📽 AT THE MOVIES-

Plot-twist king M. Night Shyamalan returns with a film inspired by the famous OperationFlagship in the eighties, where the police trapped concert attendees to capture a wanted criminal.

The plot: Cooper (Josh Hartnett) is a father who just wants to spend some quality time with his daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue), taking her to see her favorite artist Lady Raven (played by the director’s daughter, Saleka Shyamalan) in concert. Cooper notices the presence of police officers surrounding every corner of the building, only to discover that it’s a trap set to catch a serial killer called The Butcher. You may have already guessed it, but yes, it is in fact Cooper himself.

Hartnett delivers a terrifying performance, succeeding in presenting the duality of a loving father and a coldblooded killer. However, it seems that the film does not go further than that. Despite Shyamalan’s keenness to surprise the audience, everything was more or less predictable.

Reviews are mixed. Some see the film as a missed opportunity for a thrilling story. But that doesn’t stop it from being a film that still provides an entertaining experience for the viewer. Its saving grace is that it doesn’t take itself as seriously as expected, a lifeline for films that just about miss the mark.

WHERE TO WATCH: You can catch this movie at VOX Cinema at City Centre Almaza, City Center Alexandria, or Mall of Egypt, City Stars cinema, Cairo Festival City cinema, Point 90 cinema, and Cima Arkan. Watch the trailer (runtime: 2:41).

📚 FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

What I’d Rather Not Think About by Jente Posthuma is an exploration of grief, memory, and the complexities of human emotion. The novel follows its protagonist, Two (we never learn her real name), as she navigates the aftermath of her twin brother taking his own life. Posthuma skillfully captured the rawness of loss and how it reshapes one’s sense of self.

The novel unfolds through a series of fragmented vignettes from both the twins’ childhood and adulthood. The tone used throughout the novel creates a sense of melancholy with subtle hidden humor that makes it a real page turner.

Posthuma doesn’t shy away from the messy nature of emotions — instead, she presents the true complexity of grief through nostalgic storytelling. She explores the theme of love and loss while giving readers a testament to resilience.

You can find What I’d Rather Not Think About at Diwan.

🍴 HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

Amongst the many new restaurants and stores that’s opened in U Venues you’ll find Tama. Tama isn’t your average Asian joint, the atmosphere is chill and inviting, but the real star of the show is the food. We went once for breakfast, and just had to go back for round two for the mains.

For breakfast: Opt for the Japanese curry shakshuka. Controversial take: it’s better than the shakshuka we’ve learned to love. We have our eyes on the Egg Foo Young for next time we visit, a prawn omelet with katsu sauce.

We started fresh with the salmon sashimi for lunch: Forget everything you think you know about sushi, because this salmon sashimi — while it comes in little portions — practically melts in your mouth.

Onto the mains: We couldn’t resist the Tso chicken noodles and the beef Teochew ho fun. Both were tasty and satisfying, but felt like they were missing a little drizzle of extra soy sauce that would’ve taken them from good to great and bumped them both up in our hierarchy of must-orders.

Dessert is where things get serious. The matcha tiramisu was nothing short of what we expected — we even ended up ordering two servings. But the star of the dessert menu was the Ginger Creme Brulee, a classic creamy dessert with a spicy ginger kick that adds a unique twist to the classic sweetness — a chef kiss, hands down.

💵 Per person: EGP 800 – EGP 1k

🪑 Outdoor seating: Yes

🍺 Alcohol: No

🦽 Accessibility friendly: Yes

Tags: