What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 2nd February 2017.

Moving right along with the film and television awards season this year, Sunday evening 29th January saw the announcements of the 23rd annual edition of the Screen Actors Guild Awards. Held at The Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California during a two-hour ceremony, Awards in six film and nine television categories were given. Unlike other awards shows like the Oscars and Golden Globes, this one does not have a host, which helps it move along more swiftly. From the world of film the winners and grinners were :

* Outstanding performance by a Male Actor in a Lead Role : Denzel Washington for 'FENCES' (released in Australia on 9th February)
* Outstanding performance by an Female Actor in a Lead Role : Emma Stone for 'LA LA LAND'
* Outstanding performance by an Male Actor in a Support Role : Mahershala Ali for 'MOONLIGHT'
* Outstanding performance by a Female Actor in a Support Role : Viola Davis for 'FENCES' (released in Australia on 9th February)
* Outstanding performance by a cast in a motion picture : 'HIDDEN FIGURES' (released in Australia on 16th February)
* Outstanding action performance by a cast in a motion picture : 'HACKSAW RIDGE'
* The Lifetime Achievement Award : Lily Tomlin.

This week there are just three new filmic offerings coming your way that start off with a critically acclaimed film of grief, loss and suffering as old wounds are re-opened in this small coastal community. We then turn to a real life and very recent terror attack staged during a community event and the aftermath as the antagonists were brought to account and that affected community came together again, stronger, united and more resilient than ever. We then wrap up with an '80's era tale of geologists, gold and greed as a down on his luck prospector hits pay dirt in the jungles of Borneo and has to fend off the power brokers in the jungles of Wall Street.

As is generally the way, when you have sat through your movie of choice in the week ahead, you are cordially invited to leave your own summary of your movie going observations, thoughts and opinions by posting your relevant, pertinent and brief Comment below this or any other Post. We'd love to hear from you, and in the meantime, enjoy your film, wherever you might be.

'MANCHESTER BY THE SEA' (Rated MA15+) - Written and Directed by Kenneth Lonergan, Co-Produced by Matt Damon and Starring Casey Affleck in an award winning turn, this feature costing just US$8.5M to make has gained universal acclaim, brought in over US$43M since its World Premier at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2016 and subsequent tour around the festival circuit before its release Stateside at the end of November last year. The film has been nominated for six Academy Awards including Best Film, Best Director, Best Screenplay and three Best Actor nods for its three lead players (Affleck, Williams and Hedges), plus six BAFTA's nominations. Casey Affleck won the Best Actor Golden Globe for his lead performance, and it has accumulated a further 93 wins and 194 nominations, with the Oscar and BAFTA winners & grinners yet to be announced of course. Manchester-by-the-Sea is a real place by the way, located in Cape Ann, Essex County, Massachusetts with a population of just over five thousand and just 40kms northeast of Boston.

In a career defining performance the film centres around Lee Chandler (Casey Affleck) who works as a janitor in an apartment block in Boston. He's quiet, reserved, goes about his business by day and picks fights in bars by night. One day he receives a phone call from a family friend advising that brother Joe (Kyle Chandler) has suffered a heart attack. Before Lee can get to the hospital, Joe dies. Lee then travels to his home town of Manchester-by-the Sea to give the news of Joe's passing to his sixteen year old son Patrick (Lucas Hedges). In returning to Manchester however, Lee must face the memories of an even greater loss that threaten to re-open even greater wounds of a personal tragedy that he thought were behind him, and in so doing might just tip him over the edge forever. Michelle Williams also stars as Randi - Lee's former now re-married wife. Masterfully Directed, gracefully acted this is a film of sadness, loss, grief, self-loathing and suffering and how it impacts everyday folk in a small seaside community.

'PATRIOTS DAY' (Rated M) - this film is another real life dramatic thriller Co-Written for the screen and Directed by Peter Berg who also brought us last years 'Deepwater Horizon' which also starred, like this offering, his go to actor for playing the ordinary everyman caught up in extraordinary circumstances - Mark Wahlberg. Based on the book 'Boston Strong' by Casey Sherman and Dave Wedge this tells the story of the 2013 Boston Marathon Bombing. Costing US$45M to make the film has so far recovered US$32M since its US release at Christmas time. April 2013, and during the annual Boston Marathon two bombs are detonated in the crowd of onlookers causing widespread chaos and panic. In the aftermath of the attack Police Sergeant Tommy Saunders (Mark Wahlberg), Commissioner Ed Davis (John Goodman) and FBI Special Agent Richard DesLauriers (Kevin Bacon) join forces with survivors, other investigators and those first on the scene for the manhunt to bring the perpetrators to justice before they strike again. Also starring J.K.Simmons as Police Sergeant Jeffrey Pugliese, and Michelle Monaghan as Carol Saunders. The film has garnered generally positive Reviews.

'GOLD' (Rated M) - Directed and Co-Written by Stephen Gaghan, Co-Produced and starring Matthew McConaughey, and a strong supporting cast, this film had a limited release in the US on  December 30th before its wider release this week. Set in the 1980's, down on his luck and desperate prospector Kenny Wells (Matthew McConaughey) teams up with geologist Michael Acosta (Edgar Ramirez) to search for a hidden seam of gold deep within the Indonesian jungle of Borneo. They eventually hit gold, and the biggest strike of the decade that seems easy work compared to keeping hold of their new found wealth when the Wall Street power brokers begin to circle wanting a piece of the action. Also starring Bryce Dallas Howard, Corey Stoll, Toby Kebbell, Bruce Greenwood, Stacy Keach, Craig T. Nelson and Rachel Taylor. McConaughey for his role transformed himself once again with a pot belly, balding comb over and crooked teeth - a sight to behold . . . let's hope it's not 'Fool's Gold'!

With three big pictures to tempt you out on a hot Summer day or night sometime in the week ahead, together with those still doing the rounds and out on general release as Reviewed and Previewed between these humble pages in previous weeks, you really don't need any excuse! Get amongst it at your local multiplex, and I'll see you sometime, somewhere in the coming week, at your local Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

JOHN HURT - dies aged 77 - R.I.P.

