Birthday's to share this week : 21st - 27th February 2016.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Teresa Palmer does on 26th February - check out my tribute to this Birthday Girl turning 30, 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 21st February

• William Baldwin - Born 1963, turns 53 - Actor | Producer
• William Petersen - Born 1953, turns 63 - Actor | Producer
• Anthony Daniels - Born 1946, turns 70 - Actor | Producer
• Kelsey Grammer - Born 1955, turns 61 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Jennifer Love Hewitt - Born 1979, turns 37 - Actress | Producer | Director

Monday 22nd February

• Drew Barrymore - Born 1975, turns 41 - Actress | Producer | Director
• Julie Walters - Born 1950, turns 66 - Actress
• Nigel Planer - Born 1953, turns 63 - Actor | Writer
• Jonathan Demme - Born 1944, turns72 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Kyle MacLachlan - Born1959, turns 57 - Actor

Tuesday 23rd February

• Peter Fonda - Born 1940, turns 76 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director
• Dakota Fanning - Born 1994, turns 22 - Actress
• Emily Blunt - Born 1983, turns 33 - Actress

Wednesday 24th February

• O'Shea Jackson Jnr. - Born 1991, turns 25 - Actor
• Edward James Olmos - Born 1947, turns 69 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Dennis Waterman - Born 1948, turns 68 - Actor | Singer
• Billy Zane - Born 1966, turns 50 - Actor | Producer | Director

Thursday 25th February

• Neil Jordan - Born 1950, turns 66 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Lee Evans - Born 1964, turns 52 - Actor | Writer
• Sean Astin - Born 1971, turns 45 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Tom Courtenay - Born 1937, turns 79 - Actor
• Rashida Jones - Born 1976, turns 40 - Actress | Producer
• Tea Leoni - Born 1966, turns 50 - Actress | Producer

Friday 26th February

• Teresa Palmer - Born 1986, turns 30 - Actress | Writer | Producer
• James Wan - Born 1977, turns 39 - Director | Producer | Writer

Saturday 27th February

• Timothy Spall - Born 1957, turns 59 - Actor | Writer
• Joanne Woodward - Born 1930, turns 86 - Actress | Producer
• Kate Mara - Born 1983, turns 33 - Actress

Teresa Palmer was born in Adelaide, South Australia (where this Blogger currently resides and publishes from) to mother Paula Sanders, a nurse and missionary, and father Kevin Palmer, a investor. At just three years of age her parents divorced. Her stepmother Karen Palmer has two daughters and two sons with whom she grew up with on her fathers farm in the Adelaide Hills, whilst living with her magic depressive mother in public housing. A mixed upbringing you might say. She attended Mercedes College, an independent girls catholic day school, and during her time there won a casting audition in 2003 on 'Search for a Movie Star'. She took acting classes and scored some gigs on various television commercials in between working at Burger King in Adelaide's main shopping precinct during 2005 as well as stints in clothing retail.

After graduating from school Palmer landed a role in '2:37' after being scouted by an acting talent agent, even though she had no previous acting experience. She had wanted to work as an animal welfare agent and was accepted into university to study teaching and journalism, but gave it all away to pursue her acting dream to star in '2:37'. She was 18 years of age and that was 2005 - and this was quickly followed up by a bit part in 'Wolf Creek' that same year.

For '2:37' she was nominated as Best Lead Actress in the AFI Awards and from there went on to 'The Grudge 2' with Sarah Michelle Gellar and Amber Tamblyn in 2006, then 'December Boys' with Daniel Radcliffe and Jack Thompson, and then 'Restraint' with Travis Fimmel in 2008. '2:37' was her early turning point after it appeared in the 'Un Certain Regard' selection at the Cannes Film Festival.

After a move to Los Angeles from her Adelaide home at Semaphore Beach she suffered various casting setbacks but was eventually chosen by Adam Sandler to star alongside him in 2008's 'Bedtime Stories' with Guy Pearce, Russell Brand and Courteney Cox. In 2010, Disney's 'The Sorcerer's Apprentice' with Nicolas Cage and Alfred Molina received only luke warm reviews and relatively poor Box Office receipts, leading into her role as Number Six in 'I Am Number Four' in 2011 - a role she was set to reprise in two sequels if successful, but the would-be franchise returned only US$149M and as such the sequel is yet to materialise. 'Take Me Home Tonight' followed with Topher Grace and Chris Pratt and then 'Wish You Were Here' a year later with Joel Edgerton.

