http://www.cairo360.com/entertainment/ Cairo, Egypt cinema and movie showing times. The latest reviews of film, dvds, music, and books available. en Tue, 22 May 2012 10:00:05 EET Tue, 22 May 2012 10:00:05 EET Film Book Music Dvd http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss 120 http://www.cairo360.com/images/site/logo/cairo360-logo-170x95-beta.jpg http://www.cairo360.com/entertainment/ 170 95 Cairo, Egypt cinema and movie showing times. The latest reviews of film, dvds, music, and books available. http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3872/gone-an-is-she-crazy-and-is-she-sane-psychological-thriller/ Jill (Seyfried) doesn’t have the best relationship with the police. After being kidnapped and thrown into a hole in the middle of the forest, which she luckily managed to escape from, the police refused to believe a word she said and stuck her in a mental institution. Fast forward a bit and she’s... Mon, 21 May 2012 15:16:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3861/dark-shadows-beautiful-but-dull-comedy/ Johnny Depp plays Barnabas Collins, the owner of a very successful fishing business and namesake of the town of Collinsport. After incurring the wrath of Angelique (Green), a maid whose love he scorned, he discovers that she’s a witch and finds himself on the receiving end of one of her curses.... Sun, 20 May 2012 14:21:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3859/el-maslaha-generic-egyptian-action-flick/ Ahmed Sakka and Ahmed Ezz’s film roles overlap for the first time in this run of the mill tale of a policeman versus a drug kingpin. Based on a true story, the film revolves around Hamza (Sakka), a policeman out for revenge. His recently wed brother, who had also been an officer, was killed by a... Sun, 20 May 2012 10:51:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3832/a-turtles-tale-sammys-adventure-cheesy-eco-friendly-animation/ Sammy (Lowenthal) is a fifty-year-old turtle who has seen the world change from a sparkling paradise to a place overrun by humans and riddled with all their junk. He recounts the tale of his life from the moment he hatched until the day he married his sweetheart, Shelley (Arterton), after a trip... Tue, 15 May 2012 11:45:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3826/how-i-spent-my-summer-vacation-entertaining-action-thriller/ Sometimes small is better. There are times when all you want is a basic, straightforward action film that doesn’t require you to turn a blind eye to the rules of logic; one that doesn’t consider good action and decent characters to be mutually exclusive. How I Spent My Summer Vacation is that... Sun, 13 May 2012 17:28:27 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3815/the-lucky-one-cheesy-chick-flick/ We’ve all seen, at the very least, one Nicholas Sparks film which is enough to figure out the formula that has probably made him into a millionaire by now. While they’re usually super cheesy, they sweep you along in a torrent of emotion. You laugh, you cry, you swoon and you leave the cinema... Thu, 10 May 2012 15:18:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3788/the-last-exorcism-smart-horror-let-down-by-predictability/ If you’ve watched any horror films in the last couple of years, you’ve probably seen this one ten times over an exorcism presented in the form of a faux-documentary. Where this film differs from every single other low budget, exorcism film is that the reverend who performs the rite has become a... Sun, 6 May 2012 13:28:41 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3780/the-avengers-believe-the-hype/ Fling a bunch of superheroes together and you either get the New Year’s Eve of superhero films or you get a slice of unbridled awesomeness. Thankfully, The Avengers, which crams Captain America, Thor, Iron Man, Black Widow and Hulk into one film without short-changing any one character, falls... Thu, 3 May 2012 15:05:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3768/the-raven-suspense-less-thriller-based-on-edgar-allen-poes-work/ A deranged groupie has taken Edgar Allen Poe’s (Cusack) literature a little bit too literally. He goes on a killing spree using different murders from Poe’s stories as inspiration, where each murder contains a clue to the next. The murderer starts improvising though and kidnaps Poe’s girlfriend,... Mon, 30 Apr 2012 15:13:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3763/a-thousand-words-another-eddie-murphy-stinker/ This review can be summed up in one word; why? Why have a bunch of talented actors, namely Kerry Washington and Allison Janney, get themselves entangled in this mess? Why did Eddie Murphy think this was a good idea? Why did this calamity not go straight to DVD? Why is the man behind both this... Sun, 29 Apr 2012 15:03:41 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3748/21-jump-street-ridiculously-fun-and-hilarious-action-comedy/ A purely emotional review of this film would consist of a lot of uppercase letters, a bunch of acronyms, hell yeahs, plenty of celebratory swear words and a positive slew of exclamation marks. However, we do have to be a bit more articulate than that, so here goes. While 21 Jump Street may not be... Thu, 26 Apr 2012 14:14:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3730/battleship-humans-vs-aliens-action-flick/ Summer is all but here and we have been blessed with another alien-action blockbuster based on a toy and no, this time around it’s not Transformers, though by the way this film’s been marketed, you’d think Battleship was an extension of the Transformers franchise; ‘Transformers at Sea’ if you... Sun, 22 Apr 2012 15:23:18 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3716/act-of-valor-propaganda-for-the-us-navy-in-the-form-of-an-action-film/ Don’t let the packaging fool you, Act of Valor is a recruitment video and a propaganda piece for the US Navy; not the benign slice of entertainment it makes itself out to be. For one, the film’s cast is made up of a mix of actors and real life Navy SEALs and while it makes for a cool gimmick –... Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:04:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3710/juliettes-trousers-leggings-are-not-trousers/ This film is a graduation project mostly shot on the AUC campus. Now as any student who’s tried to make a film knows, filmmaking is incredibly hard work; it can be very costly, even if you’re working with a micro budget, and usually it consists of using friends for as much free labour as... Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:32:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3702/american-reunion-egyptian-censors-latest-casualty/ The American Pie gang are getting back together for their high school reunion and are bringing all their baggage with them. Jim (Biggs) and Michelle (Hannigan) are stuck in a sexless marriage; Oz (Klein) is being turned into a superficial dolt by his supermodel wife; Kevin (Nicholas) spends his... Mon, 16 Apr 2012 13:49:41 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3700/the-cold-light-of-day-bland-and-confusing-thriller/ For anybody planning to watch this for Bruce Willis, be warned- he’s barely in it. We instead spend the whole film following Cavill who plays his son Will who is the only member of the family left free to roam the streets of Madrid. Will’s family has been kidnapped due to Martin’s (Willis) work... Tue, 17 Apr 2012 15:23:31 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3681/titanic-3d-a-chance-to-relive-97/ Titanic was momentous and its effect on pop culture was probably bigger than its effect on cinema. There hasn’t been a film since Titanic that has managed to create such a fuss; attracting everybody and their grandmother to the cinema, and dominating everybody’s conversations regardless of age or... Tue, 10 Apr 2012 16:21:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3676/the-double-a-cliche-thriller/ Paul Shepherdson (Gere), an ex CIA agent, is brought out of retirement to finish off an old case that belonged to him. Back in the day he’d managed to capture all but one of the Cassius 7, a group of seven Russian assassins led by an unidentified man codenamed Cassius; whose preferred mode of... Mon, 9 Apr 2012 15:23:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3671/the-woman-in-black-an-occasionally-scary-ghost-story/ Arthur Kipps (Radcliffe) is still depressed over his wife’s passing four years ago and his work is suffering as a result. As a last chance, his boss gives him an assignment to take care of some business in a remote village; he’s to deal with a mountain of paperwork needed to put a manor on the... Sun, 8 Apr 2012 16:31:27 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3658/the-pirates-band-of-misfits-smart-and-funny-animated-comedy/ Pirate Captain (Grant) yearns to win the Pirate of the Year award which he’s been denied every single year for twenty years because he can never bring in as many booties, nor is he as terrifying as his competitors. In fact, his goofy, light-hearted ways have him regarded as something of a joke in... Thu, 5 Apr 2012 14:38:00 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3648/we-bought-a-zoo-incredibly-heart-warming-family-film/ Still reeling from the loss of his wife, Benjamin Mee (Damon), along with his kids seven-year old Rosie (Jones) and fourteen-year old Dylan (Ford), relocates to a new house in the country that comes with a rundown zoo attached to it. Desperate to give his kids a new experience, Benjamin throws... Tue, 3 Apr 2012 15:10:26 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3639/wrath-of-the-titans-bland-action-sequel/ Hades (Fiennes) and Ares (Ramirez) have conspired to kidnap Zeus (Neeson) and use his power to break Kronos, king of the titans and father of Hades, Zeus and Poseidon (Huston), out of Tartarus, where his three sons had imprisoned him after they overthrew him. Only Perseus (Worthington), Zeus’... Mon, 2 Apr 2012 16:25:46 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3635/the-hunger-games-bestselling-book-trilogy-comes-to-screen/ The year’s first blockbuster has arrived and just in time seeing as Harry Potter is done and Twilight’s demise is, thankfully, nearing. Based on Suzanne Collins’ bestselling trilogy, The Hunger Games is an adaptation of the first book in the series. The story takes place in a dystopian future in... Sun, 1 Apr 2012 14:35:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3626/rad-fel-egyptian-murdery-mystery-mess/ The chain events in Rad Fe’l (Reaction) begins when a doctor dies of natural causes in his flat after a birthday party thrown for him by his neighbours. Soon enough, these neighbours start getting brutally murdered, one by one, to the police’s utter mystification. Coroner Tarek (Abdel Moghny) and... Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:38:41 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3606/coriolanus-updated-shakespeare-tragedy/ Taking cues from films such as Baz Luhermann’s Romeo + Juliet, Coriolanus is a Shakespearean tragedy, set in modern times. It may require a bit more concentration than regular films but it’s a treat hearing the prose just roll off of the tongues of trained actors.The film takes place in Rome and... Mon, 26 Mar 2012 15:53:26 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3601/haz-saeed-egyptian-comedy-grossly-simplifies-the-revolution/ Eid plays Saeed, a street vendor who’s legally married yet lives separately from his wife because they can’t afford a flat. He regularly gets beaten up at the police station for the most trivial of reasons and generally leads a highly downtrodden existence. His luck seems set to change though... Sun, 25 Mar 2012 14:15:57 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3594/insidious-flat-and-cliched-horror/ Josh (Wilson) and Renai (Byrne) move into a new house with their three kids one of whom, Dalton (Simpkins), soon slips into a coma. When Renai starts hearing voices and seeing shadowy figures around the house, she suspects that the house is haunted. However, they soon come to realise that the... Thu, 22 Mar 2012 16:48:52 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3578/dont-be-afraid-of-the-dark-tense-and-dark-and-charming/ This is a story about a haunted house. But there are no ghosts; just scores of little, fuzzy, grey, fanged gremlins who make a hobby out of hissing in human speak. They live in the house’s basement but are unleashed into the world when the little girl who’s just moved in with her dad and his... Wed, 21 Mar 2012 14:17:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3567/3ala-wahda-we-nos-another-embarrassing-egyptian-belly-dancing-flick/ 3ala Wahda We Nos  stars Sama El Masry, a belly dancer who is apparently quite famous, at least according to this reviewer’s usher at the cinema. The jury’s out on the extent of her dancing skills mainly because the film is shot so atrociously and focuses more on her boobs and bum than on her... Mon, 19 Mar 2012 15:16:53 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3563/the-iron-lady-over-sentimental-thatcher-biopic/ The Iron Lady is less of a biopic than an exploration of Thatcher’s legacy and the challenges she faced as a politician- a female one in particular. While the film’s structure is executed well and succeeds in being very coherent, it lays on the schmaltz a bit thick. It takes an aged Thatcher’s... Sun, 18 Mar 2012 15:01:13 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3552/dr-seuss-the-lorax-animated-musical-with-eco-friendly-message/ Thneedville is a 100% synthetic city. The air quality is awful, trees are a thing of the past and the sale of bottled purified air is booming. What’s more, people actually like it that way because they’ve been brainwashed into thinking that nature is an enemy by a billionaire who managed to turn... Thu, 15 Mar 2012 14:28:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3547/john-carter-epic-sci-fi-adventure/ The first film in what this reviewer hopes becomes a series, is an origin story setting up who John Carter is, how he got to Mars and how he managed to end their civil war. Mars, which the natives call Barsoom, is home to three different clans; the people of Helium, the people of Zodanga and the... Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:35:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3531/one-for-the-money-dull-comedy-and-dull-romance-and-dull-action/ Stephanie Plum (Heigl) has just been laid off from her job, is behind on her rent and is basically in desperate need of some quick money. She takes a job as a recovery agent/bounty hunter, apprehending felons that have skipped out on bail. She discovers that the guy who broke her heart in high... Mon, 12 Mar 2012 16:27:57 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3527/j-edgar-dicaprio-shines-in-ambitious-biopic/ J. Edgar is the story of the FBI chief’s career from his start as an overenthusiastic loner to the head of the most powerful law enforcement agency in America. It shows how he took the FBI from a laughingstock into the powerful institution that it is today despite the media painting him as an... Sun, 11 Mar 2012 15:34:06 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3515/11-11-11-confusing-and-religiously-themed-horror-film/ Joseph (Gibbs) loses his wife, son and faith in a house fire and subsequently starts to see the number 11-11 recurring in his life. It was the time his family died, it was the day his mother also died and it pops up in his nightmares; it is slowly driving him crazy. He gets a phone call from his... Thu, 8 Mar 2012 15:24:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3504/colombiana-zoe-saldana-kicks-ass-in-a-rather-bland-film/ Ten-year-old Cataleya’s (Saldana) parents are murdered right in front of her by some Colombian gang members who are after a sim card full of important information. She manages to escape with the sim card and make her way over to her hit man uncle in Chicago with a burning desire to learn how to... Wed, 7 Mar 2012 16:35:40 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3500/beauty-and-the-beast-3d-disney-classic-back-on-the-big-screen-in-3d/ Disney carries on in its mission to take money right out of our pockets with our full and willing cooperation. Beauty and the Beast, possibly Disney’s magnum opus, gets the 3D treatment and for those of you who saw The Lion King in 3D, you’ll be happy to know that the extra money is actually... Tue, 6 Mar 2012 17:26:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3492/this-means-war-rom-com-with-heavyweight-cast-and-lightweight-plot/ Tuck (Hardy) and FDR (Pine) are best buddies and CIA field agents. When an assignment goes wrong and they end up with a deranged mobster on their backs, they’re relegated to desk jobs. Their newfound spare time allows them to focus on non-violent pursuits such as online dating where Tuck meets... Mon, 5 Mar 2012 16:03:05 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3481/the-rum-diary-johnny-depp-hunter-s-thompson-affair-continues/ Kemp (Depp), a journalist with a bit of an alcohol problem, takes up a job at a rundown Puerto Rican newspaper. He runs into Sanderson (Eckhart); a morally-defunct, rich American who takes a liking to him and wants him to lend his writing skills to help rejuvenate tourism in Puerto Rico.... Sun, 4 Mar 2012 15:28:22 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3466/drive-gorgeous-and-brutal-thriller/ Drive is ultimately about a man who’s run afoul of the local mob through no direct responsibility of his own. Fearful for the safety of the people he loves, he’s spurred into action.     Despite being the lead, Gosling’s character doesn’t even get a name, which actually is highly fitting for his... Wed, 29 Feb 2012 17:06:16 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3458/journey-2-the-mysterious-island-goofy-cgi-adventure/ Sean (Hutcherson) intercepts a message from his missing, adventurer grandfather telling him that he’d found the mysterious island from the Jules Verne book. Armed with the island’s coordinates, he, along with his stepdad Hank (Johnson), sets out to find it. Along the way they pick up Gabato... Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:39:32 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3450/hugo-scorseses-visually-stunning-ode-to-early-cinema/ Hugo (Butterfield) is an orphan boy living in a train station in 1930s Paris, winding the clocks and making sure they run smoothly as his father and uncle had taught him to do. In his spare time, he tries to fix an automaton that his father had been working on before he died by following the... Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:38:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3440/ghost-rider-spirit-of-vengeance-fun-action-film-about-a-deranged-demon/ The devil, who, in his human manifestation, goes by the name Roarke (Hinds), has ordered his henchmen to kidnap a young boy named Danny (Riordan). This boy, who happens to be his son, is instrumental to a rite that has to be performed by a certain time and, if successful, will grant Roarke a... Thu, 23 Feb 2012 14:52:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3420/big-miracle-feel-good-family-film/ Adam (Krasinski) is a journalist trapped in Barrow, Alaska wiling away his time working on fluff pieces about guacamole and hanging out with the local high school students. He accidentally stumbles across a story about three trapped whales with five miles of ice between them and the open sea; a... Mon, 20 Feb 2012 16:32:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3415/man-on-a-ledge-typical-hollywood-heist-film-manages-to-entertain/ Nick (Worthington) is the man on the ledge. An escaped convict framed for the theft of a diamond, he’s ready to commit suicide in the most public way possible to prove to the world that he’s innocent. At least that’s what he’s hoping the police will think his plan is, in particular Lydia Mercer... Sun, 19 Feb 2012 16:01:26 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3404/reklam-shallow-and-exploitative-film-about-prostitution/ Reklam interweaves the stories of four women; Shadia (Abd El Razek), Dawlat (Youssef), Shokreyya (Seif El Nasr) and Suzy (Khattab). They either come from abusive households, are in desperate need of money or both. They lead very depressing lives in which the guys they meet completely screw them... Thu, 16 Feb 2012 14:08:00 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3398/the-descendants-oscar-nominated-film-about-the-virtues-of-forgiveness/ Clooney stars as Matt King, a Hawaiian landowner and father of two whose wife has slipped into a permanent coma after a boating accident. As a result, this good-natured yet inattentive father now has to actually spend time with his daughters, Alexandra (Woodley) and Scottie (Miller). His world... Wed, 15 Feb 2012 14:48:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3383/safe-house-entertaining-but-predictable-action-movie/ Weston (Reynolds), a young CIA agent, wiles away his time looking after an empty safe house in Capetown, South Africa. Desperate for any way to prove himself, he’s left flat-footed when the CIA’s most wanted man, Tobin Frost (Washington), is apprehended and interrogated at the safe house.... Mon, 13 Feb 2012 17:55:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3371/star-wars-episode-i-the-phantom-menace-3d-badly-aged-3d-reissue/ Jedi Knights Qui-Gon (Neeson) and Obi-Wan (McGregor) are sent to resolve a conflict between Queen Amidala (Portman), ruler of Naboo, and the trade federation who have blockaded her planet and plan to invade it. When their meeting with the trade federation ends with their near death at the hands... Thu, 9 Feb 2012 17:44:53 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3361/the-devil-inside-exorcism-film-short-on-scares/ So you hear the words ‘found footage’, ‘exorcism’ and ‘low budget’ in the same sentence and you, rightfully, expect an awful horror movie that instead of scaring you, has you walking out with a migraine. If you walk into the cinema with this level of expectation, The Devil Inside is a welcome... Thu, 9 Feb 2012 17:42:28 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3350/chronicle-teens-with-superpowers/ Power makes people do strange things. They get drunk on the feeling of superiority that it conjures up and foster the belief that they’re entitled to treat people like crap. Chronicle tells the story of a high school loser who suddenly finds himself endowed with the power to retaliate. Andrew... Mon, 6 Feb 2012 16:22:06 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3348/geddo-habibi-cringingly-irritating-egyptian-comedy/ Fekreya (Boshra) is a British-raised Egyptian who insists on being called Vicky. Completely broke and out of her job after the stock market crash, she decides visit her estranged grandfather Hussein (Yaseen), who is on his deathbed in Egypt. As his sole heir, she stands to inherit a fortune which... Thu, 2 Feb 2012 16:38:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3331/banat-el-am-egyptian-gender-switching-comedy/ The Shanab family home, which they bought from the Hanche family decades ago, is a blight upon their existence. Whenever anyone tries to sell the house, they’re afflicted with some terrible misfortune, the most notable of which is the death of almost the entire family by electrocution. The only... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 15:36:00 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3329/the-grey-bleak-story-of-arctic-survival/ The Grey takes ‘survival of the fittest’ to a whole other level. Seven men survive a plane crash in a desolate part of Alaska and must now choose their preferred method of dying; the cold, starvation, injuries, drowning, falling off of cliffs or the most threatening of them all; wolves with... Tue, 31 Jan 2012 12:18:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3320/contraband-incomprehensible-action-film-about-smuggling/ Chris (Wahlberg) is a retired, world-class smuggler. Succeeded by his highly incompetent brother-in-law, Andy (Jones), he’s dragged back into the game again when Andy’s run goes horribly wrong and he ends up owing the local kingpin, Tim (Ribisi), a rather large six-figure sum of money. With Tim... Sun, 29 Jan 2012 13:30:00 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3287/a-monster-in-paris-immensely-charming-animation/ It’s the year 1910; the Seine is overflowing and Paris is drowning. Shy filmmaker Emile (Harrington), and cocky inventor Raoul (Goldberg), get into trouble while delivering a parcel to a genius scientist’s lab. Instead of the scientist, they find his pet monkey waiting for them with orders to... Sun, 22 Jan 2012 16:03:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3278/underworld-awakening-flashy-vampires-and-werewolves/ The fourth film in the Underworld series, Awakening starts off with the vampire and lycan communities being exposed and the humans declaring an all-out war against them. During the purge, vampire Selene (Beckinsale) and hybrid Michael are taken captive and cryogenically frozen. Selene awakens... Thu, 19 Jan 2012 15:19:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3261/cairo-360s-most-anticipated-films-of-2012/ It seems like the number of remakes, sequels, prequels and adaptations are increasing year after year, with pretty much everything on this list fitting neatly into one of the aforementioned criteria. That being said, this list has Cairo 360 swooning with anticipation for the year’s film... Tue, 17 Jan 2012 16:53:42 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3253/omar-and-salma-3-silly-but-funny-egyptian-romantic-comedy/ In this latest instalment, Omar (Hosny) and Salma’s (Ezz El Din) marriage has stagnated. Omar sleeps all day, hangs out with his friends all night and lives off of his dad’s money. He also happens to be obsessed with the idea of pursuing a music career and singing Egyptian shaabi music. This,... Sun, 15 Jan 2012 15:14:35 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3241/black-gold-oil-and-desert-and-arabs-and-lots-of-drama-in-between/ Black Golddeals with the effect of the discovery of oil wells on the yellow strip; a section of the Gulf common to two warring tribes headed by men with opposing world views. One tribe is headed by Amar (Strong) while the other is ruled by Nesib (Banderas). The latter is a modern thinker and will... Thu, 19 Jan 2012 18:09:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3226/the-thing-unremarkable-alien-horror-flick/ A bunch of scientists in Antarctica discover an underground lair and an unidentifiable creature frozen in the ice. They drill through the ice to get a DNA sample and in the process, unwittingly awaken the beast. It starts to pick the scientists off one by one by eating them, copying their DNA and... Mon, 9 Jan 2012 16:16:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3208/wahed-saheeh-drama-about-the-perfect-wife-and-unrequited-love/ Ridiculously translated into ‘A Whole One’, Wahed Saheeh isn’t a romance as much as it is a film about unrequited love.Abdullah (Salama) is the ultimate playboy. He’s also an arrogant douchebag but he’s charming, rich and successful, so girls fling themselves at him anyway. Wahed Saheeh recounts... Thu, 5 Jan 2012 15:06:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3175/the-darkest-hour-tame-alien-apocalypse-flick/ Natalie (Thirlby), Anne (Taylor), Sean (Hirsch) and Ben (Minghella) meet in a bar in Moscow where they’re suddenly bombarded by a downfall of golden, writhing, glowing orbs raining down on them from the sky. After the initial feeling of wonder, all hell breaks loose as these aliens vanish and... Thu, 29 Dec 2011 13:53:55 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3167/immortals-ancient-greece-goes-hollywood-in-brutal-action-film/ Theseus (Cavill) is a Greek mortal. Born to a single mother as a result of a rape, his social status in his village is slightly lower than the donkeys'. His village is next in line in King Hyperion’s (Rourke) search for the legendary Epirus Bow, the only weapon that can free the Titans and kill... Tue, 3 Jan 2012 14:22:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3161/sherlock-holmes-a-game-of-shadows-heavy-on-action-and-light-on-plot/ Holmes (Downey Jr.) and Watson (Law) have reached the end of their partnership. Watson’s getting married and, as a consequence, Holmes is feeling rather abandoned. Holmes uncovers an evil plot by their arch nemesis Professor James Moriarty (Harris) to break out a world war by escalating tensions... Tue, 27 Dec 2011 15:20:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3152/arthur-christmas-hilarious-animated-christmas-film/ Father Christmas’s job is handed down throughout the generations from father to son. Our current Santa, Malcolm (Broadbent), has had a pretty great run yet is unwilling to relinquish his position to his eldest son Steve (Laurie), who would kill for the title. Under Steve’s influence, however, the... Mon, 26 Dec 2011 15:32:14 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3144/where-do-we-go-now-light-but-profound-film-on-religious-sectarianism/ This film tells the story of a small village in Lebanon around the turn of this century. Their only connection to the outside world is through a treacherous walk over a rickety stone bridge and they barely have access to television and radio reception. The whole village relies on two boys who... Sun, 25 Dec 2011 14:30:54 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3138/the-muppets-brilliant-and-old-fashioned-feel-good-fun/ The Muppets is joy in the form of film; it provoked sing-alongs, clapping, cheering, arm waving and spontaneous dancing in the cinema at the time of this review. And this was by people over the age of ten. It completely lacks cynicism and its relentless optimism and hopefulness will warm the... Thu, 22 Dec 2011 14:39:00 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3116/seeking-justice-tense-and-unsettling-thriller/ Batman’s whole shtick was that he was sick of seeing Gotham turn into a cesspool of crime with the police just standing around twiddling their thumbs. Driven by his desire to avenge his murdered parents, he decided to take matters into his own hands and dole out justice his way. Seeking Justice... Mon, 19 Dec 2011 15:27:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3112/mission-impossible-ghost-protocol-heaps-of-fun-and-awesome-stunts/ When Ethan (Cruise) and his team, Jane (Patton) and Benji (Pegg) bungle an assignment to steal some papers from the Kremlin, the building’s subsequent bombing is blamed on them and tensions between Russia and the US reach an all-time high. The US president issues a Ghost Protocol, which basically... Sun, 18 Dec 2011 16:18:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3101/alvin-and-the-chipmunks-chip-wrecked-squeaky-singing-and-cheesy-puns/ Right before the International Music Awards, at which they’re scheduled to perform, Alvin (Long) and the chipmunks go on a holiday cruise with their father/manager Dave (Lee). Alvin’s mischievous ways end up with the six chipmunks flung overboard, clinging to a kite for dear life. They wash up... Thu, 15 Dec 2011 15:09:39 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3089/moneyball-underdog-fights-the-system/ Billy Beane (Pitt) is the general manager of the Oakland Athletics, a baseball team with the lowest budget in the entire league. The team makes it all the way to the last game of the season where they lose and suddenly they’re back at square one again; except this time, their three star players... Tue, 13 Dec 2011 16:04:57 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3077/new-years-eve-awful-and-insipid-celebrity-crammed-film/ So it seems like original stories are rather hard to come by nowadays, which explains the rash of sequels and remakes that we’re being subjected to. Well this whole cram-as-many-celebrities-as-you-can-into-the-film-and-forget-about-the-plot formula can now take its place alongside the esteemed... Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:12:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3076/tahrir-2011-the-good-and-the-bad-and-and-the-politician-excellent-documentary/ Based on a subject that we’re all intimately acquainted with, Tahrir 2011 is an insanely engaging documentary. No scratch that; it’s super interesting, period. Divided into three sections, each directed by a different person, the film explores the 18 days of Tahrir (The Good), the police and... Sun, 11 Dec 2011 15:33:24 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3068/asmaa-anti-prejudice-film-about-aids-in-egypt/ Asmaa (Sabri) has AIDS. She also has a gall bladder that’s acting up and ironically enough, it may just kill her before the AIDS does. She goes from doctor to doctor, trying to find someone willing to remove her gall bladder. She’s met with rejection and fear by the professionals who refuse to... Thu, 8 Dec 2011 13:29:17 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3051/jack-and-jill-a-mess-of-a-comedy/ Adam Sandler’s films are generally hit and miss. You never really know whether you’re getting a solid comedy or a stinking dud. Jack and Jill is solidly in the latter category and in fact, it’s the collection’s crown jewel. Sandler plays both of the identical twins, Jack and Jill. Jack has a... Mon, 5 Dec 2011 15:55:00 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3035/happy-feet-two-uneven-animated-musical/ In a colony of singing, dancing penguins, Mumble (Wood) the talented tap dancer from the first film and Gloria (Pink), his gifted singer wife, now have a son called Erik (Acres), the only penguin who can neither dance nor sing. Devoid of any other talents, Erik becomes something of an outcast.... Thu, 1 Dec 2011 17:36:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3021/tower-heist-entertaining-action-comedy/ Josh Kovacs (Stiller) works as a manager in The Tower, a really swanky block of flats. The very wealthy residents are completely dependent on the all-encompassing service they receive from Kovacs and his team of doormen, housekeepers and receptionists, who know everything about the tenants’... Mon, 28 Nov 2011 14:39:17 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3014/i-dont-know-how-she-does-it-gratingly-outdated-comedy-about-working-mums/ Kate (Parker) is a financial analyst with two kids and an out-of-work husband (Kinnear) that she has to juggle around her hectic, interstate work schedule. She tries to keep both sides of her life together as she powers through the biggest deal of her career while struggling with feelings of... Sun, 27 Nov 2011 14:18:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/3004/straw-dogs-suspense-less-thriller-remake/ David (Marsden) and Amy (Bosworth) move into her childhood home, which is now vacant and slightly damaged after Hurricane Katrina, for a couple of weeks to work on a film script. Amy’s hometown is the kind where everyone knows each other and the biggest event is the high-school football games.... Thu, 24 Nov 2011 17:16:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2979/puss-in-boots-badass-animated-kitties/ Puss (Banderas) grew up in an orphanage where he met his best friend Humpty Dumpty (Galifianakis). Together, they dreamed of finding Jack and the Beanstalk’s magic beans, which would lead them to a veritable treasure trove of golden eggs and the goose that lays them. These eggs would make them... Sun, 20 Nov 2011 16:42:13 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2966/the-twilight-saga-breaking-dawn-part-1-plenty-of-angst-and-little-inspiration/ This instalment of The Twilight Saga consists of the first half of the fourth book telling of Bella (Stewart) and Edward’s (Pattinson) wedding, honeymoon, Bella’s surprise pregnancy, her very bloody labour and finally ending with her transformation into a vampire. As usual, Stewart and Pattinson... Sat, 19 Nov 2011 14:14:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2933/amn-dawlat-uneven-egyptian-comedy/ Hamada Helal stars as Hossam El Farshooti, an unwilling Amn El Dawla (Egyptian State Security) officer whose star is rising due to a number of lucky accidents. His latest mission is to guard a politician’s five kids and their senile granny who are being threatened by a terrorist group who want... Thu, 10 Nov 2011 5:27:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2932/x-large-misguided-but-cute-romantic-comedy/ Ahmed Helmy plays Magdy, an overweight man with a bunch of female friends who all see him as one of the girls, i.e. he’s about as sexually appealing to them as a teddy bear. All he wants is a woman who can see past his ‘unsightly’ exterior and see him for who he is inside. He reconnects with Dina... Thu, 10 Nov 2011 5:26:31 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2934/cima-ali-baba-unconventional-egyptian-comedy/ Cima Ali Baba is made up of two separate films, the first being the Star Wars style ‘Go and Kill Them All’, and the second being ‘The Cock in the Nest’.  Mekki stars in the first film as Hazal’om, a human being who has been abducted from planet Earth by three corrupt government officials on... Thu, 10 Nov 2011 9:40:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2927/the-adventures-of-tintin-breathtaking-animation/ Tintin (Bell) is a highly inquisitive journalist. He comes across a model of a boat at a flea market and buys it. His curiosity is peaked when a succession of people offer to buy the model at any price which he refuses. His boat is stolen after he finds an old scroll hidden in the mast. He... Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:15:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2920/kaf-el-amar-highly-melodramatic-khaled-youssef-film/ Amar (Amer) is a widow with five grown sons living in Upper Egypt. She suffers from a stroke that leaves her on her deathbed. Her final wish before she dies is to see her five sons, who have all moved to Cairo, together again. It’s now up to her eldest, Zikry (Saleh) to track down his four... Thu, 3 Nov 2011 14:47:43 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2892/hoodwinked-too-hood-vs-evil-3d-badly-animated-kids-film/ Granny has been kidnapped while on a mission to save Hansel and Gretel from being turned into pie. Red Riding Hood, who was away studying, returns to save her, aided by her sidekicks Wolf, with whom she has a love-hate relationship, and Twitchy, a hyperactive squirrel. Red and the gang discover... Mon, 31 Oct 2011 16:26:28 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2878/footloose-fun-and-modern-remake-of-80s-dance-classic/ When his mother suddenly dies, Big-city kid Ren (Wormald) moves to the small town of Bomont to live with his aunt. He is astonished to find that the law in Bomont enforces a curfew for minors and prohibits loud music and public dancing after a car crash three years ago had killed five seniors... Sun, 30 Oct 2011 15:49:46 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2875/arab-shorts-2011-inspiring-short-film-festival-in-cairo/ Founded by the Goethe Institute in 2009, what was supposed to be a one-off event has snowballed into a festival that is now in its third round. Arab Shorts showcases independent short films from the Middle East and North Africa and is basically divided into two parts; the festival and the... Sun, 30 Oct 2011 13:17:58 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2865/in-time-sci-fi-version-of-robin-hood/ In Time takes place in an alternative universe where people don’t age past twenty five, at which point the countdown clock on their arms activate, and they have but a year left to live unless they earn more time. Wages are earned in time: the rich can loiter indefinitely, while the poor toil day... Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:13:33 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2860/the-conspirator-a-fascinating-historical-courtroom-drama/ The Conspiratoris a dramatization of the aftermath of Abraham Lincoln’s assassination. All of the assassins except for one were rounded up and hauled off to jail. Lumped in with them was the mother of the assassin that got away, Mary Surratt (Wright). Charged with conspiring to kill the... Wed, 26 Oct 2011 16:09:36 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2852/trespass-stretched-out-heist-flick/ Nicolas Cage plays Kyle, a diamond dealer who, unbeknownst to his wife Sarah (Kidman) and daughter Avery (Liberato), is broke. His family life isn’t going too well either. His preoccupation with work is costing him his wife, who is close to giving up on trying to bridge the gulf between them, and... Tue, 25 Oct 2011 14:49:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2844/paranormal-activity-3-tense-horror-prequel/ Set in the late 80s, Paranormal Activity 3 is a prequel to the previous two films in the franchise. It shows Katie and Kristi as kids haunted by a demonic spirit called Toby. At first, their mother Julie (Bitter) and her boyfriend Dennis (Smith) assume that Toby is a figment of Kristi’s... Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:54:36 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2837/the-lion-king-3d-relive-the-disney-classic-in-all-its-majesty/ Full disclosure: This reviewer is a huge Disney fan, especially when it comes to their classic musicals. Before going to see the film, this reviewer was irked at Disney. Releasing The Lion King in 3D was almost tantamount to a confession that they were incapable of making any more films that were... Sun, 23 Oct 2011 13:16:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2829/contagion-snoozy-and-overcrowded-action-film/ Swine flu and bird flu have combined and mutated into a highly contagious virus that kills one out of every four people, throwing scientists, doctors and politicians into a tizzy as they try to contain the epidemic while tracking down its source and developing an effective vaccine before all... Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:22:16 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2790/johnny-english-reborn-a-comedy-thats-more-absurd-than-funny/ Johnny (Atkinson), a disgraced MI-7 agent is called back into the fray again to thwart a plot to assassinate the Chinese prime minister. He discovers the existence of a trio of double agent assassins who go by the name of Vortex; one from the CIA, one from KGB and the third from MI-7. He has to... Thu, 13 Oct 2011 17:05:48 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2784/real-steel-triumph-of-a-robot-boxing-underdog/ Washed up boxer and absentee father Charlie (Jackman) is saddled with his kid Max (Goyo) when his mother dies. As a way out of his colossal financial problems and as a way to get rid of the kid, he agrees to sign over custody to Max’s aunt for a hundred grand and as long as Max spends a month... Thu, 13 Oct 2011 16:40:17 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2780/warrior-emotional-and-physical-rollercoaster/ Brendan (Edgerton) and Tommy (Hardy) are two estranged brothers and sons to an abusive, alcoholic boxer father, Paddy (Nolte), who trained them both in the art of fighting. They eventually give up their boxing aspirations, but Tommy wants to return to the ring, and enlists his father’s help in... Wed, 12 Oct 2011 17:18:09 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2773/cowboys-and-aliens-western-and-sci-fi-collide/ The title is a huge spoiler, which shows just how much of a plot this film has. Set in 1873, aliens want to take over Earth for its supply of gold. They swoop around in fancy alien planes blowing stuff up and abducting people to figure out the weaknesses of the human race. However, when they zoom... Tue, 11 Oct 2011 14:35:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2768/the-three-musketeers-highly-illogical-but-pretty-badass-adventure/ D’Artagnan (Lerman) is a poor country boy and son of a former musketeer with dreams of following in his father’s footsteps. He goes to Paris to join the musketeers, where he meets Athos (Macfadyen), Porthos (Stevenson) and Aramis (Evans), the three musketeers who inform him that their golden era... Mon, 10 Oct 2011 15:12:39 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2761/crazy-and-stupid-and-love-entertaining-and-touching-romantic-comedy/ Crazy, Stupid, Loverecounts three intertwined love stories spanning three different generations. First you have forty-something Cal (Carell) and Emily (Moore). Emily is cheating on Cal with David (Bacon) and wants a divorce. A distraught Cal meets the much younger ladies’ man Jacob (Gosling), who... Sun, 9 Oct 2011 16:25:54 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2739/the-change-up-a-good-natured-comedy/ The Change Up is an exercise in opposites. Dave (Bateman) is an overworked lawyer and family man, while his best friend Mitch (Reynolds) is a slacker actor. While peeing in a fountain and envying each others’ lives, they accidentally switch bodies and must go about as the other until they can... Tue, 4 Oct 2011 16:13:32 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2734/abduction-sloppily-written-and-acted-action-film/ Opening shot: A car zooms down a tree lined road. A cute guy is seated on the front windshield laughing his head off, yelling at the driver to go faster. They reach the party. We get a round of fist bumps and a chorus of 'Man, you’re so crazy!' followed by 'I totally am, bro!' and a whole lot of... Mon, 3 Oct 2011 17:40:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2726/killer-elite-very-average-action-film/ Danny (Statham), formerly the best assassin in the business, has retired. His conscience just won’t allow him to kill people anymore. He’s been unwillingly sucked back into the game one last time to help out his old buddy Hunter (De Niro) who’s run afoul of a revenge-seeking Omani oil baron.... Sun, 2 Oct 2011 16:15:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2712/one-day-a-better-romance-than-most/ You know how a few years ago, you’d be hard pressed to find a girl who hadn’t seen The Notebook? Well, One Day could possibly take up that mantle, if the amount of females and young couples spotted at the cinema is any indication.Emma (Hathaway) and Dexter (Sturgess) get to know each other on... Thu, 29 Sep 2011 17:35:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2687/the-traveller-confusing-and-thought-provoking-egyptian-drama/ The Traveller is an Egyptian film that follows Hassan on three different days in his life in three different places. In Port Said 1948, Hassan (El Nabawy) meets Nura (Abdel Nour),who he initially charms but ultimately rapes aboard a ship. In Alexandria 1973, Nura’s daughter Nadia reaches out to a... Sun, 25 Sep 2011 17:14:13 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2675/final-destination-5-more-terrible-ways-to-die-in-latest-horror-chapter/ Final Destination 5’s story begins when a bridge collapses, sending most of those on it crashing to their deaths. Sam (D’Agosto) has a premonition of the accident and manages to save a handful of his coworkers while the rest join the deceased masses. The survivors are reduced to a bundle of... Thu, 22 Sep 2011 17:51:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2666/ya-ana-ya-howa-a-jekyll-and-hyde-comedy/ Saeed (El Shafei) is a pushover man-child. He wears bright onesies to bed, has a Justin Bieber haircut, decorates his flat with pictures of Winnie the Pooh and watches cartoons while drinking milk. He’s in love with a woman called Gamila (El Baroudi) to whom he’s been sending anonymous love... Tue, 20 Sep 2011 15:15:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2651/shark-night-tame-horror-film-with-no-bite/ The story is the same old, same old. A bunch of good-looking college kids spend a few days by a lake and happen to get picked off, one by one, by a pack of sharks. Even the villains are nothing new. We have the money-grabbing sheriff who hates the rich kids (Logue), a crazy drunkard (Leonard) and... Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:02:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2650/bridesmaids-smart-comedy-that-wont-just-appeal-to-women/ This is a story about two lifelong best friends Annie (Wiig) and Lillian (Rudolph) whose lives are diverging wildly. Annie is broke, miserable and single while Lillian is happily engaged. Lillian chooses Annie to be her maid of honour, which is fine until she meets Helen (Byrne), a bridesmaid who... Sun, 18 Sep 2011 15:19:06 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2637/spy-kids-all-the-time-in-the-world-a-fun-comedy-for-kids/ The fourth instalment in the Spy Kids franchise tells the story of the Wilson family. Wilbur (McHale) is a professional spyhunter who has never actually caught a spy. His rather precocious kids, Rebecca and Cecil, (Blanchard and Cook respectively) aren’t feeling the love. Their dad is always busy... Thu, 15 Sep 2011 16:23:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2598/share-el-haram-dire-cabaret-comedy/ Comedy flick Share’ El Haram (El Haram Street) tells the story of Zizi (Dina); a cabaret dancer who is part of a double act with singer Hommos (El Soghayar).Naturally, all eyes are on Zizi, and none more so than those of Adel (Labib); a promiscuous lawyer and regular at Zizi’s shows. Zizi is a... Sun, 25 Sep 2011 18:11:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2588/the-smurfs-smurftastic-comedy-for-kids-only/ Belgium’s answer to Disney is the great Peyo; the brain behind The Smurfs. In its original form, the Smurfs started as a comic book series in the 1960s, and several spin-off comics, cartoons and endless lines of merchandising have all lead up to this; the ultimate big-budget Hollywood... Fri, 9 Sep 2011 17:38:22 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2580/captain-america-the-first-avenger-iconic-super-hero-on-the-big-screen/ It’s 1942, and the US is knee-deep in World War II. Having endured countless rejections for military duty, wiry-figured Steve Rogers (Evans) is given the chance of a lifetime in the form of Super Soldiers; a top-secret military experiment. Despite having the physique of a sickly 12-year-old girl,... Mon, 5 Sep 2011 14:56:31 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2574/conan-the-barbarian-shallow-remake-of-shallow-action-fantasy/ Jason Momoa is the lucky hunk chosen to star as this generation's Conan the Barbarian. Played famously by Arnold Schwarzenegger in 1982, the tale of the legendary warrior begins with him as a young man with a traumatised childhood. With his mother having died giving birth to him, and his father... Tue, 6 Sep 2011 15:24:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2571/bibo-we-besheer-quirky-and-likeable-rom-com/ Besheer (Yaseen) works a Tanzanian translator for the Tanzanian coach of the Egyptian basketball team; a rather strange job to say the least. You’d think so, until you find out that Bibo (Shalaby) is a tabla player in a barely new musical group. It’s not just strange jobs that the two stars of... Sun, 4 Sep 2011 13:40:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2572/tek-tek-bom-another-mohamed-saad-slapstick-flick/ Mohamed Saad plays Tika, an underdog Egyptian who sells toys for a living. A poor but good man, Tika's story begins on his wedding night which turns from the happiest night of his life to the most devastating memory, as the January 25th revolution breaks out on the exact same night. The riots end... Fri, 2 Sep 2011 14:44:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2570/ana-badia-ya-wadia-lame-attempt-at-comedy/ Following the popular Melody Aflam ad campaign that resonated with audiences across Egypt for its hilarious catchphrases and spoofs of cult classic films, comes Ana Badi’a Ya Wadi’a.Produced by Melody Aflam, the film revolves around a big-hit producer, Tohamy (Kandeel), who is known in the film... Thu, 1 Sep 2011 17:53:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2564/fright-night-3d-dark-humoured-horror/ Charlie Brewster (Yelchin) has everything going for him; he's popular, academically on the right track and has the hottest girl in school as his girlfriend. While everything is almost perfect, trouble then finds Brewster and his mother (Collette), when Jerry (Farrell) moves in next door. Having... Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:17:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2531/rise-of-the-planet-of-the-apes-great-ape-action-blockbuster/ James Franco plays Will Rodman, a scientist developing a smart drug to help cure Alzheimer’s disease, which his father Charles (Lithgow) suffers from. Using chimpanzees as test subjects for his drug experimentation, Will is closing in on a final cure until an accident results in the death of one... Thu, 25 Aug 2011 16:49:54 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2350/the-ward-unoriginal-prototype-horror-film/ Set in the 1960s, The Ward tells the story of Kirsten; a young woman who wakes up to find herself in a psychiatric hospital with her body covered in bruises and cuts. Kirsten is housed in the room of a recently deceased patient, Tammy. The circumstances of Tammy’s death are unknown, and Kirsten... Sun, 7 Aug 2011 12:00:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2332/zookeeper-frivolous-animal-comedy/ Griffin Keyes’ (James) love life has been on a downward slope since his relationship with the love of his life Stephanie (Bibb) ended some five years ago. He gets a chance to win her back, though; and he decides that step one of recovering the relationship is quitting his job as a... Thu, 21 Jul 2011 15:37:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2329/horrible-bosses-refreshing-and-intelligent-comedy/ Comedies are often dragged down by predictable plots that can be figured out a few minutes in or by the cast’s exaggerated acting that make them easily forgettable. So when a new comedy combines an interesting story with a genuinely funny cast, you should probably ignore those odds and take your... Wed, 20 Jul 2011 16:17:37 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2308/the-big-bang-average-mystery-thriller/ The Big Bang is a film noir-style thriller about Los Angeles private investigator, Ned Cruz (Banderas), who is hired by a recently paroled Russian boxer to locate his missing girlfriend Lexie (Guillory) and retrieve the US$30 million worth of diamonds that she took from him.Cruz’s quest to find... Mon, 18 Jul 2011 16:32:00 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2302/ezaet-hob-cliched-romantic-comedy-for-the-summer/ When Hassan (Salama) becomes helpless in his quest for the virtuous, perfect girl of his dreams, he refers to his best friends Bimbim (Edward) and Donia (Mona Halla) for help. The three friends work together in a radio station called ‘Sotna’. On the other side of the spectrum is Laila (Shalaby),... Sun, 17 Jul 2011 17:57:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2279/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-2-impressive-finale/ J.K. Rowling's ultimate adventure has finally arrived. Unless you’ve been living under a rock for the past decade, you may have seen or read one of the instalments in this international bestselling children’s fantasy fiction series. While Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows: Part 2 is actually... Sun, 17 Jul 2011 12:00:09 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2238/hanna-excellent-and-relentless-action-thriller/ As a young girl, seventeen-year-old Hanna (Ronan) was trained by her father Erik (Bana), a former CIA operative, to be a lethal assassin. Having lived in the wilderness of Finland since the age of two, she is taught not to rely on technology. After leaving his position, Erik becomes a target for... Sun, 24 Jul 2011 12:00:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2231/13-ensemble-thriller-lacks-consistency/ A desperate and naive young man named Vince (Riley) unwittingly assumes another man's identity only to be sucked into an underground world full of violence and money. Unaware of the consequences, Vince is quickly involved in a gambling ring like no other that he unwillingly becomes a huge part... Mon, 11 Jul 2011 0:09:37 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2225/honey-2-poor-dance-film-sequel/ Honey 2 is the second instalment of Jessica Alba's dance-themed chick-flick, Honey. This time around, the story revolves around seventeen-year-old Maria (Graham), who dreams of joining award-winning dance group 718. After getting turned down by Luis (Martinez), leader of 718 and ex-boyfriend, she... Thu, 7 Jul 2011 18:47:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2202/el-markeb-weakly-executed-drama/ The story of El Markeb revolves around a group of young and reckless friends who take a boat trip together behind their parents’ backs. Sailing into the middle of the sea, they engage in all sorts of outrageous debauchery. Karma seemingly hits them hard, though; as the boat’s captain dies,... Tue, 5 Jul 2011 15:58:25 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2189/larry-crowne-big-stars-in-predictable-yet-charming-comedy/ When Larry Crowne (Hanks), a very successful salesman, suddenly finds himself jobless, he decides to enrol in a local community college. Looking forward to starting from scratch, Crowne quickly blends in with the crowd and easily makes friends. He also finds himself attracted to his professor... Sun, 3 Jul 2011 18:14:30 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2178/transformers-dark-of-the-moon-disappointing-end-to-trilogy/ During the Apollo 11 mission to the moon in the 1960s, Neil Armstrong and his fellow astronauts come across the wreckage of the last escaping Cybertronian spacecraft, the Ark, which crash-landed on the dark side of the moon. Onboard was Sentinel Prime, Optimus Prime's mentor and former Autobot... Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:06:18 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2168/cars-2-fun-and-action-packed-sequel/ Cars 2 picks up right where the original Cars left off, whereas this time around, the animation mainly focuses on Mater (Larry the Cable Guy) as the lead character. When Mater travels overseas to help his buddy Lightning McQueen (Wilson) in racing against the best cars in the world and winning... Wed, 29 Jun 2011 16:17:53 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2157/mr-poppers-penguins-average-family-comedy/ Successful realtor Thomas Popper (Carrey) struggles with his responsibilities as a parent on account of his own father, an explorer, being absent throughout his childhood. Today, Thomas is just about to close in on a major deal in buying a famous old restaurant owned by Mrs. Van Gundy (Lansbury),... Tue, 28 Jun 2011 18:01:50 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2150/bad-teacher-enjoyable-diaz-driven-comedy/ Elizabeth Halsey (Diaz) is a bad teacher. She couldn’t care less about her personal image, behaviour and least of all, her students' education. Her pursuit of happiness revolves around finding a wealthy man who will cater to her superficial needs. So when her rich fiancée dumps her, Elizabeth has... Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:22:43 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2137/last-night-intelligent-and-subtle-drama/ Romantic drama Last Night follows the lives of professionally successful couple Michael (Worthington) and Joanna Reed (Knightley). At a party, Joanna notices that Michael is paying particular attention to his attractive colleague Laura (Mendes), and she accuses him of being a bit too friendly... Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:10:54 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2127/el-feel-fel-mandeel-unoriginal-spy-comedy/ The story of this latest Egyptian comedy revolves around Saeed (Zakaria), an ambitious fruit seller who wants to be much more, and dreams of being part of the country’s secret service. Saeed's prayers are answered when he is in fact recruited to be a spy, unbeknownst to him that he is just a... Wed, 22 Jun 2011 17:28:06 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2110/super-8-old-school-sci-fi-fails-to-amaze/ In a small town in Ohio in 1979,  thirteen-year-old Joe Lamb (Courtney) is coming to terms with the sudden death of his mother. A few months on, he and his friends witness a fatal train accident while filming a low-budget zombie film. In the wreckage, they discover masses of small strange silver... Mon, 20 Jun 2011 16:45:57 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2106/samy-oxyde-al-carbone-tired-and-silly-slapstick-comedy/ Samy (Ramzi) is a jobless playboy, who spends his time wasting money and chasing women. Then he meets and falls for Gihan (Dorra), a hardcore social activist who regularly organises protests and despises egocentric, wealthy people like him. In order to impress her, Samy does what any man in his... Sun, 19 Jun 2011 16:59:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2099/green-lantern-disappointing-comic-book-crossover/ Cocky U.S Air Force test pilot Hal Jordan's (Reynolds) life is changed forever when he witnesses to a UFO crash. After rescuing the creature inside, he’s given a ring that grants him extraordinary powers. Accepting this unknown quest, Hal is introduced to an outer-space network of  peer... Thu, 16 Jun 2011 16:44:36 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2089/sarkhat-namla-definitely-not-the-official-film-of-the-revolution/ Sarkhat Namla revolves around the economic differences in Egypt seen through the eyes of Gouda (Abdel Gelil), an Egyptian contractor who was wrongly imprisoned in Iraq. The film tries to address the issues that Egyptians have been faced with in increasing economic difficulties such as the... Wed, 15 Jun 2011 18:36:24 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2079/trust-powerful-and-emotional-cautionary-drama/ When their 14-year-old daughter Annie (Liberato) meets a boy online, parents Will (Owen) and Lynn (Keener) are left completely in the dark as a relationship begins to develop. Several months of online chatting and phone calls pass before Annie’s boyfriend Charlie confesses that he lied about his... Mon, 13 Jun 2011 15:56:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2072/the-hole-harmless-but-enjoyable-fantasy-thriller/ Forced to leave the big city, Dane (Massoglia) and his younger brother Lucas (Gamble) move to a small town with their mother Susan (Polo), where she starts a new job. Upon their arrival, they are challenged with adjusting to their old and creepy mansion of a new home. After befriending their... Sun, 12 Jun 2011 15:49:44 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2066/something-borrowed-predictable-romantic-comedy/ This latest romantic comedy tells the story of Rachel (Goodwin); a talented attorney at a big law firm. Although she’s been single for a while and has trouble finding the right man, she's nonetheless happy for her best friend Darcy (Hudson), who gets engaged to her high-school crush, Dex... Thu, 9 Jun 2011 18:20:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2054/el-fagoumi-weak-adaptation-of-ahmed-fouad-negms-life/ El Fagoumi is based on the true story of legendary Egyptian poet, Ahmed Fouad Negm (El Sawy) and how he became a literary icon and a voice for resistance over the decades. It takes place in the politically turbulent 1950s. Negm meets and befriends another iconic figure, the lyricist and oud... Thu, 9 Jun 2011 18:56:09 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2045/blitz-slow-london-crime-drama/ Based on a book by the same author who wrote the novel on which London Boulevard was based , Blitz is the story of detective sergeant Tom Brant (Statham), an edgy, alcoholic police officer that doesn’t play by the rules. Serial killer Barry Weiss (Gillen), who calls himself the ‘Blitz’, starts... Mon, 6 Jun 2011 18:48:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2033/kung-fu-panda-2-fun-animated-action-sequel/ After becoming the Dragon Warrior, Po (Black) is now living a life that he could never have imagined. Between cooking noodles in his dad’s restaurant and mastering the art of Kung Fu, Po protects his peaceful village with the help of the unstoppable Furious Five – Tigress (Jolie), Crane (Cross),... Sun, 5 Jun 2011 14:23:26 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2029/x-men-first-class-excellent-x-men-prequel/ X-Men: First Class is a prequel to the popular X-Men series and is based on the famous Marvel comic books. The film is set during the height of the Cold War, where the Cuban missile crisis is a looming US threat. On his quest for revenge against those responsible for his parents’ death during the... Thu, 2 Jun 2011 17:26:06 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2023/tomorrow-and-when-the-war-began-unrealistic-war-drama/ Based on a novel by John Marsden, Tomorrow, When the War Began is an intense drama about a group of eight teenage friends in a sleepy Australian town. In an attempt to escape the monotony of their lives, they decide to go on a camping trip together. During their first night of camping, lead... Wed, 1 Jun 2011 16:42:17 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2008/water-for-elephants-magical-romantic-drama/ When his parents are killed in a car accident, Jacob Jankowski (Pattinson) is left with his life in tatters. Unable to continue his education, he joins the Benzini Brothers’ Circus to take care of the animals. Hired by the circus's owner and ringmaster, August (Waltz), Jacob becomes engrossed... Wed, 1 Jun 2011 13:33:32 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/2002/priest-average-vampire-blockbuster/ Having played an albino Opus Dei assassin in The Da Vinci Code (2006), and the Angel Michael in Legion (2009), Paul Bettany returns once again to virtue in Priest as the title character. Set in an alternate world where humans and vampires are at odds, this supernatural thriller tells the story of... Sun, 29 May 2011 16:51:37 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1995/the-hangover-part-ii-badly-recycled-comedy-formula/ The Hangover Part II picks up  where the first one ended. This time around, Phil (Cooper), Stu (Helms), Alan (Galifianakis), and Doug (Bartha) head off to exotic Thailand where they plan to celebrate Stu’s wedding to Lauren (Chung). To play it safe, they all decide that it’s best to have a... Thu, 26 May 2011 19:00:35 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1971/the-spy-next-door-another-unoriginal-comedy-from-chan/ The Spy Next Door stars Jackie Chan as Bob Ho, a top spy at the CIA who decides to put an end to his espionage career and settle down with his girlfriend Gillian (Valletta). She happens to also be his next-door neighbour, and Bob must gain the approval of her three young kids for the relationship... Mon, 23 May 2011 17:07:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1968/pirates-of-the-caribbean-on-stranger-tides-tired-formula/ In the fourth instalment of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Captain Jack Sparrow (Depp) arrives in London looking for a man who has been impersonating him. He is quickly found and detained by King George II, who demands that he join an expedition to find the Fountain of Youth before the... Sun, 22 May 2011 17:50:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1962/london-boulevard-crime-drama-that-misses-the-mark/ Based on a novel, London Boulevard tells the story of Mitchel (Farrell), who is released from prison and dreads his inevitable encounter with the criminal roots of his past. As much as he tries to avoid trouble, he falls right in when he becomes romantically involved with Charlotte (Knightley), a... Thu, 19 May 2011 18:11:09 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1948/the-company-men-hopeful-drama-full-of-solid-acting/ Just when everything is going smoothly, Bobby Walker (Affleck) suddenly finds himself at a dead end in his life when he gets fired by his company, which is downsizing due to the financial crisis affecting the whole USA. Along with his fellow co-workers Phil (Cooper) and Gene (Lee Jones), the... Tue, 17 May 2011 18:30:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1938/ironclad-historical-adventure-thats-light-on-the-adventure/ As a historical account, Ironclad tells the story of a group heroic warriors who stood up against King John in order to defend the castle of Rochester amidst a civil war In England.Set in 1215, the story revolves around the hated and reviled King John (Giamatti). Drunk and reckless, he refuses to... Sun, 15 May 2011 16:03:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1934/paul-fun-alien-comedy-full-of-slapstick-humour/ On a quest for the perfect vacation, two best friends, Graeme Willy (Pegg) and Clive Gollings (Frost) head for a long awaited road trip during which they intend to visit alien landmarks such as Area 51. While on the road, they come across an unexpected car crash that comes out of nowhere. As they... Thu, 12 May 2011 15:32:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1929/sucker-punch-dark-action-packed-fantasy-thriller/ Sucker Punch is basically another epic adventure by acclaimed director Zack Snyder (300), who has proven to be one of the best directors in terms of brilliantly mixing slow-motioned action with mind-blowing fantasy.In Sucker Punch, Babydoll (Browning) suffers from an abusive stepfather, who has... Wed, 11 May 2011 16:08:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1921/love-and-other-impossible-pursuits-a-sappy-soap-opera/ Based on Ayelet Waldman’s best-selling novel, Emilia Greenleaf (Portman) is an aspiring associate lawyer whose life turns upside down when she falls in love with her work colleague, Jack Woolf (Cohen) who is married to Carolyne (Kudrow) and a father to seven-year-old William (Charlie Tahan). When... Tue, 10 May 2011 17:45:14 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1910/fast-five-loaded-with-fun-action/ Fast Five’s story picks up exactly where the fourth sequel to The Fast and the Furious ended. When Dominic Toretto (Diesel) is sentenced to prison, former federal agent Brian O’Conner (Walker) and Dom’s sister Mia (Brewster) help him escape before he even ends up behind bars. The three make their... Sun, 8 May 2011 18:11:22 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1903/valley-of-the-wolves-palestine-focus-on-the-israeli-palestinian-conflict/ Valley of the Wolves: Palestine is the latest instalment of a popular and successful film series in Turkey. In this sequel, the story focuses on a team of Turkish operatives on a mission to avenge the deaths of the aid workers killed by Israeli commandos in the flotilla that was bound to... Sun, 14 Aug 2011 12:00:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1892/cairo-exit-egyptian-film-featured-in-tenth-tribeca-film-festival/ Fifty years ago, the ‘Golden Age’ of Egyptian cinema all but ended. The industry was nationalised, and its soul evaporated into the murky airs above Cairo. Since then, it’s been a circus, with only a handful of honourable mentions, which has climaxed in the last ten years into an endless... Tue, 10 May 2011 17:05:37 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1885/scream-4-the-best-of-all-scream-sequels/ As the heroine of the Scream series, Sidney Prescott (Campbell) has now overcome the tragedies of her past, and is the author of a self-help book. On her book tour, Sidney revisits the town of Woodsboro where all the murders took place, and is reunited with Sheriff Dewey (Arquette) and Gale... Tue, 3 May 2011 18:42:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1878/red-riding-hood-average-blend-of-fantasy-and-horror/ In this latest fantasy tale set during the 1300s, Valerie (Seyfried) is a young woman caught in a love triangle. Although she’s deeply in love with her childhood friend Peter (Fernandez), her parents make arrangements for her to marry the wealthy Henry (Irons). When she and Peter are left with no... Mon, 2 May 2011 16:27:30 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1870/the-lincoln-lawyer-mcconaugheys-return-to-lawyer-thrillers/ Based on the New York Times bestselling novel by the same name, Mick Haller (McConaughey) is a Los Angeles criminal defence lawyer with a smooth style of his own, where he handles his business from the back of his Lincoln Continental Sedan.Given the fact that he’s already won a fair number of... Sun, 1 May 2011 16:00:33 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1841/thor-quality-superhero-film/ There are several promising superhero flicks to be released in cinemas this summer, starting with Thor. Luckily for Egyptian cinemas, the film was released in Cairo prior to its May 6th release in US cinemas, which gives us a head start on checking out one of the most anticipated films of... Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:42:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1823/the-roommate-exciting-tagline-and-unimpressive-film/ When students go to college, they don’t pick their roommates; roommates are picked for them. In The Roommate, Sara (Kelly) is a student who just got into a new college and dreams of becoming a famous designer. As she arrives on campus, her social life is instantly boosted when she’s invited to a... Sun, 26 Jun 2011 12:00:06 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1818/rio-yet-another-surprising-hit-animation/ From the producers of the Ice Age trilogy comes the new animated feature Rio. Set in Brazil’s city of Rio de Janeiro, this newest adventure-comedy revolves around Blu (Eisenberg), a rare macaw that appears to be the last of his kind. It doesn’t seem to bother him, though; as Blu is living the... Tue, 26 Apr 2011 17:03:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1802/boogeyman-3-theres-a-reason-why-this-went-straight-to-dvd/ When college student Audrey (Sanderson) witnesses what she thinks is a boogeyman in her closet, she calls up the college radio station and tells the show host Sarah (Cahill) about the incident. Sarah doesn’t believe her and thinks she’s suicidal. Arriving at her place, she finds Audrey being... Thu, 21 Apr 2011 16:36:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1792/hop-fun-animation-for-kids-only/ It’s usually a delight when studios blend today’s exceptional state-of-the-art animation with live action. Hop combines both factors in a surely impressive way. It’s a holiday family-oriented comedy about E.B. (voiced by Brand), the teenage son of the Easter Bunny. Ever since he was little,... Wed, 20 Apr 2011 18:20:18 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1730/the-adjustment-bureau-intelligent-and-slow-paced-thriller/ When it comes to your destiny, is it meant to be or controlled by a far more powerful force that’s unknown to the human race? The Adjustment Bureau is about a man who defies his very own fate in order to pursue the woman of his dreams, even when he knows it might bring both their careers to an... Tue, 26 Apr 2011 16:11:54 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1725/rango-2011s-best-animation-so-far/ In this computer-animated Western comedy directed by Gore Verbinski, Rango (Depp) is a chameleon who aspires to be a theatrical performer if only given a chance to play the part, whatever role it would be. However, with a series of sudden events, he ends up stranded in the middle of the Mojave... Wed, 27 Apr 2011 13:55:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1721/hall-pass-farrelly-brothers-latest-lewd-comedy/ Rick (Wilson) and Fred (Sudeikis) are best friends who have been married for years and are beginning to get restless about their monogamous lives and miss being single. Sensing their restlessness, their wives (Fischer and Applegate) grant them the chance of their lifetime. In order to save their... Thu, 14 Apr 2011 17:06:39 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1719/the-eagle-roman-epic-with-weak-lead-actor/ Based on a novel by Rosemary Sutcliff, The Eagle focuses on a young Roman soldier Marcus Aquila (Tatum), the son of the leader of the Ninth Legion.Twenty years ago, the legion mysteriously disappeared in Northern England with thousands of men. To find out the truth behind his father's... Wed, 13 Apr 2011 15:49:26 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1718/justin-bieber-never-say-never-for-bieber-fans-only/ Directed by Jon Chu (Step Up2 and 3D), Never Say Never is a 3D documentary that follows the young pop star Justin Bieber with some footage of performances both on and off stage from his 2010 concert tour. It also features some of today’s famous pop artists, such as Usher, Miley Cyrus, Jaden... Sun, 21 Aug 2011 12:00:40 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1714/the-grudge-3-worst-sequel-in-the-grudge-series/ The Grudge 3 consists of two plots melded into one. Jake (Knight) is a young boy held in a mental institution due to his belief that a ghost is haunting him. When he is suddenly found murdered in his own cell, his therapist Dr. Sullivan (Smith) decides to investigate the details of his... Mon, 11 Apr 2011 18:33:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1710/battle-los-angeles-melodramatic-alien-invasion-film/ When a sudden alien attack strikes off the coast of California, the US army is unable to stop it. As the fighting continues, an inexperienced army unit is sent to rescue a group of survivors stuck somewhere in the city of Los Angeles.The military group is led by Staff Sergeant Michael Nantz... Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:00:26 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1703/euc-weak-remake-of-us-college-comedy/ Omar (Kasim) and his best friend (Salam) find themselves in deep trouble after graduating from high school with extremely low grades that won’t get them into any universities in Egypt. So, they turn to their best friend Moody (Abed) to help them create a fake university called EUC with a fake... Thu, 7 Apr 2011 17:39:46 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1684/no-strings-attached-romantic-comedy-minus-the-comedy/ Adam (Kutcher) and Emma (Portman) are two old friends who accidently reunite after years apart. After waking up one morning together, they want to meet again and give their no-strings-attached fling another go. So they agree on a set of rules to maintain the spark between them, without it... Tue, 5 Apr 2011 17:20:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1662/solitary-man-another-average-douglas-film/ Solitary Man revolves around Ben Kalmen (Douglas), a 60-year-old car dealer that wasted away all of his accomplishments on bad business decisions and indiscretions. After his divorce from Nancy (Sarandon), his college sweetheart, Ben has started indulging his indiscrete impulses, not caring about... Mon, 4 Apr 2011 16:30:18 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1652/source-code-intelligent-and-thought-provoking-thriller/ In order to prevent a commuter train from exploding, army helicopter pilot Captain Colter Stevens (Gyllenhaal) must be sent back in time on that train to try and locate the bomb and its bomber.Colter wakes up to find that he’s part of an experimental military program called Source Code, which... Sun, 3 Apr 2011 15:46:18 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1644/my-bloody-valentine-3d-silly-horror-film-in-3d/ In a small town called Harmony, Tom Hanniger (Ackles) is a coal miner who accidentally causes a tragic accident in a tunnel, leaving five men dead and the only survivor, Harry Warden (Walters), in a permanent coma. Exactly one year after the accident, on Valentine’s Day, Harry wakes up thirsty... Thu, 31 Mar 2011 12:13:25 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1620/the-father-and-the-foreigner-amr-wakeds-italian-endeavour/ Diego (Gassman) is a simple public officer at a busy Rome office, who meets a Syrian man, Walid (Waked), at the rehabilitation centre where they both take their handicapped sons for treatment.Walid is devastated when he realizes that his son Youssef (who is younger and more severely handicapped... Tue, 5 Apr 2011 16:37:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1616/twelve-insight-into-the-lives-of-privileged-nyc-teens/ Director Joel Schumacher’s latest thriller Twelve follows White Mike (Crawford), who drops out of school after the death of his mother to be a successful drug dealer in New York City’s Upper East Side. Even though Mike doesn’t smoke or even do drugs, he makes huge profits by supplying drugs to... Thu, 24 Mar 2011 17:14:16 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1612/unknown-another-neeson-action-thriller/ Dr. Martin Harris (Neeson) is a scientist who travels to Berlin with his wife to attend a Biotech seminar. He ends up in a coma after his taxi drives off a bridge into a river, and he wakes up four days later to find that his own wife (Jones) doesn’t know who he is and she’s with a man (Quinn)... Wed, 23 Mar 2011 16:19:50 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1601/mars-needs-moms-weak-3d-kids-animation/ In this 3D computer-animated sci-fi film, young Milo (Green) is your typical teenager: interested in his hobbies and passions such as video games and zombies and less so in chores like taking out the garbage and eating his broccoli). And of course, as most kids behave, he doesn't appreciate the... Mon, 21 Mar 2011 16:28:53 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1598/big-mommas-painful-to-watch/ After witnessing a murder, FBI agent Malcolm Turner (Lawrence) finds out that the only way to protect his teenage stepson Trent (T. Jackson) is by going undercover as Big Momma and dressing up Trent as her niece, Charmaine. While the investigations take place, they hide in an all-girls performing... Sun, 20 Mar 2011 15:22:05 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1589/the-crazies-intelligent-horror-remake/ The Crazies is a remake of George Romeo’s film in 1972 about a small town where citizens suddenly suffer from brutal insanity after drinking its infected water. Sheriff David (Olyphant) tries to figure out the source of this crisis as hundreds of the town’s people become infected. It’s not long... Thu, 17 Mar 2011 15:44:25 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1584/streetdance-3d-britains-version-of-step-up-3d/ In StreetDance 3D, a group of London street dancers lose their main dancer to a rival dance gang and subsequently lose their rehearsal space. After trying to find a new location and raise money, they manage to secure a rehearsal space at a ballet school, thanks to one of its teachers, Helena... Wed, 16 Mar 2011 17:05:16 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1579/skyline-one-of-the-worst-films-in-existence/ Just as the poster shows, Skyline’s plot starts with strange blue lights descending on the city of Los Angeles, drawing people out in the open areas where the extraterrestrial alien forces threaten to wipe the entire human race off of planet Earth.Similar to 2008’s Cloverfield, the film focuses... Tue, 15 Mar 2011 17:45:35 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1574/true-grit-award-winning-western-remake/ Since True Grit is a remake of the 1969 original featuring the legendary John Wayne, it caught the attention of many fans of Western classics. In addition to being nominated for ten Oscars, winning fourteen awards, and also receiving 74 other nominations, True Grit is bound to be more than just... Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:50:50 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1571/the-rite-tired-horror-formula/ Inspired by true events, The Rite follows a sceptical seminary student, Michael Kovak (O’Donoghue), who has lost his faith. Tired of his disparagements, Michael’s instructor, Father Xavier (Hinds) decides to send him off to Rome to attend an exorcism seminar and meet an unorthodox priest, Father... Sun, 13 Mar 2011 15:00:32 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1568/360-essentials-inspiring-revolutionary-films/ John Lennon, anyone? When we think of the word revolution, this famous peaceful protest anthem might be the first thing that comes to mind. The worldwide counterculture revolutions in the 1960s laid down groundwork for revolutionaries and inspired the Beatles’ most influential period. Political... Thu, 10 Mar 2011 17:41:31 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1550/the-kings-speech-captivating-and-oscar-winning-film/ Set in England just before World War II, The King’s Speech focuses on Prince Albert, the Duke of York (Firth) and the second son of the King of England, who has been suffering from a devastating stutter ever since he was a child. In an attempt to help him, his wife Elizabeth (Bonham Carter) hires... Wed, 9 Mar 2011 13:09:36 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1554/i-am-number-four-action-packed-teen-flick/ Following the Hollywood trend of books-turned-films, I Am Number Four is based on the book series written by Pittacus Lore (aka Jobie Hughes and James Frey).When other planets are no longer safe for them, nine alien children and their guardians from the Planet Lorien face no other option but to... Tue, 8 Mar 2011 15:26:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1544/the-fighter-heavy-on-drama-but-light-on-action/ Mark Wahlberg reunites with Director David O. Russell more than ten years after Russell’s Three Kings, a surprise hit that helped earn credibility for both the actor and the director.In their second collaboration, The Fighter focuses on a boxer called Micky Ward (Wahlberg), who is believed to the... Sun, 6 Mar 2011 15:46:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1541/sanctum-predictable-underwater-thriller-in-3d/ The 3D action-thriller Sanctum by executive producer James Cameron follows a team of underwater cave divers on a treacherous exhibition to the largest, most beautiful and least accessible cave system on Earth. When a tropical storm hits the area, the divers have to dive deeper and fight the... Thu, 3 Mar 2011 15:53:26 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1528/just-go-with-it-reliable-sandler-comedy/ Plastic surgeon Dr. Danny Maccabee (Sandler) has spent his life wearing a fake wedding ring and appearing heartbroken to attract women. Then he meets the girl of his dreams, a schoolteacher named Parker (Decker). When she sees the ring, she demands to meet his so-called ex-wife so that she can... Tue, 1 Mar 2011 10:50:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1525/drive-angry-cages-return-from-hell/ John Milton is a revengeful father (Cage) who escapes from Hell to hunt down a group of men led by Jonah King (Burke), who killed his daughter and kidnapped his granddaughter. Accompanied by a smoking hot sidekick (Heard) that he rescues along the way, and pursued by the Accountant (Fichtner),... Sun, 27 Feb 2011 14:49:00 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1522/the-dilemma-an-all-star-bomb/ Ronny (Vaughn) and Nick (James) are two business partners and best friends that decide to take their careers to the next level with a new contract in a major company. Things are already tense since they both realize that this is their one real chance of success. While checking out a botanical... Thu, 24 Feb 2011 17:33:14 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1515/morning-glory-bringing-back-the-re-make/ Audiences everywhere tend to anticipate the worst about any remake of a classic. In the case of Morning Glory, there’s no comparison between the two films as the gap is over 65 years. The original featured the brilliant Katharine Hepburn back in 1933 and was indeed a solid film, but not as much... Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:16:05 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1512/al-shouq-depressing-on-all-levels/ Set in a neighbourhood of Alexandria called El Labban, El Shouq revolves around a poor family headed by the matriarch, Fatma (Badr). When the only son in the family – and the youngest of her three children – falls suddenly ill, Fatma is left with no choice but to go out and collect money by any... Tue, 22 Feb 2011 14:14:31 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1511/365-youm-saada-romantic-comedy-minus-the-romance-and-the-comedy/ 365 Youm Sa’ada revolves around a playboy millionaire called Hady (Ezz) who has it all. He’s got the looks, money and charm and is crazy for women more than anything in his life, yet he avoids real marriages at any cost. Going around with multiple personalities, Hady fools around with the... Mon, 21 Feb 2011 15:06:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1500/yogi-bear-fun-for-kids-and-not-necessarily-for-adults/ If you used to watch Cartoon Network as a kid, or even sit with your young ones when it was on, then there’s a big chance that you came across Yogi Bear. The popular cartoon series centres on two bears that never quit trying to steal picnic food from tourists in the parks, not caring one bit... Thu, 17 Feb 2011 14:54:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1499/the-mechanic-deja-vu-action-with-nothing-new-to-offer/ Given the fact that The Mechanic is actually a remake of Charles Bronson's original film from 1972, it’s not fair to compare the two films as this version is quite different despite having the same plot.Arthur Bishop (Statham) is a professional hit-man who takes orders to eliminate people while... Wed, 16 Feb 2011 12:54:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1497/videos-from-tahrir-best-footage-from-january-25th-revolution/ Throughout the eighteen days of demonstrations in Tahrir Square, demonstrators and onlookers regularly documented the historic events using phone cameras, SLRs and professional video cameras. These mostly amateur videos capture the multifaceted spirit of the January 25th revolution, whether it’s... Tue, 15 Feb 2011 16:28:48 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1484/womens-voices-now-womens-film-festival-on-emancipation/ 'One wonders if women still exist, if they will always exist, whether or not it is desirable that they should, what place they occupy in this world, and what their place should be,' Simone de Beauvoir wrote in The Second Sex.What has become of the woman?She is imprisoned in her own sex, striving... Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:53:39 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1479/fair-game-one-family-against-the-white-house/ Set during the mayhem following 9/11, Fair Game details how the Bush Administration determined Iraq’s possession of WMDs. The film is a relentless attack on the Bush regime based on the story of Valerie Plame (Watts), a CIA agent who worked at the time to investigate the alleged Iraq nuclear... Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:19:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1477/microphone-the-alternative-revolution/ Microphone is as much a drama as it is a documentary, one detailing a movement’s frustration with passive oppression. Egypt’s vibrant art scene that inspired the making of Microphone is at the front and centre. It’s not fighting to be heard or to express itself; the movement is fighting against... Sun, 20 Mar 2011 10:00:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1471/season-of-the-witch-another-disappointing-cage-film/ Part medieval drama, part supernatural fantasy; Season of the Witch is a poor mix of both genres that amounts to nothing. Someone must have thought that mashing up the historical gravity of Braveheart with the straightforwardness and gloss of 300 would make an interesting film, but Season of The... Sun, 23 Jan 2011 11:45:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1465/gullivers-travels-black-is-back/ The new take on the Jonathan Swift classic Gulliver's Travels drifts so far away from the source; it hardly qualifies as an adaptation. It’s more of a goofy and light approach to the story, which is all good and fun; except that it lacks the excitement needed to revitalise an old classic. Even if... Thu, 20 Jan 2011 15:36:43 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1434/let-me-in-a-striking-vampire-love-story/ Although both films feature romance between unassuming humans and vampires, there are no similarities between the Twilight saga and Let Me In. Being a fan of one doesn’t mean you’ll like the other. It's not that the latter is trying in any way to capitalise on the success of the former; but the... Sun, 23 Jan 2011 10:00:05 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1432/the-green-hornet-uneven-fun/ In the first film adaptation of the radio series-turned TV show, The Green Hornet has the best team of talent that anyone could hope for: the king of laidback comedy, Seth Rogan, who also produced and penned the script, 2009’s acting breakthrough Christoph Waltz as the villain, and French... Thu, 13 Jan 2011 15:37:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1414/burlesque-a-glitzy-climb-to-fame/ Unlike Nine, last year’s musical, Burlesque is unabashedly willing to embrace its   fun-loving side. The film is an endless shimmering ride in the town of razzle dazzle. It’s glitzy, campy and glitters with an explosive sense of glee that makes your brain shrink to the size of a diamond. And... Thu, 6 Jan 2011 13:34:28 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1393/el-watar-a-stylish-murder-mystery/ Let’s first acknowledge the ambition of El Watar – here’s a film willing to toy with its formula in interesting ways and with an artistic vision. The film is unabashedly stylish, soaking its world in pastel colours, and feverishly boiling the characters down to their essence. However, the movie... Mon, 3 Jan 2011 12:12:27 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1387/the-ghost-writer-a-political-mystery/ Roman Polanski’s well-publicised arrest happened right after he finished shooting The Ghost Writer. He then finished editing the film from prison in Switzerland. Seeing how The Ghost Writer deals mainly with isolation, international exile and questionable morality; all these themes seem... Fri, 31 Dec 2010 14:22:14 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1385/life-as-we-know-it-a-surprising-delight/ How do you lock two people who can’t stand the sight of each other into the same house? You give them a baby. Life as We Know It didn’t look all promising; it seemed like yet another cutesy Katherine Heigl vehicle where she runs around annoyed and uptight, and then eventually loosens up thanks to... Sun, 16 Jan 2011 10:00:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1378/360-essentials-top-ten-films-of-2010/ 2010 has been a visually exciting, entertaining and compelling year for cinema, especially in Cairo, where we were lucky enough to watch thought-provoking dramas, brilliant 3D animation and many memorable character performances. Here's our round-up of the best films that Cairo 360 has reviewed... Tue, 28 Dec 2010 13:10:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1372/little-fockers-big-disappointment/ The unlikely duo of soft-spoken husband Greg Focker (Stiller) and commanding father-in-law Jack Tiberius (De Niro) reunite in Little Fockers for another feast of debacles and bodily function mishaps. By now, the comedic dichotomy that made the first film a hoot and the sequel an inoffensive... Wed 23 May http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1371/tron-legacy-dull-film-and-stunning-visuals/ The original TRON didn’t inspire much fanfare in its day; the film never had the strong character grip of Star Wars or the unbridled sense of adventure of Indiana Jones, but its groundbreaking visuals and the easily digestible good-versus-bad narrative gave TRON a culture footing strong enough to... Thu, 23 Dec 2010 14:50:06 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1358/tangled-3d-classic-disney-in-eye-popping-3d/ Disney’s 50th animated feature is an enchanting film encompassing the studio’s long tradition of magical fairytales. It has all the classical Disney elements that have entertained generations of children and adults alike: a trapped princess, an evil witch, a rugged hero, friendly animals and... Tue, 21 Dec 2010 18:04:32 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1353/alpha-and-omega-cheesy-wolf-love/ To say that Alpha and Omega is a forgettable family-friendly film would be giving it too much credit. The lazy mix of charming furry animals and teen romance is not particularly offensive; but it is mind-numbingly uninteresting and predictable.The film is frivolous in the worst sense, and... Sun, 19 Dec 2010 14:43:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1351/678-an-expose-on-sexual-harassment/ Egyptian cinema has a long history of using social epidemics as shorthand for prestige. Filmmakers tend to assume that the weight of these issues will manifest itself as quality.Rarely is that the case; in fact, some of the most atrocious films have been made with these very noble intentions. 678... Sun, 26 Dec 2010 10:00:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1331/paranormal-activity-2-equally-frightening-and-less-original/ The original Paranormal Activity owed much of its success to the realistic mystique suggested by its reality-TV aesthetic. It was the centre of the film’s viral marketing campaign and the reason why word spread amongst filmgoers.Regardless of the film’s quality, there was something fresh and... Sun, 12 Dec 2010 17:39:55 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1322/the-tourist-a-swanky-spy-thriller/ When the elusive Elise (Jolie) first meets Frank (Depp) on a train to Venice, she finds him reading an airport thriller. The two of them engage in a flirtatious exchange, where Elise wonders why Frank finds the book so appealing. Frank opens up about his love for spy adventures and his... Thu, 9 Dec 2010 17:52:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1319/machete-b-movie-galore/ When Quentin Tarantino teamed up with Robert Rodriguez for their three-and-a-half-hour-long homage to 70s exploitation; Grindhouse, their efforts were met by roaring applause from fans and critics alike but then the film failed horrendously at the box office.Later, the film received a second life... Sun, 12 Dec 2010 11:26:43 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1315/narnia-the-voyage-of-the-dawn-treader-a-magical-adventure/ The first two Narnia films were moderate successes that never reached the stature of the Harry Potter or the Lord of the Rings franchise. Narnia lacks the imminent danger present in both these franchises, and no matter how rich and imaginative the world of Narnia is; it never fully makes the... Sun, 12 Dec 2010 11:26:43 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1306/faster-single-minded-revenge-fest/ Faster opens with one of the best action set-pieces of 2010. A walking bulk of a man simply referred to as Driver (Johnson) steps out of a prison to an empty desert, takes a quick glance around and then runs to a nearby junkyard where he finds a muscle car waiting for him. Without losing his... Mon, 6 Dec 2010 14:20:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1301/christmas-in-cairo-the-film-guide/ You’ve spent the day running around Cairo buying Christmas presents for your family and friends, worked for hours in the kitchen preparing the perfect holiday feast and decorated your house to spread festive cheer. After all of this hard work, Christmas can seem a little chaotic. There’s no... Sun, 12 Dec 2010 10:00:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1291/due-date-two-guys-on-a-road-trip/ Before Judd Apatow changed the landscape of comedy with romps led by lovable man-children, director Todd Phillips was the undisputed king of comedy. During the first half of the 2000s, films like Road Trip, Old School and Starsky & Hutch ruled the box office. While Apatow found success exposing... Thu, 2 Dec 2010 18:30:41 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1295/heartless-shaking-hands-with-the-devil/ At first, Heartless feels like another low-budget film that cinema theatres in Cairo use as cheap schedule fillers. And although the film is a humble British production; it’s far from a cheap exploitation flick or an inferior imitation of successful genre hits. Heartless is a moody experiment... Thu, 2 Dec 2010 17:51:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1277/international-cairo-film-festival-34th-edition/ As one of the first African or Arab countries to embrace cinema as an art form, Egypt has always been at the forefront of Arab media, making Egyptian films the most watched films in the Arab world; and thus, the Egyptian dialect has become the most understood in the region. Considering the above;... Tue, 30 Nov 2010 17:46:17 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1268/unstoppable-an-exhilarating-thrill-ride/ Based on a true story (with many liberties taken in the film version), Unstoppable turns an ordinary, unexciting train into a true object of menace. Director Tony Scott (Man on Fire) serves the material best by sticking to a tight 90 minutes full of suspense and intricate action. With an enduring... Sun, 28 Nov 2010 17:50:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1263/scott-pilgrim-vs-the-world-life-as-a-video-game/ There isn’t a clear point of reference to pin down where Scott Pilgrim’s style, worldview or logic originated. It’s a pop culture melting pot where manga, rock n’ roll and video games are mashed up together to form something completely original with its own unique visual language. So much about... Sun, 28 Nov 2010 10:00:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1261/the-next-three-days-one-man-against-all-odds/ The Next Three Days is a gripping prison-break film that could have been a great one. We respect that director Paul Haggis (Crash) was trying to make a tight action-thriller film with the same gravity as that of his political and racial dramas. Unfortunately, he doesn’t succeed; and the film... Thu, 25 Nov 2010 18:27:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1253/easy-a-a-winning-high-school-comedy/ A pleasantly surprising gem of a film, Easy A pays homage to classic 80s and 90s high school comedies– a genre that John Hughes pioneered with his sweet and sentimental coming-of-age flicks– while giving the dynamic a fresh spin of its own. Easy A is fun and bubbly without regressing into moronic... Tue, 8 May 2012 11:08:53 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1248/bolbol-hayran-a-lovebird-on-the-fence/ Bolbol (Helmy) wakes up in a full-body cast after a mysterious accident shattered every last bone in his body. He’s lying in a hospital bed, where he’ll probably spend the next few weeks, and with him is Dr. Amal (Ghanem), a dedicated physician taking care of his needs 24/7. Bolbol warms up to... Sun, 28 Nov 2010 10:00:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1242/ibn-al-konsol-an-adventurous-film-with-a-sense-of-humour/ In the small and highly competitive Egyptian market, few filmmakers dare to take chances and foray into unconventional territories. Ibn Al Konsol (Son of the Ambassador) is Ahmed El Sakka’s latest and most enjoyable offering to date. Not only does El Sakka step out of his usual action mould; he... Tue, 5 Apr 2011 17:48:42 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1239/harry-potter-and-the-deathly-hallows-part-1-the-end-begins/ When producers announced that the last instalment of the Harry Potter series was to be split into two halves, the news was met with mixed reactions. On one hand, fans believed that this would allow enough time to capture the scope of the book more thoroughly, giving fans the literal adaptation... Sun, 21 Nov 2010 17:27:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1207/top-ten-films-to-make-you-want-to-dance/ Some films are hard to sit through because they are so atrocious. Others have you rocking back and forth on the edge of your seat in suspense. The following films are hard to sit through because they will make you want to jump out of your seat and dance!Saturday Night Fever: From the opening... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 18:37:37 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1221/360-essentials-escapism-at-your-fingertips/ This digital craze that we live in has set a trap for those prone to visual stimulation. Let's face it: when you stumble over to YouTube and Vimeo, they have the nasty ability to suck you in for much longer than you would care to admit.However, there are times when brilliance blooms; maybe it's a... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:37:37 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1218/mohtaram-ela-robaa-fire-in-the-hole/ ­Like Jerry Bruckheimer, producer Sobky is a maverick auteur who has figured out the secret formula to box office success. Sobky’s recipe is deceptively simple, one which has been imitated but never duplicated. First, you need a working class wedding, one where there is a chunky belly dancer and... Tue, 16 Nov 2010 22:19:54 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1208/megamind-what-if-evil-won-the-day/ Costumed superheroes and their enemies have been a ripe source of material for computer animation over the past few years. Themes of villainy and heroism pop up once examined under the glossy lens of CGI, and films such as The Incredibles and this year’s Despicable Me had tremendous takes on the... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 16:43:39 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1228/zaheimer-the-apples-fell-far-from-the-tree/ In Zaheimer, Adel Imam plays Mahmoud Shoeib, a hazy businessman who wakes up to complete strangers in his house. After he spends the whole day running around the house in a frenzied panic, he collapses in the living room’s armchair; finally accepting the sad truth: he suffers from Alzheimer's. It... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 16:40:27 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1187/preview-eid-el-adhas-new-films-in-cairo-cinemas/ The nice weather and sizeable Eid El Adha holiday call for one last beach getaway, but the occasion also marks the last time that we’ll have a nice batch of local films until next summer. Whether you’re spending your holiday in Cairo or planning to check the releases later, this season’s films... Tue, 9 Nov 2010 13:09:44 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1179/devil-a-throwback-horror-clinger/ In one of cinema’s most ironic twists, Devil’s reason for existence turned out to be its own worst enemy. The blessing of M. Night Shyamalan, director of the brilliant The Sixth Sense and a whole bunch of other loathed films, puts Devil in the unfortunate position of having to overcome... Sun, 7 Nov 2010 16:48:53 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1174/takers-bank-robbers-with-style/ It's as if the makers of Takers saw Andy Samberg's spoof song 'Cool Guys Don't Look at Explosions' and thought it was real. Takers paints a glamorous and slick picture of the gangster lifestyle without any hint of sense of irony or shame; bringing together an ensemble of good-looking actors and... Thu, 4 Nov 2010 17:34:18 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1164/red-fun-action-romp-with-old-people/ A good action film has cool action sequences, a fitting score and soundtrack, a little humour and even a dash of romance thrown onto the silver screen. The quality of the acting is seldom called into question, because let’s face it: how hard is it to act like a badass? The plot is also secondary,... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 10:00:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1162/saw-3d-this-time-and-its-impersonal/ The seventh (and allegedly final) installment of the Saw series will be a satisfying experience for fans. By now Saw’s own parallel-universe mythology has reached new convoluted heights, calling for systematic flashbacks throughout the film so that we can piece the story together. And when you... Tue, 2 Nov 2010 17:15:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1147/the-town-riveting-action-and-compelling-drama/ The city of Boston has served as a backdrop for many notable crime films, especially over the last decade. Following The Departed, Mystic River and Ben Affleck’s impressive directorial debut Gone Baby Gone, The Town easily earns its place among these films as another Boston-centric drama and a... Sun, 31 Oct 2010 17:43:13 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1143/legend-of-the-guardians-owls-battle-good-and-evil/ Imagine if the childlike wonder of the early Harry Potter got mixed up with the end-of-world doom of Lord of the Rings. Now imagine this mythical epic drenched in Zack Snyder’s 300 slow motion battles. Sounds good so far. Lets give this a interesting spin and cast owls instead of humans. Somehow,... Thu, 28 Oct 2010 17:58:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1142/you-again-high-school-drama-never-ends/ You Again is a film that gets the job done with few surprises. Granted, it’s not aiming that high to begin with; it settles for recycled rom-com tropes and mild high jinks just funny enough to keep the ball rolling; and overall, You Again is nice.However, nice can only take you so far before... Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:17:27 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1125/the-social-network-the-facebook-generation/ It's not every day that we receive an invitation to an advance film screening by a fashion brand. So, we were delighted to receive our invitations to The Social Network, this season's most anticipated and hyped film, thanks to the lovely people at Bershka. Even better; we got to see it a day... Wed, 27 Oct 2010 10:07:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1114/undisputed-iii-redemption-the-fine-art-of-manliness/ What? A third instalment of a film franchise and it’s not in 3D? At least the third part of combat action series Undisputed defies our expectations in one department; which is more than enough for a film that lacks any ambition at all. In fact, Undisputed III: Redemption sticks to its formula of... Thu, 21 Oct 2010 17:58:09 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1113/charlie-st-cloud-torn-between-the-living-and-the-dead/ If you like mild tearjerkers and/or have a thing for Zac Efron; then Charlie St. Cloud is the film for you. To put the film in perspective, Efron announced his involvement during the Kid's Choice Awards. That doesn’t mean that the film is solely for children– it does lack their rich imagination–... Thu, 21 Oct 2010 16:17:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1104/resident-evil-afterlife-the-zombie-saga-continues/ Of all the ridiculed filmmakers out there, British director Paul W.S Anderson seems to be the least deserving. In fact, a quick glance at his filmography will reveal that he has constantly delivered tight action vehicles. Sure, these films may lack any nutritious value; but they are smothered in... Sun, 24 Oct 2010 10:00:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1096/dinner-for-schmucks-a-tasteless-feast/ For a while, it seemed that no one was immune to Paul Rudd’s everyman charm, that Steve Carell could turn every mumbling idiot into an adorable goof, and that Jay Roach (Meet the Parents, Austin Powers) was only capable of directing strong comedies that lure thousands into the multiplexes.Then... Sun, 21 Nov 2010 10:00:06 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1090/stone-we-are-all-sinners/ A hurdling drama that feels less like a film and more like an acting-class showdown, Stone features two undeniable acting powerhouses playing against type with impressive results. However, the fine thespian duel of De Niro versus Norton is not enough to distract from Stone’s glaring lack of... Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:28:58 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1086/the-american-a-repenting-assassin/ George Clooney’s The American is not the action-pumped thriller that its trailer would have you believe. It’s a moody cinematic mediation masked as an assassin flick, with yet another aimless story that relies on style to compensate for a moot script. Either way, the film’s slow pace and lack of... Sun, 17 Oct 2010 17:33:46 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1080/furry-vengeance-revenge-of-the-cute-forest-animals/ It’s a well-known fact that the brainpower needed to process the image of a talking animal is so mentally demanding that the mind gets completely enveloped. Burdening it with the least bit of meaningful narrative has been known to cause psychotic breakdowns, and it’s with that cautionary attitude... Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:56:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1074/the-collector-a-claustrophobic-blood-fest/ You hire a handyman to install doors in your new house in the middle of nowhere, and after he’s done; you notice that he's lurking around. You grow a little suspicious, yet you give him the benefit of the doubt. You were wrong. That was no handy man; that was a burglar sizing up the house so that... Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:44:30 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1062/eat-pray-love-a-journey-of-love-and-landscape/ Topping the New York Times bestseller list in 2008, Elizabeth Gilbert’s Eat, Pray, Love quickly became an international favourite, in a novel combining travel with spirituality and romance. Based on Gilbert’s true life experiences of travelling around the world, many readers found inspiration in... Tue, 12 Oct 2010 15:45:42 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1058/piranha-3d-a-literal-bloodbath/ When a film opens with a Jaws homage as subtle as a slap to the face, your expectations must adjust accordingly. Piranha 3D is a joyful excess of bad taste. Not only is it shamelessly artless; the film is also overstuffed with enough racy trash to make a smut producer weep. Every minute of film... Mon, 11 Oct 2010 17:20:14 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1054/bagman-to-catch-a-washington-lobbyist/ Bagman dramatises the rise and ultimate demise of real-life Washington D.C. lobbyist Jack Abramoff (Spacey). If you can't tell the difference between a Republican and a Democrat; you should probably skip Bagman, which has oddly been distributed everywhere else in the world under the name of... Sun, 10 Oct 2010 16:35:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1021/letters-to-juliet-love-and-destiny-and-the-breathtaking-italian-countryside/ Shakespeare's Juliet gave up her life for her love, and in doing so; her tale became the ultimate parable for unrequited love. Judging by her badly timed suicide, she may not make the best advisor on love and relationships. Nevertheless, thousands of women seek her guidance through a house called... Thu, 30 Sep 2010 17:22:23 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1022/my-one-and-only-a-boy-on-the-road-with-his-mother/ My One and Only is a light-hearted coming-of-age tale set in the 50s told through the eyes of George Devereaux (Logan Lerman). Loosely based on the fascinating real-life childhood of Hollywood actor George Hamilton, it’s a wayward, on-the-road film that might catch your attention during a lazy... Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:47:10 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1018/wall-street-2-money-never-sleeps-financial-drama-runs-dry/ 'Greed is Good,' said Gordon Gekko (Douglas) in 1987’s Wall Street; a catchphrase that resonated with generations of business students afterwards. The original Wall Street was intended as a cautionary tale against greed, but the frantic energy and unlimited hunger of both its villain Gekko and... Sun, 10 Oct 2010 10:00:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/1006/splice-the-human-hybrid-of-the-future/ Set in an icy cold modern day, Splice ponders the repercussions of toying with the human life form. 'If God did not want us to explore his domain,' asks Clive Nicoli (Adrien Brody) in an interview with Wired magazine, ‘Why did he give us the map?’Nicoli and his partner Elsa (Sarah Polley) are... Tue, 28 Sep 2010 15:41:46 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/978/despicable-me-villains-and-super-villains/ Make no mistake; Despicable Me is no Pixar film. It lacks the sophistication and the multi-layered, rich storytelling found in Toy Story or Wall-E. If there was ever a case for style over substance, though; then Despicable Me is certainly it. The first animated film by the new Illumination... Mon, 27 Sep 2010 15:59:51 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/994/going-the-distance-sharp-lines-and-charming-leads/ Going the Distance hardly breaks any new rom-com ground. The formula is beat-for-beat like any other boy-meets-girl film, but the film’s sharp writing and easy flow are paired with moments of refreshing honesty, making for a very charming film.Erin (Barrymore) and Garrett (Long) meet at a New... Sun, 26 Sep 2010 16:34:55 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/989/predators-the-universes-most-dangerous-game/ Predators is a cut or two above most slot-filling action affairs. It starts out strong, stumbles a little throughout the middle, but emerges victorious at the end. Given the numerous ho-hum reincarnations that this film franchise has seen, this would be the most solid film ever since the... Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:13:43 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/980/step-up-3d-bust-a-move/ The easiest way to bash a film would be to claim that the story was full of clichés, and nine times out of ten, that argument holds its ground. If the drama is flawed and the characters are transparent, how are we expected to stay engaged throughout the film?Step Up 3D is an exception to this... Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:53:18 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/972/cats-and-dogs-the-revenge-of-kitty-galore/ It doesn’t matter if you’re a dog lover or a cat lover, Cats and Dogs stinks worse than a litter box. The sequel to the 2001 hit revisits the alleged feline world domination plotline, and this time around the film is dubbed as The Revenge of Kitty Galore; one of many futile Bond jokes.Cats and... Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:17:53 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/970/the-other-guys-the-funny-side-of-police-work/ Let it be known that The Other Guys is the funniest film to come out at the tail end of this summer cinema season. As we learn from the trailer, there are two kinds of buddy cops. There are those who spend their days on endless car chases, reducing entire blocks to rubble with gunfire, and then... Sun, 26 Sep 2010 10:00:11 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/959/welad-el-balad-bargain-bin-jokes/ As Scarlett Johansson said in 2001's Ghost World: 'This is so bad; it's gone past good and back to bad again.' Welad El Balad (Sons of The Country) is the kind of trashy film that invites sneering jabs from critics and excessive hyperbolic chatter.If film is a true reflection of society; then... Sun, 19 Sep 2010 0:57:28 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/956/360-essentials-top-10-psychedelic-films/ While films released in Cairo rarely fall into this category, there’s something about a quality psychedelic film that has the ability to leave you spellbound for hours, or even days for that matter.To set the record straight, a psychedelic experience does not necessarily involve the use of... Sat, 18 Sep 2010 15:00:19 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/955/the-expendables-a-shot-of-testosterone/ The Expendables delivers the (explosive) goods; every last dumb one of them. If you’re a functioning male with red hot blood pumping through your veins; then this film should satisfy your action appetite. Girls get shoes, Twilight and Sex and the City; boys get Sly Stallone. Fair enough.Story,... Thu, 16 Sep 2010 16:18:49 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/947/al-ragol-al-ghamed-besalamto-same-oid-from-hani-ramzi/ In between hundreds of randy close-ups of cleavages and cabooses, Al Ragol Al Ghamed Besalamto (The Mysterious Guy, Or So He Thinks) tells a tale of a man who goes from zero to hero. The zero in this case is Abdel Rady (Ramzi) a 'young' recent graduate that gets fired from his job because he... Sun, 19 Sep 2010 10:00:06 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/944/aelet-mickey-the-modern-day-egyptian-family/ Running for the Ideal Family Award, we soon discover that Mariam’s (Lebleba) family is anything but. She has been raising her family for over a quarter of a century, and things have mostly gone according to plan. That is, until a committee comes to evaluate the family for the Ideal Family... Sun, 19 Sep 2010 10:00:06 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/930/sameer-and-shaheer-and-baheer-a-trip-back-to-the-vibrant-seventies/ Part-time-travelling story, part-zany comedy; Sameer Shaheer and Baheer plays by the rules of both film conventions. It has the obligatory weird scientist, a trio of fun twenty-somethings that are in tune with all the latest catch phrases, and a colourful backdrop (the wild seventies), where... Sun, 9 Jan 2011 10:00:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/917/the-sorcerers-apprentice-big-spectacle-and-little-magic/ The Sorcerer's Apprentice is based on a peculiar Mickey Mouse cartoon, which in turn is based on an old symphonic poem. Since neither the cartoon nor the poem had enough story to populate an entire film, producers resorted to the hope chest of story clichés to hold the film together.  The film... Wed, 8 Sep 2010 11:55:01 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/913/the-losers-all-fun-and-games/ An elite team of larger-than-life experts go on a mission where things go wrong; and as a result, the soldiers become fugitives desperate to clear their name and reclaim their honour. It all sounds achingly recognisable, but The Losers uses familiarity as a short-hand for establishing the ground... Sun, 12 Sep 2010 10:00:06 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/806/ramadan-preview-al-gamaa/ Having built his entire career on being a vocal adversary to the Muslim Brotherhood, seasoned writer Waheed Hamed’s efforts culminate in his most ambitious and condensed take on the subject yet: Al-Gama'a, an overarching saga of the notorious group’s origin that is centred on its founder Hassan... Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:14:37 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/808/ramadan-preview-ayza-atgawez/ If the powers that be can put together a film based on the drunk-texts of popular blog Texts from Last Night; then anything is possible. Not that Ghada Abdel Al’s blog-turned-best-selling novel Ayza Atgawez (I Want To Get Married) offers such bemusing bathroom reading tropes as TFLN; but both of... Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:49:37 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/783/ramadan-preview-al-kebeer-awi/ After a four-year absence from television, Ahmed Mekki returns with Ramadan’s biggest and most anticipated TV series: Al Kebeer Awi (The Big Boss). Back with the same team from his hit films Teer Enta and La Taragoa Wala Esteslam– Director Ahmed El Gendi and on-screen romantic partner Donia Samir... Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:53:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/757/grown-ups-adam-sandler-and-company-have-some-good-ol-fun/ This is an ensemble comedy about middle-aged goofs that is harmlessly funny – it’s Sandler doing his thing, combining over-sentimentality with silly laughs, gross-out moments and some clownish stunts; all in the name of good natured fun. The grownups in the film have no reservations about... Thu, 5 Aug 2010 12:47:49 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/758/echelon-conspiracy-a-life-coach-in-the-form-of-a-cell-phone/ Max Peterson (West) is a computer genius of sorts. His job is to install very sophisticated security systems to protect big corporations from being hacked. However, judging by his fancy suit, perfect tan and lean shape, Max has never seen the light of a computer screen. Such is the kind of... Wed, 28 Jul 2010 18:09:49 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/741/la-linea-the-line-a-messy-crime-of-a-film/ First screened in 2008, La Linea is a crime story set in beautiful Tijuana, Mexico. The suspicious lack of online information about the film gives the impression that as an independent film, La Linea suffers from a a case of inadequate distribution. Yet after viewing the film, it becomes clear... Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:53:23 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/735/the-last-airbender-as-lifeless-as-the-four-elements/ Based on the popular Nickelodeon animation, The Last Airbender manages to squeeze as much action into a film as possible– unfortunately without capturing any of the magic seen in the children’s show. How such exciting material got turned into a pedantic bust is truly miraculous. Nevertheless,... Sun, 25 Jul 2010 17:37:34 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/730/saltwhat-does-salt-want/ Here is a film that not only ignores its critical side of the brain for the sake of ingenuity, but it also kills it with absurdity. Yet, for all the outlandish stunts and ridiculous espionage, Salt never amounts to anything other than a loud scream followed by a futile punch. The tag lines tease... Sun, 8 Aug 2010 10:00:06 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/719/inception-an-elaborate-puzzle/ Inception isn’t a film about the tranquil beauty of dreams per se; rather, it’s a clockwork heist executed within the organic world of a dream. It takes place in a faceless reality with no specific date, recognizable brands or landscapes. One of cinema’s unique powers is to show us unattainable... Sun, 1 Aug 2010 12:00:06 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/704/al-kobar-swimming-with-the-big-sharks/ Al Kobar (Arabic for 'The Big Ones') comes bearing lots of promise. The stylish poster has all the leads looking dead serious about this season’s latest release, but for all the potential and screams of unjust suffering, the film barely holds together as an afterthought. Biting off more than it... Mon, 19 Jul 2010 12:04:43 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/701/al-talata-yeshtghalonha-cheeky-girls-just-want-to-have-fun/ What happens after years of gruelling schoolwork followed by four, if not five, years of college papers? Is it enough to secure a cushy future, or are the new realities of our age going to render all these efforts in vain? Al Salasa Yashtghalonh (Arabic for The Three Fooled Her) throws the... Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:02:09 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/689/house-full-slapstick-and-bollywood-style/ Bollywood has been going through a phase of international resurgence lately. House Full (an unintended pun on the name of the American sitcom Full House) is a comedy that targets expat Indians living in Western countries longing for home-grown laughter. This light comedy embodies the worst... Thu, 15 Jul 2010 15:19:17 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/677/360-essentials-top-feel-good-films/ Let’s face it – we all need a good pick-me-up from time to time. Film carries the uncanny capability of not only reaching out and inspiring us through the imagination but magically carrying us into a completely different moment. There may be nothing better than a feel-good film; it’s escapism at... Thu, 15 Jul 2010 12:02:41 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/678/shes-out-of-my-league-beauty-and-the-geek/ Down-and-out but lovable Kirk (Baruchel) as a suitor for Molly (Eve) is a tough story to sell, and not just because Molly is a knockout who would make a Victoria's Secret model reconsider her career options; the real reason we don’t buy it is that there is nothing remotely redeeming about Kirk’s... Tue, 13 Jul 2010 15:07:04 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/662/the-twilight-sagas-eclipse-caught-in-a-sharp-love-triangle/ In what is arguably the best of the series so far, the world’s most nebulous love triangle reaches a tipping point. Stony heroine Bella has to make a tough choice: team Edward, or team Jacob? If this reads like mumbo-jumbo, you’re most likely not a fan and you have no business watching Eclipse.... Sun, 21 Nov 2010 10:00:06 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/657/shrek-forever-after-the-ogre-finds-true-loveagain/ The story is familiar: a disgruntled Shrek (Myers) finds himself hovering on the brink of a midlife crisis, loathing quiet family life and yearning for his youth when he was a carefree and much-feared ogre. This latest adventure has him returning to the castle where he once rescued princess Fiona... Thu, 8 Jul 2010 15:10:55 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/638/la-tarago-wa-la-estislam-an-unlikely-hero/ With Ramadan eating up a third of the coveted summer season this year, the few Egyptian films that got green-lit have played it safe. The new releases have all shared a collective stance that seems to say, ’We’ll entertain you, give you laughter, fun, and thrills; but in return, we ask you to sit... Wed, 4 Aug 2010 13:45:58 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/614/el-limby-8-giga-egypts-favourite-crass-doofus-is-back/ It’s been a decade since we first got introduced to El Limby as a side character in Sherif Arafa’s cult classic El Nazer.Back then he was a caricature of a working-class hick with questionable lifestyle choices. True, he had a soft side and potential, but his mannerisms were never celebrated.By... Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:37:09 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/597/the-karate-kid-a-welcome-remake/ This reviewer admits to never having seen the 1984 classic The Karate Kid; so a fair comparison could not be made. Nonetheless, a depleted remake gives itself away, and the new Karate Kid is a great example of an update that works on its own. It’s no instant classic, but kids are going to find it... Wed, 23 Jun 2010 18:08:09 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/574/bentein-men-masr-the-shadow-of-a-man-over-the-shadow-of-a-wall/ It’s easy to fault an Egyptian film for its shortcomings, but Bentein Men Masr (Two Girls from Egypt ) is executed far beyond your average Egyptian flick with rock solid performances by its two leads; and that’s what makes its crimes even more infuriating. Made with the best intentions, Bentein... Mon, 21 Jun 2010 17:17:32 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/564/this-years-3d-films-coming-to-cairo/ It looks like 2010 is the year of 3D Blockbusters. With many of these films coming to Cairo cinemas soon, we can thank Avatar for popularizing this new era of cinema. Films that were shot using regular cameras can go through a 3D conversion (for a mere US$10million) and that’s how we got dismal... Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:28:46 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/556/toy-story-3-these-toys-are-not-just-for-boys/ With summer movie season in full throttle, there are no clear standout film hits so far. Toy Story 3 comes as a breath of fresh air after a string of half-hearted summer affairs. Make no mistake; Pixar Films have earned their place in the cinematic canon, and their pictures are not just for kids;... Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:40:39 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/537/the-dealer-living-the-thug-life/ You know you’re dealing with a stinker when one of the two leads asks for his name to be removed from the film’s promotional posters and the other publicly denounces it. The Dealer is a perfect storm of horridness: the script is bad, the acting makes it even worse, the staging and pacing are... Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:16:58 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/529/horsemen-the-horrors-of-banality-unleashed/ Hold on there, Horsemen. Aren’t you a straight-to-DVD release from 2009? Then why are you trying to sneak into Cairo cinemas? Oh we get it! The World Cup has started and nobody is going to be watching any way. In that case, enjoy your stay; you’re not all that bad. As uneven and contrived as... Sun, 13 Jun 2010 17:00:04 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/523/the-a-team-summers-pre-emptive-strike/ Another 80s nostalgia property finally makes it to the big screen, but unlike last year’s G.I. Joe, The A-Team benefits from a team that bears no shame of the legacy that they’re trying to revive. Aided by some of the most vehement actors at work today, The A-Team keeps hurling one action... Wed, 9 Jun 2010 15:46:22 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/505/assal-eswed-a-fish-out-of-the-usa/ Ahmed Helmy’s latest offering finds him playing an Egyptian American who returns to Egypt with naïve enthusiasm after twenty years abroad. In an attempt to convey the protagonist’s background and to set the tone, the filmmakers benevolently named their main character Masry Arabi (the Egyptian... Mon, 7 Jun 2010 10:14:26 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/500/nanny-mcphee-and-the-big-bang-english-charm-with-a-dash-of-magic/ Nanny McPhee (Thompson) has five lessons to help naughty children become well-behaved darlings. She’s ugly, but with every lessoned learned, a bit of her witch-like looks goes away to uncover the beauty beneath. Her promise is to be there whenever you need her but not want her. When you want her,... Thu, 3 Jun 2010 15:09:41 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/493/killers-post-modernist-tedium/ There are two kinds of bad films: the so-bad-it’s-good, and the so bad-it-hurts. But then, there is Killers; an amorphous blob that exists in a vacuum where no film has ever been made before. It’s not a comedy in the sense that it’s assembled out of jokes and humorous conflicts– Killers... Thu, 3 Jun 2010 10:06:34 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/450/law-abiding-citizen-warninggerard-butler-is-not-happy/ Butler is a solid action hero. He lives on the same planet as Jason Statham, where the air is mostly composed of oxygen and testosterone. Unlike the latter, Butler’s refusal to embrace his own machismo has prevented him from hitting his stride. It’s not that he’s not a gifted dramatic actor; he... Thu, 27 May 2010 15:36:57 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/315/ten-films-that-will-change-the-way-you-see-the-world/ Film has an unmatched ability to transport its audience to another place and time, and it can inspire them to think and act in new ways. From everyday issues to existential matters of fate, the following ten films will change the way you see the world. Fasten your seat belts; it’s going to be a... Thu, 27 May 2010 12:06:13 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/449/prince-of-persiathe-sands-of-time-a-charming-adventure/ Spielberg might have given birth to the blockbuster film, but it was producer Jerry Bruckheimer who fostered it until it became the summer spectacle we know today. After teaming up with Disney and making the smash hit Pirates of the Caribbean films, Bruckheimer’s team is back to recreate the same... Sun, 19 Sep 2010 10:00:07 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/415/cop-out-cops-and-robbers-without-the-chuckles/ Cop Out is a film smart enough to point out the absurdities of the buddy cop genre, but lazy enough to use them nonetheless. Satire is hard to pull off; and for it to work, the film itself must be legitimate. Last year’s Zombieland is a great example of a film that got it right. Rehashing genre... Wed, 19 May 2010 16:54:19 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/407/leap-year-a-free-trip-to-green-ireland/ At its core, Leap Year is a statement against choosing marriage for convenience. The film doesn’t deal with this predicament with much sophistication, but it doesn’t ask you for much intellect in return, either. In the eternal tradition of boy-meets-girl, Leap Year is one of hundreds (if not... Tue, 18 May 2010 13:16:47 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/395/the-back-up-plan-j-los-broken-comeback-vehicle/ 2010 is the year of cinematic babies. There is the documentary Babies, Jennifer Aniston’s upcoming The Switch, and there is The Back-up Plan, Lopez’s desperately adorable comeback vehicle. Whether or not you like The Back-up Plan depends entirely on how you feel about watching its lead running... Mon, 17 May 2010 21:50:45 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/366/robin-hood-an-identity-crisis/ The Robin Hood we know is an underdog hero who operates outside of the law to achieve justice. The Robin Hood we get here feels more like a warrior fan of Braveheart's William Wallace and Gladiator's Maximus, who want all the glory minus the sacrifices. In fact, at no point during the film is our... Mon, 17 May 2010 12:20:17 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/372/a-nightmare-on-elm-street-freddy-got-fingers/ Horror is a very frustrating film genre. Take it seriously and you’ll be missing the point. Take it on its own terms and you won’t know quite what to make of it. Our theory is that the best horror films are the first you ever see, after which they all start to feel like the cinematic equivalent... Wed, 12 May 2010 16:28:28 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/362/brooklyns-finest-whom-to-serve-and-whom-to-protect/ There is a critical moment in Brooklyn’s Finest where Sal, a chewed-up NYPD detective (Hawke) is combing a crack house for money. He is possessed by his blind need. And while he’s raiding the place, the space is filled with the unrelenting sounds of a hip-hop jam blasting through the stereo... Wed, 12 May 2010 10:04:37 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/351/how-to-train-your-dragon-visually-captivating-for-the-child-at-heart/ Throw on your 3D glasses and allow your imagination to soar with the latest animation film by Dean DeBlois and Chris Sanders, the directing team that also worked side by side on Disney’s Mulan and Lilo & Stitch.In their latest venture into the 3D animation world, How to Train your Dragon revolves... Mon, 10 May 2010 11:59:46 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/343/heliopolis-a-love-letter-to-masr-el-gedida/ Rarely is Cairo captured in film with beauty and complexity. Heliopolis is an independent Egyptian film written and directed by Ahmad Abdalla about a day in the lives of several young people, whose stories interweave in the wealthy but decaying Heliopolis suburb. In many ways, the film is a love... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 10:00:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/347/date-night-fey-and-carell-joined-in-wacky-matrimony/ The very personable Tina Fey and Steve Carell are both comedic tycoons of this era, so it was only a matter of time before the two would team up. Their successful careers are hard earned and long overdue after years of hard work.Both play the leads in a successful NBC sitcom: Fey created her... Wed, 19 May 2010 13:54:28 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/335/edge-of-darkness-gibson-attempts-to-regain-lost-glory/ In this mystery thriller directed by Martin Campbell, Mel Gibson plays a gruff Boston detective grappling with the aftermath of losing his child. Part gratifying action flick, part psychological thriller, part political commentary; this film has a little bit of everything; yet it’s not quite... Wed, 5 May 2010 14:31:22 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/326/personal-effectsleaves-little-effect-on-the-mind/ This film builds its story on the powers of human connections in the heart of life-altering tragedy. Andrew (Kutcher) is an amateur wrestler that returns to his home town upon hearing that his twin sister has been murdered. While made to deal with the legal aftermath of the murder trial, he meets... Tue, 4 May 2010 14:09:30 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/318/the-last-song-last-time-for-nicholas-sparks/ Here is yet another film adaptation from a Nicholas Sparks novel. Coming off the success of The Notebook and A Walk to Remember, The Last Song was slated to be a big hit among prepubescent Hannah Montana fans around the world. Still, this story of a strained father-daughter relationship fails... Tue, 4 May 2010 10:39:22 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/312/iron-man-2-tony-stark-strikes-again/ Summer has officially started at a multiplex near you, and bringing in the heat is Iron Man 2, the sequel to the 2008 hit starring Robert Downey Jr. The film didn’t reinvent any wheels, but still struck a chord with audiences with its eclectic mix of action, inconsequential fun, sexual tension... Tue, 4 May 2010 11:54:32 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/306/remember-me-easily-forgettable/ Robert Pattinson steps outside his Twilight Vampire shell in this romantic drama of a troubled young man who falls in love with the equally troubled Ally (de Ravin). Despite its attractive cast featuring major stars such as Bronson and Cooper, Remember Me does little to be remembered.Tyler... Sun, 2 May 2010 11:03:26 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/294/daybreakers-does-little-to-see-the-light/ A decade ago, an outbreak spread across the world and the majority of the human population turned vampire. Now, the global blood supply is running out, and protests and violence are engulfing the new vampire world. Something must be done before it is too late. Daybreakers is a brilliant idea for... Wed, 28 Apr 2010 13:28:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/291/carriers-mirror-mirror-on-the-wall-and-who-is-the-sickest-of-us-all/ A mysterious virus hits the world; and the remaining survivors are engaged in a battle of life and death against the virus and each other. Does this plot sound familiar? Carriers does its best to follow in the footsteps of Outbreak, 28 Days Later and I Am Legend, making use of the traditional... Tue, 27 Apr 2010 14:38:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/286/ten-summer-films-we-cant-wait-to-see/ Iron Man2 : Robert Downy Jr. returns as savvy millionaire Tony Stark in the sequel to the 2009 hit. Now the world knows who the armoured man is behind the suit and there are people gunning for him. Amid heavy attention from the media, the government and the people, Iron Man is also attracting the... Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:03:52 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/272/pandorum-a-horror-flick-for-the-new-space-era/ In this year’s sci-fi outerspace thriller, audiences learn yet another lesson about the perils of being trapped in space and the threat of other-worldly forces. In a cinematic world steeped in shadow and peril, two astronauts wake up from hybernation to discover that their spaceship is now... Thu, 22 Apr 2010 10:58:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/266/clash-of-the-titans-a-demi-good-epic/ In 1981, director Ray Harryhausen’s Clash of the Titans was a blockbuster hit that become a cult fantasy classic, with a stellar cast that included Laurence Olivier and Maggie Smith, and the then-cool stop-motion animation. Now, a remake of the cult fantasy classic is back in cinemas; this time... Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:20:01 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/260/when-in-rome-a-funny-look-at-romance/ Hollywood has always been fascinated with the romantic notion of escaping to Rome, ever since Audrey Hepburn and Gregory Peck fell in love in Roman Holiday and stuck their hands into the iconic Mouth of Truth statue, a scene that has been imitated in many other films such as Only You. When In... Tue, 20 Apr 2010 12:34:30 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/259/green-zone-damons-back-with-entertaining-action/ In the past few years, Hollywood has looked to the Iraqi war for inspiration in its action genre; with films such as The Hurt Locker combining action sequences with criticism of the war. Green Zone is yet another action-packed wartime thriller. Green Zone takes place during the American-led... Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:10:40 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/222/valentines-day-bring-on-the-schmooze/ Sometimes life is just better with corny, romantic comedies. If you’re in the mood for that kind of entertainment, check out Valentine’s Day . Be warned, though: this film is a mega chick-flick. It’s clichéd and predictable, but it might just make you smile if you love romantic comedies that stay... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/208/the-lovely-bones-peter-jackson-takes-on-murder/ The Lovely Bones is a film adaptation of Alice Sebold’s bestseller by the same title. It tells the story of 14-year-old Susie Salmon, who is murdered and proceeds to watch over her family and killer from a colourful after-world. The family struggles, balancing the need to heal itself while... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/202/the-bounty-hunter-aniston-and-butler-go-head-to-head/ While the recent romantic comedy adventure flick The Bounty Hunter didn’t pack too much of a punch on the big screen, it’s bound to elicit a few gratuitous chuckles from audiences.The flurry of press that surrounded the film’s European promotion included plenty of rumours of an off-screen romance... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/155/the-book-of-eli-the-end-of-days/ An apocalyptic future seems to be the latest in-vogue movie theme these days and The Book of Eli is no different in taking full advantage of this craze in an entertaining format.It’s some 30 years after the world’s final war and loner Eli (Washington) is walking across the barren wasteland that... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/154/the-wolfman-benicio-del-toro-shows-his-fangs/ Another of those films that is entertaining and fun, although with the star-studded cast there’s the underlying expectation the film would be far better than the final product. With a subject matter that can never be rehashed enough it’s enough to turn this film into a definite winner at the box... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/145/shutter-island-leo-confronts-his-demons/ It seems like every film Leonardo DiCaprio appears in lately is directed by Martin Scorsese. Not surprising really when you consider the recent collaboration by two of Hollywood’s biggest names. Shutter Island, an Oscar-worthy film, was pushed to a late February release date killing its chance... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/148/top-10-modern-trilogies-time-for-a-movie-marathon-session/ If ever you should find yourself not in the mood to go out, and would rather succumb to an evening on the couch in front of the TV, try these pictures for the ultimate movie marathon session experience. These 10 modern trilogies should do the trick.  Covering all genres and styles, from Sci-Fi to... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/105/legion-another-apocalyptic-film/ Legion presents itself as a controversial horror film, when really the scariest thing about it is how painfully poor this B-movie plot is. Complete with some of the worst film dialogue in years, this picture deserves the same fate as it predicts for humanity: elimination.The film tells the story... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/106/the-road-a-dark-look-at-the-end-of-days/ Film adaptations of novels always present a challenge and The Road is yet another example of how to lose the spirit of the original book by changing too much, giving too much information away and failing to capture the essence of the text. Granted, the film version of Cormac McCarthy’s The Road... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/108/percy-jackson-and-the-olympians-another-harry-potter/ Based on Rick Riordan’s novel series, this film could easily have fallen into the yet another boy-hero fantasy adventure and that was what so many people had been expecting. But in the case of Percy Jackson he at least creates a new alternative fantasy world about an “average” boy who learns he... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/132/alice-in-wonderland-fantasy-gets-a-tim-burton-twist/ Tim Burton is not your everyday film director. The mastermind behind Mars Attacks!, Sleepy Hollow and Big Fish is a genius in creating fantasy worlds on the silver screen that goes beyond the visual experience.Like in his previous works Corpse Bride, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory and Big... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/142/my-name-is-khan-bollywood-gets-serious/ Bollywood is getting serious. Under all the dancing, singing, gorgeous costumes and massive scale productions, the industry is going for drama. Not the melodramatic, dance-infused dramas the genre has put out in the past, but some serious and believable heart wrenching material. My Name is Khan... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/143/from-paris-with-love-travolta-heads-to-the-continent/ From Paris With Love is clearly meant to be a guy flick. It’s definitely not the type of film one would remember in detail the next day, nor will it induce any ‘round the water cooler’ conversation in the office, but it is enjoyable enough to earn a sense of success. Most critics were simply not... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/144/did-you-hear-about-the-morgans-another-rom-com-for-the-ages/ Hugh Grant has built his career on roguish good looks and rom-coms and Did You Hear About The Morgan’s? follows in the footsteps of his past cinematic ventures. This is your typical play-by-the-book romantic comedy starring Grant and Sarah Jessica Parker who joins him on this reunion of a sort in... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/62/up-in-the-air-clooneys-at-it-again/ Had it not received the attention, award nominations and notoriety it has, Up in the Air would have been another one of the many sarcastic romantic comedy films that are so popular these days. But this is writer/director Jason Reitman’s baby and was given a Best Picture nomination at the Academy... Sun, 2 May 2010 18:34:31 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/95/avatar-camerons-world-of-wonder/ Enter a world unlike any seen before. Avatar takes us to the lush, beautiful planet of Pandorum, where the native Navi are being pushed further and further back into the jungle by their power crazed Earth visitors who want to mine the planet in order to get rich back home, on an Earth that has... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/107/sherlock-holmes-elementary-adventures-of-the-famous-duo/ To sum up, an over the top attempt at a reboot of the famed Sherlock Holmes series from somehow acclaimed director Guy Ritchie. Initially, I was excited to watch this movie, but literally one minute into the film, Ritchie’s quirky touch on the film failed to live up to the expectations.His appeal... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/156/the-tournament-may-the-best-assassin-win/ When the world’s best assassins come to the streets of a small quaint Scottish town to compete in a deadly tournament where the last killer standing alive will be paid one million dollars in winnings, one understands quite clearly what kind of film they’re getting in for. Some blood, plenty of... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/157/the-children-striking-fear-in-parents-hearts/ Finally, the British small budget horror classic is available for Cairenes to watch. This is one of those movies that will leave you chilled throughout and not wanting to go to sleep at night. If you happen to have children, maybe locking them in their rooms is a good idea after peering into the... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/film/109/its-complicated-love-just-got-a-little-more-complex/ Arguably one of the worst films with the best comedy stars of the year. Really, this was simply not funny, nor unique. It was unfortunate to see the likes of Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin and Steve Martin throw up such a goose egg. What were they thinking?As one critic commented sarcastically: “If a... Sun, 30 May 2010 17:57:12 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3862/sophie-kinsella-ive-got-your-number/ I've Got Your Number is the newest novel by Sophie Kinsella, the best-selling author of the Shopaholic series. The story begins when Poppy Wyatt, the protagonist, loses her very expensive wedding ring during lunch at a hotel. The ring also happens to be a very valuable family heirloom.As bad luck... Sun, 20 May 2012 12:32:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3792/penny-vincenzi-the-decision/ Penny Vincenzi's latest novel The Decision tells the story of Eliza Fullerton-Clark and Matt Shaw who live in London in the 60s. Eliza is a society girl, carving out a career for herself in the fashion industry and Matt becomes a millionaire by working in the property market. Introduced by... 6 29 May http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3735/jodi-picault-lone-wolf/ Stories about couples that break up because one of the partners has run off with someone else are pretty commonplace, but a story about a couple that gets a divorce because the husband decides to shack up with a pack of wolves has got to raise a few eyebrows. Lone Wolf follows the story of... Mon, 23 Apr 2012 14:55:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3705/philippa-gregory-the-lady-of-the-rivers/ The Lady of the Rivers tells the story of Jacquetta, the mother of Elizabeth Woodville who was the Queen of England in the fifteenth century. Raised by a wealthy family in France, Jacquetta is descended from a goddess with outstanding talents. She weds the Duke of Bedford, the king's uncle, who... Tue, 17 Apr 2012 13:14:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3680/sara-abou-bakr-and-et-al-hello-and-its-a-muslim-calling/ The so-called ‘clash of civilisations’ asserts a world divided into opposing entities as vague and simplistic as ‘East and West’. Coined by the late American political scientist Samuel Huntington, the paradigm reinforces a crusader mentality and denies the complex realities in which we live. In... Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:57:57 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3644/victoria-hislop-the-thread/ When their grandson asks them why they have never left their home in Greece, The Thread's two main characters, Dimitri and Katerina begin sharing their story with their Anglo-Greek grandson. The novel's prologue and epilogue are set in present-day Greece while the rest of it is set in the... Mon, 2 Apr 2012 14:31:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3603/andrew-humphreys-grand-hotels-of-egypt-in-the-golden-age-of-travel/ There is nothing more exciting than getting out of your country and exploring other parts of the world. A hundred years ago, travelling was a luxury affair only affordable for the rich and famous. It wasn’t just about the destination, the journey to your destination was also considered to be an... Tue, 27 Mar 2012 14:46:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3535/kevin-maneytrade-off-why-some-things-catch-on-and-and-others-dont/ In the ever-changing capitalistic, new-age world we live in, everything changes with maximum speed, including consumption and buying behaviours and so the market changes with them. It's hard to predict if a new idea will find success within the market or not; as the standards that were once... Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:46:27 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3479/lucy-caldwell-the-meeting-point/ Literature has always benefitted from the idea that we live in a global village. The pursuit to discover other cultures and exotic habits is always fascinating especially when set to the backdrop of an interesting story and complex characters. In her new book The Meeting Point, Lucy Caldwell... Sun, 4 Mar 2012 13:40:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3433/eamonn-gearon-the-sahara-a-cultural-history/ How many camel experts do you know? If the answer is none, then you can change that by picking up Eamonn Gearon’s book, The Sahara: A Cultural History. Gearon goes to great lengths to dispel the misconstrued notion that the Sahara is a big empty desert. Though the largest desert in the world is... Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:48:44 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3424/sj-watson-before-i-go-to-sleep/ ”Memories define us. So what if you lost yours every time you went to sleep?”Opening with this question, S. J. Watson catches the readers off guard with his debut novel Before I Go to Sleep; a story that deeply and repeatedly examines most of our routine everyday activities with a new perspective... Tue, 21 Feb 2012 12:53:05 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3387/cecilia-ahern-the-time-of-my-life/ The Time of My Life tells Lucy Silchester's story with a fairytale-like twist. Her life isn't exactly as she wants it. She broke up with her boyfriend of five years, lost her swanky apartment, her high-end job and is now struggling in a new job that she absolutely loathes. Alienated from her... Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:08:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3290/annabel-pitcher-my-sister-lives-on-the-mantelpiece/ It's often said that the most noticeable thing about a book is its cover, but in the case of My Sister Lives on the Mantelpiece, its title managed to draw this reviewer in. The novel's enticing name is backed up by a solid and substantial story. The novel centres on a family torn apart by the... Sun, 22 Jan 2012 13:42:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3263/rawah-al-falah-badrawi-siwa-legends-and-lifestyles-in-the-egyptian-sahara/ More than just an elegant coffee table book, Siwa: Legends & Lifestyles in the Egyptian Sahara offers insight into the enigmatic Siwa, featuring several glamorous figures’ account of the lifestyle and history of Siwa, as well as their choice of Siwa as a holiday destination and permanent home.... Tue, 17 Jan 2012 12:51:42 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3236/steve-harvey-straight-talk-and-no-chaser/ If you are a woman who has always wanted to understand how the male brain operates, then Steve Harvey's book is worth reading. Although a lot has been written about the nature of relationships between men and women, Harvey's latest book Straight Talk, No Chaser is different; it's written from the... Thu, 12 Jan 2012 11:52:35 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3185/danielle-steel-hotel-vendome/ Hugues Martin purchases an old hotel, renovates it and turns it into a gem that is the Hotel Vendome. His life seems to be perfect until his wife decides he is too preoccupied with the hotel, and she dumps him and his daughter for a rock star. In charge of an up-and-coming hotel and four-year-old... Mon, 2 Jan 2012 16:58:33 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3130/eleanor-brown-the-weird-sisters/ The Weird Sisters follows the story of Rose, Bean and Cordy; the three Andreas sisters who return to their parents' home in the sleepy little town of Barnwell after their mother has been diagnosed with cancer; each with emotional baggage.  Their father, an eccentric Shakespearean college... Wed, 21 Dec 2011 13:28:46 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3080/daniel-barenboim-and-edward-w-said-parallels-and-paradoxes/ A book without a defined topic can be a turn-off for some readers, especially in nonfiction work. However, Parallels and Paradoxes presents the exact opposite. The book opens so many threads of discussions that it would be hard to say what its main idea is; it stimulates lots of ideas on various... Mon, 12 Dec 2011 13:11:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3044/lucette-lagnado-the-man-in-the-white-sharkskin-suit/ Throughout history, different ethnic and religious groups have inhabited Egypt; some for brief periods, others for centuries. The country has attracted influxes of new residents because of its rich history, business opportunities and climate. The Man in the White Sharkskin Suit is about the... Mon, 20 Feb 2012 10:22:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/3019/sherif-zaki-sorry-and-i-dont-smoke/ The fact that smoking is bad for your health is not debatable. Although a lot has been written about the health hazards of nicotine and what it does to your body, particularly your lungs, many well-educated people continue to smoke. Sorry, I Don't Smoke deals with smoking in a completely new... Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:46:48 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2997/paulo-coelho-aleph/ Though some may regard Paulo Coelho as an overrated writer, his novels have  enjoyed worldwide success, especially his bestselling The Alchemist, a favourite among millions of readers. In his new book Aleph, Coelho continues on a similar mystic path to discover the meaning of faith, friendship... Wed, 23 Nov 2011 13:51:26 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2942/amani-eltunsi-a-girls-wishes-from-tahrir-square/ When history is being created, a simple diary of someone who witnessed the events first hand can provide some most interesting accounts. Amani Eltunsi presents something that is fairly close to that in her new book A Girl’s Wishes from Tahrir Square.Day by day, Eltunsi describes what she saw and... Sun, 13 Nov 2011 16:18:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2879/grondahl-and-mohyeldin-tahrir-square-the-heart-of-the-egyptian-revolution/ A picture is worth a thousand words, and when it comes to the January 25th revolution, pictures are worth millions of words. Still frames that express anger, courage and even humour are what make Tahrir Square stand out. The photography book displays the work of Swedish photographer Mia Gröndahl,... Sun, 30 Oct 2011 16:41:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2884/nicole-richie-priceless/ Priceless tells the story of Charlotte Williams, a pampered girl whose priorities in life include shopping for designer clothes and partying at posh nightclubs. Her supermodel mother passed away in a tragic accident when she was seven and her father believes that money is the answer to all life's... Mon, 31 Oct 2011 13:28:55 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2846/assaf-et-al-the-road-to-tahrir/ The past ten months have witnessed an oversaturation of everything Tahrir-related: from books to t-shirts, exhibitions to TV shows and theatre plays, the revolution has been reinterpreted and packaged to the local market ad naseum. AUC Press has released – according to our count – at least three... Mon, 24 Oct 2011 14:55:40 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2802/jayne-ann-krentz-canyons-of-night/ The last book in a trilogy is always the most anticipated. But when it leaves you feeling dissatisfied and frustrated, you just know that it hasn't succeeded in doing its job. Canyons of Night is supposedly the conclusion to the Looking Glass trilogy, but it was a disappointing read; it doesn't... Mon, 17 Oct 2011 11:58:14 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2769/david-baldacci-one-summer/ Although bestselling American author David Baldacci is better known for his thriller novels, he has managed to writeOne Summer beautifully. The novel tells the story of a family torn apart by a sudden death, but brought together by a miracle. It follows the characters as they reconcile, overcome... Tue, 11 Oct 2011 12:50:17 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2731/laura-kasischke-the-raising/ All is quiet in a Midwestern University until the death of a student changes everything. Blond, beautiful and successful, sorority girl Nicole Warner is the epitome of a good college girl. Craig, Nicole's boyfriend, is behind the wheel when an accident claims her life. A year later, everyone on... Mon, 3 Oct 2011 14:40:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2690/james-patterson-tick-tock/ Crime novel fans would be the first to admit that their beloved genre tends to stick to patterns and formulas. A crime occurs and then the lead detective starts chasing clues until the murderer is caught. The storyline often culminates in a physical confrontation between the good cop and the... Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:00:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2504/paula-szuchman-and-jenny-anderson-spousonomics/ During a heated argument with your spouse, do general marketing concepts come to mind as a way of reaching a compromise? No? Spousonomics is a witty book that suggests that using economic principles is exactly what we need to resolve our relationship conflicts. By following business-oriented... Sun, 21 Aug 2011 13:44:37 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2469/shafiq-al-hout-my-life-in-the-plo/ Memoires often hold our fascination because they take readers through the details of a different era. They are especially thought-provoking when they focus on revolutionary personas like Shafiq Al-Hout, who played a great role in the Arab-Israeli struggle by founding the Palestinian Liberation... Sun, 14 Aug 2011 15:51:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2416/lesley-lababidi-and-lisa-sabbahy-cairo-the-family-guide/ As one of the biggest cities in the world, Cairo holds within its ancient streets and narrow allies thousands of years’ worth of history and cultural landmarks. It is so overwhelming that the question of what to do isn’t derived from the lack of activities; on the contrary, it’s because there’s... Sun, 7 Aug 2011 14:26:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2345/amy-chua-battle-hymn-of-the-tiger-mother/ Parenting and child psychology take up most of the self-help book genre, stressing the point that every parent must develop their own creative and suitable ways to deal with their child.Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother stands out from its genre contemporaries, as author Amy Chua delves right into... Mon, 25 Jul 2011 15:38:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2335/autostrade-mixed-bag-from-first-edition-comic-book/ Young publishing houses in Egypt have been steadily rolling out for the past few years, decorating Cairo’s bookshelves with local talents suited up in a variety of paperbacks. However, the quality of what they present remains debatable.While some are gifted, heartfelt ventures that shed promise,... Thu, 21 Jul 2011 14:24:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2313/autostrade-a-highway-for-egyptian-comics/ This Wednesday, July 20th, an exciting new Egyptian comic book will be introduced to Cairo. Autostrade is a bi-monthly comic book and ‘highway for sequential madness’ according to its website, and its grand launch will be held at Ahmed Shawky Museum at 6:30PM. This is actually the book’s second... Tue, 19 Jul 2011 15:40:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2304/king-abdullah-ii-of-jordan-our-last-best-chance-the-pursuit-of-peace-in-a-time-of-peril/ For any Arab leader who seeks to maintain a good relationship with his people and an acceptable public image; now would be a good time to step up. Although Jordan hasn’t been part of the wave of widespread discontent in the region per se, a reminder and proof of good intention never hurts.Our... Mon, 18 Jul 2011 13:42:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2293/oliver-james-how-not-to-f***-them-up/ Finally a straightforward book tells parents the blunt truth about why their naughty kids behave the way they do: it’s the parents’ fault! Known for his strong opinions on parenting and child psychology, author Oliver James follows his last book They F*** You Up with a new release that is bound... Thu, 14 Jul 2011 19:22:22 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2239/james-patterson-angel-a-maximum-ride-novel/ As the seventh instalment in the best-selling Maximum Ride series, Angel doesn't disappoint. The novel continues the story of a group of kids who had their DNA mixed with that of birds, giving them the ability to fly as well as other superhuman powers.Picking up from the last part Fang, the novel... Mon, 11 Jul 2011 17:57:22 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2224/jodi-picoult-sing-you-home/ Touching novels are a specialty that author Jodi Picoult has been perfecting for quite a while. She delves deeper into controversial issues than most, presenting them in a simple fashion. This time around, Picoult has effortlessly outdone herself. Her latest novel Sing You Home tells the story of... Sat, 9 Jul 2011 18:12:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2191/karima-khalil-messages-from-tahrir/ It’s been almost six months since January 25th, and the Tahrir-themed books, art pieces and films keep on coming. This could cause a certain sense of fatigue or overload in some Egyptians, but every now and then a stellar project shines among the rest. Messages from Tahrir: Signs from Egypt’s... Sun, 7 Aug 2011 12:00:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2140/nadia-idle-and-alex-nunns-tweets-from-tahrir/ So much has been said of the Egyptian revolution’s utilisation of social media. The mind boggles at the thought of Twitter and Facebook not existing. How would it all have turned out? We’ll never know, but in Tweets from Tahrir, we have a unique and raw account of the revolution, as told through... Tue, 28 Jun 2011 14:21:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2107/opal-palmer-adisa-and-shayma-kamel-what-a-woman-is/ Beit El Yasmine Publishing has brought together poems from across the ocean by Caribbean American poet Opal Palmer Adisa and paintings by Egyptian artist Shayma Kamel in a new book What a Woman Is. The poems and the paintings are set side by side, creating together a colourful and poetic world... Mon, 20 Jun 2011 13:29:19 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2077/galal-amin-egypt-in-the-era-of-hosni-mubarak/ Once again, Egyptian author Galal Amin delves into the deepest and darkest aspects of Egyptian society with his latest release. This time it's an era that is still raw; the era of Hosni Mubarak. In Egypt in the Era of Hosni Mubarak (1981-2011), Amin goes back in time prior to the revolution, even... Mon, 13 Jun 2011 14:48:19 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2039/melissa-de-la-cruz-bloody-valentine/ Just as we thought we’d had enough of vampire novels after the last few years of the Twilight pandemonium and its literary copycats, another blue-blooded vampire series has hit bookstore shelves. This time though, Bloody Valentine isn’t likely to cause the same amount of fuss as Twilight.The... Sun, 12 Jun 2011 12:00:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/2005/dina-ghalwash-diaries-of-an-egyptian-girl/ The growing trend of Egyptian pseudo-feminist authors has brought mixed results in the past few years. The once novel style of combining formal writing with anecdotes, opinion, blogging, and diary entries has become a chick-lit genre of its own.The latest addition comes from Dina Ghalwash, who... Mon, 30 May 2011 15:16:25 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1973/candace-bushnell-the-carrie-diaries/ Chick lit novels have so much in common that the characters of different storylines might easily pass off as one and the same. Nevertheless, The Carrie Diaries is different; not because it has an original plot, but because it is a prequel to the bestselling series Sex and the City. The Carrie... Mon, 23 May 2011 14:15:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1928/james-patterson-fang-a-maximum-ride-novel/ The wonders of genetic modification have given Max and her flock wings, and Total, their mutant dog, the ability to talk. Although very few authors can combine scientific fiction with a respectable story, James Patterson succeeds in doing just that.  Fang is the sixth book in Patterson's Maximum... Sun, 15 May 2011 14:32:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1911/carl-hiaasen-star-island/ Unlike other novels that tell the stories of celebrities, Star Island doesn't focus on the glamour and wealth normally associated with fame. Instead, author Carl Hiaasen digs deeper and goes beyond the glamorous facades; he uses satire to shed light on the spoilt life of a 22-year-old blonde pop... Mon, 9 May 2011 13:31:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1875/ian-mcewan-solar/ As an author, Ian McEwan has been known to ruffle people’s feathers with his controversial views on religion and politics. However, one thing that he excels in is science; which happens to be the common background of some of his nineteen novels. Nevertheless, his latest science-based novel, Solar... Mon, 2 May 2011 14:32:54 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1816/will-adams-the-eden-legacy/ 'Welcome to Eden. Population: Zero'. With this tag line, starts the fourth part of the adventure book series by author Will Adams. The Eden Legacy continues to follow the main character Daniel Knox’s underwater adventures, where he explores some of the great mysteries and treasures of the ancient... Tue, 26 Apr 2011 14:30:55 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1727/michael-cunningham-by-nightfall/ A good novel should make the reader connect with the characters and feel part of the story. Unfortunately, Michael Cunningham takes this saying literally. In his 2010 novel By Nightfall, the scenes are vividly described to the tiniest details; the problem is what is seen may not be that... Mon, 18 Apr 2011 13:17:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1711/nicholas-a-christakis-and-james-h-fowler-connected/ Social networking takes up a big portion of our time, as a way to remain connected to what’s happening in our social circles, keeping up with friends and sharing what we are doing and thinking with others. According to Nicholas A. Christakis and James H. Fowler, the authors of Connected, our... Mon, 11 Apr 2011 12:36:00 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1676/noha-wagih-screw-equality/ Published in 2010 by Evolution Publishers, Screw Equality is the debut novel by Noha Wagih and the latest addition to Egypt’s growing number of female authors and feminist-themed books. At first glance, it’s quasi-impossible to miss the point of Wagih’s book; its cover (an attractive female with... Sun, 29 May 2011 12:00:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1631/win-five-paolo-coelho-box-sets-from-diwan/ Attention Cairo bookworms!In the spirit of giving and generosity, Cairo 360 has teamed up with our friends at Diwan Bookstores to give five three lucky readers a free box set of Brazilian author Paolo Coelho's five most famous novels!Born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 1947, Paulo Coelho is one of... Mon, 4 Apr 2011 13:10:24 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1623/jodi-picoult-house-rules/ People always have a hard time embracing and accepting differences. House Rules tells the story of a family sentenced to a lifetime of subtle glances and whispering, because one of its members has Asperger's syndrome, a high-functioning form of autism.  Jacob is an eighteen-year-old high school... Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:13:16 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1573/alaa-al-aswany-on-the-state-of-egypt/ Always well-known for his outspoken political opinions and daring literature, Alaa El Aswany is, paradoxically, more controversial than ever after Egypt’s January 25th revolution.It is fitting, then, that his first collection of columns in English translation, On the State of Egypt, was published... Mon, 14 Mar 2011 11:59:42 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1551/mona-abaza-twentieth-century-egyptian-art-the-private-collection-of-sherwet-shafei/ Located in the heart of Zamalek is Safarkhan Gallery, one of the most prominent galleries of Egypt’s contemporary art scene. Owned by art collector Sherwet Shafei and her daughter Mona Said, collectors and viewers alike have frequented the gallery for many years. But little do many know that the... Tue, 8 Mar 2011 11:40:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1531/nicholas-sparks-safe-haven/ Romance novels have often been associated with sappiness and over-the-top displays of affection. Nicholas Sparks' novels might feature a little bit of that, but with additional depth added to it. Safe Haven is a fairytale for adults; it's a little getaway to a universe where true love conquers... Mon, 28 Feb 2011 14:40:01 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1506/elif-shafak-the-forty-rules-of-love/ The Forty Rules of Love is a multi-faceted novel weaving together the tale of the famed 13th-century poet Rumi; his transformation from a respected scholar into a Sufi poet under the influence of his companion; Shams of Tabriz, and the story of suburban housewife Ella Rubinstein’s path to true... Sun, 20 Feb 2011 14:24:55 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1457/43rd-cairo-international-book-fair-calling-all-book-lovers/ It’s that time of year again when publishers and literature fanatics alike gear up for the 43rd Cairo International Book Fair! For the first time in its history, the ten-day book fair has been moved to the Cairo International Conference Centre in Nasr City, a big change from its usual location at... Sun, 30 Jan 2011 10:00:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1475/rhonda-byrne-the-power/ Rhonda Byrne, author of the self-help bestseller The Secret, strikes again with a sequel titled The Power. With very few differences, the second installment continues what the first book started – explaining the power of the law of attraction.  The Power reveals through the first few pages that... Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:38:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1439/khairy-shalaby-the-time-travels-of-the-man-who-sold-pickles-and-sweets/ The Time Travels of the Man Who Sold Pickles and Sweets by Khairy Shalaby tells the story of Ibn Shalaby, an ordinary modern-day Egyptian man who can travel through time. He has no control over when he is thrown into the past or the future; instead, he must consult his wristwatch to find out what... Mon, 17 Jan 2011 15:33:44 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1423/stacy-schiff-cleopatra-a-life/ Stacy Schiff’s Cleopatra: A Life was one of 2010’s most-hyped books. The reason for all of the excitement was twofold: first, Schiff is a respected Pulitzer Prize-winning historian and author. Secondly; and more importantly, the choice of Cleopatra for a subject is bound to be an instant hit, as... Tue, 11 Jan 2011 10:57:17 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1395/fatima-bhutto-songs-of-blood-and-sword/ It is often said that reality is stranger than fiction. Fatima Bhutto’s new book Songs of Blood and Sword proves that adage and does it one better: in this new memoir, reality is more compelling and more dramatic than fiction could ever hope to be.Fatima Bhutto promised her father, Mir Murtaza... Sun, 23 Jan 2011 10:00:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1376/essam-youssef-a-1-4-gram/ If you plan on reading A ¼ Gram, you may need at least two days of free time to get through it. This novel will suck you in and pique your curiosity to the extent that you lose track of time. All that matters once the reading begins is whether or not the characters will recover from their... Sun, 2 Jan 2011 10:00:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1355/peter-millar-the-black-madonna/ They say that you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover, but what if the book’s author puts himself up for judgement with a tagline that has created controversy on its own?That is the case with The Black Madonna, a compelling thriller by UK journalist and author Peter Millar. The bold phrase 'A... Mon, 20 Dec 2010 12:30:32 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1284/kai-bird-crossing-mandelbaum-gate/ When writing about the Middle East, it is constantly challenging to separate rhetoric from personal experience and impressions from stereotypes. The difficulty of separating the personal from the historical and rhetorical is clearly apparent in Kai Bird's rambling memoir, Crossing Mandelbaum... Sun, 5 Jun 2011 12:00:16 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1255/michael-frishkopf-music-and-media-in-the-arab-world/ Themes of modernity and the evolution of media technology have brought about penetrating changes in pop music culture, forming what is aptly termed ‘mediated music’ in academic discussions.Written by fifteen authors, and consisting of just as many diverse viewpoints, Music and Media in the Arab... Sun, 5 Dec 2010 10:00:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1230/lindsey-kelk-i-heart-paris/ Novels stand out either because of their striking storyline or because of the enjoyable style of writing. Admittedly, it’s not a shock that an extraordinary story isn’t to be expected out of most chick-lit novels, but author Lindsey Kelk luckily excels in her fun writing style.  Following the... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:40:35 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1200/robert-temple-egyptian-dawn/ Controversies aside, there’s no doubt that the mysteries of the Egyptian civilisation are becoming more and more intriguing with time. As one of the most fascinating civilisations of the ancient world, many researchers have tried to put the pieces of Ancient Egypt together for the rest of us to... Wed, 10 Nov 2010 17:28:05 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1166/lauren-weisberger-last-night-at-chateau-marmont/ The international success of The Devil Wears Prada has earned Lauren Weisberger recognition in the chick lit genre. Remaining on the bestseller list for a whole year and having her novel made into an award-winning film have only increased fans’ anticipation for her new novels. And indeed, Last... Wed, 3 Nov 2010 18:03:46 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1073/anne-fortier-juliet/ If you tend to believe that any book about an old fairytale is corny, worn out and boring; don’t give up just yet; because Anne Fortier’s debut novel Juliet will prove the exact opposite.From the novel’s title and vintage-looking cover, readers may be inclined to think that this novel is about... Wed, 13 Oct 2010 14:49:50 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/1011/anne-marie-drosso-in-their-fathers-country/ Following the 2007 release of Cairo Stories, a collection of short stories on Egypt, author Anne-Marie Drosso presents her first novel In Their Father’s Country, which dives deep into its characters’ emotions as well as the country’s complex history.The story begins in Cairo in 1924 with Claire... Wed, 29 Sep 2010 21:01:50 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/979/magda-mehdawy-the-pharaohs-kitchen/ Written by Magda Mehdawy and Amr Hussein, The Pharaoh’s Kitchen (AUC Press) is an archaeologist’s documentation of the ancient Egyptians' culinary arts.  Published in English in May 2010, the book arrives with an impressive pedigree: it is the winner of the 2008 Gourmand Cookbook Awards for best... Wed, 22 Sep 2010 16:54:18 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/951/yahia-lababidi-trial-by-ink/ These days, the average reader has limited access to profiles of iconic philosophers that inspired the world; it either involves a lot of Wikipedia searching and digging through old and rare archives, or reading huge books with a lot of complicated words.Therefore, when a normal-sized book... Wed, 15 Sep 2010 16:32:30 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/920/samia-mehrez-the-literary-atlas-of-cairo/ The essence of Cairo, in all its glory and grime, is very difficult to capture. This fascinating city has many faces and has seen many drastically different times, creating a hub of cultural contradictions and intriguing characteristics.Over the past century, some of the greatest literary minds... Mon, 22 Nov 2010 18:06:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/891/bahaa-abdelmegid-saint-theresa-and-sleeping-with-strangers/ First off, to eliminate any possible confusion, Saint Theresa and Sleeping with Strangers are the titles of two separate short novels in the same book by Bahaa Abdelmegid. Through the two stories, Abdelmegid dives through Cairo in its different eras, and its residents that apparently will always... Wed, 1 Sep 2010 18:50:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/865/mohamed-el-bisatie-drumbeat/ It’s not that often that one can find a novel with an innovative idea, let alone find one in a simple and attractive style too. Drumbeat can be the exception; it’s a perfect blend of originality and imagination.     Drumbeat takes place in a fictional Emirate in the UAE during the national team’s... Wed, 25 Aug 2010 15:01:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/835/inji-amr-to-each-her-own/ We are all free to make our own lifestyle choices, experiences and friends, but would you like to read all the elaborate details about someone else's? To Each Her Own, the debut novel by first-time author Inji Amr, prompts readers to ask that question.Essentially another compilation of short... Sun, 22 Aug 2010 10:00:05 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/736/rock-and-roll-jihad-drawn-out-and-detailed-memoir/ Released in 2010, this well-purposed memoir delves into the life of Salman Ahmad, a self-proclaimed Pakistani rock star crediting himself with the merge of Western rock 'n' roll sound with classical Pakistani music. He also claims to have used music as an irregular method in allowing individuals... Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:26:09 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/782/alaa-al-aswany-chicago/ Though this bestselling novel has been out for several years now in Egypt, it is still creating a lot of buzz on international literature circles. A widely controversial novel by one of the most talked about modern Egyptian authors, Chicago discusses many aspects of life that we all have within... Wed, 4 Aug 2010 17:10:36 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/749/nevine-abbas-halim-diaries-of-an-egyptian-princess/ Many of us in Egypt are naturally captivated by the lives of the rich and famous. There is something about these characters that we find inherently exciting and mysterious. We wear thin the pages of celebrity gossip magazines and tirelessly search the Internet for updates on our favourite stars.... Wed, 28 Jul 2010 12:55:36 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/622/elizabeth-gilbert-committed/ In her last best-selling memoir Eat, Pray, Love, Elizabeth Gilbert went on a self-discovery trip through three different countries to overcome a nasty divorce. It ended with her falling in love with Felipe, an also-divorced Brazilian businessman that she met in Bali.They have managed to stay in... Thu, 8 Jul 2010 15:11:38 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/575/cic-initiates-open-content-open-source-reading-group/ In a world where there is so much creative exchange regarding music, images and ideas; where do the lines of creative license start and end? If you’ve ever been interested in the concept of creative commons in a contemporary art context, we suggest you join the new reading group that CIC is... Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:37:56 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/578/imz-khattab-cracking-the-code-of-the-egyptian-relationshit/ If you’ve ever read an issue of Cosmopolitan or any other women’s magazine, then you would be wasting your hard-earned Egyptian Pounds (all 80 of them) on this book. Meant as a guide for Egyptian men and women to understand what goes wrong in relationships and how to fix them; this book is just... Thu, 24 Jun 2010 11:13:32 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/551/may-taher-when-the-honeymoon-is-over/ With a slew of young, Egyptian female authors publishing their works of fiction in the last two years, May Taher is the latest to debut on the local market with When the Honeymoon is Over; a collection of sixteen short stories about Egyptian couples and the tumultuous nature of relationships.The... Wed, 16 Jun 2010 17:41:23 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/444/melancholia-local-lit-for-the-modern-day/ After months of waiting and 587 pages later, local writer Basil Fateen’s debut onto Cairo’s literature scene has finally surfaced. In the fictional, non-linear narrative Melancholia, Fateen takes us on an almost psychedelic journey through the eyes of main character Selim. Selim is a 28-year old... Tue, 1 Jun 2010 14:06:15 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/360/a-secret-voyage-by-zahi-hawass-egypts-most-expensive-book-yet/ One often wonders how exactly a book earns its value: is it due to its famous author, valuable information, cover design or perhaps the quality of its paper? In the case of A Secret Voyage, a limited-edition release by famed archaeologist Zahi Hawass, the book should perhaps contain gold-leaf or... Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:00:26 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/358/rajaa-alsanea-girls-of-riyadh/ First published in English in 2007, this novel tells the story of four female friends growing up in the city of Riyadh. Amidst the trials and tribulations of young love, secret dating and coming of age, the four eventually go their separate ways.Girls of Riyadh is not strictly an attempt to show... Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:48:33 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/303/stieg-larsson-the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo/ Since its release in 2005, the first book of the Millennium Trilogy has been a bestseller wherever it is shelved, and it continues to gain fans left and right across the world. This is partly due to the enigmatic characters in The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and also due to the gripping mystery... Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:45:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/205/the-god-of-small-things-roys-booker-prize-novel/ Arundhati Roy's Booker Prize-winning novel The God of Small Things is a work of many layers. The novel focuses on the story of a brother and sister, fraternal twins who are separated at the age of seven.Beginning with a sunny tale of two children raised by their eccentric but devoted mother, a... Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:43:17 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/200/say-youre-one-of-them-a-portrait-of-africas-youth/ For those Cairo-based individuals that engage in long working hours on a daily basis, finding time to pick up a quality novel and actually finish it in less than one month’s time can be an ambitious goal. Luckily, we have books such as Nigerian-born Jesuit priest Uwem Akpan‘s novel Say You’re One... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/136/persepolis-i-and-ii-iran-illustrated-in-black-and-white/ Marjane Satrapi’s Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood is no ordinary memoir. Chronicling the author’s early life in Tehran during the politically tumultuous 1970s, the graphic novel depicts a young girl’s perspective on everything from love and punk rock to state reform. Setrapi writes and... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/123/cormac-mccarthy-the-road/ Cormac McCarthy’s The Road is one of those rare books that is simultaneously inspiring, depressing and full of literary genius. The novel's father and son trek to find a safe haven in an apocalyptic age where the unknown wilderness has become their home sets the scene for this award-winning... Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:35:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/120/amitav-ghosh-in-an-antique-land/ In a meandering tale between travelogue and history, Amitav Ghosh creates a vivid picture of Egypt and a Middle East that, although it may not exist today, is a unique place for discovery and learning. The main purpose of In an Antique Land is to trace the path of a Jewish slave of an Arab... Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:27:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/books/147/alan-weisman-the-world-without-us/ Imagine a world where people don’t exist. Alan Weisman, in his seminal work The World Without Us does more than simply imagine what our world would be if all humans simply disappeared overnight, he extrapolates the data available and paints an image of that human-void Earth that is at both... Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:37:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3816/katie-melua-secret-symphony/ True originality isn’t easy to come by in the music business these days. We’ve witnessed more than a fair share of artists drowning in a sea of likewise imitators. This makes us appreciate the odd exceptions who, year after year, manage to produce better music with each record that they release.... Thu, 10 May 2012 15:05:13 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3810/win-tickets-to-rock-stop-featuring-mashrou-leila/ The despair of seeing the appointed prince of Arab music cavorting with the likes of Snoop Dogg and Shaggy while not realising that people are laughing at him and not with him (clue: begins with ‘T’ and ends in ‘amer Hosny’) is too much for any Cairene music fan to take. But the winds of Beirut... Tue, 15 May 2012 10:27:17 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3761/madonna-mdna/ True music fans love to reminisce and postulate about a far gone time when music was art. Now there’s a whole new level of disappointment when those who once shaped the music of our time now employ fads and trends just to sell records. In her new album, MDNA, Madonna presents a collection of... Wed, 2 May 2012 13:49:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3773/win-vip-tickets-to-masters-of-rock-at-the-pyramids/ They say that imitation is the sincerest form of flattery and only in a money-hungry, capitalist 21st century would three tribute bands become big enough to embark on a world tour. That being said, this event on Thursday May 17th is the closest thing we will ever get to seeing the likes of Pink... Thu, 3 May 2012 10:17:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3723/fun-some-nights/ For energised tracks that set a listener on an inspired road, the American indie-pop band Fun hits the spot with a genre of upbeat music accompanied by the gifted vocals of Nate Ruess that, in the right moment, resemble Freddie Mercury’s vocal flexibility. The positive vibes on the band’s second... Thu, 19 Apr 2012 16:10:01 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3686/lotus-plaza-spooky-action-at-a-distance/ Lockett Pundt has really come into his own with Spooky Action at a Distance, his sophomore album as Lotus Plaza. In a nutshell, the album is a beautiful, self-produced compilation of reverb drenched melancholic anthems.Lotus Plaza is the name of Pundt’s solo project, into which he pours his... Wed, 11 Apr 2012 13:19:05 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3651/the-cranberries-roses/ There are only so many expectations a long-awaited album can handle, especially after a ten year-long hiatus. The Cranberries were largely missed by their fans and the lead singer Dolores O’Riordan's fresh voice and the band’s subtle instruments were continually in demand. Thus, it’s refreshing... Wed, 4 Apr 2012 13:19:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3612/morrissey-viva-hate/ Yes, it’s true. Morrissey is releasing debut album, Viva Hate, for the third time; and just as with 1997’s first re-release, it’s much to the dismay of lifelong fans who feel that the content of Morrissey’s initial releases somehow belongs exclusively to them.It is also being argued that, despite... Tue, 27 Mar 2012 12:12:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3574/the-shins-port-of-morrow/ The Shins’ last release, Wincing the Night Away, confirmed the band's success in the underground world with a collection of songs that were both eclectic and humanly relatable. The soft, enchanting musicality of the album is part of what came to identify The Shins. Returning after five years with... Tue, 20 Mar 2012 11:46:28 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3519/the-fray-scars-and-stories/ The Fray captured the hearts of pop-rock fans all over the world with their hit ‘How to Save a Life’ in 2005 from their multi-platinum album of the same name. The band's distinct vocals, rock-heavy instrumentals and intensely, emotional lyrics have made them a household name. With its title, one... Thu, 8 Mar 2012 17:40:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3488/tennis-young-and-old/ An almost accidental band, Alaina Moore and Patrick Riley – married couple and original members of Tennis – found their knack for making music after taking a seven-month long sailing trip that inspired them to keep record of it with song. Last year’s album Cape Dory caught a lot of attention with... Mon, 5 Mar 2012 12:00:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3455/sleigh-bells-reign-of-terror/ Officially labelled as a ‘noise pop’ band (a term that is so hopelessly encompassing that it is unequivocally meaningless), Sleigh Bells emphatically struck cords with the indie community last year with debut album Treats. Like the cover art for said album- a slightly washed out photo of a posing... Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:27:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3408/daughtry-break-the-spell/ With strong vocals and a genre that mixes the basics of rock with catchy pop tunes, the members of Daughtry have arrived at their third album while riding ever increasing popularity. Though they’ve become known for having a certain formula that they stick to, when it comes to producing new... Sun, 19 Feb 2012 13:14:32 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3377/michael-jackson-immortal/ Though Michael Jackson was cruelly taken from this world in 2009, his musical-afterlife is proving to be very fruitful. In addition to bringing in good money for producers and collaborators, it’s a staunch reminder of the king of pop’s much loved spirit. That was achieved in Michael, the first... Tue, 14 Feb 2012 15:17:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3360/lana-del-rey-born-to-die/ Describing herself as a self-styled gangster version of Nancy Sinatra, this sultry American singer-songwriter has rarely been out of the headlines since it emerged that she failed to break into the music industry under her own name- a section of her history that remains a mystery. Born Elizabeth... Tue, 7 Feb 2012 16:36:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3269/the-joy-formidable-the-big-roar/ There are various theories on how a band should structure an album. Some critics like to see a bell-curve kind of energy distribution, while others prefer to see a group start off with their most intense tracks and play off that vibe for the rest of the record. On their debut album, The Joy... Wed, 18 Jan 2012 11:11:35 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3215/amy-winehouse-lioness-hidden-treasures/ Not a day after her death, the debate over a posthumous Amy Winehouse release was raging. Keeping aside the fact that the profits of Lioness: Hidden Treasures are going to the Amy Winehouse Foundation, one couldn’t help but wince at the prospect of the circus that this compilation would ignite.We... Thu, 5 Jan 2012 16:48:16 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3136/wu-lyf-go-tell-fire-to-the-mountain/ A lot of aspiring musicians must be scratching their heads right now.  How is it that four kids from Manchester, England have managed to apparently have their cake and eat it too? The members of Wu Lyf have successfully cultivated a reputation of mystery and fame simultaneously, refusing to give... Thu, 22 Dec 2011 13:00:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3103/the-roots-undun/ Viewers of OSN may now think of the Roots as ‘that band’ on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, but this alternative hip-hop/neo-soul collective have, and continue to hold their own in the industry. Exposure for the group has increased ten-fold, and it has allowed them to return as far back to their... Thu, 15 Dec 2011 16:40:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3091/future-islands-on-the-water/ Sounding much like a friendly monster, Samuel T. Herring of Future Islands writes lyrics with his heart on his sleeve. The Baltimore-based band’s 2010 album In Evening Air came alive with the endearing passion with which his simplistic lyrics were delivered; the album captured listeners with the... Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:31:25 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3050/kelly-clarkson-stronger/ For the past four albums, Kelly Clarkson has gained a reputation for her strong, assertive songs that colour her work with a tongue-in-cheek confidence, including hits like ‘Since You Been Gone’ and ‘Don’t Waste Your Time’. She takes speaking her mind to a whole new level with her new album,... Mon, 5 Dec 2011 15:30:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3041/rihanna-talk-that-talk/ Barbadian pop princess Rihanna has released her sixth studio album and kicked it off with the single ‘We Found Love’ which is already an international hit. With this album Riri continues what has almost become her signature style; upbeat pop songs with raunchy lyrics and high sexual content. The... Sun, 4 Dec 2011 17:26:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/3010/atlas-sound-parallax/ His cult fame as frontman of experimental rockers Deerhunter has rewarded momentum to Bradford Cox’s solo project Atlas Sound. Still active in both endeavours, Cox works on the mantra that time waits for no man, and has churned out eight albums since 2005.Like Deerhunter’s gradual break from... Thu, 24 Nov 2011 17:48:40 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2975/florence-the-machine-ceremonials/ Not many acts have taken so much of the world by such a storm like Florence + The Machine has. London singer Florence Welch crafted a catchy, personal and commercial mainstay of a record with 2009’s Lungs, and so another indie, pop, experimental masterpiece has been long expected with... Sat, 19 Nov 2011 14:15:22 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2903/m83-hurry-up-and-were-dreaming/ If you’ve ever wondered what it might sound like if TV on the Radio and The Edge from U2 asked Panda Bear to produce a collaboration album, you may have your answer.  With Hurry Up We’re Dreaming, M83 brings us their sixth studio album, perhaps their most ambitious yet.Combining surreal... Thu, 10 Nov 2011 5:13:33 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2909/björk-biophilia/ Delirium has surrounded the release of almost every one of Björk’s seven albums. The Icelandic singer’s eighth is no different. Never one to do things without fuss, Björk released Biophilia as the first ‘app album’ with the help of Apple. Each song can be downloaded as an interactive app that... Wed, 2 Nov 2011 17:28:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2904/coldplay-mylo-xyloto/ Since their hit song ‘Fix You’, Coldplay has been climbing up the charts with inspiring music that makes its listener just want to go out and do something, or curl up ‎under a blanket and watch the rain.‎Following their 2008 best-selling album Viva La Vida, the British band had to do something... Wed, 2 Nov 2011 13:40:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2864/feist-metals/ Despite achieving very respectable critical success with her last album and garnering huge popularity for being a constant pillar in super-group Broken Social Scene, Leslie Feist has always maintained relative anonymity. That’s probably because she hasn’t had that one big push. The Canadian's... Thu, 27 Oct 2011 14:27:54 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2826/salalem-kelma-abeeha/ Salalem’s journey to their debut album has been a long but steady rise through the underground music scene in Egypt. Having formed in 2004, they’ve gone from obscurity to regular gigs at Cairo’s top venues like El Sawy Culturewheel and the Cairo Jazz Club, to starring in Vodafone’s 2011Ramadan ad... Thu, 20 Oct 2011 14:56:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2811/david-guetta-nothing-but-the-beat/ If you’ve been anywhere near a dance floor or a radio station in the past six months, chances are you’ve been exposed to one of David Guetta’s infectious, bubble-gum dance hits. The 43-year-old French DJ’s fifth and latest album Nothing But the Beat is a double CD album that follows the same... Tue, 18 Oct 2011 14:29:42 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2756/amr-diab-banadeek-taala/ As per usual with Amr Diab’s albums, the whole of Egypt seemed to be on the edge of their seats waiting for the release of Banadeek Ta’ala (I’m Calling You, Come). And as always, the anticipation has been so high that once again songs were leaked online before the official release. However, even... Sun, 9 Oct 2011 13:52:05 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2698/kasabian-velociraptor/ Kasabian have slowly but surely turned from every semi-rebellious teen-aged hipster’s second favourite indie band to some sort of organic freak of nature. They still bare the rock band prerequisite lout-chic image as good as anyone in the game, but their sound has developed in ways that maybe... Wed, 28 Sep 2011 15:35:42 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2658/5-music-acts-that-cairo-should-get-to-know-better/ We all have our favourites, but there must be more to music than Gaga and Kanye, right? Here’s our snobbish view of who you should check out to expand your musical horizons.Joanna NewsomAmerican Singer-songwriter Joanna Newsom is from another planet. She made harps cool in 2004 with her weird and... Tue, 20 Sep 2011 17:37:39 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2586/beirut-the-rip-tide/ Zach Condon is Beirut. While a rag-tag group of musicians yielding French horns, ukuleles, glockenspiels and other funnily-named instruments accompany him both on stage and in studio, the shaggy-haired and nasally-voiced American is one big musical brain.As with their previous albums Gulag... Tue, 6 Sep 2011 15:10:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2547/owl-city-all-things-bright-and-beautiful/ In a time when a computer is just as important an instrument in the music industry as guitars and drums, a question of lyrical and vocal qualities still remains. Luckily for electro-pop fans, a synth-pop one-man band is dashing up the musical charts with songs about accidents and rockets.On Owl... Mon, 29 Aug 2011 17:32:46 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2543/foo-fighters-wasting-light/ With one album after another, Foo Fighters have been dominating the rock charts with huge success. This time, Dave Grohl and friends have raised the stakes higher, as they've declared their latest album Wasting Light their 'heaviest rock album yet', earning them their first number one on the... Sun, 28 Aug 2011 14:30:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2520/pitbull-planet-pit/ It seems that lately everybody is in line to collaborate with Cuban-American rapper Pitbull. He guest stars on several pop songs, all of which are now at the top of the music charts. So it should come as no surprise that Pitbull’s own album Planet Pit consists of collaborations and duets with... Tue, 23 Aug 2011 13:34:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2471/jay-z-and-kanye-west-watch-the-throne/ Of all the dream-team collaborations we could hope to see, a Jay Z and Kanye West partnership was never too far; the last decade has been a tease. Now, probably the two most influential rappers alive have linked arms to form the aptly named duo ‘The Throne’ and taken a plunge that is as much an... Mon, 15 Aug 2011 13:22:33 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2407/wu-tang-clan-legendary-weapons/ As a group, the Wu-Tang Clan have never really bettered their first album Enter the Wu-Tang (36 Chambers). Upon release in 1993, it was immediately hailed as one of the greatest hip-hop albums of all time, and the subsequent eighteen years has only served to prove that more right. Legendary... Sun, 14 Aug 2011 11:20:35 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2393/win-tickets-to-aly-and-filas-future-sound-of-egypt-show/ If you have plans for Eid; cancel them immediately! DJ Duo Aly and Fila are dance music royalty on the global stage, and and their weekly radio show Future Sounds of Egypt is broadcast all over the world. The duo plan to celebrate their show's 200th episode right here in Egypt by holding... Sun, 7 Aug 2011 12:00:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2383/hamza-namira-insan/ There's been a lot of hype and expectancy surrounding the release of Insan (Human) by Hamza Namira for quite some time now. This is Namira’s debut album with Awakening Productions; the same label that boasts Sami Yusuf and Maher Zain on their books.Namira has always possessed a sophisticated and... Mon, 1 Aug 2011 13:45:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2319/thievery-corporation-culture-of-fear/ Based in Washington D.C., Thievery Corporation broke new ground with their politically charged music when the group first emerged in 1995 led by Rob Garza and Eric Hilton. With their eclectic mixtures of old-school Jamaican dub, Brazilian bossa nova, and a healthy dose of club beats and silky... Thu, 28 Jul 2011 19:00:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2312/cairokee-matloub-zaeem/ Having formed in 2003 and spent the greater part of the last eight years on the underground circuit, Egyptian band Cairokee have finally released their debut album, Matloub Za'eem (Leader Wanted). The Arabic rock band is unique in its style and approach to the genre. Unlike so many other groups... Sun, 24 Jul 2011 12:00:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2277/mashrou-leila-el-hal-romancy/ If you missed their two Cairo concerts last May, and haven’t got a copy of their eponymous debut album, we highly recommend that you check out Mashrou’ Leila, whose second album El Hal Romancy will be released this July 29th.  Mashrou’ Leila is a Lebanese alternative rock/folk band that has... Tue, 19 Jul 2011 14:53:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2236/thebes-productions-the-land-chapter-one/ The Land: Chapter One may be Thebes Productions’ first compilation album, but that should not breed any commentary on its status as possibly the leading purveyor of dance music in Egypt. Any organisers that can bring David Guetta to the Egyptian shores must have something going for them. With... Tue, 12 Jul 2011 16:55:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2222/neobyrd-transbyrd/ Long before his music was made public in Egypt, Neobyrd was slated for stardom. At the age of fifteen, his music was playing on British radio. A careful listen to his debut album Transbyrd tells us that it wasn’t just luck that got him on international airwaves at such a young age.  The album’s... Fri, 8 Jul 2011 15:30:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2183/jamie-woon-mirrorwriting/ Although his debut album Mirrorwriting has barely made a bleep on the radar of European and US charts, 28-year-old singer Jamie Woon has created a lot of hype; mainly from music critics, for his sharp sound that dithers somewhere between dupstep, soul and commercial pop. The son of a Malaysian... Sun, 3 Jul 2011 15:28:01 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2174/bon-iver-bon-iver/ Having impressed the un-impressible Kanye West enough to lend his vocals to last year’s My Beautiful Dark Twisted Fantasy, more expectant gazes turned to Justin Vernon and American folk band Bon Iver.The anticipation for their self-titled second album was already high after 2008's album For Emma,... Thu, 30 Jun 2011 17:05:39 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2167/cairo-360-presents-neobyrd/ It’s always tricky to name one’s favourite type of music. The kind of songs that you listen to while driving are not the same ones that you listen to during a workout, and both probably never make it onto your chillout playlist.  So what is it that hooks us to certain artists over others?To Wael... Tue, 5 Jul 2011 16:29:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2148/beyonce-4/ She’s done it again. Move over Adele, Rihanna and Lady Gaga; Queen B has just conquered Glastonbury as the headline act at this year’s festival, and she’s still sitting tightly on her throne. After the success of her last album I am Sasha Fierce, Beyoncé knew she had to come with something good... Mon, 27 Jun 2011 14:17:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2102/cults-cults/ When Lilly Allen all but disappeared a couple of years ago, she cited disillusionment with the record industry as the reason she needed a break. So what better way to instil confidence in herself than to set up her own record company, In the Name of. Sarcasm aside, Ms Allen has actually silenced... Sun, 19 Jun 2011 13:18:44 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2059/jennifer-lopez-love/ Somewhere near the end of the nineties, radio waves became flooded with Latin pop. Ricky Martin made us shake our bon bons while Enrique Iglesias had all of us swaying the night away, and Marc Anthony sang to us. Then along came Jennifer Lopez. The actress entered the world of music and soon... Thu, 9 Jun 2011 14:05:22 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2040/lady-gaga-born-this-way/ What can be said that hasn’t already been said about Lady Gaga? Yes, you’re correct: not much. She effortlessly courts controversy, while continuously producing music that’s hard to fault for even the most hardened of cynics. She’s surpassed peers and predecessors without breaking a sweat, and... Mon, 6 Jun 2011 14:16:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2025/the-lonely-island-turtleneck-and-chain/ Following the success of their first hit album Incredibad, The Lonely Island are back with the long-anticipated Turtleneck & Chain and huge star power to prove it. Featuring the likes of Snoop Dogg, Michael Bolton and Rihanna, this SNL comedy trio return with their satirical jokes, catchy hook... Wed, 1 Jun 2011 17:31:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/2010/beastie-boys-hot-sauce-committee-part-two/ After four years, the Beastie Boys have finally released their eighth studio album, Hot Sauce Committee Part Two. The trio of Mike D, MCA and Ad-Rock, who kicked off the group's long and illustrious run as teenagers more than 25 years ago, continues to crank out hot tracks with all three members... Tue, 31 May 2011 13:11:14 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1977/win-two-tickets-to-see-sami-yusuf-live/ Cairo is buzzing about this much-anticipated concert, and Cairo 360 wants to send you and a friend to see Sami Yusuf live in concert!Dubbed by Time Magazine as ‘Islam’s Biggest Rock Star’, British Iranian singer Sami Yusuf has sold millions of records and sold out world tours with his touching,... Tue, 24 May 2011 16:10:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1976/raphael-saadiq-stone-rollin/ Long before r&b and hip-hop embraced the slim-fit look, electric guitars and prescription wayfarers, Raphael Saadiq was rocking the original geek-chic look like a pro. The completely inoffensive neo-soul funk artiste has had a steady career, never falling too far either side of critical... Tue, 24 May 2011 14:12:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1965/sade-the-ultimate-collection/ Singing ever since the eighties, Sade’s voice melts this reviewer’s heart like warm butter. It’s a sign of a true musician that Nigerian-English singer Sade Adu and her band have endured three decades of the music business and continue to produce smooth, delicious jazz-influenced r&b/pop... Sun, 29 May 2011 12:00:06 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1916/fleet-foxes-helplessness-blues/ Unavoidable in charm and a little mysterious by nature, it’s no wonder that these folk-loving boys are based in Seattle, Washington.Fleet Foxes' debut full-length album Fleet Foxes and second EP Sun Giant were both raving successes, where critics and non critics alike hailed the band for their... Tue, 10 May 2011 12:40:42 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1912/paul-simon-so-beautiful-or-so-what/ As one of the most iconic American singer-songwriters of the 21st century, Paul Simon has influenced generations of singers and listeners with his fusion of folk, pop and world music, as well as his charming, relatable lyrics. Furthermore, his twenty-year partnership with singer Art Garfunkel as... Mon, 9 May 2011 16:40:44 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1882/the-kills-blood-pressures/ The Kills have three main claims to fame. The first is that they are a better version of the Ting Tings. The second is that 50% of them are engaged to Kate Moss. The third is that the cover for their 2005 album No Wow was bestowed with the honour of being featured on a range of Uniqlo... Tue, 3 May 2011 14:36:18 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1828/panda-bear-tomboy/ If you don’t know anything about Noah Lennox, aka Panda Bear, or his group Animal Collective; it’s because – like a panda – he loiters alone when not putting on a show for gawking spectators. You won’t find his name plastered just anywhere. With his fashion designer wife and young daughter, the... Wed, 27 Apr 2011 15:10:26 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1814/westlife-gravity/ Since their first appearance in 1998, Irish pop band Westlife have had a very successful career in the pop industry. They made their name as more than another five-person boy band with chart topping hits that were mostly modernised covers of pop and jazz icons.Following their album-a-year... Fri, 22 Apr 2011 21:25:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1723/avril-lavigne-goodbye-lullabye/ It’s been four years since her last album The Best Damn Thing hit the charts with the single ‘Girlfriend’. Now that she has her own fragrance and fashion line, Canadian pop star Avril Lavigne is back with Goodbye Lullaby to show her personal and vocal growth.Something doesn’t seem right at first... Fri, 15 Apr 2011 12:28:31 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1707/amos-lee-mission-bell/ 32-year-old American singer-songwriter Amos Lee can easily be pigeonholed into the folk genre, given his mellow acoustic sound and sweet voice. In fact, Lee’s sound is described best as a fusion of jazz, folk, soul, gospel and country. Debuting in 2005, Lee has recorded duets with Norah Jones and... Mon, 11 Apr 2011 13:39:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1643/lykke-li-wounded-rhymes/ If a few months ago, M.I.A had taken a few ‘how to be hardcore’ tips from Swedish singer Lykke Li, she may not have come across as so annoying and flamboyantly shallow. Fortunately enough for Li, she’s got her own thing going on and she’s sparkling now more than ever.Popular with indie music... Wed, 30 Mar 2011 15:19:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1617/lupe-fiasco-lasers/ When record company fat cats finally liberated the first song of Lupe Fiasco’s long-awaited third album back in October 2010, everyone feared the worst. ‘The Show Goes On’ was a limp, derivative pulp of a song, whose title should have included a sigh and a sad emoticon face, as if to say that the... Sun, 27 Mar 2011 12:00:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1611/britney-spears-femme-fatale/ It is no secret that Britney Spears has been through a rough couple of years. What with battling bipolar disorder, being under conservatorship and custody entanglements, all under the ruthless lens of Hollywood, many of her fans thought that the old, free-spirited, In the Zone Spears would never... Wed, 23 Mar 2011 13:35:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1609/cairo-360-presents-the-riff-band/ The Riff Band is an eight-piece band consisting of five Egyptians and an international brass section. Originally named ’Riff‘, the band officially became The Riff Band in 2002, performing their first concert at the American University in Cairo’s Ewart Hall.The band’s repertoire is a fusion of... Tue, 22 Mar 2011 15:45:36 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1593/jessie-j-who-you-are/ Everyone loves an underdog, especially when that underdog is more of a bulldog. She’s big news now, but 22-year-old London-bred Jessie J, born Jessica Cornish, has had to jump some hurdles that you couldn’t even make up. Having been diagnosed with an irregular heartbeat at a young age, and having... Mon, 21 Mar 2011 12:14:14 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1583/james-blunt-some-kind-of-trouble/ Through begging words, teary pleas and acoustic pop music, British singer/songwriter James Blunt’s claim to fame came in 2005 with his debut album Back to Bedlam, which featured the unforgettable ‘You’re Beautiful’ and ‘Goodbye My Lover’. Blunt returns now with a third album that will definitely... Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:33:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1572/james-blake-james-blake/ It’s hard to believe that this London-based producer and singer is just 22-years-old, and that James Blake is his debut album on a major record label (we’re not counting his previous release, Klavierwerke as it was an EP with only four tracks). It’s also difficult to define his music or even... Sun, 13 Mar 2011 16:36:57 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1563/talib-kweli-gutter-rainbows/ Jay-Z once rapped 'If skills sold/ Truth be told/ I’d probably be lyrically/ Talib Kweli.' Praise from Caesar indeed. It’s always a breath of fresh air when Kweli releases any new record.There are so many things unfortunate about the term ‘conscious hip-hop’, yet his brand of indie... Sun, 13 Mar 2011 10:28:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1543/norah-jones-featuring-norah-jones/ With powerful lyrics and soft jazzy-pop tunes, Norah Jones has managed to capture the ears and hearts of listeners since her award-winning debut album Come Away with Me in 2002. Featuring Norah Jones is a compilation that serves as a reminder of the greatest duets that have helped shape this... Sun, 13 Mar 2011 10:00:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1535/adele-21/ It’s strange to think that it’s been three years since British singer-songwriter Adele released her debut album 19. That’s probably because her single ‘Chasing Pavements’ was on tight rotation on every radio station, music channel and department store playlist that you had the misfortune of... Wed, 2 Mar 2011 15:22:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1530/r-kelly-love-letter/ As one of the greatest R&B artists, both vocal and arrangement-wise, R. Kelly has been in the business for almost twenty years now; yet he manages to present a new flavour to his music with his latest album Love Letter; incorporating classic soul influences and lyrics about love and... Mon, 28 Feb 2011 13:19:30 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1514/radiohead-the-king-of-limbs/ February 18th, 2011 not only marked the one-week anniversary of the ousting of Hosni Mubarak; but it was also the release date of the one of the most anticipated albums of the year, Radiohead’s King of Limbs.Aside from some independent work with musical producer Nigel Godrich, this is the first... Mon, 28 Feb 2011 13:22:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1509/pj-harvey-let-england-shake/ On February 14th 2011, some nineteen days after the protests kicked off in Tahrir Square, an album that couldn’t be more befitting was released. PJ Harvey’s Let England Shake could well be called ‘Let Egypt Shake’.For twenty years, Polly Jean Harvey’s musical career has sat comfortably in that... Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:41:17 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1505/die-antwoord-o/ Hailing from South Africa with an admirable dose of social consciousness and some sick rhymes are Die Antwoord, loosely translated as ‘the answer.’ This hip-hop trio is made up of MC Ninja, Yolandi Visser (who provides childlike backing vocals and manages to spit nicely too) and finally the man... Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:50:35 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1473/bryan-adams-bare-bones/ It doesn’t happen every day to find an artist who sounds as good live as he does on his studio-recorded albums. So when Bryan Adams chooses to strip down his most popular songs to their acoustic bare bones minus the backing vocals and instruments; we know that it will be worth it.  It has been... Tue, 15 Feb 2011 13:06:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1496/music-from-tahrir-eight-songs-of-the-january-25th-revolution/ The past few weeks have been a challenging and inspiring time for many of us in Cairo. Many musicians, local and world-renowned, have produced songs inspired by the momentous demonstrations in Tahrir. Take a look at our selection of eight great songs, with many more to follow in the coming days... Sun, 20 Feb 2011 10:00:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1476/iron-and-wine-kiss-each-other-clean/ Imagine a wrap-around country front porch with some Appalachian mountains in the background. Throw a banjo into a bearded poet’s arms and that’s what we were introduced to in 2002 when Sam Beam released his first Iron and Wine album, The Creek Drank the Cradle. After seven years of writing, Beam... Mon, 24 Jan 2011 17:16:57 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1443/michael-jackson-michael/ Without doubt, Michael Jackson was one of the strongest musical inspirations of this generation. He had always stood out with his unique style that either made people love him or hate him, and his record-breaking success was widely respected and admired throughout his 30-year musical... Tue, 18 Jan 2011 12:01:55 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1437/the-ghost-of-a-saber-tooth-tiger-acoustic-sessions/ It was just a few months ago that the band The Ghost of a Saber Tooth Tiger was created by Sean Lennon and his model-musician girlfriend Charlotte Kemp Muhl. The legendary music bloodline in one half of this up-and-coming indie folk duo had audiences filled with anticipation as to what The Ghost... Mon, 17 Jan 2011 12:59:16 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1433/360-essentials-great-music-for-bad-cairo-traffic/ Doesn’t look like Cairo’s traffic is going to improve anytime soon, does it? So when it’s just you in the car, the line of cars endlessly stretches as far as the eyes can see and the radio chatter isn’t helping to soothe your nerves, you need to plug in your iPod and play this 360 Essentials... Thu, 13 Jan 2011 16:36:52 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1424/sabrepulse-famicom-connection/ Do you find yourself missing the good old days when you’d sit in front of the TV wasting away time and brain cells playing your Nintendo? If you’re an old-school gamer, you probably miss the 8-bit music playing in the background while you were saving princesses or shooting aliens.Ash Eskrett,... Wed, 12 Jan 2011 10:41:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1398/gorillaz-the-fall/ The creative genius of Damon Albarn and Jamie Hewlett is always a refreshing subject; one that involves intricately drawn cartoons, a virtual band and a fictional universe that’s composed of their entire musical project. Selling over seven million copies of their 2001 self-titled debut album,... Wed, 5 Jan 2011 10:11:57 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1386/360-essentials-best-music-albums-of-2010/ 2010 has been a very interesting year for our music reviewers at Cairo 360, with many inspiring albums and intriguing music artists. Here’s a list of the best of the albums that we’ve reviewed for you over the past year. Disagree with our choices? Let us know via Twitter, Facebook or email. We... Tue, 4 Jan 2011 13:08:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1329/christmas-playlist-songs-to-get-you-in-the-christmas-mood/ In the tradition of the joyous occasion of St. Nick fitting his fat, boisterous and loving self down our chimneys worldwide on Christmas Eve; the night would not be complete without a Christmas music playlist.If you can manage to wade through the gluttonous behaviour and kitschy decor of the... Thu, 23 Dec 2010 13:24:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1364/skrillex-scary-monsters-and-nice-sprites/ If you’re into electronic music, then you must have come across dubstep, the new trend sweeping across dance floors world-wide. Originating from the UK, the genre encompasses a ton of styles, but one thing that they all share in common is a sexy and sometimes dirty baseline.Former frontman of emo... Wed, 22 Dec 2010 17:16:19 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1348/girl-talk-all-day/ Legality, fair use and a high probability of lawsuits: this entire racket has this new artist in the New York Times and other publications for his unauthorised sampling of numerous well-known artists. In 2007, DJ Greg Gillis (otherwise known as Girl Talk) was in a documentary that focused on our... Thu, 16 Dec 2010 16:20:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1324/rihanna-loud/ Rihanna may have arguably one of the most powerful vocals in the pop industry, yet her sound is rather confused. Making headlines over the past two years for her personal life more than her music, the 22-year-old Barbadian’s latest album Loud follows the same trend as her previous two albums... Thu, 9 Dec 2010 18:04:14 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1271/cee-lo-green-the-lady-killer/ His womanising ways adopt a humorous edge when you see him strutting his big man stuff. Gimmicky or not, you can’t help but love his fur coats and sleazy smile. Known to many as one half of Gnarls Barkley, which took the music scene by storm a few years back with the single 'Crazy,' Cee Lo Green... Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:05:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1265/kanye-west-my-beautiful-dark-twisted-fantasy/ It’s awful how people keep holding Kanye West accountable for what comes out of his mouth. Schizophrenic and chronically temperamental at best, one may agree with a recent tweet suggesting that a breathalyser be attached to the man’s Twitter account. Making enemies of former US presidents and... Sun, 19 Dec 2010 10:00:18 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1260/nicki-minaj-pink-friday/ Nicki Minaj has been strategically heating up the rap and hip hop scene for a few years now. Her powerhouse techniques of bubble-gum fluorescent looks, eyelash-batting and gravely gangster rap place her in a rare circle in the hip-hop industry; and if critics’ responses are anything to go by, it... Thu, 25 Nov 2010 18:31:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1246/kid-cudi-man-on-the-moon-ii-the-legend-of-mr-rager/ Despite his highly recognisable radio hit 'Day and Night', Kid Cudi remains something of an artistic anomaly in today's pop and hip-hop scene. His sound is trendy but not overdone, he evokes a sweet geekiness with his affinity for outer space and science fiction without being occult; and his... Tue, 23 Nov 2010 1:00:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1237/mattand-kim-sidewalks/ This synth-punk duo from Brooklyn met in college in 2004, where their energy-infused beats began earning them a fanatically fun reputation. After gaining notoriety for their strip down in Times Square while filming this music video, the duo released their third album, Sidewalks, following their... Sun, 21 Nov 2010 17:36:25 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1212/360-essentials-stick-it-to-the-man/ Let’s face it: capitalist rule gets all of us feeling down and out from time to time. As we well know, whether it is due to being fed up with the establishment or defiance of authority, this generation is prone to revolt. While not all of us choose to act on it, when it’s time to stick it to the... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:55:31 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1180/hurts-happiness/ If you like 80s synthesiser pop, watch The Breakfast Club religiously, and miss the days when Tears for Fears and Depeche Mode rocked your world; then listen to Hurts. This Manchester-based duo have joined the 80s retro pop trend, which has unfortunately included the return of shoulder pads–... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 16:40:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1152/yann-tiersen-dust-lane/ Although Yann Tiersen had previously released three albums, including Le Paire before the score to Le Fabuleux Destin d’Amelie Poulain, he wasn’t well-known outside of France until the lovely Amelie graced cinema screens around the world. It was then that Tiersen became loved by audiences... Sat, 13 Nov 2010 20:12:22 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1205/brian-eno-small-craft-on-a-milk-sea/ Frequently referred to as one of popular music’s most influential artists, Brian Eno has done it yet again with his newest album Small Craft on a Milk Sea. If any album has pushed us even remotely close to a stage of cardiac dysrhythmia; this is it. It’s mind-blowing, for lack of better or less... Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:19:36 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1183/shakira-sale-el-sol/ After a career of producing albums in Spanish and English, 33-year-old Colombian superstar Shakira recently launched her latest album, which transitions frequently between languages, and pairs her hard-edged vocals and bubble-gum, sexy pop image with her signature blend of Latin beats and sultry... Tue, 9 Nov 2010 13:12:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1177/avey-tare-down-there/ If necessary, take a moment and punish yourself for not knowing who Avey Tare is. Born David Portner, the 31-year old New Yorker is one of the founding members of experimentalist music group Animal Collective.The much talked about but little known group has been crafting their music– a mixture of... Mon, 8 Nov 2010 11:30:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1170/santana-guitar-heaven/ To many, Carlos Santana is a rock guitar legend. To others, he’s a sell-out. Rolling Stones Magazine ranked him at Nr.15 on their list of the greatest guitarists of all time (with Jimi Hendrix at a well-deserved Nr.1).  This Mexican-American guitarist is largely credited as the pioneer of fusing... Sun, 7 Nov 2010 10:00:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1156/nerd-nothing/ N.E.R.D (‘No One Ever Really Dies’, often referred to as N*E*R*D) have consistently produced music that is fun to listen to if you are in the mood for some high-energy noise.Having just wrapped up their fourth studio album Nothing, N.E.R.D may be pulling out a few stops with some unprecedented... Mon, 1 Nov 2010 17:47:31 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1139/kings-of-leon-come-around-sundown/ Read the following slowly. On ‘The Face’ of things, Kings of Leon seem to be ‘The Immortals’ of contemporary rock. The media-shy group may prefer things ‘Back Down South’, but in ‘The End’, when it’s time for business, they always ‘Pony Up’ and ride back to the ‘Radioactive’ world of selling hit... Sun, 7 Nov 2010 10:00:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1089/360-essentials-top-ten-payday-songs/ Nothing makes us want to celebrate more than getting paid for our hard work. For many of us in Cairo, the sweet sound of the phrase ‘payday’ even inspires a little song and dance. We’ve compiled a soundtrack perfect for receiving your next paycheque; they’re all about cold, hard cash!‘Money,... Thu, 28 Oct 2010 16:36:32 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1116/sufjan-stevens-the-age-of-adz/ After a five-year hiatus from recording studio albums, eclectic Michigan native Sufjan Stevens returns to the scene with the October 2010 release of The Age of Adz (pronounced 'odds'). After abandoning his ambitious 'fifty states project;' he spent the last few years working on his project about... Sun, 24 Oct 2010 16:10:28 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1066/360-presents-rashradio/ Trailing along with his knapsack and his father’s old school glasses that are hipper than anything you’ll find on the shelves at Magrabi, Rash makes his way through the outdoor terrace at a bar in Cairo and takes a seat for a late-night drink with friends. You’ve probably seen him around, or you... Sun, 24 Oct 2010 11:08:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1103/finger-eleven-life-turns-electric/ Three years after their album Them vs. You vs. Me, Canadian rockers Finger Eleven return with their sixth studio album Life Turns Electric, an essay in guitar-driven rock and roll and a thick-as-nails vocal performance punctuated with mediocrity. While the songs themselves won’t electrify your... Wed, 20 Oct 2010 17:25:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1091/bruno-mars-doo-wops-and-hooligans/ The pure pop vocals of Peter Gene Hernandez, better known as Bruno Mars, have become a familiar sound on pop radio waves.Cute as a button with a clean-cut image, Mars’ style harkens back to the age of early pop, with enough auto-tune tweaks and hot topic references to keep it in the 2000s. His... Mon, 18 Oct 2010 16:36:06 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1072/belle-and-sebastian-write-about-love/ Initially formed in 1996, and having since released seven albums, Belle and Sebastian have been an indie favourite for over a decade now. Leading front man Stuart Murdoch has held this band together through the success and failures, their musical progressions, and frequent turnover of... Sun, 17 Oct 2010 17:37:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1061/360-essentials-tunes-we-cant-get-enough-of/ Whether you’re sitting in Cairo traffic or jamming away at work with your headphones on, it doesn’t really matter where you are. That certain addicting song comes on and it’s still as fresh as the first time around. You just can’t help but move to the beat.Here is a list of some of our personal... Mon, 18 Oct 2010 12:18:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1052/mark-ronson-and-the-business-international-record-collection/ The trend of superstar producers headlining ahead of their superstar artist peers has never been more embraced than in the case of Mark Ronson. His first two albums Here Comes the Fuzz (2003) and Version (2007) experienced polar receptions upon release, but seven years after he made his name as a... Sun, 10 Oct 2010 16:40:30 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1051/antony-and-the-johnsons-swanlights/ Antony and the Johnsons are set to release their fourth studio album Swanlights this month, demonstrating a triumphant display of instrumentals, larger-than-life imagery of love, loss and sorrow and the usual high dosage of orchestral bravado. Fans can pick up a limited edition copy of a 144 page... Sat, 9 Oct 2010 23:26:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1050/lil-wayne-i-am-not-a-human-being/ Bars won’t hold back the best rapper alive. Despite currently serving a prison sentence for a 2007 weapons charge, Dwayne Michael Carter Jr, better known to the world as Lil Wayne has just released his eighth studio album. Fans everywhere celebrated the rapper’s birthday on September 27th by... Tue, 5 Oct 2010 16:22:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1017/das-racist-sit-down-and-man/ The sacred, earth-shattering and soul-moving place that hip-hop once claimed has been so tragically distorted over the years by an artificial, commercial success of slim-bag artists; that it would have Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five rolling over in their graves.We've got artists from the... Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:58:57 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/1003/interpol-interpol/ With the release of their debut album Turn on the Bright Lights in early 2002, American indie rock band Interpol took the New York City music scene by storm. Their unique sound stems from thumping bass and sequential guitars, which have linked them to other bands from the post-punk scene. Since... Mon, 27 Sep 2010 16:29:20 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/996/isobel-campbell-and-mark-lanegan-hawk/ The third album from this country-folk, beauty-and-the-beast combo comes at a time when people are finally starting to warm to the two as a duo. Their 2006 debut Ballad of the Broken Seas was met with raised eyebrows, presumably in light of the different musical backgrounds of the two.... Sun, 26 Sep 2010 16:59:31 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/982/sara-bareilles-kaleidoscope-heart/ American singer-songwriter Sara Bareilles is the Anti-Gaga: her songs are simple, she seems fully human, and she prefers coffeehouse-style acoustic performances over cone bras and aggressive sexuality.A trained choir singer in university, Bareilles struck gold in 2007 with her catchy ‘Love Song,’... Thu, 23 Sep 2010 17:26:01 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/986/weezer-hurley/ Fans of Weezer have come to terms with the fact that the band’s best work is far behind them (Blue Album, Pinkerton). Yet for all the let-downs over the last decade (five albums, to be exact), whenever fans hear news of a new Weezer album, their eyes involuntarily sparkle. As fun and allegedly... Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:46:50 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/968/ray-lamontagne-god-willin-and-the-creek-dont-rise/ The best way to describe this New Hampshire singer-songwriter is that he’s a lamb with the roar of a lion. Known for his raspy, heavenly voice, Ray Lamontagne’s impact on the US folk scene over the past few years cannot go unnoticed.With four successful albums including Gossip in the Grain, which... Tue, 21 Sep 2010 16:30:38 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/969/iron-maiden-the-final-frontier/ You’d have to have lived under a rock for the last thirty years to be unaware of British Heavy Metal stalwarts Iron Maiden. Still, Iron Maiden have a sparse existence in mainstream media, so metal novices could be forgiven for struggling to name even a handful of their songs. Having sold over 80... Mon, 20 Sep 2010 17:43:36 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/964/the-saturdays-headlines/ Although they achieved relative success through their first two albums Chasing Lights (2008) and Wordshaker (2009), British girl group The Saturdays have yet to reach the heights of their predecessors Girls Aloud, whom they supported on tour in 2008. With Cheryl Tweedy and co. on hiatus, the... Sun, 19 Sep 2010 18:40:34 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/958/the-drums-the-drums/ ‘We only write about two feelings,’ reads the band’s online biography, ‘One is the first day of summer when you and all of your friends are standing on the edge of a cliff watching the sun set and being overcome with all of your hopes and dreams at once. The other is when you're walking alone in... Sun, 19 Sep 2010 0:58:51 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/954/cairo-360-presents-zabaleen/ Old pipes, paint buckets, empty bottles, discarded bits of wood and metal – to the ordinary eye, these are nothing but trash. Yet, to a unique group of seven young Cairenes, each piece of discarded junk has new potential: music. Think STOMP, but Cairo-style.At an evening jam session on a large... Sat, 18 Sep 2010 15:01:09 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/932/prince-20ten/ Love him or hate him, Prince (or squiggle as some music critics affectionately called him when he changed his name to a symbol in the mid-90s) is undeniably one of the most influential and provocative musicians of the 80s and 90s. Sadly, that influence has failed to transition into the 2000s.if... Sun, 19 Sep 2010 10:00:09 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/925/olof-arnalds-innundir-skinni/ The mystical grounds of Iceland have blessed us with yet another musician to join the ranks of quirky Björk and moving Sigur Ros to bring us that remarkable and memorable Icelandic sound: delicate, ethereal, and deep. Björk and Sigur Ros have effortlessly made themselves known worldwide, and this... Wed, 8 Sep 2010 14:51:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/897/eliza-doolittle-eliza-doolittle/ The perfect summer is epitomized by long, lazy days filled with nothing particularly important. Summer albums are the same, capturing the carefree mood of a day at the beach, with nothing particularly important. In this sense, Eliza Doolittle presents the quintessential summer album for 2010.Born... Tue, 14 Sep 2010 14:23:10 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/748/360-essentials-favourite-tunes-to-wake-up-to/ It’s an early morning weekday. The alarm goes off and your horizontal position of slumber turns into a quick, stumbling jolt to the shower because as usual, you’re running late! On the other hand, it may be one of those days where your body tends to wake up of its own accord and lying in bed for... Thu, 2 Sep 2010 15:39:00 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/893/usher-raymond-vs-raymond/ People deal with breakups differently. Some join a gym, others drink themselves sick, while Usher decided to write an album about girls calling him Daddy and letting him slap their backsides. Seriously?Back in 2004, Usher was the number one R&B artist with a number one album, Confessions, a... Wed, 1 Sep 2010 21:07:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/879/big-boi-sir-lucious-left-foot-the-son-of-chico-dusty/ Since hip-hop duo OutKast’s 1994 debut, the two-person southern sensation has undergone several stages of metamorphose. OutKast, headed by wild child André '3000' Benjamin and the earthier, more conventional half, Antwan 'Big Boi' Patton, have been widely credited for having established Southern... Sun, 5 Sep 2010 10:00:05 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/867/bob-bob-presents-the-adventures-of-bobby-ray/ If you’ve never heard of B.O.B., you’re forgiven: the 21-year-old producer/songwriter (aka Bobby Ray Simmons) made his debut this summer with B.O.B Presents: The Adventures of Bobby Ray. You’ve probably heard his music: his catchy songs ‘Airplane’ and ‘Nothing on You’ have been on heavy airplay... Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:07:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/854/keane-night-train/ Since their 2004 debut album Hopes and Fears, British alternative rock band Keane have developed a distinctive sound with their piano ballads and lead singer Tom Chaplin’s grown-up-choirboy vocals. Hopes and Fears was a multi-award-winning collection of heartfelt and well-written songs that left... Mon, 23 Aug 2010 16:33:52 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/850/sheryl-crow-100-miles-from-memphis/ In 1994, Sheryl Crow burst onto the music scene with 'All I Wanna Do,' a witty song that perfectly blended rock, soul and pop– a sound that became Crow’s trademark for the rest of her career. This woman was undeniably cool, from her curly brown hair and beaten leather jacket, to her gravelly... Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:54:31 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/846/the-chemical-brothers-further/ On Further , their seventh studio release, the Chemical Brothers have tapped into their own brand of pensive eloquence. The brief eight-track album takes listeners beyond audio: each of the songs is accompanied by graphically enhanced videos, featuring British acress Romola Garai. Like the sounds... Fri, 20 Aug 2010 13:27:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/843/tracy-bonham-masts-of-manhatta/ You’d be forgiven for not knowing who Tracy Bonham is, but 90s rock fans will remember her 1996 debut single 'Mother, Mother,' an aggressive anthem for a generation of angst-ridden teenagers boasting screaming vocals that made Alanis Morisette's 'You Oughtta Know' seem like a lullaby in... Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:05:42 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/775/best-coast-crazy-for-you/ This Los Angeles-based band isn’t new to the indie pop scene, but recently, vocalist and songwriter Bethany Cosentino, instrumentalist Bob Bruno and drummer Ali Koehler announced the release of Crazy for You. While they’ve already spoiled their fans with a few 7”singles and EPs, the full-length... Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:44:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/818/arcade-fire-the-suburbs/ Holding his ground while the entire world around him is changing swiftly, Arcade Fire’s leading man Win Butler laments about bygone times when lovers used to pen each other letters instead of hurl texts back and forth. Had he been born in a past era, perhaps his frail soul would have found... Sun, 22 Aug 2010 10:00:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/706/360-essentials-top-travelling-tunes/ The spirit of taking to the open road is one that most of us in Cairo know. Travelling tends to put things in perspective, allowing us to escape for awhile and make some seriously great memories while doing so.Whether you’re driving to Sahel or Sokhna for the weekend or jumping on a flight out of... Wed, 11 Aug 2010 17:16:30 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/663/dirty-projectors-björk-mount-wittenberg-orca/ When one thinks of Icelandic-based Björk, one of two things usually comes to mind: crazy bird costumes or the song titled 'Oh so Quiet,' which is mainly composed of a series of whispers and screams. From her falsetto vocal tendencies to diverse musical genre, she’s managed to make a name for... Wed, 11 Aug 2010 16:23:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/760/mia-maya/ In 2007, 32-year-old Mathangi Arulpragasam aka MIA, became a worldwide phenomenon when Rolling Stone Magazine rated her 2007 album, Kala as the best album of the year. Arulpragasam went on to win more than one Grammy nomination for her single 'Paper Planes.' Two years later, she made it onto... Tue, 10 Aug 2010 13:52:43 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/801/cairo-guide-to-music-studios-in-the-city/ Here’s an interesting bit of news: we do not have garages in Egypt. Anyone who drives around, and tries to park in Zamalek or Mohandiseen knows this to be true. As a corollary, we do not have garage bands in the strict sense of the word; but we do have an excellent alternative.In the spirit of... Sun, 26 Sep 2010 10:00:07 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/799/kylie-minogue-aphrodite/ It’s hard to believe that Australia’s tiniest and most famous pop export has been in the music business for 23 years. Bursting onto the scene with ‘I Should Be So Lucky’, Kylie has flirted with extremely different genres: from drowning in a rose pond with Nick Cave, to her surprisingly excellent... Sun, 8 Aug 2010 15:30:26 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/786/scissor-sisters-night-work/ Hitting us with a sound that’s a jumble of Bee Gees, Ace of Bace, a woozy Kenny G. and hyperventilating Eagles, The Scissor Sisters’ newest album Night Work makes for some arduous listening indeed.We thought that the age of disco is behind us– unless it’s really, really fantastic disco, of... Wed, 4 Aug 2010 17:10:08 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/774/scouting-for-girls-everybody-wants-to-be-on-tv/ According to several UK music sites, Scouting for Girls can best be described as your average pub band. For those of us who haven’t been inside an average pub, this UK band makes harmless pop ballads that border on easily forgettable. Nominated for British Breakthrough Act at the 2009 BRIT... Tue, 3 Aug 2010 15:57:35 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/767/sia-we-are-born/ As Alanis Morisette made a career out of furious-jilted-ex-boyfriend songs, Sia made her mark on the music business with pensive melancholy. The 35-year old Australian’s vocals first made magic with ambient music duo Zero 7 on hits like ‘In the Waiting Line’ and ‘Somersault’. Her solo career... Sun, 1 Aug 2010 15:41:03 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/751/360-essentials-top-five-fantastic-music-sites/ You’re in your office cubicle, staring at the computer screen, checking Cairo360.com when you should really be checking the numbers of your earnings report. Your colleague in the neighbouring cubicle is blaring an annoying Tamer Hosny treble-heavy hit, and all you really want is some decent music... Tue, 3 Aug 2010 11:58:09 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/720/macy-gray-the-sellout/ Most of the world got to know Macy Gray as that singer with the raspy voice singing about trying, choking, stumbling and stuff, thanks to her first hit single, 'I Try' in 1999.   Most of the world hasn’t heard from her since.  Yes, she’s collaborated with big names like will.i.am, who co-produced... Mon, 26 Jul 2010 13:54:17 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/738/robyn-body-talk-pt-1/ We've had a soft spot for Swedish artist Robyn ever since she broke onto the pop scene back in 1997 with the catchy but imaginative 'Show Me Love'. Back then, she was just another blond bubblegum pop singer, and her sound was excessively manufactured. A decade later, she regained our respect with... Mon, 26 Jul 2010 10:36:26 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/654/tom-petty-and-the-heartbreakers-mojo/ Songs like 'Mary Jane's Last Dance' and 'Free Fallin' might possibly be what made singer-songwriter Tom Petty famous on the Americana classic rock 'n' roll scene. From the 1970s to late 1980s, the leading front-man of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers brought with him a catchy Southern Rock feel... Thu, 22 Jul 2010 15:52:26 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/640/the-black-keys-brothers/ This bluesy rock music duo hails from Akron, Ohio and although they’ve been around for nine years, their intricate sound and Americana feel have often gone unnoticed. Vocalist and guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer Patrick Carney have been all over the music board, from independent indie releases... Sun, 18 Jul 2010 14:02:34 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/676/the-roots-how-i-got-over/ The Roots’ ninth studio album continues the Philadelphia-based band’s down-to-earth, live hip-hop tradition. As their first recording after landing a gig as the house band on Jimmy Fallon’s Late Night show, the band has become one of the most recognized hip hop outfits in the States. The album... Mon, 12 Jul 2010 16:55:08 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/642/rooney-eureka/ If the Beatles were around in the 80s, Rooney is what they’d sound like.   The neo-mop-tops, named after Principal Rooney from the movie Ferris Beuller’s Day Off, shot to fame after they featured on the TV show The OC. Lead vocalist Robert Schwartzman, brother of actor Jason Schwartzman (who’s... Thu, 8 Jul 2010 18:07:23 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/619/eminem-recovery/ There’s no shortage of skeletons in Eminem’s closet. Yet each time Shady pulls one out, he exposes it with such determination and fury; that it feels like it’s his first time confronting his demons. Having recently relapsed into a drug problem and then coming back to reassure his credo, will he... Mon, 28 Jun 2010 18:42:02 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/580/360-essentials-summertime-favourites/ Summer is officially here in Cairo; where you step out onto the scorching pavement of Cairo’s streets and automatically pine for the North Coast or one of Nuweiba’s wonderful beaches. Whether you’re stuck in the office, a sweltering taxi, or relaxing by the pool (where we all should be), a little... Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:11:59 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/579/janelle-monáe-the-archandroid/ ‘The mediator between head and hands must be the heart’ is what the last title card of 1927’s German expressionism classic Metropolis reads. The film is R&B singer Janelle Monáe’s favourite; it not only inspired the robotic artwork for The ArchAndroid, but also Monáe’s musical trajectory. And... Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:22:26 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/560/christina-aguilera-bionic/ Mickey Mouse Club alumna Christina Aguilera is one of the few survivors of the early 90s teeny-bop invasion, and it’s all because the playful diva can sing. Never quite comfortable in her own shoes, Aguilera spent the better part of her long-spanning career reinventing her look to mixed results.... Mon, 21 Jun 2010 10:30:12 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/377/eftekasat-dandasha/ Eftekasat is an Egyptian term that means to make something up. In a positive context, it inspires notions of innovation, but in a negative context it means to do something in a clumsy, ham-fisted way. The dichotomy of the word perfectly exemplifies this band’s disposition. Eftekasat is a... Tue, 15 Jun 2010 13:58:02 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/528/lcd-soundsystem-this-is-happening/ In 1996, Weezer released Pinkerton, the definitive self-loathing record of the 90s. Much has been written about Pinkerton’s cringingly juvenile honesty, and herds of confused and frustrated Generation-Xers read way too much into it, to the point that Weezer’s front man Cuomo rejected the record’s... Sun, 13 Jun 2010 17:04:27 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/517/charlotte-gainsbourg-irm/ The enigmatic daughter of sixties’ icons Serge Gainsbourg and Jane Birkin has come out with a new album, IRM, in collaboration with her close friend Beck. You wouldn’t think the two have much musically in common, and we’re still not sure they’ve managed to work it out. In September 2007,... Wed, 9 Jun 2010 15:47:42 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/508/eftekasat-soaked-in-diversity/ Stand anywhere in Cairo and look around you. It’s a hodgepodge of old and new, East and West, dirt and gloss; everything about Cairo is in complete discord. However, for those entrenched in the city, out of chaos comes order. Eftekasat are all about capturing that order in their music. Formed in... Tue, 8 Jun 2010 13:53:50 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/441/laura-marling-i-speak-because-i-can/ Some artists demonstrate abundant raw talent from a very young age. When London folk sensation Laura Marling released her hit debut album Alas I Cannot Swim at the age of seventeen in 2007, the music world couldn’t wait for more from this extraordinary young talent. In late March 2010, Marling... Sun, 6 Jun 2010 10:29:56 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/481/360-presents-dj-tito/ ‘There is nothing sweeter,’ says DJ Tito, ‘Than walking into a record store, collecting a bunch of random records in your bin, and staying there a couple of hours to listen to them.’Born in Montreal, this Egyptian DJ had been spinning for a year on CDs, it all really started for him when he... Wed, 2 Jun 2010 14:58:39 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/452/arctic-monkeys-humbug/ When the Arctic Monkeys first burst on the scene in 2006 all mop-top, gritty Northern and clever, they were Britain’s latest Beatle-vein sensation; and teeny boppers couldn’t get enough of them. Soaring into the stratosphere, they had the fastest selling debut album in British history with... Mon, 31 May 2010 17:05:38 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/451/digla-free-your-mind/ No matter how many times it’s been said, it’s still worth repeating: living in discombobulated Cairo is paradoxical and overwhelming. You love it. You hate it. The metropolis chews you up and spends you, yet when it spits you out it has sculpted you into a stronger person. Local band Digla’s... Sun, 30 May 2010 17:35:42 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/359/jonsi-go/ If Jonsi’s name doesn’t ring a bell, his Iceland-based band just may. Whether you knew who you were listening to or not, Sigur Ros’ tracks have appeared in numerous television shows, movies, and commercials ranging from CSI: Miami to Vanilla Sky and The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou.Attempting... Sun, 30 May 2010 10:28:56 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/436/erykah-badu-new-amerkyah-pt-2-return-of-the-ankh/ Erykah Badu released her newest album New Amerykah Pt.2: Return of the Ankh this March, and as is to be expected, the album is full of rare musical innovations with Badu’s own particular set of keys and melodic scales. Badu has clearly had her hands full; the album release was delayed by the... Wed, 26 May 2010 12:07:39 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/427/digla-a-band-that-rocks/ Digla is quite a rarity in Cairo; a rock band that got it right. This outfit of four talented and dedicated musicians has an origin story that reads like most bands that come and go. What sets Digla apart from high-school cover bands is its members' admirable persistence. Truth is, to make it as... Sun, 23 May 2010 16:26:49 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/420/broken-social-scene-forgiveness-rock-record/ Canada’s got a knack for giving us indie groups, and Broken Social Scene (BSS) is one of the most paramount. The group consists of members of other groups (Metric, Stars, The New Pornographers) and indie icons Jason Collett and Feist. You Forgot It in People and the self-titled follow-up album... Mon, 24 May 2010 12:45:23 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/357/cairo-360s-ten-songs-that-will-pump-you-up/ Whether it’s lifting weights at home, trying to get through a boring day at the office or dancing at a house party, a good, high-energy song will always get you going! Here is Cairo 360’s top ten list of ultimate songs that will boost your adrenaline. 1. 'North American Scum' by LCD Soundsystem A... Thu, 20 May 2010 12:37:05 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/394/lily-allen-its-not-me-and-its-you/ Yes, this album came out ages ago but we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to review Lily Allen’s last album before she quits music to switch to fashion– no joke.   