📽 AT THE MOVIES-

El Hareefa’s fancy footwork has won over the audience. The film (watch trailer,runtime: 2:01) follows Maged (Nour El Nabawy), an international school high schooler and semi-pro footballer who is suddenly thrust into an Egyptian public school. He struggles to adjust to this new world, but with the help of Omar (standup comedian Abdelrahman Mohamed) and his amazing football skills, he slowly earns the respect of his classmates, who join him to compete for EGP 1 mn.

The film made an impact despite the fresh faces. Perhaps the one point of critique the movie received before it was released is that the cast is made up of a fresh group of newcomers to the Egyptian big screen. Many naysayers claimed that such young talent wouldn’t be able to carry the movie. Well, we’re happy to report that they were wrong.

Nour El Nabawy was hailed as the one to look out for, but we have our eyes set on someone else. Again, the whole cast could not have been any better. In fact, we could see this movie bombing if it was studded with A-listers instead of these fresh faces. But the performances that stood out the most to us were those behind Shishtawi (Ahmed Ghozzi, who you might’ve seen on The Crown), Mayar, Maged’s little sister (Reema Mostafa), and surprisingly, Mr. Shalash (former football superstar Medo).

The plot may be as predictable as it can get, but you won’t find yourself bored for a second. The young cast’s performances were stellar. They were effortlessly funny, had great chemistry, and were naturally entertaining — even the heartfelt moments we would’ve called cliché had us sniffling a little. We knew what was coming, but were more than happy to stay for the ride.

WHERE TO WATCH- Don’t miss out on these breakthrough performances. You can watch El Hareefa at VOX Cinemas at City Center Almaza and Mall of Egypt, Cima Arkan and Citystars Cinemas.

📚 FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

Step aside Bond…Argylle is here. The novel by Elly Conway has already made a significant impact by transforming it into an Apple TV+ movie that will be released in Egypt next month. But as expected, the movie differs greatly from the book, which is why we believe it deserves a review of its own.

First of all, who is Elly Conway? The pseudonym has been making ripples, even some crediting Taylor Swift (we are not rolling our eyes) as the one who penned this tale. However, it an account on X named after Conway surfaced which showcases the author as a book geek from New York who had no idea that fame would be knocking on her door.

And now, who is Argylle? The events of the novel begin after we discover the aspirations of a Russian tycoon who intends to bring his country back to its former glory, leading to a series of events that push the world toward the edge of anarchy.

In comes the CIA’s top espionage personnel (of course) Frances Coffey, who is portrayed as the only hope to control the chaos. She brings on the assistance of Argylle, an agent with a troubled history who possesses unique skills that can bring back order to the world (sounds familiar?) but not without a few bumps on the way.

Conway wrote the book promising to ‘reinvent the spy genre’, even Matthew Vaughn, the director of the film and Kingsman series, called it “ the most incredible and original spy franchise since Ian Fleming’s books.” Stay tuned for our movie review.

WHERE TO FIND IT- You can read Argylle on Amazon Kindle.

🍴 HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

Burgers, brisket, and soft golden buns… What more can you ask for?Helly’sSmokery is a brisket maker of the highest order, offering a range of smoked meat in every form. Located in Obour, the smokehouse is the first in Egypt to expose their burger patties to the heat coming from burning wood, giving them that juicy smokey taste.

Brisket, any way you like it. Want a hearty brisket sandwich? We suggest the Truffles Brisket, a delicious heap of shredded smoked beef topped with coleslaw, pickles, onions, and truffle mustard between two slices of brioche.

Feeling something less carb-y? The Brisket Wrap comes stuffed with fries (we said ‘less’), melted cheddar, and pickled onions accompanying the brisket. The pico de gallo and the chimichurri give the wrap a brighter taste, which will make it feel a little lighter. A more familiar wrap is the Shawerma Brisket, which comes with the trappings of a regular shawerma that we all love.

Don’t miss out on their smoked burgers — The Truffle Shroom is a must-have. The truffle mayo, pickles, emmental, and fried onions make for the perfect bite. A tried and true is the Old is Gold burger, a classic take on a trusty burger with pickles, tomatoes, lettuce, and American cheese. But it wouldn’t be a Helly’s original without their signature sauce.

For something on the side, we suggest the Mac and Cheese. We scarfed it down faster than we care to admit and could’ve gone for seconds. If you’re feeling particularly carnivorous, order the side topped with smoked brisket.

Disclaimer: Their brisket is such a hit that it regularly sells out. Make sure you get there in time to enjoy it.

💵 Per person: EGP 300-350

🪑 Outdoor seating: Yes

🍺 Alcohol: No

🦽 Accessibility friendly: Yes

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