Birthday's to share this week : 14th-20th August 2016

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Andrew Garfield does on 20th August - check out my tribute to this Birthday Boy turning 33, at the end of this feature.

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

Sunday 14th August

• Mila Kunis - Born 1983, turns 33 - Actress | Producer
• Halle Berry - Born 1966, turns 50 - Actress | Producer
• Marcia Gay Harden - Born 1959, turns 57 - Actress
• Steve Martin - Born 1945, turns 71 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Singer | Songwriter
• Wim Wenders - Born 1945, turns 71 - Director | Producer | Writer  

Monday 15th August

• Ben Affleck - Born 1972, turns 44 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
• Alejandro G. Inarritu - Born 1963, turns 53 - Director | Producer | Writer | Editor
• Nicolas Roeg - Born 1928, turns 88 - Director | Producer | Writer | Cinematographer 
• Jennifer Lawrence - Born 1990, turns 26 - Actress | Producer
• Debra Messing - Born 1968, turns 48 - Actress
• Natasha Henstridge - Born 1974, turns 42 - Actress  

Tuesday 16th August

• Angela Bassett - Born 1858, turns 58 - Actress | Producer | Director
• Bruce Beresford - Born 1940, turns 76 - Director | Producer | Writer | Editor | Cinematographer
• James Cameron - Born 1954, turns 62 - Director | Producer | Writer | Editor
• Timothy Hutton - Born 1960, turns 56 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Steve Carell - Born 1962, turns 54 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director | Singer
• Taika Waititi - Born 1975, turns 41 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor  

Wednesday 17th August

• Steven East - Born 1963, turns 53 - Blogger | Odeon Online originator  
• Robert De Niro - Born 1943, turns 73 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Sean Penn - Born 1960, turns 56 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
• Donnie Wahlberg - Born 1969, turns 47 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Singer

Thursday 18th August

• Edward Norton - Born 1969, turns 47 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director | Singer | Songwriter
• Christian Slater - Born 1969, turns 47 - Actor | Producer
• Robert Redford - Born 1936, turns 80 - Actor | Producer | Director 
• Roman Polanski - Born 1933, turns 83 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor
• Denis Leary - Born 1957, turns 59 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Madeline Stowe - Born 1958, turns 58 - Actress  

Friday 19th August

• Kyra Sedgwick - Born 1965, turns 51 - Actress | Producer
• Kevin Dillon - Born 1965, turns 51 - Actor
• Matthew Perry - Born 1969, turns 47 - Actor | Producer | Writer  

Saturday 20th August

• Andrew Garfield - Born 1983, turns 33 - Actor
• David O. Russell - Born 1958, turns 58 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Sylvester McCoy - Born 1943, turns 73 - Actor
• David Walliams - Born 1971, turns 45 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Television Personality
• Joan Allen - Born 1956, turns 60 - Actress
• Amy Adams - Born 1974, turns 42 - Actress | Producer  

Andrew Russell Garfield was born in Los Angeles County, California, USA to mother Lynn Hillman from Essex in England and father Richard Garfield a Californian. From three years of age the family relocated to Epsom, Surrey, England. His parents ran an interior design company, with his mother also a nursery school teaching assistant, and his father went on to become head coach of the Guildford Swimming Club. He attended the Priory Preparatory School in Banstead and then the City of London Freemen's School in Ashtead, and then the Central School of Speech and Drama at the University of London, graduating in 2004.

He started taking acting classes at age nine, appearing in a local youth production of 'Bugsy Malone'. Whilst he originally had intended to study business, by the age of sixteen he had become more interested in acting. By 2004 he had been critically lauded for his role in 'Kes' at Manchester's Royal Exchange Theatre for which he picked up two Awards, both in the Best/Outstanding Newcomer category. He made his television debut in 2005 in the British comedy drama series 'Sugar Rush' appearing in five episodes of the total twenty produced running over two seasons. He followed this up in 2007 with two episodes on BBC's 'Doctor Who' series as Frank on 'Dalek's in Manhattan' and 'Evolution of Dalek's'.