Lily Allen is… actually rather annoying. Behaving like a precocious brat much of the time, the blunt Brit has always found herself in... Tue, 18 May 2010 13:17:25 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/391/kelis-flesh-tone/ Forever engrained in pop culture memory for her saucy hits like ‘Milk Shake’ and the more abrasive ‘Caught Out There,' Kelis’ upcoming 2010 release Flesh Tone– expected to drop this July– shows the artist has not slowed her pace in the slightest. It’s been nearly four years since Kelis’ last... Mon, 17 May 2010 21:51:14 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/382/she-and-him-volume-two/ Apparently, Zooey Deschanel can do no wrong, and though one may not figure her for a rock star, her second album proves otherwise. Collaborating with Matt Ward, the daring duo She & Him has once again orchestrated something akin to opening a time capsule into the time of sunny AM radio. Whether... Mon, 17 May 2010 11:25:25 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/373/the-new-pornographers-together/ The New Pornographers didn’t start out as a cohesive band. Canadian musical veteran Carl Newman brought together some of his friends from Vancouver ’s indie biosphere to record sleek pop songs that ended up in 2000’s Mass Romantic.The album felt more like a mix-tape bonanza than a well-thought... Thu, 13 May 2010 13:19:06 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/361/mandy-moore-amanda-leigh/ Mandy Moore has come a long way since she was a Britney-type, blonde teeny bopper. We’ve watched her grow through various hairstyles and various boyfriends to match, finally settling on being a natural brunette and marrying indie rocker Ryan Adams. Her latest album, Amanda Leigh also proves she’s... Tue, 1 Jun 2010 12:53:35 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/355/the-xx-xx/ We have to credit Nile FM’s DJ Safi for introducing this simplistic band’s sounds to our airwaves. Since the minimalist and strangely captivating beats of ‘Crystallised’ hit the radio a few months ago, the eponymous debut album of this London-based band has been on constant replay. It’s hard to... Mon, 10 May 2010 14:30:33 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/350/sharon-jones-and-the-dap-kings-i-learned-the-hard-way/ If you’ve watched last year’s Up In The Air, then you’ve probably heard Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings’ swanky rendition of ’This land is your land'. Their song is a cover that bears no resemblance to the slice-of-Americana original; to call it merely a cover would be dismissive of the Dap’s... Mon, 10 May 2010 11:59:59 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/325/360-essentials-10-soul-filled-must-haves/ You know the feeling; it arises when you push play, you hear the goodness pouring from the speakers, you feel the rhythm in your soul and can’t help but groove to the beat. Whether the lyrics are laden with life lessons, or laced with plenty of love, these soul songs will never go out of... Mon, 10 May 2010 15:01:22 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/339/norah-jones-the-fall/ Since her astounding Eight-Grammy-Award-winning debut album Come Away with Me, Norah Jones’ career has been considerably less exciting. Though her wispy voice is still compelling, we’re sad to say her music of late has been, well, rather boring. That being said, and getting past the weird album... Thu, 6 May 2010 12:52:04 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/334/the-boy-least-likely-to-the-law-of-the-playground/ If you’re bored of what’s on the airwaves lately and want to hear something fresh, The Boy Least Likely To may just be what you’re looking for. Not exactly mainstream, the British duo’s specialty is childlike folk-pop that features sounds one would more likely hear in a nursery than on a concert... Wed, 5 May 2010 14:33:28 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/331/goldfrapp-head-first/ What’s cool about Goldfrapp is that this London-based electronic duo have consistently reinvented their sound and lead singer Alison Goldfrapp’s image over the past ten years; all the way maintaining their electronic pop basis. They’ve given us glam rock on Black Cherry, then transitioned into a... Tue, 4 May 2010 14:10:07 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/310/mgmt-congratulations/ Sometimes, success comes to those who couldn’t care less about it, and in the case of Brooklyn duo MGMT, the sentiment fits perfectly. Ben Goldwasser and Andrew VanWyngarden are two art students that craft irresistible hooks with a gleeful aftertaste. After their two undeniable pop gems ‘Time To... Mon, 3 May 2010 10:27:55 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/307/cairo-360s-ten-most-iconic-music-videos-of-all-time/ 1. Subterranean Homesick Blues (1965, Bob Dylan) Bob Dylan’s legendary ‘Subterranean Homesick Blues‘ promotional music clip– the precursor to the modern music video – is probably one of the least expensive and most influential music videos of all time. A poster child of the mid-1960s youth, a... Sun, 2 May 2010 11:06:45 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/293/lady-gaga-the-fame-monster/ Lady Gaga’s latest album comes across as the slightly warmed-over version of her debut album. The 25-track album features several new versions of previous tracks on the chart-topping The Fame , along with eight of her ever racier, ever raunchier new releases. If there’s one thing that Ms Gaga... Tue, 27 Apr 2010 15:38:33 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/287/jakob-dylan-women-country/ It's next to impossible to consider the front man of 90s rock band The Wallflowers without your mind automatically passing him by, turning towards his legendary and utter genius of a father, poet/singer/songwriter Bob Dylan.Being the child of one of the most influential musicians of all times... Mon, 26 Apr 2010 14:04:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/284/amy-macdonald-a-curious-thing/ You’ve probably heard her haunting single ‘Don’t Tell Me It’s Not Over’ on constant replay on Nile FM. 22-year-old Scottish singer Amy Macdonald has the kind of voice that you can’t quite define, yet it lingers in your head all the same. Even categorising her music as rock or folk doesn’t do it... Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:24:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/281/corinne-bailey-rae-the-sea/ A morning bicycle ride down a dirt road, whilst singing about 'Sipping tea at a bar on the roadside', is perhaps the most common image that comes to mind when one hears the name of English-born singer/songwriter, Corinne Bailey Rae.The image, taken from her self-debut, 2006 title track's music... Thu, 22 Apr 2010 13:50:33 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/269/rufus-wainwright-all-days-are-night-songs-for-lulu/ After recovering from some tabloid notoriety for his not-too shocking struggle with substance abuse, Wainwright is ever the songstress in All Days Are Nighst: Songs for Lulu. The album is instrumentally sparse but arguably not poor, featuring only Wainwright’s vocals and his piano.Stylistically,... Wed, 21 Apr 2010 15:20:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/258/marina-and-the-diamonds-the-family-jewels/ In the past year alone, the UK indie scene has produced some of the most inspiring female vocal powerhouses, including Ellie Goulding, Florence and The Machine, La Roux, and most recently, Marina and the Diamonds. This 24-year-old Welsh-Greek singer has only been in the music business for two... Tue, 20 Apr 2010 11:14:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/244/360-essentials-10-ultimate-smile-inducers/ Who doesn’t appreciate a good pick-me-up? Whether you’re feeling down or just in the need of a mood booster, we’ve got some tracks that will inspire a spring in your step.‘God Only Knows’ – The Beach Boys How could you not have a smile on your face while listening to this song? Holiday bells,... Mon, 19 Apr 2010 18:02:01 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/245/fifteen-years-chillin-music-from-1995-is-still-all-that-and-a-bag-of-chips/ The mid-90s witnessed a time of condensed, raw talent bursting onto the international music scene on all fronts. In the post-grunge world, music spanning genres of punk, ska, rock, reggae and rap all aimed to express their take on the world pre-millennium. With such a rich variety of music... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:43:27 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/231/paper-tongues-paper-tongues/ Paper Tongues finally released their self-titled debut album just over two weeks ago. The anticipation stems from the excitement generated by their lead single ‘Ride to California’, which was released a few months ago.This American band hails from Charlotte, NC and boasts seven members, all... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 9:47:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/210/keha-animal/ There’s a dollar sign in this young artist’s name. And if that doesn’t make you shudder at the sheer audacity of the message this is sending, then seeing the cha-ching artist on a red carpet or in a TV interview will. Twenty-year-old Ke$ha has the demeanour of a stoned-drunk; think Johnny Depp in... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/206/alicia-keys-the-element-of-freedom/ It used to be that when an Alicia Keys song came on the radio or on your iPod, you could tell right away it was the songstress with the pipes that can belt out from here to Timbuktu, and the sound was crisp and clean. While the single ‘Fallin’’ from her debut album Songs in A Minor put the artist... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/187/regina-spektor-far/ Regina Spektor, a singer/songwriter known for her contribution to New York’s anti-folk music scene, recently released her fifth album Far .In the early 2000s, Spektor landed on the independent art scene, merging genres of classical, jazz, rock and hip-hop. She has built her name on piano ballads... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/165/hey-ocean-its-easier-to-be-somebody-else/ The best thing to come out of Vancouver since... ever, Hey Ocean!’s smooth grooves are the perfect antidote to a stressful day and a prelude to some kickass chillin’.  Lead singer and Care Bears vocalist Ashleigh Ball has a voice to envy: a mixture between Corinne Bailey Rae and Billie Holiday:... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/164/the-gossip-music-for-men/ When it comes to The Gossip, the larger-than-life persona of lead singer Beth Ditto tends to overshadow the band and the music they produce. A shame really; as this rock/alternative band is seriously good and deserves more musical accolades than what they get from having Ditto pictured in all the... Thu, 6 May 2010 15:24:00 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/158/ellie-goulding-lights/ A few years back, the music scene was all about the men-bands, as opposed to the boy ones, with the likes of Razorlight, Snow Patrol, Keane and The Arctic Monkeys bossing the alternative scene and charts. Well, the times are a-changing and it’s now all about the solo female vocalists, whether... Thu, 6 May 2010 15:15:10 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/152/gorillaz-plastic-beach/ Everyone’s favourite Manga-styled, virtual animation band is back with their third album Plastic Beach. Having already enjoyed some major pre-release buzz, we must say it does sound good. With more star collaborations than we can count, its organ electro beats help keep the sound epic while... Thu, 6 May 2010 15:05:59 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/92/sade-soldier-of-love/ Sade is back, hallelujah! It’s been ten years since her last album, Lovers Rock, and for many it’s been too long a wait. Never one to rush, Sade has used her time wisely. In a career that spans nearly 30 years, she only has six studio albums to her name– quite the miserly output. But enough... Thu, 6 May 2010 14:48:04 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/117/360-rewind-when-khaled-and-faudel-and-taha-brought-rai-to-the-masses/ Here's a well-known musical tale: some years back , a certain singer named Sting, of The Police fame, wrote a little ditty called 'Desert Rose'. The artist decided he needed a particular vocal lift for his new track, in a dialect still exotic on the international music scene, yet none-the-less... Thu, 6 May 2010 15:56:04 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/40/mika-the-boy-who-knew-too-much/ Is he or isn’t he? Mika shrugs off comparisons to Freddie Mercury but he’s so camp; it’s hard to deny it. Whatever he is, Mika defies criticism. The larger-than-life, half-Lebanese, French-speaking Londoner has produced his second colourful album filled with ambiguously provocative lyrics and a... Mon, 3 May 2010 15:48:32 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/47/whitney-houston-i-look-to-you/ Ms. Houston’s comeback album came with an in-depth, two-part interview on Oprah and full rounds on the talk-show circuit.  Unfortunately, the woman with one of the most powerful voices in music history seems to have lost her instrument.  With her raspy and winded vocals, the album doesn’t rise... Mon, 3 May 2010 15:42:36 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/49/vampire-weekend-contra/ The Brooklyn-based prep-pop band’s sophomore effort Contra is just as euphoric as their first, and just as cheeky. While the prepsters are whining about the woes of the well-to-do, we get to enjoy every minute of their yar yacht ride.  FYI– yar is a posh yachting term meaning quick, agile and... Mon, 3 May 2010 15:38:55 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/114/360-rewind-george-michael-keeps-the-faith/ Shoving shuttlecocks down their tight shorts, highlighting their hair, wearing fingerless gloves and crooning ' Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go' catapulted both George Michael and Andrew Ridgeley to global fame. So, when the handsome duo called it quits and pulled the plug on Wham! in 1986, many a... Thu, 6 May 2010 15:51:09 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/115/360-rewind-madonnas-prayer/ If True Blue was all about Madonna declaring her love for Sean Penn, then Like A Prayer was all about her giving him the proverbial finger and questioning everything she took for granted in life – love, commitment, faith, family, religion and relationships. Controversy was Madonna’s middle name.... Thu, 6 May 2010 15:42:03 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/119/360-essentials-the-10-coolest-soundtracks/ We love soundtracks. They can make or break a film, and sometimes even become more famous than the film itself. The beauty of soundtracks is that they’re usually an eclectic mix of artists and musicians; a collection that doesn’t necessarily reflect one single genre. For soundtrack junkies, it’s... Thu, 6 May 2010 15:35:18 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/130/shakira-she-wolf/ She Wolf marks Shakira's foray into the dancehall genre, her third English album release, and first ever electro-heavy collaboration with the likes of Pharrell Williams of The Neptunes, Lil Wayne, Timbaland, as well as a much anticipated reunion with Wyclef Jean. The Colombian chanteuse's... Mon, 3 May 2010 15:32:42 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/128/black-eyed-peas-the-end/ Despite the album title The E.N.D., the Black Eyed Peas are not in fact breaking up, nor by the looks of it nearing the end of their career. The name is an acronym for ‘Energy Never Dies’ and teaches us nothing we didn't already know: the Black Eyed Peas love to party. In fact, 'Party All the... Sun, 2 May 2010 18:50:20 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/91/florence-and-the-machine-lungs/ Any musical artist dubbed as the next big thing runs the risk of being over-hyped. Fortunately, lead singer Florence Welch is one of those rare young artists that well deserves the accolade. Florence and the Machine is the stage name for Welch and her group of collaborative musicians. Soaring... Sun, 2 May 2010 18:24:42 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/96/tiesto-kaleidoscope/ Iconic DJ Tiesto has created a shiny work of trance fluff with his 2009 release Kaleidoscope, and this just might be the problem. There are suspicions he’s taking a career tip from fellow DJ David Guetta, who has enjoyed resounding success with his commercial hits. The result is an album that... Sun, 2 May 2010 18:18:18 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/music/48/john-mayer-battle-studies/ John Mayer has evolved substantially since his fresh face first burst on the scene in 2001 with Room for Squares; he is now much more tattooed, much less fresh, and widely known as this generation’s resident Hollywood douche-bag. Good on him.  Unfortunately, he also makes damn good music.  His... Sun, 2 May 2010 18:01:10 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3808/carnage-cynical-polanski-comedy/ Two sets of parents, the Longstreets and the Cowans, meet up after Zachary, the Cowan’s son, hits Ethan, the Longstreet’s son, with a stick during a playground squabble - knocking out two of his teeth. The parents’ meeting, intended to be a civilized way to mediate the situation, turns into a... Wed, 9 May 2012 13:46:25 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3799/the-way-sentimental-tale-about-a-father-son-relationship/ The Way makes a film out of a pilgrimage, albeit not the religious kind. The pilgrimage in question happens to be a trek between France and Spain called El Camino De Santiago. People come from all over the world, each with their own personal reason, to tackle the pilgrimage. The film focuses on... Tue, 8 May 2012 12:58:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3756/a-dangerous-method-the-birth-of-psychoanalysis/ This is a film chronicling the relationship between the two titans of psychoanalysis: Sigmund Freud (Mortenson) and Carl Jung (Fassbender), and the woman that brought them together – Sabina Spielrein (Knightley). Jung has just started putting Freud’s theories of psychoanalysis to the test,... Thu, 26 Apr 2012 16:00:30 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3725/the-deep-blue-sea-an-intense-film-about-all-consuming-love/ Set in 1950s England, the film centres around Hester Collyer’s (Weisz) dilemma. Her relationship with her judge husband, William Collyer (Beale), is loving, stable and affords her a high level of material comfort. But while their life is perfect on paper, it lacks passion – which she finds in the... Thu, 19 Apr 2012 17:00:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3695/the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-an-impeccably-stylish-thriller/ The English language adaptation of the first book from Stieg Larsson’s bestselling Millenium trilogy, which spawned three Swedish films, is a murder mystery filled with a group of highly reprehensible people. Mikael Blomkvist (Craig), a disgraced journalist, is hired to find a woman, Harriet... Thu, 12 Apr 2012 14:20:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3660/bombay-beach-intimate-documentary-about-an-underprivileged-californian-community/ Bombay Beachviews like a talented filmmaker’s home video. Except the director, Alma Har’el, is neither related to the people she’s filming nor is she even from the US; making this highly intimate documentary quite an achievement. Har’el tells the story of three different people living in Bombay... Thu, 5 Apr 2012 13:12:40 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3624/young-adult-dark-comedy-from-the-makers-of-juno/ On the surface, Young Adult is about Mavis (Theron), a writer suffering from writer’s block who moves back to her tiny hometown to reconnect with her high school flame. In actuality though, it’s a character driven drama about a shallow, spiteful woman, suffering from alcoholism and depression and... Wed, 28 Mar 2012 15:15:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3595/the-whistleblower-powerful-drama-about-human-trafficking/ Kathryn (Weisz), an American police officer, is about to be separated from her daughter. She lost custody to her ex-husband and now he’s moving halfway across the country and taking their daughter with them. When her intended job transfer falls through, the promise of good money in exchange for... Sat, 24 Mar 2012 20:00:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3510/woody-allen-a-documentary-an-informative-look-at-a-legendary-director/ Woody Allen needs no introduction. The director of classics such as Annie Hall, Manhattan and Crimes and Misdemeanors, he’s made his mark on cinema while continuing to crank out a film a year for the past four decades. This documentary is a very comprehensive look at his life and career since... Wed, 7 Mar 2012 15:16:25 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3480/martha-marcy-may-marlene-chilling-story-of-a-girls-cult-experience/ After losing her mother, Martha (Olsen) ended up being lured into a cult. She lived with a bunch of people in a remote house with almost zero access to the outside world. The cult was presided over by a man named Patrick (Hawkes) who was something between a god and a mentor to the people in his... Thu, 1 Mar 2012 17:37:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3343/tinker-tailor-soldier-spy-nail-biting-spy-film/ Set in 1973 England during the Cold War, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy tells the story the hunt for a mole at the top of British Intelligence’s food chain, who happens to be feeding the Russians top secret English information. The mole is one of four people; Esterhase (Dencik), Haydon (Firth), Bland... Thu, 1 Mar 2012 17:10:40 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3437/chalet-girl-charming-but-predictable-snowboarding-rom-com/ Chalet Girl is essentially Blue Crush, right down to the menial jobs, cute, rich guys giving sports lessons and having said lessons turn into full blown flings. The main difference between them is that the latter revolves around surfing while the former’s sport of choice is snowboarding. But you... Mon, 27 Feb 2012 10:37:53 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3434/anonymous-was-shakespeare-a-fraud/ A dramatisation of the conspiracy theories shedding doubt on Shakespeare’s authenticity, Anonymous postulates that the real author behind Shakespeare’s masterpieces was actually a nobleman and Earl of Oxford Edward De Vere (Ifans). Born during a time where being a playwright was considered a... Wed, 22 Feb 2012 17:04:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3410/project-nim-fascinating-documentary-about-a-chimp-that-was-raised-as-a-human/ Project Nimtells the story of a science experiment started in the 70s to discover whether language was nature or nurture. Enter Nim; a baby chimp taken from his mother and raised in a human household as a human child for exactly this purpose. Surrounded by a loving family and various scientists... Mon, 20 Feb 2012 14:21:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3378/junkhearts-redemption-drama-marred-by-shoddy-storytelling/ Junkhearts is about guilt and redemption. Frank (Marsan), an ex-soldier, drinks himself into a drunken stupor every day to escape from his past. As a young officer, he accidently killed a woman and her baby; an incident that has since wracked him with guilt and tearing apart his family who he... Thu, 9 Feb 2012 18:02:09 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3317/putty-hill-intimate-drama-that-breaks-the-fourth-wall/ Watching Putty Hill is a rather strange experience. The film, which revolves around how a teenager’s overdose and subsequent death affects his family and friends in his small, working class town, is a narrative/documentary hybrid and it takes the concept of intimacy in fictional films to new... Thu, 26 Jan 2012 15:24:17 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3307/the-ides-of-march-exquisitely-acted-political-drama/ Stephen (Gosling) is a charismatic, young politician working as a junior campaign manager for Governor Morris (Clooney). Morris’ team, headed by his campaign manager Paul (Hoffman), work around the clock to clinch the vote in Ohio against a rival democratic senator. If won, this would pretty much... Tue, 24 Jan 2012 12:24:22 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3299/perfect-sense-unnerving-and-intimate-take-on-the-apocalypse/ Cut from the same cloth as Contagion, Perfect Sense examines the apocalypse but with nary a supernatural element in sight. In this film, the world as we know it comes to an end in the form of a succession of assaults on the human senses, depriving humans of the ability to first smell then taste,... Mon, 23 Jan 2012 14:08:00 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3276/dirty-girl-fun-and-dramatic-comedy-about-self-discovery/ It’s the year 1987 and Danielle (Temple), who has never known her father, is in a predicament. Her mother, Sue-Ann (Jovovich), has met a Mormon man that she’s dying to marry. He has two kids and seems to believe that marrying her mum makes him Danielle’s father with all the authority that it... Thu, 19 Jan 2012 11:52:26 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3271/whats-your-number-sub-par-rom-com-with-a-great-cast/ During the prelude to her little sister’s wedding, Ally (Faris) breaks up with yet another guy. Fed up with the endless string of men who just refuse to commit, and egged on by a magazine article that claims women who sleep with over twenty men will die single and with low self-esteem, she... Wed, 18 Jan 2012 12:55:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3249/the-inbetweeners-movie-straightforward-and-hilarious-teen-comedy/ A film spinoff of the popular UK TV show by the same name, The Inbetweeners Movie revolves around nerdy virgin Will (Bird), sex-obsessed Jay (Buckley), dumb as rocks Neil (Harrison), and heartbroken Simon (Thomas) who has just been dumped. They go to Malia, Crete with the express intention of... Thu, 12 Jan 2012 17:26:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3238/tabloid-riveting-documentary-about-an-obsessed-lover/ Think of any cliché that applies to absurd situations, such as ‘stranger than fiction’ or ‘has to be seen to be believed’, and apply them to Tabloid. Mindboggling is an understatement and the fact that it’s a true story messes with your head even more. It’s absolutely bonkers. Tabloid tells Joyce... Wed, 11 Jan 2012 15:55:39 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3230/if-a-tree-falls-a-story-of-the-earth-liberation-front-eco-documentary/ If a Tree Fallsdiscusses the fine line between activism and terrorism. What do you do when years and years of non-violent, peaceful protesting and petitioning are ignored by those in charge? Are activists to be faulted for taking a more violent approach to protesting; especially if its effect is... Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:42:31 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3209/restless-gorgeously-shot-quirkfest-about-death/ The one thing you have to understand about Restless is that it’s massively quirky- hipster even. Anything that may possibly increase its levels of twee is sure to be included. Knowing that, the film isn’t all that bad. It just requires an affinity for saccharine and a certain level of suspension... Thu, 5 Jan 2012 16:04:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3198/the-music-never-stopped-sweet-drama-about-the-healing-power-of-music/ It’s the year 1986 and Gabriel (Pucci) has just had a brain tumour removed, resulting in memory loss and an inability to create any new long-term memories. His recollections peter out around the 1970 mark, around the time when he fell out with his dad, Henry (Simmons), and left home, never to... Sun, 8 Jan 2012 12:10:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3193/kill-list-brutally-sadistic-horror-film/ Kill List is like three films in one. It starts as a drama about a married couple’s less-than-perfect life, which then morphs into a story about hit men, and ends as a film about a cult. As you might expect, the latter two are a blood bath, although the first isn’t without its share of violence.... Tue, 3 Jan 2012 17:31:28 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3188/we-need-to-talk-about-kevin-chilling-thriller-on-the-makings-of-a-murderer/ Eva is expecting a child with her husband Franklin (Reilly). They choose to have the baby despite Eva’s less than maternal disposition and, lo and behold, Kevin (Miller) turns out to be every parent’s worst nightmare. As a baby, he doesn’t quit screaming, he refuses to be potty-trained until he... Mon, 2 Jan 2012 18:27:26 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3140/red-dog-touching-and-feel-good-family-film/ Red Dog is a film about, duh, a dog. However, Red Dog is not like any other dog; he’s smart, loyal and knows how to hitchhike halfway across Australia. Based on a true story, this film tells the story of Red Dog’s life ever since he hitchhiked to a mining village in the middle of nowhere. The... Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:27:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3099/salvation-boulevard-screwball-comedy-about-religious-fundamentalists/ With all the fear-mongering going on nowadays about Islamists taking over Egypt, this reviewer thought it would be fun to watch a comedy that deals with the wackier side of religious fundamentalists. While it does have some real laugh-out-loud moments, Salvation Boulevard tries too hard to be a... Thu, 15 Dec 2011 14:35:55 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3095/the-tree-of-life-exploring-the-meaning-of-life/ Few films in recent years have provoked such varied and passionate responses as Tree of Life; viewers tend to either absolutely love it or write it off as pretentious garbage. The film, which won the 2011 Palme d’Or at Cannes, is anchored by the story of an American family, the O’Brien’s, and... Wed, 14 Dec 2011 16:33:00 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3066/the-debt-melodramatic-espionage-thriller/ Mossad secret agents Rachel (Chastain/Mirren), Stephan (Csokas/Wilkinson) and David (Worthington/Hinds), are on a mission in Germany to kidnap Dieter Vogel (Christensen), a Nazi war criminal, and bring him to Israel where he can be tried for his crimes. They successfully kidnap him but bungle the... Fri, 9 Dec 2011 2:49:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3061/50-50-touching-comedy/ Gordon-Levitt plays Adam, a 27-year-old, straight-edge radio writer who is diagnosed with a rare form of spinal cancer out of the blue. Surrounded by his unhappy girlfriend, his loyal best friend, his overbearing mother and a trainee therapist, he does his best to come to terms with his fifty... Wed, 7 Dec 2011 17:25:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3034/bill-cunningham-new-york-documentary-profiling-the-original-street-style-photographer/ As the second documentary this year to profile a reporter from The New York Times, this film showcases the paper’s eighty-year-old fashion photographer, Bill Cunningham.Within the first five minutes of seeing Bill, it’s absolutely clear what kind of guy he is. He’s in love with his work to the... Thu, 1 Dec 2011 13:20:30 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3028/colombiana-badass-but-bland-revenge-flick/ Ten-year-old Cataleya’s (Saldana) parents are murdered right in front of her by some Colombian gang members who are after a sim card full of important information. She manages to escape with the sim card and make her way over to her hit man uncle in Chicago with a burning desire to learn how to... Wed, 30 Nov 2011 13:33:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3006/the-future-surreal-drama-about-existential-crises/ Sophie (July) and Jason (Linklater) are in a bit of a rut. They spontaneously decide to adopt a cat, PawPaw, but due to its medical problems, they have to wait a month before they can take it home. The commitment they’re about to make throws the state of their life into sharp relief, and the fact... Thu, 24 Nov 2011 17:04:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/3000/bellflower-cars-and-flamethrowers-and-broken-hearts/ Woodrow (Glodell) and Aiden (Dawson) are two grown men who are just a teensy bit too infatuated with Mad Max. Their lives revolve around achieving this very immature standard of cool involving flame throwers, tricked-out muscle cars, endless bottles of beer and dominating ‘their’ women. They wait... Wed, 23 Nov 2011 16:30:24 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2995/melancholia-abstract-portrayal-of-depression-and-fear/ Melancholia is split into two parts. The first focuses on Justine (Dunst) and how she attempts to juggle her depression and her wedding with Michael (Skarsgard). The second focuses on her sister, Claire (Gainsbourg), and her anxiety that Melancholia, a planet that has newly changed its path, will... Tue, 22 Nov 2011 17:44:03 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2989/the-devils-double-confusing-but-exquisitely-acted-biopic/ Based on a true story, The Devil’s Double tells the tale of Latif Yahia (Cooper), a very normal Iraqi soldier who has the misfortune of being the spitting image of Dictator Saddam Hussein’s rotten son, Uday. Uday decides to make Latif his double so that Latif can do all the meets and greets... Mon, 21 Nov 2011 18:06:53 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2968/magic-trip-drug-fuelled-road-trip-documentary/ Too young to be beatniks yet too old to be hippies, Magic Trip is the result of an attempt to salvage Ken Kesey and his Merry Band of Pranksters’ footage of their cross country trip to New York in 1964. The forty hours worth of footage which was never utilised and almost destroyed, has restored... Sat, 19 Nov 2011 14:14:45 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2962/another-earth-haunting-sci-fi-drama/ While driving home from a party one night, Rhoda (Marling) hears on the radio that another Earth has been found in our solar system and that it is visible in our sky. While staring out of the window mesmerized by the sight, she crashes into a car killing a wife and kid while leaving the husband... Wed, 16 Nov 2011 14:41:43 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2948/our-idiot-brother-happy-and-goofy-comedy-with-great-cast/ Ned (Rudd) is an organic farmer and idealistic optimist. He treats people the way he’d like to be treated, thinks the best of everyone and is overly trusting. Basically, he’s the definition of sunny and nice to the point of naivety.He unwittingly sells weed to a police officer after thus landing... Mon, 14 Nov 2011 13:19:19 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2894/attack-the-block-smart-and-hilarious-alien-invasion-flick/ A gang of teenagers, living in a council estate in South London are casually mugging a woman when an alien suddenly falls out of the sky and starts snarling and clawing at them. They promptly kick its face in and drag it over to their drug dealer’s weed room for safekeeping. While biking around... Mon, 31 Oct 2011 17:48:01 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2895/beginners-uplifting-and-heartbreaking-comedy-drama/ Oliver (McGregor) deals with the death of his father, Hal (Plummer) as he starts a relationship with Anna (Laurent), the only person he seems able to talk to. Told in a non-linear structure, there are two separate storylines; Oliver and Anna’s relationship with all its ups and downs and Oliver’s... Tue, 1 Nov 2011 15:39:33 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2871/everything-must-go-simple-and-subtle-comedy-drama/ Don’t go in expecting a goofy, happy Will Ferrell. This is him at his most drunken, sacked and dejected. After a recent alcoholic relapse, Nick (Ferrell) ends up without a job and abandoned by his wife, who has changed the house’s locks, frozen his access to their bank account, cancelled his... Thu, 27 Oct 2011 17:43:24 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2825/page-one-inside-the-new-york-times-major-newspaper-grapples-with-future-of-journalism/ What happens when traditional journalism dies? When an establishment as prestigious as The New York Times can no longer fund its operations? Are citizen journalism, Twitter, blogs and Wikileaks enough and capable of feeding the appetite for credible information? While it doesn’t posit any... Thu, 20 Oct 2011 15:57:55 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2801/monte-carlo-fun-but-forgettable-chick-flick/ The night before jetting off to Paris, best friends Grace (Gomez) and Emma (Cassidy) are saddled with Meg (Meester), Grace’s stepsister, which puts a dampener on things before they even set foot on the plane. Upon reaching Paris and facing the squalor that is their room and the pure... Sun, 16 Oct 2011 16:49:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2789/jane-eyre-a-dark-take-on-the-classic-tale/ We won’t waste time with a summary of the universally known story of Jane Eyre, but suffice to say that this is a gorgeous, haunting adaptation of the classic novel. The film opens up with Jane (Wasikowska) running across a windy moor, sobbing wildly, clearly trying to escape something. She... Wed, 26 Oct 2011 10:56:19 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2749/daydream-nation-dark-and-dreamy-high-school-drama/ Caroline (Dennings) moves from the city to some rural hick town where there’s nothing to do except get stoned and have sex. Everybody at school hates her so in order to add some excitement to her life; she seduces her all-too-willing English teacher (Lucas) while dating Thurston (Thompson), one... Wed, 5 Oct 2011 17:04:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2634/how-do-you-know-exasperatingly-boring-romantic-comedy/ Softball player Lisa (Witherspoon) gets cut from the US national team when her coach believes her to be past her prime (read: over 30 years-old). Lisa is devastated about the sudden loss of the pain purpose to her life, and somewhat uncomfortable that her new boyfriend Matty (Wilson), a famous... Thu, 29 Sep 2011 18:27:14 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2713/midnight-in-paris-witty-woody-allen-rom-com/ Imagine what would happen if visiting the past was possible; not in the time machine kind of way but rather in a whimsical, dreamlike sequence that raises many questions about our perception of the past.This is more or less what Midnight in Paris is about, a film that is as picturesque and... Thu, 29 Sep 2011 15:43:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2704/submarine-dark-coming-of-age-comedy/ Oliver’s (Roberts) life is not going well. He gets bullied at school and his parents’ marriage is breaking up due to the re-appearance of his mother’s ex-boyfriend and his father's depression. He plans to get Jordana (Paige) to date him as a way of increasing his social capital at school.... Wed, 28 Sep 2011 16:18:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2701/skateland-80s-coming-of-age-drama/ Skateland takes a universal story and sets it in a specific era, in this case small-town Texas in the early 80s. The local skating rink, Skateland is closing down. Its manager, 19-year-old Ritchie (Fernandez) has to figure out what he intends to do with his life, by either finding a new job or... Tue, 27 Sep 2011 17:40:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2691/the-trip-delectably-funny-faux-documentary/ The Trip essentially stars Steve Coogan and Rob Brydon as themselves. The film has main characters loosely based on the people acting them, and you will keep losing track of whether you’re watching a film or a documentary. Is this real or isn’t it? Coogan is an actor who aspires to appear in... Mon, 26 Sep 2011 16:13:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2657/hesher-grungy-drama-thats-ever-so-slightly-pretentious/ TJ’s (Brochu) mother has recently died and he and his father aren’t coping with the trauma very well. TJ gets bullied every day at school while his father (Wilson) lies on the couch in a drunken stupor. TJ randomly becomes acquainted with Hesher (Gordon-Levitt), a socially-retarded, incompetent... Mon, 19 Sep 2011 18:00:19 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2631/cedar-rapids-indie-comedy-misses-the-mark/ Tim Lippe (Helms) is an insurance salesman whose gullibility and sense of idealism is not befitting of his occupation. Tim is sent to represent his company in a convention as a replacement for a recently deceased colleague that he idolised. He is under pressure to secure the coveted Two Diamond... Wed, 14 Sep 2011 18:51:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2613/from-prada-to-nada-latino-comedy-take-on-sense-and-sensibility/ Romantic comedies are often popular because they present their fans with relatable situations, simple romantic plots and light humour, finishing with a predictable yet satisfyingly happy ending. From Prada to Nada is one romantic comedy that aims higher but fails miserably.  A supposedly funny... Sun, 11 Sep 2011 16:45:13 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2606/gnomeo-and-juliet-shakespeare-parodied-with-animated-gnomes/ Adventure, humour and friendship seem to be the common themes in almost all animation films; they’re always there. Gnomeo and Juliet is a 3D animation that follows the lead of popular films; except this time the lead characters aren't your typical animals, they’re garden gnomes!Directed by Kelly... Fri, 9 Sep 2011 14:57:34 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2604/your-highness-crude-but-funny-medieval-comedy/ Prince Fabious’ (Franco) bride-to-be, Belladonna (Deschanel) has been kidnapped by an evil warlock (Theroux). His good-for-nothing, lazy brother Thadeous (McBride) is forced to accompany him on the quest to save Belladonna and slay the warlock. Along the way, they are joined by Isabel (Portman);... Thu, 8 Sep 2011 18:23:51 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2533/country-strong-rich-country-drama/ Country Strong follows Kelly (Paltrow), a fallen country singer struggling with addiction who embarks on a comeback tour with her husband and manager (McGraw) after her release from rehab. The storyline also follows the starting careers of two rising country stars, both of whom are opening acts... Mon, 29 Aug 2011 12:25:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2518/hokoma-show-censored-tv-show-returns-this-ramadan/ For over a decade, Egyptian impressionist Mahmoud Azzab has been entertaining us with his skills on and off Ramadan shows. Many consider him to be one of the best comedic talents, as he is known for imitating both popular and obscure character in a hilarious, spot-on performance.  