Birthday's to share this week : 16th-22nd October 2016.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Jon Favreau does on 19th October - check out my tribute to this Birthday Lad turning 50, at the end of this feature.

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

Sunday 16th October

• Angela Lansbury - Born 1925, turns 91 - Actress | Producer | Singer
• Tim Robbins - Born 1958, turns 58 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director | Singer | Songwriter
• Gary Kemp - Born 1959, turns 57 - Actor | Singer | Songwriter  

Monday 17th October

• Lawrence Bender - Born 1957, turns 59 - Producer | Actor
• Rob Marshall - Born 1960, turns 56 - Director | Producer | Choreographer
• Eminem (aka Marshall Bruce Mathers III) - Singer | Songwriter | Producer | Actor
• Matthew Macfadyen - Born 1974, turns 42 - Actor
• Margot Kidder - Born 1948, turns 68 - Actress
• Felicity Jones - Born 1983, turns 33 - Actress  

Tuesday 18th October

• Jean-Claude Van Damme - Born 1960, turns 56 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director
• Zac Efron - Born 1987, turns 29 - Actor | Producer | Singer  

Wednesday 19th October

• Michael Gambon - Born 1940, turns 76 - Actor
• John Lithgow - Born 1945, turns 71 -  Actor | Producer | Singer
• Jon Favreau - Born 1966, turns 50 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor
• Trey Parker - Born 1969, turns 47 - Writer | Producer | Director | Actor | Animator | Singer | Songwriter | Composer 

Thursday 20th October

• Timothy West - Born 1934, turns 82 - Actor
• Thomas Newman - Born 1955, turns 61 - Composer | Songwriter | Musician
• Danny Boyle - Born 1956, turns 60 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Viggo Mortensen - Born 1958, turns 58 - Actor | Producer
• Snoop Dogg (aka Calvin Cordozar Broadus) - Born 1971, turns 45 - Singer | Songwriter | Composer | Writer | Actor | Producer  

Friday 21st October

• Ken Watanabe - Born 1959, turns 57 - Actor | Producer
• Catherine Hardwick - Born 1955, turns 61 - Director | Producer | Writer | Production Designer
• Carrie Fisher - Born 1956, turns 60 - Actress | Writer | Singer

Saturday 22nd October

• Catherine Deneuve - Born 1943, turns 73 - Actress | Singer
• Saffron Burrows - Born 1972, turns 44 - Actress
• Christopher Lloyd - Born 1938, turns 78 - Actor
• Derek Jacobi - Born 1938, turns 78 - Actor
• Jan de Bont - Born 1943, turns 73 - Director | Producer | Cinematographer
• Jeff Goldblum - Born 1952, turns 64 - Actor | Producer
• John Howard - Born 1952, turns 64 - Actor
• Bill Condon - Born 1955, turns 61 - Director | Producer | Writer
• Spike Jonze - Born 1969, turns 47 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor | Cameraman
• Jesse Tyler Ferguson - Born 1975, turns 41 - Actor | Television Personality  

Jonathan Kolia Favreau was born in Flushing, Queens, New York to mother Madeleine - an elementary school teacher who died in 1979 from leukaemia, and father Charles Favreau - a special needs education teacher. Favreau graduated from the Bronx High School of Science in 1984, and attended Queens College at the City University of New York from 1984 through to 1987 before dropping out. For a short time he worked for the New York based global investment bank, securities trading and brokerage company Bear Sterns on Wall Street, before returning to Queens College in early 1988. By that Summer he dropped out for good before completing his degree, and headed to Chicago to chase down a career in comedy. There he honed his craft at the ImprovOlympic Theatre and Training Centre, and the Improv Institute which subsequently closed its doors in 1994.

His first big screen role came as a Chicago cab driver in 'Folks' in 1992 for Director Ted Kotcheff with Tom Seleck and Don Ameche. This was followed up with an uncredited extra role in the Danny DeVito Directed and starring 'Hoffa' with Jack Nicholson in the title role. In 1993 he gained his first significant role in 'Rudy' alongside Sean Astin in the lead role as Daniel E. Roettiger and Favreau playing D-Bob in this sports-bio set in the college football world of the University of Notre Dame in the mid-'70's. On set he met Vince Vaughn who had a small role to play in the film. In 1994 he starred in 'PCU' (Port Chester University) alongside Jeremy Piven and David Spade, and then Joel Schumacher's 'Batman Forever' with Val Kilmer, Tommy Lee Jones, Jim Carey and Chris O'Donnell. 'Notes from Underground' followed that same year in 1995. In the meantime there had been appearances on the likes of 'Seinfeld', 'Chicago Hope', ' The Larry Sanders Show' and 'Fallen Angels'.

