The Definitive Guide to Living in the Capital , Cairo , Egypt

With this year’s Cairo International Film Festival only just now beginning to come to a close, Egypt’s capital has a heavy bout of film fever – and this week’s new cinema releases bring with them plenty of critical acclaim, staring with a film that was screened at this year’s festival.

The Mountain Between Us

What’s it About? Based on the 2011 of the same name, The Mountains Between Us, tells of two strangers who become stranded in a snowy, mountainous region after surviving a place crash. Though they initially hold hope that someone will come by them, they quickly realise that help may never come.

Why it Might Be Good: If there’s a more impressive and commanding on-screen presence in Hollywood right now than Idris Elba, then we haven’t seen him. With the seasoned Kate Winslet by his side, expect the two leads to deliver powerhouse performances in what is a survival tale with a twist…

Why it Might Be Bad: Well, this twist seems to be a potential issue, with trailers and clips planting the seed of romance between Winslet and Elba’s characters, as they navigate an already far-fetched scenario.

The Killing of a Sacred Deer

What’s it About?After befriending a young boy and taking him into his home, a surgeon’s family mysteriously falls ill as we find out that there’s more at play to this peculiar friendship.

Why it Might Be Good: Like The Mountain Between Us, it’s two household names that are the biggest attraction of The Killing of a Sacred Deer. Colin Farrell is as underrated as they come, while Nicole Kidman has proven to be an effective player in this kind of eerie thriller. More than that, though, it won Best Screenplay at Cannes this year and seems to be another notch on the belt of increasingly interesting director, Yorgos Lanthimos – the man behind absurdist dystopian black comedy film, The Lobster.

Why it Might Be Bad: The skeleton of the plot doesn’t seem all that different to so many psychological horrors before it – seemingly disturbed, neglected kid is brought into a loving, caring environment, only to reveal a deep-ling evil. Also, this comes out a bit later than the other films, on Sunday 3rd December. 

Killing Gunther

What’s it About? Action and comedy come together, as good ol’ Arnie stars as the titular Gunther – a hitman. His colleagues, sick of his unofficial title of being the best assassin in the business, band together to take him down, but he always seems one step ahead.

Why it Might Be Good: Arnold Schwarzenegger playing any surveyor of professional violence usually works and he’s shown before that he can hold-up to comedy, even while maintaining his hard-man shtick.

Why it Might Be Bad: Well, it’s just not all that inspiring – it isn’t like RED, for example, which had the benefit of a star-studded veteran cast. Arnie’s co-stars include some familiar comedy and TV faces, which leaves the seemingly thin plot to fend for itself.

A Bad Moms Christmas

What’s it About? Following the relative success of 2016 comedy, Bad Moms, we’re back with same characters as they come to terms with their own mummy issues ahead of Christmas.

Why it Might Be Good: Mila Kunis, Kristen Bell and Kathryn Hahn are back and, in similar fashion to Daddy’s Home 2, the addition of the characters’ mothers should make for some familiar and humorous exchanges.

Why it Might Be Bad: Because, like Daddy’s Home 2, the plot of the original isn’t particularly complex or intricate and so elevating something that’s already questionable is no easy task.

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.