is only a question of time before Amelia herself begins to catch glimpses of this malign force present in their home and then the real psychological horror begins to unfold. Strong reviews received so far, and it's about time we had a nail biting, seat gripping, tension grabbing horror offering that is well conceived, delivered and believable.

SON OF GOD (Rated M) - Directed by Christopher Spencer with a cast that you will largely not recognise this is a large scale effects heavy epic retelling of the life of one Mr. J. Christ. Tracing the story from his birth in a humble stable through his earlier life as a carpenter, onto his teachings in the way of God, healing, forgiveness and sanctity, and culminating in his crucifixion and ultimate resurrection some thirty years later, there will be no surprises here! You know the story of course, and it has been told a gazillion times on the small and big screen alike with equal biblical proportions. What makes this any different - I dunno! You'll have to check it out and decide for yourself . . . and then let me know!

IDA (Rated M) - set in a 1962 Poland a beautiful 18 year old novice nun (Anna) is living in a convent where she has resided since becoming orphaned as a young child. Before taking her vows she is told she must first find her mothers sister (Wanda) whom she has not met before, let alone knew existed. Upon doing so, the pair embark upon a journey of discovery that reveals that Wanda was in fact a hardline judge and prosecutor for the Stalin regime who would sentence priests and other miscreants to death in her former life . . . and she is also Jewish. As such it transpires that so too is Anna, and in fact her real name is Ida Lebenstein, and her parents were killed during the war. What follows is Ida's search for her true identity, her parents resting place, answers to her past, and the questions that will shape her future.

Four films then to tease, tempt and tantalise your tastebuds and ensure you are once again spoilt for choice. Every good reason to get out to your nearby multiplex this coming week, or support your local independent theatre with your movie going dollar. Enjoy the experience and then tell us at Odeon Online all about it.

Movies . . . see as many as you can!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

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

Do you share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer or Singer/Songwriter of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming week? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this small but not insignificant and beautifully formed 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 over the coming week. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Check out too the spotlight on this weeks Birthday Girl on 20th May, Cher at the end of this feature.

Sunday 18th May

• Tina Fey - Born 1970, turns 44 - Actress | Writer | Producer
• Chow Yun Fat - Born 1955, turns 59 - Actor
• Miriam Margolyes - Born 1941, turns 73 - Actress

Monday 19th May

• Grace Jones - Born 1948, turns 66 - Singer | Songwriter | Actress
• Claudia Karvan - Born 1972, turns 42 - Actress | Writer | Producer
• Amanda De Cadenet - Born 1972, turns 42 - Actress
• Pete Townshend - Born 1945, turns 69 - Singer | Songwriter

Tuesday 20th May

• Timothy Olyphant - Born 1968, turns 46 - Actor | Producer
• Cher - Born 1946, turns 68 - Singer | Songwriter | Actress
• Anton Corbijn - Born 1955, turns 59 - Director
• Busta Rhymes - Born 1872, turns 42 - Singer | Songwriter | Actor

Wednesday 21st May

• Nick Cassavetes - Born 1959, turns 55 - Director | Actor | Writer
• Judge Reinhold - Born 1957, turns 57 - Actor
• Mr. T. - Born 1952, turns 62 - Actor

Thursday 22nd May

• Maggie Q. - Born 1979, turns 35 - Actress
• Naomi Campbell - Born 1970, turns 44 - Supermodel | Actress | Producer
• Gary Sweet - Born 1957, turns 57 - Actor
• Morrissey - Born 1959, turns 55 - Singer | Songwriter

Friday 23rd May

• Joan Collins - Born 1933, turns 81 - Actress
• Drew Carey - Born 1958, turns 56 - Actor | TV Personality | Producer | Writer
• Tom Tykwer - Born 1965, turns 49 - Director | Producer | Writer | Songwriter

Saturday 24th May

• John C. Reilly - Born 1965, turns 49 - Actor | Writer
• Kristen Scott Thomas - Born 1960, turns 54 - Actress
• Alfred Molina - Born 1953, turns 61 - Actor | Producer
• Jim Broadbent - Born 1949, turns 65 - Actor
• Roger Deakins - Born 1949, turns 65 - Cinematographer
• Bob Dylan - Born 1941, turns 73 - Singer | Songwriter

Cher was born Cherilyn Sarkisian in El Centro, California. She has been active in the entertainment industry since 1962 when she met Sonny Bono who was working with Phil Spector and he was persuaded to allow Cher to sing backing vocals on a number of songs that would later become smash hits. The rest as they say is history!

