Birthday's to share this week : 1st - 7th October 2017.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Lena Headey does on 3rd October - check out my tribute to this Actress and Producer Birthday Girl turning 44, at the end of this feature.

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

Sunday 1st October

• Julie Andrews - Born 1935, turns 82 - Actress | Writer | Producer | Singer
• Stella Stevens - Born 1938, turns 79 - Actress | Director
• Brie Larson - Born 1989, turns 28 - Actress | Director | Writer | Producer 
• Randy Quaid - Born 1950, turns 67 - Actor | Producer
• Zach Galifianakis - Born 1969, turns 48 - Actor | Writer | Producer 

Monday 2nd October

• Sting (aka Gordon Sumner) - Born 1951, turns 66 - Singer | Songwriter | Composer | Actor  

Tuesday 3rd October

• Tommy Wiseau - Born 1955, turns 62 - Actor | Writer | Director | Producer
• Clive Owen - Born 1964, turns 53 - Actor | Producer
• Denis Villeneuve - Born 1967, turns 50 - Director | Writer 
• Sean William Scott - Born 1976, turns 41 - Actor | Producer
• Lena Headey - Born 1973, turns 44 - Actress | Producer
• Neve Campbell - Born 1973, turns 44 - Actress | Producer | Writer
• Alicia Vikander - Born 1988, turns 29 - Actress | Producer  

Wednesday 4th October

• Susan Sarandon - Born 1946, turns 71 - Actress | Producer | Singer
• Alicia Silverstone - Born 1976, turns 41 - Actress | Producer
• Dakota Johnson - Born 1989, turns 28 - Actress
• Armand Assante - Born 1949, turns 68 - Actor 
• Christoph Waltz - Born 1956, turns 61 - Actor | Director | Producer | Writer  
• Liev Schreiber - Born 1967, turns 50 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Narrator 

Thursday 5th October

• Vic Armstrong - Born 1946, turns 71 - Stuntman | Director | Actor
• Clive Barker - Born 1952, turns 65 - Writer | Producer | Director | Actor
• Guy Pearce - Born 1967, turns 50 - Actor | Director
• Tom Hooper - Born 1972, turns 45 - Director | Producer 
• Jesse Eisenberg - Born 1983, turns 34 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director
• Jacob Tremblay - Born 2006, turns 11 - Actor
• Kate Winslet - Born 1975, turns 42 - Actress   

Friday 6th October

• Britt Ekland - Born 1942, turns 75 - Actress 
• Elisabeth Shue - Born 1963, turns 54 - Actress
• Olivia Thirlby - Born 1986, turns 31 - Actress 
• Ioan Gruffudd - Born 1973, turns 44 - Actor   

Saturday 7th October

• Marco Beltrami - Born 1966, turns 51 - Composer | Conductor | Songwriter | Producer
• Tim Minchin - Born 1975, turns 42 - Singer | Songwriter | Composer | Writer | Actor | Producer
• Shawn and Aaron Ashmore - Born 1979, turn 38 - Actors | Producers
• Olivia Munn - Born 1974, turns 43 - Actress 

Lena Headey was born in Hamilton, the capital city of Bermuda to mother Sue and father John Headey a Police Officer from Yorkshire, England, who was stationed on the island at the time of his daughters birth up until she turned five. At five years of age, the family relocated back to England, to Somerset, and then at age eleven onto Shelley, in West Yorkshire, near to Huddersfield. Attending the secondary school, Shelley College, Lena first gained an interest in acting, and came to the attention of a casting agent during a school production staged at the London Royal National Theatre, subsequently being cast in the 1992 'Waterland' Directed by Stephen Gyllenhaal and starring Jeremy Irons, Ethan Hawke, Pete Postlethwaite, David Morrissey and Maggie Gyllenhaal. 

The following year, 1993, Headey scored roles in episodes of 'Spender', 'How We Used to Live' and 'Soldier Soldier' before her next big screen outing in the highly acclaimed James Ivory Directed 'The Remains of the Day' with Anthony Hopkins, Emma Thompson, Christopher Reeve, Hugh Grant, James Fox and Peter Vaughan. The film was nominated for eight Academy Awards, five Golden Globes, and five BAFTA's winning one, amongst a haul of sixteen wins and 33 nominations. That same year came 'Century' with Charles Dance, Clive Owen, Joan Hickson and Miranda Richardson and then the live action 'The Jungle Book' in 1994 Directed by Stephen Sommers and starring Jason Scott Lee, Sam Neill, John Cleese, Cary Elwes and Jason Flemyng. 'Gentlemen Don't Eat Poets' was up next in 1995, 'Face' in 1997 with Robert Carlyle and Ray Winstone, 'Mrs. Dalloway' also that year with Vanessa Redgrave, John Standing, and Robert Hardy, then 'Twice Upon a Yesterday' with Douglas Henshall, Penelope Cruz, Mark Strong and Elizabeth McGovern and 'Onegin' in 1999 with Ralph Fiennes, Toby Stephens and Liv Tyler. In between time through the '90's there were short films, made for television films including 'Fair Game', 'Loved Up' and 'Devil's Advocate' as well as appearances on television series including 'Gold' and 'Band of Gold', 'Merlin' and 'Ballykissangel' and 'Kavanagh QC'. 

2000 launched with RomCom 'Ropewalk' and then mystery thriller 'Gossip' with James Marsden, Norman Reedus, and Kate Hudson, followed by drama 'Aberdeen' with Stellan Skarsgard and Charlotte Rampling for which Headey won critical acclaim. Comedy crime caper 'The Parole Officer' with Steve Coogan and Stephen Dilane, then 'Possession' with Gwyneth Paltrow, Aaron Eckhart and Toby Stephens, and 'Ripley's Game' with John Malkovich, Dougray Scott and Ray Winstone, followed by crime comedy 'The Actors' with Michael Caine, Michael Gambon, Dylan Moran and Miranda Richardson. Horror adventure offering 'The Cave' came next in 2005 which fared poorly at the Box Office and critically, but Terry Gilliam's 'The Brothers Grimm' with Matt Damon, Heath Ledger and Monica Bellucci fared much better, as did 'Imagine Me & You' with Piper Perabo, with critics hailing Headey's performance as a lesbian in the movie.

