? AT THE MOVIES-

Meg 2: The Trench ( watch trailer, runtime: 3:03 ), is an absurdly fun, amplified version of its first installment. Statham reprises his role as Jonas Taylor, whose job title seems to have officially become reluctant hero rather than deep-sea diver. In this installment, our hero stumbles upon a mining operation in the middle of the ocean and has to confront the real evil: Humans. The premise isn’t very different from the first movie (man vs nature, and man vs corporate greed), so instead of the movie becoming an exercise in originality, it becomes an exercise in execution.

Director Ben Wheatley’s focus on the plot’s absurdity paves the way for unadulterated entertainment , though we must note: the film is facing character assassination by critics, receiving a mere 28% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes. Our take: The cast didn’t seem like they were having as much fun as we expected them to, which took away a bit of the amusement But moments of meta-parody and fun action sequences did make up for the punchy one-liner-dominant script.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can find Meg 2: The Trench in VOX theaters in City Center Almaza and Mall of Egypt, Cairo Festival City cinema, and Citystars cinema.

3alzero (watch trailer, runtime: 2:44) is a Mohamed Ramadan movie with more heart than usual. Don’t be fooled, it is still very much a typical Mohamed Ramadan movie in every sense, but those looking for more substance will find it. Ramadan’s Hamza is the frontman and lead singer-slash-DJ of a Mahraganat band. Single-handedly raising his son after his wife’s passing is made even more challenging when his son is diagnosed with leukemia, his only chance at survival being an impossibly expensive surgery. To save his son, Hamza turns to the organ trafficking trade, hoping to make enough money for his son’s operation.

What could’ve been an emotional exploration of the inaccessibility of healthcare becomes the actor’s typical action flick , though the seasoned cast does elevate the seriousness of the film. DramatistsNelly Karim and Sherif Salama’s performances were quite strong, and helped make up for Ramadan’s seemingly out-of-place shirtless scenes. On the bright side, it’s not difficult to emotionally invest in the plot and grow fond of Ramadan’s on-screen sonYoussef (played by Monzer Mahran), though their dynamic doesn’t differ much from Ramadan’s with his on-screen half-brother in Harley.

The subject matter landed the movie and its writer in hot water , with one lawyer calling for its removal from Egyptian theaters (watch, runtime: 1:16). Writer Medhat El Adl defended his script, denying that it promotes organ trafficking, saying that it merely confronts it.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can find tickets for 3alzero at a reduced price at the Cairo Opera House ’s Hanager Arts Center cinema and the Artistic Creativity Center cinema, or watch it in VOX theaters in City Center Almaza and Mall of Egypt, Cairo Festival City cinemas, and Citystars cinemas.

? FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

Tom Bower’s Revenge: Meghan, Harry and the War Between the Windsors , released last year, picks apart the infamous British royal family feud . The book looks into the accusations of bullying, privacy invasion, and blatant racism that followed Meghan’s arrival into the royal family in 2018, and ultimately led to the famed Megxit. Moving beyond speculation, Bower lends this royal saga — marred with gossip and hearsay — a new allure through his skills as an investigative biographer as he digs through documents, interviews, and unveils a gripping retelling of stories that were little known before.

TAKE IT WITH A GRAIN OF SALT- Bower did face backlash over alleged misleading information , though, Insider reported. Some of his sources accused him of misquoting them or never even having interviewed them in the first place. In addition to lacking a fair evaluation of the dynamics between the royals, his writing is also seen by some as being permeated with “wild malice,” according to the Guardian ’s Catherine Bennett, who reduces his work to nothing more than “tawdry gossip” meant to make a quick buck.

WHERE TO FIND IT- The book is available at Diwan Bookstore.

? HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

Bad Jones BBQ makes a brisket as wicked as its name . Located in Zamalek, this quaint American style barbecue joint offers a range of chicken and beef sandwiches and dishes complemented with their homemade sauces. The restaurant houses only a few tables, so if you’re feeling impatient, try ordering them to your house — in our experience, the sandwiches arrive warm and delicious.

Bad Jones uses Angus beef for the majority of its sandwiches and meals , making for perfectly juicy meat. Their menu also offers chicken — either grilled, braised, or fried — slathered with your choice of their homemade bbq sauce or buffalo sauce. The Angus beef brisket is an easy favorite; the meat is succulent, juicy and is complemented with fresh coleslaw. The Bad Jones Sandwich is another great pick, especially for lovers of caramelized onion.

DISCLAIMER- Just note that they definitely deliver in Zamalek but may have limited delivery services to certain areas, according to Talabat’s delivery network.

? Per person: 200-400

? Outdoor seating: No

?Smoking: No

? Alcohol : No

? Accessibility friendly: Yes

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