ODEON Magazine 61 by Future Plus

november 2013

A tab a Blu-r let and ay with T player ho

The D r: ar World k

Stranded in space!

...with Sandra Bullock and George Clooney in Gravity

Teenager trouble!

Carrie has a new kind of girl power

the hunger games:

catching fire Jennifer Lawrence and Josh Hutcherson return to fight for their lives in the Arena

PLUS! last vegas the family the counsellor

Watch the trailer

november 2013 IsSUE 61

In this ODEON Magazine we follow the life-and-death trials of Jennifer Lawrence in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and Sandra Bullock in Gravity. Plus we have all the usual film news and previews! 04 coming soon!

Film news, gossip and previews, with early peeks at The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug and Frozen, plus a crossword – this month our star is Jennifer Lawrence.

16 feature: Catching fire

We take a look at Katniss Everdeen’s return to the Hunger Games Arena in this action-packed sequel.

21 competition: win a tablet & Blu-ray Player! To celebrate the release of Thor: The Dark World, we’re offering the chance to win some fabulous tech goodies!

22 feature: gravity

George Clooney and Sandra Bullock battle to stay alive as they float in space. We find out what it was like to film Alfonso Cuarón’s sci-fi drama...

26 out now

The films in your ODEON cinemas this month, including Thor: The Dark World, Last Vegas, The Family, Philomena, The Counsellor and Carrie.

Restaura nt worth £1 vouchers our onlin 00 with e rea survey o der n page 15!

34 moment in time To accompany the release of her film The Counsellor, we take a look at the glamorous Penélope Cruz at the ODEON premiere of Nine in 2009. ODEON CINEMAS Marketing Marissa La Spina

maga zine EDITORIAL Editorial Director Stephen Pierce Editor Jayne Nelson Writers Jayne Nelson, James White Art Editor Michael Poole Picture Editor Sarah Gerrard-Jones FUTUREFILM Editorial Director Jim Douglas

FUTUREPLUS Director, FuturePlus UK Jayne Caple Art Directors Dermot Rushe Stuart Hobbs Senior Account Manager Lisa Dunham Head Of Operations Mark Donald Production & Procurement Manager Matt Eglinton Printed by Precision Colour Printing, Telford ODEON Magazine covers a wide range of films and, as such, may contain content that is not suitable for younger customers.

FuturePlus is the Specialist Publishing Agency of Future Publishing Ltd and a member of the Content Marketing Association. ODEON Cinemas are proud to have been awarded the Carbon Trust Standard.

Odeon Magazine Is Published On Behalf Of Odeon By FuturePlus, A Division Of Future Publishing Limited (Company No 2008885), Whose Registered Office Is At 30 Monmouth Street, Bath Ba1 2bw. Tel: 01225 442244. Www.Futureplus.Co.Uk

Apple Inc. is neither a sponsor of, nor affiliated in any way with the competitions in this issue.

All information correct at time of going to press.

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The latest film news and previews from ODEON...

Take A Bow!

The Elves join the fun in The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug...

he last time we saw our trusty band of dwarves (plus a hobbit named Bilbo and their wizard guide, Gandalf), they were about to enter the next stretch of their long journey to the Lonely Mountain to steal back their long-lost gold from the dragon, Smaug. This Christmas we rejoin them – and boy, do they have a lot on their plate. From giant spiders to grumpy Wood elves, the dwarves may find that the dragon is the least of their problems... Fans of The Lord Of The Rings films will be pleased to spot Orlando Bloom’s Legolas 4 odeon.co.uk

in The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug, but he’s not the Legolas we know. This is the younger version from decades before Frodo’s quest, and what’s more, he’s on his home turf this time as the dwarves travel through his kingdom, Mirkwood Forest. His father, King Thranduil (Lee Pace), isn't too happy to see them there, mind you... Joining Legolas is a new character, Tauriel, an Elf played by Lost’s Evangeline Lilly. “She’s slightly reckless and totally ruthless and doesn’t hesitate to kill,” she says of the red-headed leader of the Elven Guard, who was added to the story by co-

writer/director Peter Jackson because otherwise the entire story would have focused on men only (it was for this reason that Cate Blanchett’s Galadriel was also added to the first film). With Tauriel adding some “female energy”, according to screenwriter Philippa Boyens, that means there’s also the hint of a romance in this otherwise action-filled adventure. Are Tauriel and Legolas more than friends? Or does she have an eye on one of the more handsome dwarves? “I can’t give away too much about it,” teases Lilly. “It’s not a huge focus but it is there.” Rejoin the quest on 13 December.

Middle-earth

Newbies! The new characters joining the adventure in The Desolation Of Smaug…

1. Legolas

(Orlando Bloom)

Legolas isn’t mentioned in JRR Tolkien’s book, but Peter Jackson has made the sensible assumption that seeing as the dwarves visit his home during this film, there’s every chance a young Legolas would have been there. Bloom hasn’t aged a day since his Rings work – is he an elf himself?

Did You Know?

Stephen Fry appears in the film as the Master of Laketown. “My character is an opportunity for sheer grossness!” he promises.