Garfield's big screen debut came in 2007 in the Robert Redford Directed 'Lions for Lambs' with Robert Redford also starring along with Tom Cruise and Meryl Streep. Later that year he headlined 'Boy A' for Director John Crowley for which he won a Best Actor Award at the British Academy Television Awards, and much further critical acclaim still. 2008 saw a small role in 'The Other Boleyn Girl' and then Terry Gilliam's 'The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus' in 2009. That same year Garfield appeared in the acclaimed three part television series 'The Red Riding Trilogy 1974, 1980 and 1983'. 

2010 saw what was probably his breakout role alongside Carey Mulligan and Keira Knightley in Mark Romanek's dystopian Sci-Fi thriller 'Never Let Me Go' which won him further critical praise and a Best Supporting Actor Award. David Fincher's 'The Social Network' came next in 2010 alongside Jesse Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg, with Justin Timberlake and Armie Hammer. Garfield's role as Eduardo Saverin was highly acclaimed and garnered him both BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations for Best Supporting Actor.

In 2012 he appeared in the reboot of Marvel's Spiderman franchise as our web slinging hero himself in Marc Webb's 'The Amazing Spider-Man'. Again his performance received much positive publicity giving the franchise the boost it needed. The film made US$758M at the Box Office and had Garfield/Spider-Man/Peter Parker star alongside Emma Stone as Gwen Stacy - his love interest in the film, and as it would later turn out, in life too off screen. Both would reprise their roles two years later in 'The Amazing Spider-Man 2' which made US$709M at the Box Office.

Most recently there was '99 Homes' in 2015 with Michael Shannon. In the meantime Garfield hosted two episodes of 'Saturday Night Live', appeared in an 'Arcade Fire' music video for their single 'We Exist', starred on Broadway in the play 'Death of a Salesman' to much critical praise, and over the years has starred in several short films too.

Next up he will star in the London Royal National Theatre production of the two part play 'Angels in America' from April 2017. 'Hacksaw Ridge' for Director Mel Gibson with Vince Vaughn and a huge Australian cast including Sam Worthington, Hugo Weaving, Luke Bracey, Richard Roxburgh, Ryan Corr, Teresa Palmer and Rachel Griffiths is due in November this year. Falling in December is 'Silence' for Martin Scorsese with Liam Neeson, Adam Driver and Ciaran Hinds. 'Breathe' is currently filming for a 2017 release for Director Andy Serkis, and 'Under the Silver Lake' for David Robert Mitchell with Dakota Johnson also starring is in pre-production also for a later 2017 release.

All up Garfield has 26 screen acting credits to his name, with eleven award wins and another 52 nominations. He holds dual US and UK citizenship, was dating Actress Emma Stone up until late 2015, is an Ambassador of Sport for the Worldwide Orphans Foundation, and supports same sex marriage.

Andrew Garfield - has achieved so much in a relatively short period of time; mixes it up between stage, screen and TV; has garnered way much more positivity that not; is clearly in demand with A-list Actors and Directors; is grounded in the real world; and is a star very much on the rise. We love your work Andrew - Happy Birthday to you, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Birthday's to share this week : 7th - 13th August 2016.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Michael Shannon does on 7th August - check out my tribute to this Birthday Boy turning 42, at the end of this feature.

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

Sunday 7th August

• Charlize Theron - Born 1975, turns 41 - Actress | Producer
• Abbie Cornish - Born 1982, turns 34 - Actress
• Tobin Bell - Born 1942, turns 74 - Actor | Producer
• David Duchovny - Born 1960, turns 56 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
• Michael Shannon - Born 1974, turns 42 - Actor

Monday 8th August

• Dustin Hoffman - Born 1937, turns 79 - Actor | Producer | Director | Singer | Songwriter
• Keith Carradine - Born 1949, turns 67 - Actor | Producer | Singer | Songwriter
• Donald P. Bellisario - Born 1935, turns 81 - Producer | Writer | Director