John Vincent Hurt - the acclaimed Actor of stage and screen died at his home in Cromer, Norfolk, England following a long battle with pancreatic cancer on 25th January - three days after his 77th Birthday.  Born in Chesterfield, Derby, England on 22nd January 1940 he had a strict upbringing by his amateur Actress mother Phyllis Massey and his Church of England clergyman father Arnould Herbert Hurt. They lived opposite a cinema but his parents forbade him from watching films there or mixing with other local children. He attended St. Michael's Preparatory School in Orford, Kent where his interest in acting was first sparked. He then attended Lincoln Grammar School, and at seventeen he enrolled in the Grimsby Art School to study art. Two years later he won a scholarship to Saint Martin's School of Art in London, and in 1960 he gained a scholarship to London's Royal Academy of Dramatic Art where he studied for two years.

His first screen role came in the classic early '60's police drama series 'Z-Cars' on a single episode in 1962. His first big screen role came later that same year in 'Young and Willing' with his first major screen performance and perhaps his breakout role being as Richard Rich in the widely acclaimed 1966 film 'A Man For All Seasons' opposite Orson Welles, Robert Shaw, Leo McKern, Vanessa Redgrave and Susannah York. He gained his first BAFTA nomination for playing Timothy Evans, the man accused to be hanged for the murders committed by his landlord John Christie in the real life drama '10, Rillington Place' in 1971. A few years later in 1975, Hurt secured his first BAFTA win for his portrayal of Quentin Crisp in 'The Naked Civil Servant' - the story of the outrageous and flamboyant homosexual Crisp's coming of age and his elder years in a very conservative England. A year later, Hurt's prominence continued to rise with his acclaimed performance in the BBC television mini-series 'I, Claudius' as Roman Emperor Caligula opposite Derek Jacobi's Claudius.

1978 saw another award worthy performance in the Alan Parker Directed and Oliver Stone Written 'Midnight Express' about an American College student played by Brad Davis caught smuggling drugs out of Turkey where upon he is promptly thrown in a Turkish prison left to rot and subject to all manner of woes by his captors. The film garnered Hurt a Golden Globe and a BAFTA Award for Best Supporting Actor and his first Academy Award nomination. 1979 saw his iconic role as Kane in Ridley Scott's 'Alien' - with his alien chest busting scene being hailed by many as one of the most memorable in cinematic history. For this role he gained another BAFTA Best Supporting Actor nomination. Continuing with his run of successes, 1980 saw Hurt play John Merrick in David Lynch's 'The Elephant Man'. This role secured the Actor another BAFTA win for Best Actor, as well as Golden Globe and Academy Award nominations.

1980 also saw a role in Michael Cimino's 'Heaven's Gate' hailed at one time as being the biggest commercial and critical flop in film making history, but since then time has been kinder to this production. 1984 saw the big screen adaptation of George Orwell's '1984', and in 1989 he starred in 'Scandal' the retelling of the Profumo Scandal of 1963 that shook the British Government at the time involving the Minister of War and an exotic dancer.

The mid-'90's saw historical dramas 'Rob Roy' with Liam Neeson, 'Dead Man' with Johnny Depp, 'Wild Bill' with Jeff Bridges and then Sci-Fi offering for Robert Zemeckis 'Contact' with Jodie Foster. The new decade saw 'Captain Corelli's Mandolin' and his first appearance in the Harry Potter franchise as Mr. Ollivander - the wand maker in 'Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone' - a role he would reprise in 'The Deathly Hallows : Parts 1 and 2'. In 2004 he starred in Guillermo del Toro's 'Hellboy' and again in its sequel 'Hellboy : The Golden Army' in 2008 and in the meantime there was the historical Australian Western 'The Proposition', then 'V for Vendetta'  and 'Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull'. More than thirty years after his award winning turn as Quentin Crisp he reprised the role for 2009's 'An Englishman in New York' for which he was again nominated for a BAFTA Award.

'44 Inch Chest', a remake of the classic Graham Greene novel 'Brighton Rock', the highly acclaimed big screen adaptation of 'Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy' and then swords and sandals epic 'Immortals', horror comedy 'Only Lovers Left Alive', the acclaimed Sci-Fi action drama 'Snowpiercer' and then another swords and sandals retelling of 'Hercules' closed out 2014. 'ChickLit', 'The Journey' and the recently released 'Jackie' bring us up to date. In the meantime, Hurt lent his considerable voice talents to numerous films, television programmes, and documentaries over the years including the likes of 'Watership Down' and 'Lord of the Rings' as Aragorn both in 1978, Disney's 'The Black Cauldron' in 1985, Disney's 'The Tigger Movie' in 2000, Lars von Trier's 'Dogville' in 2003 and 'Manderlay' in 2005 for the same Director, and 'Perfume : The Story of a Murderer' in 2006. There were also innumerable television series including 'The Storyteller', 'Watership Down', 'The Alan Clarke Diaries', 'The Confession', 'The Hollow Crown', 'Labyrinth', 'Merlin', 'Doctor Who' as The War Doctor, and 'The Last Panthers' most recently.

Still to come and due for release throughout 2017 are 'That Good Night' which is complete, 'Damascus Cover' currently in Post-Production, and so too is 'My Name Is Lenny' and currently filming is 'Darkest Hour' in which Hurt played former British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain, opposite Gary Oldman's Winston Churchill.

All up over seven decades Hurt had accumulated 204 acting credits to his name, garnered two Academy Award nominations for 'Midnight Express' and 'The Elephant Man', gained one Golden Globe Award for 'Midnight Express' and a nomination for 'The Elephant Man', and won three BAFTA Awards for 'The Naked Civil Servant', 'Midnight Express' and 'The Elephant Man' plus four other nominations and the BAFTA Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Cinema in 2012.