This Ramadan,... Mon, 22 Aug 2011 16:20:31 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2510/makansh-youmak-occasionally-interesting-tv-prank-show/ Ramadan has always been about candid camera shows, even before Ibrahim Nasr’s El Kamera El Khafeya. These prank shows have become integral though unnecessary components to the Ramadan TV show formula. One of the most popular shows this Ramadan is Makansh Youmak (Not Your Day), where celebrities... Sun, 21 Aug 2011 17:29:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2502/man-antom-soft-ramadan-talk-show/ Since the January 25th revolution, the political sphere has become ingrained in all facets of Egyptian life. It’s now even dominated entertainment, and has seeped into this year’s Ramadan programming, where the leading talk shows follow the same formula. The show hosts invite celebrities and... Fri, 19 Aug 2011 16:41:46 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2493/abdel-aziz-street-classic-cairo-underdog-tv-series/ Straight from the off, this show holds no punches. From episode one, a fast pace of events was set and there’s been no looking back since. Audiences were immediately thrown into the world of the main character; Abdel Aziz. Yes, just like the street. Abdel Aziz hasn’t got much to shout about. His... Thu, 18 Aug 2011 13:47:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2480/keed-el-nessa-feisty-ramadan-drama/ When you think about it for a second, the frenzy caused by Ramadan TV shows is actually quite peculiar. Both the most active film stars and most docile celebrity names crawl out of the woodwork to find a TV slot sometime between fetar and sohour. In Keed El Nessa, two heavyweights – of a... Sun, 21 Aug 2011 12:00:12 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2473/adam-passable-ramadan-drama/ Despite having endured public humiliation in Tahrir Square earlier this year during the January 25th revolution, pop star-turned-actor Tamer Hosni was reportedly undeterred in starring in Adam alongside Affaf Shoeib of all people. The Ramadan TV series is directed by Mohamed Samy and written by... Mon, 15 Aug 2011 14:28:07 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2443/love-birds-lame-duck-romantic-comedy/ While Hollywood’s romantic comedies are rightly given their share of criticism for being overly repetitive, a New Zealand-based comedy comes to prove that, unfortunately, clichés are not exclusive to Hollywood. However, it isn’t cheesy lines or poor acting that puts Love Birds in that position;... Thu, 11 Aug 2011 11:51:40 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2454/ramez-qalb-al-assad-ramadan-prank-show/ Celebrity TV prank shows have always been a regular mainstay of Ramadan. This year is no different, and there are plenty of candid-camera-style TV shows pulling the most elaborate pranks and practical jokes on Egyptian celebrities.One such show is Ramez Qalb Al Assad (Ramez the Lionheart), which... Thu, 11 Aug 2011 17:21:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2438/al-shaware-al-khalfeya-nostalgic-ramadan-tv-drama/ Period dramas are a staple of the Ramadan TV buffet. Unfortunately, few have been convincing in their ability to capture all the subtle nuances of the era that they are set in. In fact, very few have been able to get the costumes and hair-do’s right let alone subtleties. However, Al Shaware’ Al... Wed, 10 Aug 2011 14:20:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2434/mowaten-x-excellent-ramadan-tv-thriller/ Rarely does a Ramadan TV production surpass our expectations of mediocrity and leap forth to excellence. But this year, Mowaten X has accomplished such a feat. Directed by Othman Abu Laban, the TV series offers a blend of subtle and understated acting, close-to-real dialogue, a great marriage of... Sun, 14 Aug 2011 12:00:21 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2423/el-bernameg-bassem-youssefs-political-satire-on-ontv/ Despite the massive success of his YouTube show, Bassem Youssef has tried to keep things simple with his new show on ONTV; as can be seen by the name ‘El Bernameg’ (The Show). His satirical online show ‘Bassem Youssef Show B+’, which he broadcast in five-minute episodes on YouTube, gained a huge... Sun, 14 Aug 2011 12:00:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2400/rabbit-hole-dense-and-emotional-drama/ A simple story can often give insight into the complicated lives of others, and the struggle that they must endure in coping with a tragedy. Rabbit Hole presents just that; a story of a couple’s traumatic experience and how it has put their relationship under immense strain. Based on a play by... Thu, 4 Aug 2011 14:48:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2380/limitless-unspectacular-yet-enjoyable-thriller/ As a writer, Eddie Morra (Cooper), has everything; looks, ambition and talent. Unfortunately, they're all wasted in his world of personal defeat. Slowly, his life is going down the drain, until he accidentally bumps into his ex's brother-in-law Vernon (Whitworth), who offers him a promising yet... Sun, 31 Jul 2011 17:39:06 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2368/the-cairo-360-guide-to-ramadan-tv-the-months-top-shows/ The beginning of the holy month of Ramadan always signals the beginning of the intense TV channel war over viewership in Egypt. Cairo 360 is pleased to bring you the Ramadan guide to the most anticipated TV shows hitting your screens this month.Al Rayan tells the true story of the spectacular... Sun, 7 Aug 2011 12:00:19 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2364/jackass-35-even-more-pranks-and-stunts-and-skits/ As a bridge between the third Jackass film and a potential fourth, as well as a shameless money-making vehicle, Jackass 3.5 presents fans with a bucket load of material that didn’t make it onto the final cut of the last film. This is more than just outtakes and deleted scenes, though; there are... Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:57:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2357/another-year-slow-paced-family-drama/ Rarely does a film manage both commercial success and critical acclaim; maybe because the material that appeals to critics doesn’t always attract a broad audience. This is the case with Another Year, which made critics speechless, was nominated for several Academy Awards, and left many audiences... Tue, 26 Jul 2011 17:47:46 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2180/the-time-that-remains-quirky-and-dark-comedy-on-palestinian-conflict/ A lot has been said about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict. The issue has dominated the news ever since the State of Israel was created. Endless documentaries have been shot, some highlighting the Jewish perspective, others highlighting the Palestinian side. Christian Palestinian filmmaker Elia... Fri, 1 Jul 2011 1:33:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2139/you-will-meet-a-tall-dark-stranger-clever-and-quirky-romantic-comedy/ After forty years of marriage, Alfie (Hopkins) wakes up one morning to realise that he’s lost interest in his life with Helena (Jones), and decides to leave her to find his lost youth and pursue a younger woman. Helena is left distraught and deeply insecure by Alfie's departure, and blindly seeks... Thu, 23 Jun 2011 18:54:33 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/2098/garbage-dreams-the-life-of-cairos-zabaleen/ Trash isn’t new to Cairo, but have you ever stopped to think about where our trash actually goes after it’s dumped onto the streets or taken away by the bawab? If you’re intrigued, watch eco-documentary Garbage Dreams. Directed by Cairo local Mai Eskandar, the documentary discusses one of the... Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:23:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1990/black-swan-exquisite-portrait-of-disturbed-ballerina/ Black Swan is Darren Aronofsky’s latest psychological drama, and to say that it will keep you on the edge of your seat is an understatement. While this film has received wide acclaim – with Portman receiving an Academy Award for her performance – the fact of the matter is that you’ll either love... Thu, 26 May 2011 15:49:19 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1896/127-hours-a-remarkable-true-story/ Based on an incredible true story, 127 Hours is about mountain climber Aaron Ralston (Franco), who lives for thrills and adrenaline-pumping adventures. On a hike in the Blue John Canyon in Utah,  he meets two female hikers (Tamblyn and Mara) who have lost their way. As a guide, he offers to show... Sun, 15 May 2011 17:19:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1761/hereafter-beautiful-and-thought-provoking-eastwood-drama/ Hereafter revolves around three different individuals whose lives are connected by death and the afterlife: French journalist (De France) has a near-death experience, a young British boy (George and Frankie McLaren) loses his brother in a tragic accident, and George Lonegan (Damon) has... Tue, 19 Apr 2011 15:22:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1705/jackass-3d-guy-humour-and-pranks-in-3d/ Just as the title implies, Jackass is about a bunch of guys who perform pointless stupid stunts, sick jokes and hideous pranks on one another for the sake of filming a third winning feature. Originally, they started off with launching their own TV series on MTV back in 2000. Surprisingly enough,... Sat, 9 Apr 2011 17:35:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1640/the-resident-a-thriller-that-falls-apart/ After searching for an affordable apartment, young doctor Juliet Devereau (Swank) finally comes across a Brooklyn loft that is too good to be true. As she settles in, she begins to feel attracted to landlord Max (Morgan). However, when it doesn’t work out, things become awkward between the two.... Wed, 30 Mar 2011 14:28:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1619/cairo-360-presents-the-bassem-youssef-show-b/ Throughout the eighteen days of January 25th revolution, Egypt’s state media played a definitive role in spreading propaganda and misleading information about the revolution, to the point that public opinion was affected and violence was incited against pro-democracy demonstrators. Over the past... Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:26:29 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1489/nour-living-with-hiv-in-egypt/ Nour is a short film by Noha Roshdy that narrates a woman’s physical and psychological crisis when confronted with her HIV-positive status.The film takes the form of a real interview with Eman, an HIV-positive woman. It follows her journey starting from the day that she discovered that she was... Thu, 24 Mar 2011 13:20:42 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1485/girls-talk-finding-vent-and-wherever-it-may-be/ There are very rare moments, in which the self can find its release, can strip itself of all its pretences and speak its inner thoughts.This happens in Mayye Zayed’s short film Girls’ Talk in the most strange of places. Set entirely in a girls’ school bathroom, the film shows the distant, yet... Thu, 17 Mar 2011 11:15:57 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1487/the-nonsense-decoding-the-absurd/ ‘The colourless yellow flowers sleep furiously.’ There’s no need to exhaust yourself trying to understand what this statement means. Appealing and paradoxical as it is, it seems at first like a line of Baudelairian verse. But at least, Baudelaire was able to convince his readers that flowers can... Thu, 24 Feb 2011 15:52:55 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1488/her-man-feminine-artfulness/ Ayten Amin’s directorial debut is based on Ahdaf Soueif’s short story, Her Man. The story revolves around Zeina, an illiterate and co-dependent woman who stands helpless as her husband, Sobhy decides to take a second and much younger wife.With contempt, she has to live with her rival under the... Thu, 17 Feb 2011 16:58:14 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1486/male-and-female-gender-conflict-in-animation/ Male and Female is a short, silent animation film and the graduation project of Ahmed Adel. The film examines the life choices of a ‘common Eastern man’ – according to the director’s synopsis – who maintains a very powerful sense of masculinity and patriarchal views.Our nameless male protagonist... Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:13:01 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1281/four-lions-slapstick-fundamentalism/ If laughter is the best medicine; then you can’t fault Four Lions, a British indie satire about a group of indignant Muslims hell-bent on suicidal jihad. The film pushes the limits of controversy, but handles the topic of fundamentalism diligently without ever losing sight of its subjects’... Sun, 5 Dec 2010 10:00:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1273/im-still-here-the-dark-side-of-celebrity-culture/ During its first week of release, questions were raised about the authenticity of I’m Still Here; whether the documentary was an elaborate hoax or a real account of a personal breakdown. Following heavy media pressure, director Casey Affleck came clean and revealed that the documentary was indeed... Mon, 29 Nov 2010 17:00:57 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1222/the-kids-are-alright-time-to-meet-your-biological-father/ The Kids Are All Right is a domestic comedy about a gay couple (Bening, Moore) parenting two teenagers. The gay relationship isn’t propped as an exotic draw nor is it played for laughs, but rather treated in a matter-of-fact fashion. And while the couple’s orientation is beside the point, it’s... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:50:02 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1210/winters-bone-the-most-unlikely-detective/ It’s nearly the end of 2010 and the cream of the cinema crop is rising to the surface. All the small gems that went unnoticed amidst the summer blockbuster sandstorm are getting more attention now that the awards season is approaching. Winter’s Bone is one such film; it deserves high praise for... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 17:33:57 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1202/leaves-of-grass-meet-the-norton-twins/ When you first lay eyes on Leaves of Grass’ poster and see Norton’s dorky grin next to a pack of rolling paper, you might mistake the film for a stoner-comedy romp in the vein of Harold & Kumar or The Big Lebowski. The film’s title reinforces the stoner theme, but despite Norton’s heavy southern... Fri, 12 Nov 2010 21:13:24 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1199/death-at-a-funeral-great-ensemble-and-dismal-results/ An urbanised remake of a 2007 British comedy of the same name, Death at a Funeral does not land a single genuine laugh. A pointless remake of an average film, Death at a Funeral plays like a comedy with a crippling lack of confidence, relying on a shiny ensemble of talented comedians to bring it... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 10:00:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1173/the-walking-dead-new-gory-tv-series/ Recently, TV has been attracting a lot of heavyweight cinematic talents. Steven Spielberg produced three hit shows that have raised the bar for production value and realism. This year, Martin Scorsese forayed into episodic drama with his period show Boardwalk Empire, and now Frank Darabont,... Thu, 4 Nov 2010 15:39:52 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1157/catfish-the-real-face-of-social-networking/ Writer Aaron Sorkin admitted recently that he had named his film The Social Network ironically, noting that the film is about a group of socially inept young people. The film didn’t explore the ripple effects of Facebook or how it irreversibly altered the world’s social conducts. The film was... Mon, 1 Nov 2010 17:41:16 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1134/360-essentials-best-new-tv-shows/ Autumn is always an exciting time in Cairo: the weather starts to lose the heat of the Egyptian summer, the nights get longer and bring with them the sophistication of dressing up for winter. For fans of television, it also means that there is a whole slew of new TV shows to watch. Even if we... Wed, 27 Oct 2010 17:32:47 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1123/best-worst-movie-reconciling-with-an-embarrassing-legacy/ Most of us grow out of our adolescent fantasies by the time reality comes knocking on the door. As dreams are abandoned and expectations recalibrated, evidence of their existence leaves a sizable footprint behind. A video of your school play, photos of you with your band in a leather jackets... Mon, 25 Oct 2010 16:53:16 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1119/boardwalk-empire-hot-and-new-tv-series/ The new HBO TV show Boardwalk Empire comes with a prestigious pedigree. Its creator Terence Winter was a prolific writer for the gangster classic The Sopranos. Martin Scorsese produced the TV series with full control over the show’s look and tone. He also handpicked the cast and directed the... Sun, 7 Nov 2010 10:00:11 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1076/kick-ass-an-incompetent-not-so-super-hero/ A blender of heroes, comics and fighting vice, Kick Ass is both a classically assembled superhero film and a breath of fresh air. The film tackles the question that has long daunted comic book nerds: what if an ordinary person actually put on a costume and become a street-fighting vigilante? The... Thu, 14 Oct 2010 17:01:20 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1048/diary-of-a-wimpy-kid-its-not-a-diary-and-its-a-film/ Diary of a Wimpy Kid is the kind of film that you’d wish you had seen when you were twelve. Its spasticity captures the extremist mindset of a young boy, where the smallest problem can be inflated into the direst of life-or-death situations. The film does this through the upbeat and good-natured... Tue, 5 Oct 2010 17:18:41 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1040/exit-through-the-gift-shop-examining-our-preconceptions-about-art/ With Exit Through the Gift Shop, iconic street artist Banksy has crafted an elusive documentary that comes under a cloud of speculation. Whether or not this is another hoax by the master prankster or an honest account is beside the point; Banksy isn’t a news reporter nor is this documentary an... Sun, 10 Oct 2010 12:41:27 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1033/get-him-to-the-greek-return-of-the-out-of-control-rock-star/ There is something unsatisfying about the off-kilter comedic tone of Get Him to the Greek. The film takes the zany antics of old-school rock stardom to such bizarre extremes; that it leaves more of an avant-garde aftertaste as opposed to just plain silly. This drinking-binge-induced burst of a... Mon, 4 Oct 2010 15:54:38 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/1026/the-runaways-the-original-all-girl-punk-band/ As with all rock & roll bio pics, music fans are the ones that will derive the most out of The Runaways, the story of the first all-girl rock sensation by the same name. Set during the late seventies when the punk rock movement was being led by bands like the Sex Pistols, the Runaways were... Sun, 3 Oct 2010 17:36:43 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/987/operation-endgame-put-your-brain-on-pause/ If spy films were a family, Operation: Endgame would be the quirky younger cousin that likes setting fire to ants. She can be funny as hell, if only because you’re laughing 'at' her, and not 'with' her.The plot is pretty simplistic, and is set up in the first fifteen minutes of the film: the US... Thu, 23 Sep 2010 15:42:21 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/936/macgruber-silly-spoof-of-80s-action-heroes/ If MacGruber were a food, it would be one of those new ice cream cones with a Kit-Kat finger in the middle. Separately, both are high caloric and delicious desserts. Combined, the result is not quite the sum of its sweet parts. MacGruber is the same; it has Saturday Night Live funnymen combined... Mon, 13 Sep 2010 11:58:03 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/911/ramadan-tv-al-gamaa/ The born-again-fundamentalist has been a favourite stock character for Egyptian serial writers ever since the invention of fake beards. However, the angry bearded brethren never quite captured the undivided attention of TV audiences until writer Waheed Hamed finally took matters in his own hands... Mon, 6 Sep 2010 15:56:49 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/903/ramadan-tv-azmet-sokar/ There is no respect for character actors in Egypt. If a talented actor doesn’t have his own movie or TV show, he gets questioned about it in talk shows and interviews. It’s as if starring in your own vanity project is the epitome of art. As a result, acclaimed (and even up-and-coming) actors have... Mon, 6 Sep 2010 13:48:14 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/896/ramadan-tv-mesh-friends/ A typical sitcom in the States usually involves a creative team of at least a dozen writers, a year-long production schedule, and a roster of talented actors to bring it to life. The result is an average of 22 episodes per season of quality comedic programming. Now take all these factors out of... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 16:40:25 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/895/ramadan-tv-robaa-meshakel/ After last Ramadan’s marginal success of the sketch comedy Lamba Show, the same team returns this year with the new yet almost identical Robaa Meshakel (A Quarter of Variety). The show is produced by Global Production, the same company that brought us the original Abu Hafiza show and a number of... Sun, 14 Nov 2010 16:40:01 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/881/ramadan-tv-zohra-we-azwagha-el-khamsa/ The title of Zohra We Azwagha El Khamsa (Zohra and her five husbands) is misleading. The Zohra in question (Abdel Razek) doesn’t actually engage in a promiscuous relationship with five different husbands all at once; instead, she spreads them out over the course of 30 episodes. However, credit... Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:06:41 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/871/ramadan-tv-el-aar/ Loosely based on the classic 80s film of the same name, Ramadan TV series El Aar ('The Disgrace') tells the story of a struggling family that ultimately succumbs to greed. It’s a modern-day pulp serial, where characters are constantly exposed to temptation and forced to make tough choices.   Part... Sun, 29 Aug 2010 16:10:32 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/868/ramadan-tv-ayza-atgawez/ By now, it’s no secret that the hugely anticipated Ayza Atgawez ('I want to get married') has tragically misfired. It’s still fun to watch and it does offer the occasional chuckle buried under a mountain of cheese, but it didn’t turn out to be the peppy relationship comedy that we’ve all been... Thu, 26 Aug 2010 17:02:10 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/864/ramadan-tv-bahs-midani-zay-el-assal/ Not quite the Punk’d school of prank shows, Bahs Midani-Zai El Assal (As Sweet as Honey) is more of a gentle take on the genre; where instead of deriving comedy out of making poor guests uncomfortable, the show’s hosts rely on their improvisation skills to come up with stupefying yet funny... Wed, 25 Aug 2010 14:57:05 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/857/ramadan-tv-cleopatra/ Cleopatra’s historic legacy lies in her great beauty, her ability to to seduce powerful men, and having Egypt’s best-selling local cigarette brand named after her. So it’s only natural for Egyptian TV to adapt her bio after exhausting nearly all contemporary figures known to Egyptians.This... Sun, 21 Aug 2011 12:00:37 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/852/ramadan-tv-ahl-cairo/ Every Ramadan, the annual TV series race takes place in Egypt; where literally hundreds of shows, series and programs air during the month. Egyptian stars struggle to find that perfect script, through which they would woo viewers for the entire month. It’s extremely hard for us poor couch... Mon, 18 Jul 2011 18:21:50 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/844/al-kebeer-awi-the-cool-and-the-bad-and-the-twisted-moustache/ For years, we’ve been suffering from a mild comedic output from our Egyptian TV. The sitcom format got trendy in Egypt during the late 90s, prompting the production of dozens of shows that exemplified the worst aspects of the genre. The outdated laugh track found a second life in dismal Egyptian... Thu, 19 Aug 2010 16:01:39 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/836/ramadan-tv-fawazeer-myriam/ Egyptians take great pride in having introduced the Arab world to the fine art of fawazeer (Arabic for riddle), a fast-paced variety of show designed to offer the least bit of brain stimulation, while treating the eye to ample song and dance numbers. Children of the 80s will recall with great joy... Wed, 25 Aug 2010 12:05:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/832/ramadan-tv-bi-lesan-moaredik/ Lebanese presenter Tony Khalife is back on Al Kahera Wal Nas this Ramadan for another round of juicy celebrity gossip. The sleek 48-year-old bought class to TV tabloid sleaze last year, and has teamed up again with the TV channel for yet another judge-jury-and-executioner-type show examining our... Tue, 24 Aug 2010 13:11:30 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/829/al-kahera-wal-nas-cairos-ramadan-series-master/ Before Cairo became the city of ten million satellite dishes, families used to gather around the TV set every Ramadan to watch either of the state-run and ingeniously titled Channel 1 or Channel 2. This post-fetar ritual became a yearly television tradition. With the deluge of satellite channels,... Tue, 17 Aug 2010 10:45:08 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/825/ramadan-tv-the-godfather-master-and-student/ For many Egyptians today, the most iconic leading men of Egyptian cinema are Omar Sharif, Roshdy Abaza and Ahmed Ramzy. These three actors have made some of the most influential films of all time in Egyptian history. While Omar Sharif usually played the lovesick suitor and Roshdy Abaza played the... Mon, 16 Aug 2010 13:53:15 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/766/valhalla-rising-a-silent-warrior/ In film school, they teach students that every scene in a film has to serve a purpose. A scene has to push the story further by presenting new conflicts, revealing new information, or reversing a situation. This is the filmmaking-by-numbers formula that most mainstream films tend to fallow.... Sun, 1 Aug 2010 15:37:51 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/761/a-town-called-panic-a-loony-tale/ It takes a lot to make the animation in Fantastic Mr. Fox look comparatively slick and polished. Even the cheap stop-motion of Adults Swim’s Robot Chicken can’t match the crudeness of A Town Called Panic. However, what the film might lack in sheen and gloss, it makes up for in the cute and... Sun, 1 Aug 2010 10:42:51 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/728/agora-a-vivid-historical-account/ The Egyptian city of Alexandria as depicted in Agora is almost unrecognizable. Save for some artefacts left behind from the Roman Empire, there aren’t many visual tie-ins to the city’s current-day landscape. It’s a testament to Alexandria’s metamorphosis through the different time periods and the... Wed, 28 Jul 2010 17:36:38 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/711/worlds-greatest-dad-when-misfortune-becomes-a-chance-for-success/ In World's Greatest Dad, Lance (Williams) makes the most selfish and morally questionable choices, yet he still ends up being a sympathetic character. Why? Because as reprehensible as his actions may be; they are driven by a moral ambiguity that we all know so very well, and Lance never loses... Thu, 22 Jul 2010 17:06:55 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/707/greenberg-the-grass-is-not-greener-on-the-other-side/ Why would anyone want to spend time with Greenberg? He’s self-centred and makes everyone around him uncomfortable. Having just checked out of a mental rehabilitation facility, he seems to have pushed all his friends away twenty years ago, except for Ivan (Ifans), who can never look him in the eye... Tue, 20 Jul 2010 14:13:10 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/688/the-girl-with-the-dragon-tattoo-a-40-year-old-murder-mystery/ Based on the bestseller trilogy by Stieg Larsson, the Swedish film The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo is a fantastic thriller. With an erratic heroine filling in for the usual grizzled detective, the film’s atmosphere is sinister, and moody frames unfold the intricate murder mystery. We might have... Thu, 15 Jul 2010 13:41:46 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/651/a-prophet-dreams-of-power-in-prison/ A prison film, a gritty gangster drama, and a racially charged case study, A Prophet is most likely one of the finer crime films you’ll ever see. It is above all the hyper realistic and underplayed representation of crime – the film rejects Scarface’s over-stylized and cartoonish take on... Wed, 7 Jul 2010 19:51:36 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/648/a-perfect-getaway-try-to-catch-them-cheating/ During their honeymoon on a gorgeous Hawaii Island , newlyweds Cliff (Zahn) and Cydney (Jovovich) encounter over-excited vacationing couple Nick (Olyphant) and Gina (Sanchez). Although Cliff works as a screenwriter, it’s Nick who seems to know the most about film plot conventions, especially... Mon, 5 Jul 2010 15:59:42 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/645/hot-tub-time-machine-80s-nostalgia-galore/ With the novelty of a 80s house party, Hot Tub Time Machine depicts a loony version of the fluorescent decade where everyone was either clad in Day-Glo or parading around in a ‘where is the beef’ T-shirt. Most of the comedy in Hot Tub Time Machine (which, according to the trailer, is based on an... Sun, 4 Jul 2010 18:13:36 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/602/dear-john-love-in-a-post-9-11-world/ Dear John’s claim to fame is that it knocked Avatar out of the number One spot of the US box-office, breaking the blue flick’s seven-week dominance. It’s a mild tearjerker that will get you all warm and fuzzy inside then gently remove its traces once it ends. Is it good, or is it bad? If you’re... Sun, 4 Jul 2010 9:48:02 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/594/chloe-love-is-strange/ You can’t hear the term ‘erotic thriller’ without involuntarily blushing. It’s really just an exotic euphemism for films with lots of nudity and steamy sex scenes. But Chloe is not just an artsy excuse for Seyfried to show off some skin; it’s a surprisingly interesting character study of a posh... Wed, 23 Jun 2010 15:15:17 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/592/the-good-and-the-bad-and-the-weird-asian-action-packed-romp/ Screened out of competition at the 2008 Cannes Film Festival, The Good, The Bad, The Weird (TGTBTW) premiered to cheering crowds that applauded after a 15-minute chase scene towards the end of the film. The film’s representation of 1930s Korea is barely grounded in reality; the film’s setting of... Tue, 22 Jun 2010 17:16:08 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/549/whip-it-sugar-and-spice-and-everything-nice/ Whip it! is an immensely adorable film. Although the plot is left on autopilot, taking us through a familiar road while making stops at all the usual checkpoints; it ends up somewhere interesting– more power to director Drew Barrymore, who successfully infected Whip It! with her irresistible... Tue, 15 Jun 2010 16:50:41 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/515/youth-in-revolt-nice-guys-finish-last/ Based on the 1993 eponymous adolescent novel, Youth in Revolt is seen through the eyes of Nick Twisp (Cera), a sixteen-year-old virgin filled with diffidence and self-loathing. The film was released earlier this year, and although the text is held in such high regard, this little indie gem went... Mon, 7 Jun 2010 17:38:16 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/516/invictus-the-unconquerable-soul-of-mandela/ Part historical epic, part sports drama, Invictus sheds light on a key chapter in former South African President Nelson Mandela’s life, and his efforts to reunite his nation under one flag after years of racial injustice. Director Eastwood reunites with Freeman, who was personally chosen by... Tue, 8 Jun 2010 17:06:02 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/484/mystery-team-internet-comedy-sensation-invades-your-screen/ Ushering in a new age of comedy democratisation; YouTube, College-humour and Funny-or-Die have inspired a paradigm shift in the comedy world. Still considered to be at an infantile stage, their full effect isn’t palpable yet. The shift is inevitable, though, and Mystery Team is one of its early... Tue, 1 Jun 2010 15:37:33 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/478/tooth-fairy-more-painful-than-a-toothache/ The Rock wearing a tooth fairy dress is the high-concept pitch that sold Tooth Fairy to the studios. It’s an inherently funny idea, but what’s remarkable about Tooth Fairy is how it takes this intriguing concept and sucks all the fun out of it. Completely missing the mark, the filmmakers took... Mon, 31 May 2010 17:04:17 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/447/the-white-ribbon-judging-the-viewer/ After the last scene of The White Ribbon slowly fades to black, you’ll find yourself feeling perplexed, almost cheated. Films moralise, examine beliefs and subjugate us to grim imagery, but they also reward us for enduring. After an unnerving two-and-a-half hours, The White Ribbon doesn’t offer... Tue, 25 May 2010 16:31:09 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/433/big-fan-the-dark-side-of-frantic-obsession/ What is it about comedians giving stellar performances? Is it because it goes against our expectations, or maybe because no one understands the strains of life better than the ones who get the joke?Paul (Oswalt) is the biggest fan of the New York Giants. Between an imminent midlife crisis and a... Mon, 24 May 2010 17:04:23 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/431/brothers-boys-becoming-men/ Portman, Maguire and Gyllenhaal aren’t always known for their range as actors, and despite their best efforts, their boyish looks have always betrayed them in the past. In Brothers, the trio joins hands to escape from the typecast pigeonhole and come out victorious at the end. The film is not... Sun, 23 May 2010 16:26:21 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/416/bad-lieutenantport-of-call-new-orleans-enigmatic-and-corrupted-hero/ German director Werner Herzog is one of the most passionate filmmakers working today. He famously ate his own shoe when he lost a bet, and most of his films and documentaries are cinematic meditations on mankind’s relationship with nature. So it was surprising, albeit interesting news to hear... Thu, 20 May 2010 11:54:05 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/378/cairo-time-fall-in-love-with-the-city-all-over-again/ Every once in a while, we watch a film that we’re too shy to admit that we actually enjoyed. Cairo Time is one of those films that you really don’t want to like and the more you resist; the more it grows on you.   Juliette (Clarkson) is the wife of a Canadian diplomat stationed in Gaza. She... Thu, 13 May 2010 13:16:50 EEST http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/304/couples-retreat-run-away-from-this-one/ We used to like Vince Vaughn. Ever since he rose to fame after 1996’s Swingers, this comedian has entertained us as the sarcastic, fast-talking sidekick in Mr and Mrs Smith, or as the bitter, fast-talking sidekick in Old School. He truly proved his bankability as a leading actor in Wedding... Thu, 29 Apr 2010 14:05:40 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/280/alvin-and-the-chipmunksthe-squeakquel-chipmunks-at-it-again/ If your idea of a good film is to watch computer animated squirrels with irritating, high-pitched voices running amok and creating predictable havoc, then this film is for you. However, a younger, pre-pubescent audience may be better suited for this comedy.The sequel to the 2007 comedy Alvin and... Thu, 22 Apr 2010 16:16:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/277/a-serious-man-another-coen-brothers-masterpiece/ The Coen brothers do it again. After winning an Oscar for their masterpiece No Country For Old Men, the directors take their craft back to their hometown in Minnesota to present their most personal film to date. A Serious Man has all the marks of great craftsmanship; the signature Coen dark... Thu, 22 Apr 2010 12:09:23 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/254/crude-poignant-film-tracks-oil-company-abuse-in-ecuador/ A poignant addition to the series of eco-documentaries released over the last year, Crude tracks the struggle of rural Ecuadorians against oil corporation Texaco, and the environmental and health damages accrued after decades of oil companies in the country. The film shocks us with an... Sun, 18 Apr 2010 17:09:36 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/249/fantastic-mr-fox-a-happy-dig-into-a-foxs-hole/ This is a happy, unexpected fun ride from director Wes Anderson, the man behind Rushmore, The Royal Tenenbaums and Aquatic life Aquatic with Steve Zissou. Quirky, funny and delightfully artistic, Anderson presents a children’s story for adults as well, using stop-motion and inexpensive... Mon, 19 Apr 2010 17:09:04 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/242/a-single-man-visually-stunning-with-a-real-emotional-core/ Every now and then, a film comes along that satisfies the emotional demands of a story and meets the cinematographic need for beauty. A Single Man is one of those films. The film is a day in the life of George Falconer (Firth), a gay English expatriate living in Los Angeles in the early 1960s.... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 17:33:56 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/238/crazy-heart-bridges-gives-lifetime-performance/ Crazy Heart is 2009’s country music version of The Wrestler : a former star struggling to make ends meet, Bad Blake (Bridges) finds himself on the brink of depression. He meanders from one small town gig to another, leaving behind a string of failed one-night-stands, just to earn a few extra... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:43:44 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/226/the-cove-thought-provoking-and-award-winning-documentary/ There are very few films that deserve a perfect score. Critics and audiences rarely agree over what makes a film perfect; but this film has earned an almost perfect 96% rating on critic website Rotten Tomatoes and a perfect score on Cairo360. Winner of Best Documentary at the 2009 Academy Awards,... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/217/triangle-a-smart-and-entertaining-thriller/ Feelings of déjà vu, suspicion, and dread punctuate this psychological thriller from Severance director Christopher Smith. It is an entertaining and cleverly constructed film, although it won’t win any big time awards.A group of friends embark on a doomed weekend sailing trip in the Atlantic... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/216/precious-based-on-the-novel-push-by-sapphire-a-provocative-and-heartbreaking-portrayal/ Don’t go watching Precious thinking you are in for a pick-me-up; it’s definitely not a feel-good film. This film is equally emotional and disturbing, and will make you feel for the characters no matter how ugly the twists and turns can be. First-time actress Gabourey Sidibi plays Precious, a... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/195/fish-tank-gritty-brit-flick/ Although it was released in 2009, this gritty Brit flick is only now garnering the attention of international audiences that it deserves. Although the film was a miss at the 2010 Academy Awards, it did pick up the Jury Prize at last year’s Cannes Film Festival.Mia (Jarvis) is a troubled... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/185/this-is-it-michael-jacksons-music-legacy/ This film really needs no introduction. With the world awaiting the start of his 50-date stint at London’s O2 Arena, the news of Michael Jackson’s sudden death sent shockwaves across the globe and any new, previously unseen footage of the music legend was lapped up by the fans, media and public... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/190/nine-be-italian/ Musicals have always been a firm favourite with cinema goers, and if the success of Chicago and Moulin Rouge were anything to go by, then remaking Federico Fellini’s stage production of 8 ½  into a film was bound to be a hit. Unfortunately, that is not the case. Chicago director Rob Marshall... Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:59:09 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/178/360-essentials-ultimate-chick-flicks/ Cliché?  Yes, but everyone’s got their list and here is ours.  So when you’re in the mood to snuggle on the couch in your jammies with a bucket of ice-cream, pop one of these into your DVD player and you’ll be guaranteed a cosy, entertaining night.The Shop around the Corner (1940)The endearing... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/179/how-to-lose-friends-and-alienate-people-simon-pegg-hits-hollywood/ While it isn’t the laugh-out-loud comedy that it could have been, How to Lose Friends and Alienate People shows a new side of comedy that could supplant the numerous failures of popular movie writer/director Judd Apatow. Simon Pegg shows that he can go from one genre to the next and still... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/173/inglourious-basterds-tarantino-takes-on-the-nazis/ The latest offering by Quentin Tarantino seems to be a step down for this revolutionary film-maker. Still, as the highest grossing film in Tarantino’s career, Inglourious Basterds is worth watching for the performances, Christoph Waltz’s in particular, and the flashes of humour in the... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/166/the-proposal-a-rom-com-thats-actually-funny/ Having won the Oscar for her lead actress role in The Blind Side , Sandra Bullock may no longer be able to hold onto her title of queen of the rom-com. This is a right shame as she and Ryan Reynolds have some of the most fluid on-screen chemistry ever seen between two leading actors. Back and... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/163/500-days-of-summer-love-remembered/ Every now and then a small-budget Indie film with recognisable stars gets released and ends up becoming a sleeper hit with critics and fans alike. Films such as Chasing Amy and The Good Girl proved that you can strike box-office gold with a great, original script, a cool soundtrack and young... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/149/the-directors-collections-you-must-own/ We all know that behind every good film stands a great director. Featuring some of our all-time favourites, this is a list of recommendations for all you film buffs out there—or anyone looking for a solid movie line up. If you love the classic director greats as much as we do, you might be... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/93/district-9-alien-apartheid/ Finally, an apocalyptic survival film that lives up to our expectations. Available on DVD, District 9 is a journey into life in a split society where aliens have arrived and are living in makeshift camps near Johannesburg, South Africa and have languished there for two decades. With tensions... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/122/the-invention-of-lying-gervais-first-unfunny-comedy/ With a Ricky Gervais film we, expect so much more than the average comedy, but The Invention of Lying gives us little to work with. It is simply not very funny—a key ingredient when it comes to a film labelled as a comedy.From The Office to Extras, Gervais offered up laughs upon laughs with his... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/121/transformers-ii-theyre-back-and-theyre-out-for-revenge/ If you’re looking for action, adventure and entertaining fun packed with explosions, hen Transformers II is the movie and now DVD experience to enjoy.Sam Witwicky (LeBeouf) is off to college, leaving girlfriend Mikaela (Fox) back home, both believing the whole robot war thing has ended and life... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/124/julie-and-julia-cooking-up-a-storm/ Even though Julie and Julia is a film about the art of food, Meryl Streep’s performance was more inspiring and fulfilling even than the recipes featured in the film. Streep is without doubt one of the best actors of her generation and her performance here, like the culinary delights featured in... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET http://www.cairo360.com/article/tv & dvd/94/the-september-issue-a-wintour-wonderland/ Vogue is certainly a place out of this world, like nothing and no one in it is real. Everything momentarily produced to be shot and archived.The documentary The September Issue , follows the woman behind the fashion bible that is Vogue, Anna Wintour, the Editor–in-chief and ice queen of fashion.... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:19:59 EET