Tuesday 9th August

• Sam Elliott - Born 1944, turns 72 - Actor | Producer
• Eric Bana - Born 1968, turns 48 - Actor | Producer | Writer | Director
• McG - Born 1968, turns 48 - Producer | Director
• Gillian Anderson - Born 1968, turns 48 - Actress | Producer | Director
• Melanie Griffith - Born 1957, turns 59 - Actress | Producer
• Audrey Tatou - Born 1976, turns 40 - Actress
• Rhona Mitra - Born 1976, turns 40 - Actress
• Anna Kendrick - Born 1985, turns 31 - Actress  

Wednesday 10th August

• Rosanna Arquette - Born 1959, turns 57 - Actress | Producer | Director
• Antonio Banderas - Born 1960, turns 56 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Singer  
• Brenton Thwaites - Born 1989, turns 27 - Actor

Thursday 11th August

• Chris Hemsworth - Born 1983, turns 33 - Actor
• Hulk Hogan - Born 1953, turns 63 - Actor | Producer | Wrestler
• Ian McDiarmid - Born 1944, turns 72 - Actor
• Viola Davis - Born 1965, turns 51 - Actress | Producer  

Friday 12th August

• Cara Delevingne - Born 1992, turns 24 - Actress
• Casey Affleck - Born 1975, turns 41 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer | Editor | Cinematographer
• Bruce Greenwood - Born 1956, turns 60 - Actor | Producer
• George Hamilton - Born 1939, turns 77 - Actor | Producer  

Saturday 13th August

• Sebastian Stan - Born 1982, turns 34 - Actor
• John Slattery - Born 1962, turns 54 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
• Paul Greengrass - Born 1955, turns 61 - Director | Producer | Writer

Michael Corbett Shannon was born in Lexington, Kentucky to mother Geraldine Hine, a lawyer, and father Donald Sutherland Shannon an accounting professor at DePaul University in Chicago, Illinois. Whilst his parents were divorced, he was raised jointly by them dividing his time between Lexington and Chicago. He is the grandson of noted entomologist Raymond Corbett Shannon (1894-1945) who published over one hundred articles on the characteristics, environment and behaviour of insects and their disease carrying properties. He discovered in 1930 that mosquitoes carried malaria to the New World and upon his death his library and insect collection was left to the Smithsonian Institute. Michael attended the New Trier High School - a public secondary high school in Winnetta, Illinois. He has a brother Dave and a sister Rebecca.

His acting career began on stage in 1991 in 'Loving Little Egypt' and then 'Fun/Nobody' in 1992. That same year  he secured his small screen debut in the television films 'Overexposed' and 'Angel Street' before his big screen debut in 1993 in 'Groundhog Day'. He continued to work in theatre throughout those early days of film and television appearances, with roles in 'Killer Joe', 'Bug', 'The Killer' and 'The Idiot' on stage, with two episodes in 1998 on televisions 'Early Edition' and film roles in 'Chain Reaction', 'Chicago Cab', 'Jesus' Son' and 'The Ride' seeing out the 90's. His role in the stage play 'Bug' in 1996 he would replicate in the 2006 big screen adaptation Directed by William Friedkin with Ashley Judd and Harry Connick Jnr.

From there he worked consistently year on year churning out typically three or four films a year, whilst still finding time for stage work. He kicked off the new decade with 'The Photographer', 'Tigerland' for Joel Schumacher, 'Cecil B. DeMented' for John Waters, 'Pearl Harbour' for Michael Bay, 'Vanilla Sky' for Cameron Crowe, '8 Mile' for Curtis Hanson, 'Kangaroo Jack', 'Bad Boys II', 'The Woodsman', 'World Trade Centre' for Oliver Stone, 'Shotgun Stories' for Jeff Nichols, 'Lucky You' for Curtis Hanson again and 'Before the Devil Knows You're Dead' for Sidney Lumet.

'Revolutionary Road' for Sam Mendes garnered Shannon his first Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor, and then two films followed in quick succession for Werner Herzog - 'Bad Lieutenant : Port of Call New Orleans' and 'My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done'. He continued his stage presence too throughout this time appearing in a dozen or so theatre productions often at the 'A Red Orchid Theatre' in Old Town, Chicago.

