? AT THE MOVIES-

The Nun 2 makes polarizing reviews a habit. Set and released five years after the first installment, The Nun 2 (watch trailer, runtime: 2:12) marks the ninth movie in the Conjuring universe. The Conjuring is the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time, and 2018’s The Nun was its most lucrative and most divisive film. But reviews of the film have been contentious: One side believe that it’s the strongest addition to the franchise, and others are calling it “ creatively bankrupt.”

THE GOOD- Sister Irene (Taissa Farmiga) is back, investigating a string of murders across Europe and tracing them back to Valak, the big-bad-sister-of-the-cloth from The Nun and The Conjuring 2. Farmiga seems to have settled into her role as Sister Irene quite comfortably: Her performance is much stronger than her supporting role in The Nun. Finding herself in a convent in France, Sister Irene, and new companion Sister Debra (Storm Reid) — whose pragmatism complements Farmiga’s Irene — search for Valak.

THE BAD- Valak is there. All. The. Time. Valak is the core of the movie’s horror factor, and is effectively so, her sporadic presence was terrifying, and so was her absence. The Nun 2 accidentally puts the audience through exposure therapy, showing the titular character at every turn and desensitizing us to her presence. The plot and the pacing seem a little too curated and the cinematography a little too polished, all of which makes the viewer hyper-aware that this is a movie. That’s not to say that the fear isn’t very, very real. Eight movies in and the franchise has yet to feel stale. All frustrations aside, The Nun 2 is a significant improvement on its predecessor.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can find The Nun 2 at VOX Cinemas in City Center Almaza and Mall of Egypt, Citystars theaters, and Cairo Festival City, among others.

El Ameel Sefr (Agent Zero) is an Akram Hosny film ( watch trailer runtime: 2.15 ) he will not be remembered for. The actor, whose wit and one-liners (aka “effehat”) are often used everyday, seems to have put together a quick film to enter the summer box office, but to little impact. The premise of the actor’s latest production has taken a lot of its references from western films: A Night at the Museum, Johnny English, Peter Seller’s Pink Panther and — painfully — James Bond, to attempt to create a comedy filled with clever wit and slapstick. Thankfully, the film does not take away from the quality of his individual performance, nor does it from the film’s other cast members Asmaa Abou Zeid, Bayoumi Fouad, and Pheadra, among others, who play their characters exceptionally well and with conviction.

The crux: There was no character to play off Hosny’s Agent Sefr. The actor has always shared the screen with another performer to play-off his repartee, such as Mohamed Mamdouh (Bank El Haz, trailer runtime: 0:21) or Ahmed Amin (El Waseya, trailer runtime: 1:21), which makes his wit so much more impactful and worthy of laughs. Unfortunately, without this secret ingredient, a lot of the lines fell flat and the comedy relied completely on the moments of slapstick.

The storyline: Sefr, who was meant to be called Saqr, is a lower-class young man who dreams of a life of intrigue and adventure, despite his consistent failures. After being fired from his job as a security guard, he eavesdrops on a high-profile client looking for a top security detail. With some maneuvering he is able to track them down and take on the job. Chaos ensues: Expect mistaken identities, belly dancers, exotic Egyptian locations, humorous fight scenes, and of course, a catchy tune (runtime:1.17).

WHERE TO WATCH- You can still catch the film at Zamalek Cinema or VOX Cinemas in City Center Almaza and Mall of Egypt.

? FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

Ramesses: Loved by Ptah is a fascinating book by a passionate Egyptologist. Susanna Thomas is, among other things, an academicspecializing in the New Kingdom and a museum development expert currently working at the Grand Egyptian Museum (GEM). Through the pages of this book, Thomas examines the history of one of the city’s most iconic landmarks and largest statues ever built. The monumental 83-tonne sculpture was created over three millennia ago and was subsequently discovered in separate pieces near Memphis. It was erected in honor of the life and accomplishments of one the New Kingdom’s most prominent monarchs who ruled for over half a century: Ramesses II. The author also gives us a history lesson about how statues were built in ancient times as well as the modern fate of this particular pièce de resistance up until its installation in the GEM.

A red granite masterpiece in context. The specifics of Ramesses’ statue aside, Thomas provides interesting insight into Egyptian statues in general and the cult of royal statues in particular in two chapters of her book. Through her writing, we come to gain greater appreciation for the symbolic importance of these monuments as they stand the test of time. Published by the AUC press, the book has garnered positive reviews from experts in the field including superstar archaeologist Zahi Hawass.

WHERE TO FIND IT- The 140-page book is currently available at Diwan and AUC bookstores.

? HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

Consider this your official introduction to southeastern European-Asian cuisine: The Balkan Kitchen(TBK) brings New Cairo’s Polaris Mall a range of flavors to enjoy. The upside is that the menu features the perfect balance between familiarity and novelty: With breakfast sandwiches like Sudjouk and Simit, we find ourselves enjoying what we know, with a tinge of fresh flavors to explore. While we recommend their breakfast trays, which are filled with options to suit every taste, red meat is where the restaurant shines. The selection of grilled options reflects the straddling of European-Asian traditions with dishes like lamb pilaf, Azerbaijani Shish Kebab and Lahmajun — yes, you’re correct to think of Lebanon’s lahm b ajeen, which is essentially the same open-face meat pie. The Romanian and Bulgarian kebab dishes are also packed with interesting flavors. Overall, a solid experience if you’re in the mood for something a little different.

? Per person: 350-500

? Outdoor seating: Yes

? Alcohol: No

? Accessibility friendly: Yes

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