2. Bard The Bowman

Watch the trailer

THE HOBBIT: THE DESOLATION OF SMAUG TBC RELEASED 13 December DIRECTOR Peter Jackson STARRING Martin Freeman, Ian McKellen, Richard Armitage, Lee Pace

(Luke Evans)

This guy already has a heroic role in The Hobbit book, but his character has been expanded for the film. Played by Luke Evans (currently filming a new Dracula blockbuster), Bard will protect his home, Laketown, at all costs... but is he a match for a dragon?

3. Beorn

(Mikael Persbrandt)

This imposing chap offers Bilbo and the dwarves some muchneeded rest and refuge during their journey, but he’s no ordinary man: he can change into something rather big and hairy... And scary!

4. Tauriel

(Evangeline Lilly)

One of the Mirkwood Elves, Tauriel (her name means “woodland daughter”) was raised alongside Legolas and isn’t as hostile towards the dwarves as the rest of her people are. She’s one of the few brand-new characters to Tolkien’s saga.

fanatical about film 5

To forgive and forget?

Julianne Moore as Carrie’s unbalanced mother.

uring the second world war, British soldier Eric Lomax was captured by the Japanese and forced to work on the Thai-Burma railway in horrendous conditions, which included torture. Years later, he fell in love with a woman who persuaded him to track down the officer responsible for his treatment. Was the still-traumatised Lomax able to forgive him? This moving story has been turned into drama The Railway Man, with Colin Firth playing Lomax alongside Nicole Kidman as his wife, Patti. Lomax died last year at the age of 93, but Firth did meet him. “I found him nothing but a delight,” he says, but admits their meeting was tough. “You do feel a little overwhelmed by the enormity of the story you are trying to tell.” The Railway Man opens on 3 January 2014.

Watch the trailer

More Moore...

Julianne Moore gets her fright on in Carrie and then joins The Hunger Games

his month you can catch Julianne Moore in the creepy horror remake Carrie, in which she plays the horribly unhinged mother of the telekinetic teenager played by Chloë Grace Moretz. It’s a stunning performance, could it nab Moore her first Oscar, after being nominated four times? If not, her next big role will be that of President Alma Coin in The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2. The two-part finale of the trilogy will feature Moore playing the leader of the rebellion against President Snow (Donald Sutherland), but she might not be quite as nice as she seems... The films open on 21 November 2014 and 20 November 2015.

Nicole Kidman and Colin Firth as Patti and Eric Lomax.

Film gossip Breaking news, direct from Hollywood… Kurt Russell has signed up for Fast And Furious 7... moon director Duncan Jones has confirmed he’s making a World Of Warcraft film... Magician caper Now You See Me will be getting a sequel... The new Star 6 odeon.co.uk

Wars films will shoot on old-fashioned 35mm rather than digital... Lady Gaga (pictured) has a cameo in Sin City 2: A Dame To Kill For... The latest jolly-rogering Pirates film will be

called Pirates Of The Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales... Christian Bale will play Moses opposite Joel Edgerton's Ramses in Exodus...

Colin Firth’s The Railway Man tells an extraordinary, true-life wartime story

Watch the trailer

PHOTOs: REX FEATURES, Fox Searchlight/PLANET PHOTOS, ©DreamWorks II Distribution Co., LLC.

Below (top): Cumberbatch as Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate. Bottom: with Chiwetel Ejiofor in 12 Years A Slave.

The dragon’s share Benedict Cumberbatch is fast becoming one of our most prolific actors...

t’s only been three years since Benedict Cumberbatch moved into 221B Baker Street and started solving crimes as Sherlock Holmes on our TV screens, but since then we’ve been seeing him, it seems, absolutely everywhere. From War Horse to Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy, he’s been making his mark on the big screen with a combination of talent and luck that most actors would kill for. And his fame was secured this summer after he wowed audiences in Star Trek Into Darkness. If some people had missed him in TV’s Sherlock, they certainly know who he is now! Last month Cumberbatch played the controversial Wikileaks founder Julian Assange in The Fifth Estate, and on 13 December he appears in The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug as the voice of dragon Smaug himself (as well as

a smaller role as the necromancer Gandalf must deal with). But there’s more: on 26 December he co-stars with Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts in family drama August: Osage County, while on 24 January he plays a preacher slave-owner in the stunning true story (and potential Oscar-gatherer) 12 Years A Slave. Next year, The Imitation Game sees him bringing the life of Enigma code-breaker Alan Turing to the screen, and in 2015 he goes from serious to ridiculous in The Penguins Of Madagascar (the spin-off from the Madagascar films, starring the plucky British birds). Somewhere in between all of this, he’s also managed to shoot the second series of Sherlock. How Cumberbatch can fit all of this into his life is a mystery for Holmes himself...

fanatical about film 9

Snowy weather

Disney’s Frozen will fulfill all your Christmas magic needs! oosely adapted from the Hans Christian Andersen story The Snow Queen, Frozen is the latest film from the creators of Tangled and Wreck-It Ralph. It’s the story of the resourceful Anna (voiced by Kristen Bell), who must set off on a quest to save her elder sister Elsa (Idina Menzel), aka the Snow Queen herself. Elsa accidentally cursed her kingdom to eternal winter and has banished herself as a punishment, but Anna is determined to get her back and restore the land to life. She teams up with the mountain man Kristoff (Jonathan Groff) and his bubbly reindeer companion Sven (who seems to think he’s a dog...) to battle on

through the land’s horrible that easy,” says producer Peter weather to find the Queen. Del Vecho. Find out if the The film features so much animators achieved their goal snow and ice, in fact, that the when Frozen opens animators took trips to chilly in cinemas on 6 December. Canada and Norway so that they could study the substances in their natural environment. “Getting animated ice to have the depth and refraction that real ice has – to actually see through it and feel that depth to Kristoff and Sven slip... – is something the rescue! Don’t that actually isn’t

Hold the stuffing!