1996 saw his debut as a Screenwriter with his penned 'Swingers' with Favreau playing alongside Vince Vaughn, and Directed by Doug Liman. 'Swingers' was made for just US$200K and grossed close to US$5M. Before the end of the decade came 'Persons Unknown', 'Dogtown', end of the world Sci-Fi action drama 'Deep Impact', Peter Berg's 'Very Bad Things' and television series appearances on 'Tracey Takes On . . .', 'Friends' and made for television movies 'Desert Breeze' and 'Rocky Marciano' with Favreau playing the lead role as the undefeated world heavyweight boxing champion.

The new decade launched with 'Love & Sex', 'The Replacements' and this his Directorial debut with 'Made' in 2001 in which he also starred, wrote and Produced, and hired his mate Vince Vaughn to star alongside. The film received positive Reviews and just about recovered its US$5M budget outlay from the worldwide Box Office. Marvel's 'Daredevil' with Ben Affleck came next in 2003, then 'The Big Empty' and then his second outing as Director with the Christmas themed 'Elf'. 'Something's Gotta Give' with Jack Nicholson and Diane Keaton, and then 'Wimbledon', 'The Break Up' with Vince Vaughn and former 'Friends' Co-Star Jennifer Aniston. In the meantime Favreau Directed 'Zathura' - the follow-up to 'Jumanji' which whilst faring reasonably well critically, did less so commercially.

2008 saw Favreau Direct, Co-Produce and star in the first outing for Marvel's 'Iron Man' with Robert Downey Jnr. in the lead role. This first film in the hugely successful and popular franchise returned US$586M from its US$140M budget. He followed this success up again in 2010 with 'Iron Man 2' making US$624M from its US$200M budget, and in 2013 acted as Executive Producer on Shane Black's 'Iron Man 3' and reprised his role as Happy Hogan, now Head of Security for Stark Industries. This third instalment made US$1.22B from its US$200M budget costs.

Three RomCom's followed in quick succession with 'Four Christmases', 'I Love You, Man' and 'Couples Retreat' - the first and last of these both with regular stablemate Vince Vaughn, before the Sci-Fi Western 'Cowboys and Aliens' Directed and Co-Produced by Favreau with Daniel Craig and Harrison Ford starring.

There were then support acting gigs in 'John Carter', 'People Like Us', 'Identity Thief', 'The Wolf of Wall Street' and 'Entourage' with his turn as Writer, Producer. Director and Star in 'Chef' in 2014. In the meantime he took an Executive Producer credit on the hugely successful 'The Avengers' in 2012, on last years 'Avengers : The Age of Ultron' and the upcoming 'Avengers : Infinity War Parts 1 & 2' due on 4th May 2018 and 3rd May 2019 respectively.

Bringing us up to date this year there has been crime drama 'Term Life' with Vince Vaughn again, his highly acclaimed live action/CGI retelling of Disney's classic 'The Jungle Book' which Favreau Directed, Co-Produced and lent his voice talents to and which grossed US$967M from its US$175M budget. Next up is his reprisal of his 'Iron Man' role as Happy Hogan in 'Spider-Man : Homecoming', and the recently announced Disney live action/CGI remakes of 'The Lion King' and 'The Jungle Book 2' with Favreau set to Direct both. Television Sci-Fi drama comedy series 'Orville' is due in 2017 with Favreau as Executive Producer. Meanwhile, he has lent his voice talents to 'Rocket Power', 'Dilbert', 'Buzz Lightyear of Star Command', 'Family Guy', 'Rugrats', 'Open Season', 'Robot Chicken', 'G-Force', 'Zookeeper', 'Star Wars : The Clone Wars' and 'The Jungle Book', and he has appeared on episodes of 'My Name is Earl', 'Monk' and 'The King of Queens'.