Historical action fantasy '300' as Directed by Zack Snyder was released in 2006 with Gerard Butler, Michael Fassbender, David Wenham, Rodrigo Santoro with Headey in the role as Queen Gorgo - a role she would reprise in 2014's '300 : Rise of an Empire' with Noam Murro this time Directing.









A change of pace came next with 'St. Trinian's', then horror thriller 'The Broken', WWI biographical adventure film 'The Red Baron', then Hollywood set drama 'Whore' and then another horror thriller 'Laid to Rest' before Sci-Fi horror drama 'Tell Tale' directed by Michael Cuesta and starring Josh Lucas and Brian Cox. In the intervening years there had been further short film appearances, and television series appearances on the likes of 'The Long Firm' and 'The Super Hero Squad Show' in which Headey lent her voice talents to Mystique and Black Widow.

Headey headlined the television series 'Terminator : The Sarah Connor Chronicles' over 31 episodes and two seasons in 2008 and 2009 starring as Sarah Connor with Thomas Dekker playing her son sent back from the future John Connor, as they both try to evade the government authorities as they scheme a way of destroying Skynet to prevent Armageddon. The show was nominated for four Primetime Emmy Awards and all up picked up three award wins and a total 25 nods.

The new decade rolled over with 'Pete Smalls is Dead' with Peter Dinklage, the reboot of the Sci-Fi action crime film 'Dredd' with Karl Urban as Judge Dredd and Headey as Ma-Ma, the leader of a gang of drug dealers and the films principle villain. She starred opposite Ethan Hawke again in the Sci-Fi horror thriller 'The Purge' which was made on a tiny budget of just US$3M and recouped US$90M at the Box Office, and followed this up with fantasy action film 'The Mortal Instruments : City of Bones', then 'The Adventurer : The Curse of the Midas Box' with Michael Sheen, Sam Neill and Ioan Gruffudd, which in turn led to 'Low Down' with Peter Dinklage again, John Hawkes, Glenn Close, and Elle Fanning. 'Zipper' closed out 2015 with Patrick Wilson, Ray Winstone and Richard Dreyfuss.

Action horror romance (but not as Jane Austen wrote it!) 'Pride and Prejudice and Zombies' was released in 2016 with Lily James, Jack Huston, Sam Riley and Charles Dance, and then 'Kingsglaive : Final Fantasy XV' to which Headey lent her voice in this feature length Sci-Fi animated action adventure together with those of Sean Bean and Aaron Paul. Crime drama film 'Thumper' was released in the US in April this year, but has not seen a release in Australia (yet!). In the meantime, Headey has also lent her voice talents to the children's animated series 'Danger Mouse' and 'Uncle Grandpa'.

All this of course leads us into Headey's portrayal of Cersei Lannister in the HBO series 'Game of Thrones' which has so far aired over seven seasons since 2011 with Headey appearing in 58 episodes to date. Based on the George R.R. Martin collection of books 'A Song of Ice and Fire', Headey plays a ruthless queen for which she has received widespread critical acclaim, including Emmy Award nominations for Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series in 2014, 2015 and 2106. All up the show has garnered 253 award wins and a further 422 nominations, with Season Seven recently finished airing, with the final season, Season Eight going to air in 2018.

Next up for Headey and due for release in 2018 is drama film currently in Post-Production 'The Flood' with Iain Glen, and also due in 2018 is biographical comedy drama 'Fighting With My Family' Written, Directed and starring Stephen Merchant with Dwayne Johnson, Vince Vaughn and Nick Frost.

All up Headey has 73 Acting credits to her name so far, and two as Producer. She has five award wins  - four of which are for 'Game of Thrones' and the other for film, 'Aberdeen', and an additional 35 award nominations including Golden Globe, Primetime Emmy and SAG Awards nods. For nine years Headey dated English Actor Jason Flemyng from 1994 to 2003. Thereafter she married musician Peter Loughran in mid-2007 with whom she has a son, Wylie (born in 2010). The couple separated in 2011 and divorced in late 2013. In July 2015 Headey gave birth to a daughter, Teddy, with Director Dan Cadan. Headey has actively campaigned on behalf of animal rights, and she also supports the LGBT organisation 'NOH8'.

Lena Headey - one time vegetarian; heavily tattooed; trained in archery, horse-riding; practices yoga often; and takes boxing classes too. Has starred with many of her GOT cast colleagues in film and television outside of the GOT series, including Peter Dinklage, Charles Dance, Stephen Dilane, Sean Bean and Peter Vaughan; and is happy to play to any genre taking in action, adventure, fantasy, Sci-Fi, horror, comedy, biographical, historical despite never having been to acting school and is self taught in her chosen profession. Ranked on numerous 'Hot 100' lists back in 2007, 2008 and 2009 especially and is known for her distinctive, mellow and rich tone of voice, her arched eyebrows and her calming personality. We await the outcome of 'GOT S8' with huge anticipation, and will continue to watch closely what you do next. In the meantime Lena, a Happy Birthday to you, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 28th September 2017.