In 1964 she and Sonny Bono were married and for the rest of that decade carved out a very successful music and television career. In June 1975 however, the couple divorced and three days later Cher married singer Gregg Allman but that was short-lived and the couple divorced just a few years later.  By now Cher was well & truly carving out her own direction in life - ever growing in confidence and stature and determined to go it alone in very much a mans world. With her distinctive voice, strong sense of feminine autonomy, and her own grit and determination she continued her own solo singing career and started to jump back into television and movies. Her first film appearance was in 1967 in 'Good Times', but it was the 80's that really saw her star begin to shine. With roles in 'Silkwood', 'Mask', 'Suspect', 'The Witches of Eastwick', 'Moonstruck', 'Mermaids', 'Tea with Mussolini' and more recently 'Burlesque', and the lending of her voice to a lioness in 'Zookeeper' she has a small, but not insignificant filmography to her long and distinguished career.

Cher would be one of only very few singers who have made the successful move from singing to acting (think Madonna, think Tina Turner, think Dolly Parton . . . not!) Like a phoenix rising from the ashes of her career time and time again, she continues to reinvent herself and keep herself relevant. She is the only artist to have #1 songs on the US Billboard Chart in each of the last six decades. She has sold over 100 million albums in her own right and another 40 million when with Sonny Bono. She is a fashion designer, a book author, the Manager of a Production Company and regular TV Personality. She Directed her first TV movie in 1996 - 'If These Walls Could Talk'.

She won the Best Actress Academy Award in 1988 for 'Moonstruck' and was nominated a few years earlier for 'Silkwood'. She has won three Golden Globes for 'Moonstruck' 'Silkwood' and 'The Sonny & Cher Comedy Hour' and has been nominated another three times. Cher was also nominated for two Bafta's, and in total has 22 award wins to her name and a further 20 nominations. She has earned squillions from her world tours and residences, and continues to delight her fans the world over.

Always entertaining, hardly ever predictable, never dull and at times shocking - Cher, Happy Birthday from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

CHEF - Wednesday 14th May 2014.

Given my background it was inevitable that I would see 'CHEF', and so ventured off to the Cremorne Hayden Orpheum Picture Palace last night to see this culinary offering. Serving up the menu in this instance we have Writer, Producer, Director and Star of the film Jon Favreau, who has concocted a simple story of former gastronomic wunderkind Chef Carl Casper who has lost his culinary mojo thanks to Restaurant owner Riva (Dustin Hoffman) who shackles him to a menu that is years old and long past its use by date, but still has the customers rolling in . . . but not the critics!

It is one critic in particular, Ramsey Michel (Oliver Platt), who descends on the restaurant, with prior warning, and thanks to Riva's overarching decision is served up the same age old menu that now is tired, lacking imagination, creativity and love, despite what Chef Carl had in mind for that evenings service. And so a few days later the review is revealed to the world via an on-line Blog and a very disappointing two stars only are awarded and our Chef is duly crucified. In the background our Chef is trying to rekindle the relationship with his ten year old son Percy (Emjay Anthony) who introduces his Dad to the world of 'Twitter', and so a war of words breaks out in cyberspace between Chef and Critic which very quickly goes viral. As a result Chef Carl is fired, and can't land a job as a dish pig let alone a Chef!

To the rescue comes ex-wife Inez (Sofia Vergara) with who Chef Carl still has a strong, albeit separated relationship with, and invites him on a conference trip to Miami accompanied by their son. There is a hidden motive here, and that is a meeting with second ex-husband Marvin (Robert Downey Jr.) who just happens to own a beat up 1988 Chevvy Food Truck in need of a new owner and a lot of TLC. And so dad and son set to work to refurbish, upgrade and refit the food truck, quickly joined by good mate and Sous Chef Martin (John Leguizamo) to support the seemingly down trodden no hope cause and because he loves his former boss Chef Carl. Their style of cuisine is honest to goodness, freshly made, value for money quality hand held southern style food with those Spanish, Cajun, Mexican and Cuban influences. What follows is a road trip with the three lads all prepping and serving as they go from Miami, to Atlanta, to New Orleans and various stop offs en route with the money pouring in; customers aplenty thanks to viral marketing courtesy of a ten year old; music, local colour and lights; and lots of laughs and food homage along the way.