2010 kicked off with 'The Runaways' based on the 70's rock band of the same name, then '13', 'Jonah Hex' and the highly acclaimed 'Take Shelter' for Jeff Nichols again. This was followed up by 'Return', 'The Broken Tower' for James Franco, 'Machine Gun Preacher' for Marc Forster and the also critically acclaimed 'Mud' for Jeff Nichols once more. 'Premium Rush' followed for David Koepp and 'The Iceman' starring as the real life contract killer convicted of five known murders Richard Kuklinski who died in prison aged 70 in 2006.

2013 saw Shannon's first appearance as General Zod in Zack Snyder's 'Man of Steel' - a role he would reprise in cameo in this years 'Batman v. Superman : Dawn of Justice'. Horror thriller 'The Harvest', then 'Young Ones' and '99 Homes', 'Freeheld', 'The Night Before', 'Midnight Special' for Jeff Nichols once more and 'Elvis and Nixon' bring us up to date, in terms of Australian releases at least.

Still to come are 'Complete Unknown' with Rachel Weisz, 'Frank and Lola' with Imogen Poots, 'Poor Boy' and 'Loving' for Jeff Nichols again by the end of this year. In post production is 'Salt and Fire' for Werner Herzog again too, 'Nocturnal Animals' with Jake Gyllenhaal, 'The Price' with Noomi Rapace, and 'Pottersville' with Christina Hendricks. 'The Shape of Water' is in pre-production for Guillermo del Toro and 'State of Sleep' recently announced.

All up Shannon has 77 acting credits to his name, he has 28 award wins and another 45 nominations. He has also appeared in a number of short films and in acclaimed television series 'Boardwalk Empire' between 2010 and 2014. In 2002 he also formed his own indie rock band 'Corporal' and in 2010 the band released its debut album. He has been in a long term relationship with actress Kate Arrington, with whom he has two daughters, Sylvia and Marion.

Michael Shannon - frequent collaborator with Director Jeff Nichols; has worked tirelessly on stage, television and screen for twenty years; works repeatedly with the same Directors (Nichols, Herzog, Hanson); can never be accused of being typecast starring in thrillers, drama, comedy, Sci-Fi, horror and biographies, small independent fare and large scale epic offerings; often plays it slightly or totally unhinged; and has a physically imposing stature accentuated by piercing blue eyes, a square anvil like jaw, and a deep penetrating voice. Michael just keep on keeping on, 'cos we love you for it. Happy Birthday to you, from Odeon Online.  

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

99 HOMES : Friday 11th December 2015.

'99 HOMES' which I saw on Friday evening is a film of our times that will resonate with any home owner that lived through the Global Financial Crisis of 2008 and found themselves on the wrong side of that meltdown, struggling to find work, make mortgage payments and maintain the family unit - particularly those living in the US. Written, Produced, Directed and Edited by Ramin Bahrani this film was made for just US$8M and has seen a limited release only, but has garnered much praise winning the Grand Prix at the Deauville American Film Festival, and screening at the 2014 TIFF and the 2014 Venice International Film Festival where it competed for the Golden Lion.

This film is unlikely to do huge Box Office or even recoup its production budget because it is at times a bleak, emotional thriller that will not be for everyone and doesn't feature any sex, drugs, rock 'n' roll, guns, car chases, explosions or acts of violence. What it does offer though is very strong performances, a story rooted in real events, and a thrilling nail biting morality tale that you'll relate to if you have a mortgage, a family and a roof over your head.

The opening scene sets the tone in no uncertain terms as Rick Carver (Michael Shannon) stands inside the home he is about to repossess serving the (former) owners two minutes to gather what possessions they choose before they are arrested for trespassing on the house that the Bank has foreclosed on, and from which they are now being evicted. Needless to say this is a tense situation as the family unit is thrust out onto the street with their worldly possessions by Carver, his men and the local Police in Orlando, Florida where this film is set. Carver is a real estate business man, who before the GFC was selling homes, arranging the finance and doing what most self respecting real estate agents do. But October 2008 changed all that and in the two or three year since he still works in real estate and property development but instead evicts individuals and families from their homes for failing to make the payments. He is cold, calculating, callous and cares not for the plight of those poor souls he evicts instead he is feathering his own nest, making dodgy deals, and scamming the Government and the Banks for what he can out of subsidies, insurance and claims to either re-sell or redevelop those homes that have been repossessed.