The 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held at The Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles, California on Sunday evening 17th September and hosted this year by American comedian, actor, writer and television host Stephen Colbert. For the full list of the winners & grinners from this TV night of nights, simply Google Primetime Emmy Awards 2017. For the abridged list of those celebrating their win, see below :-

* Winner Outstanding Comedy Series : 'Veep' (HBO Production).
* Winner Outstanding Drama Series : 'The Handmaid's Tale' (Hulu Production).
* Winner Outstanding Limited Series : 'Big Little Lies' (HBO Production).
* Winner Outstanding Television Movie : 'Black Mirror' (Netflix Production).
* Winner Outstanding Lead Actor in a Comedy Series : Donald Glover for 'Atlanta'. (Glover became the first African American to win).
* Winner Outstanding Lead Actress in a Comedy Series : Julia Louise-Dreyfus for 'Veep' (Dreyfus won a record sixth consecutive award for the same role in the same series).
* Winner Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series : Sterling K. Brown for 'This Is Us'.
* Winner Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series : Elizabeth Moss for 'The Handmaid's Tale'.
* Winner Outstanding Lead Actor in a Limited Series or Movie : Riz Ahmed for 'The Night Of' (Ahmed became the first Asian and the first Muslim to win the award).
* Winner Outstanding Lead Actress in a Limited Series or Movie : Nicole Kidman for 'Big Little Lies'.
* Winner Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series : Alec Baldwin for 'Saturday Night Live'.
* Winner Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series : John Lithgow for 'The Crown'.
* Winner Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Series : Anne Dowd for 'The Handmaid's Tale'.
* Winner Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Limited Series or Movie : Alexander Skarsgard for 'Big Little Lies'.
* Winner Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Limited Series or Movie : Laura Dern for 'Big Little Lies'.
* Winner Outstanding Directing for a Comedy Series : Donald Glover for 'Atlanta'.
* Winner Outstanding Directing for a Drama Series : Reed Morano for 'The Handmaid's Tale'.
* Winner Outstanding Directing for a Limited Series or Movie : Jean-Marc Vallee for 'Big Little Lies'.
All up, 'Big Little Lies' and 'The Handmaid's Tale' walked away with five award wins apiece from their eight and seven nominations respectively, HBO had ten wins, Hulu five, and Netflix four.

This week, there are four new movie releases to tease you out to your local independent picture house or multiplex cinema. We start off with a biographical sports retelling of a much hyped and groundbreaking tennis match staged back in 1973 between two greats as they face off both on-court in the public arena and off-court coming to terms with their own unfolding turbulent lives. We then move to a Sci-Fi sequel that takes us to the edge of death and beyond only to return to face the paranormal demons of the past; before another historical biographical drama of a groundbreaking dancer that became the darling of late 19th Century Paris; before winding up with a tale of four Indian woman rebelling against their religion and their culture from behind a veil of secrecy.

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

'BATTLE OF THE SEXES' (Rated PG) - Directed by Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris this biographical sports comedy drama film is based loosely on the 1973 tennis match between Billie Jean King and Bobby Riggs. Riggs had been one of the world's top tennis players in the '40's and had previously held the top ranking and had won six major titles during his career. After retiring from professional tennis in 1951, he remained a master promoter of the game and indeed himself. In 1973, he openly speculated that the female game was inferior to the male game and that even at his then current age of 55 he could still beat any of the top female players. He initially challenged Billie Jean King, but when she declined, Margaret Court stepped in. At the time in 1973, Court was 30 years old and the top female player in the world. On the day of their match on May 13, Riggs beat Court convincingly 6-2, 6-1 to propel himself back into the national limelight. Subsequently, with his new found sense of pride and purpose, Riggs taunted all female players which prompted King to accept a lucrative challenge with a purse of US$100K and a nationally televised game which was dubbed 'The Battle of the Sexes'. Played out at the Houston Astrodome on 20th September 1973 in front of a worldwide audience of ninety million, King (who was 29 at the time) won in straight sets 6-4, 6-3, 6-3, and her victory is considered to be a milestone in the acceptance of women's tennis.

And so history lesson over, this film centres around that very public, media grabbing on-court 'Battle' with Billie Jean King played by Emma Stone and Bobby Riggs by Steve Carell, as off-court each player was fighting more personal and complex conflicts. With her husband urging her to fight for equal pay, the private Billie Jean was also struggling to reconcile her own sexuality as her friendship with Marilyn Barnett (Andrea Riseborough) develops, whilst Riggs gambled his reputation and his legacy in a bid to revive the successes and fame of his by gone days, at the expense of his family and his wife Priscilla (Elisabeth Shue). Also starring Bill Pullman, Alan Cumming, Sarah Silverman, and Jessica McNamee as Margaret Court. The film was released in the US last week following its World Premier at the Telluride Film Festival earlier in September, and has received generally positive Reviews.

'FLATLINERS' (Rated M) - this 2017 'Flatliners' Sci-Fi psychological horror drama film is a sequel to the cult 1990 'Flatliners' that back then was Directed by Joel Schumacher and starred the young up and coming talents of Keifer Sutherland, Julia Roberts, Kevin Bacon, William Baldwin and Oliver Platt amongst others, and grossed US$62M off the back of its US$26M budget. This sequel is Directed by Danish Niels Arden Oplev whose previous credits include the Swedish version of 'The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo', episodes of 'Under the Dome' and 'Mr. Robot' and various films in his native Denmark, and is released in the US this week too, at a cost of US$20M to bring to the big screen. Telling the story some twenty-eight years after Nelson Wright (Keifer Sutherland reprising his role as an older, wiser former medical student) lived to tell the tale of his near death experiments, so a group of young medical students attempt the same procedure by enlisting the help of a promising doctor and medical theorist Courtney Holmes (Ellen Page). Triggering near death experiences by stopping the heart beat for short period of time, leads them to become more bold and brazen with their journeys to the other side to see what lies beyond life. As their experiments progress they are confronted by sins they have either committed of have had committed against them in the past which begin to manifest themselves in physical form. To overcome these they must face the paranormal consequences of visiting the other side as they dive deeper into their death experiences to find a cure. Also starring Diego Luna, Nina Dobrev, James Norton and Kiersey Clemons.

'THE DANCER (Rated M) - this French biographical drama film is Directed by Stephanie Di Giusto in her Directorial debut, is based on the novel 'Loïe Fuller : Danseuse de la Belle époque' by Giovanni Lista, was screened in the Un Certain Regard category at the 2016 Cannes Film Festival and only now gets its limited Australian release. The film cost US$8M to make and has so far recovered just US$2M, and tells the real story of legendary late 19th Century dancer Loïe Fuller (SoKo, aka Stephanie Sokolinski) who gave up her mid-west American home to become the toast of Paris for her revolutionary 'serpentine' dance act. A chance meeting with Isadora Duncan (Lily-Rose Depp, the eighteen year old daughter of Johnny Depp and Vanessa Paradis), a beautiful young prodigy hungry for her own fame and fortune that threatens Loïe and everything she has worked for.

