📽 AT THE MOVIES-

After some turbulence, Barbie has finally landed in Egypt: Just as the blockbuster crossed the USD 1 bn threshold in box office revenues, the censorship gods of the Middle East took pity on disappointed moviegoers and decided to release it to theaters. Initially, the movie was set to show in the Middle East even earlier than the international release date before getting kicked to the end of August. Now, after just five days in cinemas, the movie has garnered over USD 4 mn across Saudi and Emirati screens alone, Deadline reports. If you haven’t contributed to ticket sales yet, let us tell you why you should.

What goes on: The film follows the titular Barbie going through an existential crisis and having to travel to the real world to find the source of her problems. Ken, being the devoted kinda-kinda-not boyfriend, tags along and makes some discoveries of his own. Out in the real world, Barbie also comes face to face with Barbie fan Gloria (played by America Ferrera) and her daughter, who end up having a lot to do with the plotline.

The hype is justified: We’re happy to report that the overwhelmingly positive reviews of Greta Gerwig’s masterpiece are comfortably founded. Even though many of the movie’s stellar moments were released ahead of its international rollout both in the trailer (watch, runtime: 2:41) and as promotional material, there was still plenty more to see. The movie was funny and emotional, and Margot Robbie and Ryan Gosling delivered pitch-perfect performances as Barbie and Ken. America Ferrera’s performance was also commendable, with several stand-out scenes that added seriousness and depth to the film.

MEN ALLOWED- While you might think the movie — with its for-women-by-women reputation and its pink color scheme — was made exclusively for a female audience, it’s not. Gosling’s character is marketed as “Just Ken” but the actor’s performance is scene-stealing good, and Ken receives a character arc unmatched by any other character in the movie. If the Barbies are the soul of the movie, Gosling’s Ken is the beating heart. And while it is ultimately commentary on the female experience in the face of a systematically male-dominated society, the film is just as interesting for a male audience.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can catch Barbie at VOX cinemas in City Center Almaza and Mall of Egypt, Cairo Festival City theaters, Citystars screens. Don’t forget to wear pink.

Gran Turismo is a fun, fast-paced, 135-minute commercial for Sony. The film is based on the real-life story of Jann Mardenborough (played by Archie Madekwe), who fulfilled perhaps every gamer’s dream of using their in-game skills to become a professional race car driver. Mardenborough’s gaming abilities land him a spot in a GT Academy competition set up by business-sly gamesman Danny Moore (played by Orlando Bloom) to tap into an untouched market made up of “couch potatoes.” Jann’s relationship with his gruff trainer Jack Salter was carried by the reliable talents of David Harbour, which have proved time and again his ability to improve every so-so Hollywood project, selling the hackneyed tough-love mentor has-been legend, pit-stop pep talks and all. Every grain of authenticity in the movie comes from his performance.

The movie is stylistically compelling, continuously blurring the line between simulated and real racing throughout — first by turning Marderborough’s gaming setup into a real track, then vice versa. It’s a fun stylistic choice, but also a reminder of the movie being a glorified commercial for the benefits of logging hours on your PlayStation — you’re not wasting your life playing video games, you’re building skills.

Instead of marketing the story, the movie ( watch trailer, runtime: 2:23 ) seems more intent on marketing the PlayStation, and more specifically, its Gran Turismo games. Doing so in a very formulaic and perhaps uninspired manner, the film delivers an against-all-odds underdog story that checks every cliché box, from on-track rivalries to tough-love coaches, second-act tragedies and third-act resurrections. This doesn’t make it a bad movie, though — just a predictable one.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch Gran Turismo in VOX theaters in City Center Almaza and Mall of Egypt, and Cairo Festival City screens.

📚 FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

Behind iconic Egyptian brands, from Corona to Chipsy: Sanai’ayat Masr — or Egypt’s craftsmen — is a collection of stories spotlighting the lives of iconic Egyptian brand creators. Egyptian writer Omar Taher narrates the stories behind famous Egyptian local brands, how they were created and developed, how people use and perceive them, and what happened to them years later. From the inventors of Cologne 555, Cleopatra cigarettes and Corona chocolate to the engineers behind the Cairo Tower and the Aswan High Dam, the book uses a wide range of interesting business stories as a starting point into an exploration of the origin of these industries in Egypt. The book also contains vintage photos of the creators along with advertisements and commercials that were published in newspapers and magazines. The book comes in two volumes.

It’s fitting that the book starts with the story of the iconic El Shabrawishi Cologne 555, whose unmistakable lemon scent means different things to different people: A staple in many an Egyptian household, the cologne is often used to revive people from a faint (or does that only happen in the movies?) and to clean an injury — and sometimes as a perfume. The story looks at Hamza El Shabrawishi, the Egyptian behind the iconic product known across Egypt and the Arab world, and how his love for perfumery pushed him to set up his first shop in the Al Hussein district. That first shop boomed, creating enough momentum to open more shops, before taking a bigger step and building his factory, helping him expand the brand beyond Egypt’s borders. His success story is tinged with sadness, as El Shabrawishi traveled to Switzerland for medical treatment after suffering from a stroke, never to return to Egypt again. After being treated in Switzerland, he returned to Lebanon, rather than his home country, out of fear of the reach of Gamal Abdel Nasser’s nationalization policies. He died in the late 1960s and was buried in Egypt upon his request.

WHERE TO FIND IT- Both volumes are available on Amazon Egypt and El Shorouk Bookstore

🍴 HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

Wrap up Sahel season at Salt of Earth in Swan Lake North Coast’s clubhouse. If you’re looking for one last culinary experience before heading back to C-Town, Salt of Earth’s varied but well-executed menu is a solid choice. We’re happy to attest to the fact that their Swan Lake branch is just as great as their native eatery back in Garden 8.

What to order: Their beef carpaccio is a gorgeously presented, generously portioned dish — especially when accompanied with the toasted sourdough bread, seasoned tomato puree, and arugula you get as a complimentary starter. If you’re into sushi, the novelty and execution of the beef nigiri makes it one of the highlights of the menu.

Their pizzas put them on the map, but the real stars are the marinated sea bass and the filet au cèpe. Not only was the fish cooked perfectly, the marinade made it one of the best dishes we’ve had in a while. If you’re more of a carnivore, the filet au cèpe won’t let you down. As it’s being served, you might find yourself wondering where the cèpes (porcini mushrooms) are. You’ll be happy to find them stuffed inside the filet, finely chopped alongside some spinach.

For dessert, their pain perdu — which comes topped with delicious French vanilla soft serve — is deliciously crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, while the freshness of the interspersed raspberries and blueberries cut through the richness.

💵 Per person: EGP 1k

🪑 Outdoor seating: Yes

🍺 Alcohol: No

🦽 Accessibility friendly: Yes

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