He was married four times during his life - from 1962 until 1964 to Actress Annette Robertson; he lived with French model Marie-Lise Volpeliere-Pierrot from 1967 through until 1983 and who was tragically killed in a horse riding accident; from 1984 until 1990 to Donna Peacock; from 1990 to 1996 to Joan Dalton with whom he had two children - Alexander 'Sasha' John Vincent Hurt born in 1990, and Nicholas 'Nick' Hurt born in 1993. Following this he was in a seven year relationship with Sarah Owens a presenter and writer. From 2005 up until the time of his passing he was married to Producer and Casting Director Anwen Rees-Myers. Upon marrying Rees-Myers he gave up smoking and drinking, putting his alcoholic days behind him.

In 2004 Hurt was honoured in the Queen's New Years Honours List with a Knighthood for services to drama by being made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE). He also received various other accolades including The John Hurt Centre in his name being an education and exhibition space in Cinema City, Norwich. He was also a patron of the Proteus Syndrome Foundation (thought to be the affliction that affected John Merrick - the character he portrayed in 'The Elephant Man'), and he was also a patron of Project Harar working with Ethiopian children affected by facial disfigurements.

John Hurt - so many memorable performances, so many iconic roles, such an instantly recognisable deep gravel like voice, in demand for 55+ years - your legacy will live on forever recorded on celluloid and in the hearts and minds of the movie going public and the television audiences you served so well right up until the time of your passing.

John Hurt - Rest In Peace
1940 - 2017.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

10 Men That Could win the Royal Rumble

Before last night I would have had Shinsuke Nakamura on this list, honestly at number two, but whether the injury he sustained last night was legit or a work, i think it takes him out of the Rumble regardless.


1. The Undertaker
It is highly fitting, though I would have preferred him as a surprise entrant. You have Brock Lesnar & Bill Goldberg going at it when dong, the lights go out, Taker gets in the ring and eliminates both men, not that still could happen but it will lack that shock. Taker is a guy that could go against Kevin Owens, Roman Reigns, but even more so AJ Styles or John Cena, and those matches could go either way. He puts them over or he retires as champion. Him against Reigns or Cena would make Vince happy, going against KO or AJ would make us happy. Cena is the most deserving of the honor but I am going with AJ vs Taker.


2. Samoa Joe
Here is another guy that could face any of the possible champions, he & Owens have unfinished business, he and AJ have a long history. If it is Roman, the Samoan vs Samoan feud writes itself, but the big one, yet again, is John Cena, that is a money feud, and one i think we will get at Mania, but I see it not being for the title.

3. Chris Jericho
If KO beats Roman, then Jericho has a great chance of winning. In his long accomplished career he had never won the Rumble, tonight could be his chance. His feud with Owens will not need he title, which is why I see Owens dropping the belt, and Jericho not getting his moment that he should have got in 2012.

4. Randy Orton or Bray Wyatt
These are two good possibilities, whether it is Orton or Bray winning, the other could win the WWE Title at Elimination Chamber, setting up the feud with the two Wyatts

5. Luke Harper
Everyone thinks Braun Strowman has a great chance, I think Luke Harper is the Wyatt with the best chance not named Randy Orton or Bray Wyatt. It would be huge, he gets the win that Randy & Bray wanted, and proves he isn't the weak link. Randy or Bray could even win at the Chamber setting up a triple threat.

6. Sami Zayn
I know, I know.....I know, we have seen Owens vs Zayn too many times the past year, and everyone wants them to be away from each other, I do too, but this would be poetic. Owens as the friend that stabbed Sami in the back, going on to bigger and better  things while Zayn floats around. Winning the RR would be the classic underdog story plus a classic Mania build up and match, the likes we haven't seen since Edge & Jericho. They have history, they have chemistry, it would be a perfect end to the feud, with Owens shaking his hand post match.

7. The Miz
I am a Miz mark, I love him, and 2016 was his year, the dude's main event run years ago was brilliant, last year was the restart. Imagine him winning, it reverses the heel GM, babyface being held down but with the face Daniel Bryan being bested by the heel Miz. He could face Cena one more time, their first major rivalry in 6 years or a babyface AJ Styles. Him winning the Rumble and gloating while Bryan looks on would only be topped by him winning the WWE Championship for his second time!

8.   Bobby Roode
It would be GLORIOUS, imagine one night after winning the NXT Title, that he wins the Royal Rumble, he would have to be Smackdown, as I could not see him facing Roman or KO. John Cena is possible but what if, AJ Styles & John Cena shake hands, what if Roode and Styles are in the WWE Title match at Wrestlemania? Dixie Carter would be a mess, and Vince would be laughing to the bank!

9.   Dolph Ziggler
With as many losses he has had in the past year, plus his new heel turn, Ziggler winning could be the next step. He wins the Rumble, is now back on top, his ego goes through the roof, and if he faces John Cena, the amount of material with Nikki Bella could keep it going and gain a lot of heat.

10. Kofi Kingston
This one is a long shot, but I always hold out hope for the day Kofi wins the Rumble or Money in the Bank, he has improved on the mic, is insanely over and is great in the ring. New Day is coming to an end soon, and this is a perfect way. He wins, Xavier Woods & Big E both claim to be going to Mania as well, Kofi says, that was a joke, and it is his time. You could go two ways here, a triple threat at Fastlane with Big E winning giving him the rub, Kofi goes on to face Kevin Owens, or Kofi faces Roman Reigns, Woods & Big E come out, Woods gets on the apron, distracts the ref, everyone thinks Big E is going to attack Kingston, but instead helps him win the title and heel New Day is back,

Favorite T.V. Shows of the Year

There were way too many shows in 2016, at the beginning of 2017 I tried to watch as many pilots as I could, and some were good, but the second episodes were more meh. The top 20 i legit watched as they aired, well except Love & Portlandia, waited a couple months for Love, for some stupid reason, and waited for the latest Portlandia to hit netflix.


1.   Stranger Things
What is Steven Spielberg produced a film directed & scored by John Carpenter, with touches of Stephen King, that is this GLORIOUS, piece of geekdom with received this past summer.