'LIPSTICK UNDER MY BURKHA' (Rated MA15+) - Written and Directed by Alankrita Shrivastava this Indian black comedy film was released in India at the end of July and in the US earlier this month to both critical acclaim and commercial success. It has done the rounds across 35 film festivals earning eleven international awards before its official release. The story here surrounds four women living in the crowded streets of Bhopal, in India, each going in search of a little freedom in their daily lives. A burkha wearing college girl struggles with issues of cultural identity and her dreams of becoming a pop singer; a young two-timing beauty therapist, is looking for a way out of her claustrophobic small town existence; a down trodden housewife and mother of three, lives an alternate life of an enterprising saleswoman, and a 55 year-old widow rediscovers her sexuality through phone sex with a young swimming coach. Trapped in their worlds, they claim their desires through secret acts of rebellion - with the red lipstick connecting them all as a sign of the underlying freedom that every woman seeks.

With four new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, taking in true story of an on-court battle royale between two tennis greats; a Sci-Fi sequel taking us close to death, but not quite; another true story here featuring a late 19th Century dance pioneer; and a film of four women trapped by their religion and cultural beliefs determined to find a way out, even if only briefly. Remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephiles afterwards here at Odeon Online, and the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

mother! : Tuesday 19th September 2017

'MOTHER !' is a psychological horror film Written by Darren Aronofsky in just five days, and is Co-Produced and Directed by him too. His previous screen Directing credits include 'Requiem for a Dream', 'The Fountain', 'The Wrestler', 'Black Swan' and 'Noah' and so far during his career to date he has amassed 35 award wins and 79 other nominations. The film had its worldwide Premier at the very recent Venice Film Festival where the film was both booed and received a standing ovation at the same time, was released in the US and in Australia on the 15th September, and it would be fair to say that this film has polarised audiences the world over. Some have praised it for the performances of the principle Actors and for Aronofsky's Direction, whilst others have criticised it for its story, disturbing scenes, muddled mixed messages and its metaphorical narrative. The film cost US$30M to make and has so far recovered US$26M.

The film opens up with a blackened landscape ravaged by fire, homing in on a grand stand alone colonial style house that is burnt out, but still standing. A man, Him (Javier Bardem), places a large crystal like object on a three pronged pedestal in his study, and immediately the house begins to reform to its former glory, with all signs of fire damage washing away, and in turn the burnt out landscape surrounding the home is restored to a lush green gardens bordered by verdant woodland. A form rises out of the bed from the ashes on a bright sunlit morning, and up sits Mother (Jennifer Lawrence) who calls after Him, her husband. She ventures down stairs searching for Him, opening the front door on a new day, when he suddenly appears behind her. He is an acclaimed author and poet with a severe case of writers block that he is seemingly unable to shake off, and she goes about her daily routine of restoring the property after the fire - an ongoing work in progress making steady and sure progress. However, Him's creative blockade begins to undermine their peaceful country living existence, and soon Mother begins having visions around the house of things that unnerve and unsettle her.

One day, a Man (Ed Harris) rocks up at the door, claiming that he was told that their property was a Bed & Breakfast, and he is looking for somewhere to stay having recently moved into the area. Almost immediately Him is taken in by the Man, and as it is approaching the evening Him offers to let the Man stay for the night. Mother agrees albeit very reluctantly. She witnesses the Man having severe bouts of coughing fits to the point where he is physically sick. The two men stay up late into the night drinking, chatting and laughing like long lost mates. The next day, there is another knock at the door, and the Man's wife, Woman (Michelle Pfeiffer) arrives to take up residence, marching on in believing the place to be a Bed & Breakfast too.

Fairly quickly Mother becomes frustrated by Man and Woman's presence around her home, invading their privacy, offering unwanted advice, and making a very unwelcome nuisance of themselves. Mother wants them gone, but Him says that their presence makes the house feel lived in and alive. Furthermore, Him reveals that Man is dying and he has learned that they are big fans of his work, and that Man wanted to meet Him before he dies. Later, Man and Woman take it upon themselves to go into Him's private study that is out of bounds to visitors. In doing so they are intrigued by the crystal object and while handling it, they let it fall to the floor shattering it into a thousand pieces. Him is furious and can hardly contain himself. Him and Mother agree to ask them to leave.

While preparing to leave there is another knock at the door and in barge to feuding young men - Man and Woman's grown up boys - the Oldest Son (Domhnall Gleeson) and his Younger Brother (Brian Gleeson). They are arguing and shouting at each other over the recently discovered will of their father which leaves everything to the Younger Brother. They fight in an all out brawl that sets tables and chairs sent flying and household objects trashed. The Younger Brother is accidentally mortally injured at the hands of the Oldest Son, who flees upon seeing blood oozing form the back of his brothers head, leaving Man and Woman to take their youngest son to the nearest hospital, accompanied by Him. When Him returns, he reveals that Younger Brother has died and has been subsequently buried. Later that evening a horde of people arrive at the house for the wake immediately making them selves at home and further frustrating Mother for their blatant disregard of her household, their possessions and their privacy. She reaches breaking point, when a couple who deliberately break a kitchen sink that has not yet been set, flood the lower house when they break the plumbing and water gushes out of every service pipe. When all the 'guests' have left Mothers berates Him for allowing so many unwanted and unwelcome people into their home. The couple argue fiercely, which turns into them having sex. The morning after, Mother announces that she his pregnant.