All up Favreau has 65 Acting credits to his name, 22 Producer credits, twenty as Director and six as Writer. He has three awards wins and eight other nominations. He married physician Joya Tillem in late 2000 with whom he has three children - Max (born in July 2001), Madeleine (born in April 2003) and Brighton Rose (born in August 2006). Looking purely at his Marvel adaptations which he has either Directed or Co-Produced, the combined worldwide gross Box Office receipts amount to close to US$5.35B and add to that 'The Jungle Book' then this sum rises to close to US$6.32B . . . that's a pretty good track record methinks!

Jon Favreau - he Stars, he Produces, he Directs and he Writes; is as equally comfortable making big action epics or small independent features; and now seemingly at ease too with the latest cutting edge moviemaking technology to further enhance our cinematic experience. A proven track record of keeping us entertained on the big screen and the small screen, in front of the camera and behind it, and we just keep coming back for more - Happy 50th Birthday to you Jon, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

THE JUNGLE BOOK : Tuesday 10th May 2016.

I finally got around to seeing the highly acclaimed 'THE JUNGLE BOOK' this week - four weeks or so after its Australian release date, and this film does not disappoint. Released by Disney Studio's and based on the much loved original classic animated Disney feature film from 1967, and the noted works of Rudyard Kipling of the same name, this film remains true to the earlier film and the pages of Kipling's book, but is updated with all the latest modern technology that movie making can throw at it. Disney released a live action adaptation of the book and the film back in 1994 with Jason Scott Lee as an older Mowgli which received critical acclaim and a Box Office of US$43M from its US$30M production budget. Then there was an animated feature sequel to the 1967 film released in 2003 under the banner of 'The Jungle Book 2' with Hayley Joel Osment voicing Mowgli - this film was criticised for the sub-standard plot and the quality of animation, although it made US$136M off its US$20M budget.

As so to this 2016 release this time Directed by Jon Favreau for Walt Disney Pictures at a cost of US$175M which has so far returned US$786M and is still out widely on general release. Shot entirely in a sound stage in downtown Los Angeles, although you wouldn't know it, the film relies completely on CGI and motion-capture technology to portray the animals and the jungle setting, and it does so with a photo-realism that continues to push the boundaries of anything we have seen before. The quality of film making is quite extraordinary, and the visual impact of what has been created on screen is stunning in every detail.

As for the performances, Mowgli (Neel Sethi) was plucked from absolutely nowhere following an extensive search of literally thousands of hopefuls from across the US, UK, NZ, and Canada, and aside from a brief glimpse of his father (Ritesh Rajan) to tell Mowgli's back story, there are no other human characters in the film. As for the animals, the voice talents of an ensemble cast play out here with convincing realism.

First up there is Bagheera, the Black Panther (Ben Kingsley) who finds an infant Mowgli in the jungle, and takes him to a wolf pack headed up by Akela (Giancarlo Esposito) where he is raised as a man-cub by Indian wolf Raksha (Lupita Nyong'o) amongst the pack learning the ways of the wolves. Then there is the antagonist of the jungle, who resents man, and is intent on seeing Mowgli off before he can do him and the other animals further harm - Shere Khan, the Bengal Tiger (Idris Elba). This essentially sets the tone of the film, as Mowgli makes the decision to leave the wolf-pack that he has grown up with to search for the man-village where he can grow as an adult away from the danger of Shere Khan.

Bagheera agrees to accompany Mowgli through the thick and dangerous jungle to the man-village, to help protect his young charge from the stalking tiger. Along the way however, there is trouble in the jungle in the form off others who would prey on the man-cub including a huge Indian python Kaa (Scarlett Johansson) who hypnotises the young boy with the intention of eating him. Fortunately, Mowgli is rescued just in time by a passing sloth bear Baloo (Bill Murray) and the two form an unlikely friendship.

When Bagheera reunites with Mowgli and Baloo, they agree that the journey must continue for Mowgli's best interests, to which Baloo reluctantly agrees but under some duress. As they prepare to leave to continue their trek to the man-village Mowgli is captured by a group of monkeys who present him to their leader in a ruined temple atop a mountain, which the monkeys can scale easily, but no so for Bagheera and Baloo in hot pursuit. King Louie (Christopher Walken) is a Bornean orangutang-like Gigantopithecus, who wants Mowgli to bring him the 'red-flower' (fire) so that he can be just like man and wield that power over others. Narrowly escaping, it is here that Mowgli learns that Shere Khan has killed Akela and now watches over the wolf-pack waiting for Mowgli to return to exact his revenge. Then Shere Khan, will dispense with the man-cub and safety and security will be restored to the jungle.