2.   Mr. Robot
A lot of times a series gets acclaim and then the following season it caters too much to critics, Mr.  Robot is not that show. It got so much acclaim season 1, but went super bonkers in season 2!

3.   Evil Dead
The first season was awesome, but the second season blew it all away, this was the Evil Dead 2 of T.V. shows, it was super over the top, full of splatstick humor and fan service!

4.   Silicon Valley
Easily the BEST sitcom at the moment, plus the funniest!

5.   Good Place
Thankfully this show is single handedly saving Network Sitcoms, a great NBC series that lets you cuss like a sailor, because you can not cuss.

6.   It's Always Sunny
Second funniest show on  the air, last season was possibly the best all around season they have had!

7.   Orange is the New Black
Speaking of best seasons, in my opinion, this was the best season for the series yet!

8.   Portlandia
Previous years i have not included this as i put it more as a sketch comedy series, but it has fully morphed into a sitcom!

9.   Gotham
The show keeps getting pulpier & pulpier!

10. The Night Of
The most intense show of the year!

11. Daredevil
If only all the other Marvel shows could be this good, better than season 1.

12. Game Of Thrones
No joke, I almost gave up the show this season, the first few were that boring, but the second half, so made up for it!

13. The O.A.
Think of it as Stranger Thing's weirder cousin. The ideas in it compare with ideas of the afterlife that i too share!

14. Simpsons
While not as good as last season(o far) it still beats what we were gettign 5 years ago.

15. X Files
I wish for the 6 episode run, that more of the episodes were connected, but  loved both the mythology episodes and the monster of the week episodes.

16. Lucifer
Formulaic? Yes! Fun? Yes! All that matters, this & Gotham are DC's best series.

17. Workaholics
Best season since the first!

18. Man Seeking Woman
Such a weird & brilliant sitcom!

19. Love
The best thing Judd Apatow has done since his productions of 2008.

20. Vinyl
Fuck, i wish this show had caught on, so fucking good!

Hectic Knife

Holy shit, this was a cool fucking flick, it is inspiring as fuck, super cheap, dumb, but hilarious. THe gags are perfect, i was laughing my ass off the entire time. If you like anti humor, this is the flick for you, they will beat jokes like a dead horse, and it will still be funny because of the execution. It is released by Troma, and honestly this is the best thing they have put out since Father's Day. This is how you do cheap, no budget film making, it is meta, it is black & white, it is self aware but not pretentious. The gore is awesome, cause at the core, it is a vigilante film, but the self awareness helps extend the humor, and this film understands humor, i found it brilliant!

Birthday's to share this week : 29th January - 4th February 2017.

Do you celebrate your Birthday this week?

Isla Fisher does on 3rd February - check out my tribute to this Birthday Girl turning 41, 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 29th January

• Katherine Ross - Born 1940, turns 77 - Actress
• Oprah Winfrey - Born 1954, turns 63 - Television Personality | Actress | Producer
• Heather Graham - Born 1970, turns 47 - Actress | Producer | Writer | Director | Singer
• Isabel Lucas - Born 1985, turns 32 - Actress
• Tom Selleck - Born 1945, turns 72 - Actor | Producer | Writer
• Edward Burns - Born 1968, turns 49 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer

Monday 30th January

• Gene Hackman - Born 1930, turns 87 - Actor
• Christian Bale - Born 1974, turns 43 - Actor
• Vanessa Redgrave - Born 1937, turns 80 - Actress | Producer | Singer  

Tuesday 31st January

• Minnie Driver - Born 1970, turns 47 - Actress | Producer | Singer  
• Portia de Rossi - Born 1973, turns 44 - Actress
• Philip Glass - Born 1937, turns 80 - Composer | Musician | Songwriter
• Anthony LaPaglia - Born 1959, turns 58 - Actor | Producer
• Dexter Fletcher - Born 1966, turns 51 - Actor | Producer | Director | Writer
• Justin Timberlake - Born 1981, turns 36 - Actor | Producer | Singer | Songwriter | Composer

Wednesday 1st February

• Terry Jones - Born 1942, turns 75 - Actor | Writer | Producer | Director | Singer | Songwriter
• Linus Roache - Born 1964, turns 53 - Actor
• Michael C. Hall - Born 1971, turns 46 - Actor | Producer | Singer  

Thursday 2nd February

• David Jason - Born 1940, turns 77 - Actor | Producer | Director
• Gemma Arterton - Born 1986, turns 31 - Actress | Singer  

Friday 3rd February

• Morgan Fairchild - Born 1950, turns 67 - Actress | Singer
• Isla Fisher - Born 1976, turns 41 - Actress
• Nathan Lane - Born 1956, turns 61 - Actor | Producer | Singer  

Saturday 4th February

• George A. Romero - Born 1940, turns 77 - Director | Producer | Writer | Actor | Editor
• Patrick Bergin - Born 1951, turns 66 - Actor | Singer | Songwriter
• Gabrielle Anwar - Born 1970, turns 47 - Actress
• Natalie Imbruglia - Bron 1975, turns 42 - Actress | Singer | Songwriter

Isla Lang Fisher was born in Muscat, Oman to Scottish parents - mother Elspeth Reid, a romance novelist and father Brian Fisher, a banker who worked in Oman for the United Nations at the time of her birth. The family moved back to their hometown of Bathgate, in Scotland when Isla was young and then to Perth in Western Australia at age six. There she attended Swanbourne Primary School and then the independent Methodist Ladies College. Whilst at school she appeared in several school productions including 'Little Shop of Horrors'. Her acting career kicked off at just nine years of age appearing in kids television shows 'Bay City' and 'Paradise Beach' as Robyn Devereaux which ran for two series over 260 episodes from 1993 through 1994, and was syndicated across eleven countries including the USA, UK and France. This in turn led to her being cast in the role of Shannon Reed in the hugely popular long running Australian soap opera 'Home and Away' in which she starred in 376 episodes from 1994 through to 1997. In the meantime, she published two best selling novels at age eighteen aimed at the teenage market - 'Bewitched' and 'Seduced by Fame' with the help of her mother. Had her acting career not taken off, she would happily have become a writer.