This news fills Him with a joy and an elation that motivates and inspires his creative juices. Suddenly Him has rediscovered his writing mojo and frantically puts pen to paper. In due course he lets Mother read the final pages of his work and then announces that his latest work has been published already. To celebrate, Mother prepares a romantic dinner for two, by now increasingly pregnant. As she is about to serve up dinner, Him is outside on the front veranda surrounded by a growing multitude of his fans all wanting an autograph and a piece of him. More fans arrive, and then more, and pretty soon, these fans are wanting to use the toilet, the telephone, helping themselves to the dinner spread she had so lovingly prepared earlier, and in due course ransacking the house of the couples possessions as mementos and keepsakes of their author hero. The house soon descends into chaos as armed Police arrive, and a disoriented Mother who is heavily pregnant, stumbles from one room to another seeking safe refuge, but none is to be found.

Him's Publisher arrives, The Herald (Kirsten Wiig) who at first is sympathetic to Mother and seeks to safeguard her, but soon takes part in the unfolding madness by executing at point blank range several of his fans before more are lined up for the same outcome. Then the military arrive in force to protect Mother and the house quickly becomes a war zone with the onset of her labour. She finds her husband who leads her up to his study where she gives birth to a boy. Outside the study door it has gone eerily quiet. Mother refuses to give up her child to Him, fearful for what he may do, and can she now trust him given everything she has seen and experienced. He says that the crowd beyond the door just want a glimpse of the newborn child, but she refuses. Then she falls asleep cradling the baby, and when she wakes and the baby is no longer in her arms she runs outside the door to see the child being crowd surfed across the room downstairs. Needless to say it doesn't end well for the baby or Mother, with Mother turning on the crowd and slicing and dicing those within easy reach with a broken shard of glass. The crowd turn on her, ripping at her clothes, forcing her to the ground and punching and kicking her to within an inch of her life. Him intervenes and stops the crowd. Mother is able to get away to the cellar where the oil tanker is located that fuels the furnace that heats the house. Despite her husbands pleas, Mother ignites the fuel oil so sending the house, the gathered crowds, herself and the immediate surrounding countryside up in ball of flame.

Both Mother and Him survive the explosion. Mother however, is badly burned all over, her skin charred black. Him, however, is untouched despite his very close proximity to the explosion. Placing her on a bench he asks her for whatever love she has left for him, and she agrees to give it. He then places his hands on her chest and digs in with both his hands pulling out her heart. In his hands the heart turns to charcoal which he crushes in his hands to reveal a crystal like object, identical to the one destroyed previously by Man and Woman. He places the crystal on a three pronged pedestal in his study and immediately the house begins to regenerate from burnt out war torn husk to a newly renovated home, and with it the gardens and surrounding countryside return to their lush green foliage. A new Mother forms in bed out of the ashes, rises up and calls after her husband.

It is easy to see why this film has been so divisive. It is the sort of film you'll either love for its original story telling, bold Direction and strong performances, or you'll hate it for its pretension, its steady descent into complete chaos, its graphic imagery, and its mixed messages. This is not a horror film in the traditional sense, but that doesn't make the film any less terrifying. The horror here too is in the confusion that rains down on Mother and the feeling of helplessness she feels when her peaceful lovingly renovated home is invaded by various individuals on multiple occasions. There are those that will interpret Aronofsky's work here as a metaphorical Garden of Eden, with Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel, Mother Earth and a God like figure all playing out to the climax of the film where the Earth is cleansed of all sin and everything is made new again. Or the power of a mans relationship over his wife, or some other hidden meaning! But that's OK, because that's what Aronofsky wants - to promote discussion, debate and dialogue about his film - good, bad and indifferent! This is a visually stunning, bold and audacious, original film set within the confines of a large isolated country house, that will provoke further thought and discussion long after the credits have rolled, but, it won't be for everyone!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 24th - 30th September 2017.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Nicolas Winding Refn does on 29th September - check out my tribute to this Director, Writer and Producer Birthday Boy turning 47, 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 24th September

• Brad Bird - Born 1957, turns 60 - Writer | Director | Producer 
• Kevin Sorbo - Born 1958, turns 59 - Actor | Producer | Director  

Monday 25th September

• Michael Douglas - Born 1944, turns 73 - Actor | Producer
• Pedro Almodovar - Born 1949, turns 68 - Writer | Director | Producer | Singer | Songwriter
• Mark Hamill - Born 1951, turns 66 - Actor | Producer | Singer
• Michael Madsen - Born 1957, turns 60 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Jason Flemyng - Born 1966, turns 51 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Will Smith - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Singer | Songwriter | Composer
• Heather Locklear - Born 1961, turns 56 - Actress | Producer
• Catherine Zeta-Jones - Born 1969, turns 48 - Actress | Singer  

Tuesday 26th September

• Olivia Newton-John - Born 1948, turns 69 - Actress | Singer | Songwriter | Producer
• Linda Hamilton - Born 1956, turns 61 - Actress  
• Jim Caviezel - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actor

Wednesday 27th September

• Meat Loaf (aka Marvin Lee Aday) - Born 1947, turns 70 - Singer | Actor | Producer
• Denis Lawson - Born 1947, turns 70 - Actor | Director | Writer
• Gwyneth Paltrow - Born 1972, turns 45 - Actress | Producer | Singer |   

Thursday 28th September

• Brigitte Bardot - Born 1934, turns 83 - Actress | Singer
• Mira Sorvino - Born 1967, turns 50 - Actress | Producer
• Naomi Watts - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actress | Producer  
• John Sayles - Born 1950, turns 67 - Writer | Director | Actor | Producer | Editor | Songwriter

Friday 29th September

• Ian McShane - Born 1942, turns 75 - Actor | Producer
• Luke Goss - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director 
• Nicolas Winding Refn - Born 1970, turns 47 - Writer | Director | Producer 