2013 saw 'Warm Bodies' - the ZomRomCom with Nicholas Hoult, Dave Franco and John Malkovich, which was followed up with 'Love and Honour' with Liam Hemsworth which tanked at the Box Office making less that US$17K.

Following this was 'Parts Per Billion' with Josh Hartnett and Rosario Dawson, and the two films which showed at the Toronto International Film Festival - 'Cut Bank' with Liam Hemsworth, John Malkovich, Billy Bob Thornton and Bruce Dern and 'Kill Me Three Times' with Simon Pegg and Luke Hemsworth. Last year saw Terence Mallick's 'Knight of Cups' with Christian Bale, Cate Blanchett and Antonio Banderas and then the recently released 'Point Break' with Edgar Ramirez, Luke Bracey and Ray Winstone, before 'The Choice' released just earlier this month with Benjamin Walker and Tom Wilkinson.

Next up is 'Triple 9' due for imminent release with an all star cast including Kate Winslet, Norman Reedus, Casey Affleck, Woody Harrelson, Anthony Mackie, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Directed by John Hillcoat. This will be followed up, and currently in post-production, by 'Berlin Syndrome', 'Hacksaw Ridge' as Directed by Mel Gibson and starring Luke Bracey, Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, Hugo Weaving, Richard Roxburgh, Sam Worthington, Ryan Corr and Rachel Griffith (yeah! Go Mel!) and '2:22', with 'Message From The King' with Luke Evans and Tom Felton and 'Lights Out' both recently wrapped. She has 28 acting credits to her name, two Producer credits and one Writer credit so far.

In 2009 Palmer former her own Production Company 'Avakea Productions'. That same year she filmed an advertising campaign for clothing retailer 'Just Jeans', and became the spokesperson and face of 'Jurlique Cosmetics'. She also co-wrote and starred in 'The Ever After' which also starred and was Directed by American Actor and Screenwriter Mark Webber who was to become Palmer's future husband. 

She dated Actor Topher Grace, comedian Russell Brand, Actor Scott Speedman and Australian Rules Football player Stuart Dew before marrying Mark Webber in December 2013 with whom she has a son, Bodhi Rain, born in February 2014. 

Teresa Palmer - 30 years of age and 12 years in the movie business and already amassing an increasingly impressive filmography; an avid Aussie rules Port Adelaide fan so much so that she holds the joint #1 ticket holder spot with David Koch from Channel 7's 'Sunrise' morning show; and yet you may not even recognise her name, but, the girl from Adelaide, is certainly one to watch. Happy 30th to you Teresa, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 4th February 2016.

On 30th January at the Shrine Auditorium in L.A. the 22nd annual Screen Actors Guild Awards were held with the following Outstanding Awards presented : Ensemble Cast to 'Spotlight' with Michael Keaton, Mark Ruffalo, Liev Schreiber, John Slattery, Rachel McAdams, Billy Crudup and Stanley Tucci. Male Actor in a Leading Role went to Leonardo DiCaprio for 'The Revenant' following on his success at the Golden Globes and setting the tone for the upcoming Academy Awards and BAFTA's. Female Actor in a Leading Role went to Brie Larson for her starring role in 'Room'; with Supporting Roles going to Idris Elba for 'Beasts of No Nation' and Alicia Vikander for 'The Danish Girl'. The Most Outstanding Stunt Ensemble went to 'Mad Max : Fury Road'. Next up are the BAFTA Awards on 14th February and thereafter the Academy Awards on 28th February. Watch out for further updates as these dates pass.

And so to this weeks latest releases, of which there are five. Kicking off we have a stop motion animated feature that is already creating much critical buzz and is sure to warm the cockles; then a bio-pic of a recently passed computer guru who changed the way we interact with technology on a daily basis; a search & rescue story on a grand scale, involving so many, for so long and in a place far away, and deep! And then there is a romantic drama of two people thrown together by fate who need to make the tough decisions which may well determine their future lives together; and finally a documentary of alternative energies, sustainability and environmental awareness that is about more than just huggin' a tree!

With five new offerings and still some great movies doing the rounds as Reviewed and Previewed on these pages before, there is plenty of choice to tempt your $20 from out of your wallet. When you have sat in the dark for two hours or so with a bunch of strangers all staring in the same direction with necks craned up at a big screen, share your thoughts on your filmic experience by leaving your own critique in the Comments section below this, or any other Post. In the meantime, enjoy your movie.

