? AT THE MOVIES-

Ridley Scott’s Napoleon starts in medias res, depicting the French emperor’s story as that of a rising star doomed to collapse. Once larger than life, Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix) is just a man, and a mercurial one at that. The movie (watch trailer, runtime 2:38) introduces him mid-revolution as a gunnery officer, who through no ambitions of his own, seems to fall backwards into positions of power.

Scott delivers a meticulous profile of the autocrat, but those hoping to see blood will find it in glorious battle. What would a Napoleon movie be without sword fights atop horseback and cannons firing into crowds of civilians and soldiers alike? The film shows how Bonaparte’s battle strategy prowess never comes into question, but his performance on the field — is depicted more like a reindeer in headlights — and it is that character that sets the film apart from previous depictions of the leader.

History has not looked back fondly on the dictator, and Scott makes a great case as to why it shouldn’t, though it’s not why you’d expect. Scott’s Bonaparte is not evil, he’s petty. His passion isn’t governed by conviction, but by entitlement. The idiosyncrasies of Napoleon are expertly played by Phoenix, though that comes as no surprise.

He is a war hero, a king, an emperor, and a jealous man-child. Marching into Egypt, Napoleon discovers his wife’s infidelity, and instead of standing by his troops, he goes back home to confront her, but not before informing the guiltless messenger that he would be denied dessert that night. The childishness of some of Napoleon’s outbursts had moviegoers chuckling — it definitely paints a different picture of the leader than the stoic figure we imagined.

The French don’t agree with the generallyfavorable reviews.The Guardian awarded the film five stars, but French GQ dismissed it as a “deeply clumsy, unnatural, and [an] unintentionally funny” rendition of history. Le Figaro said that it should’ve been titled “Barbie and Ken Under the Empire,” it was accused of being anti-French, but more accurately it is candidly anti-Napoleon.

While Scott does humanize the emperor, he does not make him easy to sympathize with.The film leaves no room for speculation when it comes to how the director feels about Napoleon. It’s not often that you see movies dedicated to figures the creators despise. Scott indubitably takes many creative liberties, but he doesn’t care for historical accuracy. His job is to deliver a compelling and visually stunning story. And he does.

WHERE TO WATCH-Napoleon is conquering VOX Cinemas at City Center Almaza and Mall of Egypt, Citystars Golden Stars Cinemas, Cima Arkan, Zawya, and Cairo Festival City theaters.

Oldboy (watch trailer, runtime: 1:56) is back for its 20th anniversary. The South Korean masterpiece is now remastered, and a 4k version has re-entered theaters recently and film buffs couldn’t be happier.

ICYMI- A man named Dae-su Oh (Choi Min-sik) is finally released from 15 years of being held captive in a hotel room by an unknown captor. Once he is mysteriously released, he goes on a search for the identity of the person responsible. Having already lost everything, and nothing on the line, he dedicates his life to figuring out what he did to deserve the years of torment.

Another South-Korean gem: It’s understandable why the movie is worthy of a re-release. Dark and gritty as it may be, the events that transpire are truly captivating, even when not entirely believable. The film has it all, action, drama, comedy, gore, and dark and twisted characters. We will warn you though, not everything you’ll watch is…palatable.

Director Park Chan-wook creates a deeply disturbing world that will haunt you long after you’re done watching. But, the actors deserve praise too. Min-sik delivers an exceptional performance, perfectly capturing the sad and tormented nature of his character. He adds to the drama without too many theatrics, and will have you both sympathizing for and hating the man he plays.

Definitely not a family flick, but if you’re looking for a movie that will leave you both disgusted and amazed at the execution of the production, this one’s for you. The plot twist will leave you reeling, but Chan-wook places his own spin on the seeking revenge genre that makes this such an international contemporary classic.

WHERE TO WATCH-You can watch Oldboy in Zawya.

? FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

Ghosts have been embedded in cultures around the world for centuries, from obscure figures clad in white sheets, glowing skulls, and translucent silhouettes floating through walls. So where do these portrayals come from? And what influences the way we depict them?

Susan Owens is on a quest to uncover these questions and more in The Ghost: ACultural History. A combination of cultural and technological changes impacts how we view the macabre, as well as what it means to us.

Why do ghosts exist? The book explains that ghosts may serve to scare us or remind us of the presence of death, and they could serve as a reassurance that death is not as final a state as it seems.

Published in 2017, the book may lack context from recent years (especially post-pandemic), but it still offers a comprehensive history of hauntings through art, literature, religion, and technology, making it the perfect read for fans of history, spiritualism, and the supernatural.

WHERE TO BUY THE BOOK-The Ghost is available in paperback on Amazon US for USD 26.7.

? HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

El Mohamady offers a delightful fusion between the Western and Middle Eastern cuisine. Located in Arabella Plaza, New Cairo, and The Gate Plaza, Sheikh Zayed, it’s a well-known restaurant that blossomed in Mansoura decades ago and expanded into the capital in 2021.

Go in a pack — and don’t bring the vegetarians. The menu is very long and has many items, but mainly serves meat.

The marination and the tenderness of the meat are what makes El Mohammady special. The restaurant is best known for its slow-cooked lamb cuts that are tender and taste good.

Their Walema plate is a good starting point for a complete meal: It involves lamb meat marinated with Arabic spices and cooked in a wood-fired oven until buttery and served with rice mixed with nuts. You can also opt for mashed or fries.

The meat mixed grill is a classic choice: It does have a bit of everything off the charcoal served with brown rice and mashed potatoes.

The slow-cooked brisket is highly recommended. This recent addition to the menu is typically accompanied by mac’n’cheese, which despite being an Egyptian restaurant, isn’t too bad. Even though the layer of melted cheese on top of the pasta may feel like a macarona bel bechamel it did enter the clean plate club. However, don’t let it cool as it will end up rubbery and unpalatable.

While the Molokhia dish falls somewhere in the middle in terms of taste, it can be enhanced by combining it with white rice and turkey breast pieces.

Another highlight of the menu is El Mohamady soup. It offers a pleasant hint of spiciness without overwhelming the palate. This delightful soup combines meat and chicken cubes with sautéed fresh mushrooms and onions.

For those seeking a shared dining experience, the grills at El Mohamady are good for family or friends gatherings. There are two main grills, the Marakesh and the Andalous. We would recommend the Marakesh, including a mixture of grilled chicken, kabab, kofta and sojok in addition to Hawashi.

NOTE- The restaurant is usually crowded over the weekends and you might wait for some time until you get seated. Also, it may be a little bit noisy indoors, so outdoors might be a better option.

? Per person: 500-800

? Outdoor seating: Yes

? Alcohol: No

? Accessibility friendly: Yes

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