Saturday 30th September

• Ian Ogilvy - Born 1943, turns 74 - Actor 
• Eric Stoltz - Born 1961, turns 56 - Actor | Director | Producer
• Ezra Miller - Born 1992, turns 25 - Actor
• Angie Dickinson - Born 1931, turns 86 - Actress
• Victoria Tennant - Born 1950, turns 67 - Actress | Writer | Producer
• Fran Drescher - Born 1957, turns 60 - Actress | Writer | Producer | Director
• Monica Bellucci - Born 1964, turns 53 - Actress
• Marion Cotillard - Born 1975, turns 42 - Actress | Singer | Writer | Director

Nicolas Winding Refn was born in Copenhagen, Denmark to mother Vibeke Winding, a cinematographer and father Andres Refn, an accomplished and acclaimed Danish film Director and Editor whose works span over fifty years taking in over seventy feature films. At the age of eleven the family relocated to New York where the young Nicolas remained until the age of seventeen before moving back to Denmark to finish off his high school education. Upon doing this he promptly moved back to New York to attend The American Academy of Dramatic Arts in Manhattan where he was  subsequently expelled for throwing a table against a wall. He then applied to the Danish Film School in Copenhagen for which he was accepted, but prior to his commencement, he dropped out. He grew up in a family entrenched in the world of cinema, and in particular French New Wave cinema that his parents were especially attuned to. Rebelling against his parents he was inspired by American Horror movies, and cites Tobe Hooper's 1974 'The Texas Chainsaw Massacre' as his inspiration to become a film maker.

Refn burst onto the screen with his Written and Directing debut crime thriller 'Pusher' in 1996 starring Mads Mikkelsen about a drug pusher, a botched deal and a large debt needing to be repaid. Refn went onto Write and Direct two follow-up films 'Pusher II : With Blood on my Hands' in 2004 starring Mads Mikkelsen again, and in 2005 'Pusher III : I'm the Angel of Death'. The first two films picked up four award wins and fifteen nominations collectively between them. The opening film in the franchise was remade in 2012 on which Refn took a Producer credit only.

Crime drama 'Bleeder' followed in 1999 starring many of the cast from the first 'Pusher' film including Mads Mikkelsen. The film had some awards success around the festival circuit. 2003 saw the thriller 'Fear X' starring John Turturro, Deborah Kara Unger and James Remar. Up next for Refn was a  slight change of pace and genre as he Directed two episodes of 'Agatha Christie's Marple' television series in 2007 - 'Miss Marple : Nemesis' and 'Towards Zero'.

'Bronson' was released in 2008 as Written and Directed by Refn about the notorious British career criminal Michael Gordon Peterson who changed his name to Charles Bronson as suggested by his fight promoter during the period when he was released from prison. This biographical crime film is loosely based on Bronson's life and was portrayed with critical acclaim by Tom Hardy. The film made US$2.3M off the back of a budget investment of just US$230K and it picked up three award wins and six nominations including a Best Actor win for Tom Hardy and a Best Film win for Refn.

'Valhalla Rising' saw out the decade in 2009 with Mads Mikkelsen again starring in this historical adventure drama set in the eleventh century Viking era. The film garnered generally positive press, picking up four award wins and nine other nominations from around the festival circuit, but it recovered only US$31K from its US$5.7M budget outlay.

Next up for Refn was his breakout movie lunching him firmly into Hollywood with 'Drive' a neo-noir crime thriller about a Hollywood stunt driver moonlighting as a getaway driver. Starring Ryan Gosling in the lead role with Carey Mulligan, Albert Brooks, Bryan Cranston, Oscar Isaac, Ron Perlman and Christina Hendricks the film recovered US$78M from its US$15M budget and was nominated for an Academy Award, a Golden Globe and four BAFTA's from its total awards haul of 77 wins and 171 other nominations. The film was both a critical and commercial success, and was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in competition for the Palme d'Or where it received a standing ovation, going on to win Refn the Best Director's Award.

Refn teamed up with Gosling again in 2013 for the Bangkok set criminal underworld drama 'Only God Forgives' which Refn also took a Writing credit for. The film also starred Kristen Scott Thomas, was entered into competition for the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, picked up thirteen award wins and another twenty nominations, and recovered just US$10M from its US$5M budget costs.

'The Neon Demon' was to be Refn's next feature film and his last one to date, which again he wrote the Screenplay for too based on his own story. This psychological horror film divided audiences and received mixed critical response. It too was screened at the Cannes Film Festival in competition for the Palme d'Or, marking Refn's third film in succession to do so. Starring Elle Fanning, Jena Malone, Abbey Lee, Christina Hendricks and Keanu Reeves, this film recovered just US$3.5M from its US$7M budget and collected sixteen award wins and 33 nominations.

In between time Refn Directed an extended commercial for 'Gucci' featuring Actress Blake Lively, he has also Directed a series of advertisements for the 'Lincoln Motor Company' featuring Matthew McConaughey, and a commercial for 'Hennessy X.O.', and in 2015 Refn's wife, Actress Liv Corfixen wrote and Directed a documentary titled 'My Life Directed by Nicolas Winding Refn' chronicling the 'behind the scenes' experiences of filming 'Only God Forgives' when their whole family had to relocate to Thailand for the shoot.

Next up for Refn and both in pre-production stage is planned crime thriller television series 'Les Italiens' charting the lives of an Italian/French Police squad operating in Paris; and crime drama television series 'Too Old To Die Young' exploring the criminal underside of LA, and to which Miles Teller is attached.

All told Refn has twelve Writing credits to his name, fifteen as Director and nine as Producer. He has so far been the recipient of 28 award wins and another 49 nominations. In 2008 he co-founded the Production Company 'Space Rocket Nation' - a Copenhagen based company.

Nicolas Winding Refn - is colour blind, dyslexic, teetotal, failed his driving test eight times, didn't learn to read until aged thirteen and is an avid collector of toys. Shoots his films in chronological order, without rehearsal, often using acts of extreme violence, and often films using handheld cameras. Is considered the 'Wild Child' back in his native Denmark and has an uncompromising style all of his own, and as such we look forward with eager anticipation to your next feature film and what you'll pull out of your bag of tricks for that. Happy Birthday to you in the meantime Nicolas, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 21st September 2017.