ANOMALISA (Rated MA15+) - this is a stop motion animated film Written, Produced and Directed by Charlie Kaufman. Made for just US$8M this is not a film for everyone, but has had much critical praise bestowed up on it with 17 award wins to date and another 54 nominations. It is the first R-Rated animated feature film (Stateside) to be nominated for an Academy Award, and it is the first animated film to win the Grand Jury Prize at the most recent Venice International Film Festival.

Featuring the voice work of just three actors - David Thewlis as Michael Stone an author specialising in customer service around the conference and convention circuit, who despite his teaching & preaching skills is unable to connect with people in the real world, as he has a lack of interest in what other people do, think and feel. On a business trip though Stone meets up with lively, energetic Lisa Hesselman (Jennifer Jason Leigh) who slowly shows him what can be, and lifts his negative views on life and what it takes to lift it from the mundane to the more adventurous. Everyone else is voiced by Tom Noonan.  Don't be put off by the fact that this is an animated feature, with stop motion work that is up there with the very best seen before. This is a thought provoking human story of emotion, discovery and  hope.

STEVE JOBS (Rated M) - starring Michael Fassbender as Steve Jobs, Seth Rogen as Steve Wozniak, Jeff Daniels as Apple CEO John Sculley and Kate Winslet as Apple and NeXT Marketing Executive Joanna Hoffman, this biopic drama is Directed by Danny Boyle  and was made for US$30M and has so far raked in US$32M since its Stateside release in October last year. The film tells the story of Jobs life from 1984 up to the late nineties and just before the release of The Macintosh in 1984, the NeXT computer in 1988 and the iMac G3 in 1998. Nominated for two Oscars, three BAFTA's, and winning two Golden Globes for Kate Winslet and Aaron Sorkin for Best Screenplay as well as eleven other awards wins and 77 other nominations, this is up there on this years must see list - if only because the man whom this films is based upon has touched so many lives for so many years with his forward thinking technology.

THE 33 (Rated M) - this English language Chilean film is based on the real events that unfolded following the collapse of the San Jose gold & copper mine in Chile on August 5th 2010 that trapped thirty-three men two thousand feet below the surface. Above the surface teams of rescue workers toiled for 69 days to free the men, families set up a tent city in a vigil of hope, longing and support, and the Government dealt with the media frenzy that gripped the world as events unfolded and attempts at rescue faltered, but in time came good. Below the ground, 33 men had to come to terms with their fate, struggled with the suffocating heat of their underground captivity, the need to ration limited food and water supplies, remain motivated and confident, and the need to remain focused on their survival. Starring Antonio Banderas, James Brolin, Lou Diamond Phillips, Bob Gunton, Gabriel Byrne and Juliette Binoche this film is Directed by Patricia Riggin and based on the book 'Deep Down Dark' by Hector Tobar.

THE CHOICE (Rated PG) - Directed by Ross Katz and based on the 2007 novel of the same name by Nicholas Sparks we are introduced to Travis Shaw (Benjamin Walker) - an easy going non-committal ladies man who's world is turned upside down when feisty, out there medical student Gabby Holland (Teresa Palmer) moves in next door with the intention of settling down with her boyfriend. But, fate draws Travis and Gabby together and as their lives are turned upside down unexpectedly. As their relationship grows, so decisions need to be made on just how far they are prepared to go to keep their love alive. Also starring Tom Wilkinson and Tom Welling.

LIFE OFF GRID (Rated PG) - for two years from 2011 to 2013 Director Jonathan Taggart and Producer Phillip Vannini travelled across Canada to find 200 'off-gridders' and learn more of their lives without connection to the electricity or natural gas grid infrastructure. Those that have chosen to opt out of the energy sources we traditionally take for granted often live in remote rural areas and have found alternative ways of sustaining themselves and their way of life with often innovative, inventive and imaginative ways, but also often grounded in tradition. Chronicling along the way the experiences, challenges, hopes & dreams of those 'off-gridders' in their new lives, this will reveal what is possible and that it is still possible to live with the creature comforts but in new & different ways.

Whatever film you decide upon in the coming week tell us what you thought of you cinematic experience, and then tell a friend and encourage them to get to the movies and enjoy a big screen experience . . . it's the only way! See you at the Odeon!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-