After exiting the cast of 'Home and Away', she enrolled at L'Ecole Internationale de Theatre Jacques Lecoq - a school in Paris where the physical art of theatre is studied emphasising the body, movement and space as the entry point in theatrical performance. Armed with these skills she appeared in a number of UK pantomimes and in a number of stage plays travelling the country. She went on to roles in the ITV mini-series 'Oliver Twist' in 1999, then an episode on the BBC series 'Sunburn' and then in 2001 in the mini-series 'Attila' with Gerard Butler, Powers Booth, Steven Berkoff, Liam Cunningham and Tim Curry. In 2001 she gained her first major role in the German slasher horror film 'Swimming Pool' (aka 'The Pool') alongside James McAvoy. She followed this with her role as Shaggy's love interest as Mary Jane in 2002's live action adaptation of 'Scooby Doo'. The film received generally lacklustre Reviews but it grossed US$276M from its US$84M budget outlay.

The Australian comedy 'The Wannabes' followed in 2003 with a bit part in Scott Caan's Directing debut 'Dallas 362' alongside Scott Caan, Jeff Goldblum and Selma Blair. 'I Heart Huckabees' came next with an all star cast as Directed by David O. Russell, and then 'Wedding Crashers' with Vince Vaughn and Owen Wilson winning the Actress a Breakthrough Performance Award. 'London' followed with Chris Evans, Jason Statham and Jessica Biel, and then RomCom 'Wedding Daze' with Jason Biggs in 2006. Crime film 'Lookout' came next with Joseph Gordon-Levitt and Jeff Daniels, then comedy offering 'Hot Rod' and then the romantic dramedy 'Definitely, Maybe' with Ryan Reynolds, Kevin Kline, Rachel Weisz, and Abigail Breslin. 'Confessions of a Shopaholic', another RomCom, closed out the decade with Fisher in the starring role alongside John Lithgow, John Goodman, Hugh Dancy, Kristin Scott Thomas and Lynn Redgrave.

2010 brought 'Burke and Hare' - the black comedy Directed by John Landis and starring Simon Pegg and Andy Serkis in the title roles respectively. This was followed up by the RomCom 'Bachelorette' with Kirsten Dunst, Rebel Wilson and Lizzy Caplan, before Baz Luhrmann's epic retelling of 'The Great Gatsby' with Fisher starring as Myrtle Wilson beside Leonardo DiCaprio in the title role, Tobey Maguire, Joel Edgerton, Carey Mulligan and Jason Clarke. The film made US$351M at the Box Office from its US$105M investment and won 46 awards (including two Oscar's and two BAFTA's) and another 74 nominations. That same year, Fisher starred in 'Now You See Me' as Henley Reeves with Jesse Eisenberg, Mark Ruffalo, Woody Harrelson, Dave Franco, Morgan Freeman and Michael Caine. The film was a critical and commercial success, although Fisher was unable to reprise her role in the 2016 follow-up and was replaced by Lizzie Caplan.

The crime comedy 'Life of Crime' with Jennifer Aniston, Tim Robbins and Will Forte came along in 2013, and was followed up in 2015 by supernatural horror straight to video offering 'Visions'. A cameo role as herself in 'Klown Forever' in 2015 led to action comedy 'Grimsby' with Sacha Baron Cohen, Mark Strong, Rebel Wilson and Penelope Cruz. Tom Ford's acclaimed 'Nocturnal Animals' in late 2016 with Amy Adams, Jake Gyllenhaal, Michael Shannon and Aaron Taylor-Johnson and the critical and commercial failure 'Keeping Up with the Joneses' saw out 2016 and brings us up to date.

In the meantime, Fisher lent her voice talents to the animated features 'Horton Hears a Who!' in 2008, to 'Rango' in 2011, and to 'Rise of the Guardians' in 2012. She also has had appearances in several television series including 'Pilot Season', the animated 'Neighbors from Hell', 'Bored to Death', 'Arrested Development' and animated series 'Sofia the First' most recently.

All up, Fisher has 44 acting credits to her name, and she has thus far accumulated four award wins and ten nominations. She married to English Actor, Producer, Comedian and Screenwriter Sacha Baron Cohen having met at a party in Sydney, Australia in 2002. They were married in a Jewish ceremony in 2010 after Fisher converted to Judaism after three years of study in 2007. They have three children together - daughters Olive (born in 2008) and Elula (born in 2011) and son Montgomery (born in 2015). Fisher published her first solo written children's book 'Marge in Charge' in 2016.

Isla Fisher - voted on numerous 'Top' lists, often mistaken for friend Amy Adams; wanted to marry Elvis Presley when she was young even though he died in 1977 and she was born in 1976; often plays in RomCom's and comedies, but is also playing it straight in horrors, in crime dramas, in animated productions leaving only Sci-Fi on her list to tick off. Committed to her husband and her children, committed to her new religious beliefs, loves acting saying it is the greatest fun in the world and considers herself 'very Australian'. A child actress who has blossomed into a children's author, a leading lady, and an in demand supporting Actress, Happy Birthday to you Isla, from Odeon Online.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Resident Evil: The Final Chapter

Growing up, i was never a big fan of the Resident Evil games, still am not a fan, i hated the controls. I had a RE action figure though, my uncle had bought me, as documented here my uncle got me on my path for film, and especially zombie movies. So being a fan, I had seen George Romero's Dead trilogy. I wasn't hip on directors quite yet, i was only 12 or 13, but when my uncle told me Romero had been in talks to direct the Resident Evil movie, i was stoked. Then it never happened, Paul W.S. Anderson, not Wes Anderson, not Paul Thomas Anderson, but Paul W.S. Anderson, had the reigns. He didn't do a terrible job, i actually though he did a good job, the sequels, well Apocalypse is not as good but still was fun, Extinction wasn't as good, nor was it as fun, Afterlife was a bad film, but was still a lil fun, Retribution, was neither good nor fun. Each film got worse, now i know at certain times, i wasn't really feeling these films when i saw them, for personal reasons going on in life, so maybe that affected my thoughts, i seriously might rewatch these, as the only 2 i have seen more than once, are the first two. The Final Chapter, is so bad, it is fun, that along with me expecting it to be awful, shoots it above the last two, hell, i would probably rank it above the third, maybe eveb the second. I am not going to rank em, as i truly don't care, but i had fun with this crappy flick.