Reggie (Owen Wilson) and Jake (Woody Harrelson) want an end to turkey meals!

Watch the trailer

ere in the UK we eat turkeys for Christmas, but in the United States they’re more usually eaten for Thanksgiving in November. This is a tradition that’s been going since the 17th century... or has it? In Free Birds, two turkeys decide to use a time machine to go

10 odeon.co.uk

back and change history, thus ensuring that millions of turkeys through the centuries don’t get eaten over the holidays. Their bird-brained caper stars Owen Wilson, Amy Poehler and Woody Harrelson, and opens on 29 November. Leave the cranberry sauce at home...

Free Birds will make you think twice about your turkey dinner...

the NEW-LOOK

ODEON

Check out our new site!

WEBSITE STARrING MY ODEON! T

his month we’re proud to introduce our all-new My ODEON, starring you, your cinema and your films. If you check out our website at www.odeon.co.uk you can find and enjoy a world of film at your fingertips. The fully interactive and personalised new digital arena makes it possible to choose your favourite ODEON cinemas, create a watchlist for future releases, book effortlessly online

and rate and review the films you've seen. Love watching trailers? No problem! You can create your own playlists so that your favourites can be watched backto-back with our new trailer player. If a trailer catches your eye, you can leave comments and share it with your friends on any social media platform. Want to go and see the whole film? You can add the title to your watchlist in a flash.

We want you to be able to share in the excitement around any film. So we added a ‘buzz rating’ that lets everyone know which films you can’t wait for. Check out the new My ODEON feature today on www.odeon.co.uk. Already registered with the site or an ODEON Première Club member? Your My ODEON page is set up and waiting for you! Visit the site today and check it out.

A cinema site is tailored for you with My Odeon.

odeon.co.uk 11

The dance crew prepares to win a title for the US of A!

Download

ODEON Magazine!

The life-or-death moves in new 3D dance-off Battle Of The Year will make your jaw drop...

ou’ve never seen dancing like this before... Starring Lost’s Josh Holloway and musician Chris Brown, Battle Of The Year is the story of a spectacular dance competition which is the biggest in the world, attracting teams from all over the globe. Embarrassingly, the Americans haven’t won in 15 years. This year, they’re going to nail it. A group of dancers from all walks of life are taken to a boot camp run by coach Jason Blake

(Holloway): there, they must put aside their differences to dance like nobody’s danced before. Filmed in 3D, this is one dance film that will leave you breathless! See the moves for yourself on 15 November.

work Can these guys camp? together in boot

Future releases coming to an ODEON near you...

THE HARRY HILL MOVIE TBC AMERICAN HUSTLE TBC

ANCHORMAN: THE

RELEASED 20 DECEMBER RELEASED 20 DECEMBER LEGEND CONTINUES TBC Harry Hill, Julie Walters and Matt A con artist must work with the RELEASED 20 DECEMBER Lucas star in this bonkers comedy in which Hill visits Blackpool and surreal chaos ensues.

8 odeon.co.uk 12

FBI in this drama directed by David One of the most eagerly-awaited sequels of all time sees Will Ferrell's O Russell and with a star-studded newsman return to the airwaves. cast including Christian Bale.

Dance crazy!

Get even more from your ODEON Magazine when you download the new-look interactive digital edition with bags of extra content! Simply go to Apple Newsstand and download the free app to get a copy delivered to your device each month. Alternatively, visit www.odeon.co.uk to flick through the magazine online. Perfect for keeping on top of the films showing at ODEON, with features, news and reviews. There’s no excuse to miss out!

They said it We loved it

Judi Dench

The best quotes from the star of this month’s Philomena

chocolat

“Chili pepper in hot chocolate? Psh!” “I think you’re a sexist, misogynist dinosaur. A relic of the Cold War.”

goldeneye

“I know something of a woman in a man’s profession. Yes, by God, I do know about that.” shakespeare in love

“We’ve had some good shows, but they’re not daring enough. Let’s get rid of the clothes.” mrs henderson presents

“I think every character is interesting and has extremes. It’s the novelist privilege to see how odd everyone is.” iris

“Find Bond!” quantum of solace

“A handbag...?” the importance of being earnest

“007, what the hell are you doing? Are you kidnapping me?”