When Mowgli returns to his wolf-pack he carries the red-flower to help guide his way at night through the terrain of the jungle, but in doing so glowing embers spark a forest fire which threatens to engulf the animal kingdom. Shere Khan waits knowing that the time will come, and upon his arrival the fight breaks out resulting in Mowgli running towards the fire while Bagheera, Baloo, Raksha and the wolf-pack try to fend off the powerful tiger.

As Shere Khan fends off his attackers, he follows Mowgli into the burning forest, but Mowgli is smart and knows some human tricks of his own to thwart the determined and advancing tiger. Needless to say only one will be victorious and one will perish in the flames of the red flower now raging. I am sure you know the story by now and how it all ends, and how the animal kingdom is restored to peace and well being for all - including the man-cub.

Also starring the voice talents of Garry Shandling, Sam Raimi and Jon Favreau with a number of reworked musical numbers that you'll instantly recognise from your own childhood memories, this is a film for kids of all ages that surprises and delights every step of the way. It is faithful to the story we all know & love, but brings it right up to date with thrilling action, a few jump scares, groundbreaking technical effects, a real sense of wonder and a heartwarming story that stands the test of time. A must see, on the big screen, catch it while you still can and you won't be disappointed. A sequel has already been announced for release sometime between 2017 and 2019 with Favreau said to return to Directing duty, with Neel Sethi reprising his role as man-cub, Mowgli.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 7th April 2016.

Over the last couple of weeks I have brought you what is likely to be the pick of the big ticket movies being released between now at Christmas. These are just my humble opinion of course and naturally only you - the movie going audience can decide what sinks and what floats, and there will be others too that come and go in the next eight months that you should also watch out for. And here is my selection of the 'Best of the Rest' leading into the mid-year that you can pencil in your cinematic diary and keep an eye out for. The back end of the year, will be listed next week. Release dates may vary depending on where you are in the world, and you can check these out easily enough.

• 14th April - 'ALLEGIANT' - the third film in the Veronica Roth 'Divergent' series sees our Dystopian Sci-Fi heroes battling it out once more to save themselves and all humanity with Shailene Woodley, Theo James, Ansel Elgort, Miles Teller, Naomi Watts and Jeff Daniels starring.
• 12th May - 'FREE STATE OF JONES' - Directed by Gary Ross this is the true story of an American Civil War southern farmer who leads a rebellion against the Confederacy. Matthew McConaughey stars.
• 19th May - 'CRIMINAL' - spy drama with an all star cast taking in Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Costner, Gary Oldman, Tommy Lee Jones and Gal Gadot.
• 26th May  - 'ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS' - is the follow up to Tim Burton's this time Produced by him and Directed by James Bobin and Mia Wasikowska as Alice and Johnny Depp, Helena Bonham Carter, Sacha Baron Cohen, Anne Hathaway, Stephen Fry and Alan Rickman (in his last screen role albeit in voice only) and others lending the voice talents too.
• 26th May - 'THE NICE GUYS' - 1970's LA set black crime comedy Directed by Shane Black and starring Ryan Gosling and Russell Crowe.
• 2nd June - 'MONEY MONSTER' - Directed by Jodie Foster with George Clooney starring as  TV financial reporter 'The Wizard of Wall Street' who is taken hostage live on air by a pissed off investor. Julia Roberts also stars.

This weeks films then surround a much loved 60's animated feature that is given all the technical wizardry to update it for a modern audience whilst still maintaining the essence of a young lads journey of adventure and self-discovery. Then a sequel to a 2012 film based on a popular fairy tale and a much loved 1937 classic animated feature film updated and modernised with all the CGI that movie magic can muster. We then have a critically acclaimed foreign language film about sheep, brothers, and tending to the flock like your lives depend on it; and finally a die-hard documentarian is at it again traversing the globe telling what is good about everywhere else and how his home country should adopt a few foreign principles for the betterment of its society.

Four films then to get you out there as the evenings close in (in the Southern Hemisphere at least) with action, fantasy, drama, comedy, documentary and more CGI this week than you can poke a stick at. All sounds great, so when you have sat through your movie of choice this week as Previewed below and on previous pages, or as Reviewed before, share your thoughts and observations in the Comments section below this or any other Post. In the meantime, enjoy your film.