This is a feel good movie, with a happy ending where Chef Carl Casper comes good, reconciles with the Critic, the family reunite and everyone lives happily ever after. There is plenty of food porn particularly in the first half where Chef Carl is experimenting with new recipes and showing us his deft knife skills and culinary ability; there is drama from Riva flexing his restaurant owner/operator muscles; there is humour particularly when Chef Carl verbally unloads on to Critic Ramsey Michel publicly in the crowded restaurant, and his later meeting with a hamming it up for all it's worth second-ex Marvin; and there is emotion that comes from son Percy and dad Carl, from Sous Chef Martin, and from ex-wife Inez.

This has the recipe for an enjoyable viewing, and the ingredients that command a second helping! From blockbuster mega budget action fare to a simple story of food, family and freedom Jon Favreau has cooked up a storm with this one - an a la carte offering not to be missed!                                                                                                                                              

  

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD - archive from 4th April 2013

Saw 'A GOOD DAY TO DIE HARD' tonite - the fifth instalment in the franchise and probably the weakest so far. Our titular hero John McLean (aka Bruce Willis) is back again, this time chasing down his estranged son Jack (Jai Courtney) arrested in Moscow, and it transpires working for the CIA, although John believes his son is an underworld criminal doing the wrong thing on the wrong side of the law on the wrong side of the world!

Embroiled in political wranglings things get messy and the action ramps up when an attempted court case goes awry, the Rusky's turn the tables on everyone, weapons grade uranium gets involved and it all turns nasty in downtown Chernobyl. Hundreds of cars get trashed in an impressive chase through Moscow, shit gets blown up in all directions, there is collateral damage aplenty, more explosions than you can poke a stick of TNT at, and all the artillery that John, son Jack and the baddies can muster.

If all this floats your boat then you're in for a treat and actioner Bruce Willis delivers as you would expect with his usual smirk & swagger aided & abetted by his silver screen son who is not yet qualified to take over the reins from Dad. Made for US$92M it made about US$350M so I guess that this probably means we'll see 'Die Hard 6' at some future date - when John McLean gets his pension and cheap bus pass!

Directed by John Moore, it is all over in less than 100 minutes so at least it's a quick thrill for the 'die hard' fans of the 'Die Hard' franchise! Far-fetched, far-flung but enjoyable enough and the previous four are better . . . yippee-kaye-yay Mother Russia!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week - Thursday 15th May 2014.

Following last weeks bucket load of new releases, this week we have slightly slimmer pickings to choose from, but nonetheless plenty of block buster action, independent offerings, formulaic big studio fluff and foreign language outings still doing the rounds to keep you occupied on a cooler autumnal evening in May. This week, we do have another mega budget monster action flick to numb your senses; we have cinema's auteur of the weird, wonderful and whacky with a new unique offering; there is a thought provoking film that might just leave you thinking about the existence of heaven & hell; and a Romanian offering for those that like their films served with subtitles.

GODZILLA - this big scary all chewing all stomping lizard creature first appeared on big screens in 1954 courtesy of Japan's Toho Studio's, and since then there have been 28 films dedicated to this scaly monster of all monster's. Last seen in 1998 courtesy of the master of disaster movies, Roland Emmerich, this 2014 outing should bear no resemblance to that turkey! For this film to be endorsed by Toho Studio's it must be getting something right, and Director, Gareth Edwards, has taken us back to the source of the original film to stay true to that early premise. That is, that Godzilla is born out of a nuclear incident, and that the action takes place mostly in Japan. And so it does, and we have Bryan Cranston as the physicist based in Japan investigating with his Navy bomb disposal expert son (Aaron Taylor-Johnson) a nuclear incident dating back to 1999 to uncover the real truth of what happened and why. Needless to say along the way the truth is uncovered, whole city blocks are trashed and they duly discover some big shit going down . . . really big, like, monstrously big!