Crossword Corner! Jennifer Lawrence is this month’s puzzle star... Test your knowledge of the Oscarwinning Jennifer Lawrence with this crossword dedicated to the star of

Clues Across 1. Gary __, director of the first Hunger Games. (4) 3 across & 4 down. The House At The __ Of The __. (3, 6) 8. Finnick Odair, aka Sam Claflin, will star in The __ Ones next year. (5) 11. __ Trinket. (5) 12. __ Crazy. (4) 13. Stanley __ plays Caesar Flickerman. (5) 15. The real first name of X-Men’s Mystique. (5) 16. What colour was Lawrence painted to play Mystique? (4) 17. __ Pupil starred

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, out in cinemas on 21 November. Good luck!

X-Men’s Ian McKellen. (3) 20. Lawrence’s co-star in The Beaver, __ Gibson. (3) 21. The name for a Hunger Games participant. (7) 23. The __ You Know. (5) 24. January Jones is __ Frost in X-Men: First Class. (4) 25. Silver Linings Playbook co-star Robert De __. (4) Down 2. Elisabeth __ starred in 3 across with Lawrence. (4) 4. See 3 across. 5. Lawrence’s Hunger Games co-star Liam is the brother of screen superhero __. (4) 6. In 10 down, Lawrence famously skinned what? (8)

7. __ Magazine named Lawrence one of their 100 Most Influential People. (4) 9. Charlize __ co-starred in Lawrence’s first film, The Burning Plain. (6) 10. __ Bone. (7) 14. Mystique was originally played by __ Romijn. (7) 16. Silver Linings Playbook co-star __ Cooper. (7) 18. The country in The Hunger Games. (5) 19. Lawrence auditioned for the role of __ in Twilight. (5) 21. What did Lawrence do as she collected her Oscar? (4) 22. Peeta’s job. (5) Answers on page 32!

skyfall

fanatical about film 13

ODEON READER survey

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Go online and take part in our survey and you could win a restaurant voucher worth

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Spend five minutes online telling us what you think of ODEON Magazine! The survey is open to all ODEON Magazine readers. So whether you’re a regular reader, or this is the first time you’ve picked up a copy, we’d love to hear from you!

We’d like to know… • What parts of the magazine interest you the most? • What sort of articles would you like to see in future issues of the magazine? • What type of films do you go to the cinema to watch? All replies received by 2 December 2013 will be entered into our prize draw for two lucky readers to win £100 worth of vouchers each to spend at a restaurant of your choice.* You can choose from 1,000 restaurants!

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Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen is thrust into the arena to fight for her life once more in The Hunger Games: Catching Fire. Will she be lucky enough to survive another round?

Watch the trailer

Book tickets

t wasn’t really much of a surprise that the first Hunger Games film was a massive box-office smash, given how popular its source material was. The trilogy of books by Suzanne Collins, telling the story of Katniss Everdeen and her gripping life-or-death trials, has developed a following to rival that of the Twilight franchise. Now we’ve got the screen version of the first book out of the way, it’s time for the sequel, The Hunger Games: Catching Fire, to hit cinemas. Set in the same dystopian, war-ruined country of Panem (the former America?), with the merciless, wealthy Capitol and its privileged citizens ruling over the

16 odeon.co.uk

poverty-stricken, seemingly powerless “Districts”, Catching Fire picks up the story after the first film. Resourceful, headstrong Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and fellow “Tribute” Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson) have survived their time in the arena, battling youngsters plucked by perverse lottery to fight to the death in the Hunger Games. Paraded by their Capitol overseers on a Victors’ Tour, Katniss and Peeta are instead becoming symbols of resistance for the Districts, which quickly causes concern for the nasty President Snow (Donald Sutherland). Soon, he’s plotting to put the two heroes back into the arena to fight not some random assortment of

the hunger games: catching fire Seeitfrom 21 November

fanatical about film 17

other Tributes, but teams made up of other previous Games survivors, some of them utterly ruthless. The scene is set for a much more complicated battle of wits as Katniss and Peeta come up against the likes of charming, cunning veteran Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin).

New Tributes

British actor Claflin, who appeared in the most recent Pirates Of The Caribbean film, certainly fits the bill as the handsome Finnick, though admits he was nervous when first called to audition. “Finnick is supposed to be this godlike creature,” he told Glamour magazine. “I remember sitting in the audition room and this kid walked in. He was seriously one of the most handsome men I’ve ever seen. I was just, ‘Nah, this is never going to happen...!’” Lawrence’s Katniss is still the same determined woman from before, even if she has been through the wringer. “Her life is very different now,” Lawrence says. “She’s suffering posttraumatic stress from the Games.” Other things have improved, though: “She never has to worry about food any more. She’s living in the Victor’s Village and that makes her feel useless, in a way.” After all, there are still people starving out there in the real world... There remains, of course, the tragic love triangle between Katniss, apparent soulmate Gale (Liam Hemsworth) and Peeta, who loves her more than she can truly understand. “She’s experienced something with Peeta that leaves them understanding each other in a certain way,” says Lawrence. “She’s lived most of her life close to Gale, but now Peeta understands bits that Gale can’t.” 18 odeon.co.uk

Caesar Flickerman (Stanley Tucci) shows off Katniss’s new look for the Capitol crowds.

Katniss reassures her little sister, Primrose (Willow Shields).

