? AT THE MOVIES-

Early reviews of Oppenheimer have been calling it one of this century’s most important films and director Christopher Nolan’s magnum opus. While the movie’s appeal has been strongly tied with the release of Barbie on the same day, in an event many have been calling Barbenheimer, Barbie’s delay in Egypt hasn’t done much to take away from Oppenheimer’s turnout.

The film stars Cillian Murphy as J. Robert Oppenheimer. He is the leading physicist in the Manhattan Project, which led to the bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki and the end of the Second World War in 1945. The film utilizes an ambitious ensemble cast that surprisingly does not distract from the content of the film. This features the talents of Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Emily Blunt, and Josh Hartnett. Downey Jr., who delivers a surprising performance, showcases once again his acting chops beyond the MCU. This film is a dialogue-heavy character study that moves at a fast pace, so make sure you have your snacks and drinks ready, in advance, to minimize the risk of missing any scenes during trips to the concession stand, which will definitely leave you a bit confused.

Nolan takes a surprisingly strong political stance against almost perverse jingoism, highlighting the amorality of military ambition and the misuse of scientific brilliance. The urgency of the writing and editing of the film is almost dangerously engrossing — Nolan really surpasses his own standard of cinematographic excellence in Oppenheimer, perfecting the concept of “show, don’t tell.”

WHERE TO WATCH- You might want to hurry to grab tickets to this one. You can watch Oppenheimer in Vox Cinemas at City Center Almaza and Mall of Egypt, City Stars theaters, and Cairo Festival City.

That’s a wrap for the Insidious franchise. The Red Door is the fifth, and reportedly , final installment of Insidious, returning after a five-year hiatus since the last movie. Despite the negative reviews, the film has had the second-best opening weekend of the series. Set 10 years after Chapter 2, the film focuses on the strained relationship between the returning Josh and Dalton (who are father and son), which sucks them back into The Further — a dark realm, which they enter via astral projection. While they soul travel, their physical bodies are pretty much pawns for entities wanting to possess them.

The last installment delivers closure, but it often feels forced: Patrick Wilson, who plays Josh Lambert, takes over as director and does a surprisingly good job, keeping the visual tone of the previous installments consistent. While callbacks to the previous movies seem a little half-hearted (perhaps an obligatory homage), the scares in the first half literally put the jump in jumpscare. However, some of the non-horror elements felt out of place as Wilson obviously tries to humanize the series, which was at times successful but often jarring — like with scenes depicting family drama and Dalton at his university. All in all, while The Red Door doesn’t mar the franchise’s run, it fails to deliver the epic finale audiences expect. Instead, it’s more of a closure-oriented movie that ends on a practical, but unsatisfactory note.

WHERE TO WATCH- You can watch The Red Door in Vox theaters at City Center Almaza and Mall of Egypt and Cairo Festival City.

? FROM THE BOOKSTORE-

When is a guest not a guest? Emma Cline leaves you to both ask and answer this question for yourself in The Guest as you follow Alex, a failed actress, and currently, an escort, deeply in debt and deeply in trouble. Kicked out of her apartment by her roommates for failing to pay rent, no longer wanted by her clients, and on the run from a dangerous man who is very, very angry with her, she finds herself… swimming in the Hamptons.

Simon, a man 30 years her senior, has invited her to spend the summer with him… just as she’d planned for him to. Despite deceiving the ultra-rich Hamptonions, Alex commits a faux pas at a party, embarrassing Simon, and is promptly given a one-way ticket back to the city. Instead of facing the realities waiting for her there, she decides to grift her way through the summer, and all we can do is watch as her mistakes pile up, heading towards disaster.

The book is the perfect summer read, presenting a compelling antihero who oscillates between being welcome and unwelcome both in the Hamptons and in many other nuanced ways, making a thriller out of a girl just trying to get by.

WHERE TO GET IT- You can find a copy of The Guest for EGP 315 at Cherry Blossom Books, though it’s currently out of stock. It’s also available for USD 13.99 on Kindle, USD 24.99 for a paperback on Amazon, or USD 18. 59 for a hardback.

? HOT AND FRESH OUT OF THE KITCHEN-

Mistiqa Island Lebanese treats have arrived in Sahel. If you want to have a stunning view of the sea, head to the Lebanese eatery in La Vista Bay for a satisfying meal and calming vista. The golden hour promises a gentle sea breeze and marvelous azur blue waters as your view.

The grilled quail and Shish Tawook are two top dishes, perfectly marinated to make the delicate poultry much more flavorful. Their mouth watering hot mezzes include soujouk, kobeba, cheesy sambousak, stuffed vine leaves, and crispy mombar. For dessert, if you're into fruits, you can enjoy chilly slices of watermelons, colorful fruit mix platters, and frosty ice cream scoops.

If you’re more of a breakfast person, don’t miss their hearty breakfasts, which are served between 10am and 2pm. Their menu has foul with a variety of toppings, falafel, omelets, white cheese and tomato mix, and feteer meshaltet, which you should order a day before. Make sure you give them a call to reserve a table for their 80-90s party on Thursday.

? Per person: EGP 400-500

? Outdoor seating: Yes

?Smoking: Yes

? Alcohol: Yes

? Accessibility friendly: No

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