THE ZERO THEOREM - Terry Gilliam is back, and thank God! He knows how to spin a yarn; create something fantastical; weave the whacky, weird and wonderful; and assemble a convincing cast to deliver a movie experience that is a feast for the senses, will play with your mind, and will make you think! He keeps on delivering such films going back to 'Time Bandits', 'Brazil', '12 Monkeys' and more recently 'The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus' all of which take us to an alternative universe, another dimension, some future dystopian world yet somehow grounded in what we know with a sense of familiarity. Here we have Christoph Waltz taking the lead with Matt Damon, Tilda Swinton, Ben Wishaw and David Thewlis all supporting as our eccentric computer hacker mathematics whizz Waltz, works away on a project set by the mysterious 'Management', with the end game being to determine if there is a purpose to human existence. . . The Zero Theorem! This will be quirky to the nth degree, visually mesmerising, and totally immersing - a must see for fans of Gilliam's work.

HEAVEN IS FOR REAL - Greg Kinnear, Thomas Haden-Church, and Kelly Reilly star in this story of a family coming to terms with the ramifications of their four year old son's life changing near death experience. Playing the small town father, Kinnear witnesses the impact of his son's fleeting moment in Heaven after he died briefly on the operating table, and has to come to terms with what he saw, who he met and what was said when he was on 'the other side'. This film could test your faith, it will be thought provoking, and it will leave you wondering 'what if'? Needless to say this film has created a bit of a sensation across America's bible belt - watch it and decide for yourself.

CHILD'S POSE - A Romanian film about justice being sought by the family of a young child killed following a car crash involving the son of a Romanian socialite. The child killed in the car accident and the family are polar opposites, simple folk, peasants almost. The mother of the man at the wheel of the car is overbearing toward her son, engulfing him with love and affection at every turn and firmly believing he is innocent of any crime despite all the evidence to the contrary. What follows when families meet is satirical, the Police are sidetracked, the truth is covered up and this overbearing mother will do just about anything to protect her son. This won the 'Golden Bear' at the Berlin Film Festival and was an Oscar contender for Best Foreign Language Film earlier this year.

A mix then this week of monster action, future adventure, family drama, and emotional imbalance. Check one out at least, and let me know what you think!

Movies . . . see as many as you can!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 11th - 17th May.

Do you share your birthday with a well known, highly regarded & famous Actor or Actress; share your special day with a Director, Producer, Writer, Cinematographer or Singer/Songwriter of repute; or share an interest in whoever might notch up another year in the coming week? Then, look no further! Whilst there will be too many to mention in this little but not insignificant 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 over the coming week. If so, Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online!

Check out too the spotlight on this weeks Birthday Girl on 14th May, Cate Blanchett, at the end of this feature.

Sunday 11th May

• Frances Fisher - Born 1952, turns 62 - Actress
• Holly Valance - Born 1983, turns 31 - Actress

Monday 12th May

• Emily VanCamp - Born 1986, turns 28 - Actress
• Emilio Estevez - Born 1962, turns 52 - Actor | Writer | Director
• Gabriel Byrne - Born 1950, turns 64 - Actor | Producer
• Ving Rhames - Born 1959, turns 55 - Actor | Producer
• Vanessa Williams - Born 1963, turns 51 - Actress
• Susan Hampshire - Born 1937, turns 77 - Actress

Tuesday 13th May

• Robert Pattinson - Born 1986, turns 28 - Actor
• Harvey Keitel - Born 1939, turns 75 - Actor | Producer
• Joe Johnston - Born 1950, turns 64 - Director
• Stevie Wonder - Born 1950, turns 64 - Singer | Songwriter
• Tim Pigott-Smith - Born 1946, turns 68 - Actor
• Zoe Wanamaker - Born 1949, turns 65 - Actress

Wednesday 14th May

• Cate Blanchett - Born 1969, turns 45 - Actress
• Sofia Copola - Born 1971, turns 43 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actress
• Tim Roth - Born 1961, turns 53 - Actor | Producer
• George Lucas - Born 1944, turns 70 - Director | Producer | Writer | Editor | Actor
• Robert Zemeckis - Born 1951, turns 63 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Danny Huston - Born 1962, turns 52 - Actor | Director

Thursday 15th May

• Chazz Palminteri - Born 1952, turns 62 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Grant Heslov - Born 1963, turns 51 - Producer | Writer | Actor | Director
• Brian Eno - Born 1948, turns 66 - Singer | Songwriter

Friday 16th May

• Pierce Brosnan - Born 1953, turns 61 - Actor | Producer
• Danny Trejo - Born 1944, turns 70 - Actor | Producer
• Jim Sturgess - Born 1978, turns 36 - Actor | Singer
• Janet Jackson - Born 1966, turns 48 - Singer | Songwriter | Actress
• Debra Winger - Born 1955, turns 59 - Actress
• Megan Fox - Born 1986, turns 28 - Actress

Saturday 17th May

• Bill Paxton - Born 1955, turns 59 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Enya - Born 1961, turns 53 - Singer | Songwriter

Catherine Elise Blanchett was born in the Melbourne suburb of Ivanhoe to an Australian mother and American father. She has an older brother and younger sister, and is married to Theatre impresario, Andrew Upton.