Book to film

While the new film hews fairly close to the book’s plot, there are some notable changes. Some are simply a matter of time: this is, after all, a film, not a miniseries and there isn’t the space to squeeze everything in (it’s for this very reason that the third book, Mockingjay, has been split into two films). So, for example, fans must bid goodbye to young Peacekeeper Darius, who saves Gale from punishment in District 12 and pays a terrible price. And Hutcherson’s Peeta gets a slight story shift. “We made some changes to Peeta’s narrative,”

director Francis Lawrence told Entertainment Weekly. “We manned him up a little. The story doesn’t really change, his relationship with Katniss doesn’t change; he’s just a different kind of character.” Lawrence (no relation to Jennifer, and the man behind I Am Legend and Water For Elephants) takes over the directorial reins from Gary Ross and explains that while it will

the hunger games: catching fire Seeitfrom 21 November Gale (Liam Hemsworth), always ready to rebel for Katniss.

Girl on Fire Why we all love Jennifer Lawrence...

The scheming President Snow (Donald Sutherland).

Gamemaker Plutarch (Philip Seymour Hoffman) with Haymitch (Woody Harrelson).

maintain the spirit, we can expect Catching Fire to employ some different visuals. “The look of the film is very different than the first one,” he says. “The costumes are a little different, the visual effects are different, and the setpieces, the action are all pretty spectacular.” And if you weren’t a big fan of the shaky-cam shooting from last time – which made some viewers a little nauseous, sadly

– you don’t have to worry. “I did something different. That style of camerawork is not my thing,” says Lawrence. “I like to be intimate with people but I also like to have a sense of place, so I shoot with different kinds of lenses and different lighting.” The Hunger Games: Catching Fire is perhaps a different proposition, then, but we’d bet good money that the odds are in its favour.

She’s quickly become one of the best-loved stars working in films today. Although many people first heard of Jennifer Lawrence when she starred in The Hunger Games in 2012, she’d already been working for a few years – in fact, in 2011 she scored an Oscar nomination for playing a girl looking for her father in gripping indie drama Winter’s Bone. Respected for her acting chops – proven when she finally scored that Academy Award this year for her role in Silver Linings Playbook – she’s also charmed us with her goofy red carpet antics, and handled tripping up the stage steps as she walked to collect her Oscar like a pro! Film-wise, she’ll soon be seen as the younger Mystique in X-Men: Days Of Future Past; will reunite with Silver Linings’ David O Russell for con-comedy drama American Hustle, and will play Katniss again for The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Parts 1 and 2. All this... and she’s still only 23!

fanatical about film 19

Competition THOR: THE DAR WORLD K IN CINEMA FROM 3 S OCTOBE0 R

Book tickets

Watch the trailer

Win!

A Samsung Galaxy tablet and a Blu-ray/DVD player!

hris Hemsworth is back as the mighty Norse god Thor in this spectacular 3D adventure from Marvel! Set one year after Thor teamed up with his fellow Marvel superheroes to fight his warmongering brother, Loki (Tom Hiddleston), he’s now back home in Asgard and Loki is in prison. There’s not much time for him to relax with dad Odin (Anthony Hopkins), however, because there’s more trouble on the way. The mysterious

Malekith (Christopher Eccleston) wants to plunge the universe into darkness. The only way he can be defeated is for Thor to team up with scientist Jane Foster (Natalie Portman)… along with the devious Loki! To celebrate the release of this superhero blockbuster, we’re offering readers the chance to win a fantastic Samsung Galaxy tablet and a Blu-ray/DVD player. Simply answer the question to be in with a chance, by Odin’s beard!

How to enter JUST ANSWER THIS QUESTION Chris Hemsworth’s Thor also appeared in which box-office blockbuster from last year? A. The Amazing Spider-Man B. Iron Man 3 C. Avengers Assemble Go to www.futurecomps.co.uk/ world and answer by midday on 27 November 2013. Or text WORLD to 87474 followed by A, B or C and your name and address. PRIZE INCLUDES: • A Samsung Galaxy Tab 2 10.1inch Tablet (16GB, WiFi, Android 4.0) • A Samsung BD-F7500 3D Ultra HD Smart Blu-ray/DVD Player

Apple Inc. is neither a sponsor of, nor affiliated in any way with the competitions in this issue. Terms and conditions: Closing date is 27 November 2013. The competition is open to UK residents only and excludes employees or agents of ODEON, Disney or anyone professionally connected with the promotion and their immediate families. The winner will be drawn at random from all correct entries received. The judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into. One entry per household only. There is no cash alternative. Please allow 28 days prize fulfilment from the date of claim. By entering this competition, you agree to be bound by Future’s competition rules and to receive details of future offers and promotions from Future Publishing Limited and related third parties. If you do not want to receive this information, include “no info” at the end of your text message/email. Late or incomplete entries will be disqualified. Entries must be submitted by an individual (not via any agency or similar) and are limited to one per household. Texts cost £1.00 per entry plus standard network rates. For full terms and conditions go to www.futurenet.com/futureonline/competitionrules.asp

odeon.co.uk 21

Alfonso Cuarón’s heart-stopping drama Gravity stars Sandra Bullock and George Clooney as astronauts stranded when their shuttle is destroyed. How on Earth (or even above it) did he bring it to life?