LION : Tuesday 24th JANUARY 2017.

'LION' which I caught earlier this week is a drama film Directed by first timer Garth Davis and is based on the autobiographical book 'A Long Way Home' by Saroo Brierley and tells the story of his life as played out by Sunny Pawar as the young Saroo back home in India, and Dev Patel as the older Saroo at home in Australia. Already highly acclaimed by critics the world over, the film was made for just US$12M and has so far grossed US$28M plus twenty-two award wins and a further 67 nominations including the yet to be announced winners for this years BAFTA's for which it has five nominations as well as this years Academy Award nods for which it has six including Best Film and Best Supporting Actor/Actress nods for Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman respectively. After premiering at TIFF in early September, the film went on a limited release in the US in late November before its wider release from January onward.

The story here starts with brothers Saroo (Sunny Pawar) and his older brother Guddu (Abhisek  Bharate) in 1987 stealing coal from a moving train, so that they can purchase farm fresh milk from the local market to take home to their mother and young sister. It's all pretty innocent stuff and the two boys are the closest of siblings - looking out for each other, larking around and getting in and out of mischief. There is a genuine love for each other that is warmly displayed by the two young child Actors here, but most notably by the five year old Sunny Pawar who has a screen presence to behold, and you can't help but be captivated by his every move.

When Guddu wakes one night to go to work in a neighbouring village Saroo pleads with him to allow him to go along, showing off his strength and manual lifting prowess. Against his mothers wishes Guddu relents and the two disappear into the night. They arrive at a train station where Guddu orders Saroo to remain on a bench until he returns with orders for work. Saroo is fighting to stay awake and dozes off. Sometime later, Saroo wakes and it is still dark but there is no sign of his brother. He calls after Guddu repeatedly and marches up and down the platform and the tracks searching for his older brother but to no avail. He climbs onto a train and promptly falls asleep in a deserted carriage. He wakes later and the empty train is travelling at speed through unfamiliar territory. And so the train keeps travelling for 1,600kms with little Saroo its only passenger, eventually coming to a halt in far away Calcutta.

Saroo gets off the train hungry, thirsty and a long way from home, but still he calls out for Guddu and his Mum, not comprehending the enormity of the distance he has travelled or where he is. He cannot even speak the local dialect (Bengali) because he speaks Hindi. He is however, quick to adapt to his surroundings and proves to be quite resourceful, ever confident that he will someday be reunited with his Mum and his his brother, and how they too will be eagerly searching for him. Along the way over the several months that pass Saroo narrowly escapes being abducted, and then falling into the hands of a kindly gentleman who is not all who he seems. He eventually is handed over to the Police who after questioning place him into the hands of an orphanage where he remains being fed, watered and reasonably well cared for over several more months.

One day, the time comes when he is given the news that he has been adopted by an Australian family living in Tasmania - Sue and John Brierley (Nicole Kidman and David Wenham respectively). This is backed up by the news that the local authorities have searched in vain for his Mother, so far as posting photo's of young Saroo in the newspaper that has a readership of fifteen million. Later, we see Saroo board the plane with his carer, arrive in Hobart and receive a warm welcome by his new adoptive Mum and Dad. Saroo adapts well to his new family, and the three of them bond beyond anyone's expectations. A year or so later Sue and John adopt another young Indian lad, Mantosh, (Keshav Jadhav) who settles in less well to his new surroundings and rebels by self-harming.

Fast track two decades and Saroo is a grown adult living at home with his Mum and Dad and has plans for his life, while Mantosh has rebelled against the establishment and lives in a hut somewhere in Hobart's forest hinterland. Saroo is about to leave for Melbourne University where he is to study Hospitality Management with designs on owning his own hotel one day. Once in Melbourne he quickly befriends a number of Indian students and American girl Lucy (Rooney Mara). One evening over dinner at a student house, Saroo remembers a certain food from his childhood that is served, and in turn he confides in the group that he was adopted at a very young age and whilst he has a strong desire to trace back his family, he has scant memories and wouldn't know where to start. One of the students suggests that Saroo should use the new Google Earth application to search out his family and where he hailed from. It is 2008.

Meanwhile, Saroo and Lucy fall for each other, but as time progresses and Saroo's search draws nothing but blanks, so he retreats further inside himself at the expense of his relationship with Lucy. He breaks off his relationship, and in the meantime has said nothing to his parents Sue and John about his search for his birth mother, for fear that they will be offended, and that he would appear to them to be ungrateful. Sensing that Saroo is so pre-occupied and has distanced himself from his family, causes Sue to fall into a prolonged state of ill health. Later on Saroo visits his parents and in a touching moment he expresses his sorrow at Sue's inability to bear children. Unknown to him however, Sue was not infertile as Saroo had believed, but she and John all along chose to help other less fortunate children through adoption, rather than bolstering the worlds burgeoning population further.

By now several years have passed by since Saroo started his search on Google Earth. His room is adorned with maps of India, train timetables from the time, notes and random scribblings that his vague memories have revealed. One evening while feeling frustrated and helpless, he randomly scrolls though the Indian landscape on Google Earth, and notices a formation of rocks that held a familiarity to the place his mother worked. He narrows down the search zooming in on the landscape from above and discovers the place where he lived - a town called Khandwa, with the specific area known as Ganesh Talai. He reveals to his parents that he has found the location of his town and in his head he can retrace the steps exactly to his former home. He tells Lucy too, asking for her to wait for him to return. He boards a flight bound for India to complete the final leg of his 25 year search.

