New in Cairo Cinemas: What to Expect From This Week’s Top Film Releases
Cairo 360
This week Cairo cinemas welcome a hotpot of films, with a certain Agatha Christie adaptation attracting most attention, alongside Pixar’s latest piece, a Wahlberg-Ferrell comedy sequel and the usual serving of horror.
What’s it About? Based on Agatha Christie’s classic 1934 novel of the same name, Murder on the Orient Express tells of detective Hercule Poirot’s investigation into a murder committed on a train he’s travelling on.
Why it Might Be Good: Well, firstly the cast – Kenneth Branagh, who also directs, plays Poirot, while Penelope Cruz, Willem Dafoe, Judi Dench, Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeifer make for a fantastic ensemble of actors. It all looks incredibly well photographed and has a particular panache about it. And what a cast!
Why it Might Be Bad: Early reviews have called out the film from straying a little away from the source material, but the inevitable downfall will come when compared to Sydney Lumet’s 1974 commercial and critical success of an adaptation.
What’s it About? After their dad vs. step-dad face-off in the first film, Mark Wahlberg and
Will Ferrell are at each other’s throats again, but this time they both have to deal with their own daddy issues as their fathers come to visit them.
Why it Might Be Good: As much stick as he gets, Wahlberg has always been a good foil for straight-up comedic actors and he shares decent chemistry with Ferrell. With Mel Gibson and John Lithgow thrown in the mix, there’s still room for a few more laughs.
Why it Might Be Bad: Well the first one, if we’re honest, wasn’t exactly great – in fact, it was ludicrous at times. But a decent-enough return at the box office means a sequel was always inevitable, but like so many more superior comedies before it, it’s probably going to dry-up early on.
What’s it About? Determined to discover the secret behind his ancestors’ mysterious ban on music, a young musician-in-the-making named Miguel enters the Land of the Dead to do his own investigating.
Why it Might Be Good: Well, it’s a Pixar movie for one and though there has been a few misfires over the years, audiences have come to expect something special from the studio. The premise, as seen in early reviews, has more depth to it than meets to eye and is said to be a thoughtful look at family, culture, life and death.
Why it Might Be Bad: This doesn’t look like the next Toy Story, The Incredibles or Finding Nemo – trailers have suggested that there’s a childish undercurrent to the whole film, while some have said that it drags quite often.
What’s it About? A family moves into the Amityville franchise’s infamous house at 112 Ocean Avenue, only to find themselves haunted by a demonic presence which takes the family’s brain-dead son’s body as a vessel.
Why it Might Be Good: Many are saying that this is the best Amityville film since 1983’s Amityville 3-D. There’s been a ridiculous 14 films in the franchise since then (18 in total) and there’s a pleasing horror polish to it.
Why it Might be Bad: At the end of the day, it looks like a typical, by-the-numbers possession horror, with little to separate it from the crowd, save for whatever capital the Amityville franchise in horror circles.
To find out where and when you can catch these films, as well as the week’s other releases, in the capital, check out the Cairo 360 Cinema Guide.
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