Watch the trailer

Book tickets

he chance to soar into space – or at least, near-Earth orbit – is a dream for many people. But what happens when it turns into a living nightmare? Usually, the question is answered via big space battles, laser weapons and aliens with lots of eyes. But for Alfonso Cuarón, the man who made Harry Potter And The Prisoner Of Azkaban and Children Of Men, the response was to craft a tension-filled, reality-based drama called Gravity. Written by Cuarón alongside his son, Jonas, Gravity has been a four-years-in-the-making labour of love dogged by false starts and casting changes. But now it’s being talked up as a real 22 odeon.co.uk

Oscar contender thanks to some astounding visuals, creative effects and the passionate performances of George Clooney and Sandra Bullock. Clooney is Matt Kowalsky, a veteran space jockey tasked with helping nervous firsttimer Dr Ryan Stone (Bullock) complete her work on the Hubble telescope. Tragedy strikes when a random accident destroys their shuttle, leaving them tethered and stranded as the life-giving air in their suits drains away and the panic rises. It sounds incredibly tense and dramatic, and indeed audiences have been reporting that it’s a thrill ride with a brain and a heart. Making the film was even more of an endurance test,

GRAVITY Seeitfrom 8 November

especially for Bullock. Though she avoided having to face one fear when the filmmakers scrapped a plan to shoot in NASA’s famous zero gravitysimulating “Vomit Comet” plane (used in Apollo 13), she still spent up to 10 hours a day strapped into a harness inside a nine-by-nine-foot cube, so legions of special effects technicians could create the effect of her floating in space. Fortunately, she had two helpful support systems. “The only communication I had was sound – Alfonso on a microphone and George’s voice,” she says. “Knowing George like I do, and his voice being as soothing as it is, that was my relationship with him. When I heard him, in

an odd way, it was like life came back into the headsets. So when he came on, feeding me the lines, it was the weirdest way of working, but it was very intimate to have his voice there and made it so helpful for the character.” And when things got too tough even for her, there was an emergency backup in the shape of her adopted son, Louis. “There were a couple of times I was having a bad day, and you just knew someone would say over the walkie talkies, ‘Cue the kid, get the kid...’ And all of a sudden, I’d be in this pod trying to quietly think and you’d see a little head lifted out of nowhere... ‘Momma, why you do that, momma?’” fanatical about film 23

Space

Dr Ryan Stone (Sandra Bullock) on her first spacewalk.

operatics Enjoy intelligent sci-fi drama like Gravity? Check these out…

Moon (2009) Duncan Jones makes a stonking directorial debut with this tale of Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) finding double trouble on the moon.

Solaris (1972)

Just what is causing the occupants of a distant space station to go astro-nuts? A psychologist is dispatched to find out, but discovers something very strange…

Bullock had to work in simulated zero-gravity.

Silent Running (1971) As the director, Cuarón didn’t have to sit in a cramped cube, but he did have to oversee the development of new technologies to bring the film’s vision to life. “The goal was for the film to feel like one of those IMAX documentaries that went absolutely wrong,” he says. “We had to create different technologies involving robotics and lights, computerised wire systems. And we had to previsualise everything with animation first to get the timing right. I would discuss with Sandra closely because once we signed off on those animations, they were going to be used to programme the machines, and there was no wriggle room.” 24 odeon.co.uk

Despite Clooney’s presence on set, there also wasn’t much room for pranks, as the famously mischievous star kept his habit of playing tricks on co-stars in check. “There was a truce,” says Bullock. “This film was so hard; pranks had no place. How are you going to prank someone who’s hanging from scaffolding with 12 wires and rigged up all day?” “They just decided not to get each other,” agrees Cuarón, who also says the actors took it easy on him, too. “We didn’t prank you,” laughs Bullock. “We just made fun of you!” In space, no one can hear you… giggle.

Eco-sci-fi featuring Bruce Dern as Freeman Lowell, who tends some of the few remaining plants from Earth, sent into space to protect them. You will cry.

Apollo 13 (1995)

Tom Hanks stars as Jim Lovell, whose three-man team seemed doomed when their moonbound craft was damaged. Houston, they have a problem – and this one’s a true story.

U Suitable for all ages PG Parental guidance required 12A Suitable for ages 12+ 15 Suitable for ages 15+ 18 Adults only

MUST-SEE OF THE MONTH

THOR: THE DARK WORLD TBC RELEASED 30 OCTOBER DIRECTOR Alan Taylor STARRING Chris Hemsworth, Tom Hiddleston, Natalie Portman, Christopher Eccleston

fter thwarting the schemes of his half-brother Loki (Tom Hiddleston) in the first film and helping Tony Stark and friends to fight off an alien invasion of Earth, you’d forgive Thor (Chris Hemsworth) for wanting to take it easy and maybe just sit around brushing his flowing locks. But there is a dark new threat – or should we say old threat – to deal with, as an ancient enemy returns to 26 odeon.co.uk

threaten him and everyone in Asgard. Soon, he has to face down the Dark Elf Malekith (Christopher Eccleston), who is intent on bringing chaos to Asgard, Earth and everywhere in between. And one big target is London, where Thor’s astrophysicist lady-love Jane Foster (Natalie Portman) just happens to be continuing her research. For help, Thor must turn to the one person he knows will betray him at a moment’s notice: Loki!