One such family is that of hard working building labourer Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield) living in the family home with his mother Lynn (Laura Dern) and his only son Connor (Noah Lomax). Working on a construction site, he is told by the site foreman to down tools when the money runs out mid build, and that as a result he has been working for free for the last two weeks with no prospect of getting paid for his work. With mortgage payments to make, no job prospects in the wake of the GFC, and no income the Bank forecloses and Carver comes knocking one day with his guys and the Police to evict the Nash clan and put them out on the street with the two minute warning.

With no choice in the matter but to comply the three are evicted and Carvers gang clear the house and place everything they own out on the street, which if not cleared within 24 hours will be sold and scrapped. The Nash family load what they can into the back of his pick-up truck and check themselves into a cheap motel - full of other families in the same situation. The next day or so Nash discovers that some of his work tools are missing and so goes to the offices of Carver believing that these have been stolen during the eviction process. Nash accuses one of Carver's workers, a scuffle breaks out which Carver intercepts and breaks up, but in doing so Carver is impressed by Nash's fortitude and strength of character and offers him $50 for a quick clean up job in a recently repossessed house, which he reluctantly accepts, needing the cash of course.

This in turn set up a chain of events that sees Nash working full time for Carver - initially on repair and maintenance jobs for cash in hand, but soon this grows into dodgy scams as he rips out A/C units, pool pumps, fridges and other appliances from repossessed homes, so that Carver can claim this on insurance and give Nash a 25% cut. The cheques start to roll in and Nash is over whelmed by his new found 'wealth' asking Carver to keep the money as down payment on the family home he was evicted from in order that he can move back in. Not before too long Nash is conducting evictions just as Carver did and is forcing respectable families out on the street and into that same cheap motel with only a two minute warning. More money rolls in and Nash and Carver become a tight unit as Nash takes on the roll of Carver's Assistant and right hand man.

All this time Dennis has kept from his mum and his son the fact that he is now working for the man that repossessed their home. For legal reasons they have not yet been able to move back into the family house, but this is on the cards as Nash strikes up a deal with Carver to do so. A confrontation however, at the Motel brings the truth to the fore as an evicted family recently arrived recognise Nash and reveals that he evicted them from their home only recently. Publicly Nash denies this claiming a case of mistaken identity, but the evictee is adamant and determined in his claim, which becomes increasingly heated and boils over into a scuffle. This is broken up but Nash is shaken by the experience and comes to realise he is working in an increasingly volatile world, messing with peoples lives and becoming a Carver clone.

Nash comes clean with Connor and Lynn and buys a bigger house down by the waters edge to make a fresh start and appease his family that all is now good, having sold the former family home to do so, now that he has made enough money with Carver to fund the purchase. Lynn and Connor though are far from impressed knowing where these ill gotten gains have come from and at what price. They leave and go to Tampa to stay with Lynn's brother leaving Dennis alone to continue his work.

Meanwhile Carver is finalising a multi-million dollar property deal that could potentially be brought undone by one property owner and acquaintance of Nash who has brought a legal case against Carver that is going through the courts. Carver wins the case through a forged document that Nash has to deliver, knowingly, to the court, which in turns leads them to evict the owner and his family. Upon arriving at the house the now distraught owner is waiting with rifle in hand to defend his land, his property and his integrity. Fearing that this could turn ugly with armed Police now surrounding the property, Nash tales a stand and confesses about the forged document with Carver looking on. The situation is diffused, but at what cost to himself and to Carver?