She first came to real prominence in 1998 in her lead role as Queen Elizabeth I in 'Elizabeth' which won her amongst other things a BAFTA and a Golden Globe. Before this breakout role she did star in a number of other films - most notably Gillian Armstrong's 'Oscar and Lucinda' alongside Ralph Fiennes in 1997, and Bruce Beresford's 'Paradise Road' that same year with Glenn Close and Frances McDormand. 

Since then she has carved out a career between time on screen and time on stage and starred with the best in both Acting and Directing talent that the big studio's and the small independent's can throw at her. She is equally comfortable playing the biographical roles  - Katherine Hepburn in 'The Aviator', and then 'Charlotte Gray' and 'Veronica Guerin'; or the historical as in 'Elizabeth' and 'Elizabeth - The Golden Age'; or the fantasy piece as in Galadriel in three 'Lord of the Rings' instalments, and the three successive 'The Hobbit' big screen adaptations. Then let's not forget 'Babel', 'Hanna', 'Robin Hood', 'Notes on a Scandal', 'The talented Mr. Ripley', 'The Curious Case of Benjamin Button', and most recently 'The Monuments Men' and the much awarded 'Blue Jasmine' amongst many others.

Aside from her impressive filmography, Cate Blanchett has many acclaimed Theatre productions to her name also including 'A Streetcar named Desire', 'Hedda Gabler', 'The Seagull', 'The Tempest', 'Hamlet' and 'Oleanna'.

She has 98 films awards to her credit and a further 72 nominations. Her Oscar Academy Award wins are for 'The Aviator' as Best Supporting Actress, and this years 'Blue Jasmine' for Best Actress, and she has been nominated four other times. She is the only Australian Actor/Actress to win two Oscar's, and only one of six Actresses ever to win both the Best Actress and Best Supporting Actress Awards.

Additionally, she has four AACTA wins to her name for 'Thank God he met Lizzie', 'Little Fish', 'Elizabeth - The Golden Age' and 'Blue Jasmine' and one other nomination. She has three BAFTA wins and three other nominations; three Golden Globe wins and a further five nominations and for her Theatre work she has garnered nine wins and another six nominations.

Cate Blanchett - beautiful, talented, multi-awarded, much lauded, sought after and in demand - Happy Birthday to you from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week - Thursday 8th May 2014.

This week we have a veritable optical and aural feast for the senses as seven no less, new releases hit your local movie theatres to entice you out on a cool Winter evening and in front of a big screen. There is comedy, there is documentary, there is period piece, there is some drama and there is alternative - something it seems really for everyone . . . except the kids maybe, but fear not the Superheroes and teen flicks are still doing the rounds to keep them tempted!

So now that Winter is knocking on the door of a fading Autumn, get yourself out from in front of the small screen, and perch yourself instead in front of the big screen and enjoy the experience.

BAD NEIGHBOURS - so far in this franchise we have had 'Bad Lieutenant', 'Bad Boys', 'Bad Santa', 'Bad Teacher', 'Bad Grandpa' and now we have 'Bad Neighbours'! There's a lotta bad shit going down it must be said! That said, there is no franchise, and all of these movies have just one thing in common - 'Bad'! This stars Seth Rogen and Zac Efron as the duelling neighbours - the former married happily with very young child in tow, and the latter the frat boy with a six-pack who moves in next door intent on upsetting the suburban peace with wild parties, gorgeous girls, drugs, alcohol, loud music, pimped up cars and all manner of mayhem to be everything but neighbourly! The support comes in the shape of Rose Byrne, Dave Franco, and Christopher Mintz-Plasse and so it goes - this is the foundation of the film that moves along with various set pieces, jolly japes, gags & guffaw's and hilarity aplenty that is sure to go down a treat with your average 17 year old! On this basis it will probably go well - watch out for 'Bad Neighbours Too' in a couple of years!