THE JUNGLE BOOK (Rated PG) - based on the classic Rudyard Kipling book of the same name and a reproduction of the much loved Disney animated feature from 1967, this live action/CGI feature is Directed and Produced by Jon Favreau and is produced by Walt Disney Pictures. Hailed as Disney's most ambitious live action feature yet, using photorealistic rendering, motion capture technology and computer generated imagery to make the characters and the environment as true to life as possible. The film feature an impressive voice cast and the only human character in Mowgli (Neel Sethi) - plucked out of nowhere after an extensive international search that took in the US, the UK, Canada and NZ.

You know the story, but here we have young Mowgli (the aforementioned Neel Sethi) raised in the jungle by Indian wolves Raksha and Akela (voiced by Lupita Nyong'o and Giancarlo Esposito respectively) since he was a very young child and brought to them by Bagheera the black panther (voiced by Ben Kingsley). Since, according to the Bengal tiger Shere Khan (voiced by Idris Elba) no man should be permitted in the jungle, he threatens Mowgli who is forced to leave the comfort of his surroundings and life as he knows it, in search of something new. So Mowgli ventures forth on an adventure of discovery aided by Bagheera and Baloo the bear (voiced by Bill Murray). Along the way Mowgli has to contend with those who threaten danger and misadventure on his journey including Kaa the python (voiced by Scarlett Johansson) and King Louie (voiced by Christopher Walken) the Bornean orangutan, but ultimately this is all part of the fun and adventure en route to his voyage of self discovery.

THE HUNTSMAN : WINTERS WAR (Rated M) - this is a sequel to the 2012 movie 'Snow White and the Huntsman' which off the back of its US$170M budget made US$397M. Here we see a number of characters from that earlier instalment reprising their roles including Chris Hemsworth as Eric the Huntsman; Charlize Theron as Ravenna, the Evil Queen; Nick Frost as Nion a Dwarf; and Sam Claflin as King William. This time joined by Emily Blunt as Freya, the Ice Queen and sister of Ravenna, Rob Brydon as dwarf Gryff an ally of Nion, and Jessica Chastain as Sara, a warrior and wife of Eric who was thought to be long dead. When Freya and Raveena are reunited through the power of the Magic Mirror the wicked sisters intend to unleash their evil on the enchanted land with more menace than ever thought possible. With an army poised at the ready to unveil all Hell, only the banished Huntsmen who previously went against Freya rules to turn their back on true love stand any hope of saving the land, and being reunited with each other. Directed by first timer Cedric Nicolas-Troyan.

RAMS (Rated M) - a winner in the 'Un Certain Regard' category at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival in May where it won the top prize, this Icelandic drama comedy was Written and Directed by Grimur Hakonarson and was entered in the Best Foreign Language Film category at this years Academy Awards but failed to get a nomination. That said, the film has gained much critical praise for its well told yet very simple story. Set in a secluded Icelandic valley brothers Gummy and Kiddi live side by side on their own farms where they breed an ancestral sheep-stock that is considered to be the best in the country, winning numerous accolades repeatedly for their prized rams who carry an ancient lineage. Although the two brothers live side by side, share the land, raise the same award winning sheep, they haven't spoken to each other for forty years or more. When a deadly disease breaks out amongst Kiddi's sheep the whole valley is threatened with its livelihood and well being, as the authorities close in wanting to cull the sheep to halt the spread of the disease. With others abandoning their land and their way of life, Gummy and Kiddi stand firm and steadfast to prevent the disaster from unfolding further and their flocks being eradicated forever . . . and themselves too potentially. Sigurour Sigurjonsson stars as Gummi and Theodor Jullusson as Kiddi.

WHERE TO INVADE NEXT (Rated M) - Michael Moore is at it again and for the first time in six years, up on his soapbox, stirring the pot and delivering his most subversive film yet - probably! Here he travels through Finland, Norway, Italy, France, Portugal, Tunisia and Slovenia viewing how Europeans view work, healthcare, education, sex, equality, social issues and much more and then of course drawing those comparisons with the good ol' USofA, and just how different his home country is to the rest of the world.  If all the good that exists in Europe, then why can't it in the US is what this ultimately asks - maybe they would be better off for it if they had a more liberal, outgoing and equal society? Having 'invaded' those countries to learn their secrets, what can the US learn from those other nations?

With four new offerings coming to a cinema near you, what's not to like, as well as all those others still out on general release. Do yourself a favour and catch a movie this week, and I'll see you, at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-