This is a tense, taught economical thriller that is both a relevant story of our very recent times as it is a character study of what drives men to reach higher and for more at almost any cost. Shannon in particular is excellent in his portrayal of the uncaring, unemotional and calculating real estate agent who has profited extensively from other peoples misfortune. Garfield too is equally strong as the honest, hard working conscientious man that will do whatever is necessary to keep his head above water, a roof over his head and food in the mouths of his family, but still has a moral compass and personal values in the final analysis despite striking a deal with the Devil (in disguise!). Worth searching out for sure.

 
-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 19th November 2015.

For the last seven years since being established in 2009, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences has presented the Governors Awards in November each year as determined by the Academy's Board of Governors. These awards are the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award and the Honorary Award with the highlights from the event being incorporated into the year's Academy Awards show. On 14th November at The Hollywood & Highland Centre, this year Cate Blanchett, Meryl Streep, Jane Fonda and Laura Linney all presented an Honorary Award to Gena Rowlands; and Samuel L. Jackson, Wesley Snipes and Denzel Washington were presenting an Honorary Award to Spike Lee with the Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award going to Debbie Reynolds. Spike Lee was described as 'a champion of independent film and an inspiration to young filmmakers'; with Gena Rowlands as 'an original talent whose devotion to her craft has earned her worldwide recognition as an independent film icon'; and Debbie Reynolds as 'a Hollywood icon since she won hearts with her buoyant performance in 'Singin’ in the Rain.' embarked on the role of a lifetime as a founding member of the Thalians, a charitable organisation conceived and sustained by entertainers to promote awareness and treatment of mental health issues'. `Truly formidable talent worthy of such recognition, and an inspiration to many who have come along since.  For more go to : www.oscars.org/governors

For more formidable talent in the week ahead, as well as some of the great content doing the rounds and as Previewed and Reviewed in previous Posts, there are five new films coming your way. These kick off with the conclusion of a highly successful future dystopian franchise that sees democracy restored to an over powering leader at the hands of one determined woman and those that have chosen to follow her. Then a cold murder case revisited by the victims mother and her FBI colleague years later with far reaching consequences for all; followed up by unscrupulous Repo Men doing what they do best without integrity, beyond the law and devoid of emotion until one victim bounces back. We then have an all star comedic cast supported by a dog and a bunch of aliens which sounds like a recipe for a laugh a minute movie; and wrapping up the week a feel good Indian foreign language film of slums, brothers, determination and pizza!

With such diversity again this week, you'll be compelled to get to your local cinema and catch a latest release. When you have, share your thoughts, views and opinions with your like minded cinephiles here at Odeon Online by recording your critique in the Comments Box below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your movie!

THE HUNGER GAMES : MOCKINGJAY, Part 2 (Rated M) - I was rather non-plussed by the first instalment in the concluding two films in this mega franchise that has so far seen a global Box Office return of US$2.31B off combined production budgets of US$333M. In this final instalment of the trilogy written by Suzanne Collins, this US$125M film is again Directed by Francis Lawrence and sees all our favourite characters reunited for the last hurrah . . . although it seems that Lionsgate are considering prequels and further sequels even though there are only three books in the series which have already been committed to celluloid.

And so to the film which began it journey's end a year ago, we have the state of Panem engulfed in full scale all out revolutionary war. Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence) and her merry band of followers that include Peeta (Josh Hutchinson), Gale (Liam Hemsworth), Finnick (Sam Claiflin) and Cressida (Natalie Dormer) converge on The Capitol and President Snow (Donald Sutherland) with the aim of taking him out once and for all, liberating the downtrodden citizens of Panem and installing a new world order. At the same time President Snow has become increasingly intent on destroying Katniss and everything she stands for. Although on the 'inside' there is Haymitch (Woody Harrelson), Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) and Johanna (Jena Malone), Katniss must play out one final game in order to overthrow The Capitol, but at what cost to herself, those she knows and loves, and the people of Panem. Also starring Stanley Tucci, Julianne Moore, Elizabeth Banks and Philip Seymour Hoffman in his last role, this is must see I think just to see how it all ends, if for no other reason.

SECRET IN THEIR EYES (Rated M) - This film is based on the 2005 novel by Argentinian writer Eduardo Sacheri that has been adapted for the big screen previously in its native Argentina and won the Best Foreign Language Film at the 2010 Academy Awards Ceremony. Now it has been Hollywood-ised and has been Directed by Billy Ray and Written by him for the screen with a budget of US$20M. The film stars Ray (Chiwetel Ejiofor) and Jess (Julia Roberts) as FBI Investigators aided by District Attorney Claire (Nicole Kidman) seeking to bring to justice the brutal murder of Jess' teenage daughter. When the case leads to a dead end and all goes cold, thirteen years later Ray returns with a new lead that may just lead them to resolve the case finally, whilst uncovering old and painful memories of the past, and revealing what vengeance can truly mean to the human psyche.

99 HOMES (Rated M) - A film of house repossessions Written, Produced, Directed and Edited by Ramin Bahrani who also came up with the story which centres upon unemployed construction worker and single Dad Dennis Nash (Andrew Garfield) living with his mother Lynn (Laura Dern) in Orlando, Florida with his young son Connor (Noah Lomax). Tough, callous and unscrupulous Rick Carver (Michael Shannon) is a real estate businessman who has made his wealth by evicting struggling home owners when they fail to meet their mortgage payments. When Carver evicts Nash and his family with the help of the local Police, the distraught family move into a dead beat low end Motel thinking all is lost. But salvation is not far away in the form of Rick Carver who offers Nash a job and the chance to reclaim his family home . . . but at what cost to his family, his friends, his conscience and his humility. Made for US$8M this film has received much critical acclaim for its depiction of a situation faced by many Americans when the Global Financial Crisis hit in late 2008. It has already won a number of awards and nominations and been in competition at several International Film Festivals.

ABSOLUTELY ANYTHING (Rated M) - Featuring an all star cast of comedic talent this film should be a sure fire hit . . . in theory, but alas, that does not always come to pass. Written, Directed and also starring Terry Jones, he of Monty Python fame, with an ensemble cast of Monty Python alumni that is John Cleese, Eric Idle, Michael Palin, Terry Gilliam and also starring the late great Robin Williams in his final role as a dog, no less, and canine companion and mans best friend to Neil Clarke (Simon Pegg). Neil is a down in the dumps disillusioned schoolteacher who one day wakes up with the ability to do anything he wants - absolutely anything - thanks to a bunch of power crazy aliens (this is where the Python Team come in) who have granted him these extraordinary powers.  Coming to terms with his new founds abilities is no easy thing for a mere mortal, and so Neil calls upon his trustee dog, Dennis to help him along the way . . .  as of course you would! Also starring Eddie Izzard, Joanna Lumley and Kate Beckinsale.

THE CROWS EGG (Rated PG) - This Indian Tamil comedy drama film is set in the slums of Chennai where two young brothers live with their mother and grandmother is a small concrete and tin shack. Their boys father is in prison, and so the mother does what she can to support the family unit while the boys scavenge for coal that falls off the passing train trucks at the rail yard and on-selling their haul for as much as they can get. They also scavenge for crows eggs from the nests of these birds and regard these as a delicacy, and so they start calling themselves Crows Egg the Elder and Crows Egg the Younger. One day seeing a commercial on the television for a soon to open pizza franchise nearby the two young lads become fixated on wanting to sample pizza for themselves for the first time, more so that it is endorsed by a famous actor too. Their quest to eat pizza becomes all consuming and they will stop at (almost) nothing to ensure their dream is realised. Starring newcomers Vignesh as Periya (Crows Egg the Elder) and Ramesh as Chinna (Crows Egg the Younger) this film has received much critical acclaim and several awards for Best Childrens Film and Best Child Artists for the two young stars who give compelling and believable performances. Made for just US$110K, the film has so far grossed US$7.5M, making that a very solid return by anyones reckoning.

Five more films released then in the coming week for your viewing consideration, and again all offering something different and offering something for most tastes. Get your yourself to a movie theatre and soak up some solid cinematic entertainment in the week ahead, and then let us know here, what you thought.

See you at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-