CHEF - written by, directed and starring Jon Favreau who brought you so convincingly the 'Iron Man 1 & 2' instalments from the hugely successful franchise, and starring his stable mate Robert Downey Jr., with Dustin Hoffman, John Leguizamo with Scarlett Johansson and Sophia Vergara all adding seasoning and spice to this story. Favreau is fallen celebrity Chef (Carl Casper) who at the hands of restauranteur Dustin Hoffman finds himself jobless and worthless following a poor review from referred critic Oliver Platt. And so at the behest of ex-wife Sophia Vegara he is able to source a sad broken down past its use by date food truck via a good mate (RDJ) to save his career, give him some purpose, reestablish his reputation and rekindle the relationship with his 10 years old son who he takes on a culinary road trip in said food truck which is now fitted out, upgraded, refurbished to prepare, serve and sell Cuban street food. Sounds like a recipe for success - a voyage of discovery kneaded with emotion, drama, comedy and a generous sprinkling of fun. Yum!

SEDUCED AND ABANDONED - this has a limited release only and this doco-style offering will not be for everyone, unless like me you are a movie tragic! This is a movie about the movies and is an inside look at what it takes to get a film financed, produced, distributed and up on the big screen. No easy feat, despite the hundreds of movies released every year. This is an insightful film that has Director James Toback teaming up with Alec Baldwin as they talk to film financiers, Actors, Directors and attend festivals to bring you a no holds barred insiders view of an industry that ain't getting any easier and is getting more and more costly. All the while the two crusaders are pitching a faux movie to the studio execs, so that you can see on screen the pain that must be endured before the green light is switched on!

HEALING - written and directed by Craig Monahan this is the story of a prison inmate undergoing a rehab programme on a 'working farm' as he comes to the end of a long term sentence. In doing so he (Viktor played by Don Hany) comes across an injured eagle which he nurses back to health, and flight mode. Case worker Matt (Hugo Weaving) persuades the powers that be to allow the rehabilitating prisoners to rehabilitate injured game birds, and hence everyone is 'Healed'! This leaves me wondering just how many game birds can find themselves injured and in need of life support within the immediate vicinity of your average prison? Maybe more that we know! In between time there is prison tension, inmate drama, emotion and a good dose of healing hearts, minds and hands aplenty it seems. Or not!

THE DOUBLE - this looks a little art house, perhaps alternative, dark, moody and probably captivating. Directed by Richard Ayoade who hit the scene with sleeper hit 'Submarine' in 2010, this tells the story of introverted, shy & retiring white collar lad Simon James (played by Jesse Eisenberg) who harbours a secret crush on copy room girl Mia Wasikowska. Life goes on innocently until a new guy arrives in the office called James Simon (also played by Jesse Eisenberg) and who just happens to be the spitting image of Simon James - expect this guy is outgoing, confident, gregarious and successful and everything that his 'double' is not! Is this imagined, is it real, is Simon James going crazy, is James Simon out to steal his identity and his life? Confused, seeing double, finding it hard to distinguish one from t'other? You should be! You'll just have to check it out for yourself!

BELLE - set in 18th Century England this sees the true telling of an illegitimate mixed race daughter Dido Belle (Gugu Mbatha-Raw) of a well-to-do Royal Navy Admiral being raised by her gentrified aristocratic great uncle played by Tom Wilkinson, and in growing up in such well connected surroundings actively joins the cause to abolish English slavery with the aid and support of a young romantic love interest Vicar's son. Starring the likes of Matthew Goode, Emily Watson and Miranda Richardson also.

A CASTLE IN ITALY - a French/Italian offering to round off the weeks new releases, with subtitles, this family drama unfolds as a wealthy aristocratic clan implode as a result of terminal illness, desperation for motherhood, and the impending loss of the wealth and riches the family has depended on for so long. Complex characters showing varying signs of neurosis, anxiety, love, loss, faith, hope and fear all mashed up with comedic moments that might leave you laughing, crying or bewildered . . . or all three! Directed, written, and starring Valeria Bruni Tedeschi.

Plenty to choose from this week with seven new filmic offerings to get you out to your local multiplex or local independent. When you've sat, watched and listened and chewed on your popcorn let me know your thoughts! Enjoy the movies - see as many as you can!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-