The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) which has just wrapped on eleven days of showcasing international feature films, short films and documentaries, ran this year from 7th to 17th September inclusive, and this year marked its 42nd year having been founded in 1976. Over that time TIFF has grown to become one of the worlds most publicly attended film festivals, with an audience of fast approaching half a million annually. TIFF is now regarded as one of the most prestigious events of its kind in the world, with the movie industry press over the years claiming that it 'is second only to Cannes in terms of high-profile pics, stars and market activity' and that it had 'grown from its place as the most influential fall film festival to the most influential film festival, period'. This year a total of 339 films were shown over the eleven days, with the opening film chosen as the historical sports biopic 'Borg McEnroe' as Directed by Janus Metz Pedersen and starring Sverrir Gudnason as Bjorn Borg and Shia LaBeouf as John McEnroe. And, of those in competition, the winners are grinners are highlighted below for your future movie going reference :-

* The People's Choice Award Winner : 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri' - Directed by Martin McDonagh, starring Frances McDormand, Woody Harrleson, Peter Dinklage, Sam Rockwell and Abbie Cornish about a frustrated and grieving mother who antagonises the local Police force to call to attention the lack of progress in searching for her daughter's murderer.
 * The People's Choice Award First Runner Up : 'I, Tonya' - Directed by Craig Gillespie, starring Margot Robbie, Sebastian Stan and Bobby Cannavale about controversial Olympic figure skater Tonya Harding in this tragic and comedic examination of one of the biggest scandals in US sporting history.
* The People's Choice Midnight Madness Award Winner : 'Bodied' - Directed by Joseph Kahn, starring Calum Worthy, about an exploration of the world's most artistically brutal sport — battle rapping, when a progressive graduate student finds success and sparks outrage when his interest in battle rap as a thesis subject becomes a competitive obsession.
* The People's Choice Midnight Madness First Runner Up : 'The Disaster Artist' - Directed by James Franco, starring James Franco, Dave Franco, Seth Rogen, Zac Efron, Brie Larson and Jackie Weaver about eccentric filmmaker Tommy Wiseau and his friend, actor Greg Sestero, whose notoriously awful film 'The Room' has become one of the most beloved cult classics of all time . . . for all the wrong reasons!
* The International Jury Award Winner : 'Sweet Country' - Directed by Warwick Thornton, starring Sam Neill, Bryan Brown, Ewen Leslie and Hamilton Morris about an Aboriginal stockman and his wife, accused of murder, try to stay ahead of a fervent posse in the harsh outback of the Northern Territory, in this Australian outback Western inspired by true events.
* The International Federation of Film Critics Award Winner (FIPRESCI) : 'Ava' - Directed by Sadaf Foroughi, starring Mahour Jabbari, Bahar Nouhian and Leili Rashid, about a 16-year-old girl living and growing up in Tehran and her relationship with her family that is challenged after her mother takes her to a gynaecologist in order to ensure she’s still a virgin.
* The Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema Award Winner (NETPAC) : 'The Great Buddha+' - Directed by Huang Hsin-Yao, starring Cres Chuang, Bamboo Chen and Leon Dai about a security guard and his best friend who become entangled in a web of dark secrets after stumbling upon videos that document the promiscuous meetings of a wealthy factory owner.

For the full listing of the films screened during the eleven days of TIFF 2017, simply Google 'TIFF 2017' and all will be revealed across a myriad of websites, including the official site.

With the focus returning to this coming week, there are six new release movies coming to an Odeon near you. We launch with a sequel to an action spy comedy that took the world by surprise first time around, and looks like doing it all over gain as the action is ramped up a notch or two and the star power in front of the camera is equally ratcheted up. We then go to an unexpected dinner invitation for a stranded massage therapist that has far reaching consequences for herself and one other ruthless businessman in particular. Next up is an Australian drama that sees three worlds collide on our national holiday; and then a horrific day at the office unwinds during the 9 to 5 that has eighty dutiful employees whittled down to one in a macabre experiment; followed by a story of man suddenly released from captivity whose only knowledge of the outside world is via a televised fictional toy bear; before wrapping up with those world popular coloured interlocking animated brick characters turning on the ninja action to thwart an evil enemy and save the day.

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

'KINGSMAN : THE GOLDEN CIRCLE' (Rated MA15+) - 2015's first instalment in this growing action spy comedy franchise 'Kingsman : The Secret Service' was both a critical and commercial success taking in US$415M from its US$81M budget outlay. Now some two years later Matthew Vaughn returns to the Director's chair for this hotly anticipated, eagerly awaited, much hyped sequel, on which he also Co-Produces and Co-Writes the screenplay based on the comic book series of the same name by Mark Miller and Dave Gibbons. Released in the UK and the US this week also, the film once again has an all star cast, that this time sees hands stretched across the sea as the US unites with the UK to thwart an evil international foe. Taron Egerton returns as Eggsy, Mark Strong as Merlin, Colin Firth has risen from the dead as Harry Hart joined this time around by Channing Tatum, Jeff Bridges, Halle Berry, Pedro Pascal, Vinnie Jones, Michael Gambon, Bruce Greenwood, Elton John, Sophie Cookson and introducing Julianne Moore as a notorious criminal mastermind.

The film here unwinds when the headquarters of The Kingsman is destroyed and the world is held to ransom by Poppy Adams, a notorious criminal mastermind and global entrepreneur associated with 'The Golden Circle', a secret New World Order organisation. Members of Kingsman find new allies when they discover a spy organisation in the United States known as The Statesman. In an adventure that tests their strength, cunning and wits, the elite secret agents from both sides of the Atlantic must pull together to battle a ruthless enemy and save the day, save the world and all humanity. Vaughn has confirmed that he has a treatment already in mind for a third film in the franchise and has indicted Dwayne Johnson might be the ideal candidate to play the arch villain next time around.