With veteran Game Of Thrones director Alan Taylor in charge, this new Thor film delivers on the epic scope and impressive battles we know Marvel films can muster up. With Hemsworth inhabiting Thor’s godlike physique and battle armour like he was born to them, Hiddleston’s scheming charm and plenty of impressive special effects on display, this is another winner drawn from the world of comic books.

A rather OTT Effie Trinket (Elizabeth Banks) with Katniss and Peeta.

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THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE TBC RELEASED 21 NOVEMBER

Did You Know?

The filmmakers got permission to shoot in the Painted Hall at Greenwich’s Royal Naval College. And then blew it up on screen!

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Chris Hemsworth as Thor and Anthony Hopkins as Odin.

DIRECTOR Francis Lawrence STARRING Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth

Last year, the first adaptation of the bestselling young adult book trilogy by Suzanne Collins proved a smashing success. Now comes the follow-up, which plunges us even deeper into the troubled dystopian world of Katniss Everdeen (Jennifer Lawrence), where a struggling future America is ruled with an iron fist by the diabolical President Snow (Donald Sutherland). After surviving her first Hunger Games event alongside Peeta Mellark (Josh Hutcherson), Katniss is paraded out on a “Victor’s Tour” to distract the various districts that make up the country from their crushing poverty. But when she becomes a symbol of revolution, Snow decides to put her and Peeta back in the arena with a group of fellow former victors. They’ll face new dangers as the battle for survival gets that much tougher. Featuring another great performance from Lawrence, Catching Fire expands the world and adds fantastic new characters. fanatical about film 27

The (old) boys are back in town!

LAST VEGAS TBC RELEASED 8 NOVEMBER

DIRECTOR Jon Turteltaub STARRING Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman, Michael Douglas, Kevin Kline, Mary Steenburgen

Showing the young pups of the Hangover trilogy how it’s done, old dogs Robert De Niro, Kevin Kline, Morgan Freeman and Michael Douglas team up for a frothy, funny tale

of four long-time friends meeting up to throw one of them (Douglas) a bachelor party in Sin City. But though these guys really know how to party, getting up to all manner of drunken madness, there’s also a note of real emotion as old wounds reopen. With the veteran cast letting loose, you can bet there’ll be laughter.

Sandra Bullock and George Clooney venture into space.

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GRAVITY 3D 12A RELEASED 8 November DIRECTOR Alfonso Cuarón STARRING Sandra Bullock, George Clooney, Eric Michels

Sandra Bullock is Dr Ryan Stone, an astronaut on her first space mission and taking part in her debut space walk, although she has help from her colleague, veteran astronaut Matt Kowalsky (George 28 odeon.co.uk

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Clooney). But then the unthinkable happens. Debris flying through space smashes into their shuttle, almost completely destroying it! Stranded in the black of space, the astronauts must struggle to survive as they’re cut off from Earth with their oxygen slowly running out. Gravity could well be the most memorable film of the year.

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THE FAMILY 15 RELEASED 22 NOVEMBER DIRECTOR Luc Besson STARRING Robert De Niro, Michelle Pfeiffer, Tommy Lee Jones, Dianna Agron

When Giovanni Manzoni (Robert De Niro, who seems to be invading cinemas with comedies this month) decides to snitch on his old Mob pals to the authorities, he and his family – wife Maggie (Michelle Pfeiffer), daughter Belle (Glee’s Dianna Agron) and son Warren (John D’Leo) – are soon in danger. For their safety, they’re put into witness protection and relocated to a sleepy French town in Normandy. But old habits die hard for this Mob family, and soon they’re solving problems with methods that would make Tony Soprano blush. Both parents and kids resort to extortion, violence and arson despite the best efforts of CIA Agent Stansfield (Tommy Lee Jones) to keep them under control! Despite being more famous these days for his action films (The Transporter series; Taken), Luc Besson, alongside producer Martin Scorsese, has cooked up a genuinely funny comedy as De Niro, Pfeiffer and the rest cut loose.

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This Mob family aren’t as innocent as they look!

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Judi Dench and Steve Coogan dig into the past.

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THE COUNSELLOR TBC RELEASED 15 NOVEMBER DIRECTOR Ridley Scott STARRING Michael Fassbender, Penélope Cruz, Cameron Diaz

A new Ridley Scott film is reason enough to be excited, but when it’s a taut, stylish crime thriller written by respected novelist Cormac McCarthy (whose books have been adapted into films such

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as No Country For Old Men and The Road), the stage is set for a gripping tale. A lawyer (Fassbender) thinks he can dip his toes into the murky, shark-infested world of drug dealing without being bitten. Naturally, he soon finds out that he’s very wrong… Featuring a cast to die for, Scott’s latest should not be missed at all costs. Carrie White (Chloë Grace Moretz) has a very bad night...