By now it is 2012, and Saroo arrives in Khandwa and sure enough is able to retrace those steps he took many many times as a young lad all those years ago. But his former family home is now a run down stable for goats and sundry livestock. Disheartened he comes across an English speaking local who understands him and beckons him to follow. Out onto the street he follows and is greeted by a procession of colourful Sari wearing women of all ages. At the front is Saroo's birth mother, Kamla Munshi (Priyanka Bose) and his sister. Their re-connection after all this time is emotional to say the least. A crowd gathers round and cheer as the three embrace, knowing that Kamla never gave up hope that her son would one day return.

In the closing sequence we see real footage of the Brierly's visiting Kamla in Khandwa in 2013. We also learn that Saroo had been mispronouncing his name his entire life, and that in fact it is 'Sheru' - a derivative Hindi word for 'Lion'.

This really is a remarkable true story that avoids all the talking heads and voiceovers you might expect from such a production. It is a simple story told with a deft touch by this first time Director, underpinned by strong, grounded and believable performances from its cast - not the least being young Sunny Pawar who is the standout here caught between two very different worlds. But credit where it's due too to Dev Patel and Nicole Kidman for their performances also that keep it real and emotional. The second half labours in places, but this is only a minor criticism - after all, just how interesting can you make someone else relentless Google Earth search? Take a box of tissues for this uplifting weepie tale of loss, hope, belonging and identity. You won't be disappointed!

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

Brother Grimsby

Sasha Baron Cohen was brilliant, Ali G was great, the movie was so so, Borat was great, Bruno was so so....the Dictator was so so......the Brothers Grimsby is so so. There isn't much to say here, it is a fun flick at times, but rather dull, i really was rooting for this flick, the trailer was a lot of fun, but the film, lack luster. The formula has been done, this had a new twist in the type of characters, likable characters, but it wasn't enough.

What's new in Odeon's this week : Thursday 26th January 2017.

Continuing with the Awards Season updates, the 43rd Annual People's Choice Awards were held at the Microsoft Theatre in Los Angeles on 18th January 2017, recognising the people and their work in popular culture as voted by the general public. In the film category (there are also music, television and digital categories amounting to a total 65 awards handed out on the night) there are sixteen awards given as highlighted below. The ceremony was hosted by Actor, Comedian, Writer, Producer and Television Personality Joel McHale.

* Favourite Movie and Favourite Family Movie : 'FINDING DORY'
* Favourite Thriller Movie : 'THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN'
* Favourite Drama Movie : 'ME BEFORE YOU'
* Favourite Action Movie : 'DEADPOOL'
* Favourite Comedy Movie : 'BAD MOMS'
* Favourite Movie Actor : Ryan Reynolds
* Favourite Movie Actress : Jennifer Lawrence
* Favourite Action Movie Actor : Robert Downey Jnr.
* Favourite Action Movie Actress : Margot Robbie
* Favourite Dramatic Movie Actor : Tom Hanks
* Favourite Dramatic Movie Actress : Blake Lively
* Favourite Comedy Movie Actor : Kevin Hart
* Favourite Comedy Movie Actress : Melissa McCarthy
* Favourite Animated Movie Voice : Ellen DeGeneres for 'FINDING DORY'
* Favourite Movie Icon : Johnny Depp

This week there are four new offerings coming to your local multiplex or independent theatre. We start off with a prohibition era gangster film charting one mans rise to the top of the heap as seen through the lens of this Actor who also Writes and Directs in this his fourth feature behind the camera. We then move to a hugely acclaimed coming of age drama charting the life of one lad from young boyhood to manhood and his sexual awakenings and the drug scene that makes him what he is. Next up is an intense psychological thriller of multiple split personalities and the kidnapping of three girls as Directed by the master of suspense and surprises, and a career defining performance from the lead Actor, before wrapping up with the sixth instalment in a huge video game adapted film franchise that features the undead, mutant monsters and an evil corporation hell bent on wiping out civilisation as we know it.

As always you are cordially invited to share your movie going insights, observations and opinions with your like minded Cinephiles here at Odeon Online by leaving your relevant, constructive and pertinent Comment below this or any other Post. Meanwhile, enjoy your film in the week ahead.

'LIVE BY NIGHT' (Rated MA15+) - acclaimed Actor, Producer, Screenwriter and Director Ben Affleck is back with his fourth Directorial offering after 2007's 'Gone Baby Gone', 2010's 'The Town' and 2012's 'Argo', but with this 1920's era gangster offering based on the 2012 novel of the same name by Dennis Lehane he has so far garnered his most lacklustre Director reviews. With Affleck Directing and starring as well taking the script credit and a Co-Producer credit alongside Leonardo DiCaprio, featuring a strong cast and a budget of US$65M the film has grossed just US$16M since its US release at Christmas. Perhaps timing is everything given the time of the year the film is released, what it is up against at the Box Office and the awards seasons focusing attention on more critically acclaimed fare. All that said, there are positives to be had, including strong visuals, an impressive cast and an entertainment factor - just not in the same league as Affleck's other three award winning feature films.

Set in Prohibition era Boston initially where Joe Coughlin (Ben Affleck) has been raised by his father Thomas Coughlin (Brendan Gleeson) the head of the Boston Police Department. When Joe falls in love with Emma Gould (Sienna Miller), the mistress of Albert White (Robert Glenister) who is the figurehead of the Irish Gang of Boston, the rival Italian Mafia Boss blackmails Joe to kill White. When he refuses he flees to California with Emma and along the way commits a daring bank robbery in which three policemen are killed. When Joe is imprisoned on a lesser charge he falls into the clutches of the Mafia Boss and is sent to Tampa, Florida to protect the interests of his rum production empire. Joe himself starts to rise to (underworld) prominence by investing in clubs and casino's but is targeted by the Ku Klux Klan starting an all out war for dominance, but where and how will it all end? Also starring Chris Cooper, Elle Fanning and Zoe Saldana.