'BEATRIZ AT DINNER' (Rated M) - Directed by Puerto Rican Miguel Arteta who previous credits include 'The Good Girl', 'Youth in Revolt', and 'Cedar Rapids' here brings us a comedy drama film that was Premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January this year, was released in the US back in early June, and now gets its Australian release having grossed US$7M so far. Starring Selma Hayek as Beatriz - a Mexican immigrant who has rebuilt her life as a holistic healer and masseuse who travels by car to the coastal home of her very well off and well to do client Kathy (Connie Britton). Upon leaving, her old Volkswagen breaks down, and so Kathy extends the hand of friendship and invites Beatriz to stay the night and attend a business dinner that she is hosting at her home that evening. When the guests arrive, belly's are being filled and the wine flows, so Beatriz finds herself in an ever increasing heated war of words with a ruthless real estate billionaire mogul, Doug Srutt (John Lithgow) who is more interested in money than he is in people. Their round table conversations results in life changing circumstances that neither could have ever imagined. Also starring Chloe Sevigny and Jay Duplass.

'AUSTRALIA DAY' (Rated MA15+) - this drama film is Directed by Kriv Stenders who previous film credits include 'Red Dog', 'Kill Me Three Times', 'Red Dog : True Blue' and the upcoming mini-series of the classic Australian novel and film of 1971 'Wake in Fright' which goes to air later this month. The film had its World Premier at the Sydney Film Festival earlier this year, and now gets its general release having done the festival circuit. Here the lives of three Australians on the run from varying cultural and social backgrounds collide in the steamy streets of Brisbane. Persian-Australian Sami (Elias Anton) is running from an angry gang of white lads for allegedly sleeping with one of their sisters. April (Miah Madden) is a desperate Indigenous girl running away after killing her abusive father. And Lan (Jenny Wu) is a Chinese sex slave running from captivity in an illegal brothel. Also caught up in this dramatic web of intrigue are a guilt-ridden Aboriginal Police Officer (Shari Sebbens), a detective on a manhunt (Matthew Le Nevez), and a bankrupt cattle farmer (Bryan Brown). These three stories will intertwine, intersect and culminate on the hot summer day that is January's Australia Day Public Holiday.

'THE BELKO EXPERIMENT' (Rated MA15+) - Directed by Australian Greg McLean who is perhaps most noted for his 'Wolf Creek' and 'Wolf Creek 2' Australian outback horror movies, here brings us another horror offering this time set in Bogota, Colombia. The film Premiered at TIFF in September 2016, was released in the US in mid-March, has so far recovered US$11M from its US$5M budget outlay and now gets its limited release in Australia. This films tells the story of what starts out as an ordinary day at the office for eighty personnel employed at the Belko Corporation Offices in Bogota. When the shutters go down and those eighty are trapped inside a voice over tells them that within the next thirty minutes two colleagues must be dead, or else more will be killed randomly. Attempts to escape are futile, and the next announcement over the intercom is that thirty must die within two hours, otherwise sixty will die at random. And so the announcements and the killings continue as friends turn into enemies, new (short-lived) allegiances are formed, and only the strongest survive leaving just two men standing, and ultimately, one alone! Starring John Gallagher Jnr., John C. McGinley and Michael Rooker. The film was written by James Gunn - he of 'Guardians of the Galaxy' fame.

'BRIGSBY BEAR' (Rated M) - Directed by Dave McCary and Written and also starring Kyle Mooney, this film had its Premier at this January's Sundance Film Festival and was released in the US in late July, and so far has taken US$516K at the Box Office. Telling the story of James Pope (Kyle Mooney) who has led a life of forced captivity in an underground home with parents Ted and April Mitchum (Mark Hamill and Jane Adams respectively) where his only connection with the outside world was a television show called 'Brigsby Bear'. When the Police descend on the Mitchum household and arrest Ted and April who are proven not to be James' real parents and have held him in captivity since he was baby, they also advise James that Brigsby Bear is not real and was a television show created exclusively for his benefit by the Mitchum's. As a result of James' changed circumstances and the Brigsby Bear television show coming to an unexpected and abrupt halt, James takes it upon himself to finish the storyline, but to do that means coming to terms with a new life and a new world he knows nothing about. Also starring Greg Kinnear, Claire Danes and Andy Samberg.

'THE LEGO NINJAGO MOVIE' (Rated PG) - 'The Lego Movie' was released in 2014 and was the first in what is becoming a successful computer animated adventure comedy film franchise. That film cost US$60M to bring to the big screen and raked in US$493M. A spin-off film 'The Lego Batman Movie' was released earlier this year costing US$80M and recorded a US$312M Box Office take. Now in late 2017 we have the second spin-off, 'The Lego Ninjago Movie' a computer animated action comedy martial arts offering which is Directed by Charlie Bean, Paul Fisher and Bob Logan. Telling the story of the battle for the city of Ninjago as young Master Builder Lloyd Garmadon, aka the Green Ninja (voiced by Dave Franco) along with his friends and fellow ninja's Kai (Michael Pena), Jay (Kumail Nanjiani), Nya (Abbi Jacobson), Zane (Zach Woods) and Cole (Fred Armisen), are led by Master Wu (Jackie Chan). Together they must defeat the evil warlord Garmadon (Justin Theroux), who just happens to be Lloyd's estranged father. Pitching father against son, the epic battle tests these brave yet undisciplined modern-day ninjas as they learn to control their egos and unite to unleash the inner power of Spinjitzu. Olivia Munn also stars. The film is released in the US and other territories this week too. A third spin-off 'The Billion Brick Race' is in development, and 'The Lego Movie Sequel' is due for release in February 2019.

With six new release films this week to tempt you out to your local Odeon, taking in an action comedy spy sequel, an unexpected dinner date, an Australia Day drama, a survival of the fittest horror offering, a television show created for an audience of just one who knows nothing different and an animated action comedy martial arts offering, remember to share your movie going thoughts with your other like minded cinephiles afterwards here at Odeon Online. In the meantime, I'll see you sometime somewhere in the week ahead at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-