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CARRIE TBC RELEASED 29 NOVEMBER DIRECTOR Kimberly Peirce STARRING Chloë Grace Moretz, Julianne Moore, Ansel Elgort, Gabriella Wilde

Stephen King’s classic tale of bullying, fanatical religion and terrifying telekinetic power comes roaring back to our screens in a new version from director Kimberly Peirce. 30 odeon.co.uk

Kick-Ass star Chloë Moretz takes over the lead role of lonely and troubled teen Carrie White, dealing with mean girls at school and a deeply religious mother (Julianne Moore) at home. And when she develops powerful abilities to manipulate objects around her, everything changes. Gripping and scary, this is a cool reboot of a classic story.

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PHILOMENA 12A RELEASED 1 NOVEMBER DIRECTOR Stephen Frears STARRING Judi Dench, Steve Coogan, Anna Maxwell Martin, Charlie Murphy

Prepare to have hankies at the ready for this heart-rending true story – which is also surprisingly amusing, thanks to a script co-written by Steve Coogan. He plays Martin Sixsmith, a world-weary British journalist who’s looking for a new direction after leaving the BBC and becoming embroiled in a scandal while working for Tony Blair’s government. After hearing the story of Philomena Lee (Judi Dench), he embarks upon an unexpected quest. As a teenager in the ’50s, Lee had her son forcibly taken away from her by Catholic nuns and spent her entire life wondering what happened to him. With the help of Sixsmith, who becomes a close friend, Lee travels to Washington DC to see if she can find her now 50-year-old boy... Featuring a typically endearing turn from Dench and some sensitive work by Coogan, this is a great example of a real-life story handled with love and care, directed by The Queen’s Stephen Frears.

Michael Fassbender’s counsellor is in over his head.

Out this

October/ November There’s something spooky in this cellar!

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THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA 15 RELEASED 31 OCTOBER DIRECTOR Tom Elkins STARRING Abigail Spencer, Chad Michael Murray, Emily Alyn Lind

It’s the sort of thing estate agents never tell you: “Sorry, your house happens to be full of evil spirits.” But that’s what happens when the unfortunate Andy Wyrick (Chad Michael Murray) moves his family into

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what he hopes will be their dream home, only to find that they’re not the only residents. Although they’re definitely the only residents who are still alive... Building on the success of the original chiller from 2009, this sequel relocates the story to Georgia and features more dark happenings guaranteed to send a shiver up your spine... and just in time for All Hallow’s Eve.

Thor: The Dark World

THOR: THE DARK WORLD TBC RELEASED 30 OCTOBER

THE HAUNTING IN CONNECTICUT 2: GHOSTS OF GEORGIA 15 RELEASED 31 OCTOBER

PHILOMENA 12A RELEASED 1 NOVEMBER

GRAVITY 12A RELEASED 8 NOVEMBER LAST VEGAS TBC RELEASED 8 NOVEMBER A problematic love story unfolds...

THE NECESSARY DEATH OF CHARLIE COUNTRYMAN TBC RELEASED 8 NOVEMBER DIRECTOR Fredrik Bond STARRING Shia LaBeouf, Rupert Grint, Evan Rachel Wood, Mads Mikkelsen

Heartbroken by the death of his mother, but implored by her ghost to visit Romania, Charlie (Shia LaBeouf ) heads

RELEASED 8 NOVEMBER

THE COUNSELLOR TBC RELEASED 15 NOVEMBER

THE HUNGER GAMES: CATCHING FIRE TBC RELEASED 21 NOVEMBER

CARRIE TBC RELEASED 29 NOVEMBER

Jennifer Lawrence crossword answers - ACROSS: 1 Ross, 3 Street, 8 Quiet, 11 Effie, 12 Like, 13 Tucci, 15 Raven, 16 Blue, 17 Apt, 20 Mel, 21 Tribute, 23 Devil, 24 Emma, 25 Niro. DOWN: 2 Shue, 4 End, 5 Thor, 6 Squirrel, 7 Time, 9 Theron, 10 Winters, 14 Rebecca, 16 Bradley, 18 Panem,19 Bella, 21 Trip, 22 Baker.

32 odeon.co.uk

there and meets the lovely Gabi (Evan Rachel Wood). The two fall for each other hard, but there’s a wrinkle: she’s married to violent drug dealer Nigel (Mads Mikkelsen). A brutal but rewarding drama, and a real showcase for LaBeouf and the rest of the cast, Charlie Countryman is dark but ultimately rewarding.

THE NECESSARY DEATH OF CHARLIE COUNTRYMAN TBC

THE FAMILY 15 RELEASED 22 NOVEMBER

moment in time Classic ODEON moments...

Dressed up to the Nines... Penélope Cruz lights up London! he premiere of Rob Marshall’s Nine was attended by a radiant Penélope Cruz on 3 December 2009. The film, in which Cruz co-starred with Daniel Day-Lewis, Marion Cotillard and Sophia Loren, told of a film director trying to control his relationships. This month you can see Cruz in Ridley Scott’s The Counsellor, which opens in cinemas on 15 November.

COMING next issue!

Bilbo Baggins returns in The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug. Find out more in ODEON Magazine, in cinemas and downloadable from 27 November!