'MOONLIGHT' (Rated M) - Written for the screen and Directed by Barry Jenkins based on the play 'In Moonlight Black Boys Look Blue' by Tarell Alvin McCraney, this film has gained universal acclaim since its release Stateside in October last year, has made US$16M from its US$5M budget outlay and has garnered an impressive 140 award wins and another 222 nominations including The Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture plus five other nominations, four BAFTA nominations with winners yet to be announced and the yet to be released Academy Award hopefuls. Telling the coming of age story in three distinct chapters, we here chart the life of young Chiron (Alex Hibbert) known as 'Little' because of his meek and mild personality and stature. He lives with his abusive drug addicted mother Paula (Naomi Harris) in Miami whom he hates. In the second chapter Chiron is now a teenager played by Ashton Sanders. Here Chiron has his first sexual encounter, and gets arrested as a result of being the victim of an initiation ritual. In the final chapter Chiron now known as 'Black' (played by Trevante Rhodes) is a drug dealer in Atlanta. Grappling with himself across three defining segments in his life, this films charts the pain and torment of growing up, the pleasure and beauty of love and the consequences of your actions on your own life and those around you. Disturbing, heartbreaking, personal, tender and insightful this is a grounded drama that should be on your must see list.

'SPLIT' (Rated M) - Written, Co-Produced and Directed by M. Night Shyamalan this is described as a psychological horror film, but for me it's fits more in the thriller domain and certainly is edge of the seat stuff as the story progresses. The film costs US$10M to make and represents a return to form for the Writer/Director following 2015's successful found footage horror offering 'The Visit' which cost just US$5M and returned US$99M and was well received by Critics. The film kicks off in a fast food restaurant where a bunch of teenage girls are wrapping up celebrating a birthday party. Claire (Haley Lu Richardson) and Marcia (Jessica Sula) are wanting to go home with Dad who refuses to leave outsider Casey (Anya Taylor-Joy) alone without a lift home. A few moments pass, and in the car park and into the drivers seat gets a stranger that none of the girls have seen before. Before you know it he sprays a chemical into each of the girls faces that instantly renders them unconscious. Dad is nowhere to be seen. The unknown captor drives off with the three girls. The character at the heart of the film is Kevin Wendell Crumb suffering from dissociative identity disorder whereby he frequently exhibits the personality traits of any one of 23 alternate personalities (all of them played out expertly by James McAvoy). As these characters manifest themselves they can be dangerous, monstrous, creepy, funny, harmless, young, old, male, female. What unfolds as these alternate personalities spring forth is the emergence of an all powerful, dominant, almost superhuman 24th personality known only as 'The Beast' which Kevin's analyst, Dr. Karen Fletcher (Betty Buckley), can only begin to understand, and whilst the three held captive girls attempt to escape their captor. I caught an early viewing of this film a week before its Australian release, so check out my full Review posted on 20th January if you want more.

'RESIDENT EVIL : THE FINAL CHAPTER' (Rated MA15+) - this film sees the sixth instalment in the Sci-Fi action horror series that began its big screen life back in 2002 having been adapted for the screen from the popular video game of the same name. Back then Paul W.S. Anderson was hired to Write and Direct - a role he stuck with four of the films including the last three as Director, as Writer on all six and as Co-Producer on all six too. Milla Jovovich has played Alice, the #1 kick-ass leather clad protagonist in all six films fighting against the Umbrella Corporation, the main antagonist in the series - a bioengineering pharmaceutical company that creates bioweapons. Umbrella was responsible for the zombie apocalypse, which occurred after the corporation's T-virus infected the Earth's population. The first five films cost a combined US$250M to make, and so far those films have returned US$916M with 'The Final Chapter' earning so far US$35M since its release in Japan at Christmas. The film is released in the US on 27th January. Here the story takes place three weeks after the events closed out 'Resident Evil : Retribution' that sees Alice return to Raccoon City where it all began and where Umbrella Corporation are gathering forces and readying themselves for the final attack on the remaining survivors of the apocalypse. As Alice joins forces with some old allies and friends you can bet it will be a bloody brutal battle against marauding hordes of the undead and pesky mutant monster types. The films also stars Ruby Rose, Iain Glen, Ali Larter and Shawn Roberts.

For films aimed squarely at the late-teen market and above this week, but offering the undead, unhinged split personalities, prohibition gangsters, and one mans coming of age story with the back drop of the War on Drugs. What's not to like here? Get yourself out to a movie theatre in the week ahead and catch a film of choice as Previewed here, or as Reviewed previously. In the meantime, I'll see you in the coming week sometime, somewhere at the Odeon.

-Steve, at Odeon Online-

20th Century Women

This was a refreshing film, the plot is simple yet told in a great way. The cast was fantastic, especially Greta Gerwig, so is so damn cool & hot in this! I almost wish the film focused more on her, but had it done so it would have been a drastically different film. The story is part coming of age comedy, part family drama, a semi period piece but all around brilliance.

Gods of Egypt

What happened to Alex Proyas? Spirits in the Air, Gremlins in the Clouds is awesome, the Crow is one of my favorite films of all time, Dark City is perfect, even Garage Days is a lot of fun. But I Robot is bland, Knowing is super bland, and now he has done his worst film, Golds of Egypt....ugh, where to start? Where to end? This whole film is a mess, it looks cool, but story wise it is a bigger mess than anything in the DCEU.

The Good Place

This is a forking great show. How the fork is a show about heaven & hell so forking good? The jokes are well timed, the actors seem genuine, this is a return to form for NBC. The station had lost its lure after the end of Parks & Rec and Community switching to Yahoo. The concept is great, the characters are great....the finale.....changed all of that. It was a great finale, don't get me wrong, but it rendered the show's season pointless. How season 2 shapes up will be anyone's guess, i am stoked to see it play out though. This is one of the best sitcoms on tv, and there aren't many pure sitcoms left that are this good.